Chapter 22: Fiona's suitor

After finalizing things with Pintus, Miller boarded a plane from London to California. Fiona's graduation was just two days away, and he had promised he'd be there to celebrate.

The moment he stepped off the plane, he spotted Fiona waiting. Today, she wore shorts that showed off her long, fair legs, drawing more than a few glances from onlookers. Miller frowned, quickly closing the gap between them. "Are those shorts really necessary?"

Fiona smirked, glancing down at her outfit. "Oh, what's wrong? Feeling a little jealous?"

"I'm your brother!" Miller grumbled, tossing his jacket to her. "Just put this around your waist."

She laughed but obliged, tying the jacket securely and covering up, then led him to her little Beetle, and they headed back to his place.

As they drove, Miller asked, "Are you really done with school? With your grades, you could easily go further."

Fiona, smiling proudly, said, "JPMorgan Chase has already offered me a position starting next month. I want to become an independent investment manager, taking on my own M&A projects."

"Ambitious," Miller nodded.

"Even my supervisor said I have potential!" she replied with a grin.

Soon, they arrived at Miller's house, only to see a sleek sports car pull up nearby. A young man stepped out, tall and good-looking. Fiona sighed, "What's up, Glazer?"

"Hey, Fiona. Free tonight?" Glazer asked, smiling. "How about dinner?"

"Sorry, I'm spending the evening with my boyfriend," she replied coolly, slipping her arm through Miller's and guiding him toward the house. Miller just raised his eyebrows, recognizing the familiar role he was about to play. Since she was sixteen, he'd been her shield countless times, fending off persistent suitors.

But as they turned away, Glazer called out, "I know who he is—he's your brother. You can't fool me."

Fiona turned, glaring, "We aren't siblings in any legal or blood relation, so no, I'm not lying."

Miller added, "This is my house, and we'll be spending the night here together. So, good night."

Glazer's face tightened as he looked them over, then he chuckled. "We'll see. See you at graduation," he said, getting back into his car and driving off.

Fiona groaned, "What are we going to do about him?"

Miller watched the car disappear. "Honestly, he's not a bad guy. Good looks, good family…"

Fiona rolled her eyes and stormed inside. "Ridiculous!" She slammed the door, leaving Miller chuckling as he let himself in. Upstairs, Fiona had already retreated to her room, having claimed it as her own the moment she moved in, leaving Miller to sleep downstairs. Smiling, he closed the door behind him, ready for whatever Fiona's graduation—and Glazer—might bring.

Miller sighed. Why is she so annoyed? With no answers, he headed to his room, exhausted from the long flight. The over ten-hour journey had worn him out, and he welcomed the chance to sleep off the jet lag.

When he finally woke up in the evening, a delicious aroma drifted through the house. He grinned, knowing exactly what that meant—Fiona was in the kitchen.

Jumping up, he followed the scent and found her bustling over the stove. Fiona had inherited her mother's culinary skills and often cooked for Miller. With a big smile, he washed his hands and moved beside her. "So, what's on the menu tonight?"

Without turning, she replied, "None of your business."

Miller laughed. "Why are you upset?"

She glared at him. "I'm mad because you don't even know why!"

Miller chuckled at her cryptic reply, marveling at how perplexing she could be. As she plated the ribs, he playfully grabbed a piece and offered it to her. "Here, you have the first bite."

She rolled her eyes, but bit into the rib, quickly spitting out the bone. "Half for humans, half for dogs—what's left is yours!"

Shaking his head, Miller tossed the bone in the trash and took the plate. "Any other dishes I should be carrying?"

"Fried cod, now out you go! You're in the way!" She nudged him out of the kitchen, and he set the ribs on the table, noticing three other dishes and a soup already there.

"This is way too much food for the two of us," he commented.

Fiona didn't look back. "And who asked for your opinion?"

He just laughed, shrugging. After a few moments, she emerged with the cod in one hand and two wine glasses in the other. Miller raised an eyebrow. "Are we drinking tonight?"

Ignoring him, she grabbed a bottle of red wine and lit two candles. He suddenly remembered what day it was—his birthday. Ever since his parents had passed, he'd made a point of ignoring the day, but Fiona always remembered.

She dimmed the lights, and a quietness settled over the room. Holding up her glass, she smiled. "Happy birthday, Miller."

His heart warmed. "Thank you, Fiona."

They clinked glasses and took a long drink, savoring the moment. Halfway through dinner, she stood up and retrieved a cake from the fridge. Placing it before him, she lit a few candles and smiled. "Make a wish!"

Miller closed his eyes, thinking of her. After a moment, he blew out the candles.

"What did you wish for?" she asked, curious.

He looked at her warmly. "I wished for your happiness—always."

Her heart softened, and she smiled, her eyes crinkling into little crescents.