Lost and Found: Return of My Mysterious Fiancee by KIKI

Chapter 838: You Look Like Someone I Know Ruud felt a wave of awkwardness wash over him at Tina's words.

The people around them couldn't help but chuckle, but when Ruud's gaze swept over them, they quickly stifled their laughter.

He looked up at Tina again and sighed inwardly. "You look very much like someone I know," he said. "I asked for a photo of your mother because I wanted to confirm whether she is the person I'm thinking of." If it weren't for that face, Ruud would have been furious at Tina's tone.

But because of that face-one that stirred emotions buried deep within him-all the prejudice he held against Tina seemed to dissolve in an instant.

At this moment, Ruud, who usually couldn't be bothered to explain himself to others, found himself patiently offering an explanation. He didn't want to waste tdigging for information. After all, he had been back in Ashbury for so long without uncovering anything useful. It was far easier to ask Tina directly.

Hearing this, both Tina and Jared froze for a moment.

Tina scrutinized Ruud carefully, yet she couldn't see any resemblance between them. She had inherited all of Natalie's best features, leaving no trace of Ruud in her appearance.

No matter how she looked at him, she couldn't find anything amiss. With her brows slightly furrowed, she said after a brief pause, "My mother doesn't like taking photos. There aren't any....." Before she could finish, Ruud interrupted her urgently, "Then where is she? Can I meet her?" "She's in my lab," Tina blurted out, surprising herself. She hadn't intended to answer him, yet the words slipped out. She thought to herself, I must be losing my mind.

"I'll go find her right now," Ruud said and began to leave.

Tina suddenly called out, "You can't take Luke Gill and Victor with you!" Unexpectedly, Ruud waved his hand dismissively and said in a grand, magnanimous tone, "I won't take them. They're yours!" The people Ruud had brought with him were stunned.

"What... what did we chere for, then?" someone muttered.

"Was this... just a waste of time?" Without another word, Ruud left with his people, leaving Tina and her group staring after them in confusion. He just... left? Wasn't there supposed to be skind of epic confrontation? Hayden walked up to Tina, his expression serious. "Serena, what exactly is General Praevion trying to achieve with all this?" He truly couldn't figure out Ruud's intentions. Based on his actions when he first arrived, it seemed like Ruud was determined to protect Luke Gill and Victor. With General Praevion's temperament, he wouldn't usually relent, no matter who he was dealing with.

But during his conversation with Tina, Ruud had only asked about Tracey and requested a photo of Tina's mother. He didn't mention Luke Gill or Victor at all. Then, when he left, he gave them up without hesitation. This... made no sense.

Tina lowered her gaze, her long lashes casting a shadow over her delicate face. Her expression remained unreadable, and nobody could tell what she was thinking.

While she was deep in thought, Jared gently took her hand. His voice was soft as he said, "Letverify the truth. If it's real, you don't have to acknowledge it if you don't want to." Tina looked up and met his gaze. His eyes were deep and narrow, as if they could see straight into her soul. She smiled-a dazzling, alluring smile. "Even if it's true, I won't acknowledge it!" Tina and Jared had been searching for her biological father for a long time, but they hadn't found a single lead. The moment Ruud said she looked like his friend, Tina had already guessed something.

Her resemblance to Natalie was over 90%. Others had recognized her as Natalie's daughter just by looking at her face.

But no one had ever mentioned the nTracey to her before-not even once.

When Ruud mentioned Tracey earlier, she hadn't thought much of it. However, the moment he asked for a photo of her mother, everything clicked.

The news that her mother wasn't dead had already spread. The GTO had captured everyone they needed to. Her mother was still unconscious, and no one would clooking for her now-except to use her as leverage against Tina. But no one would ask for her mother's photo just because of Tina's appearance.

In that instant, Tina realized Ruud must have sconnection to her mother. Was he her father? She didn't know. Only a paternity test would reveal the truth.

But...

Even if the test confirmed they were father and daughter, she wouldn't acknowledge him.

In the past, she had wanted to find her biological father, even if he was just an ordinary man. She wanted to find him for her mother's sake and because her wedding with Uncle had to follow her mother's wishes, which required her father's presence.

Back then, she had hoped for a father.

No one could understand the sense of loss she felt over the past twenty-plus years whenever she saw other people with their fathers.

She would have preferred her father to be an ordinary man-someone who couldn't make up for the lost twenty years of fatherly love-but not Ruud. Why? Because he was General Praevion.

Because her mother had been one of his subordinates, yet he hadn't realized Tracey was Natalie.

Because if he had cared even a little, her mother wouldn't have had to fight alone for so many years. Tina wouldn't have been trapped on Serenity Ridge for ten years, unable to leave. Because her mother had been an undercover agent in the Reed family for years and had met with him multiple times, yet he hadn't noticed that Jasper Reed's girlfriend was Natalie. Because...

There were too many reasons. She could never forgive him.

Jared watched Tina's smile and felt a slight pang in his chest.

Her smile was so radiant, yet he could see a trace of hatred in it.

He raised a hand and gently ran his long fingers through Tina's hair. His voice was tender as he said, "Whatever you decide, I'll support you." Tina nodded.

Hayden, still confused, glanced at Nathan, who merely shrugged. Nathan didn't understand either.

The thoughts of Mr. Farrell and his wife were beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.

Hayden sighed and asked Tina, "Serena, what about Luke Gill and Victor?" Tina's gaze shifted to Luke Gill and Victor, who stood not far away. Her face remained expressionless as she said, "Let them go."

"Let them go?" Hayden was stunned. "We've gathered all the evidence.

They're just a step om being sentenced, if we let them go now, doesn't that make all our efforts pointless?" "The judge has already left. Are you going to drag him back to sentence them again?" Tina replied. Hayden hesitated. "...I wouldn't dare. But still, we can't just let them go, can we?" Tina didn't answer. She stuffed her hands into her pockets and walked away. "Let's go." Hayden was at a loss for words.

When they reached the door, Tina stopped and glanced back at Luke Gill and Victor in the courtroom. Their eyes were filled with panic, and her gaze was cold. Then she turned to Hayden and said, "Prepare to close the net. We're going after Dorothy Russell." Hayden was dumbfounded. "What??" This didn't make sense! Wasn't Dorothy Russell hiding somewhere impossible to locate? How had this turned into a plan to capture her? Tina ignored him and got into the car.