The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress
Chapter 60

Johnathon

POV

"I can't breathe" Charlotte gasped, clutching her chest dramatically and panting as her mother began to rub her back with small circles.

"Just take deep breaths dear, deep breaths," Karen told her as Charlotte sobbed pitifully "That's it, that's better" she soothed as though Charlotte was still a small child that needed comforting.

"Let's fix your makeup," Karen said, while Charlotte glanced in the mirror, scowling darkly "You can't go back to the party like that. You look like a raccoon now that your eyeliner has begun to run," she said crinkling her brow.

I leaned against the doorway of Charlotte's bedroom, watching as my fiancee tried to regain her composure. Charlotte's hands were shaking as she tried to tidy and fix her hair.

"Johnathon" she pouted, as I walked inside and sat down on the bed "Johnathon, why didn't you say anything more?" she complained.

I sighed. It was just a damn ring as far as I was concerned. I chose my words carefully "Charlotte, your grandfather made his decision. I know that you're feeling hurt but in the grand scheme of things, doesn't the fact that we're getting married, matter to you more?" I asked her, studying her face.

I had always thought that marriage was more important than the ring. I was still struggling to digest the fact that Flair had married Grayson. I was shocked. What was even more difficult to imagine was that Grayson seemed to be enamored with my ex-wife and protective of her. He disliked it when somebody made a comment against her. He had even gone so far as to threaten anybody who laid a hand on her.

"I can't believe he married her" Charlotte sniffed, pursing her lips and applying a fresh round of lipstick on her lips "I mean, what was he thinking? She's a nobody"

Karen sniffed "Perhaps but Charlotte do you understand what this means? Grayson is already married, which means he could produce an heir at any time," she told her daughter in disgust "And the first one to produce a living heir, is the one to get..." Charlotte's eyes widened "The company" she shrieked "That son of a b***h did it to get his hands on my company. Oooh" she seethed, waving her hands, her mother trying gingerly to reapply eyeliner and almost poking her daughter's eye out "sneaky, conniving little..." she vented.

"Hold still" her mother snapped "Before I poke your eye out" she warned.

Karen quickly applied fresh eyeliner and Charlotte resumed talking "Now what? I wanted a lengthy engagement" she complained, looking over at me "And now we don't have a choice but to get married quickly."

Say what now? I coughed, trying to disguise my uneasy laughter. "Charlotte, we don't need to get married instantly just because Grayson has. It can take people months to get pregnant" I told her knowingly "and you wanted a grand wedding. That can't be done on such a quick timeline."

There, that should stop her from racing to the altar with me.

"I did," Charlotte said glancing at Karen who frowned "But I want the company even more. Johnathon, we can't afford to wait," she said grimly.

"Charlotte, be reasonable" I urged her, feeling out of my depth "You're upset about the ring and about Grayson being married. I think you just need a little time to come to terms with it" I said, feeling like I was balancing on a tightrope that was about to be pulled out from under me "and your feelings."

Her lips twisted and she shot me a savage look "Are you saying that you don't love me, Johnathon?" she demanded icily, while her mother glared at me "Are you saying that's why you don't want to get married?"

She wasn't listening to a single word I had said. I swallowed hard, my mouth feeling dry. "That's not what I'm saying Charlotte, of course, I love you" I denied "but we just got engaged officially tonight. Not to mention I only got divorced this week. Don't you think it would be better to give it time?"

"It didn't stop Flair from marrying Grayson, that b***h" she seethed, whirling around and looking directly at me "She didn't seem too bothered about waiting long once she was divorced."

I had nothing to say to that. It had stung to realize that my ex-wife was married and that she was happily married from the looks of it to another man. She could be pretending but the way she and Grayson looked at each other, was hard to mimic in real life unless you were in love.

"Today's our engagement party," I said, glancing away from Charlotte who was beginning to look mutinous "I think that we should focus on that for now. Mingle with our guests and celebrate. We can discuss wedding plans later. Surely there's some people here that you want to see?" I asked with a hint of desperation.

Her mother fiddled with Charlotte's hair, tidying up some curls and nodding in satisfaction.

"Johnathon's right," Karen said, surprising me "Tonight is about your engagement. You need to mingle, get your photo taken with Johnathon, and have fun. You can worry about getting married tomorrow, but for now, you have guests who are waiting" she pointed

out. "Let them wait" Charlotte muttered, "it's my party after all."

But she obediently smoothed down her dress. I was relieved she wasn't obsessing over that ring anymore. We exited the room and headed back outside. Just as we were about to head into the marquee, Charlotte bumped into somebody rather forcibly. Almost as though the man had been shoved into her.

"Watch where you're going" she cried indignantly, turning and then gaping as she came face to face with none other than lan Grant.

"I..,, lan" she stammered as the man glanced at her coolly "How are you doing?" she squeaked, turning bright red. "Forgive my untimely exit," he said, turning and glaring over his shoulder at someone "I was just about to leave" he added, causing Charlotte's face to fall. "Already?" she asked meekly.

"Yes, I have important business to take care of," he said bluntly.

Charlotte blushed even brighter. Ian offered his hand "Congratulations on your engagement" he said briskly.

Charlotte was practically shaking as she shook his hand. I held mine out and lan blatantly ignored it. Had I offended him? I frowned. I hadn't even personally met the Grants before now, had I? I struggled to remember. He was acting as though I had personally slighted him in some way.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay?" Charlotte asked eagerly, gesturing to the marquee "I mean, the party's just started and..." she trailed off as another man, looking remarkably similar to lan stepped next to him, smiling widely. "Knox," she said disapprovingly "how lovely to see you."

The man winked "Hey babycakes" he said as Charlotte glared "Congratulations on your engagement. I see you've managed to convince some poor slob to marry you. Here's hoping he doesn't leave you standing at the aisle" he added cheerfully, shaking a white-faced Charlotte's hand and ignoring me like his brother had.

"Knox" lan hissed "must you be so.."

"Rude," Knox said drily and nodded "Yes lan, I must. I fear I dislike this man" he nodded towards me "and am showing it. The two of you" he glanced between Charlotte and me with a wide smile and twinkling eyes "deserve each other."

"lan um, about that day that I.." Charlotte began.

lan shifted awkwardly on one foot. "Oh, do you mean the day that you asked lan out in front of a whole host of your friends, thinking he wouldn't dare say no?" Knox chirped, a wicked grin on his face "Does that day still haunt you Charlotte? Because I'm pretty sure that lan has forgotten all about it" he added blithely.

Charlotte gaped. lan inclined his head "I fear that my memory of that day is gone. I did not replace it important enough as something that ought to be remembered."

I blanched. Charlotte looked like she was about to be sick. "But.." she stammered.

"Besides a Grant would never lower themselves to go out with a Deluca. We have our own standards that we uphold" Knox said, cutting even deeper "But all the best with your marriage. If you are not reading this novel on Job'n'ib.com, some sentences are incomplete. Visit Jobn(i)b.com to read the complete chapters for free. It's great that you can be wise enough to lower your own standards to get a husband" he quipped, and then he and lan turned and began to walk away, leaving a flabbergasted Charlotte and me in their wake.

"Bastards," I said between gritted teeth, Charlotte looking miserable beside me "they just insulted us right to our faces." "Yeah well," she said tightly "They are Grants so what are you going to do?" she pointed out dejectedly.

She pursed her lips and then grabbed my arm, dragging me back into the marquee "Come on" she barked "We're going inside. I'm hungry, I'm upset and I'm angry" she snarled, looking determined as she stormed inside.

I saw her scan the crowd, reaching out to grab a glass of champagne from the nearest waiter, gulping it down, and then putting the empty onto the tray and blindly reaching for another.

"Don't drink too much" I warned her, as she eyed me with a scathing glance "You're not the most even-tempered when you've been drinking" I added as she huffed at me.

I saw her turn and look directly towards the press. "Let's go get our pictures taken" she suggested tersely "seeing as my makeup has been fixed. You look" she paused and glanced at me, raking her gaze over my suit and then reaching up and adjusting my tie as I stood there quietly "reasonable" she finished with a sneer "I guess that will have to do" she added dismissively.

Thanks, I thought a tad sarcastically. I was already well and truly over this party. I glanced towards Flair and my eyes softened. She looked so beautiful as she laughed at the table with that bastard Grayson. Her eyes were sparkling and her face was glowing. Her burgundy wine dress enhanced her curves and skin tone. She looked like she was in her element and for a moment, all I could do was stare at her longingly, reminded of the woman who I had once fallen in love with before I had fallen for Charlotte and her treacherous ways. Life had been so much simpler with Flair, I thought as Charlotte dragged me towards the media, and I wondered if life was ever going to be that calm with Charlotte.