Blind Billionaire Bride

CHICAGO, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

AT LINT CORPORATION

FEW DAYS LATER

“Is Ian Bryant in his office?” Ethan demanded as he stepped into the area.

“Yes sir. Do you have an appointment with him?” Grace asked with a raised eyebrow because she has never seen him around the office before.

“No. I don’t have an appointment with him. But I want to see him this minute! Is that his office?” Ethan started towards the office.

Grace stood up immediately and followed him. “Sir, you can’t go in. I will call the security on you. Please you can’t go in… sir…”

Ian heard Grace voice and on queue the door opened and Ethan stood at the entrance with fury in his eyes.

Grace rushed in to meet her boss. “I am so sorry… sir… I tried to stop him from coming in but he didn’t listen to me.” She rushed out her words.

Ethan sniffed and ran his hands into his hair. Anger surged through Ian at the sight of him in the office.

Why is he here? Oh! To boast of the fact that he is Ria’s old friend and she trusted him even though she only met him about a week ago. Ian snorted.

“It is okay, Grace. You can go.” Ian replied.

Grace heaved a sigh of relief. She shot a glare at Ethan before walking out.

Ethan walked farther into the office. His stride was like that of an angry wolf ready to devour its prey.

“Why are you here? What guts do you have to barge into my office and act like you own this place?!” Ian gritted. His tone was harsh and spiteful.

Ethan let out a snort as he pointed his finger at Ian. “Who do you think you are? Huh? Fine, you own the largest corporation in the state and your family is ranking first of Forbes chart. So what? Does that give you the right to treat Ria like she isn’t worth anything?! You have no damn right to trample over Ria!” He seethed his teeth in anger.

“Get out.” Ian said almost standing up from the swivel chair.

“You sit your butt down in that damn chair! I am not going out of this place until you listen to everything I have to say!” Ethan snarled.

It was as if Ethan’s tone compelled Ian because he sat back in the chair. He meant business but Ian was ready to face him. Ethan relaxed a bit when Ian sat in the chair.

“You have no idea how hurts Ria is right now. She hasn’t been feeling good, she couldn’t eat properly and she is finding it hard to sleep. Why is that? You! She is still finding it hard to accept that you left her.” Ethan pointed at him.

He let out a shaky breathe. “And you left because you found out she was Lucas’s sex pet? If that’s the reason then you are a coward! You never gave her the chance to explain why she didn’t tell you everything about her past. You have no right to judge her in anyway because you don’t know what she went through eight years ago! And have you ever asked yourself after listening to that false recording, if it was possible for a sixteen years old blind girl to go around sleeping with men?! Does Ria look like a whore to you?! Haven’t you seen her care for people? She even went as far as adopting two homeless kids despite her disability. So tell me; how could someone like that have ordered the killings of her parents?! And didn’t she tell you she came to Chicago with her female friend?! Androphobia! I am sure you have witnessed her tremble from a man’s touch! So tell me how someone like that can go about luring men into her life?! Well I am sure she told you a bit about her past but even at that you still believed that damn recording… when that man said she left Idaho with a man!” He came closer to the desk and gripped the edge tightly.

Ian saw anger and pain in his expression. “That story is lame. Ria never did those things. Her parents were the most amazing people I have ever seen and…” Ethan’s voice trailed off.

Ian noticed the tear that slid down his left cheek as he wiped it quickly.

“You have no idea what she went through… and you really don’t know… what it feels to lose ones parents.” Ethan paused.

He continued after swallowing the lump of tears that formed in his throat. “Ria must have told you that she lost her parents but did you ever cared to ask how they died? Just take a look at yourself. You are sitting there grieving that Ria didn’t tell you anything whereas you never cared to know… but you were only concerned on how to fulfill her dreams so you could rule her world… and be the main man!” Ethan slammed his hands on the desk aggressively.

“That’s not true!” Ian yelled.

“Then what?! Huh? Tell me?!” Ethan demanded.

Ian clenched his fists. “I wanted to know everything about her past but she was never ready to tell me about it and I just didn’t want to pressure her!”Nôvel(D)rama.Org's content.

“What about now? If you wanted to know about her past then you would have given Ria the chance to explain everything the day you listened to that damn recording!” He paused and continued. “Eight years ago Ria lost her patents. It all started with her father processing his inheritance documents passed on to him by his late father. Mr Nathan had so many plans for his small family, get Ria’s surgery done, establish his wife’s sewing business and buy his dream house. All he ever wanted was a simple and peaceful life for his family. Unfortunately, the money make life gang, a notorious group of assassins showed up and killed her parents. That’s where Lucas came into the picture, he took Ria away.” Ethan’s voice was calm but one could sense that he was sad.

Ian’s heart sank. He listened to Ethan without interruption as he narrated Ria’s story.

“She was with him for close to a year until the gang went for an operation but it failed. And it led to the downfall of the notorious group.” Ethan washed his hands over his face.

“What have I done?! Why didn’t I remember that fear I had seen in Ria’s eyes months ago? The fear of being touched by a man. Why didn’t I reason that someone who sleeps around with men wouldn’t have such fear!” Ian bantered internally.

Ian realized that Ria’s fears came from what Lucas did to her. And he never imagined that fear to come from something terrible like what Lucas did to Ria! He placed his palms on his face as guilt washed over him.

“How come I believed that recording easily without thinking clearly?! It was a lie! A blind girl couldn’t have done it! I didn’t think about it!” Ian’s mind was moving in circles and he was unsettled.

“Ria went through all that as a blind girl. And the most painful aspect of it is finding out that your uncle killed your parents because of a mere inheritance.” Ethan said.

Ian looked up at him trying to make sense of his words. “What are you trying to say?” He asked shakily.

“Her uncle ordered money make life gang to kill them so he could take over the inheritance.” Ethan answered.

Anger crashed over Ian and he clenched his fists. “Who is this uncle?”

“You know him…” Ethan paused.

Ian screwed up his face. He was confused. He has never discussed Ria’s family and he was sure that he doesn’t know anyone from her side.

“Frederick Robert. He murdered her parents.” Ethan blurted out.

Ian’s eyes widened in shock. “What?! Frederick Robert? How? No… I mean…. which Frederick Robert?” He shot him a confused look.

“Yes the same Frederick Robert who is Drake’s father. He is Mr Nathan’s half brother.” Ethan replied.

Ian could hardly believe his words. Drake and Ria are related. Ria met him at the party but she didn’t say anything! She must have known that Drake is the child of the man who murdered her parents. Ian’s mind recalled to the night at the party.

“No, Oh my God!” Slowly he stood up from the chair.

“That’s it! That must have been the reason why she had cried that night! Yes… I am sure of it. She asked Drake if he was related to Frederick and he said yes… saying yes changed her mood. She cried because she found out that Drake is the son of the man who murdered her parents!” Ian reasoned out loudly without minding if Ethan understood him.

Fury and anger crashed over him. It was running marathon in his veins as his teeth ground together. He would tear Frederick Robert into pieces for what he has done to Ria.

“I can forgive everything but I will never forgive anyone that hurts Ria. Ian, if you truly love Ria then this is the time to prove it. Do all you can to put Frederick Robert in jail.” Ethan sounded resigned. He spun on his heel and left the office.

Ian Bryant’s world was upside down as his heart went out to Ria. He slammed his hand on the desk. “What have you done, Ian?” He grabbed his car keys and rushed out of the office.

His whole focus was on reaching Ria. Ian was feeling like he had added more to her pain by leaving her. He never meant to hurt her. He has made a mistake by believing that damn tape, by getting mad at her for not opening up to him just because he was jealous she told Ethan and for staying away from her.

“Will Ria forgive me?”

Ian took in unsteady breathe. He realized that it wasn’t pain that he was feeling at the moment but fear; the fear that he would never be in Ria Robert’s world again.

“Don’t let it be like that. I can’t do without her. I have to be in her world.” Ian chanted.

He has never been the type to pray frequently, but all the way down to Ria Robert Couture he said several prayers over and over again.