Mystery Bride's Revenge (Selina)

Manuel shook his head helplessly. "If Dad weren't worried about making the same mistake he did with Selina back then, you wouldn't even have this small comfort now. Ashley, this mess you've made isn't just a colossal blunder, it's blown up way too big. You've caused such a mess that Mom fainted from the stress! You've let down so many people."

Ashley's anxiety spiked when she heard that. "Mom... Manuel, is Mom all right?"

"She's fine, as long as you stay away from her. Once things calm down, we'll see if Dad and Mom will allow you back. But... Patrick knows about this, and he's coming back after dealing with the landmark auction in Yondora. You should know better than anyone that Patrick won't tolerate anyone damaging the Harvey family's reputation," Manuel said.

Ashley's face turned as pale as a sheet. Of all the people involved, Ashley feared facing Patrick the most, not Quinton or Sara. Though Patrick was her elder brother in name and had always shown her a degree of kindness, she knew all too well how ruthless he could be when it came to protecting the family. He wouldn't hesitate to make her life unbearable if she threatened the Harvey family's honor.

Manuel's voice cut through Ashley's spiraling thoughts. "Think about your situation carefully. No matter what, you're still a daughter of the Harvey family. But things won't go back to the way they were. Those days are over." Manuel felt the need to put things clearly to Ashley. With that, he left her alone in the hospital ward.

Ashley sat on the bed, gripping the sheets tightly, her mind racing. She couldn't afford to sit idly by any longer. If things continued like this, she would be completely isolated. Worse still, even Quinton, who once despised Selina, was now starting to feel guilty toward her. If Selina ever decided to return to the Harvey residence, Ashley knew she would be the first to be cast out. She thought, 'No, I have to do something. My future depends on it.'

Unbeknownst to Ashley, a pair of eyes were watching her every move from outside the room. "Ashley..." the figure whispered her name, filled with longing and desire.

Time passed swiftly. One day, Selina and Lydia found themselves at Neil's antique appraisal house. A fresh batch of newly unearthed national treasures had arrived, and Lydia, unable to sit still, was busying herself with the artifacts, laughing and chatting with Neil. While watching them, Selina felt a warmth in her heart and picked up a magazine to read.

The chaos Ashley had stirred up was slowly dying down, but the impact on Harvey Group was deep and lasting. With hidden forces attempting to seize control and shareholders applying pressure, Quinton and his sons were overwhelmed, rushing between work and taking care of Sara.

It would likely take a year for Harvey Group to fully recover from this scandal. Meanwhile, Trevon was taking advantage of the situation, snatching up contracts left and right. One would strike hard when the enemy was weak. Despite the tension, Harvey Group could do nothing but focus on stabilizing the situation.

During this time, Selina found herself with unexpected free time. She spent her days gardening, working out, and enjoying outings with Lydia or Ruby. After dealing a heavy blow to the Harvey family, Benjamin resumed his selection process as if nothing had happened. As for the two assistants involved in the debacle, Benjamin had sent them on vacation, leaving them grateful to still have their jobs, completely unaware they had been pawns in his plan from the start. "Selina, here you go." Lydia handed Selina a cold soda. Selina put down her magazine. "How's it going, Lydia? Did everything go smoothly with Neil?"NôvelDrama.Org: text © owner.

In response, Lydia grinned proudly. "Of course! With me involved, it was a piece of cake. But Neil, I've noticed your skills are slipping. How come you couldn't handle such a simple task on your own and needed my help?"

Neil approached them with a resigned smile. "Lately, I've been feeling dizzy and unfocused. I really need your help to get through the day, Lydia. Maybe I should close the shop for a while and rest."

"If you're not feeling well, take some time off," Lydia suggested. "You've made your money and name. What's the point if you don't take care of yourself? Selina, you know some medicine, don't you? Can you check on Neil?"

"No need, I'm sure it's just some mental fatigue. I've seen a doctor and got some medication. I just need to rest more. But you're right, Lydia, I've been relying on you too much lately. Tell you what, dinner's on me tonight," Neil offered.

"Of course! Neil, after having known me for so long, have you ever seen me work for free? Even for my friends, that's a no-go. Tonight, you're going to have to splurge," Lydia said.

Meanwhile, Selina silently sipped her iced soda, not missing the hint of calculation in Neil's gaze. She thought, 'Sigh, Lydia, how are you completely clueless when it comes to your own love life when you're so smart normally? Neil isn't feeling unwell, he is just scheming, creating opportunities to be close to you!

Not that Selina minded it. She had already done some hacking to investigate Neil thoroughly. He was a model man in every respect, and above all. deeply in love with Lydia. If Lydia and Neil hit it off, he would be a great match for her. However, if he dared to hurt Lydia, Selina would knock his head off without hesitation.

11.14 AM

"By the way, Selina, Jeffrey got in touch with me. He said he'll come to hang out with us once he's done with his work," Lydia said suddenly.

"Yeah, I got a message from him too," Selina replied.

Just as Selina finished speaking, her phone rang. "Master! That guy is calling again!"

As she glanced at the caller ID, a smile played on Selina's lips. "Speaking of the devil, he is here." She answered the phone, "Jeffrey, it's rare to see you call me. Have you finished your work and planned to visit Eastsummer?"

"Selina, I need your help with something important." On the other end of the line, Jeffrey's voice sounded unusually solemn.

At the same time, Selina could hear the sound of footsteps around Jeffrey. It sounded faint but urgent. Something was wrong. Selina's expression instantly turned serious. "Jeffrey, what happened?"

"I'm currently in Yondora on a mission. I just completed it, but I received urgent news. There was supposed to be a landmark auction in the suburbs of Pollerton today, attracting real estate tycoons from around the world. But a mercenary group has infiltrated the venue, taken everyone hostage, disabled the surveillance cameras, and seized control of the entire communication system," Jeffrey explained.

Selina was beyond shocked to hear the news.