CHAPTER 516: A LONGTIME SECRET CRUSH

It was raining outside, and Logan was walking over from a nearby café, tiny droplets clinging to him.

He exchanged a glance with Anthony, then reached his hand out toward Selina. "Come."

Selina said, "Uncle Anthony, I’ll be going now."

Anthony nodded warmly. He watched Logan hold an umbrella for her, sheltering her close to his side, and then guide her into the car. Only after their figures vanished did Anthony turn around—only to see Roger and Linda. He was caught off guard. "Big brother, sister-in-law."

Linda’s expression was complicated. Roger hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "After all these years, you still think about her?"

Anthony’s lips curved faintly, the smile almost nonexistent. His voice was calm. "Yeah... in the blink of an eye, her daughter’s already this grown."

Linda’s eyes softened. "Why didn’t you ever tell Selina? She’s always thought of you as just an uncle. She assumes you treat her well because of the Turner family."

Anthony smiled. "What would be the point? She’s just a kid—should she really have to carry the feelings of her parents’ generation? She couldn’t return them anyway."

Linda couldn’t understand it—how someone could love another person without ever letting them know, even after that person had died, still keeping the promise and protecting her daughter.

"Don’t you feel... stifled, holding back such deep feelings, never letting them know?" Linda asked.

"No." Anthony gave a small smile and changed the subject. "Alright, don’t worry about me. By the way, any news on Victoria’s other child?"

At that, Roger’s smile disappeared, his face turning serious. "Not yet. But it shouldn’t be much longer. Dead or alive... there should be an answer."

...

Earlier, Logan had been holding an umbrella, but halfway through, the rain suddenly came down harder, soaking them both despite his efforts.

Once inside the car, Logan shrugged off his coat and pulled out a clean tissue to wipe Selina’s face.

The gentle touch brushed her skin, and she instinctively tilted her face up, making it easier for him.

Logan’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

Inside the car, only a warm yellow light was on. Outside, the rain clouds had swallowed the sun, leaving the world dim.

By that muted glow, his gaze locked with Selina’s bright eyes.

Her hands were folded in her lap, her head tilted up obediently, trusting him completely. And in that moment, Logan suddenly felt as though he was the most important person in her life—why else would she look at him with such pure reliance?

His fingers instinctively tightened, as though wanting to pull this precious treasure into his arms. But then he seemed to worry about hurting her, and his grip eased.

"Sir, traffic’s backed up ahead."

The driver’s face was slick with nervous sweat. From the front passenger seat, Jack added, "Rainy day, small accident up ahead... we might be stuck for half an hour."

Logan’s eyes lifted. "Take a detour."

The driver was about to turn when Jack glanced back and saw the steady stream of cars behind them, completely blocking the road both ways.

Jack cleared his throat. "...Sir, a detour probably won’t work either. We’d have to get another car to meet you at the next intersection, but you’d have to walk there yourself in the rain..."

Selina didn’t mind being stuck. She watched the hurried pedestrians outside, then glanced at the time—it was already rush hour.

Even if another car came, it wouldn’t reach them quickly. Logan decided, "Forget it. We’ll wait."

Suddenly, Selina spotted a bubble tea shop with a long line stretching out the door. She glanced up at the sign and remembered.

This was the place all her classmates raved about. The owner was said to be young... and mysterious.

"Sir, would you like to rest now, or should I brief you on tomorrow’s schedule?" Jack asked.

"What are you looking at?" Logan didn’t answer Jack—instead, he directed the question at Selina.

Selina pulled her gaze back. "I heard that place makes amazing bubble tea. The line’s so long, I got curious."

"Want some?" Logan arched a brow.

"A little," she admitted.

Before she even finished speaking, he unbuckled his seat belt, gave Jack a nod, and said, "We’ll talk about tomorrow’s schedule later. It’s off-hours now."

Then he grabbed an umbrella. "Wait here. I’ll get you one. What flavor do you want?"

That last question was aimed at Selina, and as soon as the words left his mouth, the entire car fell silent.

The driver didn’t dare speak. Selina was stunned. Jack, on the other hand, was ready to grab Logan by the collar and demand to know—who exactly was the real boss here?

Since when did the boss say things like "It’s off-hours, we’ll talk tomorrow"?

When Logan noticed Selina was frozen, he asked again, "What flavor do you want?"

Selina blinked back to reality, and unbuckled her own seat belt. "I don’t know what flavors they have. I’ll go with you."

Jack wanted to point out that getting bubble tea was exactly the kind of errand an assistant should handle.

But thinking this might be some kind of husband-and-wife thing, he sank back into his seat without another word.

Logan still held the umbrella over them as they walked to the end of the line. Selina looked at the ridiculous queue. "This many people, even in the rain? Business must be good."

To make a bubble tea shop this successful, the owner had to be a natural-born entrepreneur.

They waited about ten minutes. The rain grew heavier. Selina glanced at Logan standing beside her and suddenly felt warm inside.

She could be playful with this man, tell him exactly what she wanted, lean her head on his shoulder when she was tired... and it would be fine.

So she did exactly that.

Feeling her soft head rest against his shoulder, Logan chuckled. "Getting impatient?"

Selina pouted. "Yeah. The line’s too long, and it’s raining. I don’t want to wait anymore."

Then, suddenly, she said with a hint of spoiled willfulness, "Let’s just buy the shop."

Logan pieced it together: what she meant was—I don’t want to wait in line. If we own the shop, I won’t have to.

He found it unexpectedly adorable. For a split second, he actually thought, If she wants it, I’ll give it to her. So he sent a text to Jack.

Back in the car, Jack stared at the message: ?

A minute later, Logan got Jack’s reply and said with some regret, "Can’t buy this one."

Selina was surprised. She’d just been joking, but Logan actually contacted Jack about acquiring the place. Even more surprising—what kind of shop was this that even Logan couldn’t buy it?

Logan quickly cleared it up. "The owner is Hunter."

Selina frowned. "Hm? The bubble tea shop belongs to the Nelson family? I’ve never heard of that."

The chain was famous nationwide, one of the top players in the bubble tea industry.

But in Selina’s mind, it had nothing to do with the Nelson family—first, because the Nelsons would never bother with something they considered "low-end" like a bubble tea chain; and second, because...