The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress

Dawn POV

Needless to say, the conversation with my mother did not go as smoothly as I had hoped. Her facial expression said it all as I relayed all that had happened to her, a look of disapproval flashing across her face, along with a flash of anger. "What on earth are you thinking Dawn, to accept a proposal when you've only just met this man" she cried, flinging her hands up in the air "you barely know each other and now you're telling me you've become engaged to this man? This client of yours. Are you insane?" she hissed, putting her hands on her hips "where is your common sense? What about Faith" she indicated my daughter who thankfully was busy watching television and oblivious to the undercurrents in the room "is this fair to her? How do you think she feels about all of this?" I took a deep breath. I had known that my mother would not be as accepting of the situation. I did not blame her for being wary, not after Dexter. She was trying to look after me and it was understandable. I also knew she didn't want to just upend her life for me when all of her memories were in her apartment. I fought to remain calm, glancing at Faith with a soft smile on my face.

"Mother I understand your trepidation" I began evenly, as she scoffed at me "but this is a good thing," I told her pleadingly "I know it seems far-fetched, but I'm in love with him. I know that seems impossible, considering the length of time we've known each other, but when I'm near him, my heart races and I feel like I'm light-headed. All I can think about is him" I admitted lowly "and when I can see him again. I don't care if that makes me crazy, this is completely different to how I felt with Dexter" I promised her. "Hmmph" she snorted, raising her nose in the air, her eyes flashing "at least we can be grateful that this time you haven't chosen a crackhead for your partner, but is lan Grant as honorable as you claim?"

Her tone was skeptical. She was acting as though I was a naive teenager instead of a fully grown adult woman.

"Yes" I breathed "he is. We are going to have a long engagement. He is everything I've always wanted and more for Faith and myself" I pleaded "please try to be happy for me."

"It's not that I'm not happy for you Dawn," she said exasperatedly, her eyes darting to Dawn "because lan Grant is by all accounts a nice man, and he can support the two of you. I'm worried about your common sense. You thought you loved Dexter too and looked how that turned out" she pointed out slightly bitterly.

"I made a mistake with Dexter" I admitted, bowing my head "but I was younger and easily swayed with romantic words and false promises. The Grant family is different. They aren't about to let lan do anything dishonorable to the family name."

"Tell me you're not getting with him because he's wealthy" she demanded, her eyes boring into mine "tell me it's not about the money. I know you Dawn and I suspect it's not, but I want to hear it from your own lips. Tell me the money makes no difference to you." "It doesn't" my voice breaks as I stare at her, feeling my heart breaking slightly "how could you accuse me of such a thing? You know me. Unless I loved him, I would never have accepted the proposal."Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

She let out a large exhale "I know you" she said ruefully "and you're too innocent for your own good. You're a romantic at heart, always wanting to believe in true love and that's not a bad thing, but often reality is far different to what you imagine" she sighs and sits down on the chair at the dining table, regarding me silently "I guess you get that from my side. The day I met your father, I was so in love, I would have done anything for him. I knew instantly he was the one" a small smile played on her lips as she looked off into the distance, lost in her memories "no other man could make me feel the way he did. He could make me smile with just a look, cheer me up with the lamest joke" she sighed "cause shivers to run down my spine with just one embrace."

"That's how I feel with lan" I said quietly "there's a connection with him that I can't explain. Even Faith feels it. She wants him to be her father mother" I said, as she rubbed her forehead "and I can't spend my life wondering what if? How regretful would I have been if I had said no? What would have slipped through my fingers if I had refused him?"

She raised a brow "I suppose not. Sometimes life gives us the opportunity and we have to grasp it with both hands" she said, drumming her hands on the table "but you realize that this affects me also? I'm expected to just up and move into the mansion as though my life is meaningless?" she asked incredulously.

I took her hand, feeling the pain behind her voice and the fear. She had lived alone for the last few years and the thought of moving into a house with people in it, no doubt frightened her, even if she would have a room far away from them all.

"Keep the apartment" I urged her "they dont' want you to get rid of it, but mother this would be for your own safety. Besides, can you really complain about moving into a mansion?" I teased.

"So long as I am not expected to clean it" she muttered, causing me to give a startled laugh at her wicked sense of humor.

She c****d her head at me "When am I expected to move?" she asked.

I blinked "I'm assuming as soon as possible" I said frowning "why?"

My tone became suspicious as she blinked innocently at me.

"I want your young man to come to dinner first, here" she said bluntly "so that I can meet him and his father before I move. I think that's perfectly reasonable, don't you."

I glanced around the small apartment "Mother, there's not enough room, what with needing wheelchair access and what not. Why don't you just ask to cook dinner at the mansion?"

She bit her lip and looked stubborn "then we go out for dinner together" she insisted "because I'm not moving until I have met him first. I think I'm being fair Dawn. More than fair" she reiterated.

I wanted to groan out loud at how stubborn she was being, even as another part of me acknowledged the truth of her words. It was fair. I was sure lan wouldn't have any objections to having dinner out together as a family and who knows, maybe it would even endear him to her if we did.

Faith began to clap her hands at the television, giggling at her show. I smiled at her indulgently and turned back to my mother.

"I think it's best we go out for dinner, so that lan is comfortable" I said slowly "would you object if he picks the time and place?"

I was trying my best to be cordial. I wanted this to work and I wanted my mother to like lan. If she didn't then life would be hell for everyone at the mansion because my mother wouldn't hesitate to make her personal opinion be known, loudly. "Very well" my mother agreed, her eyes twinkling "but make it tomorrow night" she said "I'm busy the night after. My soap opera is on."

Her soap opera? I stared at her. She stared at me unblinkingly "there is very few things in this life that give me pleasure and my soap opera is one of them. Fiancee or not, I'm not missing my favorite show" she advised me tetchily.

Of course not. How silly of me to assume, I thought mildly amused.

I dipped my head, fighting back my laughter. "Okay, I'll let lan know that we're to go out tomorrow. I'm sure Faith will like going out" I said and secretly hoped that Knox and Lorelai would join us, even as I realized that they would be busy with their newborn baby. Perhaps that would be for the best, I mused, picturing my mother taking the baby and refusing to give it back. She had a thing for babies and adored them.

"I'll start packing" my mother said brightly.

She seemed to have perked right up, I thought studying her. Had this all been an act or had simply agreeing to a dinner beforehand been the ticket to reassuring her? It was strange. But my mother could be like that, angry one second and then cheerful the next. My father had always laughed about it.

"Faith honey, time to go to bed" I called out and she turned to me, her eyes filled with sadness.

"Five more minutes" she pleaded.

My mother smirked "oh yes, this should be interesting" she said chuckling as I ignored her, "I think I'll go pick out what to wear for dinner tomorrow. You have fun, wrangling little Faith here to bed" she said, heading over to Faith and kissing her on the cheeks while Faith hugged her "I'll see you tomorrow. Text me the place and time."

I watched her leave, feeling like a tornado had left the home and turned back to a petulant looking Faith who had her hands on her hips and a defiant expression on her face. Damn. She was always so obedient when my mother was here. No doubt mother had left early to punish me or to teach me a lesson of some kind. My lip twitched. Even angry, Faith was adorable and difficult to resist. It was impossible to get angry at her. "Bedtime" I chirped as she glared at me.

"No bedtime" she protested shaking her head resolutely.

I hid a smile and picked her up. She yawned "not sleepy" she protested irritably.

"Be good" I chided, holding her tight "and we might go out to dinner tomorrow with lan" I coaxed her with a bribe, feeling slightly guilty but not guilty enough not to do it.

"Really?" she asked doubtfully.

"Really" I said "and grandma too."

Her face lit up and I was able to get her to bed without much more protest, kissing her goodnight and heading back to do the dishes. I gave a crooked smile. Wouldn't it be nice if my mother and the older Mr Grant got along with each other? The idea planted itself in my head and wouldn't let go. I had liked Mr Grant Snr, the thought of my mother liking him too, made me smile even wider. Perhaps lan and I wouldn't be the only ones fighting an attraction in the family, I thought with amusement, even as I silently thought that my mother might prove to be a little to sassy for poor Mr Grant to handle. Hopefully dinner would go off without a hitch and everybody would get along, if only for one night.