Married First, Loved Later : A Flash Marriage with My Ex's 'Uncle' novel Chapter 23

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Chapter 23: Retreat to Advance

The crowd stopped in their tracks.

James’s expression froze. He had already noticed that Ethan and Alice would glance at this man before speaking, which suggested that this man’s status surpassed that of the Drake Family. He couldn’t afford to offend him.

A bead of cold sweat slid down James’s temple. "I don’t quite understand what you mean."

"Don’t understand?" Ethan glanced at Logan’s face, then suddenly let out a cold laugh.

"Didn’t Mr. Clark just insist that Miss Clark and Mr. Perez were entangled in some inappropriate relationship, and that Miss Clark needed to be taught a lesson?"

"I..."

Ethan didn’t give James a chance to speak. "And why is Mr. Clark so sure it was Mr. Perez in the room? If we hadn’t been here today, wouldn’t Miss Clark have been falsely accused?"

James instinctively looked toward Katie, and the crowd swiftly turned to follow his gaze.

Katie’s face froze as she theatrically burst into tears. "I... I didn’t mean to doubt Selina. It was all that assistant’s fault for misleading us!"

James stammered and nodded. "Y-Yes, it wasn’t our fault. We were deceived by lies..."

Ethan nodded slightly. "Oh, I see. It seems Mr. Clark doesn’t trust his own daughter. A mistress whispers something, and you believe it. A few words of provocation, and you’re ready to cut ties with the eldest daughter of the Clark Family."

"Even though her mother is gone, she’s still the eldest daughter of the Clark Family. How could you let anyone and everyone bully her?"

Selina lowered her head, feigning meekness. "Mr. Drake, Father trusts Aunt Bryant and my sister the most. I’ve gotten used to it."

Katie and Natalia covered their mouths and began sobbing, as if the world owed them something.

James’s mind buzzed. "No! That’s not it. I was just tricked by Mr. Perez’s assistant. I was furious in the moment! How could I ever cut ties with my daughter?"

Selina slowly asked, "I have no grievances with Mr. Perez’s assistant. Why would he deliberately frame me?"

Natalia shook her head, holding back tears. "Sister, are you suspecting me? I know you don’t like me and think my mom and I took your place, but I’ve always sincerely thought of you as my sister. How could I ever deliberately set you up?"

Katie cried loudly, "Exactly, it’s all a misunderstanding! Selina, you even let Mr. Drake question us. Do you even see us as family? Everyone knows how worried I was about you just now. How could you..."

James’s heart softened at Katie’s tears, and in his frustration, he roared.

"Selina, what nonsense are you spouting? Katie and Natalia have always said you’re still young and told me not to hold grudges against you. And this is how you repay them—with false accusations? You’ve really let me down!"

Selina coldly replied, "Have I really let you down, or does Father already know the truth?"

James suddenly felt an ominous sense of foreboding.

"Last night, Mr. Perez did visit my room," Selina said, raising her eyes to meet his. "Mr. Perez told me that Father had sold me to him for fifty million."

James nearly choked on his breath!

The crowd exchanged uneasy glances, unsure whether Selina was telling the truth.

Mr. Perez really came? And fifty million... wasn’t that the exact amount Perez Group invested in Clark Group?

Selina continued, her tone unhurried. "Mr. Perez drugged me, and if it weren’t for Mr. Drake and his friends arriving in time, I would’ve..." She paused, her eyes piercing James. "Father, care to explain what’s going on?"

James noticed the way everyone was looking at him, their gazes suddenly laden with suspicion. His face flushed red as he raised his voice in an attempt to cover his guilt.