The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress
Chapter 45

Flair POV

I kept my calm, even as Rachel was incensed by the manager's behavior towards us.

"You're making a big mistake" I warned the manager, who merely raised a brow and glared at us, security now entering the store and standing directly behind us "That credit card is my husband's and you have no business treating us like criminals!" "Charlotte Deluca herself said that you two should not have been allowed to shop in here" Sophie the manager said, drawing herself up "I should have listened to her. There are only so many of these cards in existence and a person as famous as Grayson is not going to be married to somebody of your poor quality!"

"How dare you" Rachel hissed, her tone dripping with venom, yanking her arm away as one of the security team attempted to manhandle her "You have no idea who she is" she added while I subtly shook my head at her.

I didn't want her to divulge my identity to this woman. I had made the call, now I just needed him. I glanced towards the entrance, hoping he wouldn't take too long.

"Unless Grayson himself enters the store both of you are fraudsters," Sophie said, as I felt a security member grab my arm and squeeze it painfully "and as such should be restrained until the police can come."

"Please come with me Miss," the security man, an older man in his thirties said, with disdain.

I gave him a frosty gaze "Take your hands off of me" I warned him.

He laughed "Or what? You're hardly in a position to demand anything" he added, smirking at his colleagues who nodded in agreement.

Rachel was roughly grabbed again, wincing as her arm was pulled behind her. She looked stone-faced. Sophie gave a smile but Melanie looked deeply upset and traumatized by what was happening. She knew Rachel was not capable of stealing anybody's card but her boss refused to listen to her.

The security man attempted to pull me back and I stumbled slightly. The entrance was still slightly open as another security member stood there, waving away customers. I heard an angry voice speak and couldn't contain the fierce grin that came over my face. It was about time that he had come. His voice was dripping with fury as he addressed the security team, while Sophie looked confused.

"Take your grubby, disgusting hands off these women right now, before I order them to be broken."

The security team glanced at each other uneasily as none other than my big brother lan Grant came striding inside, a fierce scowl on his face, his bodyguards following in his wake. Slowly, the hand gripping me, released me reluctantly as the security turned to face the wrath of lan Grant in all it's glory.

Rachel rubbed her arm, scowling at the security men and then smiling brilliantly at lan whose eyes slid to both of us in concern.

"Are you alright?" he bit out, deliberately moving to glance at my arm which had bruises forming.

"I'm fine, just a little roughed up" I murmured and lan frowned, before checking Rachel's arm.

"On whose authority are you attempting to restrain these women?" he asked, as the security team glanced at each other, none of them wishing to speak up.

Everyone knew who lan Grant was. He was infamous, more famous than Grayson and Charlotte Deluca and everybody knew not to get on his bad side. Even the manager looked worried now.

"I gave the order" Sophie stammered "but I had a good reason..." she trailed off as lan's attention turned to her.

"A good reason" he sneered "it seems like this is nothing more than a powerplay by a woman who has nothing better to do and is suffering some midlife crisis" he barked.

Sophie blushed profusely. "But they have a card that is clearly stolen" she attempted to defend herself.

Grayson slid his eyes to me. I nodded tightly and mouthed 'it's Grayson's. My husband's."

He grunted "The card is hers. She's married to Grayson Oakes," he said with deliberate emphasis "and I'm sure her husband would not be happy to know that his wife was treated in this manner."

Sophie went white. It was brilliant. She looked as though she was about to faint. She clutched her chest. "I um..." she breathed.

"I tried to tell you Miss Sophie," Melanie said without sympathy "Miss Rachel is a regular customer and I didn't think her friend would be a criminal."

She sounded slightly patronizing to her manager I noticed with some glee. I could hardly blame the girl. The security team was still shifting on their feet, looking dismayed. This could cost them their jobs and they knew it.

lan rested on his feet, glancing around the store. The other saleslady's were all pointing and chatting amongst themselves. His bodyguards remained surrounding us. It seems that some sentences in this chapter require you to read the complete chapters on Jo (b)ni b.com in order to avoid an incomplete reading experience. He cast a scornful look at Sophie. "Who are you to determine who is a criminal or not? Do you mean to tell me that this woman? A good friend of mine is a criminal?" he pointed slowly at me. Sophie looked like she was going to be sick. "I did not realize that she was a good friend of the Grants," she said weakly "she never said a word."

"It's not in my nature to drop names and you wouldn't have believed me anyway," I said with a shrug "you were too convinced I had stolen the card."

She blanched. Rachel looked smug, embracing lan tightly. "It's been too long," she told him as his arm wrapped around her and returned the affection "you look the same" she teased him.

The other women looked at Rachel enviously. I walked over to lan and he wrapped his other arm around my waist and glared at Sophie. He nodded his head to the security team.

"You can leave now and be thankful you still have your positions" he growled.

The security team glanced at each other and practically scrambled to get away from lan and the tension in the shop. "Lock the door on your way out" lan snarled.

I heard the door shut behind them while lan kissed the top of my head.

"You always get into trouble" he muttered "and about this marriage of yours, you think I didn't know?" he said what a chuckle "I know everything you do. Now," he said a little louder as Sophie trembled in front of us "I'm not pleased with how my friends were treated but I've taken steps to assure myself that it will never happen again" he finished grimly. Rachel glanced at lan with a questioning gaze but I held back a grin. I knew that lan wouldn't just leave it here. No way. When you offended the Grant family, you paid the price. A steep price. lan's eyes were glacial as he studied the manager who was practically shaking in her boots.

"Forgive me" she pleaded, her eyes widening as she glanced at all of us beseechingly "I made a mistake. I'm very sorry" she choked out, putting her hands together in a prayer position.

"God is not about to help you here," lan told her callously, his tone so cold that even I flinched from it. "What you did, was abuse your power as manager. You refused to listen to a staff member, who is wiser than you are, it appears" he added, glancing at Melanie who gaped "and you do not deserve to be in a position that can demean or degrade a customer on your whims."

He was really angry, I thought studying his face. Furious did not even begin to cover it. Although his posture was stiff and his facial expression was tense, there was a simmering rage underneath that he was doing his best to hide. I knew my brother well. I knew that his temper had unreachable limits. But I'd had no choice but to ring him for assistance or Grayson. I didn't want my husband bothered so I'd chosen, what had seemed the lessor of two evils at the time.

"Kneel" lan instructed chillingly as Sophie blinked at him, a look of puzzlement on her face "Kneel and ask for your forgiveness."

She hesitated. lan c****d his head and waited. It was well known that lan was ruthless when it came to dealing with people who offended him. She shouldn't have been surprised by the manner he was dealing with her. Rachel stepped back and folded her arms, a look of great satisfaction on her face. The other women in the store had their moths wide open, agape as they stared at their proud manager being forced to kneel on her knees.

"Last chance" lan's voice was dangerously soft.

I felt a small pang for this woman. But only a small one and it didn't last long. She could have avoided all this if she had just listened to what Rachel and I had tried to tell her. Even if she'd just listened to Melanie. Now she had lost her pride and I had a feeling it was not all she was about to lose.

Sophie slowly, awkwardly, got onto her knees, her eyes rising to meet lan's, her lower lip quivering. She clasped both her hands together, her hair beginning to look disheveled and messy, giving off the appearance of a woman who was losing her composure. She made a strangled noise and then coughed, clearing her throat. It seems that some sentences in this chapter require you to read the complete chapters on Job ni b (.c) o m in order to avoid an incomplete reading experience. To access the complete chapters for free, visit Job ni b.com Only if you're not reading this on JOBNI B.COM Her tone when she spoke was soft, hoarse and tinged with desperation. She was grasping at straws and she knew it. Offending the wealthiest family in this country and one of the richest in the world was not a good move on her part.

"Mr Grant" she said, glancing up at him, a hopeless look on her face "Please forgive me for my lack of judgement and for offending you and your friend's. It was not my intention" she pleaded, her eyes going suspiciously shiny as she held back tears. I held my breath and waited for lan to speak, knowing that forgiveness was not in his vocabulary. Sure enough, I was not disappointed.