Ria Episode 37

♠ RIA ♠
EPISODE • 37
THEME:MR RESPONSIBILITY! ?
°°°°TWO DAYS LATER°°°
•••••RIA APARTMENT•••••
RIA POV ?‍♀
I lay down on the couch staring at the ceilings above
“Now tell me what’s going on in that mind of yours?”
Mrs Elise said as she walked into the room from the kitchen.
“Nothing”
“Nothing..or you don’t want to tell me about it?”
“I don’t know”
“Then lemme guess.. You’re thinking about Frederick. The perfect plan to destroy him”
Yeah! Perfect plan to destroy him!
“So..you still wanna leave Mr Ian out of this?”
“Yes..and I’m not changing my mind”
I sat up and was almost leaving to my room when I heard my ringtone. I walked back to the table. It was Ian!
“Hello”
“Hi Ria” he greeted
“Are you busy?” He asked and I looked back at Mrs Elise
“Not really”
“Yes or No”
“No”
“Good..Ben is on his way to bring you somewhere”
My forehead creased
“Where?”
“We need to talk Ria”
“Okay”
“I’ll be waiting”
“All right”
The line dropped
I frowned at Mrs Elise
“Did you tell Ian?”
I asked sternly
“About what?”
“My past”
“No..you made it clear that you don’t want him to know. So I don’t have any right to tell him about it”
Then I relaxed
“Okay..I’ll just go ahead and change my clothes”
“I promised to visit Loretta at her sister’s place whenever I’m less busy..so I will take the time now to see her” she said
“All right”
“Bye” she made her way to the door

AUTHOR POV ??
The driver pulled up in front of an enormous steel gate. He pressed the car horn and the gate opened slowly at it will. Ria wondered where she was as she could hardly believe her eyes when the car drove into the compound. There was a medium sized house in it,with a beautiful garden which had a fountain at the center. Ben parked the car in the small garage.
“Mr Ian is waiting”
She gave him a short nod
She had tried getting Ben to tell her what was going on? And where they’re headed but Ben couldn’t say much.
He said that Ian asked him to drive her to where he was..nothing more.
Ria came out of the car and moved to the front door. She pressed the doorbell.
Ian opened up with a bright smile on his face
“Hi” she greeted
“Come in”
He stepped aside for her to walk into the house.
Ria concluded that Ian had invited her to his house…where he lives!
The house was neat and nicely furnished with modern interior designs to maintain a standard home.
It was a luxury!
A white marble floor,beautiful blue couches and table with a complete set of home appliances in a living room.
Ian waited for Ria to stop glancing around before he said
“How are you?”
“Fine..and Nice apartment you’ve gat here”
He shook his head
“I don’t live here”
Ian tucked his hands in his pocket
Ria raised a brow
“What’s going on?”
“Ahmm..this is your new place”
“What?!” Her jaw dropped and eyes widened in shock and surprise
“Since your place is far from the shop and school so i put things together here. It easier to get to those places from here” he said
Ria was stunned
He waited for a response which never came from her until he said,
“I’ll be right back..you can check out the place”
He walked out of the house. Ian felt that a Moment without him there with her will bring Ria back to reality.
He went to Ben to get the car keys from him.
Ria took a step forward
It was hard to hide her surprised look
Ian put up this place for her?!
And slowly she made her way to other parts of the house. It was a three bedroom apartment.
The master bedroom was breathtaking! It had a king sized brass bed with an ornate scroll design in the headboard and footboard,as well as four tall posts that almost reached up to hold a fringed canopy. The mattress was covered in a hand stitched county quilt and stacked with four fluffy pillows covered in fur. It matched different patterns in the quilt. There was a drawer next to the bed and matching dressing table plus a fainting couch and two overstuffed chairs.
Ria motioned towards the bathroom and as she did, she couldn’t help marveling yet again at the room itself and the bathroom connected to it. The bathroom was a study in luxury,with a navy blue marble floor,countertop shower stall wainscoting halfway up the walls. It also had a sunken tub with a whirlpool. She could switch on at the touch of a button,and an octagonal stained glass window on the wall behind it.
Ria wondered about Ian. He was offering so much. And it means the world to her that he was willing to do so,not that she expected anything different from him? Considering everything she’d learned about him. But she was refusing to add to the burdens already in his life.
Cause Ria never expected someone else to deal with her problems.
But Ian was always there anyways.
“Ria” she heard his voice
And she quickly wipe the tear that strayed down her right cheek.
The door opened and Ian popped his head in
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes..yes”
Ian studied her for a second.
He stepped in and went to her.
“What’s wrong?”
He tilted her face so she could look straight into his eyes but Ria avoided his gaze
“Nothing is wrong..Ian I’m -“
“Tell me do you want me to fix something in here for you? Just name it”
“No..no Ian everything is fine. And thanks for your concern”
Ian shook his head impatiently. His voice low and gentle
“It isn’t just concern Ria. I care for you”
Ria had to make an effort to keep her jaw for dropping.
Ian care for her!
It couldn’t be!
And what was that tone With the way he said it?
He tugged her into his arms to hold her tightly as he whispered into her hair.
“I care for you Ria. And seeing you like this..with those tears you trying to hide…Well its tearing me apart to see you hurting this way. And I wouldn’t mind if you tell me what’s going on In your mind. Whatever it is we can talk about it”
He waited for her to say just one word.
She clung to him!
And with Mrs Elise words ringing hard in her mind.. Ria fought that urge to cry and tell him everything.
She snuggled closer.
She couldn’t tell him!
Ian can’t know about it!
Things would change between them….drastically.. if he knows about it!
He would reject her! Ria was sure of it. He would leave if he knew who she was when she was with Lucas!
Any man would leave!
And she wasn’t ready to lose him,not now that she was beginning to accept her feelings for him. She couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing him again!
So it best to keep him out of it. He shouldn’t know about her past or plans of Revenge!
“Ian..I’m…just Happy” she managed to say
Ian let her go.
“Happy about this place?”
“Yes..and everything”
She replied with a half smile
“Then I’m happy with the choice I’ve made -” he paused
“You like it?” She nodded
That made Ian smile
“Why didn’t you tell about it?”
She pouted
“I wanted it to be a surprise”
“And I must say that I’m surprised”
Ian chuckled
“So…have you checked the other rooms?”
“Yes”
“One for the kids and the other for Mrs Elise. I just thought that she might want to move in with you..and that would save her from paying bills from what you pay her”
“Yeah you’re right but I doubt if Mrs Elise will agree to move in with us”
Ian held out his hands and she took it
“Why?”
He asked as they made their way back to the sitting room
“I’ve persuaded her to move in with us once but she refused”
“And she didn’t give you any specific reason?”
“It best known to her”
She sank onto the couch, Ian settled beside her.
“There are many issues we have to discuss” He said
“So let’s start with what happened at the party”
Ria rubbed her palms together
“I understand that you want things on Business Level and I’m not going to push you hard on that. And like I said -“
He stopped
There was a new glint of determination in his eyes that made Ria a little nervous
“I care for you.. and I meant it”
“Ian -“
He caught her hands in his
“Sh..listen – I know I have a reputation for being Mr Responsibility. And I’ll admit, my obligation have scared off a few women In the past. And about Valerisa -” he sighed
“I met her at the party last year. We did spend the night together..and some other times too but she wanted something more than just spending time together. And The thing was i was never willing to make any drastic Change with the women I’ve dated. I’ve wanted a family of my own..but I only intended to wait until I found the right person” he stopped still looking at her.
He was waiting for her!
He was certain if his feelings but telling her about it would scare her away.
And he wasn’t ready to push her too hard.
He doesn’t have to make the big decision now.
There was still enough time.
And there would still get to that stage in the business relationship.
His reason for explaining how he was to Valerisa,his past with women and the mention of wanting a family made her hand jerk.
Ian squeezed her hand more tightly as he continued.
“I’m sorry it’d seemed like Valerisa and I were a big thing or that it looked like I used you to make her stay way”
Ria gave a short nod
And he expected her to tell him about herself too..her past. But he waved it off after a long moment of silence between them.
“You can start packing the things at your place. I already arranged a truck that will move your belongings down here”
“Okay”
“How long will it take to pack up your stuffs?..so I can give the truck company a specific date”
“We don’t have much things to pack..just clothes,the machines and the stuffs in the kitchen”
“A day or two?”
“Yes”
“Then let’s kill two birds with one stone. The designers said that the place will be ready in two days time..so we can move the machines and some other things before bringing your loads down here..or what do you think?”
“It a good idea but will the truck driver agree to it?”
“I’ll talk to him about it. If he agree to stop at the shop first before driving down here”
“If they say no then We’ll have to pay extra”
“We’ll still have to pay extra if we move on different days”
“Isn’t that -“
“Too much?” He completed her intended statement
“I can handle it” he said
Ian stared at her in silence
“I’m starting school next week”
“Really?” She nodded
“That’s -” the beeping sound from his phone interrupted him
“Excuse me”
He let go of her hands and reached for the phone in his pocket.
“What’s up Ramsey?”
“I’m at the printing house Sir”
“Is the work ready?”
“Yes i have the invitation cards and business cards”
“Okay”
“Should I take it down to the office?”
“Bring it to Ria’s House”
“Okay Sir” Ramsey hang up
“The cards are ready” he stood up from the couch
The invitation Cards was meant for the Launching of “Ria Robert Couture” and a new business card. Ian planned to launch her business and give out the card to some of his business associates and staffs. Mrs Perla is the Party Planner and she offered to give the cards to customers patronizing her store.
The launch is in Two Weeks time!
“Let’s go Ria, Ramsey is on his way to your house”
“Okay” she stood up and followed him
“You haven’t given me any update on those dresses you’re making for that day”
He opened the car door for her to go in.
“And moreover have they supplied those materials I ordered?”
“No until tomorrow. We’ll start working as soon as they supply us”
“Okay”
He drove out.
Ria filled him in about the dresses.
???
Love doctor on the move!
Don’t miss the next episode!