Lost and Found: Return of My Mysterious Fiancee

"Watch your words."

Luke Gill's cold voice cut through the tense atmosphere as he reprimanded, "Ella's relationship with them is like fire and water. How could she possibly help those people? Throwing baseless accusations like this is absolutely outrageous!" Ella Bailey hadn't expected Luke to speak up for her. She turned to him, surprised, though her gaze held little gratitude.

Thinking of their past cooperation, Ella's eyes darkened slightly. She found a seat beside Luke and addressed Kelly, her tone sharp and biting. "Kelly, I really question whether you have a brain. Do you think I've done too few things for this family, or harmed Elsa too little over the years? Do you think I'd suddenly be as stupid as you and help her? I'm not brain-dead!"

"And another thing-my affairs are none of your concern! You, an illegitimate daughter, should watch your mouth. The more you rush to pin blame on others, the more it reveals your guilty conscience!"

For once, the married couple, Ella and Luke, were in perfect sync.

Kelly was left speechless, clutching her handkerchief tightly, unable to find a retort.

Standing nearby, Vivienne cursed Kelly under her breath for being useless. She glanced at Victor, whose expression had begun to show doubt. Her eyes glistened with tears, and large droplets began to fall as she clutched Victor's arm. "Victor, look at what Ella just said! Kelly is her sister, yet she insults her like this. How could she accuse Kelly of such things?"

"Kelly is still so young, and she barely knows Elsa. How could she have been part of this?"

Vivienne's body seemed to weaken as she leaned against Victor, her posture fragile and pitiful. "Besides," she added softly, "there are guards stationed at the cemetery at night. With Kelly's abilities, she could hardly overpower those people." "Exactly, Father," Kelly chimed in, reluctant but resolute as she tried to clear her name. "You know I'm not much of a fighter. On the other hand, Ella and her bodyguard... well, the Bailey family is known for its skilled fighters."

Luke Gill interjected, his tone sharp. "But the guards all said they didn't see Ella last night. And no matter how skilled Woods is, he couldn't possibly handle multiple hidden experts at once."

Ella grabbed Luke's arm, halting his argument. "Why are you wasting your breath on someone like her? She's a useless fool who can't even master basic combat. How could she judge our family's abilities?" "Ella..." "Enough!"

Victor slammed his hand on the table, the noise silencing everyone. "All of you, shut up! I'll investigate this matter myself. Until I find out the truth, no one is to leave the house unless absolutely necessary!" Victor's command was firm and authoritative, leaving no room for disobedience.

Ella frowned, her lips parting to protest, but Luke stopped her with a glance.

Meanwhile, Kelly tugged at Vivienne's sleeve, signaling her with a hint of desperation.

Vivienne gently pushed Kelly's hand away, offering her a reassuring look.

Later that night.

The house was silent, the world outside plunged into darkness.

Vivienne lay curled in Victor's arms, her crimson-painted fingernail tracing slow circles on his chest. The heat of their earlier intimacy lingered in the air, and Victor's expression was one of contentment, the tension of the day partially dissipated. As Victor began to relax, Vivienne propped herself up slightly, watching him with a hesitant expression. She seemed on the verge of speaking but hesitated, eventually lying back down beside him.

Her unusual demeanor quickly caught Victor's attention. He turned toward her, grabbing her hand. "You have something to say?"

Vivienne lowered her gaze, biting her lip.

Despite her age, there was still a hint of girlish charm in her actions. Her moist eyes cautiously met Victor's as she spoke in a soft voice, "I... I know this might not be the best time to bring it up. But didn't you promise to arrange a match for Kelly before? Now that we've got what we needed, shouldn't we go ahead and plan it?"

Victor turned his head, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied her. "Didn't you say you weren't too fond of the Cohen family before?"

Vivienne froze for a moment but quickly recovered, playfully hitting his chest. "That was only because I hadn't met the Cohen family's young master back then."

"Recently, I've been asking around. While the Cohen family can't compare to the Farrell family, they're still highly regarded in Ashbury. And their son is handsome and well-mannered. I think he and Kelly would make a great match. Victor, why don't we arrange for the two families to meet?"

Her voice, still tinged with the sultriness of their earlier encounter, carried a persuasive charm.

Vivienne's deliberate coaxing was not lost on Victor, but he showed no sign of desire. Instead, he draped a robe over himself and sat up. His tone was calm but firm. "The reason I had Kelly interact with the Cohen family was to get the formula. Now that we have it, there's no need to pursue this any further."

Vivienne's face fell, and she immediately protested. "You heartless man! So you're saying you only saw our daughter as a tool to get what you wanted? Now that you have it, you think she's not good enough for the Cohen family?" She shifted closer to him, her movements deliberate and seductive. "I don't care! You promised me this before, and I won't let you back out now. At the very least, the two kids should meet once. Who knows? They might even like each other. Wouldn't that be beneficial for you too?"novelbin

Victor closed his eyes for a moment, exhaling slowly. He released Vivienne's hand and stood, his expression thoughtful but guarded. "It's not as simple as you think. The only reason I considered the Cohen family was because of their ties to the Farrell family. I thought Kelly might use that connection to handle some things for us. I never actually intended for her to marry into their family. Besides, do you really think Jared Farrell would let his friend marry Kelly? The Farrell family despises us, especially Tina."

Vivienne hesitated, doubt creeping into her mind. But then she remembered Kelly's words and felt a surge of determination.

"Why not? That was years ago! And besides, Hayden is the one we're talking about, not Jared. If the Farrell family insists on meddling in something like this, wouldn't that be overstepping?"

She studied Victor's expression carefully, noting his lack of immediate objection. Emboldened, she pressed on. "And who's to say Jared even remembers what happened back then? He was so young, and any lingering resentment might just be Tina acting on her own to get revenge for Elsa."

Victor frowned, deep in thought. Vivienne's argument wasn't entirely without merit.

The Cohen family was a well-known name in Ashbury. If their two families united, the Bailey family might no longer need the Langdon family's support. With that kind of power, Victor could restore the Bailey family to its former glory. If that happened, even Ian wouldn't be able to stand in his way.

Seeing Victor's silence, Vivienne nudged him gently. Finally, he relented. "Fine. Arrange a meeting for them."

"But make sure Kelly behaves herself. If she throws one of her tantrums, it'll ruin everything."

Vivienne's face lit up with delight. "Don't worry! You know our daughter-you can trust her!"

Her mind raced with possibilities. If Kelly and Hayden hit it off, it would pave the way for them to approach Jared Farrell.

Vivienne was convinced that her daughter's charm and family background far outshone that of Tina, that ruthless and impulsive woman.