Lost and Found: Return of My Mysterious Fiancee

The slap intended for Ella Bailey's face never landed. Both she and Luke Gill caught Kelly's hand mid-air. Their expressions stiffened momentarily, and then, with a forceful shove, they pushed her away. Kelly, lacking any physical skills, fell squarely on her backside. The sharp pain shooting through her tailbone made her curl up on the floor, but even then, she didn't stop cursing.

"Ella Bailey, you'll die a horrible death! I was only trying to help you, and this is how you repay me? I'm going to tell Dad!"

Her shrill screams echoed through the restaurant.

Normally, Ella Bailey would've stormed over and punched Kelly in the face. But now, with Luke Gill standing right there, she didn't have the energy to bother with anything else.

"Luke Gill," she said with a sneer, "how come I didn't realize before that you're into Kelly? Did it hurt seeing me humiliate her like that? Is that it?"

"If you'd just told me earlier, I would've gone home and told my dad we're getting divorced so you two can live happily ever after."

Luke Gill was fuming, nearly bursting with anger at her antics. "Ella Bailey, can you be serious for once? If you want to humiliate someone or get revenge, do it whenever you want, but why now? Don't you understand that if I lose in court tomorrow, I'll end up like Phil Walker?"

"And when that happens, do you think anyone in the entire Bailey family will genuinely help you?"

Ella Bailey let out a mocking laugh. "If you didn't want Kelly here, why didn't you say so earlier? Oh, that's right-you were afraid of exposing yourself as the hypocrite you are. Afraid Vivienne would tell my dad, huh?"

"Luke Gill, have some dignity, will you? You couldn't even get Tina and the others to compromise, and now you're blaming me? Let me tell you something-I'm done playing along!"

She waved her hand dramatically, her eyes wide with feigned fury-or maybe it was real. "This lawsuit? Handle it however you want. It has nothing to do with me!"

"Is anyone even listening to me?!"

Kelly, still writhing in pain, couldn't stand being ignored. Propping herself up and clutching her lower back, she managed to climb to her feet. Though her throat was hoarse from yelling, she swore she'd get an explanation from Ella Bailey. But the argument between Ella and Luke was so heated that they acted as if they couldn't even hear Kelly.

Luke Gill didn't spare her a glance. His sharp, phoenix-shaped eyes were filled with fury as he snapped at Ella, "Ella Bailey, stop being irrational! If I go down, what do you gain from it? Get this through your head-we're married. If you keep dragging me down, we'll both lose everything!"

Ella scoffed coldly and turned on her heel, refusing to engage with him any further.

If it weren't for Tina's plan, she wouldn't have stuck around as his wife for this long. She'd had enough of being Mrs. Gill.

In the northern woods of Ashbury, a unique villa stood hidden among the trees.

A sleek car slowly pulled up to the entrance. A man stepped out, walked to the front door, and pressed the intercom buzzer.

Moments later, the door opened, and the man stepped inside.

In the lavishly decorated living room, a woman dressed in a crimson gown reclined lazily on a sofa, swirling a glass of red wine in her hand. Her expression was alluring, her demeanor exuding confidence.

The man approached her, lowering his head respectfully. "Claudia, Luke Gill's case goes to trial tomorrow. Victor has been trying everything to get Phil Walker released."

The woman in red took a slow sip of wine. Her pale, slender fingers lightly tapped the edge of the sofa. Her crimson lips curved as she uttered two words, "Fools."

The man kept his head down and said, "The Bailey family is useless now. All that's left is the Langdon family."

Claudia stood and walked toward the window. Her hand brushed over a pot of roses on the windowsill, their vibrant red petals as captivating as her dress. Her tone was calm, deliberate.

"If they're useless, eliminate them."

"Yes," the man replied without hesitation.

Claudia tilted her head slightly and cast him a faint glance, adding, "Leave no one behind."

The man froze. "Leave no one behind? But this is a critical time. The government is already keeping a close eye on the hidden families. If we wipe out the entire Bailey family, it could cause a massive stir. They'll come for you." Claudia's lips curled into a sly smile. She turned and walked toward him, her fingers gliding down his cheek with deliberate slowness.

"Do you think I'm hidden now?"

"I don't understand," the man said, confused.

The villa was surrounded by protective barriers. No one could enter without Claudia's permission, let alone discover her whereabouts.

"Tina's making such a spectacle of overturning the Dyer family case. Do you really think she's doing it for them?" Claudia's voice was soft, yet every word carried weight.

"Isn't she?"

"She is-but more than that, she's fishing for me. Or rather, she's trying to lure out Dorothy Russell. And through Dorothy, she hopes to find me."

A sinister smile spread across Claudia's face. "That girl is sharper than her mother ever was."

The man frowned. "But the Langdon family is backing the Baileys. How could Tina know she can find you through them?"© NôvelDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

"She knows," Claudia said with a chuckle. "Because she's Ruud's daughter."

The man's jaw dropped in shock. "Ruud's daughter? That's impossible! Ruud's spent his life on the battlefield. He's nearly fifty and has never married. How could he have a daughter?" "That daughter," Claudia said, her gaze drifting toward the bright blue sky outside, "was my gift to him. I wonder if he'll like it."

The man shivered involuntarily. That smile on Claudia's face-it concealed a vast and intricate scheme, something far beyond their current plans.

"Where is Dorothy Russell?" Claudia asked abruptly.

"She's still in the Langdon family's secret lab, working on the immortality drug," the man replied.

Claudia let out a cold snort. "Pathetic. Months of work and still no results. That woman thinks she can take on Tina? Ridiculous."

The man was stunned. "What? Tina's already developed the immortality drug?"

Claudia's eyes gleamed with admiration. "That girl truly deserves the title of genius. She's perhaps the greatest prize I've ever claimed in my life."

The man didn't fully grasp her meaning. "If Tina already has the drug, why not just take it from her? It would save us so much trouble."

Slap!

The sound of an invisible strike rang out as Claudia slapped him across the face.

"I told you," she hissed. "Don't touch Tina."