Blind Billionaire Bride

CHICAGO, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

RIA ROBERT COUTURE

Ian paced Ria’s office. The time was 7:20 p. m and she hasn’t returned to the shop. Ria said she was in the taxi when he called around 4:45 p. m from the office to pick her up.

“I shouldn’t have believed her when she said she was in a taxi! Or was she stuck in the traffic?” He bantered internally. No! He had passed the same route and no traffic even the devise on his phone signified that there was no traffic on the highway.

Ian stood up and walked out of the office. He shouldn’t sit around and wait for her. “Ma’am Elise.” He called.

She was handling the supplies Limos textile branch had delivered a while ago while Loretta was taking stock of dresses with one other lady.

“Yes Mr Ian.” She walked up to meet him.

“I will have to go and check on Ria at the institution.” He said.

“Why don’t you just call her?” Ma’am Elise suggested.

“She is not picking up my calls when I called her earlier.” Ian replied.

“I tried calling her too but the line is switched off. And it is really unlike her to come late to the store.”

Ian nodded in agreement.

“Please let me come with you to the institution.” She added quickly.

“No. No. No. You don’t have to come with me. Ma’am Elise just finish up your work. I’ll take care of it.” He disagreed.

“Okay. Please give me call when you find her.” Ma’am Elise responded.

Ian motioned toward the huge glass door and stepped out of the building. Then he saw her. Ria was in a car that just pulled up in front of the shop. His forehead creased when he noticed that it wasn’t a taxi. It was a Mercedes Benz.

Ian frowned deepened when he realized that Ria lied to him again and most of all she was with a man! Pang of anger and jealousy shot through Ian as he watched her smile at the man in the car.

Ria and Ian gaze met and she smiled at him but he didn’t smile back at her. She turned to the man and said something to him. Ria came out of the car and the man did the same too. And Ian couldn’t move from where he stood because different questions flooded his mind.

Who is he? Why is she with him? Why is she in his car instead of a taxi? Why is she smiling at him? Why is she happy with him?

It struck Ian that Ria must have been with this guy all along that was why she didn’t want him to come and pick her up.

“Good evening, Ian.” Ria greeted when she came closer while Ethan stood behind her.

Ian didn’t respond to her greeting. All he did was just stared at her. “My instincts better be wrong this time! I want to believe she must have a good reason for being with this man. And I hope it is not what I am thinking in my head.” He said to himself.

“Ian, meet my friend Ethan Dantes.” Ria introduced.

Ian didn’t say anything.

“And Ethan this is Ian Bryant.” She added.

Ethan stepped forward and reached out his hand for an handshake. Ian looked at him. Friend? And when did Ria started having male friends? Ian’s eyes did a crawl on him. He was well built in than him but they were of the same height.

Ian shook hands with Ethan. “Nice to meet you, Ian Bryant. Ria already told me a lot about you.” He smiled.

Wow! And she even told this guy about him already?! For how long has she been meeting up with this guy?

Ian had a stern look on his face. “It is a pleasure.” His answer was sharp. It wasn’t a pleasure to meet him because Ria has never mentioned this guy to him.

Ian gave Ethan a stern handshake and they both stared at each other for seconds before Ethan let go of his hand with a smile. Ian gave him a half smile too. He was sure Ethan was wise enough to understand what the stern handshake meant.

“I should head home now, Ria.” Ethan turned to face her.

“Don’t you want to meet my team and get to see my workplace?” Ria arched her eyebrows. They had planned that she would introduce everyone to him and also show him around her store.

Ian wanted him to leave as soon as possible but Ria wanted him to stay and introduce him to everyone.

Ethan looked at Ian and then back at Ria. “It is running late. Let us do the introduction some other time.” He responded.

“Okay.” Ria said in a low tone.

Ian studied her expression. She was disappointed. Ian tucked his hands in his pocket and clenched his fist. He was starting to sense some connection between them.

“Bye. Take care.” Ria waved him goodbye while Ethan entered his car and drove off. She watched him leave before turning to face Ian.

Ian drew in a deep breathe and tried to relax. “You told me you were in a taxi.”

“Yes, I was in the taxi when you called and-” chuckledConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“And you still ended up in a Mercedes Benz. Now just tell me that the taxi broke down on the highway and Ethan offered you a ride. You accepted and talk to him in his car and now he is your friend.” He interrupted her.

Ria shot him a confused look “No. None of that happened.” She said.

“Then what happened? How did you end up in his car?!” Ian tried to keep his voice down but it wasn’t working. He was annoyed or maybe jealous to see her with another man.

“Why are you so mad at me?” She asked.

“Mad? Now you think I am mad at you. You didn’t allow me to come pick you up at school but you let him drive you instead and now he is your friend.” Ian pointed to no one in particular.

“Ian, can you stop jumping into conclusions and give me a chance to explain.” Ria said in a calm tone.

Ian relaxed a bit. “Who is he?” He demanded.

“Ethan is my old friend.” She answered.

“Old friend?” He snorted.

Ria nodded. Now he is an old friend not a new one. Ian had to admit that he doesn’t know much about Ria but he didn’t expect her to have an old friend.

“Ethan and I grew up together in Idaho.” She added.

Yeah he was aware her hometown is Idaho! But Ria never told him that she had a friend!

“So how long have you been meeting him?” He asked again.

“I just him met him today.” Ria answered.

What? Today? Maybe he is just over reacting! Wait up, Ria grew up blind so how did she recognized him to be the same old friend? He pondered.

And as if Ria had read his mind when she said, “I didn’t recognize him when he stopped his car right in front of me. I thought he was one of those men who always offer women free ride so I just ignored him. But he chased after the taxi and when I couldn’t stand it anymore I went to him and lashed out harsh words on him. I heard his voice and he also said some things that made it clear to me that he was my old friend.” She tried as much as possible to clarify things so he won’t misunderstand her.

“Okay. So you were with him all those times.” Ian removed his hands from his pocket.

“Yes.” Ria replied sincerely.

She was telling the truth. He had over reacted even though he shouldn’t have made a big issue out of it. He just couldn’t stand her being with another man.

Ian leaned in and held one of her hands. “I was worried about you when I came to the store around five and ma’am Elise told me that you were not in yet. And I should have called earlier before but I didn’t want you to think I was monitoring you. I only called around past six and you didn’t pick up.” He flicked her hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear.

“Yes I saw the missed calls but my phone went off when I was about sending you a text to inform you that I was with an old friend.” Ria stepped backward and brought out the cellphone from her bag. “Look at it.” She pressed on the power button slightly and it didn’t turn on.

“Yeah. Ma’am Elise told me about it.” He mumbled.

“Ian, I am sorry. I should have called the moment I saw Ethan coming after me.” She said in an apologetic tone.

Ian covered the gap left between them and he pulled her in for an embrace. “It is okay. I am sorry. I am sorry for over reacting and misunderstanding you. I was only surprised to see you with him.” He purred into her ears.

“It won’t happen again.” Ria said in a low tone. She embraced him too and soaked in his scent.

Ian doesn’t want to think that Ethan might possibly cause problem between them. Ethan better not get ideas in his head because Ian is never going to let Ria go to him even if he is her old friend.

Ian doesn’t want them to be in a situation like this again. A situation whereby he would be doubting Ria or thinking that she is lying to him.

Trust! That should be the major thing between them. Ria and Ian still have to learn to trust each other.