Blind Billionaire Bride

CHICAGO, UNITED STATE OF AMERICA

AT RIA ROBERT APARTMENT

Ria stopped the wheels and accepted the glass of water ma’am Elise offered to her. “Thank you.” She said after drinking from the glass.

“You should get dressed for the meeting. Mr Ian will be here soon.” Ma’am Elise collected the glass from her.

“I know ma’am Elise. Let me just finish up then I will get dressed after.” Ria replied.

“Miss Ria, I can finish up with the dress. Please meeting Mrs Perla Bryant is more important! And remember this is a big deal!” Ma’am Elise enthused.

“You are right.” Ria nodded in agreement.

“So what price will you give to Mrs Perla?” Ma’am Elise asked after she returned from the kitchen.

“I have thought of it but I have not concluded.” Ria answered.

“Listen Miss Ria, I have this feeling that you will make a lot out of this deal.” Ma’am Elise sat at the wheels to continue sewing the dress.

“Yes but at the same time I can’t give Mrs Perla a high price for Ian’s sake. And not only that, I won’t bill more considering the fact that it is a charity work.” Ria cracked her knuckled.

“This is business though but it is not bad to give a discount to a charity work.”

Ria nodded. “Let us just use that word discount… on each child.” She responded.

“And it won’t affect you right?” Ma’am Elise raised an eyebrow.

“It won’t affect me in any way. I did a rough estimation last night and from the pay I will get a form into the fashion school and probably give Ian the rest of the money of set up work place.” Ria answered.

“And you think Mr Ian will accept your money? No, I doubt it. Mr Ian won’t accept it because she already offered to pay for everything.” Ma’am Elise countered.

“I will persuade him to accept it.”

“Okay.” Ma’am Elise wheeled the sewing machine.

“Ma’am Elise.” Ria called.

“Yes.” She looked up from the machine.

“Do you think I can run that large place and still study at the same time?” Ria was doubting if she would be able to attend school and run the work place all at once.

“Yes you can do it. Miss Ria, you can attend school when you have to do it and attend to work when you are less busy from school schedules. It won’t be hard since you have an idea about what you want to learn and not just an idea, I mean.. you can sew and you are pretty good at it. You just want to gain more knowledge about how to run things and know more fashion trending styles!”

“Yeah! You are right! I didn’t even think of it like that! And I think I don’t have to worry about anything since you will be there to oversee things at the workplace while I am in school.” Ria smiled.

“No.” Ma’am Elise disagreed as she itched the back of her neck.

“What’s wrong, ma’am Elise?” Ria furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

“I… I… I don’t think I can run the business on your behalf.” Ma’am Elise stuttered.

“Yes you can run the business on my behalf.” Ria stated.

“No, I don’t think I can do it. Someone else who has enough experience should run it.” Ma’am Elise declined.

Ria moved closer to her. “No one else except you. If I want someone to help me then it would be you. Come on ma’am Elise, you have been with me for years now and it is only you I trust.” She pouted.

Ma’am Elise cheeks flushed pink. “Really?”

“What are you thinking? That I would let someone else run the business while I am away. No I can’t do that! Ma’am Elise is my only trusted companion!” Ria giggled.

“Let see what position you will hold when everything is ready? The manager? The accountant?” Ria said loudly.

“Come on, Miss Ria. You are making me so emotional.” Ma’am Elise laughed.

“Just name it.” Ria stared intently at her.

“I’ll be fine with just handling the supplies of materials.” Ma’am Elise said with a smile.

“And what about being in charge of the workers payroll? Taking stock of dresses? Buying more materials from every part of the world? Handling our online clients?” Ria counted her fingers.

“Can I get to do that too?” Ma’am Elise covered her face with her palms.

“Of course! As a matter of fact, ma’am Elise can do whatever she wants in my company!” Ria giggled.

“As long as I don’t mess things up.” Ma’am Elise added quickly and they busted into laughter.

“Anything for you.” Ria mumbled.

Tears sting in ma’am Elise eyes. “Oh miss Ria… I am so happy for you” She stood up and embraced her.

“Thank you, Miss Elise.” Ria purred into her ears.

A beeping sound interrupted the emotional moment. “I had to set the alarm for your outing.” Ma’am Elise withdrew from the embrace. “You should get dressed before Mr Ian comes.”

“Why on earth did you even set an alarm?” Ria mouthed.

“So you shouldn’t keep him waiting when he arrives.” Ma’am Elise winked.

“Okay. You did well.” Ria threw her hands up in surrender.

Ma’am sat back on the stool. “I will finish up the dress.”

“Thank you, ma’am Elise. I need to take a shower and change my dress too.” Ria grumbled as she walked off to her room.

“In five minutes!” Ma’am Elise said loudly.

Ria took a quick shower then went in search of her clothes which she hung in the closet since last night. She tried it out but saw that it didn’t fit the outing. Again Ria searched for something to wear while trying not to think of Ian as she did.

Why should Ria matter about what Ian might like or what might make her waist look smaller and her rear end look firmest than they were? “It shouldn’t matter to me if Ian will like my outfit.” Ria chanted in her head.

But as Ria stood surveying her choices, she suddenly regretted that her limited budget had left her wardrobe empty. Ria can’t remember when last she had purchased a dress for herself. It was left on the practical side. She ended the thought on a note that nothing was between she and Ian and their relationship was businesslike.

“I don’t need to be overly concerned with what I look like.” Ria mumbled.

Even though Ria didn’t have anything she considered impressive but she won’t be underdressed. “I am meeting the famous Perla Bryant so I should look my best.” So she assumed Jeans was too casual.

In the end, Ria opted in for a pair of black twill slacks and a plain white blouse with a banded collar and she paired it with black flats. She stood in front of the mirror and focused on her reflection. Ria powered her face, added a mascara on her long lashes and blush to her cheeks. All thanks to ma’am Elise, she has been able to learn fast on how to do a simple make up and do her hair.

Ria put a comb through her hair and then bound it up but it still flowed down to her back. She focused onto herself to make sure she was at least presentable. All of a sudden, a part of Ria secretly wished that she was so stunning that it would take Ian’s breath away. But she slapped herself out of it. It was something she shouldn’t be thinking and let alone wishing for.

“Ria, this is strictly business. This is business.” Ria told her reflection much more sternly. Then she turned away from the mirror, grabbed her bag and motioned out of the room.

Ria stopped on track abruptly as soon as she walked into the sitting room. Ian was there with ma’am Elise. When did he come in? She thought.

Ian and Ma’am Elise stopped talking to stare at Ria. Did she apply too much make up on her face? She wondered.

“Hi.” Ian greeted with a smile.

“Hi.” Ria replied shyly.

Ian stood up from the couch and said. “Can we go now?”

Ria replied him a nod while ma’am Elise gave her the paper bag that has the collections in it. “See you later, ma’am Elise.” Ria said before following Ian out of the house.

Ian Bryant was wearing a Khaki slacks and garnet colored polo shirt. He must have changed into this before coming over because it doesn’t look office like. Ria thought. Ian was freshly shaved and the scent of woodsy Cologne wafted from him. Ria tried not to think how much she liked it or how much she had liked that first glimpse of him inside her apartment. But it was all there anyways and just below the surface.

“Ian, I am sorry for keeping you waiting.” Ria said to him as they walked to his car.

Ian opened the door and waited for Ria to enter before saying anything. “It was worth the wait.” He closed the door and made his way to the driver seat.

He started the car and it glided into motion. Ria thought of what to say to start a conversation but nothing occurred to her at the moment.

“Ramsey got someone that will help set up your place. They are actually two people so I planned to meet them tomorrow.” He said.

Ria figured the conversation would be a good way to persuade him to accept what she wants to give in setting up her work place.

“Will I be there with you?” Ria asked.

“No, I will talk to them first and check out their works before introducing them to you.” Ian replied.

“Okay.” Ria mouthed.

“About the equipments you will be needing, do you have a list of machines?” Ian demanded.

“I have some on my list but…” She paused.

Ria is yet to know the rest. There are new inventions already out which she doesn’t know of and this is why she want to attend a fashion school to get to know these things and how to use the newly invented sewing machines.

“I don’t know them all.” She completed.

“You will get it at school right?” Ian asked.

“Yes.”

“So have you found any?”

Ria arched her brows. “Any?” She was confused.

“I mean the fashion institute you want to attend. Do you have any one in mind?” Ian asked.

“Yes.”

“So tell me about it.” Ian requested.

“Rory Thomas institute.” Ria said.

“Is it the best? I want you to attend the best fashion school in the state.” Ian looked at her for a split seconds.

“One of the best and it is not too expensive.” Ria answered.

“How far is it from your house?” He focused on the road ahead.

“It is about an hour drive.” Ria replied.

“What about the workplace? How far is it?” Ian questioned.Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.

“It is closer to my workplace. I think it is about twenty minutes drive.” Ria took out her phone from the bag.

“That’s not bad. So how long will you be in school learning about sewing?” Ian looked at her again.

“At least six months. For now, I won’t be going in for the full course.” Ria stared at the few notes she had written in her note pad.

“Why are you not going for the full course? Is it because you already know about it?” Ian asked.

“Yes. And I don’t want to get stuck between school and work.” Ria replied.

“Okay. I think ma’am Elise can see to the affair of your work place while you are at school.” Ian suggested.

Ria nodded her head in agreement. “We already discussed it.” Her cellphone beeped. It was ma’am Elise.

‘Hello.’

‘Are you there now?’

‘No, we are still on our way.’

‘Okay. I want to get some stuffs from the grocery store. Is there anything you need? So I can buy it.’

Ria itched the bridge of her nose as she recalled that she had made a list last night before going to bed. She had planned to drop by at the mall on her way back but she didn’t even remember to bring the list along.

‘Ma’am Elise, I pinned the list to the board in the kitchen.’

‘Hold on let me check.’

Ma’am Elise was silent for a while.

‘Oh! I have seen it! It is almost the same with mine.’

‘Please don’t add shrimps to the list because of Phoebe.’ Ria reminded her.

‘Oh my goodness! That’s true. I will take it out from my list.’

‘Thank you, ma’am Elise.’

‘You are welcome.’ Then she hang up the call.

Ria looked at Ian whose attention was focused on the road ahead. He didn’t say anything but she felt like they should talk and like have a conversation without her being the topic. But nothing came from her mind so she just let things remain that way.