The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress
Chapter 124

Johnathon

POV

"Would you calm the f**k down? So what if Grandfather came down to the company today and started asking questions? It's perfectly normal. You need to stop worrying so much."

She had her back to me. I had just come home and found that John and Karen were missing from the mansion, out doing errands or something and I'd gone in search of Charlotte, tomorrow's appointment at the forethought of my mind. Some instinct had told me not to call out and I was now rewarded by the sight of my wife on the phone as I stood in the doorway, blatantly eavesdropping.

Who was she talking to? From the sounds of it, it was associated with the company but I couldn't discern the voice on the other end.

"You covered your tracks, right? Besides Grandfather is just an old fool. He was probably just making his usual rounds at the company and will forget about it by tomorrow. You're panicking over nothing" Charlotte hissed. Some more mumbling from the other side of the phone.

"Oh please. You knew this might happen, it's why we've been so cautious. Besides, you told me that it was worth it" her voice dropped and became seductive "in order to have me. Are you telling me that's changed?"

I felt sick. It was one thing to suspect my wife was having an affair but to have it confirmed right in front of me was another thing entirely. She was unaware I was listening behind her.

"You think what you've done is bad, it's nothing compared to what I've done" she snapped, sounding frazzled "and if you had left your b***h of a wife when I asked you to, we wouldn't be in this situation. This is all your fault"

Angry shouting from the other line. Charlotte looked incensed, running a hand through her hair in anger. "Don't act like this is all my fault. Seriously, man up" she snarled "Stop acting like a coward. I have done everything you've asked and taken risks for you."

I took a step back. If Charlotte discovered me standing here, she would no doubt put two and two together and realize I'd been eavesdropping. I quietly turned and began to head back downstairs, going into the kitchen just in time as the front door opened and John headed in. "Johnathon" he grunted, grabbing a mug of coffee from a maid as I reluctantly did the same "How's work?"

"About the same," I said faintly, not wanting to divulge the new client, Mr Ferryweather, dread in my gut.

"It will pick up soon, you'll see," John said kindly trying to be friendly for some strange reason "and with a baby on the way you'll be busy enough as it is getting ready for it."

My heart sank. The baby. John sounded so excited about his grandchild and me, I felt nothing. How could I? There was a fifty percent chance it was mine if that. For all I knew Charlotte was sleeping with several men. The notion made me clench my jaw. The irony. My wife whom I'd cheated on my previous wife with, was cheating on me. It was karma. The universe getting back at me. The notion stung. John patted my arm and sat down at the table. "So where is your wife?" he asked looking around "And that miserable Karen?" he added bluntly.

"Oh, um I haven't had a chance to replace them yet," I said pretending to have just got home as he scowled at me.

"Probably shopping with the Deluca money" he muttered, "instead of replaceing something worthy to do."

I said nothing. The sound of heels clacking on the stairs had both of us turning to look at the doorway expectantly, as Charlotte walked in looking frazzled.

"Ah, there you are," John said disapprovingly "Why do you look so messy?"

She glowered at him "None of your business" she shot back, sitting opposite me "I didn't hear you come in" she added a little more politely.

"I just got home," I said sharply, pulling my hand away from her as she glanced at me confused.

"Oh right" she mumbled "Well I have a few errands to run, so I'll be back later" She exhaled and began looking around for her purse.

"What kind of errands?" I asked pointedly.

She flushed and looked at me. John sat up straighter and eyed his granddaughter with interest. "What?" she stammered. "What errands are you running?" I asked meaningfully "I could come with you, make it easier on you."

She swallowed hard, looking like a rabbit caught in a trap. "Oh that's not necessary," she said avoiding my gaze "It's just something mundane and you've been busy at work all day" she added.

"The boys trying to be helpful" John scolded as Charlotte gritted her teeth "You're married, if he wants to help you, let him." "I'm just going shopping" she burst out "Alright. I'm going shopping and you hate that" she snapped.

She was right. I did hate shopping. John looked at her disapprovingly. "You should get a job" he admonished her "instead of relying on the Deluca money and allowances you get. You treat shopping as though it's an Olympic sport" he grumbled.

"I do not," Charlotte said sharply "and who cares Grandpa? I want to spend money while I'm young enough to appreciate what I buy and enjoy it."

"There's a limit to how much you can enjoy it," her grandfather said with a shake of his head "Sometimes I think you're trying to fill a void that can't be filled."

"Whatever, I'm going shopping," Charlotte said, grabbing her bag and flouncing out of the kitchen.

John's eyes were inscrutable. He slowly slid a key towards me. "In the garage" was all he said and then got up and walked away.

I moved. I went into the garage and pressed the button. It was a simple SUV. I got in and started the engine and began to follow the limousine. I wasn't exactly discreet. But neither was the limousine. It stopped at a hotel, pulled into the parking space, and the driver opened the door. Charlotte got out, prouncing towards the doorman. I kept a distance and my head down as I followed behind.

She stopped at reception and grabbed a key while I hid behind a plant feeling foolish. Part of me had to know who she was seeing. She took the elevator to the fifth floor and I took the second lift. I got there in time to see her head down the hallway and turn. I followed, stopping at the corner and peering. She put her key in the lock and disappeared inside. I sighed. There was nobody else there. I was about to walk away, when a man walked past me, without glancing my way. He knocked on the door and I stared in disbelief. He was so focused on the door and getting inside, that he ignored my presence.

I saw her open the door. She had a wide smile on her face. She had changed into sexy lingerie and her hair was cascading loosely down her back. He gave a low whistle.

"Beautiful as always" he murmured, kissing her on the lips and embracing her as she kicked the door shut behind them.

I should have been in shock. I should have been angry. But part of me was resigned. I had known instinctively and this had only confirmed what I had only known all along. It was ironic, laughable really that the man Charlotte was seeing had the nerve to come to me for a divorce. Mr Ferryweather was f*****g my wife and yet he came to me asking me to divorce him from his wife. This was the woman he wanted to be free to marry? What was it he said? That his mistress wanted to divorce as well?

I turned and made my way slowly down the hallway and back to the lift. The poor bastard didn't know that Charlotte could not divorce until after the baby was born. She was playing him just as much as she was playing me. He was a puppet and she was holding the strings. The lift went back down to the ground floor and I slunk back towards the car. I was preoccupied with my thoughts as I got back in the car. Had John known? Was that why he had given me the key to the car so I could follow her? Or had this been a lucky guess of his? The old man was hard to read.

I started the car and got back home on automation. I barely remembered parking the car. I walked back inside. John was in the living room. I silently passed him the key.

"Did you get all your errands done?" his eyes were narrowed and fixed on my face.

"No" my voice was raspy "I have some more errands to take care of tomorrow," I told him tightly "It would be best if Charlotte didn't know that I was out this afternoon. If we could keep it between the two of us?" I asked and the old man nodded slowly. "I hope that tomorrow proves to be more fruitful for you," John said quietly.

I wanted to laugh. The old man knew more than I had thought. Or he was probing for me to let slip information. He would make an excellent spy, I thought with admiration.

"Thank you for the loan of the car," I said gravely, turning to head upstairs and to get away before I lost myself completely. "Anytime. If you need it again, the key will be hanging in the garage. We have several cars but I replace that one's the most subtle when it comes to going out without being seen by those trying to keep tabs on us."

I looked at him and saw an indecipherable expression on his face. Finally, I just nodded tiredly and walked away, heading upstairs and towards the bedroom. I had no desire to run into Charlotte this afternoon if I could help it and as I gathered some stuff together so that I could lick my wounds in peace while sleeping in the guest room, part of me wondered why I was even bothering to stay in this marriage even more. Tomorrow's appointment would shed new light on another issue that had me wishing I could turn back time and be married to the woman who had never given me a reason to doubt her. Life would have been so much simpler if I had only stayed married to Flair.