The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress

Grayson

POV

"Mr Stone, the divorce papers have been served to your wife and I suspect there won't be any complications in regards to her signing it. Not with all the evidence you have of her affair with your best friend and the photos you possess. I do encourage you though, to think a little bit more specifically in regards to your assets. Are you certain that you don't want to fight to keep more of your superannuation and savings?"

Mr. Stone nodded tiredly "I just want this to be over. This is my second marriage and you would have thought I would have learned my lesson by now" he sighed and stood up, looking weary "if she signs the papers everything can proceed, can it not?"

I nodded and he smiled, inclining his head "Then good day Mr Oakes. I will see you in the next few days with luck" he added, a hint of bitterness in his tone of voice.

I gathered up my papers and placed them aside, while Timothy walked in, handing me a new steaming cup of coffee. "Is Mr Stone gone already?" he asked surprised.

"Mr Stone has gone through divorce proceedings before, he knows the drill," I said drily "Today was merely a formality for him."

I scowled, sipping at my coffee. Timothy sat down opposite me and fidgeted with his hands.

"With all due respect Mr. Grayson," he said politely and I shot him a look, continuing to open my laptop and peruse my emails "But you don't seem yourself today" he added slowly "You're a bit out of sorts if you don't mind me saying so." "I'm fine Timothy" I assured him, glancing back at the laptop.

"How are the papers going for the Grants and their respective new CEOs?" he asked.

I frowned some more "I have the majority of the paperwork taken care of. It's all on schedule. It will be signed and ready for when Mr Grant decides to host his party or event" I muttered.

A tentative knock on the door had both of us turn, my eyes widened in surprise and Timothy looked delighted when we saw none other than Flair's friend Rachel standing there. "Rachel," Timothy said warmly as she came in uncertainly "What brings you here?" he asked.

"I thought I might take you out to lunch this time," Rachel said biting her lip and looking adorably shy as Timothy's eyes widened "I remember you telling me roughly what time you have it and I happened to be in the area so..." she trailed off, looking at me uncertainly "but if Grayson can't spare you then I can take a raincheck" she continued.

I smiled. Just because Flair and I were having our difficulties at the moment, it didn't mean that Timothy had to suffer for it. "Nonsense," I said briskly "By all means take Timothy out. He would be ecstatic to take you up on your invitation" I told Rachel firmly. Timothy shot me a doubtful look "Are you sure Sir? I know that there's a fair amount of paperwork to get through, not to mention all those emails still waiting for replies!"

I waved a dismissive hand "It will still be waiting for you when you get back. A gorgeous woman asks you to lunch, you go to lunch" I said indulgently.

Timothy brightened. Rachel cast me another glance. "Timothy could you give me a minute alone with Grayson" she murmured.

Timothy looked confused but nodded. "I'll just get my stuff and then meet you in the foyer" he suggested.

"Perfect," Rachel told him, kissing him on the cheek as I watched enviously.

How cute their relationship was, in this early stages. It was the first time I had seen my personal assistant so happy.

I straightened up and rolled my shoulders back "Rachel" I said gravely, "what can I do for you?"

She hesitated and then sat down, crossing her ankles and staring hard at me. I began to feel slightly uncomfortable. "Grayson, I don't know if you realize this, but Flair has a lot of trouble just opening up to people. She takes time to let people in" she explained tightly "god knows Johnathon didn't help when it came to her self-esteem. You know the entire time they were married, he didn't ask her what she wanted? What she would like to do? Their relationship only ever revolved around his wants and his needs. She had to put everything to the side, including what made her so unique."

"What does this have to do with me?" I asked her deliberately.

Did she think I was keeping Flair from doing something? I wasn't preventing her from anything. At least I didn't think I was. Rachel's eyes met mine. "I know you're trying to have a baby Grayson and I know the reason why you need one."

I stiffened "That's none of your business Rachel" I growled "and if you've come here to start something..."

She held up a hand "No, that's not it. Flair would make an excellent mother, but Grayson, she was married to Johnathon for three years and they never got pregnant. Not once. Does that not strike you as odd?" she queried. "Flair never mentioned they were trying," I said surprised "I assumed that they didn't want one."

Rachel studied me coolly "They never expressly tried, but Flair wasn't on birth control. Three years of having s*x without protection and nothing? It defies the odds. But I'm more worried about her heart. Grayson, she's not cut out to be a mother who abandons her child. If you ask her to leave her baby, she'll break. This contract might have seemed like a good idea initially, but now" she shook her head "if you still insist it remains a contract, then you should both sever it now before it gets too emotionally messy." Let her go? My chest tightened. "That's not feasible," I said harshly "Flair agreed to the conditions. She agreed to the contract. She is the only one that is able to break it."

"The only one?" Rachel asked, uncrossing her ankles and regarding me with interest "Aren't you able to do the same? Why don't you just ask her to divorce and give her a hefty settlement? She might not need it being a grant, but if you ask her to leave, she'll accept your decision without question. She's too proud not to" Rachel argued.

"Why do you care so much Rachel?" my voice was hoarse, my expression grim "What gives you the right to barge in here and start questioning my motives towards Flair?"

"Because I watched her as she became nothing more than a shell while she was married to Johnathon and I won't see her go through that again. She loved that man and he didn't deserve her."

Rachel's voice was passionate, full of emotion, her eyes shiny. "That man used her and then discarded her as though she didn't mean a damn thing to him. Years of loyalty, of working her fingers to the bone for him and what did it get her?" she whispered, her voice shaking "Nothing but divorce and the knowledge that he cheated on her for the sake of money. How much do you think that affected her?"

"I am not Johnathon" I thundered, causing her to jump slightly "Don't you think that my morals might be different to that bastards? How can you even conceive of comparing me to that bastard?" I demanded, spearing her with a glance "I would never do something like that to Flair."

Rachel's lips curved upwards "Why is that Grayson? What makes you so different from Johnathon? You're both wealthy, you're both lawyers" she persisted, her voice growing higher "You both wanted something from her. What makes you so different from her ex- husband? What makes you so certain you won't do the same thing he did to her?"

I was breathing shallowly now. I saw Timothy out of the corner of my eye as he looked through the doorway, a look of concern on his face. He must have grown tired of waiting for Rachel and come looking for her. She put her hands on my desk and leaned forward "What is it that you feel for Flair that's going to make me confident that you're not going to ruin her or leave her an emotional wreck when this is said and done? How can I trust you, Grayson?" Rachel was persistent and aggressive, her words coming thick and fast. I hated to admit it but this woman would make one hell of a lawyer "What is it you're not telling me?"

"I love her damnit" my words echoed loudly across the room, causing Rachel's mouth to gape wide open and Timothy to gasp from his position "Alright? Is that enough for you? I love your friend" I said with gritted teeth "I might not have told her but this is not something I anticipated. I wasn't planning on falling for Flair, but now that you've pushed me to admit it, I'm in love with her" I snarled "and the thought of losing her is something I can't bear to imagine."

Silence. Pure silence. Rachel looked satisfied as she slowly removed her hands from the desk. Timothy remained standing still. I breathed heavily. I had been afraid to admit it to myself, but Rachel had continued pushing until it had slipped out without warning. "You love her," Rachel said softly, a smile on her lips "I knew it," she said quietly "the way you two look at each other. She never looked at Johnathon that way. Not once" she murmured.

"Are you satisfied now?" I shot out.

"Very. I'm not going to tell her Grayson, that's up to you. But I would suggest you tell her soon because if I'm right, she feels the exact same way about you. She's just too scared to say the words in case they mean nothing to you" she whispered, standing up and regarding me.

"They would mean everything to me," I said quietly and Rachel nodded, beginning to turn.

"Then I hope for your sake that she finds the courage to express it. Forgive me for intruding, but I needed to know that you weren't going to be like Johnathon. I wanted to protect her this time" Rachel breathed with one last glance over her shoulder before joining Timothy and walking away.

I loved her. I bowed my head and closed my eyes, feeling at peace for the first time in a long time. How was I going to tell the woman I had proposed a contract marriage to that I had fallen for her?