Chapter 9 – The Hidden Heiress

“I wasn’t planning on pulling just anybody off the street,” I said with a mischievous glint in my eyes “Give me some credit Timothy” I added.

The poor man looked as though he was about to have an apoplexy or explode. “Then what are you saying?” he said, beads of sweat on his forehead.

“Well you just said that the woman in this photo and the man my sister’s been having an affair with are going to get divorced” I pointed out as Timothy nodded slowly, not comprehending where my mind was going “So that means the woman is going to be free to marry again,” I said patiently.

His jaw dropped open “You’re telling me that you want to marry the woman that slapped your sister in public” he practically yelled, leaping to his feet and staring at me as though I had gone insane.

I perused the article while Timothy floundered, tapping my finger on the woman’s name. “Flair Rourke, aka soon-to-be Flair Summers once more,” I said, pausing at her name. “Timothy,” I said icily and my assistant gulped, “find out everything you can about this woman. I want her background checked, all of her medical history, everything you possibly can. I want all the information, on my desk, by the close of today, do you understand me?” I leveled a gaze at my assistant who was practically choking himself with his tie.

“I understand sir” he stammered “but what makes you think this woman is going to be amenable to marrying you if she’s getting divorced?”

I chuckled, “Put it this way. If your husband had an affair with a spoilt heiress and you had the option to marry into her family, in order to get your own personal revenge, wouldn’t you take the opportunity to do so?”

Timothy was silent. “I don’t know whether to commend you on your brilliance or to be frightened at your cunning” he admitted.

“Both Timothy,” I said glancing back down at my files on the desk “Now leave. I want to get ready for Miss Claudette’s appointment. Make sure there are no interruptions” I advised him “and inform me when you have all the information ready. I’m quite interested in this woman’s background.”

Frankly, I was more interested in why her fool of a husband had chosen to let her go. He’d be regretting his mistake soon enough, but by the time he came to his senses and saw Charlotte for the manipulative b***h she really was, it would be far too late and Flair would already be mine.

Flair POV

I entered the family mansion, accustomed to the glitz and glamor, my heels clinking against the hard tiled floor, the maid directing me to the living room, where my brother and my father were impatiently waiting for my arrival. I gave a tight smile, pausing in the doorway as I took in my father, clad in an expensive business suit, his hair immaculately groomed. He might be in his mid-forties, but he was still a handsome man, and Ian was seated on the couch, raising a sympathetic brow as he saw me standing there, debating whether to walk over and give my father a hug or wait until he saw fit to acknowledge me, his back turned as he finished up an important business call.

My father turned, and I saw his eyes soften as they greedily drank me in. I hadn’t been home in over three years and the last time I had seen him, it had been because we had an argument over marrying Johnathon.

Flashback.

“Flair if you insist on marrying that man, don’t even think of entering this house again, let alone relying on the Grant name to save you. This man is no good for you. He’s not worthy of your love or your time. He’s using you.”

“Father I love him. He loves me. He doesn’t know I’m a Grant. I’ll show you that he wants me without using the Grant name. If you want to disown me, so be it, we’ll make it without you.”

“If you walk through that door, don’t bother coming back. That will be the end of you.”

I stared at my father, my chest heaving. I had thought he would be happy when I came to tell him I was engaged to Johnathon, but instead, he had been enraged. I knew he hadn’t liked the man, but I thought he would swallow his pride and be happy for me. I thought he would support my decision, even though we were both young and a little reckless. My father had been the opposite. He had argued against the marriage.

“That man will leave you the second he thinks something better has come along” he roared as I turned my back and prepared to leave, my eyes narrowed in defiance “You’re making a big mistake Flair. If you want to get married we can find somebody better suited for you.”

I turned around and glared at my father, indignant that he would make such a suggestion to me. I was loyal to Johnathon. How could my father even suggest that I get married to someone else, someone that I didn’t love? Johnathon was the only one for me.

“I would never betray Johnathon like that. You don’t know what it’s like to love somebody so much you would die for them” I shot back with a hiss “I’m sorry Father, I love you and I love my brothers, but I won’t give up this man because you won’t accept somebody who is a commoner. I never wanted this life, I never asked for it. I deserve to be happy and that’s with the man who has loved me for the last year. I’m going to marry him. It’s up to you if you decide to come to the wedding” I choked out, feeling tears trail down my cheeks.

Silence. I clenched my hands into fists, feeling despair sweep over me. Ian had been there, unable to say anything to dissuade me from the path I’d chosen. I’d turned my back and I’d walked slowly, resolutely out the door, my dress billowing around my ankles. I had half expected them to run after me, to apologize. But we were all prideful and the door had closed behind me, with an ominous creak and a sense of finality. I had walked away from my family home, with the sense I would never see it again.

End of flashback.

My father was the first to make a move. I tensed and then felt his large arms around me, holding me tight. “My Flair” he murmured as my throat tightened “My beautiful daughter,” he said in a whisper, pulling away to look at me “You look more and more like your mother every day.”

“You called me,” I said stiffly, taken aback by the welcome I’d received.

I saw regret on his face. He motioned for me to take a seat, and I sat beside Knox, who placed a comforting hand on my thigh.

“I did,” my father said heavily, seated opposite us, his eyes narrowed as he took in the paleness of my face, the trembling of my body “I saw the news in the paper Flair.”

I licked my lips “It’s not what you think” I began but he held up a hand, his eyes blazing.

“Now that I think?” he said darkly “The bastard is divorcing you, is he not?” he demanded as I stared at him mutely.

There it was. The question I’d been dreading. The moment when my father got to tell me he’d seen this coming. When I had to admit that he’d been right all along. I could feel tears forming and blinked them back. My head bowed in shame. “Yes,” I said bitterly “Johnathon is divorcing me.”

My father was not appeased “He cheated on you” It was an accusation, not a question.

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