Lost and Found: Return of My Mysterious Fiancee

Max Bailey's face twisted in agony as he collapsed to the ground, convulsing. His groans of pain echoed through the confined space, snapping Tina and Jared out of their momentary shock. Before they could react, prison guards rushed into the cell. They inspected the bent iron bars, their expressions filled with confusion.

"Strange," one guard muttered. "Our initial scans showed his inner strength wasn't this profound. How could he bend these reinforced bars?"

Tina's ears perked up. "Inner strength? Are you serious?"

She couldn't help but scoff. How could something so intangible be measured?

But the guards remained serious. "This equipment was specially designed and brought in by order from above. The person in charge of the scans claimed Max Bailey didn't have the capability to do this."

Yet, here Max Bailey was-proof that either the equipment was faulty, or the individual operating it was a plant from the hidden family, secretly monitoring their imprisoned members.

Tina and Jared exchanged a knowing glance, both arriving at the same conclusion.

Without hesitation, Tina brushed past the guards and stepped into the cell. From her pocket, she pulled out a pill, pried Max Bailey's mouth open, and forced it down his throat. The action was so swift that Max had already swallowed it before the guards could react.

One guard seized Tina's wrist. "What did you just give him?!"

"Maple!"

"Tina!" Jared stormed into the cell, pulling Tina and the guard apart. His voice was firm. "During an investigation, we have the authority to use any necessary means on suspects of special crimes. Let go of her hand!" The tall male guard beside Maple tugged at her sleeve. "He's right. Let go."

Maple hesitated, her eyes flickering with doubt and reluctance as she stared at Tina.

It wasn't until her male colleague's growing impatience became evident that she reluctantly released Tina's wrist. "But you can't just stuff anything into a prisoner's mouth! Don't they have rights?"

Tina almost laughed at her naivety. "Rights? Are you seriously talking about rights with an international criminal?"

Maple's face flushed red, both with frustration and embarrassment. Tina, younger than her, was speaking to her like a child.

"How old are you, anyway?" Tina continued, her tone laced with sarcasm. "Didn't your teachers ever tell you that these prisoners are so guilty they wouldn't deserve mercy even if they died a hundred times over?" "I..." Maple stammered, clearly flustered. She was only twenty, and being lectured by someone her junior was humiliating.

But Tina wasn't done. Her sharp words cut through any defense Maple might have raised. Turning to Max Bailey, she said coldly, "The poison now in your stomach is the same as the one I fed your brother. I don't care what plans the hidden family has, but if you don't appear in court the day after tomorrow, both you and your brother will be joining the rest of your family. Understood?"

Max Bailey's face contorted with rage and pain. "Who... who are you?!"

The twisting agony in his abdomen made his voice tremble, but whatever Tina had added to the poison kept him fully conscious, amplifying his suffering. The clearer his mind became, the more unbearable the pain grew-a vicious, unending cycle.

Tina leaned down, staring at him with icy disdain. Her voice was as sharp as a blade. "I'm your daddy."

Her words plunged the room into stunned silence.

The guards exchanged incredulous glances.

Maple: *Who is this woman?! Why is she so arrogant-and why does she look so cool doing it?!*

Jared: *Classic Tina. She never misses an opportunity to shock people into silence.*

Even Max Bailey was stunned, unable to reconcile the fierce, street-smart words with the delicate beauty standing before him. It took another wave of searing pain to snap him out of his stupor.

His face turned from blue to purple, then black with fury. "You... you wretched woman..."

Tina's gaze hardened. "You don't even recognize the person who took down your organization? Looks like the Five Poisons didn't think much of you."

Max's pupils widened in shock, his lips trembling. "You... you're Tina?!"

The light in his eyes shattered as he realized the truth. His pride crumbled under the weight of his agony. Clutching his stomach, he finally lowered his head and gasped, "Fine... I'll testify for you... but you have to spare me and my brother!"

On the drive back, Tina stared out the window, lost in thought. After a while, she turned to Jared.

Before she could speak, Jared beat her to it. "You want to investigate the technician?"

Tina's almond-shaped eyes sparkled with delight as she nodded. "Uncle, do you think it's possible?"novelbin

Jared kept his eyes on the road, his voice calm. "It's not about whether it's possible. If it's something you want to do, then do it. I'll support you unconditionally."

"Given how deeply entrenched the hidden family's influence is, it's entirely possible they've planted someone in the system," he added thoughtfully. "Maybe we could involve Linden in this. As the head of the publicity department and a former member of the hidden family, he might know how to deal with the Langdon family's network."

Tina propped her head on her hand, another thought crossing her mind. "After this case, I should visit Grandpa. That ancient manuscript must hold important clues."

Jared nodded, and they finalized their next steps.

But first, they had to resolve Elsa's situation. The Langdon family showed no signs of backing down, even after obtaining the formula.

Mrs. Ogden, as always, was making a scene online. One day, she posted a video about her daughter. The next, she wrote a lengthy blog post. The internet buzzed with gossip, and the story's popularity refused to fade.

Numerous influencers and marketing accounts jumped on the bandwagon, eager to milk the drama for attention. Yet, no one could find Elsa-let alone Tina.

Juliet, who had more public ties to Tina, became a target for reporters, but they got nothing from her. She and the others knew Tina was busy and refused to add to her burdens.

When Tina finally had a moment to check her phone, Mrs. Ogden and Joseph Dyer's names were still trending. The comments were overwhelmingly negative.

Tina's sharp features lit up with a hint of amusement as she pointed to the screen. "The Bailey family really pulled out all the stops. Look at all these paid trolls. How much do you think they hate Mr. Dyer?"

Elsa's eyes darkened, a flicker of hatred flashing across them. "They already have the formula! Why won't they stop?!"