The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress

Johnathon POV

I stayed at the pub for as long as I possibly could, drinking and considering my future with Charlotte Deluca. I kept to myself and as long as I continued to pay for my drinks, nobody bothered me, which suited me just fine. My phone went off several times but I ignored it. I had already informed my staff I was not coming in today, so I knew without a doubt that it would be Charlotte calling and I could not bring myself to speak to her right now. I was embarrassed. Embarrassed by her. Humiliated by the video that continued to play on the news outlets as she lost her temper over a ring. I was seeing Charlotte in a new light and I didn't like what I was seeing, but at the same time, I was so close to getting my hands on the wealth she had that I could taste it. Did that make me a horrible person?

I was noticeably tipsy when I ventured forth and notified the driver to pick me up outside. I smelt heavily of alcohol and as I climbed into the back of the limo, I saw the driver wince, a look of revulsion on his face. "Where to Sir?" he asked, wrinkling his nose as the pungent fumes filled the air.

"Home," I said gloomily "the Deluca mansion" I added in case he thought I meant otherwise.

I was going to have to face her. Eventually. It might as well be now. The driver nodded and pulled out, heading towards the mansion in silence as I shifted on the seats, feeling grim and morose.

I had barely stepped out of the limo when Charlotte opened the front door, an angry expression on her face. I sighed and pushed past her.

"Where have you been all day?" she shrieked as I groaned, the sound piercing my eardrums and causing my head to throb painfully "I kept calling and calling and you didn't answer" she yelled angrily.

She already sounded like a nagging wife, I thought with a wince.

"Stop yelling," I said tightly, stomping into the living room and plonking down onto a comfortable sofa, staring upwards at my fiancee, who looked like a raging bull. "What's the big deal? So I didn't answer for a few hours, so what?" I said rudely "I was taking time for myself."

Her nostrils flared "So what? So what?" she shrieked "I had no idea if anything had happened to you or if you were in trouble. The media have been trying to come to the house all day" she snapped "Not that you care. You've evidently been drinking, I can smell the stench of beer on you" she added in disgust.

"I had a few," I said without apology "sue me. I needed to loosen up a little."

"Well sober up," Charlotte said annoyed "Mother and I agreed that having a fancy wedding might do more harm than good at this rate, especially when the future of the company is at stake as well."

I blinked. What was she talking about? She had her heart set on a fancy wedding when I left. The grandfather had given, what was it, two weeks to plan. So why was she speaking as though there was no time? I didn't even know if I wanted to go through with a wedding right now. I felt trapped as I looked into her eyes which were gleaming with satisfaction and triumph. I began to feel a sense of foreboding.

"Charlotte, you wanted a big wedding" I began to mumble, my mouth going dry "We can't just rush..."

"Yes we can" she snarled "For all we know Flair could already be pregnant. I'm not about to lose the company to that little b***h. I don't play fair you know that Johnathon and while I've dreamed of a big fancy wedding since I was a little girl, I can always have one later. It's not the be-all or end all" she snapped, putting her hands on her hips and towering over me.

s**t. She was being deadly serious. I felt the urge to laugh. My life was becoming more hectic and crazy by the minute. Charlotte was beaming at me. "Johnathon you know how important getting my hands on the company is to me. It's worth so much money it's sickening. You want half of that right" she pleaded as I began to waver "So what if we don't have everybody present. Grayson didn't" she pointed out.

"But" I began and she continued to interrupt.

"I've already organized it. We're going to the courthouse tomorrow. Nobody else is going to be there. Just us and mother and Grandfather. That way he can't dispute the marriage certificate or the wedding ceremony. It will be quick and painless" she said with a shrug "Then all we have to focus on is getting me pregnant."

I stared at her. "Charlotte do you even hear yourself right now?" I asked quietly.

She was speaking fast, pacing back and forth, muttering to herself.

She whirled and faced me, "Yes" she shouted "I am hearing myself. I am sacrificing things that I want, things that matter to me, for the sake of getting my hands on this blasted company," she said frostily "Do you not understand Johnathon?"

She looked half-crazed. What had gone on while I'd been gone? I wished I was back at the pub, slinging back more drinks. My hand twitched, as though trying to pick up a beer glass that wasn't there.

"Charlotte, I don't want you to regret doing something only to look back later and wish you'd done it differently" I tried to reason with her.

"I can always have another wedding where we renew our vows, just like Mother suggested," she said shrugging.

Damnit Karen. What have you promised Charlotte in order for her to agree to a bloody courthouse wedding? "I um, don't have a suit" I pointed out, lamely.

I had plenty of suits. God, I was an i***t. Charlotte was eyeing me as though I had lost my mind. As excuses went it was pathetic. She could see right through it. "Johnathon, just wear one of your damn work suits," she said coldly "it's going to be less than an hour before it's all said and done!"

She reached over and grabbed my hand, squeezing it "Just think, after this, we could go somewhere for a honeymoon. You've always wanted to go to Greece or Rome" she said persuasively.

Yeah, I had but my workload was heavy the next few weeks. I swallowed hard. "I have to work Charlotte," I said quietly. She looked satisfied. "Actually, I phoned your work today when I couldn't get ahold of you" she began.

She had? s**t. I should have picked my phone up. Damn, damn, damn. "Oh really?"

My voice was weak. Great. Now what. "Yeah, and your receptionist said that some of your clients have canceled their appointments with you, so it's freed up a lot of your time. I bet you could rearrange your other appointments to take a few days off and we could go on a cruise or even a hotel for a few nights if you prefer."

"Cancelled?" my voice was sharp "I didn't ask my receptionist to cancel any appointments."

What was going on?

"She didn't," Charlotte said impatiently "Weren't you listening Johnathon? The receptionist said your clients canceled. Isn't that lucky?" she asked with a smile "Anyway, I'm going to go and get ready for bed. Join me when you can. I want to get my beauty sleep for tomorrow" she added meaningfully.

"I'll be right up," I said in a strangled voice.

She nodded and headed towards the stairs.

As soon as she was out of sight and hearing, I dialed my firm and got ahold of my receptionist.

"What's this about clients canceling?" I hissed.

A sigh "Sir, several have canceled but for different reasons. Now I don't want to make assumptions but"

"What is your take," I said interrupting her "Why do you think they canceled?"

A deep breath on the other line "Frankly Sir. I believe they canceled due to the negative publicity on the television in regard to Charlotte Deluca. If you are not reading this novel on Job n ib.com, some sentences are incomplete. Visit Jo b nib.com to read the complete sentences for free. Although you aren't married to her as yet, your engagement does mean that her behavior reflects on you. While she's been painted in a negative light" my receptionist paused and I could tell she was trying to pick her words carefully "Grayson and your ex-wife have been painted in a positive light which is also not helping matters. I believe your clients have now signed on with Grayson's firm instead."

"s**t" I cursed, hanging up and throwing my phone across the room in a temper.

I should have known that Charlotte's tantrum would have repercussions, not just on my personal reputation but on my work as well. I rubbed my forehead, feeling drained. I couldn't get those clients back, not if they had signed on with Grayson, who was a rival lawyer, but I could try and get new ones, that is if Charlotte could keep her behavior in public under control. I groaned. When I had agreed to marry her, I hadn't anticipated there would be so many problems. Flair had always been a help to my personal and business life and my clients had thoroughly liked her, but Charlotte was having the opposite effect. I stormed back over to the cell phone and grabbed it, sliding it sulkily into my trouser pocket.

"Think of the money" I muttered to myself "With the amount of money you're going to get from this marriage and the company when you get your hands on it, you can afford to build ten times the amount of law firms you have now."

It was enough to appease me and I relaxed, beginning to head towards the stairs, staggering slightly. I would shower, and then climb into bed with Charlotte, my last night as a single man before I got married to the wealthy heiress tomorrow and took on the Deluca name, as requested by her and her Grandfather. It felt like a noose was tightening around my neck as I climbed closer towards the bedroom.