Blind Billionaire Bride

CHICAGO, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

“Ria, meet Chad Efron the detective I told you about.” Ethan introduced.

Detective Chad Efron is brown haired man. His hair was cut in a sassy style and a big chain dangling on his neck. Ria thought that this man really looked too stylish to be a detective. And not only that, she was meeting a detective in a bar and he was even the bar tender. So bar tenders wear chains at work? Everything looked awkward. What’s going on? She mused.

“Nice to meet you-” He paused and stretch out his hand.

“Ria Robert. And it is also nice to meet you.” Ria shook hands with him before she gave Ethan a confused look.

“Oh well…” Detective Chad leaned on the countertop. “You must be wondering why I am dressed this way even as a detective. I am on a mission.” He whispered.

“Oh.” Ria mouthed. No wonder! She relaxed and shook her head in understanding.

“Private mission anyways. Some thugs around here won’t let the customers coming in to enjoy their drinks… and sometimes they go as far as harassing the ladies too.” Detective Chad explained the mission.

“So the owner of the store hired you to catch them?” Ria asked in a low tone too.

Detective Chad nodded. “Yes.” He dropped a glass on the countertop and poured a drink for Ethan. “Want some too?” He asked Ria.

“No. No. I am fine. Thank you.” Ria responded.

“Alright. Let us talk about your case.” Detective Chad said.

“It is about my parents.” Ria looked straight at him.

“Yeah. Ethan told me everything.” Detective Chad started drawing circles with his finger on the countertop. “There is a killer present in Idaho. The one who ordered the killings of your parents and he is your uncle.” His eyes moved in their socket as they survey the bar room.

“You are right. He is my dad’s brother.” Ria replied.

“Blood brothers?” Detective Chad asked.

“Not really. Step brothers actually.” Ria answered.

“Have you met him?” He asked again.

“No, I haven’t met him. But I have met his only son.” Ria replied.

“Perhaps do you know if his son is aware that his father killed your parents?”

“I doubt. I mean, it is obvious he doesn’t know anything. He doesn’t know we are related. And he even offered to supply my store with necessary materials to make dresses. I mean, like a deal.” Ria answered.

“I feel he won’t have done that if he was aware that his father murdered my parents.” Ethan added.

“What if his dad had sent him?” Detective Chad reasoned.

“Well I don’t know if Frederick is aware that I am still alive.” Ria mumbled.

Detective Chad shook his head. “Let us think about it this way, what if Frederick has seen you on television or news through one of your interviews done during the launching of your store?”

Ria exchanged glances with Ethan. “I don’t know. I don’t know what to think at this moment. Frederick doesn’t know me. I mean, I am not sure he met me when I was still with my parents.”

Ria was sure that they haven’t met and Frederick never came to their house in Idaho.

“Good. What if he senses some resemblance to your parents? Maybe your dad or mom?” Detective Chad asked.

“She looks more like her mom. I was able to recognize her too because her mom’s face is engraved in my mind’s eye.” Ethan said.

Ria was silent. Could it be that Frederick now knows that she is alive? She bantered within.

“Have you noticed anyone following you around?” Detective Chad smacked his lips.

“No.” Ria cringed at the thought of it.

“At your store? Like someone coming to act like a customer under disguise.” Detective Chad said.

“My workers would have informed me if there was such -”

Detective Chad interrupted her. “What I am trying to say is that… there is a possibility that Frederick is aware that you are alive.”

Ria heart beats rapidly at the thought that Frederick might come after her again.

“Don’t panic.” Ethan reached out to hold her shaky hands on her laps when he noticed it.

“I will be traveling down to Idaho to gather some information and for now we have to work undercover.” Detective Chad said.

“What do you need?” Ria asked.

“Don’t be concerned about what I need. It should be what kind of people we will be needing to put Frederick Robert behind bars. We need…” He paused as his keen eyes looked around the room.

And he continued after some seconds. “An attorney and someone who was involved in the case eight years ago.” He completed.

“Getting an attorney isn’t a problem but -”

“A detective.” Detective Chad cuts in. “I mean, the detective that was in charge of the case and a good attorney who will file in for reinvestigation while I work in Idaho.”

“I don’t know the detective who was in charge of my parents case.” Ria looked at Ethan.

“Ethan, can I get his information?”

“Yes… But I don’t know if he still lives in Idaho.” Ethan replied.

“I will find him. I have a few connections in Idaho that can help us.” Detective Chad passed a small notepad to Ethan.

“And the name of that witness.” Detective Chad added.

“Okay.” Ethan jolted the names down in the notepad and gave it back to him.

“Do you know if any of MML gang survived?” Chad asked again.

“I don’t know much about what happened after the last operation.” Tears clouded her vision.

Detective Chad stared at her. “Tell me the names you can remember.”

“Why?”

“One of them might be alive… probably in jail or confined in a mental home.” Detective Chad answered.

“I only know that three members died in the last operation.”

Detective Chad passed the notepad to her. “Write down their names and anything you know about the gang.”

Ria doubted it if anyone of the MML Gang was still alive. Lucas and two others died, probably Speedy or Kelly. She doesn’t know. But she wrote down the names of the MML Gang. Five in number. A notorious gang of five.

“I will call you anytime I need any information.” Detective Chad took the notepad and slipped it back in his pocket.

Ethan stood up and he helped Ria down from the high stool. “Thank you very much, Chad.”

“Anytime.” Detective Chad waved them goodbye.

Then Ethan and Ria walked out of the building. “We didn’t discuss the payment.” Ria said to Ethan when he drove out of the driveway to the road.

“Don’t worry about the payment, I will handle it.” Ethan replied.

“What about his feeding, flight to Idaho and accommodation and-”

“Relax Ria, everything has been taken care of by me. You don’t need to worry.” Ethan interrupted her.

“How much? Ethan, I don’t want-”

“Let me be the one to worry about the expenses this time.” Ethan cuts in sharply.

Ria phone beeped. It was Ian but she didn’t make an attempt to pick the call.

“Won’t you pick up your call?”

“It is Ian.” Ria rubbed her forehead.

She doesn’t want to lie to Ian about her whereabouts. And at the same time, she knows Ian won’t be happy if she tells him that she is with Ethan. It is so obvious that Ian doesn’t like Ethan. Ria has noticed that Ian gets mad each time she tells him Ethan dropped by at the store to see her.Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

The phone stopped ringing the second time. Things would have been different if Ian knew about her past.

“Is he threatening you in some way?” Ethan asked

Ria looked at him immediately. “No. And why do you think Ian would do such a thing to me?”

Ethan stole a glance at her. “He seems very odd to me. I mean, like Ian doesn’t want me around you. And for you, I also noticed that you don’t want me to be at the store whenever Ian is around too.” He answered.

“You are mistaken, Ethan.” Ria mumbled. Maybe he is right!

“Can I ask you a question?”

Ria shook her head. “Is Ian your boyfriend?”

“No. Not yet.” Ria muttered.

“Not yet?” Ethan figured there might be a possibility that Ria wanted a relationship with Ian but her past was holding her back. “Well Ria, I understand that you are still trying to get over what Lucas did to you. But what if the right guy came along would you let him into your life? Like will you let yourself love him?”

Is Ria mistaken or was there a note of jealousy in his tone?

“Yes.” She answered honestly. “If the right guy came along, I will let myself love him.” Ria completed.

“So what would make him the right guy?” Ethan asked.

Ria thought about her right guy and the image of Ian came to her mind’s eye. “He would have to be down to earth, considerate, kind, level headed, ethical, honest, fun to be with, unselfish and compassionate.” She stated.

“That’s sounds perfect to me.” Ethan chuckled lightly.

“Not really.”

“So if you find mr perfect perfect, you would definitely marry him?” He asked.

“Yes. I would consider letting him into my life.” Ria nodded.

“Well… it is good to hear that from you after everything Lucas did to you. At least you have a picture of a man in your heart.” Ethan heaved a low sigh.

Ian made Ria change her mind. He changed her perspective about men. He was able to make her accept that all men are different. Ian Bryant’s nice and kind nature towards Ria made her change her perspective about men. And along the line, she has realized that she doesn’t tremble anymore around men. Ria wondered if she would have accepted Ethan again if it was during that time she was terrified of being touched by a man.

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

AT LINT CORPORATION

Drake made it to Lint Corporation before 8:30 p. m and Ian signed the deal. He was extremely happy that Ian signed the deal. But Drake was taken aback when Ian asked him to sign a promissory note.

The note entailed that he would never go near Ria or even try to make a deal with her. He was taken aback when Ian insisted that he should sign the note. It wasn’t hard for Drake to figure that Ian meant business and he was being too possessive of Ria Robert.

Drake could tell that Ian was deeply in love with Ria Robert. For Ian Bryant to let go of a certain percentage in the deal just to make him stay away from Ria.

In the end, Drake signed it. There was no need to be around Ria Robert since Ian was deeply involved with her and he also got the deal signed. And Drake wasn’t ready to lose his business partner because of a woman.

“Come in.” Ian said when he heard a knock on his door.

Ramsey walked in. “Excuse me sir, a file was sent to you.”

“Check it.” Ian said without looking up at his personal assistant.

“It is from an unknown source. And it says that you should be the one to check it. It was sent personally to you.” Ramsey completed.

“Not business?” Ian asked.

“It doesn’t look business like.” Ramsey replied.

“Let me have it.” Ian said.

Ramsey handed him the tablet. “You can go.” Ian said to Ramsey.

“Okay sir.” Ramsey bowed a bit before exiting the office.

Ian clicked and opened the folder. And it wasn’t what he expected it to be.

“What the hell?!” He said in tight whisper after checking out the file.

Bile welled up in his throat. All the excitement he had felt after Drake signed the promissory note was all gone as if it had never been. He tossed the tablet on his desk, his pain so acute and he was afraid he could stop breathing soon. But he only kept on breathing.

Ian took the tablet and transferred the file to his phone. He got out of the chair and rushed out of the office. He called to Ramsey that he was heading out.

Then he headed out towards his car gripping the keys tightly that they almost cut into his palms. He drove out of the garage and hit the main road.

It shocked him to know that it was all a lie! She was a lie! And even though he had never had her, his anger at what she hid from him stirred deeply. Keeping it to herself was unacceptable. He gripped the steering tightly when he called her number and she didn’t pick up. He has been trying to call her before now but she didn’t answer his calls. It made him furious.