Lost and Found: Return of My Mysterious Fiancee

When Hayden walked in, this was the scene he stumbled upon.

Mr. Farrell was lying on the sofa, half-naked, with a shy expression on his face. In front of him was Serena, her eyes gleaming as she aimed her phone at Jared. The look in her eyes was ravenous, as if she wanted to devour him whole. Hayden froze in place.

He had only been gone for ten minutes at most-how had things escalated this quickly? Were they always this bold?

The mood in the room was instantly shattered. Serena shot Hayden a sharp glare, clearly displeased. "Get out!"

Startled, Hayden's mind went blank, and all his wild thoughts vanished. He stammered, "Serena, I didn't see anything! I just came to drop off the car keys..."

He tossed the car keys toward the entryway and quickly retreated, not even bothering to close the door properly on his way out.

Once outside, he exhaled heavily, his heart finally settling.

Leave it to Serena-her methods were always beyond his comprehension. Poor Mr. Farrell, though... Once Serena had her sights set on someone, there was no saving them. Inside, Serena snapped a few photos with her phone before setting it aside. She picked up a cotton swab and began tending to the scrapes on Jared's arm and shoulder. When she was done, Serena sighed softly, finally voicing what she had been holding back during their entire car ride. "Uncle, our wedding might need to be postponed." Jared turned to her, his gaze steady. "Your father still doesn't approve?"

Serena's lips twitched slightly. "It's not just my dad this time. My four uncles have also weighed in. They want the wedding to be grander. My mom's wedding already caught them off guard, and now that it's my turn, they're determined to properly prepare for it."

Jared thought for a moment before pulling her into his arms, holding her close. "I understand."

The strong, steady beat of his heart reached her ears. Serena nuzzled against the warmth of his embrace. "Uncle, you're so good to me."

Jared ran his hand gently through her hair, his eyes filled with tenderness. "I'm only good to you."

"But leave the wedding arrangements to me. I'll satisfy your father and uncles' demands one by one, but the wedding date stays as planned."

Serena looked up at him, surprised. "Uncle, do you really think you can convince them?"

"Where there's a will, there's a way," Jared replied. He tapped the tip of her nose lightly. "Your brothers were no match for me-what could be harder than dealing with them?"

Serena raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Alright, Uncle, I'll be watching to see how you pull this off."

Maybe it was because Jared's sofa was too soft, or maybe it was just being in his presence that made her relax completely. Before long, Serena drifted off into a deep sleep. When she woke up, the sky outside was already dark.

Jared had prepared dinner and placed it on the small table in front of the sofa-four dishes, one soup, and a small strawberry cake the size of her palm. "Come over and eat something," he said.

Serena nodded obediently, rubbing her eyes as she walked over. She reached out to grab the cake first, but Jared handed her a pair of chopsticks instead. "Eat your meal first." Seeing the cake just out of reach, Serena felt like there was a cat scratching at her heart. "Uncle, you're getting stingier. This cake is so small it's not even enough for me." Jared sighed helplessly. "Eating too much cream at night isn't good for your digestion."noveldrama

Serena raised an eyebrow. "No way. Tomorrow, I want a strawberry cake twice this size."

Jared chuckled and nodded. "Alright."

Then, with a meaningful look, he asked, "Are you staying over tonight?"

Serena paused, considering. "I'd better go back. I don't want Uncle to lose another house."

Jared was speechless.

Why did everyone seem to have it out for his properties?

At the Pace family home, Serena had just stepped through the door when she heard Ruud's booming voice from the hall.

"Don't stop me! Serena is the daughter I've cherished in my heart for over ten years! How dare he-I'm going to blow up that bastard's house!" Serena strode in, her voice cold. "What are you planning to blow up?"

"I..."

Ruud froze when he saw her. His expression shifted instantly from rage to doting affection. "Sweetheart, you're back!"

"You must've misheard. I was just saying it's so late-are you hungry? I just learned a new recipe for fried rice cakes. Want to try some?"

He scrambled to cover his tracks, his face full of sincerity.

Serena's temples throbbed. "No need. I've already eaten."

Seeing that she was back, Ruud's fiery determination to call in airstrikes evaporated. He nodded repeatedly. "Alright, alright. Then tomorrow morning, I'll make you something fresh." Serena: "..."

As she walked up the stairs, Serena suddenly remembered something. She turned back and called out to Alina. "Mom, Uncle's fine. Don't worry."

Alina nodded, giving Ruud a light pat on the shoulder.

"Don't be so impulsive next time. Our daughter is back safe and sound, and you're here talking about blowing up someone's house? Honestly, what were you thinking?"

For the next few days, Serena stayed unusually quiet and didn't leave the house.

During the day, she accompanied Alina in the garden, reading books together. At night, she went to bed early, resting on schedule.

Apart from occasionally accepting strawberry cakes Jared brought over, she spent most of her time at home.

Ruud, meanwhile, was convinced his cooking skills had won Serena over. He went from just making breakfast to preparing all three meals a day. Eventually, even Warren couldn't stand it anymore. Swallowing some digestive tablets handed to him by the servants, he advised Ruud to find something productive to do.

"Stop spending all day in the kitchen. You're wasting perfectly good ingredients."

But Ruud wouldn't hear of it.

As long as his precious daughter enjoyed his cooking, he could do it for a lifetime without complaint.

When Jared arrived at the Pace household carrying a cake, Serena was lying on a bamboo recliner outside. Her hands were folded behind her head, and a delicate, porcelain-white face was hidden beneath an old book.

Hearing footsteps approach, Serena's lips curved slightly. Without removing the book, she spoke. "Uncle, your cake is half an hour late today."

Jared crouched down and gently removed the book from her face. Leaning close to her ear, he said, "I made two cakes-one for you, and one for my master."

Serena gave him a surprised look.

"You're not afraid my dad will come charging out of the kitchen with a knife?"

Jared smirked confidently. "I wouldn't dare defy my master's orders."

Serena raised an eyebrow, amused. She knew her mom was also putting on a brave front.

All that talk about unique flavors and a sense of fulfillment-did they really think she didn't notice who was sneaking snacks at night?

Alina soon came out, quickening her steps when she saw Jared. "Jared, you're here."

Jared nodded and handed her the cake. "Master, I made this chiffon cake to suit your taste. It's low in sugar."

Alina's eyes lit up as she quickly took it from him. She glanced toward the kitchen and whispered, "Don't let your father-in-law hear this. He's been obsessed with cooking lately, and I don't want to hurt his enthusiasm." Jared nodded in understanding. "Don't worry, Master."

Serena, eating her own slice, snorted. "It's awful, but no one's allowed to say it."

Alina flicked her forehead lightly. "Even if it's bad, you should still eat it. Your father's doing this for you, you ungrateful girl."

Serena sighed. "I didn't ask him to."

There were a hundred easier ways he could've gone about it, but he insisted on choosing the hardest one. What could she do?