Lost and Found: Return of My Mysterious Fiancee

Poppy nodded, his eyes filled with delight. As long as he stayed with Alina, he was happy.

Ruud walked behind Alina, while River slowly rose to her feet and walked beside him.

As Alina was about to step out the door, she turned back to look at Tina, who was sitting in the hall. In a soft voice, she asked, "Tina, would you like to join us?"

Tina shook her head lazily, feeling a bit drowsy and wanting to go upstairs to catch up on sleep.

The group passed through a maze of winding corridors before reaching a gray cement path ahead. In front of them stretched a lotus pond. The Pace family rarely allowed outsiders into this area.

The surroundings of the lotus pond were still under construction, with no tall railings or iron chains installed. The lotus flowers grew so close that crouching down would allow one to touch them. The water met the horizon in a serene and picturesque scene.

River spoke little along the way, only occasionally commenting. But as they approached the lotus pond, her words became more frequent.

"There's a sense of harmony with nature in the way this lotus pond was created," she remarked.

Ruud, calm as always, replied, "When the Pace family first built the lotus pond, they didn't rush to install protective measures. Small children aren't allowed in, and the lotus flowers grow without boundaries, allowing them to flourish naturally. It makes the experience of enjoying the flowers much more meaningful."

Alina strolled leisurely, holding Poppy in her arms, admiring the lotus flowers along the way.noveldrama

Poppy rarely left the Swanson family estate, which was built in a more vintage style. In contrast, the Pace family estate had a traditional courtyard design. The stark difference fascinated Poppy, making everything feel new and exciting.

His tiny, pale fingers pointed at the narrow cement paths crisscrossing ahead. Among the lotus pond, the plants grew freely without boundaries. The lotus leaves and flowers extended over the paths, their vibrant greenery blending into the surroundings. Poppy's dark, sparkling eyes gleamed with wonder.

When Alina reached a spot where the emerald green lotus leaves stretched out, she paused to give the little one a better view. She smiled lightly and said, "If you like it, I'll pick a big lotus leaf for you to play with later!"

Poppy nodded enthusiastically, then planted a soft kiss on Alina's cheek. Alina, delighted, hugged him tighter.

River clenched her hands secretly. Her own little brother wasn't affectionate with her as his sister, yet he seemed to get along so well with Alina, who she considered her rival. She bit her lip, her frustration evident. Ruud, watching Alina hold Poppy the entire way, couldn't help but notice how her smile made her look even younger, like a graceful girl. His gaze softened, overflowing with affection.

He stepped forward, taking a tissue to gently wipe the slight sweat from Alina's forehead. "You've been carrying him for too long, Alina. Your forehead's all sweaty. Let me, his uncle, carry him for a while." Poppy obediently stretched out his arms for Ruud to hold. Alina relaxed a little and followed behind them, taking her time to enjoy the scenery.

Ruud carried Poppy effortlessly, laughing heartily from time to time. "Look, there's a goldfish over there!" he exclaimed.

Poppy nodded eagerly, flapping his little hands as if wanting to get down for a closer look.

River walked beside Alina and spoke casually, "I always thought Miss Brookes came from an ordinary family. I didn't realize you were from the Brookes family. I must admit, I've underestimated you." Alina cast a calm, sidelong glance at her, her tone unhurried. "I didn't expect you to have such an adorable little brother. Are you two full siblings?"

River, anticipating Alina to flaunt her family background, was momentarily caught off guard by the question.

Her gaze shifted to Poppy. "The Swanson family's background isn't something easily shared with outsiders, I suppose."

Alina smiled faintly, her understanding of River's implication becoming clearer.

River continued with a light laugh, "Your relationship with Ruud-how you met, fell in love, and even had a child-none of us knew anything about it." "When you suddenly returned to the Pace family, it caused quite a stir in Ashbury's social circles."

"Even now, the internet is buzzing with speculation about your past."

Alina clicked her tongue lightly, her lips curving into a faint, unconcerned smile as she admired the lotus flowers. "I know nothing about your history with Ruud, nor your one-sided feelings for him, and frankly, I'm not interested." River clenched her fists, lowering her gaze to hide the flicker of emotion in her eyes. "It's not that I'm particularly interested in your personal life. It's just that I've always loved Ruud. Everyone in our circle knows this. I've never considered marrying anyone else because I've been waiting for him."

"When he suddenly brought you back and you had a child, it was hard for me to accept. I did a lot of foolish things that brought shame to my family."

"I've already apologized to you today, but I still want to ask-what's the deal with you and Jasper? Were you two ever together?"

Standing amidst the cluster of lotus flowers, Alina exuded a cool aloofness. Her voice was calm. "That's my personal business. You don't need to know."

River's eyes brimmed with unshed tears as she continued, her voice full of emotion. "But I love Ruud. He's a good man. I hope you won't do anything to hurt him. Even though I didn't end up with him, I still care deeply for him." Alina's dark eyes met hers, piercing and unreadable, as though she could see through everything. She said nothing further, unwilling to waste her breath.

Ruud, still carrying Poppy, was brimming with enthusiasm as he admired the scenery. The group walked a bit further before River called out from behind in a delicate voice, "Ruud, I'm tired. Let's sit at that pavilion over there for a while. I'd like to rest." Her cheeks flushed as she spoke.

Ruud glanced at Alina, who smiled lightly and nodded.

They entered the brown pavilion, which stood near the curved shoreline. Surrounding them were expansive clusters of lotus flowers and leaves, vibrant and lush. The pavilion was positioned close to the water's edge, offering a tranquil view. River called Poppy over to sit beside her. She gently pulled out a tissue from her bag and wiped his forehead, though there was no sweat on it-he had been carried lovingly by Alina and Ruud the whole way, his feet never touching the ground. Suddenly, River gasped in delight. "Look! There's a rare two-tone thousand-petal twin lotus here!"

Twin lotuses were already rare, but a thousand-petal twin lotus was even more precious, almost impossible to find.

Poppy, curious, leaned against the pavilion railing and stood up slowly, trying to get a better look.

Alina quickly grabbed the back of his shirt, her tone slightly stern. "Be careful."

She glanced in River's direction and, sure enough, there it was-a two-tone thousand-petal twin lotus. It was likely the only one in the entire Pace family's pond.

River turned to Poppy. "Do you like it? If you do, I can pick it for you to take home."

Poppy nodded. "I like it," he said softly, then added, "But it belongs to Alina's family. Alina hasn't said we can take it yet."

River's face froze in embarrassment.

Ruud shot her a disapproving look. Even a five-year-old understood boundaries better than she did.