The Alchemists

"Why are you grinning?" Rose whispered to Rune when she saw his expression. "Is there something funny?"

Rune nodded. "Yes."

"Care to share?" Rose asked him.

"Uhm... you will know tomorrow. I don't want to spoil the surprise," Rune replied with an even wider smile. 

Seeing the man seem so happy about something, Rose couldn't help but feel happy too. It's good to see something positive happen for a change. 

All right. She wouldn't force him. He must have his reason why he didn't want to share this funny thing with her right away.

After seeing the shocking picture, Rose was no longer in the mood to continue talking with the journalists. She politely asked them to leave and her lawyer made sure they all had signed the legal agreement and ushered them to the door.

Now, there were only the two of them in the living room. Rose nudged Rune's arm and tilted her chin toward the dining room. "Do you want to have dinner? I think my parents are already there, waiting for us."

"Yes, sure," Rune replied. He took her hand and walked together to the dining room. There, they saw the Fourniers were sitting on the dining chairs, waiting for them.

"How did it go?" Duchess Fournier asked Rose. She looked really tired. Maybe the whole situation finally took its toll on her.

After two years of suffering humiliation from her husband's sudden statement that he cheated on her with their maid and it resulted in a bastard, today she also had to see her daughter suffer the same humiliation because the press mercilessly wrote about how she was a homewrecker who dated her own half-brother.

Words could hurt so much more than actions. She was so tired of dealing with everything that happened to her family.

And to add insult to injury, she also had to attend the royal wedding tomorrow with her whole family and pretended that they were okay.

The duchess felt like going abroad after the royal wedding and lived in exile, where no other socialites knew her and the scandal that involved their family.

She would take Rose with her. Let her husband deal with everything in Medion. He brought it upon himself and this family when he accepted the king's plea.

King Henry Camille was a coward who couldn't even own up to his past sins and acknowledge his biological son.

Duchess Fournier resented the king so much. Unfortunately, there was nothing she could do. He was their king, and she was only his subject.

"It went well," Rose replied. She decided to lie to her mother because she saw how tired the duchess was and how much she had suffered for the past two years.

The last thing Duchess Fournier needed to hear was the fact that some random magazine had a picture as evidence that Rose and Leon were in a relationship in the past.

This would really break her. Rose didn't have the heart to tell her mother about this. She would try to handle it herself first before she came to her parents.

"Ah, okay. That's good." the duchess breathed a sigh of relief. She turned to her husband and said, "I think we should go on a holiday after the royal wedding. What do you think?"

The duke nodded. "Yes, love. I agree with you."

He too wished things would end quickly. He couldn't wait to take Rose out of the country to calm their minds. He would just need to reveal his identity tomorrow.

He believed that should be enough to counter all the negative press about Rose.

Because... who would think Rose was a homewrecker who wanted to stand between her half-brother and his wife if she had someone from the Schneider family for a boyfriend?

The thought made him feel calm.

All right. He had to end things tomorrow.

***

"Your Grace, your guests are here." The butler announced the news to Rose in the morning right after the family finished breakfast.

Rune already told Terry that the Fourniers usually finished breakfast at 8:30, so he and JM were advised to come right after. Terry did well and they reached the mansion at 8:30, right on the dot.

"Bring them to the lounge, we will meet them soon," Rose said to the butler. She turned to Rune and said, "What great timing. How lovely!"

"Yeah. They are very busy people and have good time management," Rune replied.

It was true. Terry was a very busy businessman before he took his current identity and was used to dealing with tight schedules.

JM was no different. As a very famous supermodel with so many jobs booked, she needed to plan well so she could meet all her work obligations. So, it was no wonder that the two could arrive at perfect timing.

Rose took her parents to meet Terry and JM in the lounge and introduced them as Rune's relatives. She already told them about Pierre and JM and explained how she had invited the two to come with them to the royal wedding.

Duchess and Duke Fournier didn't mind. They were looking forward to meeting Rune's relatives. After they ended the breakfast, all four of them went to see Terry and JM in the lounge.

"Hello, good morning," the duchess greeted them when they entered. Terry and JM immediately rose from their seats and bowed their heads a little, to show their respect.

The Fourniers had a good impression immediately. Terry looked his best with his expensive tuxedo and who didn't know JM? 

The girl's beauty had graced so many magazine covers in the past ten years, since she was 16. The duchess was so surprised to know that JM was related to this poor man who was dating her daughter.

When she heard the name Jean-Marie Wang, she didn't know that it was actually JM, the famous supermodel, since JM almost never use her real name.

Rune now suddenly didn't look so shabby anymore in her eyes. Being related to JM was a marvelous thing.

Today, JM was wearing a beautiful limited edition dress from the world's most famous designer, Gianni Ballerini. She looked like a million dollars.

Well.. it was actually a literal statement. The dress she was wearing was not just a dress. It was a work of art.

Duchess Fournier knew the designer only made two of this dress and she wondered how JM could get her hands on it.  Even she couldn't get the chance to buy it.

The dress would surely attract everyone's attention. It was made of blue silk with hand-painted motifs. There were many beautiful crystals sewn around the long V neckline, giving the very beautiful and simple design a touch of elegance that was very, very subtle.

The crystals were placed expertly not to look stand out and distract people from the wearer's beautiful face, but they glittered slightly when the dress was under the light. Just to give the impression of being a sparkling goddess, without screaming for attention.

"Oh, my... I love your dress," the duchess praised JM's dress. "Isn't it Ballerini's legendary design?"

"Why, yes. You know it?" JM was happy to hear the compliment. "I love this dress too."

"Oh.. Rumor has it he only produced two of this dress. I heard one went to his museum, and the other one was bought by a secret client," Duchess Fournier continued. She clicked her tongue in admiration, as she came closer and checked the dress better with her eyes.

Yes, she was not wrong. This was the dress that she read in the fashion magazine. She believed all people who had an interest in fashion would know this piece of art.

So, how did JM end up wearing this magnificent dress?

"Ah, that's right," JM replied with a beaming face. "My boyfriend bought it for me. I love him so much!"

Rune hid his smile when he saw the duchess' reaction. She must not expect that JM had a boyfriend who could afford to buy her such an expensive dress, which even she, a duchess, couldn't get.

Duchess Fournier must have thought that as a model, JM must be dating someone wealthy... but surely not THAT wealthy.

Now, she must be wondering who was this mysterious boyfriend of JM's who purchased a dress that cost almost a million dollars?