Married First, Loved Later : A Flash Marriage with My Ex's 'Uncle'-Chapter 435: Misunderstood

Selina looked up.

Riley was smiling sweetly and demurely. "Logan, mind if I sit here?"

Logan was busy cutting Selina’s steak. He didn’t even glance up. "Suit yourself."

Riley’s eyes lit up with fake delight. She shot Selina a meaningful look, acting like she’d just realized something. "Selina, you’re not mad, are you?"

Selina raised an eyebrow. What a loaded question.

The cafeteria used solid wood tables, most seating four. Technically there was space for two more at their table.

But with so many empty seats around, why this one?

Selina set down her fork and lifted her chin. "Even if I said no, would Miss Nelson actually get up and leave?"

Riley pressed her lips together like she’d been terribly wronged. "Logan, look at how she’s talking to me..."

But Selina smiled brightly and cut her off. "Don’t worry—I’m not that petty. It’s not like I own the cafeteria. Miss Nelson can sit wherever she likes. You didn’t really think I was that small-minded, did you?"

Riley’s fist clenched so hard her knuckles turned white.

She took several deep breaths before sitting down, pretending not to care.

"Logan, what’s good here? Any recommendations?"

Logan didn’t even look at her. "No."

He set down his utensils, picked up his tray, and stood. "Selina. Let’s go."

Selina blinked, then immediately realized what he meant. She jumped up and followed him to a table three rows away.

Riley’s breath hitched. She stared in disbelief. "Logan, you—"

"Sorry," Logan said coolly. "My wife and I prefer to eat without being disturbed."

Riley’s eyes brimmed with tears. "But I don’t want to eat alone, Logan. You’re the only one I know here..."

Selina’s smile was razor-sharp as she cut in. "Come on, Miss Nelson, aren’t those your coworkers over there? You can eat with them. I’m sure you don’t mind, right?"

Riley was so angry she was shaking.

She glared at Logan’s retreating back but couldn’t follow.

Selina, who the hell do you think you are?!

Eat with these... workers? That would cheapen the Nelson family name!

But with Selina saying it out loud like that, what choice did she have? If she refused, it would make her look terrible.

Luke was gaping. "...Damn. That’s genius."

...

Riley finally sat stiffly with some other staff.

Stone watched it all with an oily smile and let out a cold, mocking laugh. "Don’t be upset, Miss Nelson. Give it time—Mr. Reid will figure out who the real assistant is. That useless little homewrecker will get tossed aside sooner or later."

Riley’s mood improved a little. She even put on a scolding tone. "Assistant Stone! How can you talk like that?"

Stone chuckled darkly. "Miss Nelson, I didn’t name any names. But if a certain fox wants to make it about her, so be it."

The entire table went quiet.

Everyone could tell—Stone was outright insulting Selina.

...

Across the room, Selina met Riley’s icy stare and let her lips curl in a slow, taunting smile.

She pointed at a plate of shrimp in front of her. "I want those. Logan, peel them for me."

If they wanted to call her a shameless seductress, fine. She might as well really own it.

Logan gave a low laugh and calmly pulled on a pair of disposable gloves.

He peeled one shrimp and dropped it into her bowl.

Selina beamed, eyes sparkling.

"Sure, a fox might get thrown away someday. But at least the fox gets to have it all for now. Don’t you agree, Miss Nelson?"

Riley nearly coughed up blood.

She needed to call her brother. She couldn’t let Selina keep humiliating her like this! 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

...

After that lunch, the office gossip got even juicier.

"Did you hear? Mr. Reid actually went to the cafeteria with Selina. He peeled her shrimp for her. So spoiled!"

"I saw it. Seriously, the way he looks at her is different."

"Yeah, they’re a perfect match. And honestly, Assistant Stone has always thrown his weight around just because he’s senior. I think Miss Clark handled that just right—"

"Shh!"

Someone suddenly cut in, forcing a bright smile.

"Miss Nelson! You’re back."

Riley had just walked in and heard them praising Selina. Her whole body was trembling with anger, her sweet facade cracking.

"Get out. All of you. OUT!"

The PR team exchanged uneasy looks, then filed out of the office. As soon as they were in the hallway, the snark began.

"Nelson pulled strings to get her in here. She really thinks she’s our CEO’s wife or something..."

"Keep it down. She’s still a Nelson. You want to cross her?"

Inside, Riley couldn’t hold it in any longer. She let out a piercing scream and swept everything off her desk with a crash.

"AHHH!!"

She’d worked so hard to get into Reid Group, thinking proximity would win Logan over. But now there was Selina!

Why?! She and Logan were childhood friends. When she’d known him, Selina had been some backwater hick dumped in the countryside!

Riley suddenly remembered something. She grabbed her phone and called Assistant Stone.

"You said Logan wants to merge CL Group with SL?"

"Get me the lead on that project. If you do, I’ll make sure you’re appointed SL’s VP."

If she could deliver even one result, then between her and Selina, everyone would choose her.

After all, who would want some shameless flirt who only knew how to seduce men?

And besides...

She’d seen the name SL before.

It was mentioned among the assets Hunter’s parents had left him.

SL was Hunter’s parents’ legacy. Which meant... Hunter was the real owner behind SL.

And she was Hunter’s sister.

If she took charge of SL, wouldn’t that be only natural?

...

When Hunter got Riley’s call, he was baffled.

SL? Sure, he knew the company existed, but what did that have to do with him?

Why was Riley so fixated on it? He wasn’t SL’s owner. He had no power to hand its control over to anyone.

...

Two days later.

The company rumor mill was buzzing that Logan was planning to merge CL and SL and would need someone in charge.

Somehow, Riley’s name started getting floated as the obvious pick.

Why?

Because during one lunch, she’d let slip that she was "good friends" with SL’s owner, that the whole deal was happening because of her.

When Jack reported all this, Selina was silent for a full three minutes.

"..."

How can someone be that good at flattering herself?

She actually felt sick to her stomach.

And then she remembered Riley was doing all this to impress Logan.

Selina let out a cold laugh, flicked her hair, and sauntered over to Logan with deliberate mischief in her eyes.

"Logan," she drawled sarcastically, "what do you think Nelson would do if she found out I’m the big boss behind SL?"

Logan froze in place.

Selina’s breath, warm and soft, ghosted over his neck. She was totally oblivious to how intimate it felt, her voice dripping with biting sweetness.

"Nelson keeps fantasizing the SL owner likes her. But I don’t like her at all. I’m just worried she’ll be so traumatized she won’t recover. Logan, would you be sad if that happened~?"

All this scheming, all to get Logan’s attention.

The man was practically a walking flirt magnet!

Selina decided to vent every ounce of her irritation.

She rested her hand on his shoulder and leaned in so close her body brushed his chest.

"Logan, say something."

Logan took a deep breath.

"...Mrs. Reid."

"Mm?" Selina purred, ready to tease him more.

But then she noticed the vein ticking at his temple. He looked like he was barely holding something back.

A bad feeling hit her.

"Logan, you—"

But it was too late.

His lips crashed down on hers, his voice gravelly and low.

"Don’t tease me."