Lost and Found: Return of My Mysterious Fiancee

The woman cried bitterly, tears rolling down her cheeks in large drops. Victor felt a pang in his chest and was just about to comfort her when he heard Vivienne's subsequent words, which made his face suddenly darken. "Vivienne, are you blaming me by saying that?"

Vivienne realized she had misspoken.

"No. How could I blame you? I know you did it for the Bailey family. It's just that I feel sorry for Kelly. They are all your daughters, yet she has to endure being ridiculed behind her back. You don't know what those ladies say about her at the parties."

Vivienne was indeed the woman he had loved for many years. Seeing her cry more fiercely, Victor sighed, "Enough. I know you and your daughter have had a hard time these years. But forget about the Langdon family; I've already arranged a man for Kelly. He is Hayden Cohen from the Ashbury Cohen family. He is quite a catch and capable too. In time, I will arrange for Kelly to meet him."

"Hayden Cohen?" Vivienne had heard of the Ashbury Cohen family. Among the top ten families, although they were not as prominent as the Farrell family or the now declined Reed family, they were still a distinguished family, far out of reach for many lesser houses. It was said their son always accompanied Jared Farrell, and the two families were particularly close.

But what good does that closeness do? Hayden, although the heir, couldn't even compare to Jared; how could he match the heir of the Langdon family?

Vivienne's emotions churned relentlessly, yet her face showed little. Looking into Victor's eyes with surprise, she asked, "Why the Cohen family? If not the Langdon family, there are other families. Or even the Farrell family..."NôvelDrama.Org content rights.

Victor held her in his arms, patiently explaining, "Forget about the 'hidden' families. The Farrell family's son is already married. Hayden Cohen is the most promising of the young men in Ashbury right now. That's settled then. Go back and inform Kelly, let her prepare mentally."

Towards the end, Victor's tone carried an indisputable firmness. If possible, he would have preferred Kelly to marry the Langdon family's son. But as Ella Bailey said yesterday, harsh as it was, it wasn't without reason. A bastard daughter, not even worthy as a mistress in the eyes of the haughty Langdon family!

In the vast courtyard, servants bustled about. Vivienne sat on a stool, her grip tightening on her fan.

"Scoundrel!" He spoke so righteously, but in his heart, he viewed them just like everyone else, disdainful of their mother and daughter's background!

Ella Bailey, that wretch, could marry into the Gill family! How was her daughter any less than that woman? Why couldn't she be with the heir of the Langdon family? In the end, he still saw Kelly as a bastard, afraid of offending those 'hidden' families!

What was the Cohen family anyway, to be worthy of her daughter? "Victor, do you really think I'm still that naive girl who used to hang on your every word? Just wait, once my daughter marries into the Langdon family. Whether it's Ella Bailey or her mother, none shall escape!"

(Note: Victor and Vivienne are in a love relationship, hence he uses his real name with her. With Simone Farrell, it was a relationship of convenience, so he used his former name, Jonathan Bailey. After Simone Farrell was expelled from the Bailey family, Victor reverted to his current name.)

The Pace family. A breeze fluttered through, lifting the curtains in a dance, yet it could not ease the irritation in Ruud's heart. He had been back for over half a month now, and his men had turned the Reed family inside out. They had found no trace of Tracey, not even a slight hint of her existence.

"Can a living person really just vanish into thin air?!"

"Brother."

Boris entered from outside, far away and unaware of the heavy air surrounding Ruud, he gently knocked on the door, catching Ruud's attention.

Ruud turned around, "What is it?"

Seeing the impatience in his eyes, Boris was shocked. The fear of Ruud, deeply ingrained in his bones, made him want to flee the room the next second. But remembering the task given to him, Boris clenched his molars, "I still want to talk to you about Jared. Father's condition has been getting worse lately."

Ruud's eyebrows furrowed, his eyes cold, "I've already spoken about Jared's matter. Since father and Edwin both said it wasn't him, there's no need for such suspicion. The real culprit, I will have investigated; you don't need to worry about it." Boris's eyes flickered, forcing himself to meet Ruud's gaze head-on, "That's because father and Edwin don't know what kind of person Jared is! Brother, what is there left to investigate? The tonics were brought by Jared, if it wasn't him who poisoned them, who else could it be? You can't say there's a traitor in our house, can you?" He even pointed at himself, "Or are you suspecting me?"

Ruud felt a headache coming on, stepping closer to Boris, "No one is suspecting you. But I'm not foolish enough to believe that a family heir would poison someone under his real name. Boris, if you're really that idle, find something productive to do instead of making a fool of yourself here."

The chilling look in Ruud's eyes sent a shiver down Boris's spine. He didn't need to look back to feel his back drenched in sweat. It had always been this way! Ruud had never taken him seriously!

Tumultuous feelings surged in Boris's heart, fear urging him to flee quickly. Yet dissatisfaction and resentment glued his feet to the spot, stubbornly refusing to yield.

Their gazes locked, the passing butler and the maid didn't dare to breathe too loudly, skirting around them from a distance, with no one coming up to mediate.

Boris was almost at his limit, his legs trembling involuntarily. Ruud's imposing aura, honed on the battlefield and tinged with bloodshed, stood in stark contrast to Boris, who had always lived a life of luxury by his father's side.

The man, silent. Just watching him, Boris felt like prey under the gaze of a fierce beast, his body instinctively wanting to flee, yet his feet wouldn't obey.

"What are you two doing standing here?"

Edwin, just back from a business trip, noticed the trembling butler and Mrs. Marshall downstairs and sensed something was amiss. Ascending the stairs and turning a corner, he saw the two men in a standoff at the doorway. Boris was clearly on the verge of collapsing.

Edwin's indifferent gaze swept over Boris's shaking legs, "Ruud, dad was just looking for you, said he needed to discuss something."

Ruud nodded slightly, shifting his gaze, "Hmm."

The sound of his leather shoes clacked against the floor.

Edwin looked in the direction Ruud had gone, then back at Boris, who still stood frozen in place. A flicker of light passed through his eyes, but he said nothing, nor did he ask why they were arguing.

He turned and followed the direction Ruud had gone.

Only when their footsteps were no longer audible did Boris slump down against the door frame, like a drowning man suddenly coming up for air, his hands clutching his chest, beads of cold sweat rolling down his forehead. Too terrifying!

Ruud, even more fearsome than before!