Lost and Found: Return of My Mysterious Fiancee by KIKI

Chapter 832: Paula, Why Are You Here? Tina turned her gaze toward Luke, a faint smile lifting the corners of her lips. "Luke Gill, you can't possibly claim you don't know these people, can you? Back then, as an intern, you worked with the Dyer family's research team to develop new products. These people were your collaborators-and your mentors." Under the table, Luke's hand clenched tightly at the hem of his shirt. Ignoring Tina, his hoarse voice trembled with disbelief. "How could you all do this to me?" "How much did Tina pay you to testify falsely?!" Dexter cleared his throat. "These witnesses haven't even spoken yet. How do you already know it's false testimony?" Luke's face darkened. "You brought them here just to cement the accusation of my ingratitude, didn't you? Mrs. Dyer, I let things go back then out of respect for the kindness you once showed me. But after all these years, why won't you letgo?" In the audience, Hayden glanced at Luke, noting the red in his eyes. "This guy is really putting on an act." He nudged Nathan with his elbow. "Say, isn't this what people online call a 'male green tea'?" "Clearly," Nathan replied, his tone calm.

Before Nathan could elaborate, a crisp female voice suddenly rang out behind them.

Startled, Hayden whipped his head around. "Paula!" he yelped as he twisted awkwardly in his seat. "Why didn't you say you were coming? You scaredhalf to death!" As Hayden's face went pale from the shock, Paula's eyes softened with a hint of concern. "Oh no, I thought you knew. Are you okay? Do you needto check on you?" Hayden waved her off frantically. "No, no, I'm fine!" "Alright," Paula murmured, lowering her head in slight disappointment. The little tuft of hair sticking up on her head drooped slightly, making her look pitiful.

Nathan, unable to watch any longer, shot his brother a look of pure disdain, his eyes practically shouting, No wonder you're single.

Hayden glared back as if to say, What did I even do wrong?! While the two exchanged silent glares, Paula suddenly perked up, her energy restored. "So this Luke Gill is the scumbag you've been talking about? No wonder he managed to seduce Serena's friend-he's not bad-looking." Her tone carried an odd hint of excitement, which immediately soured Hayden's mood. "Looks are deceiving. Just wait-he's going down today!" he declared, his voice firm with conviction.

His words echoed in the small section of the courtroom.

Sitting nearby, Victor overheard their conversation with ease. Though his eyes were clouded with age, a sharp glint flashed through them as his thoughts turned to Ozan Bailey and the others they had captured.

He couldn't help but wonder: would the drug Luke Gill developed actually work? If Ozan and his group changed their testimonies, things could get very messy...

If Luke Gill realized he was nothing more than a discarded pawn, he might already be fearing for his life.

"Ella, are you familiar with them?" Victor asked suddenly, his hand gripping the dragon's head on his cane for support.

His sharp gaze remained fixed on the courtroom proceedings, but he turned slightly toward Ella Bailey, who was idly watching with an air of boredom. "When you were with Tina, didn't you manage to pick up any useful information?" Ella yawned, her tone apathetic. "What information could I possibly get? Tina and Jared only toleratedbecause of Logan. It's not like they'd share their plans with me-they're not idiots." Victor's expression immediately shifted to one she knew all too well: the look of pure disdain that said, What good are you to me, then? "All the tricks I taught you were wasted! You can't even handle something this simple!" In the past, Ella might have feigned defiance, but today, she was tired and in no mood to pretend. Crossing her arms, she leaned back lazily. "Dad, givingthat look won't change anything. Thanks to all the shady things you haddo, Tina and I are practically enemies. And my cousin? He's completely under his wife's thumb. Anyone who thinks they'd share intel withis a fool." The implication was clear: she was calling Victor the fool.

Her thoughts drifted as she recalled something unsettling: Tina had insisted she protect Victor.

Suddenly, a possibility struck her, and she turned sharply to look at him.

Was someone trying to kill Victor? What great news! she thought sarcastically. Why should I save him? But another thought stopped her. If Jared, who hated Victor more than anyone, knew someone wanted him dead, he'd likely let it happen. Yet now he was arranging protection for Victor-that had to mean there was another agenda at play. Ella's gaze returned to Victor, though she masked her thoughts well, her face betraying no sign of her inner musings.

As far as she was concerned, Victor was already dead to her. Whether he lived or died didn't matter. What did matter was ensuring the Bailey family's fortune didn't fall into the hands of Vivienne and her daughter. Victor's face flushed with anger, but just as he opened his mouth to curse her, he caught sight of Jared's icy glare. Even in the bright courtroom, Victor felt a chill crawl up his spine, as though a cold wind had swept over him. His hand trembled slightly on his cane, and the words he had been about to shout caught in his throat. He half- closed his eyes, gripping his cane tighter as his gaze flickered with unease. It was as though he had seen something-or someone-that filled him with both dread and fear.

Ella raised an eyebrow, intrigued. Was there anyone other than the Langdon family who could scare the old man? She followed his line of sight but only saw Jared calmly conversing with Tina.

Ella blinked, puzzled. She hadn't seen the person she expected, and hen confusion only deepened: Her gaze shifted back to Victor, whose expression remained tense. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed movement at the entrance. A group of researchers entered the courtroom, followed by the sound of metal clinking.

Then, a man about Victor's age, wearing a red vest, was escorted in by two staff members clad in black uniforms.

Ella's eyes widened in shock as she took in the man's appearance-the uniform wasn't that of the court police.

"Max Bailey?!" she gasped under her breath.

Tina had actually managed to find him?!

Victor's sharp hearing caught her stunned whisper. Decades had passed since he last heard that m name, and now at gripped his throat we a'vice. "Impossible... how could he be here..." Victor wasn't the only one shaken. Luke Gill's breathing grew uneven the moment he saw the man enter. Sensing something was off, the judge leaned forward. "Luke Gill, do you know this man?" Luke's eyes darted nervously. "How could he be here?!" Ignoring the judge's question, he muttered under his breath, "He... he was locked away. How did Tina manage to bring him out? Who is this Tina, really?!"

In the audience, Vivienne clung to Victor's arm, her pale face betraying her unease Her voice was soft and trembling. "Victor, who is that man? You look like you know him..."