Married First, Loved Later : A Flash Marriage with My Ex’s "Uncle" - Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Trapped in the Stepmother’s Scheme Chapter 20: Trapped in the Stepmother’s Scheme A business marriage?

James’s eyes lit up.  But he quickly hesitated.

“She just got out of an engagement.

Who would want her now…?”  Natalia lowered her head and said softly, “Dad, do you remember Mr.

Perez from the Perez Group?

Ever since he saw my sister at the banquet last time, he hasn’t been able to forget her.

He doesn’t care that she just ended her engagement.”  Katie chimed in eagerly, “Exactly, James!

Perez Group is much larger than us.

If Mr.

Perez is willing to help, the Clark Group won’t have to worry about surviving this crisis.

Besides, Mr.

Perez is worth billions-Selina marrying him wouldn’t be a bad match.”  Hope flickered in James’s eyes.

“You’re right.

Mr.

Perez is a man of great status.

If Selina, with her ruined reputation, can still marry into a wealthy family like his, we wouldn’t be mistreating her!”  “But that ungrateful girl is so disobedient.

If we ask her to meet Mr.

Perez, she’ll definitely refuse.”  Natalia’s eyes flashed, and she said gently, “Dad, why not invite Mr.

Perez to your 50th birthday celebration?

That way, she can meet him there.”  One week later.

Selina hadn’t seen Logan in seven days.

She thought back to the kiss that almost happened that day and clicked her tongue.  Was Logan so embarrassed that he hadn’t come home in a week?  Just then, a news report caught her eye.  A week ago, the Drake Group terminated their partnership with the Clark Group, dealing a massive blow to the company, leaving it struggling.  Yet now, just a week later, the Clark Group had secured investment from the Perez Group?!  Selina narrowed her eyes.

Something didn’t feel right-  Her phone suddenly buzzed on the table.

She glanced at the screen, and a text popped up.  Katie: Selina, tomorrow is your father’s 50th birthday.

You must come!

Oh, and your mom left a box with James.

He said he’ll give it to you when you arrive.

Selina scoffed.

A 50th birthday?

Inviting her?

This was clearly a trap.  But the box her mother left…  Even if it was a trap, she’d have to walk into it.  She informed the butler, Mr.

Miller, that she would be going out the next evening.

Mr.

Miller nodded and reported it to Logan.  Logan paused for a moment.

“James’s birthday banquet…”  James had also invited him, but Logan typically didn’t bother with such events.  Now, however, he suddenly felt interested.  The next evening – Reid Group Hotel banquet hall.

The 50th birthday celebration of James, the chairman of the Clark Group, was in full swing.

The banquet hall buzzed with activity as prominent figures exchanged toasts and pleasantries.  James, accompanied by Natalia, mingled with the guests, earning constant praise.  “Mr.

Clark, not only are you a successful businessman, but you’ve also raised such a wonderful daughter!”  James feigned modesty.

“Not at all.

Natalia still has a lot to improve on and can learn from everyone here.

Natalia, go greet your uncles and mentors.”  Natalia, gracefully holding a glass of wine, took Ryan’s arm and elegantly walked into the crowd.  “Natalia and Mr.

Carter look like such a perfect match,” someone remarked.  “Exactly.

No wonder Mr.

Carter called off his engagement for her.

Selina just isn’t presentable.”  Selina arrived just in time to hear that comment, and her eyebrows raised slightly.  Her entrance plunged the banquet hall into awkward silence.

Whispers began to ripple through the crowd.  “Look at her outfit-what is she wearing?

She didn’t even wear a gown to her father’s 50th birthday celebration?”  “Ugh, so embarrassing!”  Katie, listening smugly to the crowd’s insults toward Selina, finally stepped forward, pretending to be the kind stepmother.  “Selina, come over here.

James has been waiting for you!”  Selina narrowed her eyes.

“Where’s my mother’s belongings?”  “Oh, don’t be so hasty.

Have a drink first,” Katie replied with a smile.

Katie dragged Selina to a quiet corner where James was chatting with a man in his fifties or sixties.

As soon as James saw Selina, his eyes lit up.  “Mr.

Perez, this is my eldest daughter!”  Selina frowned.

Mr.

Perez?

The chairman of the Perez Group?  Something flickered in her mind, but before she could piece it together, Katie spoke up with a fawning smile.  “Selina, why are you standing there?

Hurry and have a drink with Mr.

Perez.”  Selina glanced at Mr.

Perez’s lecherous expression and sneered, “Why not let your own daughter have a drink with him?”  Katie sighed dramatically.

“Because Mr.

Perez is interested in you.

Natalia doesn’t have this kind of luck.

Selina, don’t be ungrateful.

Mr.

Perez is more than worthy of you.

He doesn’t mind that you just ended your engagement and even offered a 50-million-dollar bride price to marry you.

It’s your honor!”  And just like that, the strange feeling in Selina’s mind crystallized.  Perez Group’s 50-million-dollar investment in Clark Group wasn’t about business-it was her “good” father selling her off!  Mr.

Perez ogled her shamelessly, his eyes filled with lust.

“Miss Clark, won’t you even have a drink with me?

Isn’t that a bit rude?”  Selina knew there had to be something in the drink.

Her face darkened.  “For someone your age, Dad, you haven’t learned much, but you’ve mastered selling your daughter.

Sorry, I’m not interested!”  She turned to leave, but after only two steps, her head spun, and her legs buckled.

“You… you…”  “Selina, this is for your own good.

Without a little help, you’d never learn to behave,” Katie sighed.

“Mr.

Perez, she’s all yours.

Take her to the guest room to rest.”  Selina’s mind grew hazy, her body refusing to listen as Mr.

Perez pushed her forward.

She was too weak to resist.  In the crowd, Ryan noticed the scene and frowned.

“What’s going on?”  He knew Mr.

Perez’s reputation and how he loved to force himself on women.

If something happened to Selina…  Before he could act, Natalia shook her head and sighed.

“Ryan, don’t worry about it.

Selina and Mr.

Perez are together now.

Even the family can’t control her.”  Ryan’s face darkened.

He’d thought Selina was in trouble, but it turned out she was just degrading herself.  They were going upstairs together-anyone could guess what would happen next.

The thought of Selina being so eager to throw herself at someone as repulsive as Mr.

Perez made him feel sick.  With a thud, Selina was thrown onto the bed.  Her head swam, her chest felt like it was crawling with ants-painful and itchy at the same time.  Mr.

Perez licked his lips.

“Miss Clark, stop resisting.

This is the latest formula-colorless, odorless, and absorbed through the skin.

The drug is already working.

Without a man, you’ll die.”  Selina realized with a start that the drug had been applied to her skin, not in the drink.  No wonder Katie had been so confident.  Her strength was draining fast.

If Mr.

Perez tried anything, she wouldn’t be able to fight him off.  No… Selina forced herself to stay calm.

She fumbled in her bag and pulled out a small knife.

She wouldn’t go down without a fight!  “Stop acting like some virtuous prude,” Mr.

Perez sneered.

“Your father told me you’ve been with plenty of men.

I’m the only one kind enough to marry you.

You should be thanking me!”  He laughed creepily, inching closer.

His hands were almost on her face.  “You may look unwilling now, but once the drug fully kicks in, you’ll be begging me…”  BANG!

Before he could finish, the door slammed open with a deafening crash.  In the blink of an eye, Mr.

Perez was grabbed and hurled out of the room.

He hit the floor with a loud thud and didn’t even have time to scream before he knelt down in terror.  “Miss Clark.” A sharp, commanding voice echoed through the room.  Selina, her mind fogged by the drug, heard someone call her name.

The voice sounded familiar-like… Logan?  Logan’s brows furrowed as he ordered Jack to drag Mr.

Perez away.

He poured Selina a glass of water and crouched beside her.

“How are you feeling… Selina?”  Selina’s hand brushed against Logan’s, her eyes lighting up.

Without even realizing what she was doing, she threw herself into his arms.  Logan’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and his mind buzzed.  The drug coursing through her system was clearly taking full effect.