The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress

Knox POV

Reality is different from what you imagined. Although the last few weeks have been nothing short of fantastic, I haven't been oblivious to Lorelai's mood or the fact that she feels isolated and lonely in the mansion. Part of me hoped that she would learn to accept this lifestyle, but another part of me recognized how foolish that was. Lorelai was not like the other girls in my world. She didn't want to go shopping every hour of the day. She didn't want to get her nails done, her hair colored or sit and get a facial for the sake of it. She didn't spend endless hours talking to friends on the phone or nap during the day. She was growing bored and part of me was fearful that she would leave, simply because she couldn't stand to spend another minute with me.

"Things are going well with Lorelai" lan comments, sitting on my bed and stretching his arms above his head, a thoughtful expression on his face.

I frowned. "In some respects, yes, in others not so much," I admitted lowly.

His eyes narrowed, "what's the matter, Knox?"

I eyed him uncertainly. "She's bored, lan. She has nothing to do all day and I..." I motion uselessly at the computer "I can't entertain her all day. Not that she expects me to" I amend hastily ", but it makes me feel bad. She wants to work. She wants to feel useful." "Is that such a bad thing?" lan asks, raising a brow. "If anything, that would be commended."

"Maybe, but in our lives? You know that the other women would tear her to strips for what she did."

lan frowns "Have you considered the possibility that maybe Lorelai won't care what the other women will think of her?" His words hang in the air.

"Our father is traditional". Ian chooses his words carefully. "But he accepts what Flair does. Maybe Lorelai will be able to show him that there are ways to incorporate what she wants and still be able to perform her role as your girlfriend in the public eye." "I don't want her to get hurt" I growled in frustration. "You've seen how vicious those women can get, how vindictive. It would be like leading a lamb to the slaughter. She isn't prepared for what she's going to face lan. Jackson will pale in comparison to the tricks those bitches will come up with."

lan looks at me disapprovingly, "You're not doing Lorelai enough credit, Knox" he lets out a low whistle "You're acting as though she's always going to remain a victim and I know part of it's because of how Jackson abused her, but I think you need to give her a chance to prove you wrong. To access the complete chapters for free, visit Job nib.com. I think you will be surprised at how well Lorelai will do when she's confronted with our lifestyle and the world we survive in."

I sighed "And what if you're wrong? What if she breaks under all the pressure and the stress? What do I do then?" I asked, gritting my teeth.

He looks at me pityingly "Then you learn to let go of the one you love, in order to make them happy."

"I can't", my voice breaks. "I can't do that lan. She's the only woman I've ever felt this way towards. Every time I'm around her, my heart starts beating fast, and it's like I can't draw in enough breath. I can't stop looking at how beautiful she is, and how much her smile lights up the room. I want to see that smile every day. I want to be the one who comforts her when she's sad. The thought of another man so much as looking at her makes me want to murder him. My emotions are all over the place, and I'm not used to it." lan chuckles, "It's called love Brother. You have it bad for her."

He almost sounds envious. But lan has never been envious of me. Why would he be? He's always been the calm and collected twin, the one who is highly sought out, the bachelor and the face of the Grant Company. I've always been jealous of him. I've always wished I could be like him, but right now he's looking as though he would do anything to be able to swap places with me. I sucked in a breath.

"lan what...?" I began, but he hastily interrupted me before I could get another word out.

"Look, just give Lorelai some time" he advised me. "You'll see how she reacts when you go to the Fundraiser. There's going to be all sorts of prominent families and well-to-do people there. It's the perfect place to see her in action. Not to mention it's the first event you'll be attending as an official couple, so everybody's eyes are going to be on you."

"Brilliant" I mumbled.

As if I wasn't self-conscious enough already. I wonder how Lorelai was feeling if that is how nervous and anxious I was feeling. lan just grins at me cockily.

"Don't stress too much, use your coping tools" he reminds me, "and you can always escape to a quiet room. Flair understands your needs" he shrugs "and something tells me Lorelai will understand too. She doesn't look like she enjoys huge social gatherings either, to be honest."

"You don't mind them" I mutter dejectedly, "you like parties and big events."

He was the complete opposite of me.

"I'm just better at acting than you are," he says smugly. "You don't have as good a poker face."

"Are you coming to the fundraiser?" I asked, frowning.

He chuckles "Naturally it's Flairs, our sister's, so, of course, Father and I are coming. I'm not sure whether my costume would be appropriate or not, but hey, who cares? I thought it was clever."

I eyed him. "What are you going like?"

He grins smugly "You'll have to wait and see," he tells me mysteriously.

"Fine, what's father going like?"

lan snorts "He's got a black and white patch suit."

I stared at him blankly. Ian doubles over, laughing "A Dalmatian, he's going like a damn Dalmatian. He's even got a matching top hat for it. It's quite," he pauses and tries to think of the word "eccentric." I scoffed, "Yet nobody will dare to make fun of him."

lan's grin grows wider. "I wouldn't say that nobody would," he says with a chuckle "I believe that I've already made a pointed comment or two. Not to mention arranged a surprise for him on the night." I'm intrigued. I learned in "What did you do?"

He began to whisper, but I shook my head. "lan", I sighed, visibly disappointed, "that's nothing. We can do so much better than that", I told him.

My eyes are lighting up. lan looks intrigued now. I tell him my idea, and he loses control, laughing.

I'm already flipping my phone open. "You do know this could go very badly" lan snorts.

My eyes are wide and innocent, "But father is too kind-hearted to refuse such a gesture" I say with a wicked grin, "and who knows, maybe it will be good for him. You're in charge of the prop," I tell lan, who nods, his eyes sparkling. "You know what he's going to look like" lan snorts.

"Oh yeah. Trust me, the picture will be worth it. Something to use when he gets too full of himself", I smirk, picturing it in my mind.

lan shook his head. "I would hate to get on your bad side, brother. Who knows what you would do to me," he adds.

I gave him a crooked grin "Probably make you disappear and take all your assets", I drawl making him blanch in feigned terror. "Good thing I love you" I added, and he visibly relaxed.

"I'm off to shop," he says, getting up off bed "I know exactly where to go too."

"You have the day off?" I asked incredulously. "Since when do you take time away from the company?"

He waved a dismissive hand, "Father's at the company and told me to take today off."

He shrugs "Who am I to argue?"

"What was the point of retiring?" I grumbled, "if he continues to visit the damn company anyway?"

It made no sense to me. If I retired, the last thing I would want to do is go visit the company I have been running for so many years.

"It gives him something to do," lan says indulgently. "He likes to feel useful. Let him have his little job. It's appreciated anyway."

He ambles out the door while I stare at the back of him.

Useful. Is that what Lorelai meant when she said that she wanted to do something or find a job? Was she feeling useless? I hadn't meant to make her feel that way. I turned back towards my computer frowning. I guess I had been a little naive in thinking that Lorelai would merely embrace me supporting her. In our world, it is considered or rather expected for a man to support his woman, but in Lorelai's case, she was used to providing for herself. The idea of her not having enough money to buy something she wanted didn't sit well with me. Even with the money I had gotten back for her, I knew she hadn't touched it unless she needed something.

I frowned. There had to be a compromise that would give Lorelai the independence that she craved, while still ensuring her safety. We had enemies who wouldn't hesitate to go after our loved ones if they were vulnerable. That was something I hadn't emphasized to Lorelai, not wanting to scare her, but perhaps that was a discussion we needed to have. I understood her needing to keep busy, my mind was always racing, but I also didn't want her to put herself in any danger. "Compromise" I murmured, beginning to put my headphones on, my mind whirling with all sorts of possibilities, "something that will enable both of us to be happy."

Maybe something would come to me after the fundraiser was over and done with, I thought staring at the computer screen or maybe Lorelai would have made a decision and our relationship could continue to develop.

The words 'I love you' hovered on my lips. I hadn't spoken to her aloud yet, but they were right there, just waiting to be spoken. A small smile curved on my lips. Why was it so hard to utter three little words even though you felt them deep in your heart? Somehow it seemed important to wait until the right time to tell her. I just wasn't sure when that right time would be, but I hoped it would be soon.