Stolen: Meant To Be (Contemporary Billionaire Romance) by Holly Rayner
Authors: Holly Rayner
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SETH
I sat there for a while after Adele left my office wondering why the only relationship that ever really mattered to me was the hardest one. I suppose that was my answer. The other ones hadn’t mattered, so I didn’t have to put out any effort, or worry that they would walk away. I’d never felt like this before. Suddenly, that free feeling being in love with her gave me was like a gnarled hand, wrapped tightly around my neck. Without her, I wasn’t sure I would be able to breathe. I grabbed my keys and headed out. There was something I needed to do, and now. I drove straight out to my father’s estate. I’d let the old man push me around for way too long and I was fed up. Once and for all I was going to tell him how I felt and I was going to lay down the law with him about how he would treat Adele if he wanted to continue having any relationship with his son at all. I wasn’t deluding myself that this was his entire fault. I knew that much of the responsibility was mine and I was ready to accept that. But I also knew that he took great pleasure in the things he told Adele, and I wanted him to feel at least a little bit of the pain that was consuming me.
I drove too fast on my way out to the estate. It was only by luck and the grace of God that I didn’t get pulled over, or get into an accident. When I got to my father’s home I slammed on the brakes of my jaguar right outside the front door and left it there, keys and all. Then I burst through the front door, startling poor Hannah so badly that she almost dropped the expensive vase full of flowers that she was arranging. I suddenly felt like an ass.
“Oh! Mr. Hunter, you nearly scared me out of my wits.”
I forced a smile and said, “I’m sorry, Hannah. I wasn’t thinking. I need to see my father. Is he here?”
“Yes sir, he’s in the library. Are you okay?”
“Not really, Hannah… but I will be. I need to make some changes in my life, starting today.”
“Well, I’m rooting for you sir,” she said.
With a genuine smile then, I kissed her on the cheek. She was such a sweet lady and always so positive. I wondered how she stayed that way, working for my father. Her face, already a shade of dark pink naturally, turned beet red. “Thank you, Hannah,” I said.
“For what, sir?”
“Always being on my side and always having a kind word. I haven’t had much experience with that lately. I appreciate it.”
“Well, you deserve it sir,” she told me. I smiled again and headed towards the library. I took a deep breath when I got there and knocked on the door.
“Yes?” my father called out. I pushed the door open to find him sitting in a chair by the window, reading a book. Seeing him so casually enjoying his day while mine was falling apart made me angry all over again. He looked up and said, “Well, hello Seth.”
“Father,” I said. “Are you having a nice day?”
James sat the book he was reading down and said, “I rather am, thank you for asking. How is yours?” He looked so smug and self-satisfied. Sometimes it was hard for me to not hate him outright.
I took a seat on the leather sofa across from him and said, “I’m glad you asked. You see… my girlfriend, who I love very much came to see you…”
James smiled, “Yes, she did.”
“She asked you about Liz.”
Again with the smile, “Yes, she did that too.” He was enjoying this too much. Destroying my life was what he called fun.
“Father, why do you hate me?” I asked him.
He let the smile drop then and looked genuinely confused. “What? I don’t hate you. Why would you ask me a thing like that? You’re my son. Everything I’ve ever done has been about you… for you.”
I couldn’t help but doubt that completely. “I just assumed that you did,” I said. “You seem to take such pleasure in ruining my life. It’s hard to imagine you would do that to someone you
I sat there for a while after Adele left my office wondering why the only relationship that ever really mattered to me was the hardest one. I suppose that was my answer. The other ones hadn’t mattered, so I didn’t have to put out any effort, or worry that they would walk away. I’d never felt like this before. Suddenly, that free feeling being in love with her gave me was like a gnarled hand, wrapped tightly around my neck. Without her, I wasn’t sure I would be able to breathe. I grabbed my keys and headed out. There was something I needed to do, and now. I drove straight out to my father’s estate. I’d let the old man push me around for way too long and I was fed up. Once and for all I was going to tell him how I felt and I was going to lay down the law with him about how he would treat Adele if he wanted to continue having any relationship with his son at all. I wasn’t deluding myself that this was his entire fault. I knew that much of the responsibility was mine and I was ready to accept that. But I also knew that he took great pleasure in the things he told Adele, and I wanted him to feel at least a little bit of the pain that was consuming me.
I drove too fast on my way out to the estate. It was only by luck and the grace of God that I didn’t get pulled over, or get into an accident. When I got to my father’s home I slammed on the brakes of my jaguar right outside the front door and left it there, keys and all. Then I burst through the front door, startling poor Hannah so badly that she almost dropped the expensive vase full of flowers that she was arranging. I suddenly felt like an ass.
“Oh! Mr. Hunter, you nearly scared me out of my wits.”
I forced a smile and said, “I’m sorry, Hannah. I wasn’t thinking. I need to see my father. Is he here?”
“Yes sir, he’s in the library. Are you okay?”
“Not really, Hannah… but I will be. I need to make some changes in my life, starting today.”
“Well, I’m rooting for you sir,” she said.
With a genuine smile then, I kissed her on the cheek. She was such a sweet lady and always so positive. I wondered how she stayed that way, working for my father. Her face, already a shade of dark pink naturally, turned beet red. “Thank you, Hannah,” I said.
“For what, sir?”
“Always being on my side and always having a kind word. I haven’t had much experience with that lately. I appreciate it.”
“Well, you deserve it sir,” she told me. I smiled again and headed towards the library. I took a deep breath when I got there and knocked on the door.
“Yes?” my father called out. I pushed the door open to find him sitting in a chair by the window, reading a book. Seeing him so casually enjoying his day while mine was falling apart made me angry all over again. He looked up and said, “Well, hello Seth.”
“Father,” I said. “Are you having a nice day?”
James sat the book he was reading down and said, “I rather am, thank you for asking. How is yours?” He looked so smug and self-satisfied. Sometimes it was hard for me to not hate him outright.
I took a seat on the leather sofa across from him and said, “I’m glad you asked. You see… my girlfriend, who I love very much came to see you…”
James smiled, “Yes, she did.”
“She asked you about Liz.”
Again with the smile, “Yes, she did that too.” He was enjoying this too much. Destroying my life was what he called fun.
“Father, why do you hate me?” I asked him.
He let the smile drop then and looked genuinely confused. “What? I don’t hate you. Why would you ask me a thing like that? You’re my son. Everything I’ve ever done has been about you… for you.”
I couldn’t help but doubt that completely. “I just assumed that you did,” I said. “You seem to take such pleasure in ruining my life. It’s hard to imagine you would do that to someone you
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