Chapter 4 – The Hidden Heiress

“Where to Mr Grant?” the driver asked respectfully, dipping his head to me and giving me a warm smile.

Knox flattened his lips “My mansion” he said.

“Knox, I can’t go there,” I said, even as the limousine began to peel out “What is father going to say when he sees me?” I added, feeling slightly panicked.

He gave me a cool look “The sooner you get this over with the better. Besides, did it occur to you that your face is about to be plastered over the newspapers as well? It’s better that father hears from you about Johnathon than seeing the news for himself in the paper.”

“What about Rachel?” I asked grasping at straws.

“I love Knox’s mansion,” Rachel said, the traitor, looking through the window “and it’s not as though I haven’t stayed at your family home before” she added nonchalantly.

Damn. I felt betrayed as I stared at her. She blinked her eyes at me. I glowered at Knox. He looked at me unrelentingly. “He’s going to be so disappointed in me” I whispered, feeling close to tears “I did everything he asked, except for this one thing and I failed. I failed at my marriage” I added, sniffling, and then the dam broke as I burst into noisy tears, Rachel looking stricken, while Knox’s arms went around me and held me close.

“Flair you didn’t fail” Knox murmured, his grip tight and strong, as I laid against him “I know you. You’re tenacious, stubborn, loyal, and sometimes a right pain in the ass” he teased as I stared at him with watery eyes “the woman I know would have given her all in the marriage. You gave up everything to be with him. You changed your name, you worked, you cooked, you cleaned. You did everything he wanted. You didn’t fail. Johnathon’s just an asshole” he growled.

I gave a small laugh. “Oh Flair” Rachel murmured sympathetically “You really loved him, didn’t you?” she asked quietly.

I nodded, as Knox grabbed me and placed me on his lap “I know that I should be angry and I should be filled with rage” I said biting my lip “but I can’t help but mourn and give as well. I wanted so badly to be the perfect wife for him and when I found out he was cheating, my first thought was that there was something wrong with me, some flaw that had made him go looking for someone else.”

“Nonsense” Rachel barked, her eyes blazing fiercely “You are perfect Flair, exactly as you are. Any man would have been proud to have you as a wife. Johnathon has no idea how lucky he was to have you in his life, let alone as his wife. It’s his loss but don’t you dare question what was wrong with you, because the answer is nothing” she snarled.

Knox stared at Rachel approvingly. He took out a handkerchief from his jacket pocket and tenderly wiped my eyes. “Your friend is right,” he said gently “Baby sister, I have always loved you and so has Ian. There is nothing we wouldn’t do for you. Father is going to be angry, but not at you. You have always been his favorite,” he said fondly, without anger in his voice “his little princess. If anything he will be glad to welcome you home” he said.

He gave me the handkerchief. Knox’s gaze sharpened “If you would like, I could have the story pulled?” he offered.

I knew he had the power to do that. One phone call and the scandal would be toast. I hesitated. If I said yes, then Charlotte’s name and reputation would remain the same as it was before. But did she deserve to have her name stricken from the record so to speak? Did she deserve to go unpunished for her actions?

“Charlotte knew the consequences of going after a married man and she did it anyway,” I said dully “If anything I want the story to focus on the fact that she’s not an innocent victim and that her actions pertained to the slap.”

Knox grinned and grabbed his cell phone out of his pocket as I moved slightly so he could get a hold of it. He began to text at a furious pace while I stared out the window, watching the city leaving behind us.

“That’s my girl,” Rachel said with a smile “Don’t let that spoilt b***h off the hook. If anything Johnathon will suffer too, maybe even lose some business at his law firm.”

I hadn’t thought of that. A look of immense satisfaction came over my face as I mulled that over. “It’s not enough” I whispered as Knox began to put his phone back in his pocket and Rachel looked at me confused “It’s not nearly enough.”

“What’s not enough?” Knox asked tenderly, smoothing my hair back from my forehead and gazing into my eyes.

“I want Johnathon and Charlotte to be ruined,” I said quietly “and I don’t care how I have to go about it. I’m going to ruin their lives” I added as Rachel began to nod and Knox’s eyes narrowed “and they’re not even going to see it coming. By the time they realize who I really am, it will be far too late.”

Johnathon’s POV

By the time we managed to leave the club, Charlotte was a mess and still seething from the slap. “I can’t believe that little b***h touched me like that” she spat out, as we headed out the door, Charlotte staggering slightly in her heels.

I made a move to steady her and she glared at me, while I clenched my jaw. Was she blaming me for what happened? It was Charlotte’s temper that had gotten Flair to slap her in the first place! If she had left well enough alone, or just kept quiet, she would have been fine. She didn’t need to interfere like she had.

“Never mind Charlotte,” I said tightly and she gasped, swinging her head to stare at me outraged.

“Never mind,” she said shrilly, her high-pitched tone piercing my ears and making me wince “your ex-wife just assaulted me and that’s all you can say?” she shrieked “is never mind?”

“What exactly do you want me to say?” I asked coolly “you stepped in and provoked her. I had everything under control.”

I was vehemently aware of the reporters coming out of the club and so was Charlotte, because although her eyes were blazing, I saw her bite her lip and keep silent, stomping towards the limousine as the driver hastily opened the door for her.

I hurried to help her inside and then got in myself, breathing a sigh of relief as the driver shut the door, preventing the reporters from seeing or hearing anything else. Charlotte was still pouting, her ruby-red lips pursed in a most unbecoming manner. “Do you have any idea how humiliated I am?” she hissed.

I had a fairly good idea. I gazed at her with a small degree of sympathy, even as I fought the flash of admiration washing over me in regards to Flair. Our whole marriage Flair had come across as meek and subservient and now, she had just shown a side of her I had never seen before. Had all of her submissive side been an act? Why? I frowned and Charlotte reached over and grabbed me by the hand.

“Johnathon, don’t you understand? Grandfather is going to be pissed when the papers hit the stands tomorrow” she cried pitifully.

I blinked and focussed on her. “Will your brother help you?” I asked again and she looked mutinous and gave a bitter laugh.

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