CHAPTER 3: AND WE MEET AGAIN

OLIVIA’S P.O.V

“Morning sweetheart” my dad greeted as he joined me for breakfast. “Morning dad,” I said, playing around with my food rather than eating it. “Something on your mind?” he asked, noticing my stance. “Brad and I broke up last night” I informed him, but that wasn’t what was bothering me. “Hmmmm, Liv, we have more important things to bother about rather than Brad, besides it’s not like he came from a wealthy family,” he said, cold-heartedly. “I don’t understand how you could be so mean at times” my words came out in irritation. “Liv, honey, I am not being mean, I am just worried about your future,” he said and let out a heavy sigh. “Liv, I haven’t told you this because I thought that everything would be alright. I thought that we were just going through a phase. Sailing through such rough waters, I thought that our ship was just rocking according to the tide and that we will soon come out of the storm. I didn’t want to worry you and I know that you really loved Brad, it breaks my heart to have to break this news to you while you are already down but I have no choice. Liv, our business is not doing well at all…if we don’t manage to save it by next month then it would be liquidated and all our assets would be seized by the state” he buried his head in his palms due to the stress. “Oh no! Dad, you should have told me! You shouldn’t have taken all of this stress on your own and your health is not so good anymore dad, you need to look after yourself. After mum’s death, you are all I have!” I said, leaving my seat and going to sit next to him. “Just like that, you are all that I care about Liv. I lived my life, I can die a poor man and still be content with the memories that I have but I can’t live and will never be able to rest in peace either, knowing that I left you with nothing! Besides letting you down I would also let my father down who is probably already turning in his grave knowing that I ran his legacy right down to the ground. Liv, how can I live with myself knowing that I let my family down…I have a brother but my father handed the company over to me because he trusted me, he trusted me to grow it and continue the pride in our family name and his legacy but look what I have done Liv, look what I have done! I failed him, I failed your mother by promising her that I would give you the best life that I can and if I don’t manage to save this company then I would fail you as well! What kind of father would I be to leave my daughter with nothing. From the time that you were born, I filled your life would luxuries, how can you live as a poor woman? How can I live knowing that I ruined your future?” he was so heartbroken and torn that he actually sobbed.

“Dad, don’t worry! I am with you! We will save the company together as well as our family name” I comforted him. “I hope that we can Liv, I only have one plan left and to tell you that it is foolproof would be my biggest lie,” he said. “What is your plan, dad? Let me help you” I said. “I don’t think that there is anything that you can do right now but my plan is to get a really wealthy investor to invest in our company that would definitely save it,” he said. “Do you have any investors in mind?” I asked. “The Hunter’s would be attending a charity event tonight. It’s my only chance” he answered…fear of failure and low confidence evident in his voice…

………

“Why don’t you go and get yourself a drink? I think I spotted one of the Hunters” my father said as we entered the Grand Hall in which the charity event was taking place. “Are you sure that you don’t want me to help?” I asked. “No honey, I put us in this mess, it is my duty to get us out,” he said, his eyes were gentle and full of love. “Okay dad, all the best,” I said and we split.

I felt beautiful tonight in my opened back champagne-colored dress, my hair tied up in a rose-shaped bun and a bright red colored lipstick with brown eye shadow finished off my look.

I made my way over to the bar but shuddered when I got the feeling of being watched once again, just like in the club. I ordered a glass of champagne and looked around, hoping to see 'him' again. And just like I hoped, I spotted him but he wasn’t watching me anymore as he seemed quite amused by the man in front of him. I’m pretty sure that my father was not making a joke by the serious expression on his face.

It all makes sense now…I was right about him not being from here. He is extremely wealthy hence was in the executive section of the club last night. And he is a Hunter, who we desperately seek help from.

I watched them both as my father tried hard to convince him to invest in our business, I was completely astonished as I watched this Hunter guy, smirk, turn around and walk away from my father…not saying a word…as if he was annoyed with a homeless person. How dare he treat my father like that? We may need them to invest in our business but we have not yet hit rock bottom and should be respected, after all, we were invited to this charity ball.

“Dad, how did it go?” I asked, I seemed calm but  I was raging inside. “Honey, let’s speak about it at home, okay?” he said with sad eyes. “He refused, didn’t he?” I asked. “It’s okay Liv, we would figure something else out. Don’t worry” he tried to reassure me but I knew that he was broken. “Where is he? I would teach him a lesson!” I said. “Liv, you can’t force someone to invest in a business” he explained. “I’m well aware of that but I saw the way he reacted and put you down, like you are nothing compared to him,” I said, looking around for Mr. Arrogant. “Liv, just let it go. We don’t have any money to invest in this charity anyway…come let’s go home now” my father said. “There he is!” I finally found him again, conversing with a group of men who looked quite powerful and important. “No, Liv! Don’t cause a scene!” my father followed behind me, trying to stop me.

“Mr. Arrogant, may I have a word with you?” I approached him, not afraid of being embarrassed by the company he was with. He turned around slowly at first, he seemed quite irritated for being disrespected but then he seemed pleased…I don’t know why. “Mr. Hunter” he corrected me. “How may I be of any assistance?” he asked, his tone cool but his voice was deep enough to turn a woman on with anything that he said. Close up he was even more attractive and for a minute I began to feel shy and inferior in his presence, I wanted to disappear, I didn’t feel ready to approach him anymore, I didn’t feel good enough to be talking to the most attractive man that I have ever seen and by that, I mean more attractive than any movie star, any football captain, literally any and every man was nothing compared to him. “Er…ermmmm…” I lost my words and was humbled. His smirk and raised eyebrow reminded me why I was here. “You were rude to my father and I would like for you to apologize,” I said in a much calmer and collected tone rather than yelling at him like I was supposed to.  “Well, I don’t apologize,” he said to me. “Meet me at 10 am tomorrow at the Grand waters hotel. A minute later and the meeting would be called off,” he said to my father who was standing next to me, leaving both me and my father with a pleasant shock. “Thank you so much, Mr. Hunter,” my father said as he walked past us….