The Billionaire's Runaway Heiress (Heiress Love Series)

Grace Jamie Novak

Chapter 1

Gracie James Novak

“No! No! No!” The director yelled in the middle of my scene. “Come on love, you and your pretty little ass can do better than that.” He said to the girl behind me.

I turned and glared at him a moment before recomposing my face to neutral. I was so over this role. The director was driving me up the wall and was the biggest sexiest jackass in the building and that was saying a lot. I spent most of my days surrounded by them.

I turned to the girl- Emma…Emma Rhodes and smiled at her. I wanted to reassure her that she was doing great but before I had the chance to, The Ass- as I have been calling him, spoke again.

“We need to redo that scene. We’ll go again in 10 minutes.” The director yelled out.

“Nice work G.” A voice said from behind me, sarcastically.

I turned and looked at my co-star, Saint Wolfe. “Watch it Wolfe or-

“Mr. Wolfe, so glad to see you. I need to borrow Gracie for a moment.” My manager Amanda said, interrupting me. She pulled me away.

“Amanda!” I yelled as she pulled me out of the room.

She stayed silent until we were outside and walking into my trailer.

“You need to control your emotions, honey.” She told me, taking a seat on the couch.

I sighed. “I know I do. It’s just been a bit tough lately.” I sat down across from her, in my makeup chair.

“It’s because you’re always keeping up your façade, you’re not dealing with the past and just pushing through-

“Amanda you know better than to start this conversation with me.” I said interrupting her mid-sentence.

“Gracie I understand you better than anyone you know. I understand dealing with the past is hard, but you can’t let it keep interfering with your present.” Amanda said, placing a hand on my arm to comfort me.

I sighed, “I understand that I do. It’s just hard when I see men like this director, sexist pig.”

“I understand and I would have preferred someone else as well. Just get through today, I have a meeting with the head of the studio on Monday. I’ll talk to them about it, promise.” She reassured me.

“Thank you.” I said, giving her a smile.

“Okay you have 5 minutes, compose yourself and we can get you back out there to finish this scene and then home to get ready for the charity ball tonight.”

I shook my head and then froze. “Party? No Amanda not tonight! It’s been a tough week; I need to get home and just soak in my bathtub.” I was pleading.

“I’m sorry sweety, but you can’t skip this one. Your one of the dates that are being auctioned off tonight.”

“Oh, damn that’s tonight! I completely forgot. Is it too late to back out? Can’t I just donate a compensable amount?” I asked her, but she was already shaking her head at me. “Fine, lets go get this day over so I can squeeze into tight dress and be sold off.” I huffed.

I could feel Amanda roll her eyes at me. “You are so dramatic, save it for the camera.”

I smirked. I knew I was, and I loved it.

“You have 2 minutes; I’m waiting on set.”

“Okay.”

“Oh also, I received a call from the office of a Theodore Harrington, he needs to speak to you urgently.”

Oh… Theodore Harrington…Jade’s brother Red. Damn. I knew what this was about, but I couldn’t help him. I promised her, not that I would be much help right now.

“Just tell him I’m too busy.”

“Okay.” She nodded, but I could see the confusion in her eyes.

I watched Amanda leave and turned to look in the mirror. The woman staring back didn’t look like me, not truly. I had changed, I had to. I couldn’t be my old self, not if I wanted to stay hidden away from my true identity. Everyone thought I was selfish, and I didn’t have any family values, but no one knew the truth, nor would I ever tell them.

In this world I was Gracie J.

An actress. A model. An eccentric personality.

Not many people could link me to my past, but I employed people to make sure my past was well hidden, and it stayed that way. My family didn’t want to be linked to me anyway. I had embarrassed them. My older brother barely spoke to me. I was isolated, alone in a country that wasn’t really home but I had made it mine anyway.

Gracie J was charismatic, bubbly and a tad crazy but loved by her fans.

Grace Jamie Novak was a suppressed heiress who had craved freedom.

I still talked to one of my mother occasionally, she mostly wanted to know when I would stop this foolish behavior and return home and resume my duties.

And I still had one sibling who hadn’t shunned me away…well sort of. Lukas was there for me when I needed him but him and Greyson had an unbreakable bond. They had always been close, always playing together, while I was ordered to behave like a lady. But unlike Greyson, Lukas had been there for me when he could. He had visited me as often as possible, keeping me updated on family matters. Greyson was a true family man and had thought I had betrayed them all by choosing my dreams and career over family. He had married my best friend and yet we still

I loved my family. Even my father, but I declined to follow his set rules. I deserved to live the life I craved. I had never been sure I had made the right decision, but I refused to feel guilty about it.

“Gracie?” I heard Amanda yell from outside the door. I had gone down the spiral and lost track of time.

“Coming!”

I had to get back into character.

I looked back up at the camera again and smiled, I was meant for this.

I got up and left trailer. 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This damn dress was too tight. I clearly had gained weight in the last month. I normally wouldn’t care but this corset top dress was mushing my organs together, making it harder to breathe.

“I can’t believe you guys made me come here tonight!” I exclaimed to Amanda and Bryan, my PR Manager.

“You had to.”

I looked at Bryan and thought about all the ways I could make his life miserable.

“Don’t give me that look. You’re here to support this charity not to pout. This good for your image too.” He spoke.

I looked around the room. There were a lot of people in this ballroom. Some from the same industry as me but others… that could potentially recognize me.

“Game face Gracie. We need to make this night a success but remember to have some fun and mingle. Lots of single guys here.” Amanda said, pointing towards a crowd forming by the open bar.

I shook my head and smiled at her. “When does the auction start?”

“In about 30 minutes I believe, and I made sure your turn came early, they told me you are number 2.” Amanda told me.

Bryan took champagne glasses from a passing waiter and passed them to me and Amanda.

“Thank you. So, I only have to stay an hour?”

They both looked at me like I was crazy. I gulped down the glass of champagne and traded the empty glass for another full one, taking a down half of that glass too. I needed it to get through this night. I was all for supporting charity, it was the business world I had a problem with. The suits that only cared about money and not emotions. This was not my crowd.

“For someone crazy, loud and spontaneous it’s a bit hard to understand why you don’t like events like this.” Bryan replied to my question.

“If you saw how I grew up you would understand.”

“If you say so.” He said, taking a sip of the champagne. “If your only here for an hour, go mingle with some of those guys, before the auction.”

I nodded. Clearing my mind, I focused on the energy I wanted to emulate. Smiling at Amanda and Bryan I headed over to talk to one those men, hoping to get them to open up their wallets. I finished my second glass and looked for a waiter to get another glass when I heard my real name.

“Grace Novak.”

I turned around to see a handsome man standing behind.

He was tall. Man, he was tall! I was 5’8, but he had to be 6 feet at least. And he had these piercingly intense green eyes and reddish-brown hair. He had a full bread, made him look more distinguished but hard too. Actually, his features weren’t the only things that looked hard, he looked like he worked out. I could see the muscle through the fitted suit quite well. This man was all MAN. Damn hot.

I took a step forward.

It then occurred to me; he used my real name.

I stepped back. “I’m sorry you have me confused with someone. I’m Gracie J.” I replied, turning around to walk away.

“I know who you are. Grace Jamie Novak. Sister of Greyson Novak and the heiress that ran away from her family to become an actress of all things.” The stranger scoffed.

I rolled my eyes. “Okay so you know who I am. All I know is you’re an opinionated ass. Who the hell are you?”

“You don’t remember me? We’ve met before.”

I shrugged my shoulders, “I don’t remember. I meet a lot of people.”

He stretched hand out in front of me to shake. “Theodore Harrington, you might remember me as Red Harrington-

“Jade’s brother.” I said refusing to take his hand. “What do you want?”

He took his outstretched hand and placed it in his pants. “I want to know where my sister is.”

“You don’t know where your sister is?” I asked with fake shock.

“Will you tell me where she is.” He asked… more like demanded.

“I don’t know.” I lied. It wasn’t really a lie. I had known where Jade was for a while but a few months ago I couldn’t get in touch with her, and I had a private eye looking for her, but he was having a hard time locating her too.

“I’m betting you do. I have a feeling this has something to do with you. I can imagine the types of things you might have said to her to convince her to do-

I raised my eyebrow, “Excuse me? Convince her to do what? You think I go around what? Convincing people to leave their families because I did?”

“You said it.”

“You don’t know a thing about me. Keep your opinions to yourself.” I bit out.

The audacity of this man.

“The truth tends to hurt when you know what you did was wrong.” He replied.

I wanted to deck this guy. What was his issue. He lost his sister because all he cared about was his business and he left her to suffer in ways he couldn’t imagine. Now he was trying to find her…not on my watch. At least not until I could find her first.

I turned around to walk away when he grabbed my hand and pulled me back. I was pressed against his rock-hard chest, and I got to confirm this man did indeed work out…a lot. Our faces were inches apart and I could smell his cologne. I was starting to intoxicated. I couldn’t figure out if it were the glasses of champagne or him.

“Tell me where my sister is. It’s important that I find her.” He whispered.

Snapping out of it I pushed against him and pulled away. “Like I said, I don’t know where she is.”

“Tell me or-

“Are you about to threaten me?” I asked. “What could you possibly do to me?”

He stayed quiet.

“Gracie, it’s time!” Bryan said walking up to me and taking my arm. He looked at Red Harrington and gave him an apologetic smile. “Excuse me, I have to take Ms. J. If you would like to continue this conversation, I suggest you bid on her in the auction.”

My eyes widen at Bryans statement. I god I hope not!

As I was pulled away I look back at Red, all I saw was confusion in his eyes.

I stood on stage, thanking god I was the second number. I needed to get out of here before Mr. Harrington cornered me again.

“Now our next auction is a date night with a gorgeous woman. Known as an actress, model and philanthropist, we have Gracie J. She will be auctioning a date night with a surprise. Ladies and gentlemen, we will open the bid at 5000 dollars.”

I stood on stage and smiled the best I could. I needed to get through the next few minutes and then I could leave.

“5700”

“5800”

“6500”

“6900”

“8000”

“10000”

I heard the numbers but wasn’t paying attention to the bidding much, until I heard someone yell out, “25,000”. I looked at the man that had bid that high. I didn’t recognize him, but he was handsome, not as much as Red- what am I saying! Why was I comparing this guy to that guy?

“25,000 going once, going twice-

“30,000”

“35,000” The other man yelled out.

“35, 000. Can I get 35,100?” The auctioneer asked.

“40,000”

The other man looked annoyed, but he yelled out, “50, 000”.

Red then stood and yelled out, “150, 000” . Theodore Harrington just bid on me.

What the hell?

Oh my god. I was sure my jaw dropped to the ground. This man was crazy! What the hell was he doing?

I heard the auctioneer yell sold to Mr. Harrington.

Red gave me a look before turning and walking away from the stage.

This couldn’t be good. Could it?

I had a feeling whatever was in store would not end well.

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“Being an actress is not a proper future for you. You have a duty and responsibility towards your family. You need to marry Conrad Benson! You cannot turn you back on your family! If you leave, you will not be able to return home Grace. Never!” My father shouted at me.

“I guess I should go pack my bags then.” I replied as I head my head high, refusing to back down in front of him for the first timed ever.”