The Alchemists

This really isn't a dream, he thought. Alaric was still as cold and cruel as before, and he would only change around Aleksis.

One thing that was certain was that he and the two directors at the table heard that Alaric considered Elien as nothing more than an employee working for Splitz as Virconnect's ambassador. They mistakenly thought that Alaric had a special relationship with her.

Especially now that they've seen for themselves how impressive their boss' wife really was.

Five minutes later, two staff members rushed into the ballroom while half-dragging Elien Mikhailova, who seemed very reluctant to keep going. People could see her frustrated face and trembling body and could only wonder what was happening.

"Why are you treating me like this? Don't you know who I am?!" Her protests were heard many times, but the two staff members were more afraid of Mr. Linden's anger than the scolding of a paid company artist like Elien, so they ignored the girl's protests and continued to pull her across the ballroom to Alaric's table.

Numerous guests who were enjoying the musical performance of the Rainfall Band were distracted by the sight of Elien, and they immediately started talking about what really happened.

Again, many suspected that poor Elien had now been rid of because Elios Linden had a new lover, so even the Splitz staff began to treat the girl terribly. The surrounding people cast pitying glances at her.

When Elien finally arrived in front of Alaric, she immediately dropped herself in front of the man and burst into tears.

"Sir... I'm sorry... I couldn't get away because those people were so frightening..." Her voice was filled with fear and worry. "I was locked there to trap you... Luckily, you didn't get caught. Otherwise, the guilt will kill me..."

Alaric frowned and said in a cold voice, "I don't need any explanation from you. You were called here because your job is to do a dance performance as Virconnect's ambassador. I don't want to hear any reason. If you can't do your job, Splitz will look for someone else who can. "

"Eh...?" Elien looked extremely surprised. Alaric didn't care about her condition and was even forcing her to dance? She raised her face and saw Alaric staring at her with a look of disgust.

Did... Did Eli really suspect her? Elien's c.h.e.s.t palpitated in fear. Right now, all she felt was the d.e.s.i.r.e to run away from there...

But the two staff members who had forced her to come here were holding her shoulders and wouldn't let her go.

"Are you suspicious of me...?" Elien asked in a bitter voice as if she was aggrieved for being thought to be conspiring with the malicious party who tried to set Alaric up. "I... I do like you, but that doesn't mean that you can look down on me... that I would stoop so low just to get in bed with you..."

The Rainfall Band finished singing their last song and the MC returned to the stage.

Alaric pointed at the stage and looked at Elien with an icy glance, "Are you going to perform now or not? I am not a patient man and I have never asked anyone twice."

Pavel gave instructions to his staff who immediately approached the MC and said something. Biting her lips, Elien finally nodded while wiping away her tears. She stood up and raised her head, trying to look strong. She'll dance, and she'll immediately go backstage and run away after she finished her performance.

Who is this person? She thought in astonishment.

Her eyes looked at Aleksis with both surprise and hate. Could this girl be the one rumored to have joined Alaric in the RMI office…?

Is this the new girl who will replace me? Elien bitterly thought.

Upon hearing Alaric's saying that they would look for someone who could do their job well, Elien immediately felt cornered. She felt that she was apparently insignificant and could be replaced easily.

And now seeing such a beautiful girl sitting next to Alaric, she assumed she was a model that caught Alaric's attention and he would make her the new Virconnect ambassador. Just like how she previously caught Alaric's attention at the Ritz Gala, causing her to be appointed as Virconnect ambassador until later her career became far more advanced than it was ever before.

"What dancer is she?" Aleksis asked Alaric, looking at Elien attentively.

The girl's words made Elien even more upset. She had been the face of Virconnect for more than three years and was well-known as a ballet superstar, and yet...

She felt very humiliated because the girl sitting beside Alaric was asking who she was as if she thought of Elien as someone unimportant. Elien didn't know that Aleksis really didn't follow and didn't care about entertainment news, so she didn't know who Elien Mikhailova was.

"She's a ballerina. You'll see for yourself, she's quite talented," Alaric answered in a soft and caring voice, which stunned Elien. In all these years, she had never heard Elios Linden's voice sounding so warm and caring.

She just realized that all along, it wasn't that Eli was unattracted to women or have a cold nature, it was just that he didn't like the women around him, including Elien herself.

Turns out he could actually be warm and gentle towards a woman...

Steeling her heart, Elien rose and walked towards the stage. The MC welcomed her and interviewed her a little before she performed her dance.

"Good evening, Ms. Mikhailova. You look very beautiful tonight... How are you?"

Elien just nodded and didn't answer. She didn't answer the MC's other questions either. She only nodded or smiled with a depressed face. She could see that many guests were looking at her with pity.

She'll continue to exploit their pity for her so they think Elien was being treated unfairly and was going to be rid of because Elios Linden had a new lover.

"Uhm... Okay, just remain quiet, I won't force you. Are you ready to dance?" the MC asked in the end. Elien nodded. "Alright... Ladies and gentlemen... here is a short performance, entitled 'The Sun in Winter', which will be performed by Ms. Elien Mikhailova!"

Accompanied by the thunderous applause of the audience, very beautiful music could be heard as Elien slowly took her position in the center of the stage.

Even though she felt uneasy and annoyed at the same time, Elien was still a very talented ballerina superstar, and soon, her captivating dance mesmerized and hypnotized all the guests present.

"She's pretty good," Aleksis said to Alaric.

"Right. You know that I love beauty. That's why I appointed her as Virconnect's ambassador three years ago," Alaric shrugged.

Aleksis understood her husband's intentions. Alaric really liked Elien's talent without any other frills, just like how he liked the koi fish in his pond and the bonsai plants in his home garden. But the people, who didn't know Alaric well, thought he cared for Elien as a woman, including Elien herself, so she became arrogant.

Thinking about this, Aleksis finally smiled. Alaric was still the same as before. He only thought of humans based on their functions, and now, to him, a person like Elien was nothing more than a source of beauty to be a decoration for Virconnect products, like bonsai.

She felt a bit guilty because she had thought about the closeness of Elien and her husband.

"I heard she was locked up in the suite by someone with malicious intentions to set you up. Is that true?" Aleksis asked again. She began to shudder. If she hadn't been there, maybe Alaric would have repeatedly waved his passion to the ballerina...

Alaric nodded. "The person responsible will soon receive their punishment."

His eyes swept onto the stage. For a moment, his eyes flashed with a dangerous glint.