Married First, Loved Later : A Flash Marriage with My Ex’s "Uncle" - Chapter 80

Chapter 80: No Room for Real Feelings Chapter 80: No Room for Real Feelings Logan suddenly leaned in.

“Mrs.

Reid?”  His warm breath brushed against her cheek, and Selina’s knees almost gave out.

“N-no, I wouldn’t let anyone bully me.”  Logan’s lips curved into a faint smile as he pressed a kiss above her cheek.

“That’s good.”  That’s good…?  Selina froze for a moment, instinctively blurting, “My phone…”  He wasn’t going to question her about her “lost” phone?  “If your phone’s lost, it’s lost.

I trust you,” Logan said with a soft laugh.

“And besides, I don’t think Mrs.

Reid has anything she’s hiding from me.

Right?”  Selina’s cheeks suddenly turned an unnatural shade of red.

Her words came out stammered.

“R-right.”  She couldn’t meet Logan’s gaze for the rest of the meal.  A phone lost during a short outing-who would believe that lie?  Did Logan genuinely trust her, or was he sparing her dignity by not calling her out?  Selina felt a surge of guilt.

This marriage had been her plan from the start, yet for some reason, she was beginning to feel a strange sense of uncertainty.  The kinder Logan was to her, the more unsettled she felt.  This guilt reached its peak the next day when Logan handed her a brand-new phone.  Selina hesitated for a long time.

Should she thank Logan?  But what could she possibly give him as thanks?

Logan had everything…  Her mind drifted to the memory of him cooking last time.

Almost unconsciously, Selina found herself in the kitchen.  Born into wealth, Logan had every privilege, yet he still cooked so well-skills he’d apparently picked up while studying abroad.  But considering his resources and status, wouldn’t he have had plenty of staff even while abroad?

Why would he need to cook for himself?  Was it possible he really hadn’t had anyone to cook for him?  Lost in thought, Selina didn’t even realize she had already turned on the stove, her face a picture of deep concentration.  …  An hour later.  Logan stepped out of his car.  Jack followed behind, reporting, “Robert was brought to the police station.

After his release, the company terminated him.

Now he and Evelyn are preparing to confront the Clark Family.”  Logan raised an eyebrow.

“Oh?”  “Robert claims Katie instigated him to humiliate Selina.

He insists everything he did was for Katie.

Now that he’s been fired, he believes Katie should take responsibility.”  Jack continued, “But Katie, of course, denies it.

She’s tearfully telling James that Robert is greedy and that none of this has anything to do with her.”  “As you predicted, sir, the siblings are starting to turn on each other.”  Logan’s tone was calm.

“It’s not enough.

The Bryant Family is relying on Katie right now.

For them to completely fall apart, we’ll need the right opportunity.”  Jack nodded in understanding.

“Then, sir…”  Before he could finish, Miller Butler rushed out.

“Sir, you should come quickly!

Mrs.

Reid has burned her hand badly!”  Logan’s brow furrowed immediately, and he strode inside without hesitation.  …  Selina couldn’t understand how, despite following every step of the instructions, she had failed so miserably.  Not only had she failed, but her hand had been scalded by the hot pan, leaving a red and swollen mark.  When Logan entered, the first thing he saw was Selina sitting on the couch, looking utterly bewildered.  He walked over, took her hand, and his gaze turned sharp.

“Come here.

Let me treat this.”  Selina swallowed nervously.

Why did it feel like Logan was in a bad mood?

Had she somehow offended him instead of thanking him?  The cool ointment soothed the burn on her hand, easing the pain.  Logan spoke in a flat tone.

“You just got burned yesterday, and now you’ve made it worse today.

Mrs.

Reid, is Sapphire Valley Villa starving you so badly that you felt the need to cook yourself?”  For someone who didn’t know how to cook, what had possessed her to step into the kitchen?  Selina lowered her head, her voice small and uncertain.

“I just wanted to learn.”  Logan couldn’t understand her fixation on cooking.

“If you can’t learn, that’s fine.

Cooking isn’t a necessary skill.”  Selina hesitated for a long moment before softly saying, “But I wanted to thank you.”  Logan’s hand froze mid-motion as he applied the ointment, his heart skipping a beat.

“What did you say?”  Selina blinked.

“You stood up for me yesterday, so I wanted to thank you.”  Logan wasn’t sure what to feel.  Thank him?  She wanted to cook just to thank him?

How ridiculous.  Logan looked at her intently.

“Getting yourself hurt as a way to thank me isn’t worth it.

Don’t go into the kitchen again.”  Selina bit her lip.

“But I don’t have any other way to repay you…”  Logan replied coolly, “There are plenty of ways to thank me.

Didn’t Mrs.

Reid give me a couple’s watch last time?”  Selina opened her mouth to speak but said nothing.  He was right-there were many ways to thank him.

In the past, she had used the excuse of gratitude to give Logan gifts, all as part of her plan to secure their marriage and gain the Carter Family inheritance.  But those gestures weren’t sincere.  She had gifted him the watch to flatter the Carter Family heir, ensuring she could reclaim her inheritance more easily.  Now, she just wanted to genuinely thank the man named Logan.

She didn’t care about his status or position anymore.  For reasons she couldn’t explain, she didn’t want to deceive him any longer.  Logan didn’t lack money or possessions.

What she should give him was her sincerity.

But how could there be sincerity in a marriage built on calculation?  …  Ten minutes later, Selina sat alone in the study, staring at the carefully treated burn on her hand, feeling lost.  Did Logan think of her as some naive girl from the countryside who needed his protection?

In reality, she navigated City A with ease and was more than capable of defending herself.  Should she tell him the truth about those years she supposedly spent “in the countryside”?  Beep, beep… Her phone suddenly rang.  Selina frowned at the caller ID, her tone turning serious.

“Justin, what is it?”  The caller, Justin Gray, was one of the few people she trusted completely from her years “in the countryside.”  “Luna, they’ve found traces of your escape in Country B.

It’s likely they’ll track you to City A soon.”  Selina’s eyes narrowed.

“They found me that quickly?”  “Yes.

I’ve returned to the country as well.”  Justin’s voice remained calm.

“You can’t afford any weaknesses right now.

I heard you got married?”  Selina’s breath hitched.  After a long silence, she steadied her voice.

“Don’t worry.

It’s just a marriage of convenience.”  Justin sighed.

“Luna, I grew up with you.

I know you’re someone who gets emotionally attached.

When all of this is over, if you want to get married or fall in love, I won’t stop you.

But not now.”  “For your sake-and his-you can’t let yourself develop real feelings.”  A lump formed in Selina’s throat, a sensation she’d never experienced before.

It was as though all the strength had drained from her body.  “…I understand.”  After hanging up, Selina sat there in a daze.  The call felt like a cold bucket of water, snapping her back to reality.  She still had a mountain of unresolved problems.

Telling Logan the truth would only drag him into her mess.  …  A few days later.  Ethan frowned as he looked at the file Logan handed him.

“Are you certain the hacker who stole Reid Group’s files five years ago was named Luna?”  Logan’s deep eyes lifted slightly.

“Why?

Is there a problem?”