Stand Me Up? I'll Marry His Billionaire Uncle novel Chapter 202

As soon as Stellan and the others left, Alexander felt a wave of relief wash over him. The room finally quieted, and he let his gaze drop, swirling the whiskey in his glass.

“You guys go ahead. I’ll stay a bit longer,” he said, his voice low.

Julian clicked his tongue in mock sympathy. “What, planning to brood here alone? Going for that tragic hero vibe?”

“If you want her, go after her,” Julian added, not unkindly.

Vicky wasn’t like the shallow socialites who clung to him for status or the pampered beauties he’d kept around before. He’d tried to explain, but she hadn’t heard a single word.

Julian nudged him again, “Hey, isn’t your sister-in-law close with Vicky? Why didn’t you ask her to put in a good word?”

Alexander smirked. “Didn’t you see the look Mrs. Lawson gave me? I’m lucky she didn’t rat me out.”

Honestly, expecting her to plead his case was asking for too much.

Julian shrugged. “Suit yourself, then. We’re heading out.”

With security following discreetly, there was no real concern for their safety. As he left, Julian clapped Alexander on the shoulder. “We’re all expected to marry someone from the right background. If you never planned to marry her, it’s better for both of you to end it now.”

“See you.”

When Caleb and Julian were gone, Alexander stared into his glass, lost in thought.

The right background, huh?

Of all his friends, only Stellan had ever truly been free to marry for love, without worrying about family expectations.

—

Sunny had assumed they were heading back to the villa, so she was surprised when Parker pulled the car into the old estate.

“Stellan, are we staying at the old house tonight?”

Stellan shook his head. “No, but we need to stop by and settle a little score.”

Sunny blinked, confused.

He reached over with a fond smile and gently pinched her earlobe. “Silly, did you really think those two buckets of water were the end of it?”

He wasn’t done. Someone else might have thought it was over, but not him.

So it went—from mother and daughter to mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, the dynamic was never simple, even if the mother-in-law had once been a doting foster mother.

Luna swallowed her frustration. “Yes, Mom. I understand.”

She escaped upstairs to wash up, feeling like she’d been through the wringer—scolded twice in one night, her mood sinking even lower.

When she emerged from the bathroom, the bedroom was empty. He hadn’t come back.

Her eyes darkened.

Down the hall, the door to the study opened quietly.

Tristan, hunched over his laptop, didn’t look up. His voice was sharp with impatience. “Why aren’t you asleep?”

“Tristan, aren’t you coming to bed?”

He stared at the screen. “I’ve got work to finish. Don’t wait up. If it gets too late, I’ll just sleep in the guest room.”

How many days had it been? They still hadn’t consummated their marriage.