The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress
Chapter 137

Grayson POV

It's a little bit of a surprise to see the Grants here at the wake. As usual, they are accompanied by their bodyguards but there's something else to it. Like they have another reason for being here that they are choosing not to divulge, besides being here for Flair's sake. They had missed the funeral but I knew that would have been in order to prevent it from becoming a circus due to their presence. It was the ultimate form of respect for them. I shake lan's hand, watching out of the corner of my eye as Knox silently slips away before Charlotte can make her dramatic speech. I wondered where he was going, but didn't have time to quiz lan before Charlotte was clearing her throat and beginning to speak, causing the crowd to hush and listen to her with sympathetic ears, Karen moved to stand by her daughter's side and helped to prop her up.

"First of all, I want to thank each and every one of you for being here today" Charlotte began in a wavering voice, her hand shaking as she held a glass in her hand, one that Karen quickly took from her and handed to a nearby waiter.

"Today is one of the worst days in my life. It's one of the most difficult days that I have ever had to bear" her voice cracks and I see several in the crowd wince with sympathy as they gaze upon Charlotte's tears trailing down her cheeks. "Today I was forced to bid goodbye to a good man, a brave man, a man that I was proud to call my husband for the final time before he went to his final resting place."

The crowd is silent, several wiping away tears of their own. I can see Flair surreptitiously wipe a tear from her eye and see lan put a hand around her waist, offering her silent support as I give him a grateful glance. She leans on her brother and takes shuddering breaths.

"Johnathon was a fine lawyer, a man with high morals and deserving of the respect of those around him and his peers. I have never met a man quite like him" Charlotte laughs through her tears "and I never will again. Nobody is ever going to live up to my memory of Johnathon. He was taken too soon" she added, gesturing with a shaking hand as others in the crowd nodded with agreement "and my heart is broken by the loss of somebody who will never get to know their child, or see their milestones, or even help to name them."

Low murmurs in the crowd. Grandfather is nodding heavily in the background while Mr Grant has clenched his jaw as though he is angry about something, although I am not certain why. "Johnathon will always have a place in my heart," Charlotte said, looking the crowd in the eyes and putting a hand to her lips "I will never forget him for as long as I live and our child will learn about her father's memory from me and from all his friends," she said quietly "he will never be forgotten about so long as we keep him in our hearts and forever in our minds."

It was a touching speech. Flair was openly sobbing now as were many others. I tightened my lips, forcing myself to remain calm and composed, I moved so I could be at Flair's side, reaching for her hand and squeezing it as she looked at me with watery eyes and let out a hiccup, letting go of lan to reach for me and cry into my chest.

"I ask each of you today," Charlotte said, glancing down at the crowd who were still silent and listening intently "to write in Johnathon's memory book. Any memory, a good one, that you have, so that I may share it with our child in the future. If you could do that, I would be so appreciative," she said thickly as people began to nod in the crowd "and once again I thank you for coming. Johnathon would have been honored to see how many of you attended today. I'm sure of it" she finished and grabbed a glass off a nearby waiter and raised it "To Johnathon," she said and those in the crowd with a glass in hand raised theirs and repeated "To Johnathon" before beginning to drink after toasting the man everybody mourned.

Charlotte's face crumpled and she dropped the glass. It made a loud clinking noise as it fell to the floor and broke into tiny little shards on the decking. Immediately maids began to scurry over and clean up, while Karen gently led Charlotte a little bit away, Charlotte weeping profusely into her hands.

"She looked devastated" lan commented, his voice filled with a hint of disgust "almost as though she truly loved him."

I give him a sidelong glance "Do you have a reason to suspect otherwise?" I asked coolly "do you believe she's acting?" my tone was not full of judgment merely curiosity.

After all, it was not as though lan personally knew Charlotte all that well which raised my suspicions as to what they might be doing here. lan gave me a scathing look "she's acting all right" he said simply, eying Charlotte with a look that was almost impressed "she's quite good too. She should try and be an actress."

"lan" Flair chided, "That's not a very nice thing to say" she scolded lan who merely raised a brow and looked at her pointedly.

He reached out a finger and wiped one of her tears away, his gaze softening as he looked at his sister. "Your tears," he said softly "your tears are genuine" he added, regarding her sympathetically "but you've always had such a kind heart Flair" he sighed "even to those who don't deserve your compassion or your pity."

"How can you say that?" Flair said turning to look at him "She's going through a difficult time."

She was trying to protest on Charlotte's behalf. It was just like her, I thought with a sigh, to defend somebody's honor, even when I silently agreed with her brother lan. There was something off about the way Charlotte was behaving. Right now she was draped over a table crying her eyes out, her makeup smearing, her dress wrinkled, and a crumpled tissue in her hand. It was almost like watching a scene out of a movie. It was unnerving, to say the least. Maybe lan's words were getting to

me.

"Where is Knox?" I asked.

lan's mouth twitched. "He had to go get someone," he said simply "a mutual accomplice of ours. They couldn't make the funeral unfortunately and we promised to pick him up later. It's alright. Charlotte knows him very well" his voice almost sounded like it was dripping with maliciousness "I'm sure she'll be very thrilled to see him again. They are close you see or were."

I frowned "Did they have some falling out or something?"

Ilan looked me in the eyes, his own practically sparkling "You could say that" he said agreeably.

Why did he have such a strange look on his face? It was almost like anticipation mixed with glee. He was practically rubbing his hands together like he was looking forward to Charlotte meeting whoever Knox had gone to get.

"Do you think we should go offer our condolences?" Flair asked, looking at Charlotte doubtfully as she continued to cry and guests came over to pat her on the shoulder "Perhaps it would be best if we left and she got left alone to grieve" she said uncertainly. lan was quick to shake his head "No, you need to stay" he told her calmly.

Flair frowned at him "Why?"

"This friend that Knox went to get is a friend of yours as well" lan said cryptically "so you shouldn't miss seeing them. You might not get to catch up with them again for a very long time" he added as Flair paused and glanced at me.

"Well who is it?" she asked wrinkling her nose and appearing deep in thought "I know it's not Rachel, and I have so many old friends it could be anyone but I doubt most of them know Charlotte" she mused.

"If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise" lan smirked as Flair glared at him "and this would be less interesting."

"lan" I said and he chuckled at me "Glare all you want Grayson, you're going to have to wait and be as patient as Flair here."

I wanted to growl at him. He looked on the verge of exploding with excitement. So much for being the serious or solemn type. Right now he was practically vibrating in place. I glanced at Flair but she looked just as lost as I did. Whatever was happening she had nothing to do with it.

Her father was still busy chatting off to the side with my grandfather who looked a lot more chipper now. It was a strange relationship those two had, but they appeared to be good friends and according to the maid I had installed secretly in the house, he was in excellent health and I had nothing to worry about in regards to that, even if he stubbornly refused to heed the doctor's advice.

"It's almost time" lan whispered, glancing down at his wrist watch, his lip curling back "god's this is going to be good" he whispered gleefully.

I opened my mouth to demand he tell me what he and Knox were hiding when a voice sounded from the back of us. Knox and his guest had to have come through the garage into the backyard. The voice was eerily familiar and as Flair gaped and then put a hand to her chest, I managed to quickly catch her as she promptly fainted in my arms. I didn't blame her. None of us had thought we would hear this voice again. It was coming back from the grave and as Charlotte glanced towards the speaker, the blood drained out of her face completely and the crowd stilled, shocked to the core and unsure of what was happening right in front of their eyes.

"This is a beautiful wake but then I should have known you would have done it justice, isn't that right Charlotte?"