The Alchemists

The atmosphere in the penthouse was very dark when Jadeith came to bring Terry in. Caspar, Finland, and Jean sat on the living room couch with dark expressions and hands folded on the chests. London and Rune were taken to another room by Kara to study.

"Why did you force me to come here?" Terry asked with a defiant face. He was hugging a jar that contained his parents' ashes on his chest and his mood was as bad as the three people in front of him.

"We consulted with Lawyer Li and learned that your parents no longer have relatives. As a minor, you cannot live alone. He proposed to find you a guardian until you are 21 years old and you can receive the inheritance from your father," Caspar said without caring about Terry's protest. His voice sounded authoritative, even though his face looked very tired. "You are already aware that my wife here is your biological mother... then, of course, you know who the person next to her is..."

Terry turned his gaze to the handsome man sitting at the very end. His face looked very familiar. Not only because Terry often saw him adorn magazines and movie posters, but also because he found the man's face very similar to his own.

He was stunned for a few moments, unable to understand why the man looked so young. Shouldn't he now be almost 40 years old? Ten years ago, when he came for a donor match test, he was over 28 years old...

"Are you Jean Pierre Wang?" Terry asked quietly, trying to be sure.

Jean nodded and smiled, even though his face seemed to be filled with worry. Terry didn't understand why these three people looked so tired and worried. Did they not like his presence here? Did they only come because Terry's parents' and lawyer Li asked them to come?

"Oh..."

Terry didn't know what to say. He looked closely at Jean. This person looked very similar to him, and for the first time, Terry felt as if he could see himself in someone else's figure.

This was his biological father... although not his real father.

This person was just a sperm cell donor, he thought bitterly. His father had died in an accident a few days ago. The woman sitting next to him was the same as him, she only donated her eggs and her bone marrow... That woman already had her own family and children.

"We are here discussing which of us is the right person to be your guardian until you are an adult..." Finland said to Terry. She saw how Terry looked so depressed that she felt pity for the boy. In a very gentle voice, she then explained their intention to meet him.

"I am your biological mother, and Jean is your biological father. We can and are willing to be your guardians. I have a husband and three children, and we currently live in New Zealand and Germany. If you come with us, you will get a decent life. It's just that our children don't go to public schools. If you come with us, you will also study with private teachers. You have met our children yesterday. There are Aleksis, London, and Rune."

Terry's big brown eyes widened at Finland's words. He did not expect that they would offer to be his guardians.

"You already know that I am your biological father..." Jean continued Finland's sentence, in the same gentle voice that made Terry almost shed his tears because he was so touched.

"I know, I'm not your real father. We are only bound by DNA. I also don't have the talent to be a father because my parents were divorced when I was only five years old. I don't know how to be a good father, but I hope you will give me a chance to be your guardian. I'm a busy person, but I'll try to make time to take care of you. My father is aSingaporean, and I am willing to stay with you in Singapore so you can finish your school here. Later we can figure out together where you want to study. Maybe you can even move with me to America if you want."

Terry could only look at the three people with an astonished expression. He never expected that they all wanted to be his guardian... They were not even his relatives.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked softly.

They definitely had certain hidden agendas or something... he thought.

But...

They couldn't be targeting the Chan's family's money, considering that Jean was a very successful actor... And the couple sitting next to him also looked wealthy.

At least, judging from how they could stay in a penthouse like this, they must be very rich... Then what is their true purpose?

Terry really couldn't help thinking.

"Are you sincere with what you say?" he asked later, his voice sounded filled with doubt.

Finland got up and approached Terry, then unexpectedly hugged him.

"We mean it, Son. Believe me, I understand what it's like to be a child who lives alone. We won't leave you alone..."

That's when Terry's wall collapsed, and for the first time since his parents' death, he cried in front of these strangers...

Jean then joined in and hugged the boy. The three of them tried to hold back the tears so they wouldn't flow harder.

Caspar only saw the scene with a dark face. His mind was filled with Aleksis... His chest felt tight thinking about the fate of his daughter.

***