The Alchemists

Rose stared at Rune with a complicated expression. How did she feel when she heard his confession that he was actually a really wealthy man?

She didn't even know what to feel. This was all too shocking

For one, now she realized that this revelation on Rune's side explained so many things.

No wonder Rune didn't seem interested in money. No wonder, he could easily book a table at 'The Lily' in the St. Laurent Hotel New York.

No wonder he knew so many influential people. Yet, he hid his identity behind a persona of a simple and modest man.

Rose looked at his clothes. They were nice but she could tell the quality was not too good, since they were cheap.

Was it comfortable to wear them? Rose had some cheap outfits too in her closet. She used them when she wanted to appear unassumingly. But she didn't wear them often.

Now, she imagined how uncomfortable it must have been for Rune to wear them every day for almost two months while he was around her.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Rune looked up and saw how Rose stared at him with that complicated expression. "Is there something on my face?"

"No.. nothing," Rose quickly replied. "I better go to my room and do things. I'll see you in four hours."

She got up from the sofa and turned around to leave Rune's bedroom. Her mind was in a mess and she didn't know how to handle this new situation yet. She needed time to think.

"Uhm.. okay, see you later," Rune could only watch Rose leave. 

He knew this was a lot of information to digest. He just hoped that after Rose took some time to think, she wouldn't have a bad feeling about Rune lying to her all this time and covering up his identity.

Rose closed the door behind her and went to her own room. She needed to think. Also, she needed to find out more about who exactly was her fake boyfriend.

Rune tapped his fingers on his phone screen after Rose left. He already sent a text message to his sister, telling Aleksis about what happened, and asked her to talk to him through Virconnet with Alaric and their twin boys after they had breakfast.

However, somehow, his mind was telling him that he was forgetting something. What was it that he had forgotten?

He only needed to show the Lindens to Rose, right?

And once she saw them, she would believe he was Rune Schneider, since Elios Linden's wife is a Schneider.

So, why did his brain keep telling him that it wasn't enough?

"Gosh!" Suddenly, something came to his mind when he was thinking about Elios and Aleksis. Rune facepalmed himself and muttered, "She will search about me on the internet. I must remove my tracks."

Rune was not really known by the public. He was happy with that fact. He could move around easily without being recognized as part of the Schneider family, unlike London who led the Schneider Group for over 15 years, before he retired.

However, there was one event where Rune was introduced to the public... it was around 16 years ago.

If Rose happened to search in the right place and found that information, she would be confused since 16 years ago Rune Schneider was already 27 years old.

Gosh..!

Rune just told her that he was a Schneider, and he didn't know yet how she would respond to it, since Rose was taking time alone to think about it.

Rune couldn't risk telling her his other secret, that he was actually.. an immortal. No no no...

He must stop Rose from finding out about the event from 16 years ago.

Rune found Pavel's number on his phone and frantically called the man. It was easier to talk to Pavel directly since he lived in London. He must be awake by now.

"Hey, Mr. Rune Schneider. How are you?" Pavel's croaky voice rang from the other end of the line.

"I'm not so good, Pavel." Rune didn't beat around the bush. He immediately told Pavel his problems. "Yeah.. so, I cannot let any new about me from 16 years ago come up to the surface today. Do you understand?"

Pavel chuckled when he heard Rune's dilemma. "I understand, Sir. We will take care of this, don't worry."

"Ah, thank you so much for your help, Pavel. I am sorry I bothered you this early," Rune said with an apologetic tone.

After he ended the call, Rune let out a long sigh. He was happy that he was a  quick thinker.

If he didn't ask Pavel to help remove his digital tracks from 16 years ago, he would have to tell Rose the truth of why he kept looking so young.

***

Rose was sitting on her chair in her bedroom. She furrowed her brows, looking baffled.

As Rune had predicted, Rose did try to search for more information about Rune Schneider, but she couldn't find anything. Not even a single picture.

After thinking deeply about Rune's secret, Rose decided that she could understand why Rune hid his identity from her.

Rose didn't feel angry about it, since she did the same thing. Besides, Rune didn't owe her anything, including his identity.

In fact, it was Rose who had been piling up debt after debt since Rune had helped her so much. He agreed to be her fake boyfriend for a year and he always did his best to play his role.

He didn't have to do it for Rose, but he did it anyway. 

She quickly took her tablet from her desk and fiddled with it. She wanted to know a lot of things about Rune.

However, the more she searched, the more confused she became. She couldn't find anything about the man on the internet.

It's like he didn't exist. How could anyone not have any digital tracks in this modern era?

"Why can't I find information about him anywhere?" she asked herself. "How strange."

Rose decided to keep her question for later and asked Rune about it. The man might have a very good reason.

She looked at her watch and noticed that she would soon meet Aleksis and Elios Linden. Uff... She really hoped Rune was telling her the truth.

She didn't want to hate the man for scheming her and pretending to be Rune Schneider from the Schneider Group for whatever reason.

KNOCK

KNOCK

Aleksis already woke up and replied to his text. She agreed to talk to him and Rose on Virconnect. That was a relief.

"Are you ready? My sister wants to meet you," Rune said with a beaming face.

Rose nodded. "Yes."

"Let's go to my room," Rune said. 

They went back to his room and Rune immediately get connected to the Lindens in New York.

"Good morning, Rune," Aleksis's pretty face was the first thing Rose noticed when the room before them changed into a beautiful classic living room in a huge mansion. Aleksis stood out among the three men sitting by her sides.

Actually, not three men, but two teenagers and one very handsome man. Rose recognized the twins immediately.

"Hey, Aleksis.. thank you for taking the time to talk to us, and I'm sorry to bother you this early," Rune greeted his sister.

Aleksis smiled broadly and shook her head, "Nah. I'm happy to see you and... Rose. By the way, hello, Rose, I've heard so much about you from my brother. How are you?"

How... how could this woman have two teenage boys and one a.d.u.l.t son? Rose was wondering.

She remembered that JM was dating the twins' older brother. That means Aleksis' first son was around JM's age.

How was that possible? Aleksis looked like she was in her 20's herself. 

Gosh.. maybe this was how super-wealthy people truly were, Rose thought in admiration.

They could look this young because they must have access to the best age-defying or rejuvenating technology available, ones that even Rose couldn't access because she was not from their level.

Yes, that must be it.

"Uhm.. Rose, my sister asked how you are doing?" Rune whispered to Rose's ear and moved the girl from her reverie.

Rose batted her lashes and turned her attention to Aleksis again, then she looked at the twins, and finally at their father.

Whoaaa... she gasped when she caught sight of Alaric.

There was no mistaking it.. this man was really Elios Linden!

Everyone knew his physical appearance because it was quite unique.

However, Elios reminded Rose a little bit of the man she met in New York, Summer's father. Rune took her once to have dinner with the Medicis.

Wait.. didn't Rune say that the two men were brothers? Or did Rose misunderstand him?

Why did Nicolae Medici and Elios Linden look quite similar but they have different last names?

Rose took a deep breath.

Now she had even more questions than before.

.

.

>>>>

Thank you sooo much for sticking by this book and supporting it. I wish I could publish more but I am currently very sick. I'm sorry I couldn't reply to your comments lately, like usual.

I got an infection caused by gallstones.. huhuhuhu. Luckily no need for surgery, but I got a scare. 

I hope when I recover, I can write more for The Alchemists.

I just realized, this book has so many chapters already, and yet here you are, still reading and still enjoying it. It really boosts my self-confidence as a writer. I need it, to remind me the reason of why I write in the first place.

I have been wanting to be a writer since I was 12 and my dream took a back seat for over 20 years.

Now, with your support, I can really see myself being a full-time writer.

So, thank you so, so much!