Chapter 313: A Gentle Blade Riley looked genuinely concerned, as if she had no idea what was going on.
"Jaxon, put the gun down... Nancy, what happened?"
Jaxon didnât move an inch.
Riley turned to Logan, flustered and seemingly at a loss. "Logan, did Nancy do something to upset you? Iâll apologize for her, okay? Just put the gun away."
Logan remained calm.
The whole backyard went eerily silent.
Then, Selina let out a soft laugh, breaking the stillness. "Logan, you scared Miss Nelson."
Only then did Logan give a slight nod, and Jaxon holstered the gun.
Nancy collapsed to the ground with a thud, face pale and terrified.
Selina beamed at Riley, already sure of the answer to the question she hadnât yet asked.
âWhy was Nancy so bold? Because Riley gave her the nerve.
Riley glanced at the flattened herbs on the ground. "Selina, Iâm sorry. Nancyâs out of control because Iâve spoiled her. Just name your price for the herbs, and Iâll compensate you."
Selina cast her a sidelong look.
If she accepted the offer, and the story got out, Nelson Family would look like the reasonable ones.
After all, whoâd believe a few herbs were worth that much?
Riley was betting Selina wouldnât dare name a price. She was wrong.
Selina opened her mouth, but a cool male voice beat her to it.
"Then transfer the 0.5% Reid Group shares under Madam Nelsonâs name to my wife as compensation."
Logan said it casually, like it was no big deal.
"If you agree, Jack will handle the transfer later. If not, well, my wife is generousâshe wonât press the matter."
Madam Nelsonâs expression cracked. Her vision swam.
0.5% of Reid Group...!
She had fought tooth and nail to get those sharesânow she was supposed to hand them over to Selina?
Nancy was the one who ruined the herbs, so why was she footing the bill?
The shares might sound small, but the annual dividends added up to tens of millions.
Sheâd held onto them for years without Logan ever raising an eyebrow. Now he suddenly wanted them back? All for Selina?
Just as she was about to explode, Riley quietly held her hand.
"Mom," Riley said calmly, like it had just occurred to her, "Loganâs right. That was a gift for Hunter. If he doesnât want it, we should return it."
Madam Nelson stared at her in disbelief. "Riley, youâ"
"Mom, Iâve been meaning to say this. Hunter may be adopted, but he owes the Nelson Family nothing. If anything, we owe our current status to him.
You canât use your role as his adoptive mother to take advantage of his friendship with Logan."
Selina raised a brow in surprise at Rileyâs righteous tone.
Madam Nelson flushed, fuming. "Why should Selina get it, though..."
"Mom!" Riley cut her off sharply. "Selina is Loganâs wife. If Logan agrees, why are you arguing? Those shares were never yours to begin with."
It seemed Madam Nelson was finally swayed.
Riley let out a subtle breath. "Jack, Iâll leave the rest to you."
Madam Nelson stormed off with Nancy in tow, radiating fury.
Riley stepped closer to Logan, brows furrowed.
"Logan, I didnât know Mom hadnât returned those shares. I really did try to talk her into it... Iâm sorry."
Selina suddenly felt confused.
Why was Riley acting normal now?
From the conversation, it was clear the 0.5% stake was originally a gift from Logan to Hunter.
Madam Nelson had claimed it on the basis of being Hunterâs adoptive mother, but Riley had stood up and insisted it be returned.
From all angles, Riley looked like the "good guy" in this whole act.
Riley seemed to know this wasnât the time for small talk. "Logan, Iâm really sorry for today. I wonât keep you any longerâIâll get going."
She even looked over at Selina. "Selina, letâs grab lunch sometime when youâre free."
With that, Riley walked away.
Selina narrowed her eyes.
If Riley hadnât tried to provoke her several times the moment she returned to the country, Selina mightâve actually believed she was a genuinely nice person.
Respectful. Polite. Never crossing the line.
But now...
It seemed Miss Nelson operated on a level way above Natalia or Bella.
Selina snapped out of it and turned her head. "Hunter doesnât get along with the Nelson Family, but heâs close with Riley?"
Logan was slightly surprised by the question. "Yeah."
"Why?"
Logan answered casually. "Riley went abroad to study when she was a teenager. Hunter looked after her while she was overseas."
Hunter took care of her...
That made sense.
Even if he was adopted, he and Riley had grown up together. To Hunter, Riley was like a little sister.
He built his career overseas. She studied abroad. Naturally, heâd look after her.
Still, for reasons Selina couldnât quite explain, hearing this made her heart give a strange, twisting throbâtight and faintly aching.
And oddly... resentful.
Why would she feel that way?
...
Outside Sapphire Valley Villa, Riley got into the car.
Madam Nelsonâs face was red with anger. She gritted her teeth. "Riley! Selina smashed our car and you still handed over those shares?! Sheâs not even worth it!"
Riley shook her head. "Mom, youâre oversimplifying things. You know exactly what kind of man Logan is. Heâs friends with my brotherânot with you."
Madam Nelson huffed, "Canât Hunter just talk to him?!"
Riley sighed, as if thinking aloud. "We canât expect my brother to step in every time. Heâs already busy enough."
Madam Nelson fumed, "Hunterâs just a stray we picked up. If the Nelson Family hadnât dragged him out of the gutter, heâd be long dead! I gave him a second lifeâhe owes us!"
Riley gently said, "Mom..."
"Fine, the whole family knows you and Hunter are close. I wonât say more. But donât forgetâheâs not related to you by blood!"
Æreewebɳovel.com Out of view, in the shadowed corner of the car, Rileyâs lips curled in the faintest smirk.
Of course she remembered.
Thatâs exactly why she found the Nelsons so laughably stupid. No blood ties, yet they threw Hunter a bit of warmthâand he repaid it a thousand times over.
She had played that angle better than anyoneâplaying the one who "cared" most about Hunter.
Married First, Loved Later : A Flash Marriage with My Ex's 'Uncle'
ï¤Chapter 312: Your Life Isnât Worth a Dime Apocalypse: The Supporting Actress Made a Comeback ï¤Chapter 739 - 395 Bite back Shadow Slave ï¤Chapter 2468 Home Bitter Home And in return, sheâd gotten power, status, and wealth beyond imagination... not to mention, gotten closer and closer to Logan.
...
Back in the backyard.
Selina bent down, picking up the scattered herbs. She sorted out a few still usable ones.
"Miller Butler, boil these," she said calmly. "Let Logan drink a dose later."
Not far off, Jack watched, curious. "Sir, do you think the madamâs medicine will really help your eyes?"
Loganâs expression stayed flat. "I donât know."
Jack: "?"