Blind Billionaire Bride

CHICAGO, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

RIA ROBERT COUTURE

Ian waited patiently for Ria’s return. She wasn’t at the store when he came in and ma’am Elise said she went out with Ethan and that made him even angrier. Ian was quick to conclude that Ria didn’t pick up his calls because she was with Ethan.

After a few minutes of pacing, Ian saw Ria walking into the store with Ethan behind her and despite everything, the worry, the anger, the betrayal just the sight of her created an ache in him.

When Ria saw the look on his face, the smile on her face disappeared in an instant. Ian was sure that she wasn’t expecting him to be here at this time.

Without wasting time, Ian went to her without a word and caught her by her upper arm before she could think of what to say or do. Ian pulled her behind him but she didn’t move that much. He looked at Ria and saw that Ethan was also holding her free wrist.

“You shouldn’t -”

“Stay out of this!” Ian cut him off of his intended statement.

“Don’t worry, Ethan.” Ria muttered and he let go immediately.

Everyone stared at her as Ian dragged her along.

“Ian. What’s wrong? Wait… up-”

Ian pulled Ria along into her office and closed the door behind them. He let her go and she looked up stunned at the change in the face of the man who has always being nice to her. Now Ian’s eyes were cold and his expression was so tight.

He could hear her breathing. He didn’t want to hurt her so he pulled his hands back and pushed them into his pockets.

“We are going to talk right now. Right here.” Ian said. His voice barely above a whisper, low and rough.

“And I want to know who else knows about what we are to discuss. I want the truth. Nothing but the truth. Agreed?”

Ria didn’t even know what she was agreeing too but she nodded her head. “Yes. Alright. Okay.” She stuttered.

Ria would have reached out to make a contact with Ian but his words stopped her. “Now tell me whatever it is you have been hiding from me.”

“What?” Her forehead creased.

Ian already knew she won’t open to him and he has had enough of it! He has waited long enough for Ria to loosen up with him and speak up about her past. But if she wasn’t ready to tell him everything then he would gladly help her out.

“Ian, I don’t understand what you are trying to say.”

Ian brought out his phone. “Come on, tell me what’s-” He silenced her with a finger pressed to his lips. And played the file that was sent to him. It was a recording!

The deep voice began.

“Good day, Mr Ian Bryant. I am sending this recording to share a few things I know about a woman named Ria Robert. I know you are pretty close to her but she is worth nothing at all. Why are you wasting your time helping an opportunist like her? Well I don’t blame you because it seems that you don’t know who she really is. I mean her true colors. I will tell you who she is now so you will stay away from her or else you might end up losing everything you have; your company, your family and everything you worked for all your life. Ria Robert is capable of destroying you. She was the blind girl I used to know in Idaho when she was sixteen. Everyone knew Ria Robert the extraordinary blind girl. Smart, dangerous and very desperate to see the world like everyone else. Well her parents were quite desperate too, her father was a greedy and selfish man that wanted everything for himself. Her mother was the famous prostitute in town and her husband didn’t mind as long as she brings money home for him to spend on booze. He borrowed lot of money from a loan shark and couldn’t pay back so he had his daughter sleep with many men just to get the money. As if that wasn’t enough, Ria worked for a criminal, a notorious criminal named Lucas. He is the gang leader of money make life gang. A gang of five. Her father sold her to Lucas and she became his personal sex toy. You know what it is to be a sex pet right? How did her father succeeded in selling her out? Lucas offered to pay off his debt and also foot her eye surgical bills. She pleasured him despite her defect. She was with the notorious assassin for months as a sex toy. She even told Lucas to end the lives of her parents because she loathed them. Very terrible! That’s not all. Ria had a baby for Lucas in the process. But she lost the baby. No she never wanted to have the child because it would stop her from so many things so she and Lucas agreed to abort the baby. In the end, Lucas was killed in a failed operation with his gang and somehow she ran out of town with another man and probably moved to Chicago. She should have been caught by the cops by now for working with the gang but she was fortunate that a man helped her out of town. Ian Bryant, I can go on and on to tell you more about Ria Robert. She isn’t someone you should be with because she will ruin you. Ria Robert doesn’t deserve someone like you. So I advise you stay away from her completely. Don’t get charmed by beauty. I am just trying to help you because I can see that you are a good man. Avoid Ria Robert.”

Then the recording ended.

She was someone’s sex pet. She had a baby and aborted it. She gave herself to several men. She killed her parents. No wonder she didn’t tell him about her past. Whoever sent this to him must know a lot about Ria. And he has no idea who sent it to him. Ian thought deeply.

His heart sank as he looked into Ria’s eyes. Her vision was clouded with tears and some of it had dropped while she was listening to the recording.

This isn’t true! Someone faked a story! And where did he get it from? Now Ian knows she was Lucas sex pet. And her worst fear has surfaced right in her presence. It was all her fault! She should have explained the whole story to him before he received the recording. Everything in that recording was a lie but will he believe her? There was no forgiveness. Ian won’t understand her even if she tried to explain now. Ria bantered internally.

She should at least try to explain things to him. But the mixed emotions in his eyes was clear; very clear and every bit of it was strong as he stared right into her soul.

“Can… I… explain?” She stammered.

Ian uttered a profanity that rocked Ria and then he grounded out. “Forget it! I don’t need to hear more lies from you!”

“No. No. Ian. The truth. The story is lame. I will tell you… everything.” Her voice pleaded with him.

“Do you know Lucas?” Ian demanded.

“Ian…”

“Do you know Lucas?!” He yelled.

“Yes.” Tears. More tears. She could feel more tears streaming down her cheeks and she couldn’t stop them.

“Is everything in this recording true?” Ian asked again.

Ria closed her eyes. She couldn’t dare look into his eyes. “Ian please… Let me -”All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

“Is Ethan aware that you were with Lucas?”

“Ian-”

“Ethan! You just met him after eight years! Does he know you were with Lucas?!” He grabbed her shoulders.

Ria reopened her eyes and she could see a tear that had strayed down one of his cheeks. “Yes.” Ria answered sincerely. “But Ian… it is not -”

“Stop! There is no point in talking about this anymore.” He let go of her shoulder. “It is worthless. After all, you never wanted me to know your past.” His words dropped to a flatness that was almost as painful to hear as the anger had been the moment before. He left nothing in the wake.

“Ian, please try to listen to me.” Ria begged.

“No.” The single word was flat but it jarred Ria all the way into her soul. He didn’t want to hear anything she had to say.

Ria felt the pain in her heart. It was harsh. It cut deep into her soul when she realized that Ian was leaving her.

“I am so sorry for not telling you.” Ria mumbled.

But it was too late. Ian spun on his heel and left. He closed the door carefully; no slam, no jamming action. It was just a shut.

“I… am… sorry.” Ria whispered to the closed door.

It was late. She should have told him when she had chance.

The door opened and the hope that Ian had come back was dashed when ma’am Elise and Ethan stood there. And that terrified her even more. Ian was never coming back to her.

“What happened?” Ma’am Elise asked. She looked troubled.

Ria doubted if they heard what she had discussed with Ian. She bit on lower lip to stop the tears but nothing worked.

Ma’am Elise moved closer to her. “I heard Mr Ian snarling and then he left with anger on his expression.”

“Perhaps did he yell at you because you were with me the whole time he was waiting for you here?” Ethan demanded.

Ria closed her eyes. “Ian… he found out… about my past. He knows… I was Lucas… sex… pet.”

“Damn it!” Ethan ran his free hand in his hair.

“How did he find out?” Ma’am Elise asked.

Ria swallowed hard as more tears slipped down her cheeks. She bit her lip hard. “I don’t know… he only played me a recording.” And she managed to tell them what she heard on Ian’s phone.

“Unbelievable! All of these things never happened! You didn’t kill your parents, Ria. Your dad never owed anyone money and your mother was a respectable person in the area!” Ethan grimaced.

“I tried to explain to him that it wasn’t true but he didn’t give me the chance. He thought I was going to lie to him again… and now he doesn’t want to see me.” Ria sobbed.

Ma’am Elise embraced her tightly. Ria clung on to her like she was holding her mother who could make things right. But things couldn’t be right. Nothing would be right. Ian hates her.

“It is okay. Everything will be alright.” Ma’am Elise said in a tight whisper.

Ria withdrew from the embrace. “No. it is not… going to be okay this time. Ma’am Elise… he believed everything in that recording.”

“That’s it? That’s it. He just believed it! And he never thought if it was possible for a blind girl to go around sleeping with men as if she could see. Or why your parents would have sold you out to a criminal?! The story is so lame but he can’t even see it!” Ethan was trying to control his anger.

“You have been through a lot. I am sure you will get through this too.” Ma’am Elise voice was calm.

“I don’t think so. I have never been through this my whole life. I mean, loving a man and seeing that he would slip away and I am not even able to do anything about it.” Ria said in a sniffle as she closed her eyes. She had certainly gotten herself into a mess this time.

Ria drew in a shaky breathe still trying to come to term with the words from Ian. She had thought that she didn’t need Ian in the picture, but she had totally forgotten how accustomed she had grown to having him in her life. She thought sadly.

“This is all my fault.” Ria muttered.

“No. You shouldn’t blame yourself.” Ma’am Elise led her to the couch and made her sit on it.

“I should have summoned up the courage and tell him everything. Why was I even scared?” She sobbed.

Ria was only concerned that Ian would leave her but she didn’t think of how he would feel if he ever finds out that she was hiding things from him. And she had even told Ethan who she just met again about it. She had hurt his feeling terribly when he had been nothing but good to her.

Now Ian Bryant was gone. He had looked disappointed, aggressive and sad. He had left without looking back. Ria could hardly blame him for his decision. He must think of her as a whore or a slut. And what was wringing in Ria’s heart in a painful spasm was the memory of his expression when he had looked at her just before he had walked out. And in addition to hiding her past, angering him, she was pretty sure and that she had hurt him. And that had never been her intention.

“I think… I have to talk to Ian.” Ria opened her eyes and Ethan wasn’t in the office anymore. “I should talk to Ian… I need to explain to me that everything in that recording isn’t true.” She stood up from the couch.

“No. Give him some time.” Ma’am Elise said.

“Time? How long?” Ria cried out.

“You can talk to him tomorrow.” Ma’am Elise replied.

Ria placed her palms on her face and made a promise to herself. No matter what happened, no matter how things went from now on, there would be no more secrets. She would talk to Ian tomorrow, lay everything out and explain it to him. Ria would do everything to make him understand where the old Ria Robert had been coming from. Ian would know who Ria Robert really is in the past. She won’t hid anything from him anymore. And whatever happened after that was up to Ian.

“Okay?” Ma’am Elise helped her sit back on the couch.

Ria nodded.