The Alchemists

Ben drove Finland home, and in the car she calculated her financial loss for missing work tomorrow.

"Ben, I'll be accompanying Caspar all day tomorrow. We agreed to get to know each other better. Do you know his schedule for tomorrow?"

"Hmm, tomorrow Boss will have 3 meetings; two conference calls and one meeting at the hotel. He is invited as guest lecturer in NUS at 3pm. Then, at 6pm, he has a scheduled brain cancer removal surgery in the hospital."

"Okay, I will come in the morning then..."

"OK, Miss."

Finland then wondered if she could ask Ben about Caspar... It seemed unethical, but then she remembered that Caspar also obtained Finland's personal information in an unethical manner... it must have been far more unethical than this.

"Ben... how long have you worked for Caspar?"

"I've worked for Master for 20 years, Miss. Before that, it was my father who worked for him. We are like family to him," said Ben.

"Oh... I see. Mhmmm... did your boss ever get married?" Finland asked.

"No, he was never married." Ben chuckled, "There are so many women who would want to marry Master, but Master and his family are very picky. They don't fall in love easily. Master has two siblings, and only his sister is married. She has a lot of children and grandchildren now."

"Children and grandchildren?" Finland didn't quite understand what he meant.

"Master has 3 nephews and two of them have married the love of their life. Now, they both have children in Europe and America."

Finland could not digest what Ben was saying and she blamed it on the few glasses of wine she drank during dinner. Maybe Ben was saying that Caspar had many relatives in Europe and America...

"Oh, well... so Caspar is part of a big family." Finland nodded. "And he has never been married before. How about lovers? Don't tell me he has a lover on every continent..."

Ben laughed at that statement. He cleared his throat and then replied, "Yes, Master had a lot of women in the past. But he never took them seriously. Master only had one fiancée, but after many years, he was still unsure if she was the right woman to marry, so she finally left him. "

"Oh, rightfully so. Why stick around a man who is not able to give certainty." Finland said quickly.

"How long did his fiancée wait for him?"

"Long enough," Ben said, shaking his head sadly, "Fifty years."

Finland dropped her bag when Ben answered, so she only heard the word "... years" and she guessed it might have been 'several years'.

"Wow... she was waiting for years? That's a long time. Luckily the woman made a wise decision and left. Hopefully she has found her happiness now." exclaimed Finland while picking up the contents of her bag that were scattered on the car floor.

The car stopped at Rose Mansion. Finland thanked Ben and got out of the car.

"Master just told me that I have to pick Miss up tomorrow morning," Ben said.

"Is that so? Okay then, see you tomorrow. Thank you, and good night."

***