Betrayed and Dumped: She Rose Stronger Than Ever novel Chapter 51

The deep voice made both Rebecca and Caleb pause. They turned around, almost in sync, and Rebecca blinked in surprise when she saw Stephen. She couldn’t help but wonder silently, Why is he still here? Does reading a book really mean he needs to stay for lunch? Wouldn’t it make more sense to just borrow it and read at home? She kept these questions tucked away, giving him a polite smile instead. “You’re getting lunch here too?”

Stephen nodded, his tone even. “Yeah, I’ll be reading this afternoon.”

Caleb watched Stephen closely. Everything about him—his clothes, his posture, the way he spoke—made him look like someone from a powerful family. He looked oddly familiar, but Caleb couldn’t place where he’d seen him before. He let the thought go for now.

Rebecca took Stephen’s suggestion and ordered pasta, some salad, and juice. She and Caleb found a free spot and sat down with their trays. They had barely settled in when Stephen pulled out the chair next to Rebecca and sat down, completely at ease, like the three of them had planned to eat together all along.

Rebecca and Caleb exchanged a silent look. Caleb shot her a quick question with his eyes—Who is this guy?

That’s when Rebecca realized she hadn’t introduced them yet. “This is Stephen, my new boss.” She pointed at Caleb and smiled. “And this is Caleb. Five years ago, we almost became classmates. Now he’s my advisor for the exam.”

Caleb nodded at Stephen, friendly but reserved. “Nice to meet you.”

Introductions done, Caleb and Rebecca started chatting about schoolwork as they ate, drifting into their own world of notes and deadlines. Stephen stayed quiet, listening but not joining in.

It was only when they’d nearly finished eating that Rebecca remembered the VIP sitting next to her. She couldn’t afford to ignore someone who basically held her future in his hands. After a quick thought, she turned to Stephen. “Earlier, you said the fried chicken here was just okay, but the pasta was worth trying. How do you know? Do you come to Larkhaven College often?”

Stephen took his time, picking up some food before he answered. “My uncle works here. I used to visit him a lot when I was a kid.”

Uncle? Something clicked in Caleb’s mind, and he suddenly remembered where he’d seen Stephen before—at Dr. Palmer’s house. His eyes lit up. “Is your uncle Dr. Palmer?”

Rebecca’s eyes widened. No way. What were the odds? She watched as Stephen nodded. “Yeah, Dr. Palmer is my uncle.”

She just stared, completely stunned, and caught Caleb’s gaze. Neither of them could believe it.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify