MY EX-BOYFRIEND BILLIONAIRE FATHER WANTS ME

The first time I met my ex-boyfriend's father, I was standing outside his house with tears in my eyes and a suitcase at my feet. I wish I could say I knew then that he would change my life. I didn't. All I knew was that I wanted to leave. “Please, Roseanne.” Adrian's voice came from behind me. I tightened my grip on my suitcase and kept my eyes on the enormous front door. “Don't.” “Just listen to me.” I let out a bitter laugh. “Listen to what, Adrian? Another explanation?” “It's not what you think.” I turned around. The man I had spent two years loving stood a few feet away from me. His usually neat dark hair was messy, his shirt was wrinkled, and his expression was filled with panic. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost. Two years. Two years of believing he was the person I would spend the rest of my life with. Two years of defending him whenever my friends said he seemed too good to be true. Two years of trusting him. And apparently, I had been the only one making plans for forever. “I saw everything,” I said quietly. His expression changed. “Roseanne—” “I saw the messages.” He went silent. That silence hurt more than any excuse could have. I had spent the last hour hoping there was some explanation that would make everything I'd seen disappear. There wasn't. My hands trembled as I wiped the tears from my cheeks. “You don't have to explain.” “I can explain.” “No.” I shook my head. “You really can't.” I picked up my suitcase. “Where are you going?” “Away.” “Roseanne, it's late.” “I know.” “You can't just leave.” I stared at him. “You're right. I should have left the moment I found out.” He flinched. For once, he had nothing to say. I walked past him. Then his hand caught my wrist. “Where will you go?” “Anywhere that isn't here.” He slowly released me. “Your apartment isn't ready yet,” he said. “Where will you stay?” “I'll figure it out.” “You can stay here.” I stared at him in disbelief. “Here?” “Yes.” “After what you did?” “I know I messed up.” “Messed up?” My voice cracked. “You didn't forget to take the trash out, Adrian. You cheated on me.” He looked away. That was all the answer I needed. I pulled my hand away and turned toward the door. I had almost reached it when a deep voice stopped me. “Let her go.” I froze. Adrian's entire body stiffened. I slowly turned around. A man stood at the bottom of the grand staircase. For a moment, I simply stared. He was tall, dressed in a perfectly fitted black suit, with a silver watch resting against his wrist. His dark hair was neatly styled, and his expression was calm. Too calm. He didn't look angry. Somehow, that made him more intimidating. Adrian swallowed. “Dad.” My eyes widened slightly. His father. Xavier Black. I had heard his name countless times. Everyone knew who Xavier Black was. He was one of the most successful businessmen in the city, the kind of man whose name appeared in magazines and newspapers. But I had never met him. Adrian rarely talked about him. The only thing he had ever told me was that they didn't get along. Apparently, Xavier had him when he was only eighteen, and their relationship had been complicated from the beginning. Whenever I'd asked Adrian about it, he'd always brushed me off. “My father and I don't get along, Roseanne. That's all you need to know.” So I'd never pushed. Now I wished I had. Xavier's eyes moved from his son to me. Then down to my suitcase. “You're leaving?” His voice was deep and surprisingly calm. I nodded. “Good.” Adrian frowned. “Dad—” Xavier didn't look at him. “You shouldn't stay somewhere you aren't wanted.” My chest tightened. I hadn't expected that. Neither had Adrian. “That's not what happened,” Adrian said. Xavier finally looked at him. “Then perhaps you should have thought about that before she packed her bags.” Adrian's jaw tightened. I looked between them. So this was the famous father-son relationship Adrian never wanted to discuss. Cold. Tense. Almost uncomfortable to witness. Xavier turned his attention back to me. And that was when I noticed something. He was looking at me differently. Not rudely. Not even curiously. Just... intensely. His eyes stayed on mine for a second longer than they should have. I shifted uncomfortably. “Have we met?” His expression barely changed. “No.” The answer came quickly. I nodded slowly. Maybe I was imagining things. I looked down at my suitcase again. “Thank you,” I murmured. “For what?” “For what you said.” “You shouldn't thank me.” “Why?” His gaze softened slightly. “Because you shouldn't have needed me to say it.” I didn't know what to say to that. For the first time that night, I felt something other than anger. Embarrassment. I had walked into this house believing Adrian loved me. Now I was leaving with nothing but a suitcase and a broken heart. Xavier seemed to notice my expression. “Are you going somewhere safe?” I nodded. “Yes.” “Good.” There was something about the way he said it that made the simple word feel strangely reassuring. I glanced toward the staircase. Adrian was gone. Part of me expected him to come running after me. He didn't. Maybe that was the final answer I needed. I picked up my suitcase. “Goodnight, Mr. Black.” “Goodnight, Roseanne.” Hearing my name in his voice made me pause. I don't know why. Maybe it was because his voice was different from Adrian's. Deeper. Calmer. Or maybe because of the way he had looked at me. I quickly pushed the thought away. I had just ended a two-year relationship. The last thing I needed was to notice another man's eyes. Especially my ex-boyfriend's father. I stepped outside. The cool night air brushed against my face as I walked down the long driveway. I didn't look back immediately. But when I finally did, Xavier was still standing inside the doorway. Watching me. Our eyes met from across the distance. Neither of us looked away. My heart gave an unexpected little flutter. I immediately frowned at myself. What was wrong with me? I turned around and continued walking. But as I made my way down the driveway, I couldn't shake the feeling of his eyes following me. And with the way Xavier Black had been looking at me, I knew one thing for certain. This wouldn't be the last time I met Xavier Black.