The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress
Chapter 135

Grayson POV

Death comes for us all eventually. No matter the mood of the day, no matter whether it's sunny outside or cloudy, nothing can forestall death when he decides that it's your time. As we stood outside, cloistered in a group, I could see Charlotte grasping desperately at Grandfather, sobbing her eyes out as the minister continued the sermon, all of Johnathon's friends and some of his clients present.

I glanced at my wife. Her expression was stoic. She stood stiffly, her demeanor one of poise, of elegance, even as she stared down at the coffin with red and puffy eyes. Since the moment she'd learned of his death, of his demise, my wife had been filled with grief and regret, of sadness and sorrow, her emotions giving rise to the pain that seemed to flow out of her with no end in sight. It can't have been easy for her, to be forced to say goodbye to a man that she had once considered herself in love with, who she had once shared her hopes and dreams with, who she wanted to build a future and a family with. I could see the devastation slowly sink into her eyes. My hand held onto hers tightly, giving strength when she had none. Lending compassion and understanding to a terrible situation that neither of us had ever contemplated would happen.

Charlotte was crying and wailing while her mother tried to keep her upright. I saw Flair look at her, saw a lone tear trail down her cheek as she broke her composure slightly.

"You should go help her" she whispered.

I opened my mouth to protest, but she shook her head at me and pulled her hand from mine, gesturing for me to move forward and lend comfort at the expense of losing her own. She was always selfless like that. Generous. Compassionate. "Go" she whispered and despite my unwillingness, my legs moved forward of their own accord and I strode towards Charlotte, gently prying her off Grandfather as she collapsed against me.

"He's dead" she wept, her hand clenching around a fistful of my shirt "he's dead" she sobbed "What am I supposed to do now?"

My hand slowly wrapped around her as Karen stepped back with a look of relief on her face. The minister continued to keep the ceremony going but Charlotte couldn't bring herself to look at the coffin, as though it was betraying him.

"You have a family to help you," I told her, as she shuddered and cried "I'm sorry for your loss," I said around the lump in my throat.

For all his faults, for all his terrible qualities, Johnathon hadn't been as bad a guy as I had envisioned. Or at least not one so horrendous that he had deserved such a thing as this to happen to him.

"I can't..." she whimpered "I can't live without him, Grayson. I loved him" she wailed, her voice rising in pitch and becoming shrill.

"I know," I said soothingly, patting her on the back and meeting Karen's eyes as she hovered nervously by her daughter, her own eyes red and puffy.

"For all those that would like to, I invite you now to throw your flowers upon his coffin and say a final goodbye to Johnathon Deluca, before he is taken to his final resting place," the minister said as I held Charlotte upright.

I watched silently as one by one the crowd began to make their way towards the coffin, slowly putting their bouquets and single flowers on top of their coffin, their hands gently touching the smoothness of his shiny coffin as they whispered goodbye with loss in their hearts.

"I can't, I can't" she pleaded as I slowly turned her around to face the coffin.

"Charlotte you have to. You need to say goodbye before they take him" I said quietly.

Grandfather resolutely made his way to Karen's side, tucking her arm under his. "Come on," he said softly "let's go and say our own goodbyes with Flair."

She nodded quietly, and I watched as they joined Flair who was gently placing a single rose on the top of Johnathon's resting place, tears gently trailing down her face. I wanted to be there to comfort her, but Charlotte was barely standing on her own. "Charlotte, you need to pull yourself together" I murmured as she stumbled on her heels "Let's go."

She looked up at me her eyes streaming. "But, but"

"Remember who you are," I said, hating that my voice was becoming slightly gruff in my determination to make her gather her composure "You are a Deluca and as such you need to comport yourself as one. Stand up straight" I said and she blinked, her eyes watering as she straightened slowly up and smoothed down her dress.

I tucked her arm under mine and she walked slowly, with deliberate emphasis. For a moment she had gathered herself and she looked like a grieving widow as she placed her flowers on the coffin. But then she let out a heartwrenching scream that was ear piercing, causing those of us in the near vicinity to wince in pain, before flinging herself so that she was draped over the coffin and hugging it closely as she cried heartbroken tears.

"Johnathon. Johnathon" she screamed, while the minister glanced at us nervously, not sure what to do "Don't leave me, don't leave me. Our baby" she sobbed "Our baby needs you."

I hesitated not sure what to do. Did I yank her to her feet? It seemed a bit uncouth and rough to me. I glanced towards Flair who quietly began to approach, along with Karen who began to rub her shoulder.

"Charlotte" Flair's voice was soft and gentle "I know how much you are hurting right now and I know that you miss him" her voice cracked "But Johnathon is gone now" she whispered as Charlotte refused to let go "And there's nothing he can do to help you now. You need to let go of the coffin" she whispered "let go Charlotte."

Charlotte shook her head still crying, her hair cascading down her shoulders. "Honey, come on, let's go get some food and get you something to drink" Karen tried.

Silence except for Charlotte's constant crying. Even Grandfather looked at a loss on what to do and he knew how to do everything. He was out of his league on this one. I watched as Flair knelt down, heedless of the dirt on the ground, her arms wrapping around Charlotte as she held her, letting her cry on her shoulder.

"Why did he have to die" Charlotte wailed "It's not fair, it's not fair" she shouted out loud.

"I know" Flair soothed.

"It's not fair" she continued to Charlotte stroking her hair "and whoever did this to him is going to get caught but for now you need to think about yourself and your unborn child" her voice caught "It's important you take care of your baby" she emphasized as Charlotte slowly began to look at her.

"The baby" Charlotte whispered, her voice shaking as she repeated what Flair was trying to get through to her about. "Part of that baby is Johnathon too," Flair said, with a watery smile "and it's the best thing you have of him. We want to take care of it," she said kindly and Charlotte began to slowly nod, wiping the tears off her face while Karen hastily began to dig in her handbag, looking for tissues.

"Johnathon's baby," Charlotte said obediently while I marveled at the effect my wife was having on her.

She was managing to calm Charlotte down while the rest of us watched in awe. Karen hastily passed some tissues to Flair and Flair began to softly blot around Charlotte's eyes, wiping the tears away. "There you go," Flair said, as Charlotte gave her a small smile "Beautiful" she complimented sweetly.

Flair stood up and then lent Charlotte a hand, helping her back up. Flair dusted the dirt off Charlotte's dress as Charlotte looked at her surprised.

"Thank you" Charlotte murmured, as Karen took hold of her hand and Flair nodded.

"Come on Char, let's go to the wake," Karen said, shooting Flair a grateful look.

Charlotte allowed Karen and Grandfather to lead her towards the car which would take her back to the Deluca mansion for the wake.

I quietly joined my wife who was beginning to smooth down her own dress while she glanced down at the coffin. Her face was contorted into an expression of pain and anguish. "You're remarkable," I told her as I took her hand.

She looked confused "You amaze me every day with how much compassion you can show to other people, even with how badly they've treated you in the past," I told her honestly.

"I would want the same done to me, if god forbid, something had happened to you," she said, looking upset.

I pulled her into me and kissed the top of her head "I'm sorry for your loss" I told her and she looked surprised. "It's not my loss" she began to say but I shook my head and put a finger to her lips silencing her.

"Don't lie to me" I said firmly "You were married to the man. You might not have ended things on good terms but you had feelings for him and you cared about him. Regardless of our marriage, I know you're grieving and you're allowed to grieve. You're allowed to mourn the loss of somebody who was an important part of your life for three years Flair" I said as she looked at me tearfully "You're allowed to mourn the loss of somebody gone from your life."

She burst into tears, finally giving way to the dam that had been waiting to give burst inside of her and I held her, feeling her body violently trembling and wishing I could do anything to take the pain she was feeling away. For all that she had done to comfort Charlotte, the best I could do was hold her and remind her how much I loved her, while also keeping in mind that she too, was going to be giving birth to our child. If I could have done more, I would have done it in a heartbeat. My only regret was not being there for her on the day that Johnathon's death was declared to her at the hospital.