“Oh, oh god, harder, harder.” I heard a woman's voice cry out.
“You like it don't you, you like it rough.” Johnathon growled.
I stiffened. For a moment it was as though I couldn't comprehend what was going on in my bedroom.
I found my voice. It shook."What are you doing Johnathon? It's our anniversary today…”
My sx-driven husband raised his head, his eyes turned glacial."You weren't supposed to be home for another hour.”
“How long have you been having this affair?” I bit out.
“It doesn't matter.” He snapped.
“It does to me,” I said quietly, folding my arms across my chest.
“Six months.” He said reluctantly."She's a gorgeous woman and will help me become a powerful lawyer. You are so pathetic and I just want a divorce.”
His words upended me completely and made me feel like my life was officially over. Johnathon and I had been together since college. And now he wants a divorce just because that woman's money could help his career?
“As you wish, we'll have a divorce. But I promise I'm going to ruin your lives…”
By the time they realize that I'm a hidden billionaire , it will be far too late…
---
Anniversary Hell
Flair POV
I dismissed the class with a smile, breathing shallowly, bending to roll my yoga mat up, as Rachel, my best friend and receptionist came walking into the room, her eyes sparkling with humor.
"Are you excited about tonight?" she teased.
I grinned at her. It was the date of my third wedding anniversary with my husband Johnathon and I was looking forward to celebrating with him. I had plans to cook him a special candlelit dinner and had even purchased special lingerie for the anticipation of what was to come afterward.
"I am, I can't believe it's been three years already," I told her excitedly, "I just hope he hasn't forgotten what day it is today. He's been a little distracted lately."
I frowned. Distracted was putting it mildly. Lately, it was as though Johnathon was in a world of his own. I knew he was busy with work and I did everything I could to minimize the stress at home, making sure dinner was on the table when he arrived home, keeping the house clean and even assisting at the law firm he owned when required, so that he didn't need to hire a temp. I didn't mind. As long as Johnathon was happy, I was happy.
"Well I'm sure he's just been thinking about what to get you as a present for tonight," Rachel said with a shrug.
I laughed "He's never gotten me any gifts for our anniversary, not once. It's a waste of money" I added as Rachel scowled "and besides, it's better just to spend quality time together, don't you think?"
She didn't look convinced. "You say that Flair, but he doesn't buy you gifts for your birthday or Christmas either," she said a little disapprovingly "it's not difficult to buy something small for the person you love."
"He expresses his love in different ways," I said loyally, ignoring the small voice in my head that was silently agreeing with Rachel "and he's so busy with work, I can't expect him to put it on hold for something so minor."
She sighed. "You're too nice" she complained, shaking her head "One day Johnathon better wake up and realize what a treasure he has before somebody else tries to snap you up" she joked.
I giggled and hugged her. "Do you want me to stay? I can help you lock up" I offered and she gave me a dirty look.
"No thanks. You go get dinner ready for that unappreciative husband of yours" she muttered "I can lock up the studio alone tonight. That way you have plenty of time before he gets home from work. You'll have extra time" she said and I nodded, grabbing my bag and purse, before skipping out of the studio and onto the street.
There was a slight chill in the air and I braced myself, walking down the street as crowds of people swarmed past me. That was the only negative thing about living in a major city, I thought with a grimace, the multitude of people, but then, the yoga studio wouldn't be doing as well as it did, if it wasn't in such a central location. It was a good thing that our home was only a few blocks away and I rubbed my arms, shivering as I walked, eager to get inside and out of the cold.
I hummed under my breath, feeling my spirits rise with every step I took. Johnathon and I had been together since college and soon, I was going to divulge everything to him. I rounded the corner and my brows creased together in surprise as I spotted Johnathon's large SUV in the driveway. I felt a flicker of annoyance, wondering what he was doing home so early. I had hoped to beat him. Now dinner wouldn't be a surprise. Disappointment washed over me. I bit the inside of my lip, feeling chagrined. Maybe wearing the lingerie for him could still salvage tonight? That is if I could manage to persuade him to look up from his phone. Lately, it seemed to be glued to his hand. I understood he needed to be available for his clients but surely there needed to be some time where he could switch off and be able to focus on me and our relationship. I sighed, feeling despondent, and woodenly trudged to the front door.
My hand rifled through my overlarge handbag and dug out my keys. I don't know why I didn't just knock. I guess I was so used to getting home and letting myself in, that I did it on instinct. I unlocked the door and let myself in, gently kicking the door shut behind me. I frowned. Even though Johnathon was home, all the lights remained firmly turned off. Had he gone to sleep upstairs? Was he sick? I felt concerned as I took in his briefcase put hastily by the door and his wallet next to his keys on the kitchen bench.
"I guess I should check on him."
I made my way to the stairs and headed up quietly towards our bedroom.
"Oh, oh god, harder, harder" I heard a woman's voice cry out.
"You like it don't you, you like it rough" Johnathon's voice growled.
I stiffened. For a moment it was as though I couldn't comprehend what was going on behind the bedroom door. It felt like I was experiencing a dream or a nightmare. But it was real. I stood there, listening, as my world turned upside down.
"Oh, Johnathon."
"You're so fucking tight, just the way I like it" Johnathon's voice again.
I was numb, my body trembling as tears pricked the corners of my eyes. He didn't even have the decency to do this somewhere else, but instead had picked our home and our bedroom to screw another woman in! I almost choked as I began to reach for the doorknob. Had he no shame? No sense of decency? Had he wanted me to find him like this? I didn't know what to think, only that I felt hurt, my heart feeling like it was being ripped to shreds. My throat seized.
I opened the door. I saw them both. My husband, was on top, a woman below him, a woman I knew well. It was none other than Charlotte Deluca, a wealthy heiress, who had used my husband's law firm on numerous occasions. She had flirted with him several times, right in front of me and my husband had always laughed it off when I brought it up and told me I had nothing to worry about. I wanted to laugh at how naive I had been to believe him. His body moved up and down while Charlotte's head was flung back, a look of ecstasy on her face. I felt only disgust as I watched them. They were so busy screwing each other, they hadn't even noticed the door had opened, let alone that I was standing there.
I found my voice. It shook "How could you?"
A gasp from Charlotte while my husband frantically moved off of her, pulling the bedsheet over her. He scrambled out of the bed, putting a hand up, his eyes narrowed "Flair, I was going to talk to you..." he began.
"About what? Fucking this slut in our home? In our bed? God, you make me sick" I shouted, losing my cool "What is this Johnathon? Because if this is an anniversary present it sucks" I told him bitterly.
His eyes widened and he looked even more guilty as he ran a hand through his hair "shit, it's our anniversary today" he muttered while Charlotte looked smug, the bedsheet pulled up to her chin.
Johnathon raised his head, his eyes turned glacial. There was a look of contempt on his face, so strong that it made me back away a few steps in shock. "You weren't supposed to be home for another hour," he said, looking annoyed.
"Who cares" I shot back "I caught you, is that all you have to say?" I demanded.
He shoved me out of the room and then followed me, shutting the door behind him. I stared at him accusingly, before I reached out and slapped him, hard, leaving a bright red handprint on his cheek. He barely even blinked.
"It's not how I intended for you to find out," he said finally, "but it's for the best, now I don't have to hide the affair anymore."
Affair. My knees wanted to buckle. He'd been having an affair and I'd been oblivious. I'd never felt more stupid in my life. "How long?" I rasped and he looked confused.
"How long have you been having this affair?" I bit out.
"It doesn't matter" he snapped.
"It does to me," I said quietly, folding my arms across my chest.
"Six months," he said reluctantly.
Whoosh. The air escaped my lungs and I almost collapsed. Six months. He'd been fucking Charlotte Deluca behind my back for six whole months. I felt sick.
He looked me in the eyes. I couldn't speak. A tear trailed down my cheek. It was all I could do to keep standing. Then he said four little words that upended me completely and made me feel like my life was officially over.
"I want a divorce."
Jealousy
Johnathon POV
I finally did it. I finally told Flair I wanted a divorce. Charlotte pressed herself against me, grinding her luscious body as she danced, her long hair loose down her shoulders, her tight designer dress leaving nothing to the imagination. She was in her element, as the music played, drawing the attention of several men who gazed at me with envy. I couldn't help but grin at them. Charlotte Deluca was mine and my face was filled with satisfaction.
I couldn't help but feel a tiny pang when I thought about Flair. We had been married for three years and I could have been a bit kinder about how she discovered I'd been cheating. Initially, I had resisted Charlotte's advances, but as we spent more and more time together, it got harder to say no to her. She had been persistent and what man doesn't like a gorgeous woman pursuing him? Especially a wealthy woman who had the connections and the power to make him a billionaire? Flair was nothing compared to this woman, and although she was loyal, she couldn't lift my status or help my law firm the way Charlotte could. I was looking to the future and leaving anything that would hold me back behind.
I gripped Charlotte by the waist, enjoying the feel of her waist, inhaling her sweet perfume, my mouth watering. She smirked over her shoulder, her back against me, a knowing look in her eyes. I could feel my cock hardening and hastily adjusted myself. I turned her around and kissed her, feeling her lips against mine, her little moan turning me on. I gripped her hair and sought to dominate her, leaving her panting as we pulled away.
"Save it for later" Charlotte purred, her eyes glinting.
"Oh, you know I will" I murmured "but can you blame me for wanting a taste?" I breathed into her ear.
She giggled, smoothing down her dress, her breasts straining against the fabric. Suddenly she paused, a look of bewilderment crossing her face. I saw her blink and her eyes squint. "That's impossible" she uttered and then pointed as I turned my head to look "is that Flair?" she breathed.
I opened my mouth to deny it but the woman dancing with another male on the dance floor was my soon-to-be ex-wife Flair. I inhaled sharply. She looked nothing like the Flair I was accustomed to. Instead of her traditional yoga pants and crop top, she wore a beautiful and tight-fitting black cocktail dress that enhanced her cleavage and had a split down the side. It went down to just above her knees and her legs looked long and slender. Her hair, a mixture of blonde and brown highlights was straight and layered around her face. She was wearing makeup and her eyes looked smoky and hot. My mouth almost dropped open in shock. She looked stunning. Gorgeous. A surge of jealousy shot through me.
Charlotte looked peeved. She grabbed my arm. "Do you see how she's dancing with that man?" she said incredulously "Look at that slut" she hissed.
Flair was dancing with her back to the man, flipping her hair and looking flirtatious. I was in shock. They looked intimate, her friend Rachel dancing nearby. I glared, suddenly overcome with anger and full of suspicion. Had Flair been seeing this man while we were married? I deliberately ignored the fact I had been having an affair, feeling violent towards the man who was dancing with Flair. Charlotte glanced at me, seeing the rage on my face.
I stepped towards them, shaking Charlotte's hand off of me as she followed in my wake. My steps were loud and purposeful. Flair remained oblivious, until I was in her way, standing directly in front of her, my eyes fixated on her. She stopped, her body stiffening, a look of shock appearing on her face. She had been so busy dancing with her boyfriend that she hadn't taken notice of her surroundings. Charlotte stepped beside me, a small smile curving on her lips. The man Flair had been dancing with stepped beside her, a look of annoyance on his face. I eyed him. He wore a designer suit, a watch that looked like it was a genuine Rolex, and his shoes looked like genuine leather Italian.
Charlotte's eyes narrowed. "Well, well, well Flair," she said mockingly, before I could speak, "so much for being brokenhearted about your divorce" she added, staring hard at the man with her.
Flair's eyes blazed "You have no business speaking to me at all Charlotte," she said frostily "and it's none of your business who this man is."
"Who is he?" I blurted out the words, breathing heavily, eyeing the man with contempt as he stared back at me amused "is he your lover Flair? It didn't take long for you to find somebody's shoulder to cry on, or were you already seeing each other before I asked for a divorce?" I asked her tightly.
She glanced at me indignantly while the man stared at me coolly. "You have no business asking me that," she said bitterly "You cheated on me remember Johnathon? Or have you conveniently forgotten that?" she asked challengingly, flipping her hair over her shoulder as Rachel calmly stepped up beside her and glowered at Charlotte.
I clenched my hands into fists "Answer the question" I barked out.
"Who are you?" I asked the man.
He gave me a cold smile "Frankly, it's none of your damn business who I am to Flair" he said blithely "A dog like you should know its place" he added with disdain.
Charlotte gaped "How dare you speak to my fiancee like that" she seethed "Do you have any idea who I am?" she spat.
The man raked his gaze over her. "Charlotte Deluca," he said sounding bored "a spoilt heiress who needs to be put firmly over her father's knee and given a thorough spanking."
Charlotte's mouth dropped open "How dare you" she shrieked "I can destroy you with one word" she threatened.
"I'd like to see you try" the man yawned, sounding unimpressed.
Charlotte's face turned an unbecoming red. Flair turned glacial eyes on me. "Hurry up and send me the divorce papers Johnathon," she said coldly "Or shall I have them drawn up?"
"I'll send them" I snarled "You didn't even have the decency to wait until they were signed before moving on, did you?"
She laughed and threaded her arm through the man's looking up at him with adoring eyes. My chest tightened. She used to look at me like that. When we were first married. I shrugged the feeling of nostalgia off.
"He's a better man than you'll ever be," Flair said nonchalantly.
"You slut" Charlotte hissed "acting like a damn saint and holier than thou when in retrospect, you've been spreading your legs, left, right, and center for this man. You're no betrayed wife. You're just a whore, acting as though she's better than everyone else. You disgust me" she told Flair, looking at her with condemnation.
By now we had drawn a crowd and there were several reporters in the club aiming their cameras towards us. I glanced nervously towards them. No doubt they were hoping for a juicy story. Charlotte was notorious for getting in trouble with the press and her grandfather would be upset if she got maligned again. Before I could intervene or interfere, Flair moved, faster than I could have anticipated, her anger overcoming her and she slapped Charlotte, hard, across the face, a bright red handprint appearing on Charlotte's left cheek. Charlotte put a hand up to her cheek in shock, tears springing to her eyes as she let out a scream.
"Do not confuse me with yourself" Flair hissed with venom "I am not a slut. I am not a homewrecker like yourself. I have nothing to be ashamed of, unlike yourself Charlotte Deluca, who had an affair with a married man" she declared loudly, the reporters hanging on every word as Charlotte glanced around, her face paling as she realized. I grabbed Charlotte's hand, preventing her from retaliating. The man with Flair took hold of her hand.
"Flair, let's go," he said gently, "I think you've had enough for tonight."
She smiled up at him and nodded her agreement. Without another word, both of them turned and began to head for the exit, while Rachel followed calmly in their wake.
"She slapped me" Charlotte wailed as I looked down at her.
"Miss Deluca, would you like to make a statement on what we just saw?" A reporter called out excitedly.
Charlotte sniffed while I began to drag her towards the exit, cursing inwardly in my mind. Not only had tonight not gone as planned, with Charlotte now being caught by reporters provoking Flair, but I was no closer to discovering the identity of the man that Flair was with.
"Johnathon, what am I going to do?" Charlotte moaned as we headed towards our car "If Grandfather sees me in the paper again..." she trailed off, looking sick.
"Will your brother help you?" I asked tightly.
"Half brother" she snapped "and no."
I clenched my jaw and got in the car, a desolate Charlotte hopping in the backseat with me. Nothing more was said.
Revenge
Flair POV
I never expected to see my soon-to-be ex-husband in the club tonight. All I wanted was to spend some time away with my friend Rachel, partying instead of licking my wounds on that undeserving bastard. I never anticipated his reaction to seeing me though. Was it my imagination, or had my ex-husband acted jealous? I seethed as I stormed from the club, Rachel in my wake.
"That son of a bitch" I muttered through gritted teeth as Rachel put her hand on my shoulder, attempting to comfort me "How dare he accuse me of cheating when he was the cheater!" I exclaimed indignantly.
I glanced down at my hand and flexed my fingers. I had to admit that slapping Charlotte Deluca had given me great satisfaction. Rachel snorted "Well you certainly gave the reporters a scandal to write about," she said as I turned my head to look at her.
I shrugged. It was not my business if they plastered Charlotte's pathetic face all over the papers. In fact, I hoped they did. I wanted her reputation to be ruined. She thought she was a victim in all this? It was galling that she had seen fit to accuse me of the very thing she had done to me.
My brother stepped forward. It had been a long time since I had seen Knox, years in fact. Ever since I insisted on marrying Johnathon against my family's wishes, I had cut them off, pretending to be a nobody, to gain Johnathon's trust and have him fall in love with the real me, rather than my family's name. That had backfired. It had been Knox I had been dancing with when Johnathon saw fit to interrupt me with his damning accusations. I smirked. If Johnathon knew how wrong he was and what Knox's real identity was, he'd be horrified. Then again, Knox tended to stay out of the papers and was something of an introvert at times, while his fraternal twin Ian, was the face of our family name and the occasional extrovert.
"Say the word and I can have Johnathon disappear," Ian said tightly, a scowl on his face.
I knew he had never liked Johnathon and this little scene had cemented in his mind exactly how untrustworthy and despicable Johnathon's character was.
I shook my head and gave my older brother a grim smile. "As much as I would like to take you up on that offer Ian, I want to deal with Johnathon on my own. Once the divorce is final, he'll have no reason to continue contacting me or be in my life. That's all I want, is for him to leave me alone."
Rachel looked troubled. "He didn't act like a man that was going to leave you alone Flair. Did you see the angry look on his face? He acted like you were still his wife. He acted exactly like a jealous husband would act."
I laughed, trying to shrug off Rachel's concerns "Well he's out of luck then because the divorce will be final soon. Besides" I sneered, folding my arms across my chest and regarding my brother and best friend steadily "I would never get back with somebody who cheated on me."
Knox frowned even deeper. "Father is going to be displeased when he finds out that Johnathon had the gall to cheat on somebody of your status," he said with glinting eyes.
"I'm aware that Father is going to be extremely angry" I agreed "but he should be angry with me. I'm the one who ignored his warnings about Johnathon. I'm the one who told him that Johnathon was the one for me. He was right when he said that Johnathon was untrustworthy and undeserving of my love" I said a bit bitterly.
Knox glanced around and noted that reporters were beginning to walk out of the club. He grabbed me by the arm and tugged me into the limousine, Rachel hastily getting in behind us.
"Where to Mr Grant?" the driver asked respectfully, dipping his head to me and giving me a warm smile.
Knox flattened his lips "My mansion" he said.
"Knox, I can't go there," I said, even as the limousine began to peel out "What is father going to say when he sees me?" I added, feeling slightly panicked.
He gave me a cool look "The sooner you get this over with the better. Besides, did it occur to you that your face is about to be plastered over the newspapers as well? It's better that father hears from you about Johnathon than seeing the news for himself in the paper."
"What about Rachel?" I asked grasping at straws.
"I love Knox's mansion," Rachel said, the traitor, looking through the window "and it's not as though I haven't stayed at your family home before" she added nonchalantly.
Damn. I felt betrayed as I stared at her. She blinked her eyes at me. I glowered at Knox. He looked at me unrelentingly. "He's going to be so disappointed in me" I whispered, feeling close to tears "I did everything he asked, except for this one thing and I failed. I failed at my marriage" I added, sniffling, and then the dam broke as I burst into noisy tears, Rachel looking stricken, while Knox's arms went around me and held me close.
"Flair you didn't fail" Knox murmured, his grip tight and strong, as I laid against him "I know you. You're tenacious, stubborn, loyal, and sometimes a right pain in the ass" he teased as I stared at him with watery eyes "the woman I know would have given her all in the marriage. You gave up everything to be with him. You changed your name, you worked, you cooked, you cleaned. You did everything he wanted. You didn't fail. Johnathon's just an asshole" he growled.
I gave a small laugh. "Oh Flair" Rachel murmured sympathetically "You really loved him, didn't you?" she asked quietly.
I nodded, as Knox grabbed me and placed me on his lap "I know that I should be angry and I should be filled with rage" I said biting my lip "but I can't help but mourn and give as well. I wanted so badly to be the perfect wife for him and when I found out he was cheating, my first thought was that there was something wrong with me, some flaw that had made him go looking for someone else."
"Nonsense" Rachel barked, her eyes blazing fiercely "You are perfect Flair, exactly as you are. Any man would have been proud to have you as a wife. Johnathon has no idea how lucky he was to have you in his life, let alone as his wife. It's his loss but don't you dare question what was wrong with you, because the answer is nothing" she snarled.
Knox stared at Rachel approvingly. He took out a handkerchief from his jacket pocket and tenderly wiped my eyes. "Your friend is right," he said gently "Baby sister, I have always loved you and so has Ian. There is nothing we wouldn't do for you. Father is going to be angry, but not at you. You have always been his favorite," he said fondly, without anger in his voice "his little princess. If anything he will be glad to welcome you home" he said.
He gave me the handkerchief. Knox's gaze sharpened "If you would like, I could have the story pulled?" he offered.
I knew he had the power to do that. One phone call and the scandal would be toast. I hesitated. If I said yes, then Charlotte's name and reputation would remain the same as it was before. But did she deserve to have her name stricken from the record so to speak? Did she deserve to go unpunished for her actions?
"Charlotte knew the consequences of going after a married man and she did it anyway," I said dully "If anything I want the story to focus on the fact that she's not an innocent victim and that her actions pertained to the slap."
Knox grinned and grabbed his cell phone out of his pocket as I moved slightly so he could get a hold of it. He began to text at a furious pace while I stared out the window, watching the city leaving behind us.
"That's my girl," Rachel said with a smile "Don't let that spoilt bitch off the hook. If anything Johnathon will suffer too, maybe even lose some business at his law firm."
I hadn't thought of that. A look of immense satisfaction came over my face as I mulled that over. "It's not enough" I whispered as Knox began to put his phone back in his pocket and Rachel looked at me confused "It's not nearly enough."
"What's not enough?" Knox asked tenderly, smoothing my hair back from my forehead and gazing into my eyes.
"I want Johnathon and Charlotte to be ruined," I said quietly "and I don't care how I have to go about it. I'm going to ruin their lives" I added as Rachel began to nod and Knox's eyes narrowed "and they're not even going to see it coming. By the time they realize who I really am, it will be far too late."
Forging Ahead
Johnathon's POV
By the time we managed to leave the club, Charlotte was a mess and still seething from the slap. "I can't believe that little bitch touched me like that" she spat out, as we headed out the door, Charlotte staggering slightly in her heels.
I made a move to steady her and she glared at me, while I clenched my jaw. Was she blaming me for what happened? It was Charlotte's temper that had gotten Flair to slap her in the first place! If she had left well enough alone, or just kept quiet, she would have been fine. She didn't need to interfere like she had.
"Never mind Charlotte," I said tightly and she gasped, swinging her head to stare at me outraged.
"Never mind," she said shrilly, her high-pitched tone piercing my ears and making me wince "your ex-wife just assaulted me and that's all you can say?" she shrieked "is never mind?"
"What exactly do you want me to say?" I asked coolly "you stepped in and provoked her. I had everything under control."
I was vehemently aware of the reporters coming out of the club and so was Charlotte, because although her eyes were blazing, I saw her bite her lip and keep silent, stomping towards the limousine as the driver hastily opened the door for her.
I hurried to help her inside and then got in myself, breathing a sigh of relief as the driver shut the door, preventing the reporters from seeing or hearing anything else. Charlotte was still pouting, her ruby-red lips pursed in a most unbecoming manner. "Do you have any idea how humiliated I am?" she hissed.
I had a fairly good idea. I gazed at her with a small degree of sympathy, even as I fought the flash of admiration washing over me in regards to Flair. Our whole marriage Flair had come across as meek and subservient and now, she had just shown a side of her I had never seen before. Had all of her submissive side been an act? Why? I frowned and Charlotte reached over and grabbed me by the hand.
"Johnathon, don't you understand? Grandfather is going to be pissed when the papers hit the stands tomorrow" she cried pitifully.
I blinked and focussed on her. "Will your brother help you?" I asked again and she looked mutinous and gave a bitter laugh.
"Grayson, help" she sneered "he hates me. He would rather see me suffer than step in and help me. As if it's my fault that my father divorced his mother and married mine."
I viewed her skeptically. I felt there was more to the story than just that but Charlotte avoided my eyes.
"I don't know what you want me to do then Charlotte. I hardly have the power to demand the newspapers don't run the story. Why don't you try using your name to get them to stop?"
She deflated. "Grandfather and Grayson are the only ones who have the authority to prevent the newspapers from running the story. If I involve my grandfather then he's going to be even more furious than he is with me already."
I sighed. "Maybe the papers will focus more on Flair who hit you then on you" I suggested with optimism, making Charlotte perk up and smile.
"Of course, why didn't I think of that? Flair is a nobody, so she's bound to draw more interest than me. Plus I'm certain they didn't hear the reason as to why she slapped me" she said with hope "I bet they villionise her instead!"
She settled back against the seats, looking far more cheerful. I wanted to shake my head at her. She was like a child sometimes. I couldn't help comparing her to Flair, who was so even tempered and sweet. It made me scowl. Why was I thinking of my soon to be ex-wife, when I had a gorgeous heiress in front of me, with a fortune at her fingertips, ready to grant me my every wish as soon as I married her? I needed to stop being so damn nostalgic. Flair understood my ambitions to be a powerful lawyer and make it up in the world. It had never been a secret, but even I had to admit that she could have found out about Charlotte in a different way that was less hurtful. I had owed her that at least, but Charlotte was vicious, wanting Flair to find out in the most embarrassing way she could envision. She had grown tired of waiting for me to ask for a divorce and had engineered a way for it to happen.
"Where are we going?" I asked evenly, as the limousine drove through the large city, staring out the window, lost in contemplation.
Charlotte drew her brows together. "We're going back to the family home of course" she said a little annoyed "you can hardly expect me to deal with grandfather myself can you? At least with you there, he's going to have to reign in his temper somewhat" she said with a grimace "although I doubt it's going to be much."
Great. But Charlotte wasn't finished yet "when are you going to send the divorce papers to Flair?" she demanded icily "and get them signed? I want to be able to inform grandfather that we plan on getting married and soon. Besides" she added meaningfully "it's been over six months since we've gotten together Johnathon and I've waited long enough."
"Six months is not a long time Charlotte, by any stretch" I countered back, smoothing my shirt "and I will send the divorce papers out in due time" I added, causing her to glower at me.
"I want them sent out Johnathon" she snapped "I refuse to be kept waiting. I want a ring on my finger and I want to be wed. The sooner you and that bitch Flair get divorced, the better. Then I can finally get my hands on the company my grandfather refuses to hand over."
I stared at her "that's what this is about isn't it? The company? Your grandfather has a stipulation on it doesn't he?"
Charlotte gave a smug grin "he does. In order to inherit the damn company, either I or Grayson have to be married first and provide an heir. But the heir has to be provided in wedlock. So the sooner we are married, the sooner we can get started on providing the heir" she blurted out "and then I get the company, not my bastard brother Grayson."
She patted my knee condescendingly "and it's not as though there aren't perks for you" she said with a grin "not only will you own half the company with me, but I'll be able to direct the clients to your law firm. You'll get tons of business and so many clients you won't be able to keep up. All of them wealthy. You'll be a billionaire in your own right. It's a win win and we'll have children to pass on the business to."
"You failed to mention all of this to me before Charlotte" I said a little taken aback but also secretly thrilled.
A fifty percent share in the worlds largest company that had billions in profits year after year? What man was going to pass up such an opportunity? All I had to do was marry Charlotte and have a baby with her? In retrospect it didn't seem all that much and I could spend my life in luxury, while building a prestigious law firm that would rival anybody's in the country. I could feel my heart racing at the thought, my hands turning clammy. Charlotte gave me a knowing look.
"I couldn't risk telling you before" she said nonchalantly "but I trust you now Johnathon. There's no other man I would rather be married to than you" she added, flipping her hair over her shoulder, her eyes gleaming at me.
"But Charlotte, I don't exactly see you looking after a child" I said frowning.
She didn't seem like the maternal type. Charlotte laughed, throwing her head back. "Johnathon you're hilarious" she said "naturally our child will be brought up by nannies. I don't intend on being a hands on mother" she shuddered at the thought "the thought of changing diapers and late night feeds, urgh" she flinched "its so repulsive" she complained.
I felt a pang at that. I had always wanted children and had never thought of palming them off. I convinced myself that it was a small price to pay for what I would receive in return. Our child would still be loved, be well cared for. I ignored the small voice in my head that was protesting and smiled lovingly at Charlotte. "Very well, I will take care of the divorce papers, now that I know there is a reason for the urgency my love" I told her loyally, making her face light up "and then we can announce our engagement to the media, which should make your family happy."
Family
Flair POV
I forced back my groan as the sunlight hit my eyes, my head throbbing with what felt like the world's worst hangover, and stumbled to the bathroom, where I forced my body underneath the shower and out of hibernation. I blinked back the sleep from my eyes and carefully got ready for a new day, heading out of the room, fully dressed, only to come across Rachel looking a little worse for wear at the dining table, munching on a large piece of toast, with a woebegone expression on her face.
"I drank too much last night" she moaned, sipping coffee and making a face "now my head feels like it's about to explode.
"Tell me about it" I muttered, grabbing some juice and aspirin "I feel like severing my head from my body" I complained, sitting down next to her.
Rachel smirked "Still, it was worth it, just to see that bitch Charlotte Deluca's face when you gave her what for," she said teasingly, wincing slightly.
I stared at her uncomprehendingly. "Sorry, what?" I asked.
Rachel snorted "Don't tell me you've forgotten already," she said with a shake of her head and then grabbed the newspaper, handing it to me as I gripped it with slightly shaking hands.
Spoilt Heiress Has Affair with Married Man. Given Slap by the Woman She Wronged!
I swallowed hard, grateful not to be eating anything for fear it would have come right back up. There, in black and white, as plain as the nose on my face, was a close-up picture of myself slapping Charlotte Deluca in the face. Oh boy. Suddenly I was grateful to be sitting down. I gripped the edges of the table. This had to be some sort of prank. I glanced at Rachel who was smirking at me. Slowly images from last night began to flash into my mind. "I slapped her," I said incredulously "Oh my god, I actually slapped her."
What was I thinking? I had never slapped anyone before in my life. Not only that but if I were honest with myself, it had felt good to slap that heiress bitch in the face. This was not like me. I wasn't some vindictive hateful woman. But right now, part of me wanted to do that to her again. Rachel laughed "Trust me she deserved it. I'm actually surprised you didn't slap Johnathon as well considering he had a few choice things to say. Shame really" she sighed "Maybe next time" she added hopefully.
"Rachel, how could you let me do this?" I demanded, turning to look at her "What if they find out my real identity?"
She waved her hand at me, dismissing my concerns "Honey I doubt they'll care enough to look into it. It's a juicy story, but only because they think you're a nobody. Trust me their focus is on Charlotte Deluca and that bastard Johnathon. Knox was there last night and I promise you, he would never let them smear your real name. You're safe" she said cheerfully, as I sipped at some juice "I'm going to cut this picture out and frame it" she breathed excitedly.
"Why didn't the Deluca's have this story held?" I said frowning "The last thing they would have wanted was their precious heiress to have her name smeared in the paper again."
"Oh, that's the thing. According to Knox, her half-brother Grayson refuses to intervene with the papers and her grandfather has given them strict instructions that unless Grayson says to hold them, the stories should continue to run. So little Charlotte has no sway with the papers at all, despite having the Deluca name" Rachel said with satisfaction.
I raised a brow "You seem pretty chummy with my brother" I said as her cheeks turned pink "You must have had quite the chat last night after I went to bed."
"No, just a little conversation. He was worried about you" she said hurriedly, avoiding my gaze "and he also said to expect a phone call."
"A phone call?" my tone sharpened.
"Well, your face is in the paper and you know that your father reads them religiously," Rachel said reluctantly "So it's hardly surprising that Knox believes you should expect a call from him is it?"
I groaned and put my head on the table. "Don't tell me you regret hitting her?" Rachel asked incredulously "After everything she's put you through."
I turned my head and looked at her "No" I said honestly "but what's come over me? I want to make her pay Rachel, so bad it hurts. Doesn't that make me a terrible person?"
She blinked. "Honey, it makes you human," she said, staring me hard in the eyes "If you could see what goes on in my mind, you'd probably be scared shitless" she added with a glint in her eyes, "I think you're going through a lot of pain right now and you are dealing the best way you know how. Speaking of which" she added mysteriously "what is your next move Flair Rourke, soon to be Flair Summers?"
"I haven't even thought about it. There's the yoga studio, which Johnathon doesn't even know anything about, other than I work there. But outside of that, I want to focus on myself. I spent so much time doing everything for Johnathon, helping with his law firm, being his secretary and personal assistant so he wouldn't have to hire one, cooking, cleaning, and working for myself, I haven't had time to stop and think about what I want" I told her honestly "I stopped being Flair and became Mrs Rourke, the woman Johnathon wanted me to be. I need to be Flair again."
Rachel's expression turned thoughtful. "I understand that," she said slowly "and I think you might be right. The first step, would be a whole new wardrobe," she said meaningfully, glancing down at my clothes as I stiffened "I know for a fact that Johnathon picked out the clothes he wanted you to wear that would look suitable for his clients" she added knowingly "you look like an old maid instead of a young woman that's desirable and hot."
"I don't want to look desirable and hot. I'm not about to go looking for another husband" I protested.
She had a devilish look on her face "Who said anything about a husband? A one-night stand here or there wouldn't kill you Flair, might even make you loosen up a little" she teased "And what woman doesn't like to feel like she's desired?"
She had a point. I blushed and looked down at the ground as Rachel gathered up her coffee cup and placed it carefully in the sink. "We should go to that new upscale boutique that opened last week," she said nonchalantly "It's supposed to be high-end and extremely fashionable."
"But you know that I only like to..." I trailed off as she grinned at me.
"All their clothes are eco-friendly and sustainable," she said as I relaxed "so there's no excuse for not checking it out. Vegan friendly," she said triumphantly.
"But I don't have time to go shopping, I'm supposed to be in the studio..."
"Don't even think of it. We both took today off so that we could recuperate from the club" Rachel interrupted.
Damn. I deflated. I finished my juice and Rachel handed me a granola bar to nibble on.
I heard my cell phone begin to ring and Rachel glanced at it before she handed it to me to answer. "Speak of the devil" she whispered, giggling slightly.
I glanced down at the caller ID and my heart almost stopped. It had been over three years since I had heard from him and yet, it was like I couldn't wait to hear his voice again.
I knew instinctively why he was calling. I didn't care. I turned my back to Rachel who was eyeing me with a wicked grin and pressed the answer button, my voice cracking slightly. "Hello."
The voice of my father reached my ears, hoarse and powerful, instantly filling my heart with joy and at the same time causing my stomach to churn "Come home. I've seen the papers."
The dial tone as he hung up. Rachel hovered over my shoulder as I resolutely put the phone down. "So what did he say?" she asked eagerly.
I gave a cracked smile, reaching for my handbag and purse. I woodenly began to make my way towards the door, while Rachel followed behind me.
"Nothing," I said in a monotone, opening the door and getting my keys out "other than to give me instructions to return home."
My childhood home. The last time I had been there, I had defied my father's wishes and married the man I had convinced myself I was in love with. I hadn't stepped foot inside it since. Now I was going back. Would my father embrace me with open arms, or was I to be shunned for the choice I had made, so many years ago?
...
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