Chapter 87: Suspicion Ryanâs face flushed red and pale alternately. As the eldest son of the Carter Family, he had always been accustomed to being respected, and now someone was brazenly mocking him!
"Mr. Gray, I urge you to watch your words!"
Natalia felt an overwhelming wave of resentment as her eyes reddened. "Mr. Gray, itâs not what you think. My sister didnât have an invitation..."
"Miss Selina, there you are!"
The Carter Familyâs butler hurriedly ran down the stairs, visibly out of breath. "Please, come in quickly. Old Mr. Carter has been waiting for you for quite some time!"
Nataliaâs words caught in her throat as her face turned ashen, a sense of foreboding creeping over her.
Selina curved her lips into a faint smile. "Apologies for keeping Grandpa Carter waiting. But it wasnât my choice to stand outside; Ryan and my dear sister insisted I not come in."
The butler frowned, casting a sharp glare at Natalia before addressing Ryan with polite formality, "Young Master, did Miss Selina do something to upset you? If so, please set aside personal grievances for now and allow Miss Selina upstairs to discuss the cooperation matter."
Nataliaâs mind seemed to short-circuit, her expression visibly panicking.
"Discuss cooperation..."
She was already here, so why would Selina be involved in discussing cooperation?
Ryan quickly interjected, "Natalia can handle the cooperation just fine. Selina doesnât know anythingâ"
"Ryan, your statement is quite baffling," Justin interrupted nonchalantly.
"Old Mr. Carter specifically requested Selinaâs participation. Moreover, my side has also designated Clark Familyâs eldest daughter as the official liaison. This has nothing to do with Natalia from start to finish."
"I get that youâre protective of your fiancée, but isnât it a bit much to steal credit from the Clark Familyâs rightful heir? Isnât Natalia supposed to care deeply for her sister? Yet she impersonates the lead negotiator and pushes Clark Familyâs legitimate heiress aside. Is that what you call care?"
Nataliaâs face contorted in shock and fear.
Impersonating the lead negotiator? She hadnât done that! This cooperation was supposed to be hers!
"If Clark Familyâs eldest daughter isnât clear on this, allow me to clarify further," Justin said with chilling precision, cutting off her thoughts.
"The original agreement was outlined twenty years ago by Victoria Adams. As such, when we reopen this partnership two decades later, naturally, Victoriaâs daughter should take charge. The daughter of a mistress need not interfereâour standards are far higher than to accept just anyone."
The moment he finished, the room descended into a deafening silence.
Selina arched an eyebrow, stepping onto the staircase. "Sister, Ryan, I told you not to be so confident."
With that, she walked past them, joining Justin in Old Mr. Carterâs study upstairs.
Once Selina was out of earshot, murmurs broke out among the remaining guests.
"...So the lead on this project is Clark Familyâs eldest daughter?"
"If thatâs the case, then whatâs Natalia doing here? Victoria brokered the dealâsurely it doesnât involve Natalia, a child born out of wedlock."
"Looks like years of being indulged by the Clark Family have gone to her head. She needs to remember her place."
Nataliaâs face alternated between pale and flushed as she stood frozen in humiliation.
Ryan, equally mortified, inwardly blamed Natalia for coming to the Carter Family unprepared and dragging him into this mess.
"Ryan, itâs all my fault. I embarrassed you..."
Natalia bit her lip, her voice trembling with sobs. "Iâm sorry. Iâll leave right away."
Ryanâs fleeting frustration dissolved instantly. "Natalia, donât say such nonsense. This is the Carter Family. Youâre the future Mrs. Carter. Of course, youâre welcome here."
"Iâll take you to the tea room to rest. Later, you can stay for dinner with Mr. Gray. He might have misunderstood you, and Iâll help explain."
Nataliaâs eyes gleamed coldly.
Selina had just stolen all the attention. If she were to oversee the partnership, Nataliaâs reputation would be in ruins.
She couldnât let Selina have the upper hand...
Her gaze landed on her sapphire bracelet, a sudden idea forming in her mind.
If her bracelet went "missing" and then turned up in Selinaâs bag...
...
Upstairs, in the study.
Justin didnât hold back: "Old Mr. Carter, is this really the best your grandson can do? Is the Carter Family short on food or money? How did he turn out so clueless?"
Selina: "..."
Old Mr. Carter looked embarrassed. "Who wouldâve thought heâd be so bewitched by a woman? Thankfully, my youngest son is back in the country.
From now on, the Carter Family will be in his hands."
Justin nodded. "And what are your thoughts about the cooperation deal?"
Old Mr. Carter replied, "Since Victoria was the one who proposed the partnership, itâs only fitting that Selina takes full charge. This cooperation is beneficial for all three families."
Justin raised an eyebrow. "That may be true, but having the eldest daughter of the Clark Family work herself to the bone for their benefit doesnât seem fair."
The partnership would undoubtedly benefit the Clark Group, but ultimately, the real winner would be Natalia.
Old Mr. Carter paused, his expression turning serious. "Youâre right; that wonât do. Selina, why donât you set up your own studio? Given how the Clark Family has treated you, you owe them nothing. Since theyâve chosen Natalia, this cooperation no longer involves them."
Justinâs eyes narrowed slightly.
Suddenly, the butler interjected, "Sir, itâs time for your medication."
Old Mr. Carter nodded, seemingly satisfied with his decision. "That settles it. The Clark Group wonât interfere. Selina, discuss the details with Mr.
Gray. Iâll go take my medicine, and later, you can stay for dinner."
After Old Mr. Carter left, Justin lowered his voice. "I just tested Old Mr. Carter a moment ago. Nothing seemed off. He appears genuinely concerned about you and fondly remembers your mother."
Selina blinked in surprise. "You suspect Grandpa Carter?"
"I suspect every member of the Carter Family," Justin said casually. "Under what circumstances did your mother sign that will? If Old Mr. Carter truly saw her as a daughter, why didnât he step in when that mistress angered her to the point of illness?"
"These inconsistencies are too strange. I have to probe further. You canât let a few kind gestures from Old Mr. Carter over the years cloud your judgment."
Besides... Justin chuckled lightly.
Selina grew up with little affection. A few kind words from Old Mr. Carter, and she clung to them. But the facts remained:
If Old Mr. Carter truly cared for her, he wouldnât have allowed her to be cast out of the family or bullied by the mistress and her daughter.
Still, Justin planned to investigate furtherâjust in case his assumptions were wrong.
"Enough of that for now. If the old man invited you to stay for dinner, stay," Justin said.
Selina nodded, though something nagged at her. She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Justin, is everyone from the Carter Family here today?"
Justin nodded. "The cooperation deal is a big deal. Naturally, anyone with influenceâor even those hoping to mooch off itâhas shown up."
Selina hesitated.
But... why hadnât she seen Logan yet?
Her eyes darted with curiosity as she thought of something. "Justin, can I ask you a question?"
"Sure. What is itâ"
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Her phone suddenly rang. A familiar voice filtered through the speaker and into her ears.
"Mrs. Reid, are you at the Carter Family estate?"
Married First, Loved Later : A Flash Marriage with My Ex's 'Uncle'
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