The Alchemists

"Let's all take a seat, the main event will start soon," Portia said to the Blue family members who were still standing there, puzzled. Reluctantly yet curiously, Kit and her parents followed them, sitting and waiting for the event to officially commence.

Kit was still trying to look around to find Elios Linden. Disappointed, she finally gave up and sat down next to her mother. There was a frown on her immaculate face.

Caspar and Lauriel then entered the castle, meeting up with Alaric and Aleksis who were getting ready behind the huge wooden door.

"Alaric can get out now, you just wait up there with your brothers," Caspar said. "Later, we will bring Aleksis out."

Alaric exchanged glances with his wife and then nodded.

"Hmm ... who will walk Aleksis down the aisle?" he asked Caspar and Lauriel. He knew Aleksis was Caspar's biological daughter, but she was also Lauriel's goddaughter. He wanted to know who, between Aleksis's two fathers would take her to the altar.

"Of course the two of us. We've talked about this," Lauriel answered. "By the way, even though you are my son, you must know that Aleksis is still my favorite child. Nicolae already knows this, but maybe you don't. I have to warn you from now on, if you ever make Aleksis cry, I'll kill you myself."

His father's words stunned Alaric. He just realized that Lauriel loved Aleksis more than his own children.

"Father, just take it easy, if I make Aleksis cry, I will kill myself before you do," he answered casually. He then kissed Aleksis on the lips and lightly walked out the door. Aleksis was extremely shocked and could only cover her lips with the back of her hand. She couldn't help feeling shy since she was kissed suddenly in front of her two fathers.

Caspar looked annoyed but he could not do anything. Whether he liked it or not, the reality was that Alaric was now his son-in-law and Aleksis, his favorite child, was really in love with that man. He could only press his chest with a hand, hoping that Aleksis' presence in Alaric's life would change many things about him, especially the mindset, that were making Caspar object to him as his son-in-law.

He and Lauriel looked at Alaric's back. They saw the man walking quietly down the aisle created between two rows of chairs, steadily advancing towards the stage where the wedding ceremony would take place.

They could hear muffled sounds from the guests who had seen Alaric nearing the center stage. Head after head looked up. The faces of the guests were then instantly filled with surprise.

Wasn't this ... Elios Linden? The heir to the Linden, Lewis, and Baden families… and the very owner of Rhionen Meier Industries?

Instantly the atmosphere at the garden party became intense. People began to exchange whispers with one another. Why was he walking on the aisle?

Some people thought Alaric was a guest who arrived late and was heading to his chair in the front to sit with Ned and Portia.

But then, they saw the Medici family's badge and emblem also embedded in his clothes. His expressionless face and purple eyes couldn't hide his happiness.

Everyone attentively watched him strode calmly forward. They tried to guess where he was going, the chair next to Ned ... or the stage where the wedding rites would be held.

Simultaneously, cries of surprise reverberated throughout the place when the guests saw Alaric walking toward the stage, approaching Nicolae. The latter embraced him with a smile, followed by Terry, London, and Rune.

Alaric then stood tall at the groom's place, completely ignoring the guests' faces that were all filled with questions and shock. Many women were sporting a mix of surprise and disappointment on their faces, because they just realized the famous Elios Linden was, in fact, the groom they had all been waiting for this afternoon.

Ever since Alaric appeared and stood at the groom's place, incessant whispers and exclamations from the guests flooded over.

What they just witnessed was really very shocking!

Who didn't know Elios Linden today? For the past few years, he had been predicted as the new clan leader candidate. This was despite knowing how much Caspar disliked him for the purist views that he brought forward about the future of the clan.

Most of the men present wanted to be him, whereas most of the women wanted to be with him. His lonely and mysterious figure made him some kind of living legend that always attracted people's attention.

His presence certainly surprised so many people. Even men who were usually not very interested in personal stuff began to ask questions and subsequently found out what really happened.

Portia and Ned had already expected this commotion to occur the moment they learned the true relationship between Alaric and Aleksis was. Of course, they could not do anything. All of this must be set straight and now was the right time.

"Is that …? That's Eli, right?" exclaimed Kit in a muffled voice. She widened her huge eyes and stared at Alaric and Portia alternately, "Didn't I see wrong? Lady Portia ... what does all this mean?!"

Portia only nodded and didn't answer Kit's question. She was busy watching Alaric, secretly feeling moved to see Luna's two sons still alive and now, even standing together. The older of the twins was ready to take Alaric to the altar.

If only Luna was still alive to watch this day, she would have been very happy, Portia thought as she wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Lady Portia...!! Why is Eli getting married?!!? Why aren't you answering me?!" Kit almost screamed hysterically as she tried to get an answer. "Auntie..!! You have to give me an explanation!"

She certainly knew Elios Linden well but her mind refused to believe that he was truly the young man standing in front.

Lex was also surprised by the sudden turn of events but he was rational enough to know that he could not allow himself to be humiliated by his daughter. Therefore, he immediately snapped at Kit.

"You shut up! Don't make a fuss here," he whispered firmly. He apologetically looked at Portia and signaled his wife to calm Kit down.

The girl was stunned by her father's attitude. She was almost never scolded so this instance made her devastated. With a shaken heart, she could only stare at Alaric, aware that she would not be able to do anything.

Dammit! How could he do this to me? We were supposed to get engaged, but all of a sudden, Eli is marrying another woman! Kit cursed in her heart.

She looked back, hoping to see who the damnable woman was. She wanted to see who managed to snatch the man that she was going after. Huh … and this must be a political marriage. Yes, that must be the case. Lex said several times that Eli was an ambitious man. It would not be surprising for him to marry Caspar Schneider's daughter to get his support as the clan leader ...

F*ck f*ck f*ck! Dammit!

Kit bit her lip until it almost bled. She was very upset. Some of the guests also thought the same thing and secretly joined in thinking that this was the actual truth, that Elios Linden deliberately married Caspar Schneider's daughter in order to smooth out his path in becoming the clan leader.