The Alchemists

They lay in bed hugging for ten minutes, just enjoying each other's presence. Finally, the sound of Koi's scratching on the bedroom door made both of them realize that they still had to get Marie's and Summer's belongings to join Nicolae.

Nicolae opened his eyes, looked into his arms, and found Marie's face so close to his. She had also opened her eyes. Both of them looked at each other with smiles decorating each other's lips, they then reflexively kissed again.

"Hmm ... we have to get up," Marie whispered.

Nicolae nodded. He kissed Marie's forehead, then got up and sat on the bed. Marie followed suite.

"Do you want to shower?" Nicolae asked Marie.

The girl nodded. She got out of bed while pulling Nicolae's hand and led him into her bathroom to the left. Nicolae had to stop himself from pouncing on Marie under the shower while they showered together.

He imagined it would be better if they quickly settled Marie's business in her apartment and returned to the penthouse. His bedroom and bathroom in the penthouse were much bigger and more comfortable for ... ahem ... m.a.k.i.n.g. .l.o.v.e.

They couldn't wait until Summer was fast asleep and then ...

Ahh .. stop thinking perverted stuff, Nicolae ... You are a gentleman.

Nicolae brushed aside those beautiful thoughts from his mind and hurried to wash his body and Marie together. They realized the longer the two of them saw each other n.a.k.e.d, the slower they would be packing Marie's stuff on this apartment. They must set their priorities straight!

After getting dressed, Nicolae helped dry Marie's hair, and then the girl helped dry Nicolae's hair. Both were all smiles. They didn't want to be separated from the other.

"All right ... you can just tell me whatever items you want to bring, I'll help you," Nicolae said after the two were ready. Marie mentioned several objects that had significance to her and Summer and their location. Nicolae swiftly looked for them.

One set of Summer's baby clothes; one of the two toys that Summer loved the most; a little piece of jewelry that Marie inherited from her mother, and of course, Koi.

"We can bring Koi with us, right?" Marie asked as she put the collar on her cute dog. "Summer is very fond of Koi, they have been together since birth."

"Of course," Nicolae answered with a smile. He also always lived with Aleksis's and the twins' pet dogs, and he loved animals. Aleksis used to have a beloved dog named Little Prince Siegfried that she kept until the dog died of old age. Then, Altair and Vega adopted a dog very similar to Little Prince Siegfried and named it Aurora.

Now Aurora lived in New York and went where the twins lived. This meant Aurora stayed with them and Nicolae on weekdays, and went home to Manhattan, at Aleksis and Alaric's home with the twins on weekends.

So, of course, Nicolae would be happy to bring Koi, his daughter's favorite dog, wherever they go.

"Why.. thank you. Summer will definitely be delighted to see Koi coming with us," Marie said happily.

"I heard that Summer and Koi like walking in the park and look for mushrooms," Nicolae said. "They will definitely enjoy exploring the small forest behind my family's castle."

"Ah ... of course, they really enjoy playing in nature. Wait..." Marie's words suddenly stopped in the air. She turned to Nicolae and furrowed her brows. "What did you say? Castle?"

Nicolae smiled at Marie's astonished expression, which he thought was very cute. "Oh, didn't I tell you? My father's family owns a castle in Grosetto, Italy."

"A castle, you say?" Marie really felt she had misheard.

"That's right. My father owns a castle in Grosetto, and my mother's family owns a castle in Yorkshire, England." Nicolae smiled even wider to see the confused expression of the woman he loved. "Ahh .. I'm sorry, I'm too happy to tease you."

Marie pinched Nicolae's hand after hearing his last words. She thought Nicolae was just pulling her leg.

His family didn't really have a castle, did they? Ha ha...

"Ah, you surprised me. I thought you must be from an affluent or noble background if your family has a castle ... Hahaha ... you managed to fool me," Marie said with a laugh.

"Uhmm ... yes, I really like to tease you, Honey... but I am not lying to you. My family does have castles, and I inherited our family castle in Grosetto. I can't wait to show it to you and Summer. Summer in Grosetto is very beautiful."

Marie coughed at Nicolae's words.

Gosh ..! He wasn't joking???

For a moment, Marie looked at Nicolae with a pair of astonished eyes and hands pressed to her lips in surprise. Her expression looked so cute to Nicolae, who immediately hugged her and whispered in her ear, "Let's have our wedding there. I hope you will like the place."

Marie's face turned red again. The freckles in her cheeks looked very obvious when she blushed like this. Nicolae loved teasing Marie and got rewarded by her adorable expression.

"Alright ... everything is done. Are you ready to go?" Nicolae asked her after getting all the items Marie had asked for in her backpack. Koi had worn his collar was ready for his walk, looking excited with his tail wagging.

Marie nodded. She then approached her 'family' members one by one and bid them goodbye. She would leave them for good and will not return. She greeted Leon, Lucia, and others. The girl's face seemed filled with a nostalgic expression, when finally she would leave the apartment she had occupied for the past few years.

There were many good memories here since she gave birth to Summer and then lived together with her child. Here was also where Summer learned to walk and talk and enjoyed her life since childhood.

Now it's time to turn over a new leaf, in a new place. Marie was increasingly convinced that Nicolae was indeed not a simple man. Nicolae seemed to come from a wealthy and powerful family. She couldn't wait to know more about him and meet his family!