Page 331 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 1

Mason cleared his throat. "Do you need help getting James' parents alone to tell them off? I think we're both up to the challenge."

"No. I'll do it myself. I'm kind of looking forward to embarrassing them. Have fun with your game." I walked away from their table toward Mr. and Mrs. Hunter. They were still talking to the same group of people. "Excuse me," I said when I reached them. "I was hoping to have a word alone with Mr. and Mrs. Hunter."

"Of course, dear," said a woman who I recognized as one of James' aunts who I had met earlier.

James' mother turned toward me reluctantly. "I didn't realize you were still here."

Yeah, fuck you too."Can the three of us go talk somewhere in private?"

"We're hosting a party. We can't just..."

Mrs. Hunter was cut off by her husband. "Of course, Miss Taylor. We thought you might request a word. Let's discuss this in my office."

I instantly liked Mr. Hunter a little more than Mrs. Hunter. He didn't seem nearly as cold. They started walking away and I quickly caught up to the them. It felt like I was about to be scolded as I followed them out of the room and into the main hallway, though. I wondered what they thought I was about to talk to them about as Mr. Hunter stopped in front of a door. He pulled out a key from his pocket and put it into the door. He pushed it open, letting Mrs. Hunter walk in first. He continued to hold the door open and gestured for me to go in as well. Maybe he wasn't so bad.

I stepped in and turned around in a circle. The room looked more like a small library than an office. I suddenly felt weird for not knowing what his parents did. James never talked about them. So I really knew nothing about them at all. Except that they were hurting James. That was all that I needed to know.

His father cleared his throat and I turned toward him. "Miss Taylor, let me apologize for inviting Isabella to this event."

James' mother crossed her arms in front of her chest and didn't say a word.

"Thank you for saying that." I sighed with relief. I had every intention of yelling at them as soon as we were alone, but I bit my tongue. This whole thing was just a huge misunderstanding. I could still fix this.

"We realize that option should have been presented to James at a different time."

"A different time?"You mean not at all?

"Yes. Once we settle this," he said.

"Settle what?" I asked.

James' mother shook her head. "There's no reason to be formal, Jonathan. We all know why we're here." She stared at me for a second like I was completely dense and walked over to the desk. She opened up a drawer and pulled out a checkbook.

You've got to be kidding me."I don't want your money. That's not what I wanted to talk about. I wanted to talk about the way you've been treating your son."

She tore a check out of the booklet and stuck her hand out to me.

I bit my lip, trying to prevent myself from crying. How could they think that's why I was dating their son? "I'm in love with James."

"Of course." She sounded disgusted as she pulled out another check. She set them both down on the desk and slid them toward me.

I looked down. Both checks were already made out to me. And they were each for one million dollars. They had already written them. They never had any intention of getting to know me. This had been their plan the whole time. "Don't you want him to be happy?" My voice sounded small and sad.

"That's really no concern of yours," his mother snapped.

"Yes it is. I'm his fiancée. All I care about is his happiness."

"This charade has gone on long enough. I thought it would sizzle out on its own, but now I see that we need to step in before it's too late. So that's what we're doing. Because we do care about his happiness. And we won't let him ruin his life over some girl. It's just a matter of time before he comes to his senses. We're justhelping it along. Now take the money and disappear from his life. That's the offer."

"I don't want your money." I had clenched my hands into fists. "You think this is showing him that you care? Instead of accepting him how he is? Your son is sweet and caring and..."

"And he doesn't know what's best for him. You think marrying a middle class girl is helping him? Pulling him down to your level?" She made the same noise with her throat that Isabella had made earlier. "He's a Hunter." She picked up the checks and threw them at me.

Her words made me shiver. "He may be a Hunter, but he's in love with me."

"He doesn't love you." She looked me up and down. "He's attracted to you for some reason. And I don't even see why. You're quite common. Isabella and him have a real bond. Our families are connected. And they're going to work it out."

"There's nothing to work out. They're divorced."