Stars sparkled in the sky but nothing compared to the flashing lights of the camera as faces belonging to the high society flocked the Amannisia Hotel.

It was a Friday night, and the hotel was brimming with life, hosting the annual Hope Gala. 

It was not just another fundraiser event where the top one percent could throw in spare change for a good cause so they would look magnanimous.

Hope Gala was often considered as one of the prominent galas in the world since it was hosted by a royal family—the Sui Family.

While a thick and condensed strip of media was outside, cameras and cellphones weren't allowed inside for everyone's safety, and a guest had to go through a needle's head before stepping inside the elusive charity gala.

First, a guest must surrender an invitation with a specific barcode, and their identity would be validated before they would be allowed to step inside the lobby.

Next, once they were in the hotel lobby, guests had to surrender any electronics and gadgets in a bin labeled with their name before walking through a detector, just in case they forgot to remove something in their pockets or purses.

After going through all that security, the guests could finally step inside the hall where only a few were lucky to be invited.

The commotion in the hotel's driveway died down after the arrival of guests dwindled, but it soon erupted in another wave of blinding flashes and deafening questions as soon as the Lin Family's entourage arrived.

As agreed upon, the Lin Family arrived in a group to show a united front for the press. 

Oliver and Ava alighted first. Ava was wearing a gown with puffed sleeves, beaded and embroidered in silver and red, giving the gown an illusion of a blood-stained sword in a battle. 

Meanwhile, Oliver wore a usual dinner suit with a bowtie as though it was his second skin.

They were followed by Eli and Auntie Martha as they made their way inside the hotel. 

Then it was Grandma Lin and Olivia's turn to face the mob. They completely ignored the cameras as they walked at a turtle's pace towards the hotel's entrance.

The moment the security team saw Olivia, they made a human barricade to shield them from the cacophony of the press.

Lucky for Grandma Lin and Olivia, Henry Lin finally stepped out of his car, diverting the attention to him, which he didn't mind basking himself with.

Inside the lobby, the line to enter the hall sn.a.k.e.d in a swirl as it took time for the security to validate everyone's identity.

Skipping the lines because of the names attached to their faces, Oliver and Ava were standing by the tall metal detector, ready to cross it. 

Oliver craned his neck to search for his sister and instantly saw her entering the hotel. He then waved his hand to get Olivia's attention, which he was successful in doing so, however, she just stuck her tongue out on him.

A corner of his lips twitched when Olivia and Grandma were given the red carpet treatment, a guard dressed in a tux ushering the ladies straight inside the hall.

Oliver grumbled whilst dropping his phone in the bin. "How could they do that to us? How could they leave us behind?"

"Sweetie, we already skipped the line," Ava responded through a forced smile on her face. She lightly pushed Oliver, nudging him to crossover the detector so they could move on and start the night.

Inside the hall, chatter and jazz echoed as guests started on a great note as they caught up with familiar faces they haven't seen in a long time because of their packed schedules.

While the party went on in the background, Olivia and Grandma Lin managed to dodge a few guests who attempted to make small talk on their way to their table, and Olivia had to give credit to her grandma for that. 

She was astonished at how Grandma Lin skillfully bypassed everyone by just waving a hand and saying hello, never stopping to accommodate anyone who so much as opened their mouths to ask a question. 

Olivia took a note or two of her grandma's techniques, confident that it would come in handy in the future. 

Olivia might be used to attending gatherings, but she often found it difficult to extract herself from conversations that bore her because she didn't like to send off the wrong message to people and look like a snob for cutting a conversation short. 

Now she knew better that a way around a conversation was not starting one at all, just like what her grandma did. If only she could also have her grandma's charm and not the aloof aura she inherited from her father.

Reaching their table in the front most of the hall by the stage and closer to the fire exit for their easier extraction should something unexpected arise, the security detail helped Grandma Lin to her seat before pulling out one for Olivia to sit on.

"That's a new guy. Where's the younger one who smiles a lot?" Grandma commented as soon as the security detail stood in a corner not far from their table.

"Oh. He expired," Olivia responded. She guessed Grandma Lin must be talking about MIB2. An uncomfortable lump, lodged in her throat, and Olivia forced it down with a hard swallow. 

She peered at her grandma who nodded her head in reply as if hearing that kind of news wasn't news at all. 

She was so focused on her grandma that her brows slowly knitted upon seeing the Lin Matriarch fish a concealer stick in her purse.

"Come closer to grandma, darling."

"Grandma? Is something wrong with my make-up? I can fix it in the powder room." Olivia patted her cheeks with the back of her hand.

Grandma Lin chuckled and shook her head with her smile resting on her sprightly face. 

Without a word, she dabbed the concealer stick on Olivia's c.h.e.s.t, just above the hem of her tube top. "Your hickey is showing," Grandma snorted.