The Alchemists

What London couldn't bear to see the most was L crying, but whatever he did couldn't stop her cry. L sobbed wistfully and this made London confused and sad at the same time.

He didn't know what to do.

"L... if you want to be angry, be angry with me. You can hit me... I'm the one guilty of deceiving you. It was all accidental at first, but then it became really difficult for me to tell you the truth." London walked over to L, who was still standing in front of the door with tears in her eyes.

The girl looked at him awkwardly. It could be seen in her eyes that L was experiencing inner conflict. She didn't know how to behave to the man whom she thought was a poor young man who happened to be the father of her child, and it was only this evening did she found out that he was actually the wealthiest and most powerful man in Germany, maybe even in all of mainland Europe.

"I... don't know how to behave," the girl finally whispered. "I need time to think."

London nodded. "I'm not in a hurry. You need to rest. We can talk tomorrow morning."

He opened the door and invited L inside. The girl obeyed and immediately walked to her room. London only stared until the girl disappeared behind the door of the room, then he went to his own room and sat on his bed.

Tonight was really exhausting. He felt confused when he saw L's attitude, but at the same time, he was also relieved. Finally, he managed to drop the heaps of lies that had weighed him all this time.

Now all that remained was to wait for the morning to come and convince L to accept him as he was.

***

When he woke up, the sun was already high. London opened his eyes and blinked while trying to recall his memories. Hmm... He felt something was missing because this morning, he didn't hear the sound of L singing to wake him up.

Gosh! Elle!

He immediately remembered what happened last night. He had told L his true identity and shocked the girl. L fainted and then wept bitterly when they arrived back at home.

London hurriedly got up from the bed and wearing only a robe, he ran out looking for L. He had to know why L didn't sing as usual this morning.

"Have you seen Madam?" he asked the two nurses who were working in Lily's room. Both of them shook their heads.

Their responses made London feel uneasy. He immediately ran back to his room and dialed L's number.

One ring.

Two rings.

L still didn't pick up her phone.

Damn it, London exasperatedly cussed inside. He shouldn't have left L alone last night. He wondered what's on her mind now.

He then called Marc. His bodyguard was always watching his house day and night, so he should be able to tell him where L went.

"Yes, Sir. Good morning." Marc's cheerful voice came on the other end.

"L disappeared. You have to find out where she went!" London hurriedly exclaimed.

"Miss L..."

"I don't care how but you should bring her back here." Impatiently, London immediately hung up the phone without giving Marc a chance to ask questions. His bodyguard had been with him for a long time, right? He should have known what needed to be done.

Restlessly, he massaged his head. L... why do you have to go? he thought sadly.

He decided to wait for news from Marc while drinking coffee on the terrace of their house. After the third cup of espresso, his heart was beating faster and he was getting even more worried.

Amazingly, it took Marc a long time to call back. Didn't he just need to look at the CCTV footage and find out when L went and which way, then check all the traffic cameras throughout Berlin and track L's current location?

How difficult was it to do such an easy thing? At a minimum, he should be able to tell his employer the latest news, where L was now, before trying to find her directly.

London was just about to enter the house and get the next coffee when the gate opened automatically and Marc entered carrying a woman who was struggling on his shoulder while pulling on a beagle's leash.

"Let me go! You bastard!! Heyyyy... Let go!!!"

The coffee cup in London's hands immediately fell and shattered on the floor when the young man saw Marc's arrival. He hurriedly stepped forward and scolded his loyal bodyguard.

"What is this?" he asked in surprise.

Marc lowered L, who had been struggling and hitting Marc's back with all her strength. "I brought Miss L home according to your order."

As soon as L set her feet on the ground, she stomped her feet in anger.

"Oh, so this was your order, huh? You told people to kidnap me, is that so????? You think just because you're rich and powerful, you can do whatever you want? Is that so????!!!"

With a hand on her waist, she glared at London, pointing.

"I..." London was still in shock because it turned out that L didn't go far but was just taking Yves for a walk around their residential complex, and Marc just 'kidnapped' her by force to fulfill his boss's orders to take Miss L home.

"Why are you silent? Cat got your tongue?" L questioned, a hand still on her waist. "You can imagine how shocked and scared I was when this giant of yours kidnapped me...!"

London was amazed to see L angry at him. He knew he was wrong. Now he remembered that Marc had wanted to say something when he called him, but London hastily hung up.

It must have been Marc's intention to say that L was just out with Yves... but London didn't give him a chance to speak at all.

And now, L was angry because she was forced to go home.

"L honey..." A relieved smile carved on London's lips as he stormed L and hugged her tightly. "I'm so happy to hear you got angry at me. You don't know how much I miss your temper. Please just scold me if I make a mistake, don't cry. I can't bear to see you cry..."

L was stunned to hear the words that the man said with full sincerity. For a moment, her body froze in London's arms. Yves's leash slipped from her hand, and the agile beagle would have escaped out of the gate if Marc hadn't hurriedly caught it.

Being self-aware, Marc then tiptoed while carrying Yves out the gate, giving privacy to his boss.

London, who was about to scold him, then changed his mind. Indeed, he was the one who was guilty of wrongly giving orders to Marc.

Ah... what matters is that L is now back in my arms, he thought.