Married First, Loved Later : A Flash Marriage with My Ex's 'Uncle'
Chapter 425: The Bet

Chapter 425: The Bet

Selina had a sneaking suspicion that Scott was targeting her.

She narrowed her eyes and deliberately declined. "I’m not interested in sheet music. I’ll sit this one out."

Scott didn’t expect her to refuse so bluntly. He smiled smoothly. "How about this—if you wins, I’ll also give you a villa. Just for fun. You wouldn’t be afraid to play, would you?"

Logan’s brow creased. Selina tilted her head with a playful smile. "You’d really give me a villa?"

Scott’s tone was easy. "Of course. The SYY Villa District is my new development. It hasn’t even gone on sale yet. If you win, pick whichever one you want."

An SYY villa... Scott was really laying it on thick.

Selina blinked. "Mr. Hanks is so enthusiastic. If I refused, I’d seem ungrateful. Fine—I’ll play along with everyone."

The whole room went quiet, sucking in a collective breath.

An SYY villa was worth millions. He was seriously offering that as a prize?

Someone tried to talk Scott down. "Scott, that’s insane. Those villas are worth over ten million each. Giving one away is too much."

Scott chuckled. "Sure, they’re expensive—but you actually have to win to get it. If Miss Selina doesn’t take first, it’s all moot."

Everyone understood immediately.

Selina had never even been to CY Club before. The rest of them were regulars.

And Riley? She was the owner’s daughter. She lived here.

Scott was hiding the music somewhere in the club—who had the best shot of finding it? Riley, obviously.

And it was her birthday. Scott wasn’t just throwing a game—he was making sure she’d win.

As for Selina? She’d be lucky not to finish dead last.

Scott’s eyes glinted as he watched Selina take the bait. He laid out the final rule.

"First place gets the music. But last place gets a penalty. They have to give Riley the most valuable thing they’re wearing."

His gaze dropped meaningfully to Selina’s hand.

"Miss Clark... I’d guess that would be your ring, right?"

It was the custom wedding ring Logan had made for her—the only real jewelry she had on, since Luke had insisted she wear it.

Selina arched a brow. So that’s what Scott was after.

Logan’s face went ice cold. "Scott."

Riley bit her lip, feigning concern. "Scott, stop. That’s Selina’s wedding ring. How could she give that to me?"

Scott just shrugged. "She just has to avoid coming last. It’s only a game. She’s agreed to play—can’t have all reward and no risk."

Riley turned to Selina with wide-eyed innocence. "Selina, Scott’s just teasing. We know CY Club like the back of our hands. You’re here for the first time—you’ll definitely lose. You really shouldn’t play."

Their so-called friends all chimed in, half-mocking, half-warning:

"Yeah, Selina, do you even know what this place is? CY Club was a gift from Logan to Hunter ten years ago. It’s part of the Nelson Family. It’s Riley’s home turf—you’ll embarrass yourself."

Riley shot Logan a shy little look. "That was so long ago. Logan’s probably forgotten all about it."

The others kept piling on.

"Seriously, Selina, think carefully."

"Right, because if you lose, the one wearing your ring will be Riley. Logan and Riley would be the ones with matching bands—haha..."

Logan narrowed his eyes slightly. He hadn’t expected the club he’d once used to help Hunter through tough times would become the Nelson Family’s excuse for this ridiculous posturing today.

Selina just smiled carelessly. "Sure. Let’s make it the wedding ring. Mr. Hanks, when do we start?"

Scott’s brow tightened—he clearly hadn’t expected her to be this nonchalant. "We can start now. I just hope Miss Clark can handle losing."

Selina nodded, her voice dry with meaning. "And I hope Mr. Hanks and Miss Nelson can handle losing."

They all had blindfolds put on, and were led to different hallways. Whoever found the score fastest would win.

Luke was furious, willing to risk a beating to say his piece. "Logan! Can’t you see Scott’s setting Selina up? She can’t win!"

He suddenly paused, suspicious. "Unless..."

Logan watched Selina’s retreating figure, eyes glinting with a faint smile. "She wouldn’t have agreed if she planned on losing."

Luke blurted out the rest of his thought at the same time: "Unless... Unless you want to see Riley wearing the wedding ring? You’re disgusting!"

Logan: "..."

Logan’s mild gaze turned to cold disdain. "Have Jack take you for an IQ test."

Luke: "?"

...

Selina was blindfolded and led down a twisting hallway by an attendant.

Just before they split up, Riley gave a long-suffering sigh. "Selina, CY Club is huge. You’ll never find it. Why not just give up? I don’t even want your wedding ring."

"You’ll just end up embarrassing yourself..."

Selina’s voice was cool. "I don’t mind being embarrassed."

"Selina, you—"

But Selina had already turned the corner at the end of the hall and vanished.

Riley shook her head with feigned helplessness. "Selina’s so stubborn. Forget it, maybe I should go easy on her."

"Riley, don’t be so soft. If she won’t listen, let her crash and burn. Why should you help her?"

"She ran off so confidently—does she even know where she’s going? Watch her get lost in CY Club!"

"Haha, honestly, I can see that happening!"

After all, CY Club was an exclusive venue with a maze-like design for privacy. Guests usually needed staff to lead them to their rooms.

Selina had never been there before. She’d be lucky to even find her way out of the halls, let alone take first place.

People were already congratulating Riley in advance. "Riley, when you get that score, let us take a look, okay? I want to see what The Ghost Doctor’s sheet music even looks like."

Riley gave them a shy, pleased smile. "Of course."

...

Selina tore off the blindfold and looked around.

She knew this place far too well.

When she was little, Grandpa used to play hide-and-seek with her here. She and her older brothers would squeeze into corners and giggle.

She’d run down every hall, memorized every turn and shortcut.

One day, Grandpa just stopped bringing her. He’d told her he’d given the club "back to its rightful owner."

It was Hunter’s now. But before that, it had been Logan’s?

So the "original owner" Grandpa mentioned—who really was that?

Selina exhaled slowly, no hesitation at all. She took a shortcut directly to a small room.

Inside sat the sheet music.

...

Back in the private lounge, Scott was chatting idly when an attendant rushed in, breathless.

"Mr. Hanks! Someone found the sheet music!"

The whole room went quiet in surprise.

Found...? Already? It had barely been five minutes!

Scott’s expression froze. He’d hidden it in a locked room with multiple layers of clues and a code lock.

Five minutes? That was impossible.

Someone nearby lit up with delight. "Mr. Hanks, who else could it be? It has to be Riley!"