Married First, Loved Later : A Flash Marriage with My Ex's 'Uncle'-Chapter 396: All You Do Is Repeat Gossip

Selina squinted to get a better look—

It was Joe.

Only a few days had passed, but he already looked like a shell of the man he used to be. Gone was the confident, high-spirited businessman; in his place stood a broken man, eyes brimming with tears.

"Selina," he called out softly.

Selina didn’t even glance at him. She walked past, calm and indifferent.

To her, Joe meant nothing. No love, no hate—just a stranger.

But Joe clearly didn’t feel the same. His voice cracked with emotion.

"Selina... it’s been days. Can’t you forgive your father yet?"

He was filled with regret. If only he hadn’t listened to Angelica’s lies... maybe things wouldn’t have turned out like this. Maybe his relationship with his real daughter wouldn’t be so strained.

But this wasn’t his fault, he told himself—it was all Angelica’s doing.

Logan’s eyes turned cold.

"Chairman Morris, Pear Blossom Estate is my home. You’re not welcome here."

Joe’s face twisted with frustration. He was talking to his daughter—what right did Logan have to interfere?

Joe refused to believe Selina truly wanted nothing to do with him. Victoria’s daughter couldn’t possibly be so cold-hearted. No, it had to be Logan’s influence, poisoning her against him.

But now that he was here, he remembered his real reason for coming.

"Selina," Joe said carefully, "there’s been a lot of buzz about Madam Reid being poisoned. People are saying you were involved..."

He gave a sigh, sounding more paternal than concerned.

"You’re making enemies. It’s not worth it. Amelia might not be the best person, but she’s still an elder. If you poisoned her... it’ll hurt your reputation."

Logan’s expression turned icy.

But Selina was more curious than offended.

"Where did you hear," she asked, "that I poisoned Amelia?"

Joe hesitated. "It’s all over the place. People are saying you didn’t just poison her—you set Owen up too. Selina, I know you don’t like them, but—"

"Chairman Morris," Selina interrupted, voice calm and slow. "Everything people say... must be the truth?"

Joe froze.

Of course he believed it. His own mother—Grandma Morris—had said so.

Grandma Morris said that Amelia went to Pear Blossom Estate and Selina poisoned her without saying a word. She also had the police arrest Owen. The Reid Family and the Perry Family were extremely angry and wanted to cause trouble for Selina.

That’s why he came here. In his mind, Selina had clearly caused a scene.

Logan’s tone chilled further.

"So you came all this way, assuming Selina caused trouble?"

Joe snapped. "Mr. Reid, I’m talking to my daughter. This has nothing to do with you."

Logan’s eyes narrowed slightly, voice calm but sharp.

"You call her your daughter... yet you didn’t even bother to investigate the truth. You believed rumors, assumed she poisoned someone, and rushed over here to scold her. That’s the kind of father you are?"

Joe opened his mouth, but no words came out.

"I just... If Selina didn’t do it, why would people say—"

"Joe," Logan cut in with a sneer. "You’re not just blind. Apparently, you’re not very bright either."

He took a step closer, voice like a knife.

"Yes, Amelia was poisoned. But the person who did it was Owen. That’s why he was arrested. Selina had nothing—absolutely nothing—to do with it. If you truly cared about your daughter, even the simplest inquiry would’ve told you that."

"But did you ask anyone?" Logan’s tone was biting.

Joe’s face turned sheet-white. He staggered.

"I—I..."

Logan didn’t let up.

"Not only did you not ask, you chose to believe someone else’s story and rushed here like a fool. You pretend you’re doing it for Selina’s good, but you can’t even offer her the most basic trust."

His eyes were piercing.

"And that’s what you call ’loving your daughter’?"

Joe’s lips trembled. He stammered, unable to say a word.

It took him a long moment before he finally spoke, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"Selina... it’s not that I don’t trust you. But the one who said all this was your grandmother. I didn’t get the facts straight and I misunderstood you. That’s my fault, I admit it. But—"

"Oh, Grandma Morris?"

Before Selina could speak, Logan cut in with a calm nod.

"Well, that explains it."

He tilted his head slightly, voice cold but composed.

"I’m curious—did Chairman Morris ever bother to investigate Angelica? Because Grandma Morris had been secretly helping her as far back as four years ago."

Logan paused, his tone growing sharper.

"And four years ago, after Angelica tried to have Selina killed, someone from City H stepped in to clean up the mess. Chairman Morris... do you understand what I’m getting at?"

Joe swayed slightly.

He understood. Of course he did. He’d already found traces of that connection.

He knew his mother had always had issues with Victoria—and naturally extended that dislike to Victoria’s daughter.

But that had been years ago. Now his mother had "accepted" Selina. Why bring up the past?

"Selina, it was wrong of my mother to misjudge you," Joe said, trying to smooth things over. "But she’s still your grandmother. You’re family... I’ll talk to her and clear things up. Just try not to take it to heart, okay?"

Logan gave a cold smile."Forget what happened four years ago. Forget the fact that Grandma Morris knew about Selina all along but stopped you from acknowledging her. Let’s just talk about today."

"She stirred up all this drama, created a massive misunderstanding—and you’re standing here telling Selina to be the bigger person?"

Joe didn’t see the problem.

Family squabbles were normal, weren’t they? As the younger one, it was only right for Selina to be more understanding. And Grandma Morris was his mother—did they really expect her to apologize to a younger generation?

In his mind, the entire situation stemmed from someone misleading his mother. There was no way she’d go after her own granddaughter on purpose.

"My mother raised me, sacrificed for me. Her kindness—her love—is beyond measure..."

"And that’s your debt to repay," Logan snapped. "Why should Selina carry that burden?"

His voice was sharp, contempt laced in every word.

"What has the Morris family ever done for Selina? You didn’t feed her, didn’t clothe her. You kept her in the dark, shamed her, and now your mother spreads rumors behind her back—and your reason for asking Selina to forgive her is what?"

He laughed bitterly.

"Because your mother was good to you? Joe, if you want to show gratitude, go ahead. But don’t drag Selina into it."

Selina nodded in agreement, eyes shining. Logan said it all—she didn’t even need to chime in.

Joe’s face burned with anger.

"This is ridiculous! Logan, what are you even talking about? We’re family—"

"Chairman Morris," Selina said suddenly, her tone calm but cutting.

"Everyone knows Grandma Morris never liked my mom. And because of her disapproval, you never married her."

"So tell me: back then, when Grandma Morris misunderstood my mother, did you ask her to be the bigger person too?"

"Because she was the ’younger one’? Because your mother raised you? So anyone connected to you must bow their head to your mother—even if they’re treated unfairly?"

Her voice was steady, but the meaning hit like a hammer.

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