Lu Jinan's eyes were glued on the sparkly, shiny object that was withdrawn from the metal briefcase.
He could feel his back covered in cold sweat, his hands on the sides were clenched tightly as he gazed at Sera and Maya who had stars in their eyes.
"This..", Sera's eyes were large as globes, she gulped heavily looking at the precious treasure in her hands.
"I know!!", Maya chimed in cheerily, excitedly laughing at the grand reveal flashing her pearly whites.
"But.. I don't know!", Sera furrowed her eyebrows in confusion at her ambiguous words.
Her words greatly shocking Maya who stood up in confusion. She was super sure that Sera would recognize the 'gift' as per Xav's boastful words and guaranteed claims.
"You.. really don't know?", she asked with a blank face, inwardly cursing her stupid brother, Xav.
Sera looked at the dispirited countenance of Maya, confounded. She didn't quite understand why her face turned droopy all of a sudden.
Did she say something inappropriate?
"Fine!! If you don't like it..", Maya stretched her hand lethargically as she tried to take away the gift.
Her voice turning lower than usual with each word coming out of her mouth, looking like a cute little cat who was purposely trying to hide her sharp claws.
"No! I don't!", Sera cried a little louder interrupting her dismayed speech.
Maya's initial hopeless face turned into a bewildered one as she stared at Sera's now beaming face. Her hand hanging in midair.
"Uh?", Maya asked innocently. Sera's words had literally flown over her head as she was now at a loss.
"I mean.. I love it!", Sera grabbed Maya's hand that was trying to snatch the 'gift'. Maya at last sighed in relief.
"Oh! I was scared..", she laughed awkwardly trying to wipe the beads of sweat on her forehead.
"So..", Sera looked at the object in her hands before shotting a meaningful glance at Maya.
On the other side Lu Jinan had a baffled expression on his perfect face as he racked his brains to avoid any regrettable situation from arising.
"I have to stop this!", he muttered glaring daggers at Maya. He was eyeing her like she was his enemy.
Lu Jinan hastened his steps to reach them with a red angry face and frosty eyes he was glaring hatefully at Maya. Who was now according to Lu Jinan no less than a perilous threat to Sera and her life.
Maya cleared her throat, she gazed at the shiny object under spotlight and then at Sera. Her voice soft and melodious like the presenter on stage of an auction.
"This is the exquisite, inimitable and beyond comparison 'golden paintbrush' made entirely of pure gold and diamond dust that was.."
Lu Jinan's voice resounded as he continued Maya's speech, his hands extending to retrieve the ominous painting tool from Sera's hands forcefully.
"Presented by the prime minister of Country Y.. to the legendary ROSE!", Sera stood up with a start, her hands empty as she stared at the cold man before her.
Sera was happy that it was such a priceless gift however she was also out of words, seeing Lu Jinan pop out of nowhere and grab the 'golden paintbrush' out of her hands. He was acting strangely as though it was some poisonous snake or a dangerous weapon that she was holding.
Meanwhile a bewildered Maya stood rooted to the ground, her mouth agape and eyes larger than saucers. She looked at Lu Jinan's face as though he was a zombie ready to bite into her flesh.
"He.. he.. Here?", her brain wasn't working, it had bigtime clashed as her senses were completely blank right now, like a clean and new slate.
Lu Jinan's deep, dark gaze sweeped across Maya.
"Why.. is he looking at me like that? So.. hostile", she was chewing the insides of her cheeks in frustration.
Maya's heart shook, the chilly look in his eyes coupled with the detached expression gave her goosebumps. She took a step back in reflex almost stumbling.
Under the stifling air that was surrounding Lu Jinan which was unconsciously pressurizing both Sera and Maya, she looked at her brother's imposing front.
"Brother!", Sera finally found her voice, recovering from the shock she called out a bit hoarsely tugging his sleeve.
Maya gulped heavily, the word 'brother' buzzing in her head and ringing in her ears from which an invisible smoke was coming out. She was feeling dizzy, the information was too much for her fragile heart.
"Brother?", she repeated after what seemed like half a day, her voice soft almost a whisper to their ears.
Sera looked at Maya whose face was oddly covered with cold sweat. Scrunching her eyebrows, perplexed with a wry smile she nodded her head.
"Uh-huh.. He's my older brother, Lu Jinan!", Sera's sweet voice while introducing Lu Jinan only made matters worse, fine hair stood up on Maya's back.
She shuddered inwardly, her eyes were almost teary when met with his cold-blooded gaze and dry face.
"Why.. was he looking at her so angrily like a wrathful diety?" Maya questioned herself praying to be spared by his rage.
Lu Jinan quietly scrutinized Maya with his cold eyes, his face stoic devoid of any expression made Sera feel uncomfortable. She coughed lightly before letting out an awkward laugh to ease the atmosphere.
"Brother.. This is my friend, Maya Martinez!", she smiled, her eyes darting at Lu Jinan and Maya.
'Maya.. Maya Martinez!' Lu Jinan repeated her name in his head, it sounded really good and pleasing to his ears like music.
Lu Jinan shook his head looking at the paintbrush, he heaved a sigh before raising his head and speaking.
"You wanted this?", his question was directed at Sera who nodded beaming happily.
"Hmm.. Next time, just tell me and don't bother others. Okay?", he softened his gaze and rubbed her hair dotingly.
Lu Jinan bent slightly and grabbed the briefcase from the bench and walked away without looking back, his eyes were burning with something unreadable. Sera stood gaping at his receding figure while Maya almost cried without tears.
"Don't bother others?", Lu Jinan's unfeeling words earlier hit her hard.
A faint pain rose in her chest spreading rapidly and she felt helpless, angry, disheartened and embarrassed.
Lu Jinan's eyes were glued on the sparkly, shiny object that was withdrawn from the metal briefcase.
He could feel his back covered in cold sweat, his hands on the sides were clenched tightly as he gazed at Sera and Maya who had stars in their eyes.
"This..", Sera's eyes were large as globes, she gulped heavily looking at the precious treasure in her hands.
"I know!!", Maya chimed in cheerily, excitedly laughing at the grand reveal flashing her pearly whites.
"But.. I don't know!", Sera furrowed her eyebrows in confusion at her ambiguous words.
Her words greatly shocking Maya who stood up in confusion. She was super sure that Sera would recognize the 'gift' as per Xav's boastful words and guaranteed claims.
"You.. really don't know?", she asked with a blank face, inwardly cursing her stupid brother, Xav.
Sera looked at the dispirited countenance of Maya, confounded. She didn't quite understand why her face turned droopy all of a sudden.
Did she say something inappropriate?
"Fine!! If you don't like it..", Maya stretched her hand lethargically as she tried to take away the gift.
Her voice turning lower than usual with each word coming out of her mouth, looking like a cute little cat who was purposely trying to hide her sharp claws.
"No! I don't!", Sera cried a little louder interrupting her dismayed speech.
Maya's initial hopeless face turned into a bewildered one as she stared at Sera's now beaming face. Her hand hanging in midair.
"Uh?", Maya asked innocently. Sera's words had literally flown over her head as she was now at a loss.
"I mean.. I love it!", Sera grabbed Maya's hand that was trying to snatch the 'gift'. Maya at last sighed in relief.
"Oh! I was scared..", she laughed awkwardly trying to wipe the beads of sweat on her forehead.
"So..", Sera looked at the object in her hands before shotting a meaningful glance at Maya.
On the other side Lu Jinan had a baffled expression on his perfect face as he racked his brains to avoid any regrettable situation from arising.
"I have to stop this!", he muttered glaring daggers at Maya. He was eyeing her like she was his enemy.
Lu Jinan hastened his steps to reach them with a red angry face and frosty eyes he was glaring hatefully at Maya. Who was now according to Lu Jinan no less than a perilous threat to Sera and her life.
Maya cleared her throat, she gazed at the shiny object under spotlight and then at Sera. Her voice soft and melodious like the presenter on stage of an auction.
"This is the exquisite, inimitable and beyond comparison 'golden paintbrush' made entirely of pure gold and diamond dust that was.."
Lu Jinan's voice resounded as he continued Maya's speech, his hands extending to retrieve the ominous painting tool from Sera's hands forcefully.
"Presented by the prime minister of Country Y.. to the legendary ROSE!", Sera stood up with a start, her hands empty as she stared at the cold man before her.
Sera was happy that it was such a priceless gift however she was also out of words, seeing Lu Jinan pop out of nowhere and grab the 'golden paintbrush' out of her hands. He was acting strangely as though it was some poisonous snake or a dangerous weapon that she was holding.
Meanwhile a bewildered Maya stood rooted to the ground, her mouth agape and eyes larger than saucers. She looked at Lu Jinan's face as though he was a zombie ready to bite into her flesh.
"He.. he.. Here?", her brain wasn't working, it had bigtime clashed as her senses were completely blank right now, like a clean and new slate.
Lu Jinan's deep, dark gaze sweeped across Maya.
"Why.. is he looking at me like that? So.. hostile", she was chewing the insides of her cheeks in frustration.
Maya's heart shook, the chilly look in his eyes coupled with the detached expression gave her goosebumps. She took a step back in reflex almost stumbling.
Under the stifling air that was surrounding Lu Jinan which was unconsciously pressurizing both Sera and Maya, she looked at her brother's imposing front.
"Brother!", Sera finally found her voice, recovering from the shock she called out a bit hoarsely tugging his sleeve.
Maya gulped heavily, the word 'brother' buzzing in her head and ringing in her ears from which an invisible smoke was coming out. She was feeling dizzy, the information was too much for her fragile heart.
"Brother?", she repeated after what seemed like half a day, her voice soft almost a whisper to their ears.
Sera looked at Maya whose face was oddly covered with cold sweat. Scrunching her eyebrows, perplexed with a wry smile she nodded her head.
"Uh-huh.. He's my older brother, Lu Jinan!", Sera's sweet voice while introducing Lu Jinan only made matters worse, fine hair stood up on Maya's back.
She shuddered inwardly, her eyes were almost teary when met with his cold-blooded gaze and dry face.
"Why.. was he looking at her so angrily like a wrathful diety?" Maya questioned herself praying to be spared by his rage.
Lu Jinan quietly scrutinized Maya with his cold eyes, his face stoic devoid of any expression made Sera feel uncomfortable. She coughed lightly before letting out an awkward laugh to ease the atmosphere.
"Brother.. This is my friend, Maya Martinez!", she smiled, her eyes darting at Lu Jinan and Maya.
'Maya.. Maya Martinez!' Lu Jinan repeated her name in his head, it sounded really good and pleasing to his ears like music.
Lu Jinan shook his head looking at the paintbrush, he heaved a sigh before raising his head and speaking.
"You wanted this?", his question was directed at Sera who nodded beaming happily.
"Hmm.. Next time, just tell me and don't bother others. Okay?", he softened his gaze and rubbed her hair dotingly.
Lu Jinan bent slightly and grabbed the briefcase from the bench and walked away without looking back, his eyes were burning with something unreadable. Sera stood gaping at his receding figure while Maya almost cried without tears.
"Don't bother others?", Lu Jinan's unfeeling words earlier hit her hard.
A faint pain rose in her chest spreading rapidly and she felt helpless, angry, disheartened and embarrassed.
