Stolen:The Billionaire Deception(2)

I let the receptionist on the fifth floor know that I was here for an   interview. I gave her Brenda's name since I wasn't sure who I would be   seeing today. I was both hoping for and dreading a meeting with the   great and powerful James Hunter himself. He'd been lauded in more than   one financial periodical as, "The Greatest Businessman Alive." Every   time I even thought about that headline, I became furious and a little   bit sick to my stomach. He was no better than a common thief as far as I   was concerned, plain and simple. He may as well be a purse-snatcher,  or  even a shoplifter. A thief was a thief and I had no respect for  someone  that would take something that didn't belong to them for any  reason. If  he was such a great businessman, why couldn't he build his  own legacy?



"Miss Summers?" the receptionist called for me.



"Yes!" I stood up quickly with a smile. My stomach was turning   somersaults. She smiled at me like she knew I was anxious and   sympathized. I hoped that it wasn't apparent on my face and I willed my   hands not to shake as I reached for my portfolio.         

     



 



"Mr. Hunter will see you now."



Those six words sent my stomach from a somersault into a free-fall. I   was usually the picture of confidence, at least in public situations and   business arenas. I knew that I was qualified for this job and any  other  time I'd be on top of my game, but this was James Hunter …  the man  I had  hated for the past eleven years. The man I intended to destroy. I   nodded at the receptionist and forced a smile. As I followed her into   the next office I swallowed the anxiety that was stuck in my throat. My   stomach could take the brunt of this. I needed my brain sharp and my   limbs steady.



"Mr. Hunter, this is Miss Summers." The big leather chair behind the   heavy oak desk turned around. Sitting in it was the most drop-dead   gorgeous man that I'd ever seen in my life. There was no way that this   could be James Hunter.



He stood up and held out his hand. Smiling to the full effect of the   deep dimples on either side of his face, he looked at me with the bluest   pair of eyes I'd ever seen and said, "I'm so happy to meet you Miss   Summers. I'm Seth Hunter."



It took me a full five seconds to find my voice. It seemed like minutes,   or even hours as he stood there waiting for me to shake his hand. On   the verge of an embarrassingly long pause, I finally took it and felt a   spark of electricity shoot up my arm just with that simple touch. I   mentally kicked myself in the butt and again I re-focused.



"Hello Mr. Hunter. I'm so pleased to meet you, and happy to be here."



"Have a seat Miss Summers, and please, call me Seth. Mr. Hunter is my father."



That was what I needed to snap back to reality. Yes, this man was   absolutely beautiful, and yes, the room felt like it was suddenly   charged with sexual energy …  but I was here to destroy this man's father   and if I had to, him in the process. I needed to hold onto the anger I   felt surge through me when he'd mentioned his father's name. It was   going to get me through what I needed to do.



I sat down in one of the chairs opposite him just as a middle-aged,   balding man with a paunch rushed in the door. "I'm sorry, Seth. I just   got out of the meeting with the auditors."



"It's fine, Harlan, we were just about to start. Harlan Broderick this   is Erin Summers. Harlan is our CFO and he is also someone the person who   accepts the position you are interviewing for will be working closely   with."



"I'm honored to meet you Miss Summers. I read your portfolio and I have   to say I wasn't only impressed, I was quite envious of all that you've   accomplished at such a young age."



"Thank you, sir. I've heard great things about you as well," I told him.   I wasn't making that up. My research about Hunter Corp. had netted me   more than one fan of his. It seemed that he was a competent,  intelligent  man who was also very easy to work with. He attracted  clients to the  company like flies.



"Please, no sir's around here unless you run into the senior Mr. Hunter   in the hallway," Harlan said. It was good that they kept mentioning  him.  It kept that anger surging. "Call me Harlan," he said.



"Thank you," I said to him. "And both of you please call me Erin."



"So Erin," Seth said, opening the file he had in front of him. "What do you know about the position you're applying for today?"



"The CBDO is in charge of developing elaborate business plans and   designing and implementing processes to support business growth … "



"And how would you support business growth?" he asked.



Not by stealing it, I wanted to say. Instead, I said, "Through customer   and market definition. That would include working together with clients   as well as business partners such as suppliers and sub-contractors, JV   partners, our technology providers … "



Seth was nodding, and Harlan looked impressed. Seth started to ask   another question, but I wasn't quite finished with that one yet. "I   would also be responsible for building and maintaining high-level   contacts with our current and prospective customers and other business   and project partners."



Seth smiled. I wish he wouldn't do that. I found it easier to hate him when he didn't look good enough to eat for lunch.



"Very good," he said. "So let me ask you this …  let's say you bring in a   prospective customer and he's on the fence about his business with our   company versus another. Would you hand him off to our marketing  director  from there?"



"Absolutely not. Once I identified a prospective client, it would be my   job to drive them through to the contract award. I'd do that of course   by emphasizing to them how skilled we are at identifying new customers   and markets and developing new approaches to old markets. I would also   be on top of all proposals and follow their preparation from start to   finish."         

     



 



The men looked at each other. I could tell that my business acumen was   not only impressive to them, but somewhat startling. No doubt, even   though they'd obviously read my resume and portfolio they still hadn't   expected a twenty-four year old woman to be so prepared. Harlan went   next, asking me what other strong skills I had that I thought would be   beneficial for this position.



"Well, one thing I have had a lot of success with at Lyon is developing   marketing strategies." I gave them some examples of that and then I  went  on to say, "I have also managed entire proposal teams and client   account managers …  very successfully if I might add."



The interview lasted about forty-five minutes. Seth was obviously smart   and in spite of being James Hunter's son, well-educated and suited for   the role he currently filled within the company. I wasn't sure if that   was more to my advantage or disadvantage …  I guess time would tell. He   asked me a lot of tough questions, and I answered them. I didn't feel   like there was anything he asked me that I wasn't familiar with. Harlan   seemed to like me a lot. I think I had him at the description of my job   duties. Seth also seemed impressed with me and not bored or in a hurry   to get rid of me so that was a good sign. They gave me the opportunity   to ask questions and once again I was prepared with some of what I   thought were intelligent, insightful questions and comments. When the   interview was over, Harlan told me once more how impressed he was with   me. Then I turned to Seth, who seemed to trap me in his blue gaze.



"I'm also impressed with the amount of work you put into researching   this company. A lot of people forget that's a vital part of an   interview. I'm glad that you didn't. Listening to you talk about our   company sounded as if you've already worked here for a decade. I think   you could teach me and Harlan a few things that we didn't know." If he   only knew. "We have a few more interviews and hope to make a decision by   early next week, so someone will be in touch Erin. Thank you so much   for coming in." I shook both their hands and thanked them. I could feel   my insides shaking as I made my way outside. As I was going through the   outside door after saying good-bye to the receptionist, a tall man  with  dark hair and gray at the temples was coming in the door. He was   well-dressed in an expensive suit and his skin was tanned and healthy   looking with just a touch of fine lines around his dark blue eyes. I   didn't have to look twice to know it was James Hunter …  the man who had   stolen my life.