Lost and Found: Return of My Mysterious Fiancee

Before the guests could even glimpse Natalie's calligraphy masterpiece, Ethan Maguire, the shrewd old fox, made a hasty exit, clutching the piece as though his life depended on it. He clearly feared someone else might snatch it away. "Mr. Maguire, let us at least take a look before you leave!" the crowd called out in protest.

But Ethan Maguire paid them no mind.

He hadn't even paid for it yet-what if someone saw it and offered a higher bid? Forget it!

The crowd grumbled, "And here we thought he was a distinguished calligrapher-what a cheapskate!"

Natalie, however, smiled indifferently, her expression calm and composed. But even in this moment of calm, she felt a sharp and resentful gaze aimed directly at her.

Following the source of the hostility, Natalie turned her head. Her red lips curved into a teasing smile, dazzling and intoxicating.

River Swanson, who had drawn so much attention earlier with her own calligraphy, now stood alone, utterly ignored.

Some guests wore regretful expressions, and even the gentleman who had placed a bid on River's work was now craning his neck, eager to see Natalie's masterpiece.

River's eyes burned with a fury that she could no longer suppress. She refused to accept what was happening. The spotlight, the applause-this round of glory should have been hers. She had been so certain of her victory, only to lose once again.

As a daughter of the prestigious Swanson family of Ashbury, River had grown up immersed in the arts-calligraphy, painting, music. Even her masters had praised her intelligence, diligence, and talent. She was no amateur. How could Natalie surpass her?

Luna Black, watching the livestream, was so infuriated she wanted to smash her phone.

Had she known things would turn out this way, she'd never have proposed a livestream voting competition. Now she had not only humiliated River Swanson but also disgraced the entire Swanson family. Meanwhile, Natalie, having just completed three intense rounds of competition, felt parched. She picked up a cup of tea nearby, took a slow sip, and smacked her lips in satisfaction. "Good tea!" she remarked with a smile.

She strolled over to River Swanson, her posture relaxed, chin slightly raised, her gaze falling on River, who was a head shorter.

"Do you still want to compete?" Natalie asked casually.

River's fingers trembled as her sharp eyes glared at Natalie. Her face flushed with anger. "You think winning the first three rounds makes you so great? Is this some kind of insult?"noveldrama

Natalie poured herself another cup of tea, gently blowing away the foam on the surface. She took a leisurely sip before responding, "I just asked a simple question. Why let your imagination run wild?" River's eyes turned red, tears welling up, giving her the appearance of someone wronged and pitiable.

She was putting on a show, turning herself into a victim in front of the guests and the national audience. Her goal? To paint Natalie as an arrogant, disrespectful person. The strategy worked.

Comments from the livestream flooded in:

- "Miss Swanson isn't bad. Why is she being bullied like this?"

- "She's like those top students who look down on everyone else."

- "I hate women like that. So what if she's talented? She has no respect for others."

- "Poor River, I feel so bad for her."

- "Are you all blind? River Swanson's the real snake here!"

Natalie's image took a hit. Though a few still supported her, the majority seemed to side with River.

The competition moved to the final round: painting.

To avoid a repeat of the earlier chaos and to allow everyone to witness the process, the guests suggested setting up two large canvases onstage. Natalie and River would paint side by side. All eyes were on Natalie as her canvas was unfolded vertically.

She stood before it, her slender figure poised and elegant. Her long, jet-black hair cascaded down her back-like a timeless beauty stepped straight out of a painting.

Holding a brush, Natalie started with watercolors rather than ink. She began by laying down a soft base tone, a pale wash that set the mood of the piece.

Then, using a titanium white pigment, she moved her wrist with practiced precision. One by one, delicate flower petals came to life, vivid and enchanting. Some onlookers, unimpressed by the simplicity, drifted over to River's canvas.

River Swanson, determined to dominate this round, had chosen a bold landscape in traditional ink. She intended to overwhelm Natalie with grandeur.

With her brush dipped in ink, River painted towering mountains, layer upon layer, majestic and imposing.

As more guests gathered around River's work, she felt a spark of triumph ignite within her.

Meanwhile, only a handful of people remained by Natalie's side. These few, having witnessed her brilliance in the previous rounds, stayed quietly, watching her every stroke with bated breath. Time passed, and River's landscape grew more intricate. Peaks and ridges filled her canvas, exuding a sense of vastness and grandeur.

Many guests nodded in approval.

"Miss Swanson's courage to tackle such a challenging landscape is commendable. Landscapes truly capture the essence of artistic spirit," one remarked.

River offered them a sweet, modest smile but kept her gaze fixed on Natalie.

The dwindling crowd around Natalie's canvas confirmed her suspicion-Natalie's work had failed to meet expectations this time.

Feigning humility, River suggested, "Why don't we all take a look at Miss Whittaker's painting now? I'm sure it's wonderful."

The group approached Natalie's canvas.

What they saw left them speechless.

Set against a background of soft, shadowy ink, clusters of pure white jasmine flowers bloomed. The interplay of light and shadow, real and imagined, created a stunning visual harmony.

The simplicity of the jasmine flowers belied their profound beauty. Natalie's brushstrokes seemed to breathe life into them, as though the flowers might burst forth from the canvas, their fragrance filling the air. Beside the painting, Natalie had inscribed a short dedication:

"To you, jasmine blooms. May you stay."

The few who had remained by Natalie's side couldn't contain their awe.

"I've been watching her this whole time, and now I feel as though I've been drawn into the painting itself. This is a masterpiece."

"Traditional painting isn't about exact realism. It's about capturing the spirit-and this piece does so perfectly."

River Swanson stood frozen, staring at the jasmine painting. Her face drained of color. After a moment, she muttered to herself, "This is impossible... It can't be..." How could Natalie produce something so breathtaking?

Luna Black, watching from the side, clenched her fists so tightly that thin streaks of blood seeped from her palms. Regret churned in her stomach like acid.

Natalie approached Luna, her presence commanding and unyielding. Luna avoided her gaze, her arrogance crumbling under Natalie's quiet strength. "Miss Black," Natalie began, her voice calm but piercing, "didn't you suggest livestream voting to decide the winner? Shouldn't it be settled now?" Luna scoffed dismissively. "This is Miss Reed's welcome banquet. Let's not make a scene. It was just for fun-no need for a vote."

Before Natalie could reply, a cold voice cut through the air.

Ruud, his gaze sharp as ice, spoke up, "You think you can just call it off? Who do you think you are? You and River came here to provoke my wife, and now that you're losing, you want to back out? What a joke." "The vote will happen. No excuses. I'll personally oversee it. Someone, set up the livestream voting platform now!"

Ruud's words left Luna Black stunned and speechless, like a frightened quail.

River Swanson's tears fell freely, her lips trembling in disbelief. She couldn't fathom Ruud's coldness-he had left her utterly humiliated in front of everyone.

Her hatred for Natalie burned brighter than ever. She wanted nothing more than to see her rival ruined.

Meanwhile, Jared ensured that every moment of this scene was broadcast in high definition, feeding it to the livestream audience.

Tina, seated at her computer, pulled up surveillance footage of River Swanson provoking Natalie before the competition. With a sly smile, she uploaded it to her verified social media account with a simple caption: "River Swanson and Ruud? Not a chance."