The Alchemists

While eating, Aleksis checked her phone and read the messages from her brothers. She immediately felt guilty and ashamed for driving them out for hours.

[We're done now. You can enter.] Finally, she replied to London and looked up at Alaric while coughing a little.

"Uhmm ... London and Rune will be here soon. Do we need to tell them what really happened?"

Alaric nodded. "They need to know so they can prepare for things like this in the future. After all, there are a lot of bad people out there. Even if you do good, there will be people who will take the opportunity to take advantage of you. They must always be ready, or else they can become the next victims."

Aleksis could only sigh. She knew how much Alaric disliked people in general, and today's incident only further upset him. She just hoped that he would slowly be able to change.

She could only grab his left hand and squeeze it softly. "Do you want to drink wine? I'll pour it for us. Red wine or white wine?"

"Red, please ..."

Aleksis took a bottle of red wine from the cabinet and poured it for both of them. They then continued eating quietly.

Just after they had finished their meal, there was a knock at the door. London and Rune entered the penthouse. Their expressions were suggesting as if nothing had happened.

"Uhm ... about what happened just now ..." Aleksis turned to Alaric, hoping the man would explain the situation. The man just raised his hand and gave a signal for them to listen. He then took his cellphone and called Pavel.

"Pavel, this afternoon someone put an aphrodisiac into my drink while we were having a meeting at the office. I was careless because I was busy taking care of something. I want you to find the person responsible and bring them to me."

"Sir, I was just about to tell you that," Pavel answered in a troubled voice. "Elien didn't show up at the celebration. After we tracked her cellphone down, we finally found her tied up in this hotel suite. It looks like she was caught by a criminal to be the bait to entrap you."

"Where is she now?" Alaric asked.

"She is still in the Presidential Suite. When she was discovered she was hysterical and very agitated. The doctor is examining her now," Pavel answered. "Will you be going there?"

"No need," he answered nonchalantly. "I'll meet you at the event."

"Yes, Sir."

"A girl is locked up to bait you out?" Aleksis asked in puzzlement, "Do you know who that person is?"

Alaric just shrugged. He finished his wine and patted London and Rune on the shoulders before saying to them lightly, "You guys come with me to learn how to deal with problems like this."

"Then, are we going down to the ballroom now?" asked the woman. "Isn't it too late? It's already 9 PM."

"They will not end the program without me," Alaric answered calmly. He tucked Aleksis' loose hair behind her ear and then took a beautiful hair clip from his pocket and put it on her, "This will make your hair no longer messy."

"Ahh ... thank you," Aleksis kissed her husband with a very happy face. London and Rune pretended not to see the intimacy between their sister and brother-in-law.

After making sure everything was arranged, Alaric then took Aleksis out of the penthouse, followed by his two brothers-in-law. "Let's go down."

The four of them descended to the ballroom on the 3rd floor. While inside the elevator, Alaric took the time to write a short message to one of his trusted men.

[Mischa, I want you to investigate Elien Mikhailova. You must still have a lot of contacts with underground organizations in Russia.]

[Yes, Sir] The reply from Mischa came a minute later.

The four who arrived at the entrance of the ballroom were very good-looking people so they immediately garnered the admiration of the ushers and organizers of the event. Most of the staff recognized their big boss. Still, the three other people who were with him equally attracted a lot of gazes since no one could recognize them.

"Welcome, Sir." A senior manager hurriedly welcomed Alaric and his small group, then invited them in, respectfully leading them to a special table at the front. There sat Pavel and Sande and two other Splitz top management officials.

He held her hand as they walked and would occasionally turn his head with a smile and conversed with her in a low voice.

Even the top management people who had met Alaric several times before had never seen him smile!

But this time he looked so warm, so open, and his smile looked genuinely happy. It was as if he was not their boss who was famous for being cold and ruthless.

What was this? Everyone wondered in confusion. Had he really changed? Did that girl make him change?

Who exactly was she? And who were the two young men who were walking with him?

Various speculations soon rose among the guests, all about Elios Linden, the girl with him, the two handsome young men following them, and Elien Mikhailova who had not been seen around since the beginning of the event even though she was one of Virconnect's most important ambassadors.

"Wait, I think I've seen that man with black hair before," someone whispered to his friend at the table that had just been passed by the small group. "He is the heir to the Schneider family. London Schneider! I've read the news about him in our media."

"Wow ... really? I didn't know Mr. Linden had a good relationship with the Schneider family. I have always thought they are business rivals."

"Sshhh ... we don't know anything about Mr. Linden other than that he is the owner of RMI and that he inherited the two groups through a secret agreement. We don't know who is behind him ..."

"Ahh .. you're right. Tonight is really full of surprises !! We can witness his grandeur firsthand, and at the same time invite the Schneider family members. This will be great news."

"But I'm more curious about the woman walking next to him. She's so beautiful! I've never seen such a beautiful girl ..."

"She should be our Virconnect ambassador."

"That's right ... so beautiful ..."

"Much more beautiful than our current ambassadors ..."

"Right, that Elien Mikhailova ..."

"I heard that Elien was Virconnect's ambassador because she had a special relationship with Mr. Linden four years ago. They first met at the Ritz Gala, right?"

"Right. Do you think the boss will replace her with a new model because they broke up? Looks like he now has a new girlfriend..."

"I don't know ... We'll see."

"But I haven't seen Elien either ..."

"Maybe she was not invited so she couldn't come ..."

"Well, if that's so, it's a pity for her... After Mr. Linden got bored with her and found a new woman, she was just thrown away ..."

Alaric's sharp ears heard all the gossip and rumors so his face turned red with anger. He unconsciously covered Aleksis' ear using his hands and whispered to her, "Don't listen to those cheap gossips, let me take care of everything."

Aleksis nodded. She believed in him.

Elien Mikhailova… When she heard the name, her mind flew to the arrogant girl she met in the RMI Tower elevator this noon and then understood why she was being so arrogant. Of course, she felt like she was getting special treatment since she was considered to be Elios Linden's lover.

Aleksis subconsciously looked at her husband from the side, trying to judge whether there was even the slightest truth in that rumor.

Hmm ... if Alaric did not give Elien special treatment to at all, would that woman be so bold and act arrogant to somebody she just met at RMI Tower earlier? There must be at least something between them.

All sorts of thoughts ran in her head. But she just kept them to herself and decided to make her own judgment later. They soon arrived at the table of honor prepared for them. Pavel, his wife Sande, and the two Splitz directors immediately stood up, warmly welcoming Alaric and his small group.

"Good evening, Sir." There was respect in the way the four greeted them. Except, Pavel's voice suddenly stopped midway when he saw Aleksis walking beside Alaric. For a moment, he was so dumbfounded and his face was filled with questions.

"Y ... You ...?" Pavel unknowingly pointed at Aleksis and stammered, "M-Miss Aleksis ...?"

"Madam." Again, Alaric corrected another person who called Aleksis Miss. His voice had hints of annoyance which strangely made the girl smile. It seemed like the man really disliked hearing others constantly addressing his wife as Miss. He purposely emphasized his next words, "Mrs. Aleksis Linden."

"Ohh ..." The four people at the table of honor looked at each other before letting out a cry of surprise.

"Mrs. Linden ..." They then greeted Aleksis with respect.