The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress
Chapter 52

Grayson POV

I'm an i***t. From the second that Maxwell Grant had stepped foot in the room, it should have been glaringly obvious that he was not just here for business, but never would I have anticipated that he had come to divulge a secret so big that even I wouldn't have seen it coming. Flair was a Grant. A Grant! I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. She was rich. She didn't need money or connections, or... the thought occurred to me that she might not even need me. That hurt. I had liked feeling like I was protecting her. That she needed me. That I was someone she could lean on. Now I wasn't sure of anything, other than the woman I was beginning to fall heavily for, could have been using me.

"I did come here for business purposes," Maxwell Grant said agreeably, smiling widely at his daughter and at his son lan who looked uncomfortable "I need somebody to become CEO of my businesses and I need paperwork for it to become official. I want to retire," he said leaning back as I nodded tightly "and I want one of my children to take over. The problem is, none of them seem willing to" he exhaled.

"I have my own businesses," Flair said guiltily "and some of them are linked to environmental charities that I'm passionate about. I would not have the time to put into the family's company that you would require father."

To my astonishment, he didn't look disappointed. "You have always wanted to save the world" he chuckled "and you have done well for yourself. But lan and Knox cannot agree and I cannot choose as I love them both equally," he said as lan flattened his lips and said nothing.

"Must it only be one CEO?" I asked, studying the man who blinked and looked at me solemnly "is it just that between the two of them, they cannot work fulltime at the company?"

lan looked at me satisfied "Exactly. I can devote half my time to the company and so can Knox but none of us can be there every day of the week. Both of us also have certain responsibilities to take care of" he divulged but did not go further into detail.

I was thoughtful. So was Flair I noticed. Maxwell waved his hand impatiently at his son "So you see the problem" he said with frustration "three children and none want to take on the reigns of responsibility fulltime."

He talked as though he was resigned, but there was a small smile on the man's lips. Whatever protest he offered, he was proud of his children and he ought to be, I thought to myself. All of the Grants were remarkably smart, Flair included. I raised a brow "Why not just make Knox and lan both CEOs?" I suggested.

He blinked. "Two CEO's? Would that not be difficult? What if they had differing opinions? It could cause chaos in the company" he said shaking his head.

Flair laughed "Knox and lan are twins father, maybe not identical but twins" she pointed out with her eyes dancing "I have never seen them argue to the point that it's gotten heated. They are intelligent and can work out problems between themselves. You need to give them more credit than that."

"Besides, isn't there a board?" I uttered "Should they not come to a decision, then it goes to the board to make the final one. But I know lan and Knox" I added, glancing at lan with a smile "and I think they are perfect CEO's for your company. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses."

lan nodded "The company would be covered and it would allow Knox and I to continue to follow our own interests as well. What do you say father? You're the one who wants to retire so badly" he teased.

Maxwell chuckled "I'm not dead yet, but I would prefer to have everything in order in case. Can we also do up a will, dividing up the shares of the company and ensuring that the benefits go to the people I want them to?"

I briefly wondered if there was something the man wasn't telling us, but he looked hale and hearty as ever and dismissed my concerns. Perhaps he was just being organized. It made sense as he grew older.

Timothy made his way back into the room and handed coffee to everyone. It seems that some sentences in this chapter require you to read the complete chapters on Jo (b) n i b.com in order to avoid an incomplete reading experience. I sipped at mine. "It's relatively simple paperwork to set up. I can make it ironclad so that the will can't be challenged" I added, Maxwell, nodding quickly "I gather you are worried about certain relatives trying to get their greedy hands on your wealth?"

"You have no idea" Maxwell muttered "You go your whole life not seeing them and then as soon as your a*s is dead they come slithering out like the snakes they are."

I tried not to laugh. lan snorted "You're going to live to a hundred old man, just to spite them," he said fondly.

"I hope I do" Maxwell said and his daughter giggled, the sound music to my ears.

It was impossible to be angry at Flair, even if I still felt hurt that she hadn't divulged her identity to me. I had my suspicions that if it weren't for her father today, she wouldn't have done it for a very long time. "How soon do you need this paperwork done?" I asked, and Maxwell looked towards lan.

"Soon. I plan to host an event at the company to announce the CEOs and want the paperwork sorted before. So you have a month before that, but I would prefer as soon as possible. Flair" he said sharply and she glanced at him, a look of concern on her beautiful face.

"Yes father?" she asked obediently.

There was a haughty expression on his face. "Are you going to divulge your identity tomorrow at the engagement party or keep it secret?" he asked.

I didn't see the point of keeping it secret, but Flair and her father were staring at each other, supposedly silently communicating.

"I would prefer to keep it secret for now," Flair said, biting her lip and glancing worriedly at me.

Her father inclined his head. Timothy remained standing in the back, a look of fascination on his face. "Then you may keep it secret until the event. But once the CEOs are announced, I will be announcing your identity as well" he said quietly "I wish to have you recognized as my daughter and an official member of the Grant family. It's time you were acknowledged as such" he added sternly.

I could see Flair about to protest and interrupted "I agree. I feel it would be safer for her if people were aware of her identity. Don't forget about what happened at that shop" I said reminding her.

"Sister, I want to be able to take you out more, without the concern that you'll be discovered. So would Knox" lan said gently "it's a miracle Charlotte was so fixated on you that night of the slap that she never even recognized me. If she had..." he trailed off and Flair's face turned beet red.

"Okay,," she said nervously "fine. But I have one more month of remaining just Flair and I want to keep it that way" she pleaded "once I turn into Flair Grant, people are going to start trying to befriend me, and get into my social circle. I just want to enjoy myself for this last month," she said a bit gloomily.

She sounded as though she would rather face the gallows. I gazed at her sympathetically. I couldn't be mad at her when I did the same thing, using my mother's maiden name Oakes instead of Deluca. I understood her mixed feelings. People could be so fake when they tried to use you for their own benefit. Plus, she was so down to earth, it was hard to picture her as a Grant or in the world of the rich. She didn't come across as spoilt as Charlotte did.

"We will keep it secret," I said and looked hard at Timothy "Won't we Timothy?"

"What?" he said blankly, rousing from his stupor and then stupidly nodding "of course Flair, we wouldn't dream of saying anything."

Maxwell looked at lan and then rose to his feet, putting his coffee down on the nearby coffee table. "Then I believe our business has concluded for now" he said smoothly.

He reached over and hugged Flair tightly. "I miss you. I will invite you to dinner soon, please attend."

Timothy made his way back into the room and handed coffee to everyone. I sipped at mine. "It's relatively simple paperwork to set up. I can make it ironclad so that the will can't be challenged" I added, Maxwell, nodding quickly "I gather you are worried about certain relatives trying to get their greedy hands on your wealth?"

"You have no idea" Maxwell muttered "You go your whole life not seeing them and then as soon as your ass is dead they come slithering out like the snakes they are."

I tried not to laugh. lan snorted "You're going to live to a hundred old man, just to spite them," he said fondly.

"I hope I do" Maxwell said and his daughter giggled, the sound music to my ears.

It was impossible to be angry at Flair, even if I still felt hurt that she hadn't divulged her identity to me. I had my suspicions that if it weren't for her father today, she wouldn't have done it for a very long time.

"How soon do you need this paperwork done?" I asked, and Maxwell looked towards lan.

"Soon. I plan to host an event at the company to announce the CEOs and want the paperwork sorted before. So you have a month before that, but I would prefer as soon as possible. Flair" he said sharply and she glanced at him, a look of concern on her beautiful face.

"Yes father?" she asked obediently.

There was a haughty expression on his face. "Are you going to divulge your identity tomorrow at the engagement party or keep it secret?" he asked.

I didn't see the point of keeping it secret, but Flair and her father were staring at each other, supposedly silently communicating.

"I would prefer to keep it secret for now," Flair said, biting her lip and glancing worriedly at me.

Her father inclined his head. Timothy remained standing in the back, a look of fascination on his face. "Then you may keep it secret until the event. But once the CEOs are announced, I will be announcing your identity as well" he said quietly "I wish to have you recognized as my daughter and an official member of the Grant family. It's time you were acknowledged as such" he added sternly.

I could see Flair about to protest and interrupted "I agree. I feel it would be safer for her if people were aware of her identity. Don't forget about what happened at that shop" I said reminding her.

"Sister, I want to be able to take you out more, without the concern that you'll be discovered. So would Knox" lan said gently "it's a miracle Charlotte was so fixated on you that night of the slap that she never even recognized me. If she had..." he trailed off and Flair's face turned beet red.

"Okay,," she said nervously "fine. But I have one more month of remaining just Flair and I want to keep it that way" she pleaded "once I turn into Flair Grant, people are going to start trying to befriend me, and get into my social circle. I just want to enjoy myself for this last month," she said a bit gloomily.

She sounded as though she would rather face the gallows. I gazed at her sympathetically. I couldn't be mad at her when I did the same thing, using my mother's maiden name Oakes instead of Deluca. I understood her mixed feelings. People could be so fake when they tried to use you for their own benefit. Plus, she was so down to earth, it was hard to picture her as a Grant or in the world of the rich. She didn't come across as spoilt as Charlotte did.

"We will keep it secret," I said and looked hard at Timothy "Won't we Timothy?"

"What?" he said blankly, rousing from his stupor and then stupidly nodding "of course Flair, we wouldn't dream of saying anything."

Maxwell looked at lan and then rose to his feet, putting his coffee down on the nearby coffee table. "Then I believe our business has concluded for now" he said smoothly.

He reached over and hugged Flair tightly. "I miss you. I will invite you to dinner soon, please attend."

She nodded, her eyes suspiciously shiny. lan rose and hugged her "I'll see you at the engagement party sis, even if I have to pretend you're someone else" he said laughingly.

The men stepped back, joining their bodyguards.

"It was a pleasure meeting you Mr Grayson" Maxwell said, his eyes softening as he gazed upon his daughter "treat my daughter well and we'll have no problems. But if you so much as lay a single hand on her, or cause her to cry, then I'll be seeing you again and it won't be such an auspicious occasion" he warned me, his voice threatening.

I tried not to tremble as I shook his hand. Ian clasped mine and clapped me on the shoulder "Congratulations on your marriage old friend" he quipped, smiling widely at his sister "I couldn't be happier for you both. I have a feeling that you will get along well and I want the first child named after me" he said jokingly.

Flair made a strangled sound. Ian laughed and then stepped back. Both men nodded and then turned, walking out the doorway, the sounds of their footsteps slowly fading as they made their way downstairs, leaving only silence and a pale looking Flair in their wake while I struggled to digest everything that had just happened.

When I spoke, it was with a grave voice and with a self restraint that I didn't even know that I possessed.

"Wife" I said, as Flair slowly turned to look at me, "I think you owe me an explanation."