Chapter 140 - Sweet Sixteen (4)

The gala was unlike any other. Firstly, it was way smaller than any social party that Scarlet and Alex had attended. The number of familiar faces shocked Scarlet more than anything else. No, it wasn't because they were A-list celebrities well-known in the entertainment industries. It was more because they were people whom the singer had seen frequently hanging out with their mother. In other words, most of the guests were family friends.

The only thing keeping Scarlet from totally calling out a candid camera was the fact that there were a few big names from the media attending the event for photos and a story. The nature of the event wasn't made known even when Scarlet and Alex arrived. They had to greet so many people that Scarlet momentarily forgot her own name. It was confusing introducing herself as Liu Xiu Wen when many of the guests already know her as Scarlet.

Still, the sisters made it through without much issues with smiles and compliments. The camera crew and reporters requested for interviews that they politely turned down. As strange as it was, neither of them saw their managers around. Scarlet was beginning to feel like something was off about this gala. However, Alex remained perfectly happy and clueless as she grabbed a champagne flute and started mingling with the crowd like the natural social butterfly that she was. Scarlet sometimes admired Alex's outgoing personality. If it wasn't because of her work, Scarlet would have preferred to remain in the comforts of home with only a computer to entertain her.

"Oh no! I'm starting to sound like Elfie, this is bad," Scarlet shook her head when that thought appeared in her mind.

Ever since they parted, Elfie had been following Danny all over the world and sometimes he had to help the Interpol with some tricky cases so the boy was never in one place for too long. He sometimes hinted that he would be in the area when Scarlet had her concerts but the boy never accepted any of the backstage passes Scarlet gave him. He claimed that until he succeeded, he would not meet anyone in real life simply because he didn't want to bring trouble to them. Scarlet didn't know if Elfie would succeed. If Wilmer and Danny spent so many years with the police's help to find some damning evidence against Anastasia without success, how could a teen like Elfie possibly accomplish what the a.d.u.l.ts have failed for so many years?

True, they were getting closer to it but Scarlet thought that six years simply wasn't enough. With her connections in the industry, Scarlet was beginning to see how the entertainment world and the criminal world worked. She didn't choose to venture into the showbiz in China for no reason. In fact, it was Elfie who suggested trying to dig for dirt in that direction. The boy managed to find some heavy connections between EZ Express and the factories in China. The logistic arrangements were also managed by the warehouse managers in China under EZ Express' employers even though the logistic company was a different business entity. Not to mention, the good hacker was able to intercept some wire transfer details to prove that underground connection. Lucian Anastasia was using offshore accounts for some of the good shipments with vague cargo declarations.

After getting famous, Scarlet had been going around to find out more information and rub shoulders with those involved with the companies working with EZ Express. She was actually surprised by how easy it was to get more detailed information about these companies. With the first lead, Scarlet was able to gather a lot more and open up access for Elfie to take over the rest. They've been collecting evidence for close to two years now but still, there wasn't any conclusive proof that Anastasia was up to no good. Sure, Scarlet suspected that the goods stored in those suspiciously purchased warehouses were probably firearms or drugs but Anastasia had connections with even the government. Things were getting harder as they progressed and Scarlet felt trapped.

Dinner served at the gala dinner was predictable. Alex and Scarlet dug into the hors d'oeuvre without a lot of reaction unlike some of the other guests. Foie gras was something akin to a common dish at the Wilde household when they were still studying. Every month, there will be a family dinner and each month, Jenna would invite an expert chef to cook their speciality. Many chefs prefer to cook French cuisine for some reason and over the years, all three kids had grown up getting used to eating all sorts of things from snails to duck liver and raw meat.

As they served the dinner through courses, Scarlet wondered why they were here. Usually, a gala event would serve a marketing purpose like the announcement of a charity to ask for donation and support with the press' attention or an announcement of some formal recognition for some great effort. Other gala events are formal parties to commemorate an industry milestone or a great person's passing. The young writer wondered which kind of gala this would be. From the looks of it, the guests weren't here with their cheque books and were dressed from lavishly to just presentable. There wasn't a unified dress code or sense of competition vying for the media's attention unlike the Oscars.

"What could it be?" she wondered and Alex gave her sister a worried look.

"Are you too full to eat after that boxed meal earlier? You haven't touched your food and the main course is about to be served..."

Scarlet looked down at her soup and thanked Alex before finishing it hastily. She completely forgot about where she was and what she was doing, too lost in her thoughts. Alex smiled when Scarlet apologised. She looked around and noticed that the performers on stage were actually some of Scarlet and her favourite acts. Unlike Scarlet, Alex was faster at getting these kinds of things. Her intuition told her that someone very dear to them who knew them well put the gala party together. From Claire and Tina's behaviour, there were only one or two people who would do such a thing but one more likely than the other.

The music faded and the crowd fell silent when the lights dimmed. A spotlight was pointed to the stage as the master of ceremonies gave a short speech to welcome the gala party's organiser to speak a few words. Scarlet paid attention and gaped when Orita appeared. Unlike her sister, Alex smiled happily. Her initial guess had been right and seeing her mother after so many months of separation made her tear up a little.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for taking time out of your schedules to attend the Sweet Sixteen Gala. Many of you here are friends of mine for a long time and some even worked with my husband from the very beginning. I have to admit that it wasn't easy back then and it isn't easy now either. But I had the joy of becoming a mother for close to sixteen years now and many of you know about my daughter. Today, I want to make an official announcement about my daughters. Yes, plural - daughters. Scarlet and Alex, please come up to the stage with mommy!"

Stunned, Scarlet let herself get dragged along by Alex up to the stage while she received congratulations and praises from the people around her. Scarlet's mind was still reeling from the shock. Sweet sixteen? What was that? Also, didn't Wilmer and Orita say that she was the Wilde's trump card? Why would they announce her existence to the world? Wouldn't that make it easier for Anastasia to come after the whole family?

The spotlight in her face made Scarlet unable to think while Orita continued to give her speech about her gratefulness for having such wonderful daughters in her life. She didn't talk about Scarlet's circ.u.mstances any more than necessary but the words that came after the explanation were deeply etched in Scarlet's heart.

"They are my daughters that I am very proud of. Please continue to show your support for them and take care of them on behalf of me while they are very new in the industry. I understand that some people question where Scarlet belongs as her stage name is rather different but make no mistake. Scarlet is my daughter as much as Alex is and they are sisters who grew up relying on each other. My husband and I will not tolerate anyone spreading bad names about them or trying to sow discord among my girls."

That bold declaration made the cameras go off and the crowd applaud loudly. Scarlet felt warm when she heard those words and Alex held her hand tightly to show her support while Orita hugged both girls and kissed them on their cheeks. The rest of the party was dedicated to celebrating the girls' sixteenth birthday together in advance because Orita knew they would be very busy on the actual day. Alex enjoyed herself greatly but Scarlet kept replaying Orita's speech over and over in her head.

For the first time, Scarlet was very certain that she was not making a mistake. Even if Wilmer, Orita and Alex found out about the truth later, she would not stop her plans. They can hate her for it later but for now, Scarlet was happy to be a Wilde too. As a Wilde, she would protect her family with her life on the line. Anastasia will not get away for what he did, Scarlet will see that he got the justice he deserved.