Blind Billionaire Bride

CHICAGO, UNITED STATE OF AMERICA

AT RIA ROBERT APARTMENT

The limousine driver that picked Ian and Ria at the airport pulled up in front of her house. Immediately, Ria rushed out of the car ignoring Ian’s warning to be careful. She was really anxious to see her family. Ma’am Elise, Phoebe and Phoenix. Ria wanted to see them!

“Mom is back!” Phoenix screamed out when he heard the horn in the driveway.

Phoebe and her brother ran out of the building and Ria spread out her arms to accommodate them. “Mom!” They screamed.

Ria confirmed Phoenix look. He was a compact little thing with a dimple on his right cheek like her own too and his gold hair shimmered under the sun! Phoebe had her short black hair packed in ponytails. Her large cute brown eyes added beauty to her well sculpted heart shaped face. They are beautiful creatures!

“How are you doing, mom?” Phoenix jumped in excitement.

“I am fine.” Ria pinched his cheeks.

“Can you really see me?!” Phoenix asked again.

“Yes I can see my little man!” Ria smiled.

“Miss Ria!”

Ria looked up and saw ma’am Elise running down the small steps. She is a short and plump woman. Her brown hair was cut down in a fringe style, a pair of brown eyes, a pointed nose and a pouting lips. Ria had to admit that ma’am Elise looked wonderful in the knee length gown.

“Oh! Miss Ria!” She hugged the woman who has been a great help to her for years now. “I am so happy you can see now!” Ria noticed the stray of tears on ma’am Elise cheeks when she released her.

“Thank you for taking care of Phoebe and Phoenix.” Ria said sincerely.

“You don’t need to thank me.” Ma’am Elise sniffed.

“Mom! What color of clothes do I have on?” Phoebe demanded.

“A blue dress.” Ria giggled.

“Wow! How did you learn to identify color so fast?” Ma’am Elise gasped out as more tears followed down her cheeks.

Ria looked back at Ian. “He helped me out with most of the things I can identify and my therapy went well too.” She smiled.

“We should go inside.” Phoebe said to her brother and they dragged a box away together.

“Mr Ian, I don’t know how to thank you for taking good care of Miss Ria.” Ma’am Elise moved closer to him.

“No, you don’t have to thank me, ma’am Elise. I am glad to help.” Ian replied.

Ma’am Elise wiped her face clean. “God bless you. I’ll just take the boxes inside too.” She dragged the big box away leaving Ria alone with Ian. Phoebe argued with her brother for not handling the box with care on the porch.

“You don’t need to argue about it. Phoenix, let your sister handle it.” Ma’am Elise cautioned the kids. Phoenix let go instantly and made his way to the front door to open it.

“So what’s next now?” Ian asked before Ria could think of thanking him again.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“I will just see to the work we have on ground before deciding on what to do next.” Ria answered.

Ian leaned in closer. “Ria, I hope that you will give my offer a good thought.”

Ria nodded her head positively. “Alright.”

“I await a good response so just call me whenever you are ready.” Ian added.

“Okay. So where are you heading now?” Ria asked.

“To the office.” Ian responded.

Ria rolled her eyes. “Why don’t you go home and have a good rest?”

“I have to tend to some work at the office. It is important.” Ian replied.

Ria bit on her lower lip. “You should get enough rest after seeing to the work at the office.”

“Sure.” Ian nodded with a smile on his face. He liked the fact that Ria was sounding like she care about him.

“Bye, Ian.” Ria waved.

Ian entered the car and waved back at her before the car moved out of the parking space. “Take care.” He mouthed.

Ria walked back inside only to find her family searching through her stuffs. “Wow! So this is how my apartment looks like. This is more like a fashion house.” She giggled heartily.

“Mom, Phoebe and I will help you arrange your clothes back into the closet!” Phoenix said in excitement.

“Thank you little man.” Ria gave him a wink.

Ma’am Elise moved closer to her side quickly. “Is there something I need to know about the trip?” She said in a tight whisper.

“What are you thinking?” Ria mumbled.

“No.. nothing.” Ma’am Elise shrugged.

“Wow!” Phoenix screamed when he brought out a Superman toy from the box.

“That’s for you little man.” Ria’s eyes was scanning the whole area.

“What about me?” Phoebe pouted.

“I couldn’t fine the type of diary you wanted in China. But don’t worry we’ll visit the mall this weekend to buy it.” Ria answered.

“Okay mom.” Phoebe smiled.

“You can pick some candy and chocolate now and put the rest in the fridge.” Ria instructed.

“Thanks Mom!” Phoebe and Phoenix said in unison. They rushed into the kitchen.

“So what do I get in place of goodies and the toys?” Ma’am Elise feigned a serious look.

Ria laughed at ma’am Elise remark. “I am sorry, ma’am Elise. I know your shoe size but it looked bigger than what I expected. I even got confused at some point.”

Ma’am Elise laughed. “It is okay. I understand.” She packed the stuffs back and closed the box.

“Let me put these boxes in your room.”

Ria pulled off her sandal. “Thank you, ma’am Elise.” She followed her into the bedroom.

“You should have a bathe first.”

“I am back to my small abode.” Ria let out a huge sigh of relief.

“And we have a lot to talk about.” Ma’am Elise added.

“Yes.” Ria nodded.

“I figured that out from the smiles on your face when Mr Ian was near you and excitement in your tone.”

“What smile? What tone? Come on ma’am Elise, I am just happy that can see you guys now!” Ria enthused.

“Yeah I know. But I am talking about Mr Ian.” Ma’am Elise reopened the boxes.

Ria rolled her eyes. “Let me freshen up so we can talk.” She slid out of the dress quickly and walked into the bathroom.

***************

LINT CORPORATION

Several of Lint Corporation staffs stopped to greet Ian as he walked into the building. He only waved at them without saying a word. Ian Bryant has been gone for close to ten weeks, away from most of the physical duties of work and just tending to few files through the system.

Grace and Ramsey greeted their boss cheerfully when he walked into their spaces. “Ramsey, Grace, how are you doing?”

“I am good.”

“I am doing okay sir.” They answered respectively.

“How was your trip to China sir?” Grace asked.

“The mission was a success.” Ian smiled.

“Mrs Perla Bryant is waiting for you.” Ramsey informed him.

“Okay. You can get back to work.” Ian opened the door leading into his office. Mrs Perla sat at the desk focused on the pile of files. He couldn’t help but wonder how she has been able to run things here together with the workload from her jewelry store.

“Hi mom.”

Mrs Perla stood up and met her son halfway. “Welcome son! I missed you so much!” She kissed his cheeks.

“I miss you more!” Ian replied with a laugh before settling on the couch and she did the same opposite him.

“How was the trip?”

“It was a success. I am so tired! Ria said I really need to have a good rest.” He smiled at the thought of how she had said those words to him.

“What about Ria?” Mrs Perla demanded.

“She is fine. I just dropped her off at her place before coming to the office.” Ian answered.

“Son, you don’t know how happy I was when I saw that Ria could see again!”

Mrs Perla made a video call with Ria while they were in China! She wanted to be sure if Ria could really see when Ian told her about it. Ian thought Ria would feel pressured because of that but she had agreed to talk to his mom without feeling reluctant.

“I am happy too mom!”

“And now you are feeling like the happiest man on earth.” Mrs Perla teased her son.

“More than being the happiest man. I feel fulfilled.” Ian admitted.

Mrs Perla laughed. “So what’s the next plan for Ria?”

Ian huffed. “Oh mom… just the same old plans I already shared with you.” He rubbed his forehead.

“Did you discuss it with Ria?” Mrs Perla asked.

“Yes I told her about my plans to setup her business and for me to invest in it. I was so careful with my choice of words when I stated that I wanted us to be business partners.” Ian answered.

“So what did she say?” Mrs Perla was so eager to know.

“Mom relax, Ria is yet to give me a response. I need to give her enough time to think about it.” Ian stood up from the couch.

“Ria will accept your offer.” Mrs Perla blurted out as she watched her son walk to the desk.

“How do you know? How can you sound so sure?” Ian asked.

“My instincts.” Mrs Perla replied with a shrug.

Ian arched his eyebrows. “Mom, really? Just your instincts?” She nodded.

He shook his head in disagreement. “I am sorry that won’t work with Ria.”

Mrs Perla stood up from the couch too. “Don’t doubt the instinct of a woman especially that of a mother.”

Ian looked straight at his mother. Those times they spent together after Ria was discharged from the eye centre were special moments to him. They had visited several places in China. Everything had looked new to Ria when he was showing her things and also telling her about some objects in China. Ian made sure that Ria saw everything, he thought her how to identify colors and even use a cellphone.

Ria was happy and excited that she didn’t stop smiling at everything she saw around her. Ian felt fulfilled even as he watched her smile during those moments. It was so beautiful. Ian and Ria didn’t discuss personal issues about the past but they talked about random things and he never wanted those moments with her to end because she was so free.

“Well I hope it works according to your instinct mom.” Ian sighed as he glanced down at the files on the desk.

“What do we have here?”

“Ian, you don’t have to start work today. Go home and rest for a couple of days.” Mrs Perla snatched the files from him.

“Couple of days?” He furrowed his eyebrows.

“Yes. At least for three days.” Mrs Perla answered.

“No, three days is a long time so I am resuming work tomorrow.” Ian countered.

“A day or two rest won’t cause the company any harm. Moreover you were gone for ten weeks and I handled things around here.” Mrs Perla closed the files so he won’t look at it.

“Mom, I know you are doing a great job here. But I am not talking about this company.” Ian tucked his hands into his pocket.

“Then what are you talking about?” Mrs Perla questioned

“I want to start working on my plans for Ria.” A slow smile crawled on his facial expression.

“Sound determined.” Mrs Perla sighed.

“Always.” Ian turned around and he could see the whole buildings far off right at that spot.