Married First, Loved Later : A Flash Marriage with My Ex's 'Uncle' Chapter 561: Accused of Plagiarism

She should have known better than to co today! Paula had only co to the venue to make Selina willingly hand over the twenty billion, to humiliate her in front of everyone.

But who could have predicted that she’d end up being the one humiliated instead? These useless good-for-nothings—Country Y had spent a fortune training these perfurs, yet they couldn’t even beat Selina. Now she had to cough up twenty billion herself. Argh!

No, she couldn’t let Selina see her like this. Such a disgrace could never be exposed!

But it was already too late. Selina arched a brow, glanced toward the audience, and before Ronald could speak, she spoke lazily, her tone full of amusent.

"Oh, how could I forget? Miss Paula is here with us today as well. Cara crew, give Miss Paula a close-up."

The caran were from Reid Group and naturally followed Selina’s cue. Instantly, the caras zood in on Paula.

Everyone watching the livestream saw Paula’s iron-blue, seething face.

Selina tilted her head. "Miss Paula, say sothing—are the twenty billion ready?"

Paula nearly fainted with rage. When had anyone ever laughed at her like this? Selina—always Selina...

But with so many people watching, and the whole world tuned in live, she had no choice. After all, she had proposed the wager herself. If she backed out now...

Grinding her teeth, Paula forced out every word: "Of course—it’s pre...pared!"

Selina curved her lips into a small smile, ignoring her. "Good. Then I’ll be waiting for your twenty billion."

Paula was livid, itching to rush up and strangle Selina on the spot.

Ronald’s face wasn’t looking any better. "Miss Clark, please wait. We’ll begin the award ceremony imdiately."

Selina returned to her seat, shooting Logan a discreet look.

Logan arched a brow, lowering his voice. "Weren’t you planning to expose Ronald?"

Selina blinked innocently. "Yes."

Logan’s gaze turned sharp. "And how?"

Selina tilted her head, her smile sly. "I’ve already prepared everything. None of them will escape. And I’ll drag one more person down with them."

Logan paused, narrowing his eyes. "Who?"

Selina’s smile grew mischievous. "Alia."

...

anwhile, Paula stord into the lounge, smashing everything she could get her hands on. "That bitch!"

How could Selina possibly be champion? Sothing had to be wrong. It was impossible! Selina had always been a useless good-for-nothing—how could she be champion? With so many professional perfurs competing, how could she have won?

Just then, Paula’s phone rang.

She answered irritably. "Hello..."

Seconds later, her eyes lit up. "Aunt Alia, really?"

"Good. That’s wonderful!"

Paula’s rage and frustration instantly vanished, replaced by excitent. She dashed back toward the hall.

...

Inside the hall, Ronald was forcing himself to smile as he congratulated Selina, though inside he was boiling with fury.

Selina stood calmly on stage, her gaze cool as it rested on Ronald.

Grinding his teeth, Ronald spoke each word with false politeness: "Congratulations, Miss Clark."

Selina raised a brow. "Who would’ve thought it’d be you presenting my award, Mr. Ronald?"

Ronald nearly choked on his own anger. "Miss Clark, you jest. As Piper’s sole student and Country Y’s chief perfur, it is only fitting that I present the champion’s trophy."

Selina nodded lightly. "Oh... very well then."

She reached out to take the trophy—when suddenly, Paula’s furious shout rang out from the doorway.

"Wait—I don’t agree! This can’t be! Selina is not the champion!"

In an instant, every head turned toward the entrance.

Ronald’s hand twitched, and before Selina could touch the trophy, he quickly pulled it back, feigning solemnity while secretly pinning his hopes on Paula.

"Miss Paula, what are you saying?" he asked, his tone grave but his eyes betraying expectation.

Everyone thought Paula was making a scene. Soone tried to reason with her:

"Miss Paula, you were the one who proposed the bet. A bet’s a bet—you lost, now you pay."

"What, Miss Paula, are you saying you can’t afford the twenty billion? If you couldn’t pay, why did you gamble in the first place?"

"She just looked down on Selina, thought she wasn’t good enough. Who knew she’d actually win the championship..."

Paula’s face was tight with panic as she scread in fury, "Nonsense! Listen to —Selina is not the champion. I accuse her of plagiarism!"

Plagiarism!

The word echoed around the hall like thunder. Everyone froze.

Selina plagiarized? But... how would Paula even know?

Paula, as if suddenly enlightened, spoke rapidly: "Selina, you must be wondering how I know. The one who reported you wasn’t just anyone—it was Logan’s own mother, Mrs. Alia. She’s your mother-in-law, of course she knows the dirty things you’ve done!"

Selina: "..."

She had indeed planned to drag Alia down, to make sure Alia knew—but she hadn’t expected Paula to blurt it out directly like that. Did the woman have no brains?

Logan gave a small, deliberate cough.

But Paula was lost in her own self-righteous fantasy, convinced she was being heroic—exposing a plagiarist!

Selina curved her lips in a faint smile, just about to speak—when Ronald suddenly stepped forward, his tone righteous and solemn:

"Miss Paula, much as I respect you, accusations like these require evidence. Do you have any proof that Miss Clark plagiarized?"

Paula snapped, heedless, "I don’t have evidence—but Aunt Alia said so! She’s Selina’s family—how could she lie?"

Since Logan was Selina’s husband and Alia was his mother, calling her "family" wasn’t entirely wrong.

At that mont, Ronald suddenly and firmly stood on Selina’s side: "Everyone knows Mrs. Alia’s relationship with Miss Clark. The chance of slander is far greater. Miss Paula, you have no proof, and yet you disrupt the proceedings. Please leave."

"No! No!" Paula shouted hysterically. "Even if Aunt Alia made a mistake, shouldn’t you at least check, Mr. Ronald? Otherwise, I will never accept this! Selina’s championship will always be tainted!"

"This..." Ronald looked troubled, sighing heavily. "Miss Clark, what do you think? Perhaps I should examine your perfu, just to prove your innocence."

Paula sneered, "Selina, do you dare?"

Selina smiled.

Of course, in a mont like this, she couldn’t say no.

Her gaze rested coolly on Ronald, her voice layered with aning. "And Mr. Ronald, this is for my own good?"

Ronald wore a look of weary helplessness. "Naturally. After what happened with Frank, I know you’ve been upset. This is my way of making ands. Once I prove your innocence, Miss Paula’s protests will be useless. But if you’d rather not, we’ll leave it."

Just then, soone in the crowd muttered under their breath, "If Selina refuses... maybe she really did plagiarize..."

Selina raised a brow. Exactly as she predicted—there was no way she could back down here.

So she said simply, "Go ahead. Check."

Ronald and Paula exchanged a glance, then stepped forward with feigned solemnity. They opened the perfu bottle. At once, a sharp, icy scent of wintersweet blossoms filled the air.

And then Ronald’s eyes suddenly lit up, a flash of excitent breaking through before he quickly covered it with a mask of outrage. He turned back around, face dark and anguished, voice lowered but heavy with accusation.

"Miss Clark, are you seriously claiming you created this perfu on your own?"

The hall erupted into a stunned silence.

What was this?

Why did Ronald look so terrifying?

Could it be...

A chilling thought spread through everyone’s minds:

Could Selina really have plagiarized?