Marvel: Alchemist

Chapter 6: Love and Legacy

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Spring 1957 – New York City

For the first time in years, my world slowed down.

Golden Enterprise was thriving. The gang wars were over, our rivals crushed, and our businesses flourished across multiple industries. We had money, power, and influence. But something was missing.

I had spent a decade building an empire, securing my future, ensuring that my name would be remembered. Yet, when I returned to my penthouse overlooking the city, it felt empty.

Then, I met her.

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A Chance Encounter

Her name was Evelyn Carter.

She was a doctor, working at one of the private hospitals we funded. I first saw her during an inspection of our medical facilities. She wasn't like the other professionals who worked for us—she had a sharp tongue and no patience for flattery.

"You're the mysterious benefactor?" she asked, arms crossed as she stared me down.

I smirked. "I prefer the term 'visionary businessman.'"

She scoffed. "I don't care what you call yourself, Mr. Lin. If you're serious about helping people, we need better funding for research, not just fancy buildings."

No one had spoken to me like that in years. I liked it.

Intrigued, I made it a habit to visit the hospital more often. At first, it was business. Then, it became personal. I learned that Evelyn was the daughter of a retired surgeon, a woman who had fought tooth and nail to establish herself in a male-dominated field. She was brilliant, ambitious, and had a heart bigger than the empire I had built.

We spent months arguing about medical advancements, debating ethics, and discussing the future. Slowly, those conversations turned into late-night dinners, then quiet walks through Central Park.

I had faced bullets, betrayal, and bloodshed. But love? Love was uncharted territory.

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A Year of Love

For the first time, I allowed myself to enjoy life beyond business. Evelyn and I spent a year together, and it was the happiest I had ever been.

She kept me grounded. While I expanded Golden Enterprise, she kept me focused on using our resources for something greater. We invested more in medical research, pushed biotech advancements, and opened free clinics for the underprivileged.

"You're not just a businessman, Edward," she told me one evening as we sat on the rooftop of my penthouse, watching the city lights. "You have the power to change lives."

I had spent so long chasing power that I had forgotten what it could be used for.

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The Proposal

One year after our first meeting, I took her to an exclusive gala, a grand event where New York's elite gathered. As we danced under the chandeliers, I pulled her close.

"Marry me," I whispered.

She laughed softly. "Is that how you propose? No ring, no grand speech?"

I pulled a small velvet box from my pocket and opened it, revealing a ring crafted from an alchemically enhanced diamond. It shimmered with an ethereal glow, a testament to what I had built.

She gasped. "Edward…"

I cupped her face, looking into those deep, intelligent eyes that had captivated me from the start. "You changed my world, Evelyn. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Tears welled in her eyes, but she smiled. "Yes."

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A New Beginning

Our wedding was a grand affair, attended by politicians, business tycoons, and close allies. Yet, despite the extravagance, it was the simplest moment that mattered most—when I saw Evelyn walking down the aisle, radiant in white and knew that my life had finally found balance.

The marriage didn't slow us down. If anything, it made us stronger. We continued to expand, not just in business but in philanthropy. The Golden Enterprise hospitals became the most advanced in the country, and our biotech research made groundbreaking discoveries.

Then, in 1959, another milestone changed my life forever.

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The Birth of William Lin

The night Evelyn went into labor was the first time in years that I felt true fear.

I paced outside the delivery room, my mind racing. I had built an empire, survived countless threats, and secured our future. But none of that mattered in that moment.

Hours passed before a nurse finally emerged, smiling. "Congratulations, Mr. Lin. You have a healthy baby boy."

Relief flooded me as I rushed inside. Evelyn lay exhausted but smiling, cradling a tiny bundle in her arms.

"Meet your son," she murmured, looking up at me. "William Lin."

I swallowed hard, gazing down at the small, fragile life in her arms. My legacy wasn't just an empire. It was this—my family.

As I held my son for the first time, I knew that everything I had built, everything I had fought for, was for him.

And I would ensure that the world he grew up in would be one where the name Lin meant more than just power—it meant hope.

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[Proficiency Panel Update]

Name: Edward Lin

Age: 32

Alchemy Proficiency: 80% (Level: Master)

Transmutation: 75% (Level: Expert)

Reinforcement: 70% (Level: Expert)

Creation: 60% (Level: Advanced)

Wealth: Estimated Net Worth: $3.5 Billion USD (Owner of Golden Enterprise)

Property: Private estates, corporate buildings, hospitals, research facilities, and manufacturing plants

Physical Condition: Peak Human (Enhanced through alchemical reinforcement)

Status: Patriarch of the Lin Legacy

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I was no longer just the founder of Golden Enterprise.

I was a husband. A father.

And this was only the beginning.