Lost and Found: Return of My Mysterious Fiancee

The next second, the lock clicked open. Inside the box, there were numerous folders filled with paper documents and a book. Tina opened one of the folders, which was labeled “Paternity Test!” The subjects tested: Jasper and Tina. The result stated: “Paternity confirmed!”

Jared, taken aback, turned to Tina. “Paternity confirmed?” he echoed in disbelief.

Wasn’t Tina the one who claimed she wasn’t Jasper’s daughter? Aside from an initial investigation into Tina, which yielded nothing, Jared had not delved further. All he knew was what Tina chose to disclose. When she had denied being Jasper’s daughter, he had believed her without further questioning. Yet, the paternity test now confirmed their relation?Nôvel(D)rama.Org's content.

Tina proceeded to open the other documents. There were ten in total, each a paternity test involving her and Jasper, the only difference being the testing agency. With a slight curl of her lips, she placed the documents back into the folder.

Turning to Jared, she explained, “I’m not his daughter. My mother altered my genes. At any paternity testing center across the country, the result would always confirm our relation.”

Without further elaboration from Tina, Jared understood. There must be a reason behind her master’s actions. The matter of Tina’s origins was left unspoken between them as they picked up the book from the box.

This book wasn’t ancient, though it showed signs of frequent use. It appeared to be a regularly used notebook, despite its outward appearance as a book. The writings within were added later, and neither Tina nor Jared recognized the script. It was neither from any known country nor traditional characters; the script was utterly unfamiliar to them.

Glancing at the time, Tina noted they had spent nearly half an hour already. She paused for a moment before suggesting, “Let’s take photos and analyze them later.”

Jared nodded, took out his phone, and snapped some pictures. They then placed the box back where it had been and left the room.

Downstairs, guests continuously streamed into Whispering Pines, which buzzed with activity. After exiting Jasper’s room, Tina and Jared went their separate ways. Jared left Whispering Pines only to re-enter from the outside, while Tina made her appearance at the banquet. Juliet was the first to spot her and waved her over, “Tina, come here.”

At Juliet’s table were only Damian, Griffin, Audrey, and Arthur-none of whom Tina disliked. She hesitated briefly before walking over. Juliet pulled her close, allowing her to sit next to her, then whispered, “We’re about to eat, and after that, we’re planning to go shopping. You should come with us.”

If it weren’t for her obligation as a member of the Reed family, Juliet would have preferred not to attend. Mainly, she considered her parents’ reputation and did not want to embarrass them. It was merely a formality for her.

Concerned that Tina might feel out of place, she had arranged with Griffin and the others to go shopping after the meal to spare Tina any discomfort. Sensing Juliet’s kindness, Tina smiled and remarked, “Maybe-I’ll treat you guys to dinner!”

“Eh?” Juliet blinked in confusion. “Dinner?” She glanced at the array of dishes before her; with over a dozen appetizers and more than twenty main courses to come, wasn’t that already more than enough?

Tina’s lips curled slightly, but she remained silent. Mistaking her silence for discontent, Juliet didn’t press further.

Elsewhere, Lily, dressed in a luxurious custom-made gown, stood elegantly next to Annabelle, greeting the guests. Despite her smile, impatience was evident on her face. She hadn’t intended to greet the guests, but her insistence on being there was to ensure that Jared would see her the moment he walked in.

It had been quite a while, yet Jared still hadn’t shown up. Instead, one insincere visitor followed another. As Lily’s expression began to falter and she was about to make an excuse to leave, she suddenly heard a familiar voice. Jared and Logan stepped out of the car. Jared was dressed in a black suit; his tall, well-defined figure was complemented by his stern face, which, though unsmiling, completely captivated Lily’s heart. Immediately, Lily adjusted her expression and hurried towards Jared. She greeted him gracefully, “Mr. Farrell, you-” Before she could finish, Jared, with a cold expression, walked past her without even a glance. Lily froze on the spot.

Logan glanced at her dismissively and then looked away, muttering, “So ugly!” He had never intended to come to this banquet a million times over! But he was infuriated! He had previously insisted on bringing his precious Tina back to the Farrell family, but the Reed family had refused. Now, they had brought out an illegitimate daughter to trouble his Tina. If Tina was unhappy, so was he! And if he was unhappy, he needed to stir things up! Today, he was here to cause trouble!

Lily’s face turned ashen. One ignored her, the other called her ugly! She was a daughter of the Reed family; why didn’t they show her any respect? As the crowd cast strange glances at her, Lily struggled to regain her composure, her fingers tightly clenched by her sides. It didn’t matter if they looked down on her now. One day, she would make Jared unable to leave her!

As soon as Logan entered, he began searching for Tina. Spotting her, he walked straight over, “Tina, sit with Grandpa!” Jared saw Tina from a distance but didn’t approach her; instead, he sat down at the Cohen family’s table. When Hayden saw him, he jumped nervously, subtly moving behind his father. Jared raised an eyebrow and smiled gently, “Hayden, don’t you recognize me after a few days? Come, sit next to me.” Hayden immediately felt goosebumps and chuckled nervously, “Uh, I’m fine sitting here, just… enjoy your meal, that’s all!” Jared’s gaze deepened, his smile growing broader. Hayden felt like a wolf was eyeing him, his heart pounding.

Once all the guests had arrived, Lily’s banquet officially began. Muff was nowhere to be seen, and Jasper took the stage to speak. “Today is my daughter, Lily’s banquet…” Just as he began, suddenly, there was a disturbance at the entrance of the Reed family. Jasper looked up to see a group of fully armed men storming in, surrounding the Reed family. The guests were terrified. It was just a banquet; why such a dramatic display?

Jasper’s eyes narrowed, and just as he was about to speak, about a dozen men approached Lily. “Lily Reed?” the leader asked in a commanding voice, his presence alone quite intimidating. Lily, startled, stammered, “What’s wrong with me?” She had never seen such a spectacle and was utterly bewildered. “You are suspected of using infants for virus research and attempting to release a virus within our country, endangering national security. You are hereby arrested under superior orders!” The leader displayed the arrest warrant. As the armed men restrained her, Lily was still in shock. As they led her away, she panicked, “Virus research? Are you mistaken? It wasn’t me!” Today was her banquet, and it hadn’t even started-how could it end like this? No! This was not the outcome she had wanted!