Married First, Loved Later : A Flash Marriage with My Ex’s "Uncle" - Chapter 31

Chapter 31: Repaying Kindness with Betrayal Chapter 31: Repaying Kindness with Betrayal Avery quickly realized what was happening and burst out angrily, “What are you doing here?

Don’t tell me you’re stalking Mr.

Carter!

Shameless!”  Ryan frowned in displeasure.

“This isn’t a place you belong.”  Selina spoke leisurely, “Why can’t I be here?

Does this place have your name written on it?”  Ryan’s irritation flared.

“You-“  “Are you also here to meet Designer Noah, Sister?” Natalia asked hesitantly.

“But he has quite the eccentric temperament.

He doesn’t meet just anyone.”  Ryan instantly caught on and sneered.

“So you’re trying to meet Noah, too?

Give it up.

I won’t let you tag along.

Natalia is working on securing that project, and you better not mess it up.”  Selina blinked innocently.

Such confidence, she thought.  Feigning curiosity, she asked, “Are you sure Natalia can convince Noah?”  Natalia’s face paled, as if she’d been gravely wronged.  Ryan’s dislike for Selina only deepened.

“If Natalia can’t, do you think you can?

Just leave already and stop causing trouble!”  Avery chimed in smugly, “You probably don’t even know this-Noah doesn’t meet strangers.

It’s only because Mr.

Carter’s uncle knows Noah that we’re able to be here.

You’d better leave on your own before you get kicked out and embarrass yourself!”  Selina clicked her tongue in amusement.

How ironic.

Ryan’s uncle, the connection they were boasting about, happened to be her husband.

If Natalia could rely on that to meet Noah, wouldn’t she have an even stronger claim?  Not to mention her personal connection with Noah.  Seeing that Selina hadn’t left yet, their expressions grew increasingly sour.  Ryan, especially, was visibly frustrated, anger simmering beneath the surface.

“Selina-“  “Ryan, don’t be upset,” Natalia interrupted gently.

“I’ll try to reason with her.”  Natalia walked over to a quiet corner, out of Ryan’s sight, her sweet demeanor vanishing.

Her expression turned cold and venomous.  “You think showing up here will change anything?

The family already decided that this project is mine.

You’re nothing but a clown.”  Selina raised an eyebrow.

“Finally dropping the act, huh?”  Natalia’s eyes gleamed with malice.

“Do you think you stand a chance at taking the project?

Someone like you?”  Selina replied nonchalantly, “Why not?

I think I’ll manage.”  Natalia scanned her with disdain, a smirk playing on her lips.

“Noah’s a designer, someone who appreciates beauty.

Look at that scar on your neck-it’s hideous.”  “Do you know why Dad and Grandpa can’t stand to look at you?

It’s because of that scar.

No respectable young lady has a scar that big on her neck.

You look like a monster!”  Selina’s eyes narrowed.  Natalia, emboldened, continued gleefully, “And do you know what Ryan said about you?

He said you’re nothing but a burden, and that scar of yours makes him sick.

Why didn’t you just die at the hands of those kidnappers-“  Smack!  Selina didn’t hesitate.

She raised her hand and delivered a slap that cut Natalia off mid-sentence.  Natalia clutched her cheek as tears welled up in her eyes.

She began to tremble theatrically, playing the victim.

“Sister, what are you doing?”  “Selina!” Ryan roared, storming over to shield Natalia protectively in his arms.

His anger flared as he yelled, “Who gave you the right to hit her?

Don’t you know Noah hates people causing a scene on his property?

Are you determined to act out everywhere you go?”  Selina finally understood why Natalia had been provoking her-it was all to catch Noah’s attention.  She looked up calmly and said, “Natalia mocked the scar on my neck.

Ryan, don’t tell me you think I was born with it?”  The air froze.

Ryan’s expression turned awkward.

“You-Natalia didn’t mean it that way.

Besides, why bring up something that happened so long ago?”  “Stop using what happened to guilt-trip me!

Like Natalia said, it’s just a scar-it’s not like you died.

But hitting someone is still wrong!”  Selina raised an eyebrow.

“Sister, your tactics-I could never compare.” So, just a scar?

Not a big deal?

Turns out Natalia had been feeding Ryan this line for years.  So Ryan thought she deserved it for almost dying trying to save him.

Natalia’s face turned pale as she instinctively threw herself into Ryan’s arms, trembling like a frail flower.

“Ryan, I’m so scared…”  Ryan’s heart ached for her, his anger flaring even hotter.

“Selina, look at what you’ve done!

Yes, you saved me.

And what then?

You survived, didn’t you?

It wasn’t even that serious.

Why do you have to keep bringing it up?”  That scar was a constant reminder that everything he had was because of Selina.  As a man, Ryan felt his pride crushed by it.

Selina had never considered his dignity-talk of her saving his life or giving him his start would only make him the subject of gossip.

People would say he was a useless man who rose to success thanks to a woman.  It was Natalia who had reassured him, saying the debt of saving his life was a thing of the past, giving him back his confidence.  Selina let out a frosty laugh, dripping with sarcasm.

“I was scarred saving your life.

While your beloved fiancée mocks how hideous my scar is, you brush it off as no big deal.

Ryan, maybe you and Natalia should get your stories straight before coming at me.”  Ryan’s face flushed red, unable to refute her.

Her words had hit a nerve, exposing something he didn’t want to admit.

Embarrassment and anger surged together.  “Enough!

Just shut up!

We have more important things to deal with today.

I don’t have time for your nonsense!”  Taking a deep breath, Ryan forced a smile and turned to the assistant who had just come down the stairs.  “Assistant Lee, hello.

I’m Ryan, and this is my fiancée, Natalia.

We scheduled an appointment yesterday.”  Natalia smiled gracefully, her composure intact.

After all, the assistant must have seen Selina hitting her earlier…  Avery, unable to resist, glanced at Selina and sneered.

“Stop clinging to your old life-saving favor to leech off Mr.

Carter.

See?

It’s clear he only cares about my cousin now.

Nobody else gets to meet Noah, but Natalia can.

Jealous much?”  The assistant looked at Natalia, then at Selina, before furrowing his brows.

“I’m sorry, Mr.

Carter, but Mr.

Brown is meeting someone else today.

Please leave.”  The expressions on their faces froze instantly.  Selina clapped her hands slowly.

“Mr.

Carter, didn’t you guarantee that you’d help your dear fiancée meet Mr.

Brown today?

How confident you were!”  “You-!

I’ll deal with you later!” Ryan growled, swallowing his anger.  He forced a placating smile at the assistant.

“Since Mr.

Brown is busy, we’ll come back another day.

Natalia, let’s go.”  Natalia, with no choice but to stay on Noah’s good side, followed Ryan toward the door.  As the three approached the exit, Ryan turned and snapped impatiently at Selina.

“Selina, didn’t you hear?

Mr.

Brown has a guest this morning.

What are you still doing here?!”  Before Selina could reply, the assistant hesitated for a moment and glanced at Ryan.

Then, with a matter-of-fact tone, he said:  “Because Miss Selina is our guest.”  Miss Selina is our guest.  Their faces turned ghostly pale as they whipped their heads around in shock!