CHAPTER 453: A PASSING THOUGHT

She couldn’t even imagine how much her mother must have suffered under Grandma Morris when she was with Joe.

"Hannah has a very good reputation in Morris Group," Logan said calmly.

Selina turned her head. "You mean she deliberately built herself up, crafted an image, so everyone at Morris Group would accept her as the Mrs. Morris?"

Logan nodded.

Selina couldn’t quite understand it. She just couldn’t figure out what Hannah was really after by marrying Joe. To win over Grandma Morris, to win over the whole Morris Group—was Joe really worth all that?

Hannah wasn’t some naive woman. From what had happened over twenty years ago, Selina knew she was calculating. But why go this far for Joe?

Selina guessed, "Is she after Morris Group itself?"

Morris Family was the top family in City H, with deep roots. If Hannah wanted control of Morris Group, that would at least make sense...

"Morris Group? She wouldn’t even care about that."

Logan surprised her by dismissing it slowly. "Maybe you should ask Gavin about City N’s Hill Family."

Selina blinked. Gavin?

"Gavin has ties to the Hill Family in City N?"

Logan’s lips curved faintly. "Nothing major, but they’re all Hills. Same ancestry. At family events they have to pretend they’re all buddy-buddy."

"Before Gavin left City N, he already had a solid position. But when people heard his last name, they always thought—is he from that Hill Family?"

Selina’s brows lifted slightly. That alone showed just how high the Hill Family’s status was.

And Hannah had once been the Hill Family’s only heiress. The entire family was supposed to be hers. She wouldn’t even look twice at Morris Family.

But if that’s true, then why humble herself for Grandma Morris? For an old bat and a mama’s-boy like Joe? Wasn’t it disgusting?

"Maybe," Logan said quietly, almost as if thinking out loud, "what Hannah really cares about is just the feeling of being called Mrs. Morris."

Selina turned to him sharply.

"She wants that title," Logan went on, "that moment when people say Mrs. Morris and only think of her. Not the original one. She doesn’t want Victoria to exist anymore. It’s like she’s trying to erase her completely."

That landed like a punch in Selina’s chest. She hadn’t considered it before, but suddenly it felt like it explained everything.

She was thinking about it, about to speak, when the whole world suddenly tilted—

"Careful!"

"I’m so sorry!" A waitress froze, looking panicked. "I’m so sorry, ma’am, let me help you. Please come with me—I’m really sorry."

Selina sucked in a breath.

The waitress had been carrying a cup of scalding tea and lost her footing right as she passed them. Logan moved quickly, pulling Selina into his arms to shield her, but her forearm still got splashed.

Red blisters rose immediately on her skin.

The manager rushed over when he heard. "Miss Clark, I’m terribly sorry. We have a first-aid kit in the back. Please, let us help you—and of course, tonight is on the house."

Selina glanced at the waitress. It was obvious the girl hadn’t done it on purpose; she was on the verge of tears. Selina just waved her off. "It’s fine."

Logan held her steady as they headed to the private room. "Bring the first-aid kit."

They reached the private room.

Logan took out the burn ointment, looking at the angry red mark on Selina’s arm. His heart ached at the sight.

The man bent down gently. "This might hurt a little. Try to bear it."

Selina blinked at him. "What if I can’t?"

Logan’s deep eyes held hers. "If you can’t, then don’t."

The burn really did hurt, though at this point the pain had numbed her nerves a little. She still had the energy to tease him, pretending to be troubled. "But if I can’t hold it in... what if I cry?"

Logan’s hand paused. Then he let out a low laugh, his gaze warm. "Mrs. Reid, it’s fine. I’m here. You can cry if you want."

Selina froze for two seconds.

Logan’s voice stayed unhurried. "Save the brave act for everyone else. With me, you don’t have to pretend. You don’t need to."

The next moment, the cotton swab dabbed with ointment brushed gently over the burn.

Selina couldn’t hold back a hiss. The stab of pain was sharp, and before she knew it, her eyes turned red, tears threatening to spill.

...What the hell. She normally wouldn’t do this. It was just pain—she could take it. But for some reason, in front of Logan, she didn’t want to hold back.

Selina sounded wronged. "It really hurts."

Logan teased her. "Want me to go have the manager punish that waitress?"

Selina shook her head immediately. "Forget it. If you go talk to him yourself, he’ll be scared half to death. To avoid offending you, that waitress would never find work in City A again. It’s not that serious."

"Such a soft-hearted little thing. But you’re the one hurting. What should I do about that?"

Selina thought for a moment. Before she could answer, he leaned in.

Logan’s lips brushed a gentle kiss onto hers. "Then let me make it better."

He barely pulled back, hovering just a centimeter from her lips. Their breaths mingled, and Selina swallowed.

Her cheeks slowly turned pink. She managed to stammer, "I-I mean, I wouldn’t say no..."

"What the hell are you two doing?!"

Suddenly, the private room door slammed open.

Luke charged in with a horrified look, planting himself between them and shoving Logan back. "It’s broad daylight, Logan! You’re just gonna bully her like that? Are you even human?!"

Logan: "..."

Selina suddenly had the violent urge to punch Luke.

...

After they finished their hot pot meal and returned to Sapphire Valley Villa, Selina scrolled absently through her phone.

She didn’t want her identity getting widely leaked, so Mr. Brooks had instructed reporters not to publish anything about it.

Journalists, stuck with a huge story they couldn’t report, had to settle for other angles.

And so Riley pretending to be the "chairman’s secret love" became a hot topic.

It had only been two hours and the story was already impossible to suppress. Enough people confirmed the SL chairman was a young woman, married, with a husband—so how could she be "pining" for another woman?

Then Mr. Brooks issued an official statement, directly denying any connection between SL and Riley, and making clear Riley would not be the SL liaison.

If the earlier talk had just been gossip, Brooks’ words nailed Riley to the wall in public disgrace.

"Hunter, you’re back just in time!"

Madam Nelson was already fuming. When the staff told her the eldest son had returned, she immediately exploded, hurling accusations.

"SL is obviously your group! Why can’t you help your sister?!"