Blind Billionaire Bride

CHICAGO, UNITED STATE OF AMERICA

AT RIA ROBERT APARTMENT

“Mommy! Mommy!” Phoebe and Phoenix ran down the stairs to meet Ria. A smile formed on her lips immediately as she open her arms wide to accommodate them. Ian and Ria were stuck in traffic for hours that he had thought they won’t make it back home till night. A fully loaded cabbage truck broke down on the highway so it had taken hours for the road traffic officers to moved it.

“How are you doing?” Ria asked when she felt them in her arms,

“I am fine, mom.” Phoenix and Phoebe chorused respectively.

“What took you so long mom?” Phoenix questioned.

“We got stuck in the traffic caused by a loaded truck that broke down on the highway.” Ria explained.

Ma’am Elise joined them too. “Welcome back, Miss Ria, Sir Ian.”

Ria acknowledged her by nodding her head while Ian smiled. “I’ll go ahead now.” He said.

“Thanks for today, Mr Ian.” Ma’am Elise thanked him but he only responded with a smile.

Ria turned away from the kids and faced Ian who was standing next to her. “Thank you.” It was only polite for her to appreciate him and nothing else.

“You are welcome.” Ian replied before walking round the car to the driver’s seat.

“Did you have fun at school today?”

“Yes! Mom, Ma’am Elise promised to attend the parents and teachers association meeting at my school.” Phoebe announced.

“Oh really? When is it?” Ria let the children hold her hands.

“Yes! It is today. And that’s why we came home early. We closed by 1:00 p. m because meeting starts by 2:30p. m.” Phoenix responded.

Ian looked at his wrist watch the time was two o’clock. “Okay. Let us go in and talk about what happened at school today.”

“Yes!” Phoebe screamed as they led Ria back to the house.

A little voice whispered at the back of his mind as he watched Ria with the children. “She will make a good mother.” A smile formed on his lips as he watched her walk away.

Ma’am Elise cleared her throat. “Sir Ian..”

He totally forgot that she was still close to the car. “I will take my leave now.” He opened the car door and waved at ma’am Elise before entering the car.

He felt a little bit embarrassed because ma’am Elise had caught him smiling at the sight of Ria. “What has Ria Robert done to me?” Ian huffed as he started the car and the engine roared back to life.

Ian Bryant can’t possibly stop thinking about Ria Robert. So what is this feeling?

*********

TWO DAYS LATER: AT AINSLEY HOSPITAL

IN A PRIVATE WARD

“I already sent the test results to the stem cell centre. So Miss Ria, I am glad to inform you that you can get the surgery done in China.” Doctor Alisa said to them after she walked into the private ward.

“Thank you, doctor Alisa.” Ria fiddled with her fingers.

“So Doctor when can we leave to China?” Ian asked.

“Whenever you are ready. I only have to prepare a transfer note which you will present at the centre and that won’t be a big issue.” Doctor Alisa responded.

“Can we leave tomorrow if the flight is ready?” Ian requested.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

And a deep frown formed on Ria’s face quickly. “Yes, you can go to China anytime you are prepared to -”

“No. No, I don’t think tomorrow is a better option, Mr Ian.” Ria cuts in sharply.

Ian looked straight at her. “Why Ria?”

Ria stopped fiddling her hands. “I want to spend some time with my kids before leaving for China.” She answered.

“Okay, that’s not a problem. So what about in three days time? You can spend the whole day with them tomorrow and then next then I will come and pick you up on the third day.” Ian said.

“That’s better.” Ria replied in a low tone.

“Okay. So doctor we can leave right?” Ian turned to face the doctor.

“Yes, she is good to go.” Doctor Alisa shook her head.

“Thank you, doctor Alisa.” Ria thanked her.

“You are welcome. Take care, Miss Ria.” Doctor Alisa smiled at Ian before exiting the room.

Ria shook her head and then she heard the door closed. “Ria, are you sure you are okay with the day I fixed? We can move it till next week so you can spend more time with the kids since we will be gone for weeks.” Ian’s voice was so calm and sweet.

“That day is fine by me…” Ria paused and arched her eyebrows. “But what do you mean by we?”

Ian sighed. “We… means that I am going with you to China.”

Ria scrunched up her face deeply. “You are going to China?” She was surprised by the revelation.

“Yes.”

“But.. but.. why do you have to come with me?” She demanded.

“I am also going to China because I want to be there with you.” Ian was sincere with his response.

“You don’t have to go with me. Ma’am Elise can go with me to China.” Ria rushed out her words.

“I don’t think she is a better option this time. I mean, who will look after the kids if ma’am Elise is to go with you to China?” Ian asked.

Oh yeah! That’s true. Ria totally forgot the kids would need someone to take care of them while she is away in another continent. “So if you are coming along… with me to China.. what about your business?” Ria stuttered.

“I will run it while in China.” Ian answered.

“But will that be convenient for you? I don’t want -”

Ian interrupted her. “Don’t worry Ria, it is more than convenient for me.”

Ria continued fiddling her fingers. She wasn’t satisfied with the fact that this man wants to go with her to China. “Mr Ian, why don’t you just help me hire a care worker that will go with me to China? Don’t worry I can afford to pay for her services.”

Two reason why she doesn’t want Ian to go with her to China. Firstly, he would have to help her out with a lot of things one of which involves holding her around and having a close contact with him. Secondly, she doesn’t want him to leave his work and just go with her to China. It makes her feel like a burden to him as it doesn’t sound good to her.

Suddenly Ria felt more pressure on the bed and she knew Ian was close. “You don’t need a care worker Ria. I am enough to be your care worker.” Ian was leaning his long hands on the bed.

“And you can actually pay me the same amount you want to pay a care worker that’s if you aren’t comfortable with me caring for you for free. I will accept the pay.” Ian joked but Ria didn’t give any response. Why? She doesn’t know what to say to him! And laughing at the moment wasn’t necessary. She rarely does it anyways.

“I’ll be there with you.” Ian whispered.

Ria’s heartbeat accelerated at the sound of his voice this close to her ears. “Why is he saying this now? Who is this guy?! Why won’t he just give up and leave me alone? And why on earth does he want to neglect his duties at work and go with me to China?” She pondered.

Ria Robert was finding it strange! Really strange! And she knew that her words won’t stop him from changing his mind.

“So what do we do about our flight?” Ria asked changing the topic.

“I will prepare a private jet that will take us to China.” Ian leaned up from the bed.

“You.. have a private jet?” Ria stammered.

“My family’s owns four private jets.” He answered.

Ria shook her head. Ian Bryant must be very rich for him to have a private jet. She thought. “You have a renewed passport?” Ian asked.

“Yes. So what about the visas?”

“I will prepare the necessary things. And I’ll make some important calls to avoid any delay.” Ian responded.

“Ma’am Elise can give you every of my details that you might need from my passport.” Ria said after some minutes of silence with Ian just staring down at her.

“Alright. All you need to do is just prepare for the trip.” Ian let out a handful of breathe.

“Okay, mr Ian.” Ria shook her head in understanding.

“I told you that I am fine with you calling me Ian.” He corrected her.

“O.. okay.. can we leave now?” Ria touched the side of the bed.

“Yes.” Ian helped Ria with the walk stick. “I will hold your purse and phone too.”

“No.. you don’t have to.. I can -”

Ian cuts her off. “I’ll help you.” Ria didn’t argue with him. She just let him hold the cellphone and purse.

*********

Ian Bryant pulled up in front of Ria Robert house. And then again she was already out of the car before Ian came to her side to open the door. “She should have waited.” He mumbled to himself but she heard him.

“It is my sight that is affected not my hands. Thank you for today, mr Ian.” Ria replied.

“You are welcome.”

“Bye.” Ria was almost walking away but Ian stopped her.

Ian latched out his hand on her arm and immediately a chill went through him and now he was just standing like an idiot. Ria froze in her spot and moved her eyes down to where she had pictured his hand was still pressed against her arm.

“I am sorry. Is ma’am Elise home?” Ian withdrew quickly.

“No., she went to see an old friend.” Ria replied.

“So.. you will be at home alone?” Ian looked at the entrance leading to her house.

“Yes.” Ria nodded.

“Will you be fine alone?” Ian asked.

“Yes. I’ll just do some packing for the trip to China.” Ria responded.

“Okay.” Can she actually do that? Like selecting and packing clothes into a box? Well Ian shouldn’t doubt this blind lady since she can use the machine. But still he doesn’t feel too comfortable leaving her alone.

Ian Bryant’s phone beeped in his pocket. He brought it out and saw his mom as the caller ID. “I’ll go ahead now.”

“Okay.” She nodded.

“See you in three days time.” Ian walked around the car and entered it. He pressed the horn and Ria waved like she could see him.

Sting of tears formed at the corners of his eyes immediately as he watched Ria trying to climb up the few steps leading to the porch but he blinked it back. “Soon Ria.” He said to himself.

Soon, Ria will be able to see! She will see the world! “I will be there. I will be by her side to show her the world.” Ian chanted in his mind as he drove out of the driveway.

Ria traced her steps to the porch and searched for the keys in her purse. She found it and twisted the knob and walked into the house. Counting few steps in her head and she sat on the couch to rest. And when Ria thought she was going to take a nap Ian Bryant popped up in her mind. A strong desire to know how he looks like surged through her.

“What’s wrong with me? I shouldn’t be concerned about how he looks like!” She cautioned herself.

But Ria has this desire building up within her to know Ian Bryant. The earlier conversation at the hospital occupied her mind again. Ian Bryant offered to pay the medical bills without a refund.

“Who does that? Or what does that mean? I will surely refund his money as soon as I get the surgery done. If not all but little by little I will be pay so I won’t feel indebted to him.” Ria said.

Ian Bryant wants to be her care worker and even leave his duties at work and go with her to China. “Is a CEO not meant to be present at the office always? Wait does that mean he is being nice? Or is that how philanthropists behaves towards those they help? Or should I really call this a miracle?” Ria thought.

The kind Ria hated the most has offered to help her. She let out a huge sigh of frustration and slapped her forehead at the thought of having a change of view about men.

“Don’t think about that Ria Robert. Don’t keep Ian on your mind. Remember men are not trustworthy. They are horrible. They are cruel. They don’t deserve a place in my life.” Ria Robert chanted in her mind. She turned on her side and soon drifted into sleep.