BETROTHED TO THE BILLIONAIRE

Ryan’s POV

I was mad at Valerie but the moment she lost consciousness, my anger disappeared and I found myself shouting at John to drive faster till we got to the hospital.

The doctor attended to her and it wasn’t really a big deal. She was only bleeding too much.

I didn’t want her to spend the night there so I carried her back into the car and we left for home.

Deep in thought, I feel a movement beside me and she flutters her eyes open to see me staring.

She was sleeping when we left the hospital but the doctor said she is fine.

“What happened?” She groans, closing her eyes and opening them again.

I was so scared something bad was going to happen to her. But now I am relieved. She might be a handful but I care about her because she is my wife and her safety is my responsibility.

“We are going home”, I reply and look away. I don’t know if she remembers how it all happened and the fact that we are just coming back from the hospital by this time or maybe she doesn’t want to talk about it.

She is quiet.

After a while, I turn to see her staring. I almost think she has fallen back into a deep slumber.

“Out with it”, she says like a command. If it came out louder than she is speaking at the moment, it would have been heavily laced with authority.

“What?” Confusion skates my expression.

“What is on your mind? Spill!”

I roll my eyes and look away. “There is nothing on my mind.”

I am no longer angry but if she keeps talking about it and reminding me about what she did, the anger might come back.

“Shout at me if you want, I won’t shout back”, she mutters, making it sound like a promise and I almost laugh out loud.

“Really?” She nods. “Finally, you admit you love to shout.”

“I never said I don’t shout or deny the fact that I do.”

I nod.

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We continue the rest of the journey in silence. And when the gate opens to allow the car to drive in, I heave a deep sigh of relief.

It is almost past midnight.

I carry Valerie without hesitation, while John gets down from the car to pick up her phone and purse.

The front door is thrown open for me and I enter. I take the staircase up to my room, ignoring how heavy she is.

By the time I get into the room, I am breathless.

I move straight to the bed to drop her, careful not to hurt her. She curls up in bed as I drag the comforter up to her chin.

I need to take a shower and then sleep on the couch. I will ask the maids to get a bed here by tomorrow so I don’t have to always sleep on the couch whenever she wants to sleep here.

Valerie’s hand stops me from moving away from the bed. I raise a brow and turn back slowly.

“Shout at me already, Ryan. I hate your silence.”

I remain quiet for a while. I wanted to let it go because the deed is done already but then I realize I am still angry about what she did.

“Where did you go?” I ask the first question that pops into my head. This was the first thing that troubled me.

“Home.” She answers sharply as if expecting that to be the first question.

“Why in God’s name did you leave that way?” I find myself asking her in a harsh tone.

She shrugs nonchalantly. “I wanted to see mom and clarify things.”

“What things?” I stand with arms akimbo, a scowl on my face mixed with the curiosity eating at me.

She shrugs again. “I wanted to clarify if you are truly the selfish, stupid man that I thought you were.”

“What?!” I exclaim in disbelief.

Is this the reason why she asked me to shout at her? So she could say this to me?

“Yes. I thought you were selfish.”

I try not to laugh. I am making an effort to look serious like I ought to look right now.

“What is this about if I may ask?” I demand quickly, expecting her to clear the air and confusion.

“You and I got married for a reason, didn’t we?” She throws a question back at me instead of replying. I nod anyway.

We got married so I could have the company of my dreams and so her parents could get the financial help they needed from our company.

Isn’t this it or is there more to it?

“My father is still stuck at home. I thought you weren’t helping because you are selfish but I realize this isn’t your fault but your dad’s.”

Now I am beginning to understand what this is about.

She accused me of not fulfilling the promise I made to her parents. I didn’t make any promises. My parents did.

Valerie and I had other reasons to be married but the major reason for this marriage was because of our parents.

My parents and hers wanted us married for separate reasons while Valerie and I got married for some other reasons too. We wouldn’t have gone ahead with this if we didn’t have other reasons.

This way, Valerie and I have our plans and we made a promise to each other by accepting to help each other and also by signing the contract which will automatically annul our marriage in 20 months while our parents also had theirs.

“Father isn’t helping?” She shakes her head and I let out a deep sigh.

“You should have told me so I can drive you there, how can you be so stubborn and daft not to know that…”, I am getting out of line.

Why is my father not helping him? When I met with Mr. Adams, I knew he needed as much help as he wanted. I entrusted that to Father. He was the one who made the promise, not me. He was even the one who brought all of this up even though Mother did it silently.

Then why isn’t he helping them?

Now I understand her rage. If I was in her shoes, I would have been so mad as well. I should probably visit Father in the office tomorrow. I need to know what is happening.

Valerie isn’t like most of the women out there who will use an opportunity like this to their utmost advantage. Getting married to a billionaire is a big deal but she isn’t making a big deal out of it.

All she wants is for her Father’s company to get back on its feet.

“You know what? Henceforth, you will go out with the guards. You are not allowed to leave the house without them.”

“What?!” She exclaims in disbelief and scoffs. “I am not a child, Ryan. I can take care of myself.”

“The same way you took care of yourself tonight which got you hurt?” I retort back sharply and she glares at me coldly.

I thought she said I could shout at her.

“I don’t need any guard, Ryan. This only happened because…”

“Because? You want to justify your actions?”

She does not answer. I see her bite her lower lips and then shut her mouth. I can see how determined she is not to respond to me or give me a rude answer like she always does.

“I’m sorry”, she blurts out unexpectedly and I raise a brow, thinking I didn’t hear right. “I said I am sorry. Stop acting as if you misheard.”

Instantly, my anger dissolves and I find myself smiling inwardly.

Valerie apologized to me.

Wow!

I pull out a folding moon chair and push it close to the bed before sitting in.

I hold her right hand. “We might not be real but you are still my wife and my responsibility”, I say softly and she nods. “I’m sorry if I sounded harsh.”

“It’s fine.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Goodnight.” She turns her back to me and my face falls.

What the hell! I am trying to be sweet and this is what I get in return?

“I will visit Father in the office tomorrow. I really don’t know what is happening but I guess tomorrow’s visit will let me find out where the problem is coming from.”

“Thank you.” She replies nonchalantly.

Instead of standing up to go take a bath so I can sleep, I sit still on the chair watching her back.

Even if her parents don’t deserve this, Valerie sure deserves it. I am not supposed to intervene in their affairs but I will do this for her. Then maybe she will think better of me and not continue to call me selfish.

“Are you asleep?” I ask quietly when I see her body heaving up and down slowly. She does not respond so I assume she must have fallen asleep.

The medicines she took right after the doctor treated her which made her fall asleep instantly must still be working.

At least, this way, I don’t have to be worried about her or stay awake just to be sure she won’t wake up or start to feel any pain.

It will make her sleep soundly.

Smiling to myself, I rise slowly and stroll to the bathroom to take a shower.