4~

Age does not protect you from love. But love, to some extent, protects you from age...

***

"Alex, I'm surprised to see you here."

Alexandra regarded her older sister Francesca with hooded eyes."Well I'm sure mother must've mentioned it once or twice."

Francesca laughed, hooking her arm around Damon.

"Well she did, but I didn't actually believe you'd show...but here you are."

"You know, babe..."

Francesca chimed on with a story of how she caused trouble at a certain party sometime ago and Alexandra tuned her out.

Apparently Damon had too.

His eyes were drilling into hers.

Her heart threatened to explode in her chest.

She was sure her skin was flushed.

She needed to leave.

She straightened up just as the waiter came by.

"I could take your-" he started.

"No need." She stopped the waiter before he offered to take the blazer.

It was time she didn't have to waste.

She took the napkin from his forearm and wiped off the sauce, not bothered by the stain it left.

"Well its been a pleasure but I'll have to run dear sister, I have an early flight tomorrow morning."

Alexandra paused and offered Noah a sultry smile for no other reason than to irk her sister. "It was nice bumping into you Noah."

She didn't stick around to see his adorable blush and walked towards Francesca avoiding the curious gaze of burning its way into her forehead.

"You'll be a dear and give mother my apologies won't you."

Francesca simply scoffed.

She walked out feeling like she'd been doused with a bucket of coldwater.

She hadn't caused any trouble though. Colin was sure to be proud.

She stumbled a bit, but was caught by Jalen. Her designated driver.

She was all smiles as he put her in the car and took off.

Damon, she thought.

His eyes...

He still had such pretty eyes.

Her drinks caught up with her and she blacked out just as Jalen pulled up to her building.

***

Colin held out a black coffee just as Alexandra took a seat in the jets private lounge.

"You don't look so good, rough night?" He asked with his face buried in a vogue magazine.

"Had a few drinks last night is all." She took a swig of the coffee and relished in its bitter richness.

"I have no idea why you don't quit drinking when you're such a lightweight."

"Hey, you're way worse than me when it comes to alcohol so don't go pointing any fingers."

Colin held up his hands in a show of guilt.

"Well at the very least I survived." She sighed. "You know it wasn't as bad as I initially thought it would be."

"That's because you were a drunken mess through the entire thirty minutes you were there and didn't even bother saying Goodbye to the hostess." He sank low in his seat and placed his sleep mask over hs eyes.

"That's not true...why would you think that?" She retorted.

"Oh, I got a colorful voice mail this morning from your mother."

"Yeesh," She winced. "That couldn't have been good."

"Well I for one thought you'd cause a scene and drag a guy home...but I'm proud you exercised some restraint."

"Oh yeah I'm the queen of restraint." She murmured as her mind drifted off to Damon.

Odd, she thought, him accompanying Francesca.

He couldn't stand her when they were little.

What changed?

She wished she had talked to him more.

"Hey colin." She called.

"Yeah." He answered half asleep.

"Do you have any idea what Francesca's been up to these days?" She asked.

He peeked at her from the corner of his sleeping mask.

"Why do you ask?"

Alexandra shrugged in response.

"Well she's still hanging around Ellitists last time I heard and there are rumors that she's engaged to the oldest Harrisson brother. Oh and I also heard that she's opening a third boutique branch. She's doing well for herself I suppose."

Damon Harrisson.

That was the only part she caught.

So she wasn't just leeching onto him...they were in a relationship, and were about to get married.

"Huh...well good for her." She said casually as she could and leaned back in her seat.

They were steady on the air now.

Damon Harrisson was dating her sister.

Her chest felt tight as she realized the reason behind her sister's smug expression last night.

Unfiltered anger ran through her.

There was no way francesca didn't know.

Everyone knew after the whole debacle when they were kids.

He was the whole reason she got sent to Grande silvetti estate at such a young age.

She was tempted to google him just to know what he'd been upto over the years.

Nah, she thought.

If he was dating her sister, then there wasn't anything to discover.

There was no need to beat a dead horse.

Whatever issues remained unresolved were entirely her problem.

Everyone else seemed to have moved on.

Alexandra had given herself a logical reason and accepted that he had nothing else to do with her,

But she was still unable to stop a few stray tears from falling.

***

Three weeks later...

Tate Royale Gallery, London, United kingdom.

Alexandra didn't dislike attending Fundraisers.

Just ones with her works on display.

She was content with donating money and her paintings from the comfort of her home.

But apparently she needs to make a few appearances according to colin, so no one would think she was a phantom philanthropist.

She didn't need to hear other peoples opinions on her works.

Especially from people who knew nothing about it.

She wandered from paintings to other works up for auction.

Then she saw it.

A cerulean tiger figure from the 1600s.

This just got interesting.

She had to find colin.

She canvassed the area and waited for the final bidding calls.

"Lexis!" A beautiful white-haired stranger called out from the crowd.

There was only one person who ever called her that.

She turned excitedly as the person came forward.

"As I live and breathe," Alex drawled. "Finally we have garnered your attention." She bowed in mock praise.

Thalia laughed as she took in her best friend's full form after squeezing out a hug. "You're looking better than ever."

"You see now I know you're lying to me because I'm sure I looked better when we were skydiving in the denarau Island in Fiji three months ago." Alex joked.

Thalia laughed less than graciously, garnering attention from a few people around them and Alexandra relished in the familiar feeling.

Colin materialized from the crowd and engulfed Thalia in a hug.

"Where have you been...it's been two whole months!" Colin exclaimed.

"I know...work has been crazy. I literally just got into town and I'm here because I heard some of your paintings were up for auction and it really was a hundred to one chance but here you guys are!" Thalia squealed.

My extinguished ladies and Gentlemen, please take your seats if you will, the auction is about to begin!

"Take a seat with us Thalia." Alex invited.

The trio moved over to their private seats as the auctioneer took his place on the stage.

"Have you written off on any items lex?"

Alex smiled as she recalled the tiger she so desperately wanted.

"Yeah, I did."

"Its a piece from the Cerulean sect that represents an albino tiger....I heard there are only two pieces left in existence."

Thalia laughed. "Oh I remember that tiger piece, you wanted it so bad as a kid.... I for one see nothing I want."

"...or nothing within my price range." Colin pouted.

Alex and Thalia scoffed.

"Next on our masterpieces for tonight is the Chinese sect cerulean tiger. This was donated directly by the Chinese mogul Zhao yang." The auctioneer started off.

"I'm sure this piece needs no backstory, so I will start the bidding at Twenty five million dollars."

Colin's eyes nearly fell out as he stared open-mouthedly at Alex.

She raised her card.

"Twenty five to beautiful lady in blue. Can I get thirty, thirty million dollars for this original piece of art."

Alex raised her card again and was delighted when no one else seemed interested.

"A hundred million dollars." A male voice suddenly called from the crowd.

Alex was stunned.

"You've got to be kidding me." She thought.