Bette for her part didn’t even want Alice.  The fact that Alice was still around three years later, not only around but an integral part of Bette’s organization was a tribute to Alice’s ability to adapt on the fly.  Helena even now questions how she lost that deal.  It was a matter of pride with Helena now.  When she sees how well Alice is performing for Bette Helena can’t help but be a little jealous.  This loss sticks in Helena’s crawl and she has a hard time swallowing the loss to Bette, there has to have been some sort of foul play involved.

Alice for all her gratitude at what Helena had taught her is having the time of her life with Bette.  The difference for Alice between her time with Helena and today with Bette was the difference between grade school and college.  Both of these activities where educational enterprises but college had just so much more to offer.  For Alice being with Bette was just so much more of everything Risk, Passion, Fun, Nerves, Excitement and Loss.  Nothing was done half way.  For her part she never wants this run to end. 

So when Helena asks Alice plays dumb.  But she knows the answer.  Alice is totally loyal to Bette and in return Bette has come to rely more and more on Alice.  Alice has been an astute student to Bette’s teachings.  There is no one better at doing all the homework required.  Bette had just done the job better than Helena.  It is Bette’s philosophy that in every deal there are lots of people involve who can say ‘No” but only one the can really say ‘Yes’.  The trick is to wade through the gamut and sort the ‘No’ sayers out from the one true ‘Yes’ sayer. 

Bette had researched all the players involved in that deal.  She had uncovered that Christian Mason was the ‘Yes’ person for this deal and not the CEO, Jason Terry.  While all other interested parties were spending their time wining and dining Jason, Bette targeted Christian.  Bette had uncovered all she could about Christian, his personal and professional needs and desires.  Bette tailored her offer to fit neatly into Christian’s desires.

Christian it seemed had his own private collection of Ming vases.  It was his singular passion to attend all the action houses in search of his next addition.  His passion was something he would readily talk about.  Bette made it her mission to learn all there was to know about Ming vases.  To that end she could carry her own in any conversation with Christian often telling him something he didn’t already know.  His respect for Bette grew considerably so it was with great pleasure that Bette could direct him to new discoveries.  This had cost Bette nothing more than her time but when her offer was accepted over the numerous better offers it was only Bette who knew the reason why.  Bette and now Alice knew the true course of this deal and it was a secret that Alice was intent on taking to her grave.