Stand Me Up? I'll Marry His Billionaire Uncle novel Chapter 1

[Tristan, I've just landed. I'll be at city hall in about half an hour.]

Sunny Carrington's lips curved into a gentle smile as she pressed send.

Today was the day she and Tristan Lawson were getting their marriage license.

From college sweethearts, to engaged, to today—exactly five years.

She leaned back in the cab's rear seat, the morning sunlight casting a soft glow across her fair, delicate face, lending her an extra touch of warmth.

The cab driver glanced at her smile in the rearview mirror and teased, "Well now, headed straight to city hall to tie the knot right after your flight?"

She laughed. "Yeah, it's Valentine's Day. We had to book the appointment over two weeks in advance."

He chuckled. "You young people sure know how to pull out all the stops for romance! My daughter couldn't get an appointment today, so she's going tomorrow!"

"Congratulations, then!"

"Same to you, same to you."

But by the time Sunny stepped out of the taxi, she still hadn't heard back from Tristan.

She pursed her lips and called his number.

It rang for a long time before he finally picked up.

His voice was flat, emotionless. "Hey, what's up?"

Sunny's palm tightened around her phone. "Tristan, where are you? I'm already here at city hall. I've just taken our number, we're—"

He cut her off abruptly. "Sunny, I can't make it right now."

Her throat tightened. "Why? We agreed we'd do this today."

"Yeah, something came up. Let's do it another day. It doesn't really matter when."

How could it not matter? She'd booked this appointment weeks in advance, just for today!

"Tristan, are you on the phone? They're waiting for us downstairs at the hotel for brunch."

Sunny's heart plummeted.

That was Luna Bennett's voice.

Luna—The Lawsons' adopted daughter, raised alongside Tristan for eighteen years—she was back?

"Valentine's Day, of course!"

"Honestly, everyone knows Mr. Lawson doesn't love her. The only one in his heart is our princess, Luna."

Luna ducked her head, feigning embarrassment. "Don't say that. Tristan's just my brother."

Standing outside, Sunny's face went pale. She strained to hear what the man she cared about most would say.

The door was slightly ajar.

From the narrow gap, she saw Tristan sprawled lazily in his chair, his hand resting intimately on the back of Luna's seat.

From behind, it looked as if he was holding the woman he cherished most.

Then his deep, magnetic voice sounded. "Luna, is that really all I am to you? Just a brother?"

"Tristan…" Luna hesitated. "Are you really not going to get your marriage license today?"

"Yeah. There's no fiancée."

Only then did Tristan seem to notice the woman beside him, whose shoulders had started to tremble at the sound of those cruel jokes.