Blind Billionaire Bride

CHICAGO, UNITED STATE OF AMERICA

AT RORY THOMAS INSTITUTE

He sat in his car, holding an old picture in his hands as he also compared it with the lady he had seen on screen. There was no doubt that she was the same person. He just wasn’t sure how the sixteen years old girl in the picture had survived eight years ago. The cops confirmed her dead but they never showed her true body.

And he had searched the whole town because he never wanted to believe that she was dead! He kept on searching, hoping to find a sixteen years old blind girl but he failed! Days turned into weeks and then time went by into months until he had to believe it even though it was really hard to accept that she was dead!

Ria was talking to a man at the huge steel gate of the institution! The men in uniforms knew who she was-the latest clothe designer in Chicago. “Alright. Bye.” She waved at the men in uniforms before walking away.

Then she moved to the roadside to take a taxi to her workplace. Benjamin already resigned but he agreed to teach Ria how to drive while Ian was busy at work.

He glanced up from the picture and saw Ria Robert trying to hail a taxi. She was alive! She didn’t die like they claimed. Immediately the feeling of guilt washed over him! He should have done better! He should have searched! He shouldn’t have given up that way!

The sixteen years old girl was now a fully grown woman. The dimple on her right cheek and long hair was still eminent enough to prove that she was Ria Robert and he had always teased her about the dent on her cheeks because it made her look cute. The same blind girl who had mended his clothes. The same Ria he had helped to school whenever he was less busy at work. Memories flooded his mind, images of how they used to play in the small garden in her family home.

Now here she was after eight years! Would she recognize him? No Ria can’t possibly know him because she was blind back then and she only identified people by their voices. But it isn’t bad to try his luck and see if she would recognize him by his voice. He concluded.

He started the car and drove closer to where she stood. He stopped the car right in front of her and rolled down the glass.

Ria raised her brows at him while he stared at her. He took in her feature closely, cataloguing every changes from the sixteen years old girl he used to know. The silver patches on her eyes were gone and it was replaced with a pair of vibrant aquamarine eyes which stared back at him intensely. Those eyes was just like the old woman’s picture he used to see in her home – Her grandma.

Ria has the facial features of her mother. No, she was a striking image of her late mother just that her mom had a brown hair while hers was black. She got the black hair and nose from her dad.

He recalled that he had promised that he would help her see the world and he had worked hard back then and gave the tokens he had made to her mother to add it to the savings for Ria’s surgery. But he couldn’t fulfill that promise because he found out she was dead.

At first he didn’t know what happened because he was out of town until he received the call that her parents were dead and she was missing. He wondered how she had left Idaho as blind girl and made it big in Chicago.

Ria stared back at the man in the car. He doesn’t look like a taxi driver and the car was a Mercedes Benz. “This is definitely not a cab!” She said to herself.

The man didn’t say anything and he just stared at her. Ria moved away from the car. “Where are the taxis in Chicago?” She mumbled.

Ria heard the closing of a door and when she looked that way she saw that the man was already out of his car. He was tall and well built-in and she knew he would be a regular client at the gym center. He has a sunrise gold hair with some curls falling over his forehead. An Irish eyes that were flush with triumph from being successful. A thick black eyebrows, an aquiline nose that complimented his prominent tight jaw and full lips. He was dressed in a fitting dark jean and a blue body hogging top that showed off his tight arms and well sculpted chest. He paired it with a dark vans.

“I don’t need a free ride!” Ria said within. He must be insane to think that she would just go into his car like that because she couldn’t get a taxi. Why isn’t he saying anything? Why is he just staring at her? Men have no shame!

Luckily for Ria, a taxi stopped in front of her and she entered it without looking back at the man.

“Where to ma’am?” The taxi driver asked.

“RRC.” She replied and the taxi driver looked back at her and smiled. “Ria Robert Couture.” She completed.

“Yes ma’am, I know and it is really nice to meet you in person.” The taxi driver said before the car hit the road again.

And Ria flashed him a small smile. “Perhaps ma’am, can I get an autograph for my daughter? She wants to be a clothe designer like you.” He said some seconds later.

“Oh really? How old is she?” Ria asked.

“She is just seven years old. She actually watched your interview on national TV where you had shared your success story so since then she decided that she wants to be a clothe designer too.” The taxi driver responded.

“Okay. I’ll give you an autograph.” Ria brought out a notepad and pen from her bag. She doesn’t have an autograph so she just wrote down her name and signed on the paper.

“This is it.” Then she gave it to him. “I would like to meet your daughter Mr -” she waited for him to tell her his name.

“Mr Maureen.” He said.

“Mr Maureen anytime you are ready just bring her to Ria Robert Couture with this note.” She replied.

“Oh! Thank you ma’am.” Mr Maureen collected the paper from her.

“I am always less busy on Saturdays.” Ria added.

“Okay ma’am.” He grinned happily.

Ria cellphone buzzed and she took it out of the bag. It was Ian!

‘Hello Ian.’

‘Hi. I am coming over to pick you up at school.’

‘No. You don’t have to drive all the way here because I am in taxi now.’

He was silent.

‘Since Ben resigned and I figured you would be busy at work so I took the taxi. I am on my way to the shop now.’

Ian had called Ria around ten that he wasn’t able to convince Benjamin to stay but he had asked him to teach her how to drive before leaving finally. The only reason Benjamin gave was that he wants to stop working as a driver and probably starts a small scale business with the money he has saved up.

‘Okay.’ Ian replied.

Ria wasn’t convince that he believed her words. ‘Believe me, Ian, I am in the taxi.’

‘Alright. I believe you. I’ll drive to the shop. See you there.’

‘Okay.’ She mumbled before hanging up the call.

“Excuse me, ma’am.” The taxi driver called out to her.

“Yes Mr Maureen.” Ria looked up from her cellphone.

“Do you know the owner of that car behind us? I noticed it has been following us since I picked you up.” He said.

Ria looked back and saw the same car from earlier. What does he want from me?! She thought.

“I don’t know whoever owns that car.” Ria replied.

“Should I call the cops?” Mr Maureen asked.

“Now don’t tell me I am being stalked by some weird guy!” She bantered internally.

Ria wanted to say yes but a part of her wanted to know the guy’s identity. He can’t be trailing her without a reason.

“No, don’t call the cops. I want to know why he is trailing us.” She answered.

“Okay ma’am.” Mr Maureen pulled off from the road and cornered into a quiet street.

“Don’t worry we will still hit the highway soon. Let us see if the car will still come after us.” Mr Maureen said.

“Okay.” Ria huffed. At least she was in safe hands! But then she looked back and saw the car now making the same turn.

“He is coming! Who is the hell is this man?! Mr Maureen stop the car.” Ria instructed.

She is not going to allow him come after them like they are on a chase. It is better she challenged him!

“Miss Ria, are you sure that you want to talk to him?” Mr Maureen demanded.

“Yes please. I won’t take a long time.” Ria replied.

Mr Maureen stopped the car. Ria looked back to see that the other car also stopped too and the man came out of the car. Ria was furious as she stepped out of the car too. She was ready to lash out harsh words at this man.

“Who are you?! Huh? Are you a stalker?!” Ria screamed at him.

He didn’t respond.

“If you don’t have better things to do other than stalking women with your car then you might as well find a better job!”

He stared at her. His Adams apple bobbling up and down his throat. This is so annoying! He is so good at just staring!

“You know what? You should consider a staring competition. You might as well collect a medal for stalking women! Pervert! If you don’t stop trailing my taxi, I’ll call the cops on you!” Ria hissed and made an attempt to turn back towards the taxi.

“Ria.” He called.

Ria heard his voice when she was three steps away from him. All of a sudden, her heart beats rapidly as she tried to trackback where she had heard that voice. It was familiar in her ears! It was like a voice that she was once used to hearing everyday! It couldn’t possibly be the same person.

Ria turned to face him. “You are Ria Robert right?” The man took one step forward. ” I mean, Ria Robert, the child of Mr Nathan and Mrs Madison Robert.” He took another step.

Ria’s mouth opened slightly. He knew her parents names!

“Am I right?” He asked.

There was only one person with this voice. Is this really him? When Ria was blind she recognized her parents and an only friend with her sense of touch and by hearing their voices. And she was very familiar with three voices, her dad, her mom and an only friend. His name was Ethan.

And now this man’s voice sounded so much like Ethan’s and he even knows her parents names! What if he is Ethan?

“I once knew a blind girl named Ria Robert and she lived in Idaho. Her mother was a seamstress and Ria learnt the craft of sewing and she also used to help me mend my torn clothes. But I don’t know if I am mistaken now or if I am right… that the owner of RRC is the same Ria Robert I used to know.” His voice was shaky.

He paused and drew a deep breathe. “Please just tell me if I am right.” His voice pleaded in a tight whispered.

This man is Ethan but she needed to be sure. Without thinking she moved closer and her hands reached out to his face. He wasn’t surprised by what she was about to do. He stood still as her hands did a facial recognition with her eyes closed as if she was blind.

When Ria was done, she stepped backwards with a shocking look on her face. “Ethan?” She muttered. No doubt, he is Ethan with everything he just said about her.

And a smile formed on his face. Ria can’t believe this is happening now! “Are you Ethan… Dantes?” She asked shakily.

“Yes, I am Ethan Dantes.” He replied.

Then without wasting time, like in a slow motion Ria went ahead and she hugged him. “Ethan.” Her eyes became blurry.

“Ria. It is me.” His hands went around her to embrace her.

Ria was so happy to see him! She was extremely glad to see someone who knows so much about her. Another companion who encouraged and stood by her when she was blind.

Ethan was her childhood friend even though he was quiet older than her. Mrs Madison met Ethan when Ria was six years old. Mrs Madison took Ria to the store that day because she wasn’t well enough to go to school. She had bought so many things and was finding it hard to carry the items coupled with the fact that she also had to hold little Ria. Ethan was barely up to twelve years old. He was nearby conversing with a friend when he spotted her, so he waved goodbye to his friend and offered to help her carry the load so she could hold Ria properly.

Ethan followed Mrs Madison home and ever since then he would always drop by to help her buy materials from the store. And Ethan ran errands for Mrs Madison. He did things Ria wasn’t able to do for her parents and was accepted as a member into the family. Ria knew her parents loved him most especially her dad who liked the fact that Ethan was always willing and ready to help.

Ria came out of the embrace and stared at him. “Ethan.” The tears that clouded her vision had already flowed down her cheeks.

“Ria. I am sorry.” Ethan apologized.

“Sorry about what?” Ria noticed the drop of tear on his right cheek.

Ethan sniffed. “We need to talk Ria. I want to know how you survived.”

Ria nodded in agreement. Yes, there is a lot of talking to do. Ethan wiped her tears with his fingertips. “Can we do that now?” He requested.

Ria looked around. They were standing on a lone street with barely anyone around. “We can go somewhere else.” He said.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“Okay. I’ll just get my bag from the taxi.” Ria agreed.

“Alright.” He wiped his cheek with the back of his palm.

Ria walked to the taxi. “Miss Ria, is everything okay?” Mr Maureen demanded. He had been watching vigilantly to see if the man would attack Ria or do something bad to her.

“Yes Mr Maureen. He is an old friend.” Ria took out some notes from her purse and gave it to him.

“Thank you, Mr Maureen. And I will be expecting you at Ria Robert Couture with your daughter.”

“Thanks ma’am.” He smiled brightly because she had added more to his fee. He drove away while Ria walked back to Ethan.

Meeting Ethan again was the answers to her prayers! Ria needed someone who was in Idaho around the time her parents died. Ethan must know what happened after the cops came around that night! He will give her answers to the missing puzzles!

And there was one more thing Ria was more concerned about which was where her parents were laid to rest.