Chapter 3

November eleven, 2000.

Lester Wang celebrated his twenty-first birthday. They held a small feast and invited some ladies and gentlemen of the same age as his or at least young ladies and young men of eighteen years old above. Plenty of food was prepared and Lester happily entertained the guests. Everyone was happy on his birthday.

However, what Lester could not fathom was the feeling of something missing in the depths of his heart. Although the beautiful ladies were there, he felt that there was an emptiness inside him.

While Lester's guests weren't paying attention to him, they were drinking and singing loudly, talking to each other, Lester decided to went outside to breathe some fresh air. It was around ten in the evening. Lester sat on the wooden pallet he made for resting outside the house. He wanted to be alone to understand why he was feeling that way since earlier.

"Lester."

"Lester."

Lester was startled after hearing a whisper right on his ear! It was a whisper calling his name, but he did not see anyone when he looked around.

"Was that a ghost? Am I being haunted?" Lester asked himself as he blinked many times but strangely, he did not felt any fear.

When he looked at the road ahead, Lester could see that someone approach. The person was carrying something he could not identify, wearing a white t-shirt and faded denim jeans. Thanks to the bright full moon, as the person came closer, Lester could recognize the person.

His eyes widened and Lester cheerfully greeted the person, "Mister Lucas! It's you! Are you going to my party? But why you came so late?"

Lester felt very happy and warm inside his heart. He ran towards the old man.

"Hahaha. I am very sorry, Son. I was lost my way to your home. Hihihi. Furthermore, I heard about your birthday, so I hurriedly prepared a present for you."

Mr. Lucas handed him the basket and Lester happily took it from the old man and said, "You even bothered yourself but thank you very much, Mister Lucas!"

Again, Lester saw the gleam of silver in the old man's eyes as he smiled. Now, Lester could certainly say that there was really something strange in his eyes!

Lester could not take away his gaze from the old man, he seemed hypnotized. The old man's eyes were very beautiful! He felt drowning just by looking at it.

"Why are you here outside Lester, your guests are all inside your house?"

Mister Lucas's question pulled Lester back to reality. Lester blinked and turned around unconsciously to look at his house.

"I honestly don't know Mister Lucas but maybe because you are coming, so I can greet you." Lester turned around again to the old man and continued, "Please come to my house Mister Lucas, the party isn't over yet and there are many beautiful ladies inside! Your eyes will surely marvel at their beauty! Haha."

"Hahahaha! Let's see."

They went to the house together as Lester carried the basket with the present inside. He thought, 'What could be this gift of Mister Lucas, I am so excited and cannot wait to see, but I need to restrain myself.'

Before twelve o'clock approached, Lester's visitors left happily, some of them brought food from the feast because there was so much left.

"I'm also going home, Lester. Happy birthday to you, and thank you so much for the delicious food," Mister Lucas bid farewell happily.

Lester waved his hands to gesture, 'goodbye' when the old man left.

It was then Lester realized that there was no longer the seeming emptiness inside his heart that he felt earlier.

'Does that mean it's Mister Lucas I'm looking forward to seeing on my birthday?? How strange is this?' Lester thought.

'But wait! Who whispered my name when I was sitting on the pallet?!'

Thinking of many possibilities, Lester swallowed hard nervously. He doesn't want to think there was a ghost. He quickly closed the door and went inside the house. He saw the basket with the present from Mister Lucas, Lester took the basket and carried it to his room, but his mother called him even before he could enter the room.

"Lester, who was that very handsome visitor of yours earlier? I never saw him before though he looks familiar, but I just can't remember," his mother asked.

Mrs. Wang's question made Lester's heart's shocked and confused.

"Do I had a guest more handsome than me?" Lester asked his mother seriously.

Mrs. Wang's eyebrows knitted, but she answered, "Huh? It was the last visitor you came with. I couldn't approach him earlier because I was stuck with my friends. I was embarrassed to leave them while chatting to me."

Lester could not believe what his mother said. He felt helpless as he thought of all the guests who came but as he thought about it...

Very handsome?

The last arrived?

Wasn't it was Mister Lucas arrived last?

Lester asked his mother to make sure it was the old man, "Haven't you seen an old man with me earlier, Mother?"

"What old man are you talking about? All your guests were the same age as you, there were just a few friends of mine that are adults. And they're all with me all along. I think you are drunk. It's better for you to take a rest now, you still have work tomorrow. I'll take care of the things here, don't bother to help me. You should sleep," Mrs. Wang explained that left him dumbfounded.

Lester responded to his mother confusedly, "I think you're the one drunk, Mother?"

"Of course not! I'm clear-headed. Haha. Rest in your room. Happy birthday again, Son."

She kissed Lester on the cheeks and pushed him into the room.

Lester closed the door and put the basket on the bedside table, he changed his clothes quickly then jump off the wooden bed. He reached out the basket and immediately opened it. There was a small box in it. Lester carefully opened the box and his jaw dropped on the bed when he saw the content in it.

It was a gold necklace with pendant-like leaves with a stem. The stem was in a curved way that made the pendant look round, and it was made of silver-toned diamonds!

The pendant sparkled at the light of the flambeau. Lester's heart pounded erratically as he thought of the horrible possibility, 'My goodness! I am in danger from thieves with this necklace! I never thought Mister Lucas to be rich.'

Lester was restless. He could not sleep at all. His mind was flooded with many strange thoughts. He grabbed the necklace tightly in fear that someone would grab it while he was sleeping.

'This is very important to me! The best ever gift I have received in my whole life!'

Lester fell asleep with all those thoughts.