Lost and Found: Return of My Mysterious Fiancee by KIKI

Chapter 780: Experiencing What It's Like to Steal Jared descended the stairs with a furrowed brow and, without hesitation, delivered a sharp kick to Ozan Bailey. His cold, piercing eyes swept over Ella Bailey, pausing briefly like ice cracking under pressure, before quickly shifting to Tina. Only then did the frost in his gaze show faint signs of thawing.

"You're already a fish on our chopping board," he said, his tone biting. "What's the point of lying to you?" Tina gently patted his back, her voice soft yet mocking. "Don't waste your energy on someone like him. If he had a shred of sense, Victor wouldn't have been able to deceive him for decades." She turned her attention to Ozan Bailey, her tone carrying a tinge of amusement. "Think about it. Victor is now the head of the Bailey family. The Dyer family case is over a decade old. If he truly wanted to bring you back, would he have waited until now? Do you really think the head of one of the five great families couldn't hide your family in the city if he wanted to? Especially now that he's allied with the Langdon family." Her smile deepened, laced with mockery. "He tricked you, and yet you hold onto his secrets like your life depends on it. I've seen plenty of sycophants in my day, but one who would drag their own mother into hell to please someone? That's a first." "Shut up!" Ozan Bailey snapped, teetering on the edge of madness. He thrashed wildly on the floor, his rage consuming him.

The commotion disrupted the sleep of those upstairs. Hayden and Cole, still groggy, stormed downstairs, not even bothering to put on jackets. Hayden, radiating irritation, kicked Ozan square in the face. "Damn it, you old fool! You wokeup!" Hayden's entire demeanor screamed hostility, his posture practically daring anyone to provoke him further. Cole, leaning lazily against his shoulder with half-closed eyes, added another kick of his own. "Shut up already! You're drivingnuts! I've been losing sleep over catching you people. Do you know how hard it was to finally close my eyes, only for you to ruin it?" Tina watched the two brothers, their exhaustion evident, and couldn't help but twitch the corner of her mouth in amusement. "Don't kill him just yet; I still need him." The brothers paused mid-rant, their irritation melting away as they turned to Tina in unison. "Understood, Serena," they replied obediently, their earlier aggression completely gone.

Tina chuckled, waving them off. "Go back to sleep. I'll shut him up in a moment." "Madam, allow me." Nathan stepped forward, holding a roll of duct tape, eager to assist.

Tina nodded, not objecting. She glanced at Ozan Bailey, who now lay on the floor, bleeding profusely from the head. After sthought, she decided to loosen the tape around his mouth just enough to shove a pill inside. Then she resealed it tightly.

Her tone was calm yet firm. "I'm giving you two choices. One, I charge you with illegal confinement right now, and you spend the rest of your life rotting alone in prison. Two, you testify against Victor, becan accomplice, and receive leniency. Maybe your family here," she gestured toward Diana and the others, who stared in silence, "might even get acquitted." "Mmhhmmph!" Ozan protested through his gag, his eyes blazing with distrust. *Why should I believe you?* Ella Bailey, who had been watching with growing impatience, suddenly lunged forward, her eyes narrowing with fury. "You old bastard!" Tina stopped her with a firm grip. Smiling faintly, she leaned closer to Ozan. "You're wondering why you should trust me?" Her smile widened, slow and deliberate, as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Her voice dropped to a deadly softness. "Because the poison in your body? I'm the one who gave it to you. And only I can cure you." On the floor, Ozan's eyes darted about wildly, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. His bound hands clenched into fists, his nails digging into his palms. He struggled internally, his hatred for Victor boiling over. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he nodded reluctantly, agreeing to Tina's terms.

Tina straightened, satisfaction glinting in her eyes. "Good. Now, there's just one more thing to steal Elsa's parents' ashes without anyone noticing." gure out-how to Dexter frowned, clearly puzzled. "Steal? Weren't we supposed to trade them for the fake formula?" Courtney, who had just cdownstairs, overheard and quipped, "If that old man is willing to dig up graves, why would you believe anything he says?" Jared's gaze hardened, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "So, Tina, you're planning a bait-and-switch?" Tina's eyes sparkled with mischief as she smiled at Jared. "I've never stolen anything before. It might be fun to see what it feels like." She turned to Ella Bailey, her tone suddenly serious. "I've already sent people to handle the preparations. The rest is up to you, Miss Bailey. Don't disappoint me." Ella's gaze lingered on Tina, her voice steady but tinged with desperation. "As long as you can cure my mother, I'll do whatever you ask." At the Bailey family estate.

Carl, freshly recovered, sat in the main hall's central seat. His white suit gave him a slightly different aura than usual, but his innate arrogance radiated through every gesture he made.

"I hear they've summoned you to retrieve the formula the day after tomorrow?" he asked casually.

Victor, sitting to his right, suppressed his frustration. As the head of the kept Bailey family, it irked him to playm second fiddle, but he kept his nd expression pleasant. His smile was warm, almost ingratiating. "Yes, that's what their message said. Don't worry, Carl. This time, I'll bring it back without fail." Carl smirked, rolling his shoulders dismissively. "You? You've failed to get it from them for over a decade. What makes you think this twill be any different?" Victor's smile faltered, but he quickly recovered. "That... that won't happen." Carl seemed oblivious-or perhaps indifferent-to Victor's discomfort. He waved a hand dismissively. "Fine. For the sake of our families' relationship, I'll go with you." Victor stiffened in surprise. "That... that won't be necessary. Don't you trustto handle this?"

Deep down, rage churned within him. *You arrogant bastard! Coming into my hand acting like you own the place? Do you even know how much of a joke your so-called reputation is among the hidden families?* Carl's tone sharpened, his words dripping with menace. "What's the matter, Mr. Bailey? Don't trust me? Or are you afraid I'll steal your spotlight?" "Not at all," Victor stammered, forcing a smile.

Sensing the tension, Vivienne, who stood behind Victor, stepped forward. Her laughter was light, her mature her beauty lending her an air of charm.

"You're teasing us, young master. We simply don't want to waste your valuable time. After all, such a simple task hardly requires your involvement."