Married First, Loved Later : A Flash Marriage with My Ex’s "Uncle" - Chapter 593

Chapter 593: Put to Shame

Everyone turned to look at Hannah.

Hannah’s face went pale, but she forced a smile. Even though all eyes were on her, she absolutely couldn’t show weakness. She couldn’t admit that the “beneficiary” Aaron referred to was her.

Selina couldn’t help but admire Hannah’s psychological resilience.

Aaron cast Hannah a calm glance. “No matter. I’ll personally investigate and find out who tried to harm Selina. Selina, you’re hurt. Do you still want to attend the banquet?”

Selina shook her head.

Aaron said, “Very well. I’ll have the guests dismissed.”

Ava finally found her chance to speak and quickly jumped in. “Big Brother, the guests have been waiting for so long. If you send them away now, won’t they resent the Hill Family? Isn’t this just playing them for fools?”

Then she turned to Selina. “Selina, you’re being far too willful…”

Before she could finish, Aaron’s eyes hardened, his voice cold as ice. “Ava, what—do you think the Hill Family’s eldest daughter should greet guests while bleeding and in pain?”

“Resent the Hill Family? Even if the banquet were canceled simply because Selina didn’t feel like coming, that would be her choice. What does it have to do with you?”

Ava’s face flushed. “Big Brother, I didn’t mean—”

“Mind your own business. The Hill Family doesn’t need an outsider meddling.”

Ava’s eyes reddened, nearly faint with rage.

As Aaron expected, the guests felt no resentment. The attendees were divided into two camps: those who wanted to side with Matt remained outside, while most of those inside the banquet hall were invited by Aaron.

So when they learned the banquet was canceled because of Selina’s car accident, many drew in sharp breaths.

“A car accident? That driver clearly meant to kill her—what kind of grudge is that?”

“What grudge could a driver have with Miss Clark? If there’s a grudge, it’s with…”

Several meaningful glances turned toward Hannah.

Hannah gave a quick signal, and when she saw Selina and Aaron step inside, she hurried to Matt’s side, her expression grim. “Dad…”

Damn it. The plan from thirty years ago had gone so smoothly. If that was the case, then why did Jeff have to return? Why couldn’t Victoria have just died cleanly?

Matt’s expression was dark and brooding. He gave a slight shake of his head, his gaze flicking toward Ava.

Hannah’s eyes lit up. “Dad, you mean…”

Matt’s voice was heavy with implication. “There’s still one pill left—the last one. If Logan were to take it…”

Meanwhile, Aaron led Selina into the villa. “Even though you and Mr. Reid don’t live here at the Hill estate, your room has been prepared. See if you like it.”

He added, “It’s a new room, on the third floor, east wing. It has a terrace. Right next door is your mother’s old room. Hannah had occupied it before, but after Father returned, he had it taken back, cleaned, and restored to how it was.”

It was just a pity—the room could be restored, but the person could never return.

Selina was silent for a few seconds. “Take me to the room. By the way, my uncle and grandmother…”

“They’ll come by later. For now, go rest.”

Aaron didn’t spell it out, but Selina knew he was going to investigate the driver.

When they reached the third floor, Aaron stopped at the room at the far east end. He tried the door.

It didn’t open.

He frowned. He had clearly told someone to leave the door unlocked, even arranged roses inside to welcome Selina.

So why was the door locked now?

But the locked door wasn’t a big deal. Aaron quickly had the butler come over to open it.

The moment the door swung open, his expression darkened.

—Something was wrong with the room.

He had already investigated Selina’s preferences in advance, even hired a professional design team to decorate the space according to her tastes, filling it with all-new furniture. But now—

The room that should have belonged to the Hill Family’s eldest daughter was gone, replaced by a teahouse.

Aaron’s face turned stormy.

Having a teahouse in the Hill estate wasn’t unusual. But this room had been prepared especially for Selina, with designers coming in and out for days. There was no way the entire Hill Family didn’t know what this room meant.

Yet in just the few days he was away in City A—the room had vanished, transformed into a teahouse.

Aaron’s voice was heavy. “Butler.”

The butler hadn’t expected this at all. He instantly realized the seriousness of the situation and said in a panic, “Young Master, don’t worry, I’ll investigate immediately—”

“Aaron, there you are. Oh my, this must be Selina, right? She’s exactly as they described. Just like Victoria—a real beauty!”

The butler hadn’t even finished when a shrill yet delighted, sarcastic female voice rang out.

Selina narrowed her eyes, turning toward the speaker.

The woman had eyes full of calculation and shrewdness, with a flash of disdain whenever she looked at Selina.

Someone who could wander freely in the Hill estate, address Aaron by name, and openly display hostility toward Selina—Selina immediately knew who she was.

Matt’s daughter-in-law, Hannah’s sister-in-law, Philip’s wife—June Bryant.

Aaron’s gaze turned cold. “What do you want?”

“Aaron, how can you say that? I’m still Selina’s elder. Now that she’s come home, how could I not come to greet her? Such a beauty. Here, Selina, this is my gift for you.”

June slipped a jade bracelet from her wrist and stepped forward with a seemingly warm smile. But just as she reached out, she suddenly loosened her grip—

Her lips curled into a smirk.

She had used this trick on many young women before: pretend to give a gift, then “accidentally” drop it. Once it shattered, she would play the victim, accusing the other of being careless or ungrateful.

She was the one offering the gift, yet if it broke, everyone would side with her when she claimed Selina refused to accept it or smashed it in anger.

But—

The instant June released the bracelet, Selina moved swiftly, snatching it from the air.

What should have fallen and shattered was caught firmly in Selina’s hand.

“Aunt June, be careful. Next time you give someone a gift, don’t let go until they’ve actually reached for it.”

“Otherwise, if it falls to the ground, it’ll be hard to explain, won’t it?”

Selina’s lips curved faintly as she forced the bracelet back into June’s palm. “As for this jade bracelet, forget it. I have no taste for accepting other people’s castoffs.”

June’s expression brightened as if she had finally caught Selina’s mistake. “Selina, how can you say that? I only wanted to give you a welcome gift as your elder. If you don’t like it, that’s fine, but how can you call it trash? This bracelet cost me a fortune!”

“If it’s meant as a gift, it should be new. The Hill Family can certainly afford something fresh. Or what—are you suggesting my father and I have treated you poorly?” Aaron’s tone was icily cutting.

June’s face stiffened. “That’s not what I meant… I only mentioned that last time I saw the Sanders Family’s matriarch, I heard their young master brought his girlfriend home. The old lady also gave her a jade bracelet…”

Aaron’s tone was cool. “The Sanders young master brought his girlfriend home unexpectedly. The matriarch didn’t know in advance, so she didn’t have time to prepare a gift. That’s why she gave away the bracelet she’d worn for ten years.”

“But Selina’s return—you knew from day one, didn’t you?” Aaron’s eyes were frosty. “You had plenty of time to prepare. Don’t tell me you only thought of acting generous now.”

He stepped in front of Selina. “What, you expect her to thank you for this?”

Selina blinked. Having a brother like this felt really good.

June hadn’t expected her usual trick to backfire so badly, leaving her humiliated instead.

She forced a laugh. “Aaron, you misunderstand! Of course I prepared a proper gift for Selina. It just… hasn’t been delivered to the house yet. If she doesn’t like this bracelet, then forget it.”

Inside, June cursed both Aaron and Selina a hundred times over. Damn them!

But then her eyes flickered, and she suddenly smiled again. “Oh right, Selina, you haven’t seen your room yet, have you? Why don’t I take you there?”

Her room?

Aaron instantly understood—Selina’s missing room had to be connected to June.

But before he could speak, Selina gave him a slight shake of her head and asked with faint interest, “Really? Where’s my room?”

“It’s on the second floor, right next to Ava’s!”

June beamed, grabbing Selina’s hand in mock affection as they headed downstairs. Spotting Ava already waiting, she called out, “Ava, quickly take your sister Selina to her room.”

Ava had already recovered her composure.

Grandfather and Aunt were right—Selina was just a country bumpkin, easy to deal with. All she needed to do was act warm and close, make Selina realize she could never measure up, and plant that seed of self-doubt.

She had to make Selina believe she didn’t deserve to be part of the Hill Family. That way, victory would come without a fight.

Thinking this, Ava’s eyes gleamed. She looped her arm through Selina’s wrist, speaking with fake warmth. “Selina, I was wrong earlier. Let me apologize. I just didn’t expect that driver to be so vicious. Please don’t be angry with me, okay?”

Selina arched a brow, curious what tricks this aunt-and-niece pair were playing.

She soon found out.

As Ava led Selina past one of the rooms, seeing Aaron hadn’t followed, she put on a sweet, helpful tone that was really meant to show off.

“Selina, this is my room. If you ever need anything, you can come to me. Grandpa and Aunt dote on me the most, so they gave me the largest room. The decorations are super luxurious. You probably don’t know, but the carpet alone costs in the seven figures! And that chandelier—it’s from an international luxury brand. There’s only one like it in the whole world.”

“The renovations alone cost tens of millions, and the furnishings are even more expensive. Sometimes I even worry… that I don’t deserve such a beautiful room.”

Then Ava batted her lashes playfully. “But Selina, you won’t have that problem. Your room was decorated by me, and I picked things I like. They’re not nearly as expensive.”