Lost and Found: Return of My Mysterious Fiancee by KIKI

Chapter 933: Seven Days Until Freedom

Mark ended the call, walked over to the bookshelf, and opened a hidden compartment. From inside, he took out half a mask and placed it on his face. Grabbing a black cloak, he draped it over his arm and stepped out the door. In the castle's basement, River felt like she had been trapped underground for an eternity.

Her wounds had festered, itching and throbbing with pain. Fevers came and went in relentless waves, but still, the door never opened.

The food and medicine Jon had brought her last time were gone by the first day. Desperation had driven her to scavenging scraps from rat holes and drinking the filthy water that seeped into the corners of the room. Time had become meaningless. River didn't know how many days had passed outside. All she knew was that every four hours, the fever would return, yet she dared not overuse the medicine.

Jon had warned her: unless her fever left her completely delirious, she mustn't take more. Otherwise, she wouldn't survive these seven days.

In her fevered haze, images of Ruud's wedding flashed incessantly in her mind.

She couldn't accept it.

She had waited for him for so many years. She had loved only him. How could he turn around and marry someone else?

It must have been Alina. That wretched woman must have used some shameless trick to seduce him. That had to be it.

Otherwise, how could they have had a child so quickly?

"River!"

Ruud's voice suddenly echoed in her ears. River knew her mind was slipping again.

Ruud would never know that her years of waiting, her obsessive love for him, had turned into something far darker-an all-consuming madness. If she couldn't have him, she'd rather die.

Jon frowned as he looked down at River's pale, fever-stricken face. Without hesitation, he pried her mouth open and forced the medicine down her throat. Twenty minutes later, River woke up. Her gaze, unfocused at first, snapped into clarity when she saw Jon and the faint light spilling in from the door.

Gripping Jon's hand tightly, as though it were her lifeline, she rasped, "Brother, you finally came!"

"What did Grandpa say? Has he forgiven me? When can I leave..."

Jon glanced at her, his lips pressing into a thin line. "Grandpa said, the seven days aren't over yet. You can't leave."

"Seven days..."

wouldn't just sit back and watch me die. Brother, please, beg Grandpa for me again. I'm his granddaughter. I can't just die like this..." Jon's gaze darkened slightly. He pressed her

did Grandpa strip you of your power in

head. "Grandpa said that if you can earn the Pace family's forgiveness, you'll be

her bloodless

she didn't meet his demands, the punishments that followed

this was the only

to her. "Once this is over, I'll ask Grandpa to arrange a better match for you.

had been taught and devoured it voraciously, not leaving a

with a shadow of something dark and obsessive. Still, his hand gently patted her scarred back. "Eat slower. Just endure a few more days,

Jon wanted the Swanson family's power,

to have

next morning, Tina and Ruud descended the

Tina immediately noticed the redness in Ruud's

help but blurt

time Ruud had heard his daughter express concern for him. Overwhelmed, he quickly tried to cover his emotions.

at him skeptically.

wasn't what

us over today. It's a family dinner to celebrate the marriage. Even though your mother and I

a few seconds, then stammered, "You... you still want to eat my

"You have ten minutes."

"I'll get started!"

unable to fathom how someone

watching the father and daughter pair. A soft smile unconsciously spread

---

estate, Ian and his sons were already waiting by the

and Kiki, who had been standing

got out of the car, feigned jealousy. "Mimi, Kiki, have you forgotten

from the

scoop up the two little ones, holding one in