Chapter 93: Passing the Blame James froze, his expression one of utter disbelief as silence fell over the room.
Loganâs words had struck like thunder, reverberating through the conference hall, leaving everyone in stunned shock.
Jamesâ mind reeled, overtaken by fear as his gaze darted to Selina and Logan standing together. Memories of his numerous praises for Natalia and Ryan as the perfect couple and his pressure on Selina to give up Ryan came crashing down. The realization clawed at his mind, though he desperately tried to deny it.
"This... This is impossible!" James stammered, his voice cracking.
Selina blinked in surprise and turned to Logan. She hadnât expected him to come, much less to publicly reveal their marriage.
Jamesâ thoughts spiraled, grasping at straws, unwilling to accept the truth. But before he could fully process, Jack stepped forward, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade:
"Impossible? Mr. Clark, perhaps you should reconsider your words. Instead of denying reality, why donât you explain Clark Familyâs intentions in attempting to undermine Mr. Reidâs marriage? What exactly are you scheming?"
The air thickened, and a collective gasp escaped the onlookers. Any lingering doubt was obliterated as Jackâs statement confirmed the truth.
James frantically shook his head, beads of sweat rolling down his temples. "No... No, Reid sir, this has to be a mistakeâsurely youâre joking!"
Loganâs expression didnât waver. "Mr. Clark seems to need further clarification. Should I spell it out for you?"
James swallowed hard, his knees nearly giving way.
Loganâs icy gaze swept over the room as he spoke, his tone resolute:
"Selina is my wife. My one and only wife. Is that clear now?"
The impact of those words was like a bomb detonating in the room, scattering any remaining composure. The truth had been laid bare, and its weight was unbearable.
Logan Reid, the most powerful man in the roomâno, in the cityâhad just declared Selina as his wife. The implications rippled outward, and the consequences loomed over the Taylor and Clark families like a storm.
James staggered back, barely managing to keep himself upright, his voice trembling with disbelief. "No... Selina is just a country bumpkin, a nobody..."
The stockholders of Clark Group exchanged uneasy glances, their earlier disdain for Selina now turning to shame and fear. The woman they had dismissed as unworthy of attention was now Mrs. Reid.
Natalia, on the other hand, trembled violently, her nails digging into her palms as her world unraveled. If Selina was Mrs. Reid, what did that make her? And Ryan? All her schemes, her manipulations, reduced to ash. Her gaze flickered to Selinaâs wrist, where a familiar coupleâs watch gleamed, and her heart sank.
"This canât be true... Itâs not possible!" Natalia whispered hoarsely, tears streaking her face.
Katie, meanwhile, was shaking like a leaf, her denial spilling out in incoherent mutters. "No... Selina married Logan? Thatâs impossible! She was just supposed to be a failure, a nothing, a servant under Nataliaâs feet!"
freewebnÏvel.cøm But reality was inescapable. Selina had defied all expectations, and now, standing beside Logan Reid, she shone brighter than anyone in the room.
Logan glanced at Selina, his tone laced with dry amusement. "Selina, it seems your family isnât exactly celebrating our union."
Selina feigned a pitiful pout, her tone brimming with mockery. "Of course not, Logan. My family wanted me to marry Steven. To them, Steven is the best man in the world. And you? What are you compared to him?"
Her sarcasm cut deep.
James panicked, his voice cracking as he scrambled to recover. "Selina, waitâthis is a misunderstanding!"
But Selina continued with chilling indifference. "My dear family knew I was married and still tried to force me to divorce. I guess Reid Group just doesnât measure up to Taylor Group. And Logan, wouldnât you say people with a history of being mistresses have... questionable judgment?"
Natalia swayed on her feet, tears cascading down her face as the weight of her defeat crushed her.
Logan replied indifferently, "I originally planned to give Clark Family a helping hand out of respect for you. But now, it seems Iâm the one whoâs unworthy."
Help the Clark Family?
Jamesâ heart sank as he realized just how much he had lost.
If Logan had intervened, Clark Group wouldnât have to worry about their financial losses!
The shareholders exchanged uneasy glances, their faces darkening. Their discontent was clear as they directed blame toward Katie and Natalia.
If it werenât for those two stirring up trouble, Clark Group could have secured Reid Groupâs support. With that kind of backing, financial issues wouldnât even be a concern.
Selina nodded and casually glanced at Steven. "Iâll make sure to ask Ethan later about Taylor Groupâs true intentions. Why is it so desperate for a commercial marriage? Is it because theyâre looking down on you, or because theyâre looking down on Reid Group?"
Taylor Groupâs entire delegation turned pale, their arrogance from earlier replaced by sheer panic.
"Mr. Reid, no... Youâve misunderstood..."
Taylorâs CEO broke out in a cold sweat, scrambling to shift the blame. "Itâs the Clark Family! They were the ones pushing for a commercial marriage between our families. They claimed Clark Familyâs eldest daughter couldnât find a husband and insisted this was all her idea. We were misled!"
Selina blinked innocently. "Is that so? Because just now, Taylor Group didnât seem to share that opinion."
The CEO nearly choked on his regret, wishing he could slap his son for dragging them into this mess. Of all people to pursue, he had to target Mrs.
Reid?!
"No, no, Mrs. Reid! We had no idea who you were! It was a mistakeâa grievous mistake! Please accept our apologies. We didnât mean to offend you or pressure you into anything. It was all Clark Familyâs scheme! I swear, they mustâve concocted this to protect their illegitimate daughter and came up with this vile plan to sell you out!"
Jamesâ expression darkened, panic flashing across his face as he interjected, "Nonsense! It was your son who lusted after Selina and deceived us into believing they were in love. Thatâs the only reason we agreed to this marriage!"
Desperate to shield Clark Family from Loganâs wrath, James swallowed his bitterness and scrambled to explain himself:
"Mr. Reid, Selina is my biological daughter. How could I not care for her? Everything Taylor Groupâs CEO has said is baseless slander, outright lies!"
Selina arched an eyebrow. Was this really turning into a case of the pot calling the kettle black?
Apparently, the so-called alliance between Clark Family and Taylor Group wasnât as unshakable as it appeared.
The CEO of Taylor Group, fearing Loganâs wrath, turned red with fury. "Lies! You decrepit old man, do you even have any shame? My son has never even met Mrs. Reid before today! And âmutual affectionâ? You dare spout such garbage? This is clearly about your Clark Family running out of funds, Married First, Loved Later : A Flash Marriage with My Ex's 'Uncle'
ï¤Chapter 92: I Am Her Husband Apocalypse: The Supporting Actress Made a Comeback ï¤Chapter 739 - 395 Bite back Shadow Slave unwilling to sacrifice your precious illegitimate daughter, and instead choosing to sell your eldest daughter to us! Mr. Reid, Iâm telling the truth!"
James retaliated immediately. "Whereâs your proof? Taylor Groupâs reputation is riddled with scandal. Weâre Selinaâs familyâof course we would neverâ"
Bang.
The sound of a porcelain teacup being placed on the glass table silenced them both.
Logan leaned back, his demeanor calm but radiating authority. "Gentlemen, I have no interest in your petty squabbles. I only want the truth."
Their bickering came to an abrupt halt, leaving both men visibly pale and shaken.
James composed himself first, forcing a sycophantic smile.
"Mr. Reid, everything Iâve said is true. Itâs all Taylor Groupâs faultâthey tricked us! I only wanted Selina to marry someone she loves. Thatâs why Iâ
heaven and earth can bear witnessâIâm not lying..."
Before James could finish, his phone rang.
A trembling voice on the other end delivered devastating news:
"Mr. Clark, the perfume supply chain has just been shut down. Clark Groupâs inventoryâworth billionsâis set to be destroyed. What... what do we do?"
The entire room froze, faces drained of color as every eye turned instinctively toward Logan.
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