The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress

Flair POV

It's been a few days since Grayson's grandfather ended up in the hospital and his spirits have sunk lower with each day that's passed. Grayson is frustrated as we motion for Charlotte and her mother Karen to join us in the private lounge, along with Johnathon who continually glances at me, putting me on edge.

"We need to come up with a plan in regards to Grandfather," Grayson said smoothly "The doctor is not going to release him into our care until we have come up with a solution in regards to taking care of him."

Charlotte scowls "Well what do you want us to do Grayson," she says crankily "None of us are exactly nurses are we?" she complains as I stare at her "And I don't know about you, but I have a life to lead that doesn't involve looking after an invalid day after day." She sounded selfish and vain, but Grayson looked unsurprised by her comment, perhaps expecting her to put up a protest like that.

"Johnathon what are your thoughts?" he asks and Charlotte is quick to chime in before Johnathon can so much as utter a word.

"He thinks the same as me" she drawled "If Grandfather needs that much help maybe he should go into a nursing home," she said dismissively.

I want to shake her. She's so ungrateful. This old man has opened his home to her and her mother, giving her nothing but the best chances in life and all she wants to do is turf him out to an old folks home because looking after him is an inconvenience. She has no idea how lucky she is to still have a grandfather. John Deluca was not even that old and he was cranky and stubborn and wilful but I liked him. He had character.

"I agree with Charlotte" Johnathon mumbles, glancing away.

Bastard. I dig my nails into my hands. Grayson raises a brow, looking displeased.

"What about you Karen? I mean both you and Charlotte are happy to live in his home, I would have expected that you would at least be willing to take care of his needs in return" Grayson said bitingly, looking the woman right in the eyes as she hesitated. Silence. Karen looked at her daughter helplessly. She coughed. "Well the thing is Grayson, I'm not exactly built for looking after an old man" she began as I stared at her incredulously "And a nursing home might be best for him after all" she finished lamely. Grayson looked fit to be tied. "You expect him to leave his family home, which's been in the family for generations, and go to an old folks home?"

Silence. Charlotte studied her fingernails, perching on the edge of her seat. She looked impatient. "Well if that's all then I'm going to go," Charlotte said breezily and stood up, walking away with her heels clacking loudly while Johnathon stood up, hesitantly looked at us, and then walked away shaking his head.

Karen bit her lip.

"Are you not ashamed of yourselves" Grayson growled "draining Grandfather dry like this and leaving him like he's a piece of garbage to be put in the bin?"

Karen stared at us stony-faced. "It shouldn't just be up to us Grayson. We're not his only family, or have you conveniently forgotten that?" she spat, before grabbing her handbag, swinging it over her shoulder, and storming away.

Grayson put his head in his hands and groaned. "I don't know what to do" he confessed turning to me.

I did. But I wasn't sure how to broach the subject. The old man's low mood was beginning to become a concern. A major one. John was losing his spirit day by day in the hospital and he needed to get out of here. "Grayson," I said softly, causing him to glance sharply at me "Why don't we look after John?"

Silence. Grayson looked shocked. I had been mulling this over from the first day and now I was certain it was the only plan of action we could take. Karen and Charlotte would not put themselves out for their Grandfather and I suspected that Grayson was more attached to John than he was willing to admit.

"It could be a lot of work," he said doubtfully, glancing at me, something akin to hope in his eyes "And I have a lot going on in the law firm" he added.

"I'm aware of that Grayson, but I am your wife. I can help you" I told him quietly "and John is a very nice man. I'm sure that he wouldn't be that much trouble" I said raising a brow.

He snorted "You don't know my grandfather" he muttered "Besides," he said exhaling and looking slightly exasperated "I can't see him wanting to leave his family home. He's been there his entire life."

"He can't go back there and survive on his own" I pointed out "It would still be his home, even without him living in it. Wouldn't he be glad to have some company?" I said coaxingly.

Grayson chuckled "Why am I sensing you're trying to persuade me of a decision you've already made?" he asked shaking his head "You know that this is more than I would have asked of you to do for me?"

I nodded. Grayson rubbed his chin. "All we can do is put it to grandfather and see what he says. It's sad that Charlotte and Karen are being such assholes about this" he said shaking his head "But I wouldn't trust them to look after him anyway" he admitted wryly. I wanted to admit I felt the same. Their behavior over the last few days had hardly been one of concern for their grandfather and father-in-law. They had continued to show their selfishness and vanity. Johnathon either remained silent or agreed with Charlotte whenever she prompted him. He was like a puppet she was controlling, which surprised me because, in our relationship, I had felt like the puppet. Strange.

The doctor approached. "Have you come to some sort of agreement?" she asked tentatively, glancing around the room and noting that the other family members were not there.

"We are going to broach the subject of him living with us," Grayson said quietly "We don't know how he will take it." The doctor brightened "How lovely of you. I'm sure that he will be very grateful" she exclaimed "and I can give you the notes required informing you about his aftercare. He does appear to be getting rather low in his mood" she confessed "and I feel that spending more time in this hospital is only going to make it worse, rather than better."

We stood up and followed her back to the patient's room, Grandfather scowling from the bed. "Mr Deluca, your family is here to speak to you," the doctor said cheerfully.

"About time" he snapped and then smiled at me "Flair you look lovely."

"You're such a charmer" I commented, sitting beside him and taking hold of his hand, feeling how papery thin it was and how shaky it was "But I appreciate the compliment" I laughed. "Where is Charlotte and Karen" he grumbled.

"Gone," Grayson said rudely "as usual."

John sighed "When can I get discharged" he demanded, glaring at the doctor "The longer I spend here, the more I swear I'm going to die of boredom."

The doctor's lip twitched in amusement. I looked at Grayson who nodded subtly at me. He wanted me to speak to John. I cleared my throat and squeezed his hand. "Actually that's what we wanted to talk to you about," I said sweetly, giving him my best winning smile. "Really" he grunted, eyeing us suspiciously "then why isn't Charlotte and Karen here to take me home?" he complained.

Oh boy. Here we go. I swallowed hard. The poor man had no notion or maybe he did and that's why he was making such a big deal of it. "Grandfather," I said quietly "the doctor wants somebody who is able to take care of you before they'll agree to discharge you."

"I can look after myself" he snapped, glaring at the doctor.

"I know that," I told him softly as he relaxed "but would it be so bad to have somebody to help cook dinner and maybe remind you to sit down and put your feet up once in a while? You would still retain your independence but you would also have somebody to talk to during the day when you wanted."

He narrowed his eyes at me but said nothing, his jaw clenching. "Grandfather Grayson and I were talking and we would like it if you lived with us so that we can take care of your health. It would be an honor to have you" I told him sincerely as he stared hard at Grayson "And it would be nice to have the company while Grayson is working" I added.

Grandfather's lips twisted "So Charlotte and Karen didn't put their hands up to help hey," he said resignedly.

"I think that you will like living with us and Roscoe" I added, remembering the German Shepherd "and I promise not to intrude on your privacy too much."

"But I've been in that home for generations" the old man huffed, folding his arms and glowering.

"It will still be your home," I told him sympathetically "If your health continues to improve, I'm certain the doctor will agree with you returning back to your home."

He eyed the doctor who nodded cheerfully. "Okay," he said grumpily "but only because Flair is offering to have me." "What about me?" Grayson asked sounding offended.

John waved a dismissive hand "You'll be at work whereas Flair will be doing most of the work, so I'm most grateful to her" he said scowling.

I laughed as John began to visibly perk up at the notion of getting out of the hospital room, the doctor hastily beginning to start the discharge process. John had been an ornery patient and something told me the doctor would be glad to see the back of him. I giggled to myself as we began to gather up his stuff. But why did I have the feeling that persuading the old man to come live in our home had been a little too easy?