The gala

Alexa felt a familiar scent as she placed her hands on the victim's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" She asked, looking at him curled up and acting so shocked. She felt him looking up and she bit her lips slowly, praying within her that he wasn't hurt, so she could just get out of here immediately.

"Alexa?" She heard Liam's familiar voice and she stared at him in shock. It was really him, it was really Liam, her ex husband.

She had this gut feeling she would bump into him when she came into the country three days ago, but she didn't expect it would be so soon and definitely not at her gala.

"Liam." She muttered slowly and immediately retracted her hand, when she saw him getting up.

"Alexa, you...."

"I'm so sorry." She muttered as she reached for her purse and removed a card from it, passing it to Liam.

"You can contact my assistant at any time to pay for the damages." She said curtly.

"Alexa?" Liam muttered as she gave him the card.

"If you are not satisfied, you can take it to court. But this was an honest mistake on my part." She said.

"Wait, Alexandra." Liam said again but this time around she wasn't replying, she got into her car and turned on the engine, patiently waiting for Liam to get out of the way. And when he didn't move, she blared her horn loudly, swerving the other way and getting out of the compound.

Liam sighed as he stared at the rear of her car. It was really Alexandra, his ex wife. She...she looked so different and so pretty. Staring at the card, he sighed again, reading it slowly.

Doreen Walkers. Velvet Vixen.

His eyes widened in realization. Velvet Vixen?

"You can contact my assistant at any time to pay for the damages." He remembered Alexa's words and he blinked again, looking so shocked.

Alexandra was the CEO of Velvet Vixen?

*~*~*~

Alexandra removed her heels, holding them with her hands as she rushed into her daughter's ward.

"Jade!" She gasped, seeing her daughter sit on the bed, her hands bandaged.

"Mommy!" Jade cried out as she saw her mother and Alexandra gave her a bear hug.

"I'm so sorry." Cassidy muttered.

"I should have paid more attention to them." She added.

"It isn't fault, Cassy." Alexa replied and turned to look at Jace who stood at a corner with a sulky face.

"Jace?" Alexa called.

"I'm sorry, mum. I should have looked out for Jade. I didn't know when she sneaked in there and dipped her hands into hot water." He muttered slowly and apologetically. Alexa was about to speak when Jace suddenly interrupted.

"No mom, it isn't anyone's fault. I should have listened to aunt Cassy and sit in the shop with Jace instead of sneaking around. I was so foolish, please don't scold Jace." She said and Alexa sighed.

"They really look out for one another." Cassidy muttered, with a smile.

"So why exactly did you sneak into the room, Jade?" Alexa asked with a frown.

"I'm sorry mommy." Jade apologized.

"You shouldn't done that." She said and Cassidy placed a hand on shoulder to stop her from talking further.

"I'm sorry..." Jade repeated and Alexa raised her brow to hear the end of the words. She knew Jade still had a way to escape the scolding.

"...but you should scold me, I'm a sick person." As expected, Jade spoke. Clear eyed and as sneaky and cunning as ever, Jade was the opposite was her brother, who was very calm and only spoke when necessary, that is if he has something really important to say. Jace hardly related with anyone, but with Jade, she was definitely the queen of all characters.

"But I didn't make you sick, did I?" Alexa asked.

"A sick person is a sick person mommy. If you'll forgive now, I'll also forgive you for not taking us to the gala." Jade retorted and Alexa gasped.

"Oh really?" Cassidy laughed.

"Yeah, mom. If you had taken us to the gala, this wouldn't have happened." Jace chipped him, making Alexa gasp. Her children had just ganged up against her, again.

"Are you blaming me now?" She raised her brows.

"I can't say that... consider this as a deal." Jade said.

"Deal? It's so unfair considering you also made me miss the show." Alexa retorted.

"You missed the show?" Jade, Cassidy and Jace asked at the same time.

*~*~*~

Alexa kissed both of her children goodnight and walked out of the room, closing the door gently so they won't wake up again since they were both light sleepers. Jace woke up easily since his brain was sharp and he was relatively calm while Jade usually woke up to catch you in her act she could use to blackmail you. Sounds funny.

"So tell me you didn't flop on the party to rush to the hospital?" Cassidy asked as Alexa walked down the half curved stairs.

"I did, Cassy. My kid was in danger." She shrugged.

"I'm really sorry. I should have placed my eyes on them. I'm also really sorry I couldn't go to the gala, gosh, the salon was so filled today I had to join them and I think seeing the beautiful children through the show glass invited more customers." She laughed as she said the last part.

Cassidy was a big time hair stylist with a lot of jobs to do. Customers even had to make reservations since the salon was occupied everyday and asking her to watch the kids was adding more load to her work. But since it was Jade and Jace, her favorite twin, she had no problem and immediately accepted to watch them. Alexandra suddenly felt bad as she heard that Cassidy worked so hard today and yet, she gave her to kids to watch over.

"Hey, don't look that way." Cassidy said, noticing her gloominess.

"You know, I was just thinking I should have taken them to my mother instead."

"Your mother?" Cassy raised a brow.

"Yes."

"She said she was attending the gala." Cassidy said and Alexa's eyes almost bulged out of her sockets.

"Mom attended what?" She asked. Almost immediately, Alexa could hear the beep sound indicating her mom was coming in.

"I should never have told her my passcode." She muttered immediately.

"Why did you flop the gala?"