Stand Me Up? I'll Marry His Billionaire Uncle novel Chapter 45

Sunny always felt a little on edge whenever she was alone with Stellan. "You order, Uncle Stellan," she said, her voice a touch uncertain.

Stellan raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. He signaled the waiter over. "We'll have the grouper rice soup, the poached pear with herbs, and the charcoal-grilled short ribs."

He ordered with effortless familiarity, picking exactly the dishes Sunny liked best.

"Light food is easier to digest at night," he explained. "These are some of their specialties. Try them."

Sunny couldn't help but be surprised. "Uncle Stellan, you've been away so long—how do you still remember their signature dishes?"

She used to love coming here—this cozy bistro with its warm ambiance. It had always been one of her favorites.

Stellan's lips curled into a faint smile. "You eat somewhere often enough, it sticks with you."

Waiting for the food felt endless. Sunny fidgeted with her fingers, stared at the tablecloth, and finally, out of boredom, pulled out her phone.

"How long have you been working at the firm?" Stellan asked suddenly.

Sunny snapped upright, caught off guard as if she were a student sneaking her phone in class. "Uncle Stellan, I started interning at Summit Legal right after college."

She'd always been ahead academically, even skipping a grade or two.

At just twenty-two, she'd finished her graduate degree. This year marked her fourth at Summit Law Firm.

One more year, and she'd be eligible for the senior associate track.

Stellan nodded thoughtfully. "There used to be a lot of nepotism in the company—businesses handed out through connections. But when I came back, the first thing I did was put an end to all that."

He met her gaze. "Don't worry. You want fair competition? You'll have it."

Relief and excitement bloomed in Sunny's chest.

"Thank you, Uncle Stellan!"

She trusted him completely—if he promised something, there was no need to doubt it.

As long as the case belonged to Summit Legal, it would go to the team that truly earned it.

"Now that business is out of the way, shall we talk about something more personal?"

Sunny's heart skipped a beat.

She forced a laugh. "Uncle Stellan, what do you want to talk about?"

His dark eyes grew deeper, almost fathomless. "You told Tristan you wanted to call off the engagement today?"

"You heard?" Sunny asked, almost reflexively.

It was blunt, but true.

Stellan's eyes softened as he smiled. "Call me Stellan—or, better yet, ‘brother.' I'm not much older than you, after all."

Sunny blinked. Wait—hadn't she almost called him Mr. Lawson just now?

Brother? Wasn't that a little… off? He was her father's generation, after all. Calling him "brother" seemed almost disrespectful.

She managed a stiff smile, raising her eyes to meet his. He was so close, his gaze so dark and intense, it seemed to pierce right through her.

The pressure was suffocating, and just as she felt she might choke on it, his voice broke the silence, light and teasing.

"No rush. Take your time. If you want to change what you call me later, that's fine."

Sunny let out the breath she'd been holding. Maybe it was best to avoid having dinner with this dangerously unpredictable man alone in the future.

"I'm going to step out to the restroom."

Stellan watched her retreat, unhurried and amused. There was a restroom in the private room, but she'd chosen to leave anyway.

He realized he might have pushed too hard; his little bunny was about to bolt.

Patience, he reminded himself. One step at a time.