The Alchemists

"Sorry, we're late." Suddenly Terry's cheerful voice rang from the front door. "Someone is sulking and has run away from home and it took us hours to find her."

He entered while carrying Jean-Marie on his shoulder. The little girl looked sullen. "I already told you I didn't want to go anywhere without my beaaaaaar ..."

"Uh, Little Monkey, we already have 5 dogs at home, okay ..." Terry grumbled. "There is no place for bears."

The serious atmosphere permeating the room immediately dispersed due to Terry's arrival. He was with his younger sister. Nicolae released his hand from Aleksis' grip and hurriedly welcomed his best friend whilst bringing Vega with him.

"Hey ... welcome, Jean-Marie ... Why is your face so sour? Please meet Vega. You can play with the dog while waiting for your bear, okay..." he said kindly.

Terry lowered Jean-Marie so she could meet Vega. Nicolae crouched down in front of the little girl to hug her.

"Uncle Nicolae ..." whimpered Jean-Marie. On her face was still a frown as she kissed Nicolae on the cheeks. She then looked at Vega and the puppy in her arms and held out her hand, "Hi ... I'm Jean-Marie Wang."

The little girl's name stunned Finland. Ah ... this must be Jean and Marion's daughter. Her eyes promptly searched the door, hoping to see Jean walking through from there.

Sure enough, it wasn't until a minute later that the friend she had been dearly missing appeared by the door. Before she could say anything, she already found herself rushing over to him.

"Gosh, Jean ... how have you been? I miss you so much !!" cried Finland in an emotional voice. For ten years she never saw Jean. Even now, she could not understand why he had to join Marion in isolation when he did not really have any problems with Finland and her family.

She often contacted Jean and invited him to meet, but he always refused, which made her very sad. After all, she had no idea what was happening. Now, seeing Jean reappear before her after ten years made Finland unable to hold back her tears.

Jean returned Finland's hug and rubbed her back. He could not give any excuse even though a decade already passed.

"I'm sorry ..." That was all he could say.

Marion then appeared behind him. She was still as beautiful and cool as ever, but her eyes now had some hints of melancholy. Her husband's reunion with Finland made her stunned, and she felt guilty because she realized that she was the reason why Jean could not meet Finland and her children whom he loved so much.

Marion's gaze swept across the room and when her eyes fell on Lauriel, her heart trembled. She gathered her courage from within and braved walking towards her former leader. After a decade, it was time to make peace with and face Lauriel and Aleksis. She tried to act okay.

"Marion ..." Lauriel greeted the woman coldly. He immediately remembered his second child saying that ten years ago he told Marion everything and that he should have known that Alaric was his son.

The fact was that Marion never said anything ... He was never informed of such important information.

"Lauriel ..." Marion replied calmly. "How are you?"

Lauriel's expression darkened as he realized that even after ten years Marion still wanted to lie to him. His voice hinted exhaustion when he confronted Marion. "What happened ten years ago in Targu Mures?"

The woman stiffened in an instant. She never thought that Lauriel would suddenly ask her that. What was this?

It was then that Alaric, who had been hidden from Marion's view behind Aleksis' body, rose to his feet. Now she could see the young man who had made her have nightmares for years ... He stood in front of her, looking at her with an icy expression in his face.

"You ... you're still alive ...?!" Marion's muffled screams shocked her husband and so he immediately approached her.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Jean asked, putting his arms around Marion's shoulders. He then turned and saw Lauriel who was looking at her with disappointed and angry eyes. Beside him stood a young man Jean didn't know.

Briefly, he felt like he had seen this young man somewhere, but he could not remember where.

"Marion ... how did you have the heart to hide such important information from me?" Lauriel asked in a voice barely restraining anger. His eyes glistened even though he was trying to hold his emotions back.

The one being asked immediately felt her chest tighten. It became difficult for her to breathe. With some difficulty, she pounded her chest so she could gasp for air.

"Ahh .. ah ... I ... I can't breathe ..." Her eyes were filled with panic as she staggered and tried to find a grip.

Jean who was very worried hurriedly helped her to sit and unbutton her shirt.

"Shhh ... calm down ... calm down, Marion. I'm here ..." He tried to help his wife but her condition did not improve. Tears welled up from her eyes as she tried to breathe and at the same time, hold back tears.

Jean suddenly regretted coming to this event. He and Marion should have stayed at home. He was willing to not meet Finland or everyone else as long as Marion was okay.

"I attacked and killed my own son and didn't know his whereabouts for ten years ... because you lied to me!" In the end, Lauriel could no longer restrain his emotions and punched the pillar beside him out of frustration.

Tears dripped down from his eyes as he recalled the event. Vivid in his memories was how the person they had shot disappeared and how Marion said Alaric Rhionen had fallen into the gorge. However, he was certain that even if the person had been injured or died when he got shot, it was impossible for the body to fall into the gorge by itself ...

Now he realized that it was Marion who pushed his son's body down the gorge... maybe it was to prevent him from knowing that he had just killed his own child.

Marion took several breaths and with Jean's help, finally managed to calm herself. She then looked at Alaric who was standing and staring at her coldly. Her heart immediately sank. She would never be able to forget that face. Alaric often visited her in her nightmares.

Subconsciously, her tears flowed profusely. She remembered Alaric getting hit by a barrage of bullets. Before falling to the ground, the young man gave her a look filled with disappointment ... In the last few seconds, before he closed his eyes, he must have realized that he got deceived by Marion who had disguised as Aleksis.

"You ... are … Alaric Rhionen ..." Between her sobs that could no longer be held back, the woman inhaled. "I'm sorry ...  please forgive us ..."

Everyone present was immediately surprised by her apology.

"Why did you hide this information, Marion? I'm so disappointed in you!" Lauriel hissed while suppressing his anger and sadness at the same time. "You threw his body down the gorge so I wouldn't find him... Why?? How could you?!"

Lauriel approached Marion and shook her shoulders with deep disappointment. Jean who saw Marion being scolded immediately brushed Lauriel's hands. He then pushed the man with all his strength until he staggered backward.

"DON'T TOUCH MY WIFE!" The former actor snapped, no less angry than the other man. "You can't treat my wife like that. She's no longer a member of your crew!"

"Marion threw away my son's body back then and all this time, she has been hiding the truth... I was too late in finding his whereabouts for ten years ... You have children, right? How would you feel if, for a decade, your child was taken away from you without your knowledge?" Lauriel shouted at Jean.

His disappointment at himself came out loud. It took over him because he had actually abandoned Alaric all his life. He felt guilty and angry with himself for what happened.

"She did it for you, jerk!" Jean could not stand the other blaming his wife. He pulled Marion to his chest and looked at Lauriel with fire in his eyes.

"She hid the truth because YOU killed your own biological child ... Marion was afraid you would blame yourself and that it would destroy you, just like when your girlfriend died. Marion loved and respected you so much that she threw Alaric's body down the cliff so that you would never know that the man you attacked and killed by yourself is your own son!!"

Jean became as emotional as Lauriel. He had endured suffering for ten years too, due to Marion's traumatized condition, and he was not willing if Marion had to endure all the blame just because his wife wanted to protect Lauriel.

"You know, my wife took that sin alone ... For ten years, she was traumatized and constantly living in fear because she had to keep all these secrets to protect your feelings!! Don't you dare blame her for what happened !!"

Lauriel was instantly rooted in his spot due to Jean's words. He felt devastated because it turned out that once again, he was the ultimate source of all his griefs.

If only he had not said the wrong things to Luna and followed his girlfriend's wishes to settle down somewhere and raise a family, she would not have left him and died in the war ...

Their children would not be separated and lived alone for a hundred years ...

He would not have caused Alaric's death...

And Marion would not need to hide the heartbreaking truth...

This is all my fault, Lauriel reflected bitterly ... I am responsible for everything ...