Married First, Loved Later : A Flash Marriage with My Ex’s "Uncle" - Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Over-the-Top Bragging Chapter 32: Over-the-Top Bragging Natalia’s mind buzzed loudly, and her face turned deathly pale, as if she might collapse at any moment.  Selina…

is Noah’s guest today?

Noah canceled his meeting with Ryan for Selina?!

How could it be Selina?

Why Selina?  Ryan’s eyes widened, and he stumbled back a couple of steps.  Avery, unwilling to believe it, shouted, “That’s impossible!

You must be mistaken!

My cousin’s name is Natalia, not Selina!”  Ryan clung to the hope that there had been a mistake.

Both sisters had the last name Clark, so maybe…  The assistant frowned impatiently.

“There’s no mistake!

It’s Selina.

Mr.

Brown stated it clearly, and I heard him perfectly.

Are you questioning me or questioning Mr.

Brown?

What, does Mr.

Brown need your approval to meet with someone?”  “You all seem to be respectable people, so why are you acting so ridiculously?”  Turning back to Selina, the assistant’s tone did a complete 180.

“Miss Selina, please come upstairs.

Mr.

Brown has been waiting for you.”  Selina brushed her hair back casually.

“Sister, I told you, don’t be too confident.

It’s embarrassing when you get slapped in the face.”  Natalia watched Selina’s retreating figure, swallowing her anger and forcing an aggrieved expression.  “Ryan, I’m sorry.

Sister just hates me so much.

I’ve dragged you into this mess…”  Whatever frustration Ryan had felt toward Natalia evaporated at her tears.  “Natalia, it’s not your fault.

Selina didn’t mention being Mr.

Brown’s guest on purpose-she wanted us to look bad.”  Natalia’s eyes glimmered as she lowered her head in apparent dejection.

“But if I can’t secure this project, I’ll disappoint Grandpa.

What should I do, Ryan?”  Heart aching, Ryan gritted his teeth.

“Don’t worry.

I’ll figure it out.

Noah’s partnership will go to you.

Just wait for my good news tomorrow.”  Natalia’s eyes darkened with determination.

I will secure this project no matter what!  Second Floor – Office.  Noah handed Selina a cup of tea.

“Miss Clark, we meet again.”  Selina nodded and got straight to the point.

“Are you planning to take on the Clark Group’s project as the designer?”  Noah paused mid-motion.

“We’ll see.

The project is significant, but there are too many uncertainties.”  Selina blinked and suddenly smiled mischievously.

“Designer Brown… don’t you owe me a favor?”  Noah smiled in return.

“Oh?

What does Miss Clark have in mind?”  Half an hour later, after hearing Selina’s proposal, Noah gave her a meaningful look.

“That’s quite a clever solution.

Very well, Miss Clark-pleasure doing business with you.”  Selina extended her hand for a shake.

“Pleasure doing business with you.”  Just then, the assistant knocked on the door, his voice brimming with excitement.

“Sir, your friend is here to see you.”  Noah raised an eyebrow and grabbed Selina’s arm.

“Don’t leave yet.

Let me introduce you to someone.”  The only person Noah referred to as “friend” was Logan.

Although Noah hadn’t been able to meet with Mrs.

Reid today, Logan’s arrival still pleased him.  With Selina present, Noah said, “My friend is a prominent figure in City A.

You should meet him-building connections never hurts.”  Selina recalled Noah mentioning a close friend a few years ago.

This must be the one.  Graciously, she said, “Thank you.

If he’s your friend, he must be an extraordinary person.”  Noah chuckled.

“He originally wanted to bring his wife here to apprentice under me, but I had other commitments, so it didn’t happen.

Still, he came anyway.

I’ve never seen him so attentive to anyone before.”  Selina nodded eagerly.

“Wow, he’s so good to his wife.”  Noah hummed in agreement.

“His wife isn’t in the field of landscape design, but she’s interested in it.”  Selina continued to play along.

“Wow, his wife must be amazing.” Before long, footsteps echoed from the hallway outside.  Noah suddenly remembered something.

“By the way, I heard you got married a few days ago?

Weren’t you supposed to marry someone from the Carter family?

How did you manage to get married so quickly?”  Selina’s hand paused mid-peel on her orange, but she replied nonchalantly, “Oh, it’s fine.

I handled it.”  Noah assumed she had married another member of the Carter family, but after some thought, he realized there wasn’t a single decent man in that family.

Concerned, he frowned.  “Selina, you can’t be so casual about marriage.

What’s your husband’s name?

Let me investigate him for you.

If he treats you badly, you can divorce him once you’ve secured your mother’s inheritance.”  Selina furrowed her brows.  She had known Noah for years, so his worry was natural.

However, with Logan’s power and influence in City A, investigating him was risky.

She didn’t want Noah getting into trouble over something so trivial.  Half-lying, she responded, “Don’t worry.

My husband treats me like a queen.

He’s handsome, rich, and has given me complete control of the family finances.

Compared to him, Ryan is dirt under his shoe.

He even insists on driving me to and from school every day because he doesn’t want me to get tired.”  Noah clicked his tongue.

“Well, that does sound pretty good.”  Selina leaned in with mock sincerity.

“He cooks for me every day, wakes me up with sweet words, bundles me up when it’s cold, and constantly checks in on me.

At night, he calls me ‘baby,’ and during the day, he sticks to me like glue.

Wherever I go, he insists on following.

I had to coax him for ages to let me come meet you alone today.”  Click.

The footsteps outside halted.  A hand gripped the door handle.  Logan raised an eyebrow, the corners of his lips lifting slightly as he glanced at the office nameplate.  Well, well.

My Mrs.

Reid not only knows Noah but seems to be bragging about our relationship.  Logan’s smirk deepened as he pushed the door open.  Inside, Noah coughed lightly.

“Alright, enough bragging about your husband.

My friend seems to have arrived-“  Before he could finish, Selina looked up and locked eyes with Logan as he stepped into the office.  The room fell silent, the air heavy with awkward tension.  Selina shot to her feet, her expression morphing from surprise to sheer horror.  Wait a second!

Why is Logan here?  Noah’s friend… is Logan?!

Oh, right.

Ryan did say his uncle knew Noah.  Then what on earth was I rambling on about just now?  Her mind spun frantically.

When did Logan show up?

Did he hear everything?  All those things she’d said-“my clingy husband,” “cooks for me,” “can’t bear to see me tired”-her vision blurred, and she nearly fainted.  Noah, sensing something amiss, glanced between the two.

“You two… know each other?”  Selina choked, letting out a dry laugh.

“Well, it’s… a long story…”  Logan’s smile was warm, as gentle as a spring breeze.

“Yes, we know each other.”  Noah nodded, relieved.

“Oh, good.

I was going to-“  Logan interrupted, his tone casual but deliberate, “This is the person I mentioned earlier, someone with great talent in design…” He paused meaningfully before adding, “…Mrs.

Reid.”  Noah’s neck stiffened as he instinctively turned toward Selina.  Logan’s faint smile deepened, a glint flashing behind his gold-rimmed glasses.  “I heard all those lovely compliments Mrs.

Reid just gave me.”  Selina’s heart dropped.

It’s over.  “…”  She slumped back into her chair, covered her face with both hands, and looked like she wanted to disappear.  Help.

I just want to quietly exit this world.