The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress
Chapter 54

Johnathon POV

Charlotte was determined that all eyes were going to be on her during the night of our engagement party. I had never seen a woman take such fastidious care of her exterior to the extent that Charlotte Deluca did. When they said that women suffered for their beauty, they had understated just how much. I had personally seen her be waxed from head to toe, wincing all the way in sympathy, her nails primped and preened and now, we were at the salon, another one, where Charlotte was insisting on getting her hair done in preparation for tomorrow.

"You should go by yourself" I had said, a little desperately, thoughts of being stuck with her for hours on end not even remotely appealing "You don't really need me to be there with you, do you?" I asked.

The scathing look she had shot me in return had caused me to flinch "You're paying for it all" she had said haughtily "so you have to come. Besides, I thought you liked to look at me?" she said spearing me with a glance.

I sighed and resigned myself to yet another afternoon in Charlotte's company, listening to her many complaints and idle gossiping.

"Make sure that you don't cut too much off the ends" Charlotte directed her stylist, an older man with a frown on his face as he listened intently to her, her hands waving around as she sat in the salon chair, a gown around her neck "just enough to get rid of the split ends. I need my hair died to look more vibrant" she added "and the coverage has to be even. 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. None of this ombre crap" she said glaring at the poor stylist who was nodding weakly "and if you have to use more dye, use it. My fiancee is paying for it" she added smugly "so spare no expense or materials and make sure you use the best quality and luxurious ones" The stylist shot me a sympathetic glance but Charlotte wasn't finished yet. "I want layers, proper ones. The ones you put in last time have all grown out" she complained loudly.

The stylist began to carefully brush her hair out. "Ouch, watch it" Charlotte snapped, as the brush got stuck in a tangled knot.

"Sorry," the stylist hastily apologized, beginning to gently brush again.

Charlotte waved her hand at me "Johnathon, go get me a damn coffee from up the street. The coffee they have here is disgusting" she said with a wrinkled brow "And not drinkable. It's like drinking pure crap" she hissed.

I got up obediently. I didn't like being treated like a servant, but it was preferable to sitting here and listening to her constant whinging. I had seen a nice cafe down the street and it had looked pleasant enough.

"Sure," I said agreeably, glancing at the clock "what do you want to drink?" I asked, knowing it would be something with skim milk or no fat.

She was a stickler about her figure.

"I'll have a caramel frappuccino with no fat milk," Charlotte said fixing her gaze on me "Make sure the milk is no fat" she repeated slowly, as though I was a stupid child "I can't afford to put on weight, not with the dress I'm wearing tomorrow. It will show all my lumps and bumps."

She pouted. I rolled my eyes and kissed her on the cheek. "I'll be right back" I promised as she turned back to the stylist who was now urging her to stand up so that he could look more closely at her hair before he began to cut and style it, before he then died it. I didn't understand the necessity of brushing her hair beforehand, but I wasn't a stylist, so I simply shrugged and hastened the hell out of the salon, before Charlotte could call me back.

Fresh air. I breathed it in gratefully, my shoulders straightening as I maneuvered past the steady crowd of people making their way past. I could breathe for the first time in hours. I could feel the breeze against my face and the tension in my body eased. My eyes scanned the buildings as I passed them, looking for the cafe I was certain I had seen on the way to the salon. Sure enough, it was just up ahead and I was about to step inside, when something, some instinct made me stop and look through the large window. I blinked and then stared. Thought I might be mistaken but there was no mistaking that hair or that brilliant smile. Flair and was that Grayson Oakes? Both of them were seated at a table, their knees touching. It looked intimate. Cozy. Their body language was relaxed, their hands gripping mugs of coffee. Flair looked, beautiful I thought hazily to myself. There was something about the way her eyes sparkled and her mouth curved that made the whole room seem as though it was lighting up. She wore professional-type clothes that clung to her frame, accentuated her delicious hips, and showed off the merest hint of cleavage that left you wanting to see more. Jealousy spurted through me. Grayson's eyes remained steadily fixed on Flair's face as he spoke and I wished I could be closer, in order to hear what they were talking about.

Were they dating? Impossible. Flair hadn't been divorced for long from me yet. Besides, Grayson Oakes was wealthy and Flair was from an average family at best. So what was this? Had they perhaps just run into each other and decided to get a drink and keep each other company? But the way they talked, the way their fingers touched each other's hands lightly, the way they leaned into each other, it was more than just friendship. It was undeniable the chemistry they both had for each other.

I stepped into the cafe before I could be spotted, my mind whirling. Flair and Grayson had not seen me. I kept a close eye on them as I walked to the counter, the girl behind the register giving me a welcoming smile. "What can I get you?" she asked chirpily.

"I'll have two caramel frappucinos with no fat milk" I mumbled dejectedly.

I handed her my credit card and paid, stepping to the side, after giving my name. Flair and Grayson remained oblivious to anyone else but themselves. I felt a little envious. Charlotte never looked at me like that. It was hard to get her attention sometimes. Whereas Flair looked at Grayson as though he was the only person in the room, giving her full undivided attention to him. She used to do that for me, I thought a little sourly, she treated me as though I was the only man in the world and now look at me. Nothing but a servant for Charlotte. It stung. Sometimes I wasn't even sure if Charlotte was all that in love with me, despite her protests to the contrary. At least with Flair, I had known for certain, even if I had taken that for granted. "Johnathon" called the girl, brandishing two takeaway cups towards me.

I stepped forward and took ahold of them, thanking her quietly. As I stepped outside the cafe I paused and glanced through the window. Grayson and Flair were holding hands, smiling at each other. Grayson's thumb was stroking Flair's opposite thumb and he was talking to her with great enthusiasm. It was like the whole world had slipped away from them. I grudgingly ducked my head and slowly made my way back to the salon, debating whether to tell Charlotte whether I had seen them or not. Part of me wondered if it was better to keep this to myself, rather than give Charlotte something else to grow angry and complain about. As I stepped back into the salon, I could hear Charlotte venting.

"You stupid moron" her voice shrill and cutting "Do you know anything about hair? This is a disaster" she shrieked, "you've cut off too much" she snarled "I told you to only cut off enough to get rid of the split ends and then layer. But did you listen?" she screamed, causing the other women to glance at her uneasily "I want you to fix my hair properly and fix it now!"

I blanched. Charlotte was in fine form. I silently stepped forward and handed her the cup. She ripped the lid off and sniffed, even as the stylist narrowed his eyes and began to quietly cut her hair in an attempt to fix it. She glared at me. "I got exactly what you asked for," I told her hastily "No fat milk, Caramel frappuccino."

She took a sip and then scowled, flinging the cup onto the floor, liquid spilling everywhere. I heard gasps from the other customers. "That is not no fat milk" she shrieked, as I took a sip of mine, unable to tell the difference "I told you to check" she screamed at me. "It tastes the same," I said tiredly.

An apprentice quietly began to clean up the spill she'd created. Charlotte glared at me mutinously. "I ask you to do one thing" she cried, throwing her hands up in exasperation "One tiny little thing and you can't even do that right" she snapped "How useless are you?"

I decided not to answer. Her words were brutal and cutting. Some part of me was growing tired of the nonsense and hysteria. Charlotte must have sensed it too, because her facial expression instantly changed and her tone became apologetic. "Johnathon, I'm so sorry," she said, batting her eyelashes at me "I should never have said that to you, it's just so stressful with the party tomorrow and wanting to look my best for you. I don't want to embarrass you in any way and I guess I'm projecting that by getting so angry" she explained.

I was suspicious, but what if she was telling the truth? What if everything that was occurring was simply because she was trying so hard to be perfect in my eyes? Should I give her the benefit of the doubt? I hesitated and then quietly handed her my coffee, grateful when she didn't throw that one down to the floor and instead began to slowly sip at it, her facial expression growing more relaxed. I breathed a sigh of relief and sat down studying her intently.

"I understand you're under a lot of pressure, but that doesn't mean this behavior is acceptable," I told her wryly.

"I know," she said meekly "I'll try to do better."

I decided right then and there, I wasn't about to tell her about running into Flair and Grayson. Who knows how she would have reacted to replaceing out the two of them were spending time together? After she had just acted like this, I was not about to put myself in the firing line again. Besides, it's not as though those two were about to get married or anything, was it? The very idea of it was laughable. As if Grayson Oakes would ever lower his standards to marry a girl like Flair. She might be a beautiful woman but she was no diamond like Charlotte Deluca was.