The Mistress Is Reborn As The Fiancée

There was a gloom all over the city, with Noelle's fans sending prayers and lighting candles on her behalf, wishing her a safe return. There had been messages from other idols who were also worried and hopeful for her safety.

No one knew where Noelle had gone to, she had seemingly disappeared from the surface of the earth. It was a huge mystery and media was teeming with different theories as to what could have happened to her.

Some people believed that she had been kidnapped by a crazy fan and kept in their basement, never to be seen again. Others believed that she had gotten tired of the pressures of fame and decided to go off grid without informing anyone and there were some who thought that she might have eloped with some secret lover.

The police were no better, they had nothing to go on with, no clues, no witnesses. At a point it felt like they were just running around in circles, chasing their tails with nothing to show for their efforts.

Besides the fact that Noelle was a celebrity, she was also from a prestigious family and there was pressure on them to show results and bring her back home, preferably alive.

The grand living room in the Ryu mansion, usually a space of warmth and convivial chatter, was heavy with a suffocating silence. The air hung thick with anxiety, the unspoken fear of the unknown. Grandmother Jia, her face etched with worry, sat huddled in her armchair, her gaze fixed on the empty doorway. Her hands, usually steady and strong, trembled slightly as she clutched a handkerchief which was worn from her nervous handling and tears.

She was overwhelmed with a feeling of guilt, like she had let her daughter down by letting harm come to the daughter she had left in her care. Grandma Jia feared that more days of this agony and she might not be able to survive.

Uncle Vernon paced restlessly, his footsteps echoing on the polished floor. He ran a hand through his already disheveled hair, his expression a mask of feigned frustration and concern. Evan, his face drawn and pale, sat rigidly on the edge of the sofa, his eyes fixed on the floor. He had been a constant presence since Noelle's disappearance, his concern seemingly genuine, though Ma-Ri suspected it was more about protecting his own interests. Alice's face had barely any expression on it. One could argue that it was not that she was not concerned, it was just that her Botox narrowed her range of facial expressions.

Ma-Ri, amidst the palpable tension, felt a surge of dark satisfaction. The thought of Noelle's demise sent a shiver of exhilaration through her veins. She had orchestrated the perfect crime, a silent execution that had left no trace. The footage the thugs had sent her, the mangled car, the lifeless form – it was a grim masterpiece.

She wished that she could sing from the rooftops about how she had vanquished her enemy. It was much too satisfying to keep it all inside and it felt like she would burst from her secret happiness.

Yet, a tiny, nagging doubt lingered. The absence of the car, the lack of a body, was unsettling. The police, initially dismissive, were now growing concerned. They had initially assumed Noelle had simply gone off-grid, a common occurrence for the free-spirited artist. But the extended silence, the lack of any communication, was raising red flags.

Grandma Jia was insistent that something bad had happened to Noelle. She had said that she would bring someone home the next day, it had been weeks and she had still not returned.

Ma-Ri tried to dismiss her concerns, to bury them beneath the weight of her triumph. Noelle was dead. It was a certainty. The accident was too brutal, the fall too steep. There was no way that she could have survived that incident. The lack of a body was probably because the car had been swept away by water, or buried under debris.

She had to remain calm, to project an air of concerned innocence. She could not afford to let her guard down, to reveal the dark secret she held within.

"We should call the police again," Evan said, his voice laced with frustration. "They need to be doing more."

"They are doing everything they can," Ma-Ri said, her voice smooth and reassuring. "They are probably just waiting for some news."

"You know how Noelle is, she is probably just somewhere having a good time while the rest of us are sick with worry." Sighed Alice.

Grandmother sighed, her eyes filled with a deep, aching sadness. "My Areum," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Where have you gone?"

Evan, his eyes still fixed on the floor, spoke for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. "She will be alright," he said, his voice low and strained. "She is strong. She will find her way back."

Ma-Ri's lips curled into a faint smile. He was still clinging to hope, still believing in Noelle's resilience. He was a fool. A fool that could be all hers now that her competition was out of the way. Now she would be able to assume the role she was born for.

The young Miss of the Ryu family. There would be no Noelle to be compared with or to overshadow her.

She glanced at Evan, his face etched with worry. He was still in love with Noelle, still holding onto the hope of their reunion. He was a sentimental fool, blinded by his emotions.

She smirked inwardly. He had no idea how wrong he was. Noelle was never coming back.

Suddenly, there was some activity at the door and Lyse walked into the room, her face gaunt and her arm in a sling.