Lost and Found: Return of My Mysterious Fiancee

Five days later, in the basement of a tea house.

Six half-naked men were suspended from iron racks by chains, their muscular torsos crisscrossed with wounds. They lifted their heads, glaring hatefully at Jayden standing before them, and at Tina who sat behind him, leisurely sipping her tea.

“So you still don’t want to talk?” Jayden’s voice was eerily calm as he spoke the cruel words, sprinkling a fine powder on their wounds. The concoction, masterfully crafted by their young master, would cause excruciating pain, as if thousands of insects were gnawing at their flesh.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

The six men had already begun to shiver in agony, cold sweat pouring down like rain, washing the blood and powder over their upper bodies. With mouths agape but unable to scream, the pain eating at them like vermin left their eyes rolling back in near unconsciousness.

Just as they were about to pass out, Jayden would inject a needle into their body, forcing them to stay awake and endure the inhuman torture. Tina finally finished her tea and glanced over at the men. They had been caught in Royal Oaks attempting to kidnap Zackary and Jennie yet falling into the trap she had laid.

Ever since the incident at Whispering Pines Retreat, Tina had suspected that someone would target her family if they couldn’t reach her. So she had arranged for a substantial security detail to protect Hugo and his family, waiting for these assailants to reveal themselves.

Indeed, within five days, there were three attempts. After each of the first two, the captives had immediately taken poison and killed themselves. This third time, Tina had intervened personally. With her there, even if they took poison, she could snatch them back from the grip of hell.

But these six were tough, unyielding under Jayden’s interrogation. So he had called for her. When she first entered the basement, they had looked at her with disdain – a young girl in their eyes with little capability. Yet within half an hour, she had given them a taste of agony so profound it was as if they were dancing between life and death.

After the third poison was tested, one of them could no longer bear it, casting pleading glances at Jayden, despite the scornful and furious looks from his companions. Unfortunately, with their jaws dislocated and silenced by drugs, they couldn’t utter a sound. After much head shaking and gesturing, Jayden finally understood and sneered, “What, ready to talk now?”

Enduring the bone-piercing torment, the man nodded desperately. “Young master,” Jayden looked to Tina.

Tina was about to hand over the antidote to Jayden when her phone rang. She glanced at it with a frown and a hint of regret, “Sorry, there’s an issue at school, I don’t have time to listen. Tell me when I’m back.”

Standing up with a smile that was both charming and cruel, she said, “Make sure you last until I return.”

The man’s eyes widened in disbelief as Tina, the girl they had underestimated, seemed to transform into a demon in that moment. Before leaving the basement, Jayden caught Tina’s signal to test every bottle on the table before her return.

Indeed, their young master had quite some dark humor.

At Ensford High School, the April midterms had just concluded, and the progress of Class 22D was astonishing to all. The most surprising were Albert and Velma who leaped from the bottom to the top hundred ranks among the four hundred students of Grade 11 in just one month.

Hendrik, not in the top hundred but ranked 153rd, now had hope for college. The parent-teacher meeting post-results nearly overwhelmed Tina with the fervor of the parents-even those from other classes with struggling students approached her, hoping to transfer their children to 22D.

Compared to the parents’ enthusiasm, the students, especially those who had previously sided with Amber against Tina, now avoided her. Ashamed, they had been easily swayed by Amber’s lies, and now the so-called Miss Ensford was revealed to be nothing but a fraud involved in criminal activities. Now the very thought of Amber made them wince.

Fear also played a part. The entire school had seen the video of Tina kicking Amber. Even a grown man would flinch at such a blow, so they preferred to keep their distance.

Some students, filled with regret but too embarrassed to apologize personally, secretly filled Tina’s desk with snacks and apology letters. Tina arrived at school to find Jared munching on the snacks at her desk. Before she could speak, he explained, “There’s a PE class today,” and handed her the apology letters, feigning concern about potential poison in the snacks.

Tina, skimming through the letters, pushed them back towards him, “Check for sincerity, and have the principal cancel prior punishments.”

As she began planning the May study schedule for Class 22D, Jared felt content being used as a tool. Yes, his girl should rely on him.

Just two days ago, Jared’s grandfather had returned to the capital. Since his departure, Jared noticed Tina’s ruthless independence; she no longer sought to keep up appearances. Aside from school, she was scarcely seen.

Tina’s phone rang again, showing it was a call from “Man in Black.” She answered and the voice on the other end was amiable, “Miss Reed, the information I provided was accurate, right?”

“Yes, the payment has been transferred,” Tina replied candidly in front of Jared.

“Good deal,” the man chuckled and hung up. This was the leader of the black-clad group from Whispering Pines Retreat, who, after that day, decided that selling information to Tina was easy money, thus becoming an informant rather than an assassin.

It was this shift that allowed Tina to preemptively apprehend the six assailants in the basement. Jared’s gaze flickered; he was aware of the disturbance at the gates of Royal Oaks that morning. He had also arranged for Hugo’s family’s protection, valuing those Tina cared for. Yet, his own people seemed never necessary; before they could act, the assailants were always neatly dealt with.

He missed his chance to garner favor with Tina.

Just as he was thinking, Mr. Stiller called, informing Tina of a new student was assigned to 22D, and asked her to come to his office. To her surprise, the transfer student was Shonna.