Stolen: Meant To Be (Contemporary Billionaire Romance) by Holly Rayner Page B

was in love, I was young, and I ran one of the most successful companies in the city side by side with the love of my life. I was supposed to be happy, damn it! I tried to turn away before my father noticed the tears. He would see it as a sign of weakness and any sign of weakness offered him another opportunity to strike.
     
    “Seth?” Dad lowered his voice and his tone went from haughty and self-righteous back to slightly confused. “Does this girl really mean that much to you?”
     
    I looked back at my father. Was it possible he was beginning to see what I had been beating my head against the wall, trying to tell him? “Yes, Dad. She means that much and more. I’ve never felt this way about anyone. I love her with all my heart. I would do anything for her. I want to spend my life making her life a happy place. I don’t ever want her to have to worry about anything and I always want her to know how much I love her. That company is glass and steel. She’s my heart.”
     
    He looked torn. He was silent for a bit and I was just about ready to leave. I didn’t have any real hopes that I could change my father’s mind anyways… “I didn’t realize,” he said, finally. It seemed like there was more to that sentence, but he stopped there.
    After a moment I said, “What didn’t you realize, Dad?”
     
    “I didn’t realize that you feel about her the same way I felt about your mother.”
     
    “If you loved Mom more than life itself, then I do.” It was hard to imagine, my father loving someone that much. I did know that he loved my mother though, and when I’d get angry with him for working so much, she would always defend him and tell me how much he loved us both.
     
    “I’m sorry, son,” Dad said. “I’m sorry that I’m a miserable, bitter old man. But please believe that I do not hate you and I do not want you to be unhappy. I want only what’s best for you. I’m suspicious of Adele’s motives, but if she loves you half as much as the love I can see on your face for her… then you’re a lucky man.”
     
    Almost choking on the surprise I felt, I had to remind myself they were only words. Words can be easily manipulated and my father was a master. “I will believe that you believe that when I start seeing some changes, Dad. I need you to treat me and my girlfriend with respect and maybe someday you can even find it in your heart to offer her the apology she deserves. She didn’t deserve any of the things that you’ve done to her, starting with the takeover of her company when she was just a kid.”
     
    I left him standing where he was, apparently trying to decide if having to apologize to Adele would be worth having his son in his life or not. I drove straight from there to Adele’s apartment. I stopped at the door, and almost chickened out. I didn’t though, no more cowardice. I was finished with letting fear dictate my life.
     
    I forced myself to knock and I stood there holding my breath, hoping she would talk to me at least. When she didn’t answer after a few minutes, I knocked again. There was still no answer and I started thinking that maybe she had gone back to the office. I finally turned and started to leave when I heard the door being pulled open behind me. I turned back and she was standing there, dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a green t-shirt. She had taken off all her make-up and her long hair was pulled back into a ponytail at the nape of her neck. I didn’t know if I’d ever seen her look so beautiful. She looked so fresh and natural that I wanted to breathe her in. It strengthened my resolve.
     
    “Hi,” I said. I know it wasn’t a great opening, but it was all I had at the moment.
     
    “Hey,” she said. When I still didn’t go on she said, “What are you doing here?”
     
    I finally found my voice and said, “I need to talk to you, please.”
     
    Adele looked like she was going to say no. I was ready to argue. I wasn’t walking away from here today