The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress
Chapter 99

Flair POV

The flash of the cameras, the shouts of the reporters are enough to cause me to stagger backward, even as Grayson puts his arm around me in an attempt to protect me from the overzealous media. "Mrs Oakes, can you confirm that you were kidnapped and ransomed?"

"Mrs Oakes, what are the extent of the injuries you suffered at the hands of the kidnapper?"

"Mrs Oakes, can you reveal the location of where the kidnappers held you hostage?"

It went on and on. Grayson and I stopped at the front of our house, at the gates and Grayson cleared his throat, causing the reporters to instantly hush.

"My wife and I would like to make a quick statement," he said gravely as the reporters waited expectantly.

"Yesterday my wife was kidnapped by an ex-client of mine, whose name I will not reveal. Tragically, my driver was killed while attempting to protect her from being taken" Grayson said, stony-faced.

It was my turn to speak. I felt tears prick my eyes and my voice shook "Myles, our driver, was a brave and courageous man who died trying to protect me from a man intent on getting revenge against my husband" I said as the reporters looked at me with sympathy "our thoughts are with his friends and family at this time who are no doubt grieving the loss of a very good and kind man who will be sorely missed by us" I finished "please respect us and our privacy as we grieve our loss." The reporters looked humbled. A tear trailed down my cheek. I had liked Myles. His death still haunted me. Grayson's jaw clenched as he led me through the gate and back to the house, opening the door and leading me inside, where we were enthusiastically greeted by Roscoe. He wagged his tail and licked my hand as I gave him a shaky smile.

"Hi boy" I whispered, kneeling down to hug him as he whined at me "I missed you" I murmured.

Even Roscoe looked upset. I guess pets really can tell when their owners need comfort. I sat down on the sofa and Roscoe jumped up beside me, placing his head on my thigh as I patted him absent-mindedly.

"Do you want something to eat?" Grayson asked and I shook my head.

We had just come from my father's house and the breakfast I had eaten was more than enough to sustain me. I felt sick from confronting the reporters. Grayson looked at a loss.

"What can I do to help you?" he asked desperately "I feel like I need to do something to be useful, but I don't know what" he added, a hopeless expression on his face.

I didn't have time to answer. The truth was I didn't know what to do. His declaration of loving me had shocked me to the core and while I was reveling in it, it meant that we were both on uncertain ground and struggling to replace our feet again. The doorbell rang and Grayson strode towards the front door, while Roscoe began to excitedly bark, muttering under his breath "That better not be a reporter."

It wasn't. It was Timothy and Rachel. Grayson let them in. Rachel rushed over and extended a bouquet of white roses to me as I gingerly took them. "I couldn't replace rainbow ones," she said, hugging me tight "Oh god, Flair. You could have been killed," she said, sitting down and placing a hand on my thigh "and Timothy wasn't going to tell me anything," she said shooting him a glare.

Timothy sighed "I didn't want to upset you," he said as though explaining something to her like he had already.

She sniffed. "Never mind, how do you feel Flair?" she peered into my shining eyes, where tears were threatening to fall "Of course you feel upset and devastated, what a stupid question" she answered herself.

I gave her a watery smile "I'm glad you're here" I said honestly as Grayson sat down on an armchair and Timothy hesitantly did the same "I appreciate the company."

"You need something to keep your mind occupied," Rachel said sympathetically.

I hesitated "Well there is something I was thinking might work. Maybe you could help" I told her honestly as Grayson and Timothy listened "I want to pull out of Johnathon's company and donate the money to the animal Haven I got Roscoe from. I meant to do it before but then..." I trailed off.

"Then you got kidnapped," Rachel said bluntly "No problems dollface. I can do that. But that's a lot of money, are you sure?"

I glanced at Grayson whose expression was unreadable "I don't want anything tying me to Johnathon, not anymore" I said quietly.

Rachel's face was shining. "Oh, you two finally admitted you love each other," she said as we blushed "about damn time too. I was starting to think you would never do it."

"Rachel" I hissed but she was unrepentant.

Grayson just chuckled "I guess you knew our feelings before we did."

She smirked "Let's just say I know love when I see it and it was written all over the two of you's faces."

Timothy laughed. Grayson grinned. "Well it's not like you two can talk" Grayson teased "Didn't you two just recently move in together?"

Rachel flushed "Yes, but that's different" she insisted vehemently.

"How? You're hardly going to move in with someone if you don't love them" I said without thinking, causing Rachel to turn beet red and Timothy to raise a brow and look at Rachel challengingly.

"Okay, okay, enough about that," she said quickly, as Timothy winked at her "The party is in a week now and you have to dress to impress."

"Party?"

Rachel rolled her eyes "The Grant party? You're coming out party? The one your father was going to postpone and then changed his mind and kept the date on? Is any of that ringing a bell for you?" she said sarcastically. "Oh, that. I don't care what I wear" I said listlessly.

She crinkled her nose at me "Flair this is your coming out party. You have to wear something impressive" she protested. "Whatever I wear will be fine. You can pick it out for me" I said glancing away. She frowned. "Flair..." she began.

"Rachel" my voice was sharp "I could wear a sheet as a dress and I still wouldn't care. There are far more worrying things in the world than a stupid dress" My voice cracked and tears trailed down my cheek.

"Oh Flair, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be trying to force you to think about this right now" she said apologetically, reaching past Roscoe to hug me.

"Rachel," I said miserably, as she clutched me "I killed a man. I'm a murderer" I burst into tears.

She patted me on the back "Honey don't talk like that. You did what you had to do. I know you Flair Oakes" she said fiercely, pulling back to look me in the eyes "and you wouldn't hurt a fly. You love animals. The woman I know doesn't have the heart to be a murderer. Stop beating yourself up. If I had been there, I would have done the same damn thing" her voice broke "and I'm sorry that you had to go through such an experience alone."

We hugged each other while the men shifted in their seats uncomfortably. Roscoe sniffed and jumped down, heading to Grayson for a pat.

"You're strong Flair. It's going to take some time, but you're going to be okay" Rachel murmured, holding me to her chest as I cried "You're going to be okay" she repeated.

But I felt like I was never going to be okay again. I had blood on my hands. His blood on my hands. "I sold my apartment."

She what? Rachel pulled away and looked at me. "I thought about what you said and you were right. I need to embrace life by the horns and both hands. Home is where the people I love are. I love Timothy" she added looking over at the man who puffed up his chest and beamed at her "and an apartment is just an apartment at the end of the day. I can always buy another one, but I can't replace another man like Timothy." "I'm happy for you" I whispered, as she wiped my tears from my cheeks.

She smiled "We both did good huh?" she asked, glancing at Grayson whose keen eyes watched me "We both found a good man. Our future looks bright. Try to focus on the positive Flair" she advised me, biting her lip "instead of dwelling on the past. I plan to be there, standing in the back, cheering you on when your father finally announces you as his daughter. I want you to stand proud. I want you to know that we all have your back. You've been in the background for so long" she said sighing "and life is short."

Life was short, I mused. Hadn't I just been taught that valuable lesson? Whether Rachel had meant to or not, her words had struck home. I met Grayson's eyes. "She's right" I whispered as Rachel nodded smugly "Life's too short to spend it with regrets. Rachel" I said, as she leaned back against the chair "make me an appointment with the salon. I'm going to do something drastic with my hair."

A new look for a new Flair. I needed to discard the old one so that I could embrace the new one. The one who had lived through a life-changing experience. Grayson looked slightly disappointed as Rachel grinned.

"I know just the place, we'll go together," she said smiling and studying me "A new style and look might just be what the doctor ordered."

"Just don't go too far overboard" Grayson interjected as I looked at him, his eyes glinting at me "I rather like the wife I have at the moment" he added wickedly as Rachel giggled.

"Don't worry, it's just the outside that will change" I promised him but a small part of me wondered, was it just the outside, or had the inside of me changed as well? Was it too early to tell how I had changed and would it be for the better or worse?