The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress

Flair POV

When I woke the next morning, Grayson was gone and there was nothing but a faint scent coming from his pillows that reminded me that he had even been there as I sat up and looked over at his side of the bed. I shrugged, remembering that he had told me he was going to work early, and began to get myself prepared, heading out the door and taking a car to Rachel's penthouse apartment, where I was greeted with open arms. "Good morning" Rachel trilled, a smile playing on her lips.

I eyed her, taking in the damp hair, the subtle makeup, and the casualness of her clothes.

"You slept with him" I accused her, stepping inside as Rachel turned a becoming pink color. "You and Timothy slept together."

She blushed "Sshh" she whispered, hastily shutting the door as though everybody could hear me "You don't have to tell the whole world you know."

I laughed and sat down on the sofa, crossing my ankles "So it must have been one hell of a date then huh" I teased as she began to pour two glasses of wine, handing one to me.

"It's early in the morning," I pointed out.

"It's evening somewhere in the world," she grumbled, taking a sip.

I laughed again and sipped. "So, how long did you stay at the party?" I asked curious.

"We left just after you" Rachel sighed "It was pretty boring once you left and your brother's."

"Looks like it got more interesting once you left" I cracked and she pouted at me and then smiled and laughed.

"It did indeed."

"Did he treat you well?" I asked, surveying her closely.

She looked happy. Her hair was loose and wavy, her face was practically glowing and there was a twinkle in her eyes hadn't seen in a long, long time.

"Oooh yes" she sighed "more than once."

I choked on my drink and she moved to thump me on the back. "Flair" she scolded me "drink properly."

I spluttered and quickly put the glass down before I could choke on it some more. "You were busy," I said wickedly.

She looked at me and raised a brow "I would say you were as well" she said amusingly.

I blushed. "We went straight home and to bed" I protested.

She looked unconvinced. "Really? Because you are glowing so bright you might as well be freaking Casper" she declared, leaning forward and fixating her eyes on me, the wine glass held firmly in one hand.

She doesn't know Flair, she's only guessing, I tried to convince myself. But Rachel knew me like the back of my hand. She narrowed her eyes at me. I took hold of the wine glass again in an effort to make my emotions, my hand shaking slightly. "I don't know what you mean" I denied.

"Well I guess it's not as though you did it in the limo or anything" she muttered.

I choked again and she thumped me on the back.

"You did it in the limo" she exclaimed excitedly "My god Flair. I never knew you were such a..."

"Don't even say it" I hissed, my face beetroot "Just don't."

She leaned back, sipping at the wine glass, a thoughtful expression on her face "I never knew Grayson had it in him, but whoa. The man's creative got to give him that. Good for you" she praised me "Time you started to live a little."

"I live plenty" I snapped, drinking a copious amount of wine from the glass "You act as though I was living like a nun with Johnathon."

"Because you were. You had s*x like clockwork when he wanted it, you cooked for him, you cleaned for him, you worked for him. Everything revolved around him and you didn't do anything for you. At least now you have some excitement in your life" Rachel said smirking "Although you probably shouldn't let this slip to anyone else" she added "I can only imagine how your brothers would react to something like this."

"I don't intend on walking around with a big sign saying I did it in the limo with my husband" I snapped.

She laughed and flipped her hair, finishing off the glass of wine and placing it on the coffee table. "Probably a good thing," she said teasingly "Your brothers would probably kill him."

I put my half-drunk wine glass down. "So how was it?" I asked, changing the subject "I'm guessing it was good. Are you going to see Timothy again?"

She smirked "We have plans for another date. He's, well he's different from anyone else I've dated."

"Because he's not wealthy or because he's a gentleman?" I asked intrigued.novelbin

"Both" Rachel answered nonchalantly "I think he's gathered I'm wealthy but he still treats me as his equal. He doesn't expect too much from me and he shows interest in what I like to do. It's interesting to hear about his work and the enthusiasm he has for it. He really likes working for Grayson you know. He admires him." I nodded. "Grayson really likes Timothy as his assistant so I guess they both have mutual respect for each other."

Rachel opened her mouth to answer when a bunch of papers were pushed underneath the door. "Oh those are my gossip papers," she said with delight as I rolled my eyes "Let's see what's new in the news today" she sang, getting up with a spring in her step. "No doubt it will be Johnathon and Charlotte's engagement party on the front page" I called out, leaning back against the couch "That's why the press were there, remember? So it won't be anything exciting, sorry" I teased as Rachel shot me a disgruntled glance "Maybe tomorrow will be better and you can get your gossip fix."

"Don't be like that. Some celebrities might have done something deliciously naughty and gotten themselves smeared on the front page" Rachel scolded me over her shoulder, her eyes twinkling with humor "I live for these magazines."

"I know you do. You were the same in college" I reminisced "Couldn't get your hands on them fast enough."

She giggled, kneeling down to gather them and stand back up "Well can you blame me? It was my only link to the outside world. If you had your way we would have been inside and studying all the time."

A smile curved on my lips "Speaking of which, after we're done catching up on the latest gossip with each other, I need you to go through some designs with me, so that we can send them out to the third party and onto the boutiques from there" I reminded her. "All work and no play" she sighed, putting a hand to her chest "you're going to die young at this rate Flair" she warned me.

I shook my head at her amused. She began to put the newspapers down and grabbed one, spreading it out. I didn't pay any attention until she began to laugh, sounding almost hysterical.

"Oh my god" she squealed, causing me to glance at her sharply "Flair look" she pointed as I rolled my eyes and looked down at the paper "It's a picture of you and Grayson."

She was right. It was a picture of Grayson and me. Specifically, the one that had been taken inside in front of the fireplace with Grayson holding me. It was an intimate picture and, I had to admit, it had come out really beautiful. The headline read "Playboy Bachelor Grayson Oakes finally marries the love of his life in a secret wedding."

Oh boy. There was no picture of Charlotte Deluca or mention of her engagement party at all. Rachel was laughing wildly. "She is going to be so pissed" she chortled "She invited the press to her party so that she could be plastered all over the front page and instead you and Grayson are front page news. Oh this is glorious" she crowed as I stared at her stunned "it couldn't have happened to a nicer person" she finished triumphant.

"Do any of the papers mention Charlotte and Johnathon's engagement?" I asked with a hint of desperation.

It had not been my or Grayson's intention to steamroll all over the engagement like this. I crossed my fingers that it was just one paper, but as Rachel dutifully began to look through the rest, each and every paper contained the same picture and the same exciting headline about Grayson and me. I swallowed hard.

"Oh dear," I said weakly, picturing Charlotte's wrath "Charlotte Deluca is bound to be unhappy about this. Who do you suppose had the picture changed out?" I asked confused "They would have had to have permission to use that photo and who gave them the information about the secret wedding?"

Rachel snorted "Who cares. It was bound to be front page news eventually Flair" she pointed out carelessly "So what if it takes precedence over Charlotte's engagement party?"

"I feel sorry for her," I said, studying the page, the way that Grayson's lips turned up as he stared down at me, the light in his eyes, the gentle way his hand rested on me as he held me "she was so excited about the engagement party and being the center of attention."

"Well this is Karma kicking her ass then for being such a horrible person in real life," Rachel said unsympathetically "Or did you forget that she took your dress from that boutique? Or the other things she's done to us? Not to mention had an affair with your husband for six months?"

When she put it like that it was hard to feel sorry for Charlotte Deluca. I picked the paper up and c****d my head. "Frame one of these for me" I suggested and she laughed, shaking her head.

"No silly, I'm certain the original would be nicer, why don't you contact the paper or the grandfather for it?"

I might just do that, I thought with a small smile "It would be nice to have a picture of Grayson and me as a couple to put in the house" I admitted wryly "it might make his place look a bit more homely" I confessed.

"Now let's go over those designs" Rachel suggested and started looking for her laptop as I relaxed and settled back against the cushion next to me.

I wondered whether the tantrum Charlotte had last night was captured on video elsewhere, remembering I had told Knox to delete it and dismissed my concerns, glad that at least wasn't spread out in the newspapers instead.