The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress
Chapter 143

Johnathon

POV

The scandal of Charlotte's murder charges has swept through the media like wildfire. I can't step foot out of the house, which is ironic because I'm in a wheelchair, without the media attempting to descend upon me like a swarm of flies buzzing around trying to get me to say something, anything, about the subject to use in their latest press release. My firm has started to suffer as a result and I've lost more clients, which is not surprising. Who would want a lawyer representing them that has a wife for a murderer? I'm a laughingstock amongst my peers. Several of my employees have already jumped ship and begun to look for work elsewhere. It stings. I worked hard to build up a successful business and it's effectively going down the drain. I'm almost numb. My whole life is beginning to look like a joke. Even in my old home, I'm reminded of Flair and what I could have had, if I had had, the sense to turn Charlotte's advances down and remain loyal to a marriage where it turned out I had everything, I just didn't appreciate it. I know I should be grateful to be alive. Part of me is, but part of me is bitter. Recovery is slow and I'm constantly bombarded with requests to see Charlotte in the institution by her lawyer who insists she's trying to make amends. I've already started the process of getting a divorce but she refuses to sign the papers, which is more ironic. Many paragraphs are missing. Read the complete book on Jo b n ib.c om. It's going to be a long drawn-out process, made more difficult by the fact that Charlotte is currently undergoing assessment to deem whether she's emotionally stable enough to undergo a trial. I suspect she's faking everything but there's nothing I can do to expedite things, my hands are tied.

The doorbell rings and I wheel myself slowly over to the door. I turn the handle and slowly open it, backing away. To my surprise, John is here and I let him in. He graciously shuts the door behind him, a grim expression on his face.

"You look like hell," he says bluntly, eyeing me with a frown. "When's the last time you had a proper sleep?"

I don't deign to answer. Sleep is filled with constant nightmares of being run over, or being pursued by a woman with a knife intent on killing me. I'm too ashamed to admit that I wake up drenched in sweat most nights. Not to mention that it's difficult to sleep when you're covered in casts.

He sighs and shakes his head. "I'm sorry about your firm," he says and I try not to wince.

"Thanks," I say dully, wondering why he's even bothered to come.

After all, he is Charlotte's Grandfather. He takes a seat on the living room sofa as I wheel myself slowly into the room. "Listen you and I didn't get on the best foot," he says as I raise a brow in surprise "And I might not have treated you as a proper son-in-law" he admits a little sheepishly "In fact, I know I didn't" he confesses.

"That doesn't matter anymore John," I say, wondering where he is going with this.

But he shakes his head. "It does. It was my Granddaughter who ran you over" he pauses and deliberately rakes his gaze over my leg which is still in a cast "and who lied about carrying your child" At this I wince because the notion of being infertile still hurts me "not to mention everything else she did to you."

"It's all in the past," I say numbly.

Although it's not. While Charlotte's court case continues to be impending, it will always be at the forefront of my mind. John fidgets. "Nonetheless the way I treated you was unacceptable and I would like to apologize" he insists.

He's being stubborn. There's a glint in his eyes. I give a nonchalant shrug. "Apology accepted."

He lets out a sigh. "What are you going to do now?"

It's a loaded question. My future is looking pretty bleak right now. The firm doesn't look like it's going to recover from this and I'm humiliated at how my life is ending up. This was never what I had envisioned for myself. I find myself swallowing hard past a lump in my throat. I felt weak. Resigned. Perhaps this was my punishment for cheating on Flair. Karma, you could almost say.

"I don't know" I answer truthfully and look him in the eyes "I think I'm going to have to shut down the firm and sell the building. It's losing business and the only clients I'm getting are those interested in trying to get a look at Charlotte Deluca's husband for media purposes."

He nodded tightly. "I suspected as much. I'm sorry to hear that" he said exhaling "but perhaps it's for the best. You could get a new start. Maybe go somewhere else, start anew."

I give a bitter laugh "I can't afford to. When I paid back the foreign investor" which I suspect was Flair, not that I resented her anymore for that "it cleared out most of my savings and profits for the year."

"Then there's the court case" I murmured "Until that's over, I'm stuck here in limbo. The prosecution wants me as a witness which means I can't relocate until the trials over."

I had already been informed that Grayson and Flair were also being called as witnesses as well.

"I would sell the house, but then there's nowhere for me to go" I admitted wryly "So for the moment I'm staying and I just have to deal with the neverending paparazzi." "You could move back into the Deluca mansion" John offered unexpectedly "It's more secure, you would have bodyguards and it would allow you to sell your home."

I consider it but then I shake my head. "With all due respect," I tell him honestly "there are too many memories at your mansion. I couldn't bring myself to live there."

He nods. "I've cleared Charlotte's things out of the mansion," he tells me as I stare at him "No matter what happens she's no longer welcome back. Karen is in the process of moving out as well. I cannot bring myself to have her in the house. She might not have had any knowledge of what Charlotte was doing, but she's not completely dissolved of guilt either" he said shrewdly.

"So you're living alone?" I ask quietly.

He shakes his head, a small smile playing on his lips "No" he says "Grayson and Flair have been gracious enough to decide to move in once Karen is gone. They don't want me to be alone and it means that Flair has somebody around her as her pregnancy progresses. The dog's kind of irritating" he said with a scowl but I knew that was just for show. The man was a softhearted individual no matter how much he tried to pretend otherwise.

"Is there anything I can do to help you?" John asks, looking around the house, which is in abysmal condition. I had some help, but the house was still a mess. Stuff was piled everywhere, dishes were piled in the sink and I had been living on takeout for the most part. He wrinkled his nose but was too polite to comment about the state of the house, which I was grateful for. "No, but thank you, John," I said quietly, touched he had come to see me "I'll manage."

I still had my pride. What was left of it anyway.

He had a determined look on his face as he reached into his pocket and slowly withdrew something, handing it to me. I gaped as I looked at the cheque he'd handed me. The amount on it was more than generous. Billions of dollars worth. I shook my head and tried to hand it back "I can't accept this" I rasped.

I had not earned it. John refused to accept it back. "It's your half of Charlotte's small companies that I dissolved and sold. The only thing left is the Deluca main company which is going to Grayson and Flair. This is also half the savings that she had in her account and compensation for her running you over" he added "Please accept it. It will allow you to relocate and perhaps start up another law firm or business. You shouldn't give up now, and you deserve another chance to find love and a family" he added quietly. "But" I began to half protest.

"No buts," he said sharply "Good lord lad, accept it already, heaven knows you need the money and I'm not in need of it. Charlotte more than owes you" he pointed out stiffly "Take it as a personal f**k you to her if you must" he added.

I chuckled and carefully folded the cheque "Thank you John" I said with a small smile "It's appreciated."

He sniffed "Good, I'm glad that's settled. I came over for another reason as well," he said pausing as I looked up confused.

What else could have been the reason besides that?

"There's talk that Charlotte might be accepting a plea. The prosecution doesn't want a long drawn-out trial and even with the evidence that you've provided, Charlotte's assessments with the mental health professionals" he paused and looked remorseful "It looks more than likely that the insanity defense is going to be approved. If she accepts a plea, then she'll be confined to an institution for the rest of her life and you won't have to testify." "But she'll spend the rest of her life in a comfortable institution when she killed someone and tried to kill me."

I wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it. Money really did get you whatever you wanted.

"It's not right, but it's the way of the world," John said heavily, getting to his feet "I suggest you call the prosecutor and find out what's happening. He's more likely to tell you what's going ahead than me, considering I'm not directly affected by what she did. I just wanted to inform you there may be a change. At least without a long trial, you might have the chance to get away from here quicker and that divorce might be finalized" he added with a sharp look at me.

I just nodded tiredly as he made his way to the door. "Best of luck to you Johnathon and accept my apologies for what happened," he said gruffly.

"Goodbye John and thank you," I said hoarsely. "But I sincerely hope I don't run into you or any of your family again" I added firmly as he nodded thoughtfully, closing the door with an ominous click behind him.