Blind Billionaire Bride

CHICAGO, UNITED STATE OF AMERICA

AT RIA ROBERT APARTMENT.

Ria lay down on the couch staring at the ceilings above. “Now tell me what’s going on in that mind of yours?” Ma’am Elise said as she walked into the room from the room.

“Nothing.” Ria mumbled.

“Nothing? Or you don’t want to tell me about it?” Ma’am Elise asked.

“I don’t know.” She answered.

“Then let me guess, you are thinking about Frederick Robert and the perfect plan to destroy him.”

Yeah! Ria was thinking about the perfect plan to destroy him!

“So you still want to leave Mr Ian out of your vengeful plans?” Ma’am demanded after she realized what was possibly going through Ria’s mind.

“Yes, I am leaving him out of my plans and I am not changing my mind.” Ria sat up and was almost leaving to the sitting room when she heard her cellphone ringtone.

She walked back to the couch to check the phone. It was Ian!

Ria looked at ma’am Elise suspiciously as she answered the call. ‘Hello.’

‘Hi Ria. Are you busy at the moment?’ Ian asked.

Ria looked away from ma’am Elise. ‘Not really.’

‘Yes or no?’

‘No.’

‘Good. Benjamin is on his way to bring you somewhere.’

Ria forehead creased. ‘Where?’

‘Ria, you and I both know that we need to talk.’ Ian answered.

‘Alright.’

‘I’ll be waiting for you.’ And then the line dropped.

Ria frowned at ma’am Elise. “Did you tell Ian?” She asked sternly

“About what?” Ma’am Elise furrowed her eyebrows.

“My past.” She answered.

“No. You already made it clear that you don’t want him to know about it. So I don’t have any right to tell him about it.” Ma’am Elise responded with a shrug.

Then Ria relaxed. “Okay… I’ll just go ahead and change my clothes.”

“I promised to visit Loretta at her sister’s place whenever I am less busy so I will take advantage of the free time now to see her.” Ma’am Elise said.

“Alright.”

“Bye.” Ma’am Elise made her way to the door

******************

The driver pulled up in front of an enormous steel gate. Benjamin pressed the car horn and the gate opened slowly at it will. Ria wondered where she was as she could hardly believe her eyes when the car drove into the compound. There was a medium sized house in it and with a beautiful garden which had a fountain at the center.

Ben parked the car in the small garage. “Mr Ian is waiting inside.” He said.

Ria only gave him a short nod. She had tried getting Ben to tell her what was going on? And where they are headed but the young man couldn’t say much. The only words Benjamin said was that Ian asked him to drive her to where he was and nothing more.

Ria came out of the car and moved to the front door. She pressed the doorbell and Ian opened up with a bright smile on his face.

“Hi.” She greeted.

“Come in.” Ian stepped aside for her to walk into the house.

Ria concluded that Ian had invited her to his house, where he lives! The house was neat and nicely furnished with modern interior designs to maintain a standard home. It was a luxury! A white marble floor, beautiful blue couches and glass table with a complete set of home appliances in a living room.

Ian waited for Ria to stop glancing around before he said. “How are you?”

“I am fine. And nice apartment you have in here.” She complimented.

Ian shook his head in disagreement. “I don’t live here.” He tucked his hands in his pocket.

Ria raised a brow. “Who owns this place?” She asked. But no response came from him. “Ian, what’s going on?” Her eyes scanned the area again.

“This is your new home.” Ian answered.

Ria turned to face him sharply. “What?!” Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened in shock and surprise.

“Since your place is far from the workplace and school so I put things together here. It is easier to get to those places from here.” Ian responded.

Ria was stunned. Ian waited for a response which never came from her until he said, “I’ll be right back. You can check out the whole place.” He walked out of the house.

Ian felt that a moment without him there with her would bring Ria back to reality. He went to Ben to get the car keys from him. “You can go ahead. I’ll give you a call if I need you.”

“Alright sir Ian.” Ben bowed slightly before he walked away.

Ria took a step forward. It was hard to hide her surprised look. Ian put up this place for her?! And slowly she made her way to other parts of the house.

It was a three bedroom apartment. The master bedroom was breathtaking! It had a king sized brass bed with an ornate scroll design on the head board and footboard as well as four tall posts that almost reached up to hold a fringed canopy. The mattress was covered in a hand stitched county quilt and stacked with four fluffy pillows covered in fur. It matched different patterns in the quilt. There was a drawer next to the bed and matching dressing table plus a fainting couch and two overstuffed chairs.

Ria motioned towards the bathroom and as she did, she couldn’t help marveling yet again at the room itself and the bathroom connected to it. The bathroom was so full of luxury, it has a navy blue marble floor, countertop shower stall and wainscoting halfway up the walls. It also had a sunken tub with a whirlpool she could switch on at the touch of a button, and an octagonal stained glass window on the wall behind it.

Ria wondered about Ian. He was offering so much. And it means the world to her that he was willing to do so and not that she expected anything different from him. Considering everything she had learned about him, this is who Ian Bryant is even to the world.

Ria was refusing to add to the burdens already in his life because she has never expected someone else to deal with her problems but Ian was always there anyways.

“Ria.”

Ria heard his voice and she quickly wipe the tear that had strayed down her right cheek. She stepped out of the bathroom as the bedroom door opened and Ian popped his head in

“Is everything okay?” Ian asked.

“Yes.. yes.. everything is in good place.” Ria answered.

Ian studied her for a second. He stepped in and went to her. “What’s wrong?” He tilted her face so Ria could look straight into his eyes but she avoided his gaze.

“Nothing is wrong. Ian, I am just-”

He interrupted her sentence. “I wasn’t sure about what you would like to have in your room. Tell me do you want me to fix something in here for you? Just name it.”

“No.. no… Ian everything is in here is okay. And thanks for your concern.” Ria replied.

Ian shook his head impatiently. “Listen Ria, this is not just concern. The truth is I care so for you.” His voice low and gentle.

Ria had to make an effort to keep her jaw for dropping again. Ian care for her! And what’s with the tone in the way he said it? The man always find a way to break her resolve.

When Ria didn’t say anything, Ian tugged her into his arms to hold her tightly as he whispered into her hair. “Ria, I care for you. And seeing you like this, with those tears you are trying to hide from me and I must admit that it is tearing me apart to see you hurting this way. And I wouldn’t mind if you tell me what’s going on in your mind. Please Ria, whatever it is we can talk about it.”

Ian waited for her to say just one word but Ria clung on to him! And with Ma’am Elise words ringing hard in her mind Ria fought that urge to cry and tell him everything.

Ria snuggled closer as if he was going to run away from her. She couldn’t tell him! Ian can’t know about it! Things would change between them and it would happen drastically if he knows about it!

He would reject her. Ria was sure of it. Ian Bryant would leave if he knew who she was when she was with Lucas! Any man would leave!

And she wasn’t ready to lose Ian, not now that she was beginning to accept her feelings for him. She couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing him again! So it is best to keep him out of it. He shouldn’t know about her past or plans of revenge!

“Ian, I am just happy.” Ria managed to say as she blinked back the tears that sat at the corners of her eyes.

Ian let her go. “You are happy about this place?” He asked.

“Yes I am happy about everything.” She replied with a half smile on her face.

“Then I am happy with the choice I have made.” He paused. “You like it?”

Ria nodded and that made Ian smile broader. “Why didn’t you tell about it?” She pouted.

“I wanted it to be a surprise.” Ian answered.

“And I must say that I am surprised.” Ria smiled.

Ian chuckled. “So have you checked the other rooms?”

“Yes.”

“One is for the kids and the other room is for ma’am Elise. I just thought that she might want to move in with you and that would save her from paying bills from whatever you pay her.” Ian explained.

“Yeah you are right but I doubt if ma’am Elise will agree to move in with us.”

Ian held out his hand and she took it. “Why?” He asked as they made their way back to the sitting room.

“I have persuaded her to move in with us once but she refused.” Ria answered.

“And she didn’t give you any specific reason?”

“The reason is best known to her. I’ll try to talk to her about it again.” She sank onto the couch and Ian settled beside her.

“There are some issues we have to discuss. So let us start with what happened at the party.” Ian sighed.

Ria rubbed her palms together. “Alright.”

“I understand that you want things on business level and I am not going to push you hard on that. And like I said -” He stopped.

There was a new glint of determination in his eyes that made Ria a little nervous.

“I care for you and I mean it.” He added.

“Ian -”

“Listen Ria…” Ian moved closer to cover the inches left between them and he caught her hands in his hands too.

“I know that I have a reputation for being mr responsibility. And I must admit that my obligations and full responsibilities to the corporation and my family have scared off a few women in the past.” He sighed.

“And about Valeria, I met her at the party last year. We did spend the night together and some other times too but she wanted something more than just spending time together. And the thing was I was never willing to make any drastic change with the women I have dated. Don’t get me wrong by thinking I don’t want to have a family. I have always wanted a family of my own but I only intended to wait until I found the right person.” Ian stopped still looking at her.

He was waiting for her! He was certain of his feelings but telling Ria about it would scare her away and he wasn’t ready to push her too hard. He doesn’t have to make the big decision now.

There was still enough time and when the times comes they would still get to that stage in the business relationship.

His reason for explaining how he was to Valeria, his past with women and the mention of wanting a family of his own made Ria’s hand jerk in anxiety.

Ian squeezed her hand more tightly as he continued “I am sorry it had seemed like Valeria and I were a big thing or that it looked like I used you to make her stay away. Please forgive me.”

Ria gave a short nod. “I am not mad at you anymore.”

“Anymore? So does that mean you were mad at me before now?” Ian demanded.

“Not really. Although I didn’t expect to see your ex girlfriend at the party.” Ria replied.

Ian kissed their locked hands. “I am sorry.” He apologized again.

And then Ian expected her to tell him about herself too, maybe her past but he waved it off after a long moment of silence between them.

“You can start packing the things at your place. I already arranged a truck that will move your belongings down here.” He said.

“Okay.”

“How long will it take to pack up your stuffs? So I can give the moving company a specific date.”

“We don’t have much things to pack just clothes, the machines and the stuffs in the kitchen.” Ria answered.

“A day or two?” He asked.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“Two days.” Ria replied.

“Then let us kill two birds with one stone. The designers said that your workplace will be ready in two days time so we can move the machines and some other things before bringing your loads down here. Or what do you think?”

“It is a good idea but will the truck driver agree to it?” Ria let go of his hand to itch the bridge of her nose.

“I’ll talk to him about it. If he agrees to stop by at the shop first before driving down here then that’s good.” Ian responded.

“If the company says no then we will have to pay extra.” Ria said.

“We will still have to pay extra if we move on different days. I think it is the same thing.” Ian retorted.

“Isn’t that -”

“Too much?” He completed her intended statement.

“Don’t worry I can handle it.” Ian stared intently at her.

They lapsed into silence for about a minute and Ian interlocked their hands again.

Ria cleared her throat. “I am starting school next week.”

“Really?”

Ria nodded. “I already-” A beeping sound from Ian’s pocket interrupted her.

“Excuse me.” He let go of her hands and reached for the phone in his pocket.

‘What’s up Ramsey?’

‘I am at the printing house sir.’

‘Is the work ready?’ Ian looked straight at Ria.

‘Yes I have the invitation cards and business cards.’

‘Okay.’

‘Should I take it down to the office?’ Ramsey asked.

‘Bring it to Ria’s home, I’ll meet you there.’ Ian instructed.

‘Okay sir.’ Ramsey hang up the call.

“The cards are ready.” Ian stood up from the couch.

The invitation cards are meant for the launching of “Ria Robert Couture” and the new business cards has the designs of the brand name on it. Ian planned to launch her business and give out the card to some of his business associates and staffs. Mrs Perla is the party planner for the launching of Ria’s business and she offered to give the cards to customers patronizing her store. The launch party is in two weeks time!

“We should leave now. Ramsey is on his way to your house.” Ian said.

“Okay.” Ria stood up and followed closely beside him.

“You haven’t given me any update on those dresses you are making for that day.” He held her hand again.

“Everything are almost ready.” Ria answered.

Ian opened the door for her to slide into the car. “And moreover have they supplied those materials I ordered?” He demanded.

“No until tomorrow. We will start working on the new designs as soon as they deliver the materials.” Ria answered.

“Okay.” Ian shut the door before walking around the car to get into the driver’s seat.

He drove out of the compound and secured the gate with a remote while Ria filled him in about her new designs.