Lost and Found: Return of My Mysterious Fiancee

Eric rushed to Stephanie, who lay crumpled on the floor, her breath shallow and uneven.

"Stephanie!" he called, his voice trembling with urgency.novelbin

Stephanie's head barely lifted, her body trembling as if it might collapse further at any moment. Tears streaked her face, pooling in her swollen eyes as she forced herself to meet Eric's gaze.

"They... it was the Farrell family," she gasped, her voice weak and rasping with pain. "Tina... she stepped on me. I think my spine's broken. And she slapped me! My face... Eric, my face is swollen! Please, take me away. Please, just take me away!"

Her voice cracked, the desperation raw and jagged. She clung to Eric's arm, her grip weak but frantic, like a drowning person clutching at driftwood.

Eric's expression darkened, though not from grief. Hidden behind his furrowed brow and clenched jaw was a flicker of simmering disdain. He knew.

The moment he stepped into the room and saw Stephanie's pitiful state, he knew their plan had failed. The scheme to drug Asher had been exposed, and Stephanie-this useless, blubbering fool-was to blame.

Eric's hands curled into fists at his sides as he resisted the urge to pull away. She wasn't just a failure; she was a liability.

Still, he had to play his part.

Eric's voice rose, sharp with feigned fury. "Aunt Marie! Is this how you treat family? You let Tina do this? You let her treat my sister like this? If this is how things are, we're leaving!" He spat the words, his indignation laced with just enough venom to sell the act.

"I'm taking Stephanie to get treated," he continued, his tone growing more desperate. "If she ends up paralyzed... I swear, I won't let you off the hook!"

He knew his threats were empty, but there was no other option.

Marie, seated stiffly on the velvet chair, gave him a cold, scrutinizing look, her fingers drumming against the armrest. If not for the tranquilizer Tina had slipped her earlier, she might have exploded in rage.

Before she could respond, the room shifted like a storm breaking. Asher, who had been silently observing from the corner, stepped forward in a blur of motion.

His boot connected with Eric's torso in a punishing kick, sending him staggering forward.

"You ungrateful piece of trash!" Asher thundered, his voice shaking the air. "If it weren't for Aunt Marie taking you two in, you'd still be rotting on the streets. And now you have the audacity to complain? To insult her?"

Eric stumbled, clutching his ribs, his teeth grinding as he fought back a cry of pain. Despite the fiery sting spreading across his chest, he bent down and hoisted Stephanie into his arms.

She screamed as he lifted her, the sound shrill and piercing. Her injury made even the slightest movement excruciating, and Eric's patience wore dangerously thin.

"Shut up," he hissed under his breath, his frustration boiling over.

"We're leaving!" Eric shouted, his voice cracking. He forced himself to stand tall, though the weight of Stephanie in his arms and the oppressive glares from the Farrell family pressed down on him like a collapsing roof. "You can't stop us!" But his bravado faltered as Jared stepped forward, his presence towering and suffocating.

Jared slowly rolled up his sleeves, revealing the corded muscles of his forearms. His calm, deliberate movements were more intimidating than any outburst of rage.

"You're mistaken," Jared said smoothly, his voice low and cold. A faint smile curved his lips, but his eyes were as sharp and frozen as shards of ice. "This isn't a place where you get to make the rules."

Eric froze. His breath hitched, and the sweat beaded on his brow grew into a slick, chilling dampness that clung to his skin. His legs threatened to give out beneath him.

Tina, leaning casually against the wall, watched the scene unfold with quiet amusement. Her arms were crossed, her lips curling into a smirk that didn't reach her calculating eyes.

Stephanie whimpered, shrinking into Eric's embrace. Her gaze darted nervously, avoiding Tina's cold stare.

A servant entered quietly, leaning close to Jared to whisper in his ear. "Master Jared, we didn't find anything."

Tina's sharp ears caught the words. Her smirk deepened, her eyebrow arched slightly as she exchanged a knowing glance with Jared.

The drug must have been hidden. Or disposed of.

No matter. Tina wasn't in any rush. She turned her attention to Stephanie, whose trembling became more pronounced under her unrelenting gaze.

With a flick of her hair, Tina sauntered toward the bathroom, her heels clicking softly against the floor. Stephanie's eyes widened in panic.

"No," she whispered, barely audible. Her lips quivered as she bit down on them, drawing blood.

Jared followed Tina, the rest of the family trailing behind. In the bathroom, Tina crouched, her fingers deftly removing the drain cover. She reached into the murky water below and pulled out a silver needle. Dipping it into the water, she held it up for everyone to see. The needle turned black almost instantly.

Still crouching, Jared examined the drain cover. With a subtle twist, he detached the upper section, revealing a hidden compartment. Inside was a tiny pouch, no larger than a grain of rice.

Tina's expression didn't change, though a flicker of satisfaction glimmered in her eyes.

When they returned to the living room, Stephanie's face was ashen. She knew the truth was out. Her body convulsed with fear, hatred simmering beneath the surface.

Jared held up the pouch, his voice calm but cutting. "Drugging my father and planning to erase his memory? Stephanie, you must have a death wish."

Stephanie opened her mouth, but before she could speak, Eric roughly shoved her out of his arms and onto the floor.

Her scream cut through the air as she crumpled, her fragile body folding in on itself.

Eric dropped to his knees, his face twisted in panic. "I didn't know! I swear I didn't know!" he cried, his head banging against the floor as he kowtowed furiously. "This was all her idea! I would never do something like this. Please, believe me!" He scrambled toward Marie, clutching at her dress like a drowning man. "Aunt Marie! We're family, right? Please, help me. I didn't do anything!"

Marie yanked her dress away, her lip curling into a sneer. "Family? Now you want to talk about family? A moment ago, you were accusing me of neglect. You're nothing but a coward and a liar. Both of you are wolves-ungrateful and vicious." Tina stepped forward, her cold gaze locking onto Eric. Her presence was suffocating, her words cutting like the edge of a blade.

"Heartless like wolves, are you?" she sneered. "Then go live in the dog kennel."

She turned to Jared, her tone softening. "What do you think, Uncle?"

Jared smiled, ruffling her hair affectionately. "Whatever my wife decides, I'll support."

Tina's smile returned, sharp and predatory. She knelt beside Eric and Stephanie, forcing a pill into each of their mouths.

For a moment, the air was still. Then the chill spread, bone-deep and unrelenting, freezing them as though they'd been plunged into an icy abyss.