Ria

Episode 25

THEME: SHE FOUND OUT

?
IAN POV ?
I heard laughter from inside when I got to the entrance. I stepped in. And the way Ria threw her head back in laughter as my mom said something funny..it made me happy to see her this way.

“Oh son!” My mom said
Ria’s vibrant aquamarine blue eyes which had left me mesmerized the moment I’d looked into them after the Surgery sparkle slightly as she looked at me.
“I was telling Ria about our last vacation in Swahili” I nodded
That vacation in Swahili was hilarious and fulfilled. Everyone was present.. Josie’s family,Lauren’s and Piper who came along with her celebrity boyfriend who almost ruined the vacation.
“So have you both decided?”
“Oh yes! My mom exclaimed
She seemed too excited about Ria
“so can we leave?”
“Yes son”
Ria stood up,picking the large paper bag she brought.
“It really nice to meet you ma’am And spend time with you” she said
“I’m more pleased Ria”
“Okay mom..” I kissed her cheeks
The phone on her desk beeped
“That should be madam Charity”
“I’ll see you tomorrow”
She nodded
Ria and I walked out of the office and back to our car
“Thank you” she said when i opened the car door.

I pulled out of the driveway to main road. I was thinking of what to say to her when she said,
“Your mom is nice”
Our gaze met for a second before she looked away.
Yeah I know! My mom is nice! The best mom in the world! And fun to be with but it interesting to hear that from Ria. I mean she likes my mom!
“How was the meeting?”
“Good”
“So did she tell you what sort of dress she wants for the kids?”
“Hmm yeah..just a little touch of creativity and the design will be done”
She brought out a notepad and a pencil
“I made a design for your Mom.. Still a sketch though”
“What about the ones in your collections? She didn’t like it?”
“She liked it”
she said with a smile
“She just want something different”
“Okay”
We lapsed into silence
Ria focused her attention on the notepad
“You’re using left?”
“Huh?”
“I mean you’re holding a pencil with your left hand”
She nodded

“Yes..I’m a left-handed person”
I never knew! Maybe because I haven’t seen her use a pencil up until now
“So what have you put together?”
“You want to see?”
“Of course!” I exclaimed
“It not perfect -”
“It doesn’t have to be perfect for it to look good”
Or for me to like it! Everything about her is just perfect for me!
Ria turned the notepad for me to see the sketching of dress on it.
“We planned to use silk for the dress and lace to make it pretty. But we haven’t decided on what color of silk to use. So For that,your mom is thinking of calling the party planner to know the color of the stage -”
“For it to match the dress”
“Yes”
“The design is pretty. I’m sure the kids will like it”
“You think so?”
“I know so” then she flashed me a bright smile that almost took my breathe away.
“When are you visiting the foundation? Tomorrow?”
“No I will make a sample of the dress first. If your mom and Madam Charity likes it then I will visit the foundation to measure the kids”
“When will you make the sample?”
“I should be able to finish up the design tonight..buy the materials tomorrow. And it should be ready in two days time since I don’t have such work to do”

“Okay. What time will you be leaving to the store?.. so I can come and pick you up”
She was silent
And she said seconds later
“You don’t have to..I’ll just take a taxi”
“Sure about that?” I asked
I don’t want to insist on driving her to the store.. Just for some reasons.
I don’t want her to feel pressured that I want to always be around her.
“Yes”
“Okay” I managed to say
And does that mean I won’t be seeing her tomorrow or the next?
Ah! No! I can’t bear that thought of not seeing her.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
RIA POV ?♀
Ian stopped the car but didn’t pull into the driveway in my home.
“Thanks for the ride” I said when I got out of the car
“You’re welcome”
He said
I expected him to drive away but he didn’t.
Ian just sat in the car staring at me.
I raised an eyebrow at him.
Then Ian nodded
“Yeah.. bye!” He waved and drove off slowly
“Mrs Elsie -” I called when I walked into the house
“Oh you’re back” she sat up on the couch.
Then I noticed the sad expression on her face
“What’s wrong Mrs Elise?” I went to her quickly
“Oh..nothing”
“Something is wrong. You just don’t want to tell me about it”
I settled beside her
“I’m just tired” she said
Something is wrong! Mrs Elise barely complain of tiredness!

“Remember our promise..No secrets”
She stared at me
Her eyes became blurry from tears that threatened to spill anytime soon.
“what happened Mrs Elise?”
I glanced around the house to see if someone had barged I and harm her.
Well that was my first thought!
“Oh Miss Ria -” her voice trailed
“Relax..just tell me about it”
“I..I..met Leo and Abigail at the mall today” she managed to say.

I gasped in shock
“Abigail is carrying his child.. Probably the second or third..and I couldn’t hold it in. I broke down in tears at the mall”
She wiped her cheeks
I have no idea of what to say or how to comfort her.
It must very hard for her to. Seeing her greatest love happy with a friend who betrayed her.
That’s unfair!
Taking what isn’t meant to be yours! Greed!
Just like how Frederick took my father’s inheritance. He’d more than enough but he still wanted the token that belonged to my dad.
“I shouldn’t be like this because of them right?.. I mean i ended things with Leo long ago so I shouldn’t be bothered” she sniffed
Then I pulled her in for a hug.
“It okay Mrs Elise”
“But it good that Leo didn’t see me”
“I don’t know but you have to take him off your mind”
“Yes..yes..yes…Cause he moved on..I should do the same too”
Yes but her case is different! She’s still yet to find love and have children of her own.
“I promise not to think about them again. I swear I’m going to forget everything I saw today.. Miss Ria”
“Yes..you have to Mrs Elise”
Even if it won’t be easy for her to forget..But I know she won’t think about them.
I let her go after she calmed.

Mrs Elise wiped her face and sniffed
“Now look what you’ve done to these babies..you ruined them” I wiped my fingers on her cheeks

“Oh don’t mind me Miss Ria”
I managed to smile
“I shouldn’t let you see this other side of me..but you know that I can Be very emotional at times”

“Yes. And I know that you’re a strong woman too”

And Mr Leo is a jerk and a bad a-s for letting a woman like her go!
If only I could meet him then I would tell him that he lost a precious Jewel!
And I keep praying that Mrs Elise finds true love. A man that will love her deeply!
Well Mrs Elise is not too old to find love! She is still in her Prime.
“Well you’re stronger Miss Ria”
She pinched my cheeks and I giggled
“Now tell me how was your meeting with Mrs Perla?”
“Good it was -”
“Wait..lemme get you something to calm your nerves..cause I’m sure meeting a money figure like Mrs Perla wasn’t an easy task”
“Yes it wasn’t Mrs Elise”
She stood up and went to the kitchen. I pulled off my flats and then arranged the Collections back in their places.
Mrs Elise came back with an orange juice.
“Thank You”
I drank it and dropped the rest on the table.
And I explained everything that happened at the Store

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
IN THE EVENING
IAN MANSION

IAN POV ?
“Welcome home Sir” a maid greeted when I came in

Mr Griffin joined in with a glass of water in a tray
“drink this” I collected it and gulp down the whole glass
“We need to talk” he passed the glass to the maid. She bowed and walked away
“What is it Mr Griffin?”
I bounded up the Curvy stairs leading to my room
“About Miss Ria” I stopped and turned to face him
“Whats about her?”
I opened my bedroom door.
Mr Griffin sighed
“I made a terrible mistake today”
“Terrible mistake? What mistake?”
“I bumped into Mrs Elise at the store today.. So along the line she found out that I’m working for you..as a cook not -”
“what?!” My jaw dropped
“I’m really sorry about it…I had no choice but to explain everything to Mrs Elise”
“So..are you saying Mrs Elise is aware that Cassidy is not your daughter and that i sent you to Ria’s place to know about her” he nodded
“Everything.. I told her the whole plan”
I placed my palms on my face
This can’t be happening!
Now Mrs Elise will see me as a bad person!
“She understands your reason for the plan but I wasn’t able to convince her against telling Mrs Ria”
“She’s going to tell Ria?!”
“Yes..she insisted that Miss Ria deserves to know since Cassidy is pretty close to her now”
I picked my car keys on the bed and stormed out of the room
“Where are you off too?”
Mr Griffin called behind me
“To see Ria!”

I replied before rushing out of the house. I need to see Ria! It better to face her and explain things to her myself!

♦••♦••♦
RIA APARTMENT

RIA POV?♀
“What?!”
I gasped when Mrs Elise said that Mr Griffin is not Cassidy’s father.
We talked about my meeting with Mrs Bryant and how everything is going to work out. The Kids came back from school when Mrs Elise was suggesting additionally style to the design. And then she broke the news of Mr Griffin,Cassidy and Ian’s plans.
“Yes that’s what he told me. Mr Ian did that because he wanted to get close to you. I don’t blame him.. But you know Miss Ria you wouldn’t have let him close to you if Cassidy wasn’t in the picture at first”
Maybe she’s right! But he shouldn’t have done that..
oh well maybe that was the only way! But
I don’t like the idea that he sent Cassidy to obtain information about me.
“And Cassidy actually changed the plans when she realized that it looked like they were deceiving you. So Mr Ian called me to his office and told me straight that he wanted to help”
Mrs Elise said in a calm tone
“Do you understand Miss Ria?”
I shouldn’t try to a make a scene out of it. He did that to help me.
“Yes..I understand why he did it”
“Okay” She sighed
“Mom someone’s car is in the driveway” Phone said as she walk into the room with a glass of milk in her hand. She must have seen the car from the kitchen window.

I exchanged glances with Mrs Elise. Who could it be?

“Do you want me to check?”
“No i will check”
I stood up and went to the pane. It was Ian’s SUV
Why was he here?
“It Ian”
“Mr Griffin must have informed him..go and talk him” she persuaded
I went to the door.
And Ian was almost at the front door so I met him halfway not too far from his car.
He itched the back of his neck as I waited for him to talk. Ian said
“Did Mrs Elise tell you about -”
“Yes” I cuts him off
There is no need for him to tell me..But wait did he come here because of that?
“I came as soon as Mr Griffin said Mrs Elise would tell about my former plans”
Oh yeah! he was here because of that!
But why didn’t he just wait till tomorrow?
“So I think I have some making up to do” he said with a sigh
“You’ve lost me”
“Well I did something bad. I shouldn’t have sent an old man to act but I should have come straight to you. But I only did that because i realized that you don’t want me close. So I want to make for the false plan”
“There’s nothing to make up for.. Business partner have no expectations of make ups… and undivided attention”
“Okay..let’s say I’m making up to me then for acting like a coward”
“And that doesn’t sound businesslike”
Yes! He shouldn’t try to make things up to me!
“It doesn’t… but -” he paused
It really hard to win against him when it comes to him wanting to do something for me!
“Here’s what I was thinking..I need to do some stuffs at the office in the morning but I will be done by 10:00am..so call Me when you’re ready to leave for the store so I can come and pick you up”
I found a smile on his face
“It doesn’t sound businesslike but let me do it anyways”

he said and before I could think about it. I heard myself say
“All right”
In a voice that was barely more than whisper. That made him smile even broader and I got lost in it. In that smile and his presence.. Ian was big,talk and muscular. He came closer.
And what’s he trying to do?
Ian leaned in closely. I stood rooted to the spot.
He was going to kiss me?
I didn’t know how I knew but I did!
But am I going to let him?kiss me?
No! I just made it clear that we are just business partners!
And without doubt..I won’t let him!
“And don’t you even think of taking a taxi” he said as he stepped backward
I snapped out of thought!
I only imagined things! He wasn’t going to kiss me like I thought!
But what if he’d tried to anyways?!
I just stood stunned and a little embarrassed that I thought IAN WAS GOING TO KISS ME!
“Have a good night sleep”
I gave him a slow nod as he walked back to his car
He waved before entering.
I waited for him to drive off before walking back inside

“Settled?” I looked up at Mrs Elise
“Yes. And he wants to make up by driving me to the store”
“So he came all the way from his place just to talk and make up?”
I nodded and I kept wondering why he came rushing here just to explain himself!

♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪

“What do you do when you can’t let go?
What do you say when you just don’t know how you feel?

And you know nobody knows how feel!..”
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