CHICAGO, UNITED STATE OF AMERICA


    AT THE BRYANT MANSION


    Ian turned the SUV off the main road onto the private driveway. The driveway in his family home was lined on both sides by red oak trees. He came out of the car and made his way to the main entrance. Mrs Pe Bryant had requested her son’s presence for some important issues. Ian wondered what the issue might be that they can’t talk about it on phone.


    Ian sniffed. “Wait up, maybe Lorna called already to inform my mom about what happened at the office. I hope they don’t believe that I am also sleeping with Grace.” On stepping into the house Ian was met by several gazes. “Family meeting I guess?” He mumbled because everyone was present in the big living room.


    “Son.” Mrs Pe met her son halfway and kissed his cheeks.


    “How are you mom?”


    “I am doing fine.” They exchanged pleasantries.


    “Ma’am, the food is ready.” A maid announced with her head bowed slightly.


    “Oh! We’ll be right there, Lea.” Mrs Pe replied with a smile.


    “Let us all move to the dinning table.” She said again and the rest of the family stood up and did their mom instructed.


    “What’s the emergency?” Ian whispered to his mom.


    Mrs Pe shook her head slowly. “Listen son, whatever we discuss today I want you to know that I will always support you in whatever decision you make. Okay?”


    Ian managed to nod his head even though her sentence didn’t give him the right answer to his question. They all settled at the dinning and waited for the maids to serve the food. Ian sat next to Josie, while Lauren sat next to Piper on the other side that they sat facing themselves and Mr and Mrs Bryant sat at the far ends.


    They all ate in silence for some minutes until Mr Jack cleared his throat. “Ian.” He called.


    “Yes dad.” Ian looked up straight at his father.


    “What happened between you and Lorna?” Mr Jack demanded.


    “She called you?” Ian instinct was right. This meeting was because of Lorna.


    “No Simmons called me.” Mr Jack replied.


    “Good.” Ian dropped his spoon.


    “Are you truly having an affair with your secretary?” Mr Jack asked out of blues.


    The champagne in Piper mouth sputtered out messing the whole table. “Damn it! I am so sorry.” Her eyes widened slightly showing her surprise. Then after Piper settled she began tough.


    Lauren and Josie stared at Ian in disbelief. The maids came around the table to clean up Piper’s mess. Ian didn’t respond until they were done packing the whole dishes.


    “Tell us kiddo, is that true? No.. wait.. are you having an affair with your secretary?” Piper asked giving Ian a disgusting look.


    “And do you think I can do that?” Ian asked no one in particr.


    “I know you can’t do such a thing. Sleeping with your employees is not your thing. I told your dad that Lorna was mistaken.” Mrs Pe answered.


    “But he didn’t deny it.” Mr Jack said in a deep voice.


    “Yes, I didn’t deny it because I wanted to put Lorna in her ce.” Ian countered.


    “By epting such nonsense!” Mr Jack barked.


    “I know it was wrong but that was the only way. Lorna thinks she is above any orders. Not only that, she came into my office and even beat up my secretary.” Ian stated a clear exnation of what happened at office.


    “Really?! Lorna did all that to Grace?!” Mr Jack arched his eyebrows.


    “Yes.” Ian nodded.


    “But Simmons didn’t mention anything like that to me.” Mr Jack cleared his throat.


    “She pped Grace and threatened some workers when they wanted to save her. Lorna caused such a serious fuss because Grace didn’t let her into my office.” Ian frowned.


    “You gave the order right?” Mrs Pe asked.


    “Yes mom. I was too busy so I instructed Grace no to let anyone into my office until I am done.” Ian answered.


    “Can you hear that Jack? I told you she must be at fault! Why is it so hard for Lorna to follow simple orders? That girls acts like she runs the world.” Mrs Pe hissed out.


    “Come on kiddo, I feel you should have left the task and attend to your wife to be.” Piper teased her brother.


    “Piper!” Mrs Pe screamed at her daughter.


    “What is it mom? Am I wrong? No I am not wrong! Lorna is Ian’s wife to be so he should have all the time to tend to her.” Piper retorted.


    “Says who? Who told you that I am going to get married to her?” Ian groaned.


    “Are you asking me? Listen kiddo, dad already stamped your marriage to Lorna Simmons. You are getting married to her so stop wasting time and take your bride to the altar.” Piperughed.


    Ian clenched her fist under the table. Piper knows that the only thing that can piss Ian off is teasing him about the arranged marriage with Lorna Simmons. But this time, he won’t let her get away with the teasing game.


    “You are talking about me getting married, so what about you big sis?” Ian snorted.


    “Don’t turn the table on me.” Piper pointed at him.


    “Won’t you get married? Let us see ording to what I heard, two of your friends got marriedst month but you are almost hitting thirty and you are still home alone.” Ian smirked. He knows that Piper hates having marriage discussion with the family.


    “Well I have a boyfriend.” Piper shrugged.


    “I see. You have a boyfriend and not even a fiancé.” Ian managed tough just to hurt her with his words.


    Piper didn’t say a word. “Well I am not surprised because that’s what you are good at. Having series of boyfriends but failing at bringing in properpany reports.” Ian gritted.


    “Ian.” Josie ced her hand on hisps to caution. “That’s enough.” Shemanded.


    “Alright.” Ian mumbled.


    “What’s the score? 1-1 is it? But you are not going to beat me.” Piper snorted. Everyone knows Piper derives pleasure in teasing her younger brother.


    “Piper.” Lauren called at her but she didn’t stop.


    “Listen Ian, at least my current boyfriend is a notable person in the state. I mean, he is better off than a blind one.” Piperughed out loud. A wicked one.


    A blind one? Where did she get that from? “Blind one?” Ian repeated. He wondered how Piper found out about the blind one.


    Ian looked up again and saw no evident of surprise on their faces. They all know about Ria. “So what’s the score now?” Piper asked but she got no response from anyone. “Ding! Ding! Ding! I won!” Piper tapped the table.


    “So childish.” Lauren rolled her eyes.


    Piper passed her cellphone to her brother. “Caught in the act.” She gave him a wink.


    Ian saw a picture of he and Ria at the hospital. It was just their back view and from the outfits the pictures was taken two days ago. He swiped and saw four additional pictures.


    “How long have you been spying on me, Piper?” Ian asked.


    “No, I didn’t spy on you. I just saw you with her. Come on kiddo, don’t give me that look. I should have called you when I saw you at the hospital with the blinddy but I did ‘t want to disturb your sweet moment with her so I just took pictures instead.” Piper recounted.


    “Who is she son?” Mrs Pe asked. She expected that if her son was seeing anyone he would tell her about it even before anyone in the family finds out about it.


    Ian pondered on what he should say to them? How would he exin things now? In a way that they would all understand him. He didn’t think that they would find out about Ria this soon.


    “Remember what I told you son.” Mrs Pe said.


    “Her name is Ria.” Ian said in a low tone.


    “And she is blind?” Josie asked.


    Ian gave a short nod. “So what were you doing with a blinddy at Ainsley hospital?” Mr Jack demanded.


    Ian hated the look on his father’s face. He didn’t know what to say but he managed to spill out a sentence. “She is my new investment.”


    Piper pped her hands but was soon silenced by a re from her mother. “What do you mean son?”


    Ian cleared his throat. “I.. I want to partner with Ria.”


    “Partner?” They gasped out with confused looks on their face.


    “You want to partner with a blinddy?” Mr Jack asked with a deep frown on his face.


    “Yes. Listen, Ria is not just a blinddy.” Ian muttered.


    “Then what is she?”


    “Who is she?”


    “How on earth did you meet a blinddy?” These are the handful of questions he got from his family.


    “Ria is a seamstress.”  Ian said.


    “What?!”


    “How is that even possible?” Josie raised an eyebrow at him.


    “Wait up Ian, is she the same seamstress that made Cassidy’s dress?” Lauren asked.


    “Yes.” Ian sighed. He was d that he had at least mentioned Ria to someone in the family.


    “Unbelievable.” Lauren gasped in shock.


    Ian had sent Cassidy to Lauren’s ce when she insisted that she wanted to make a dress for Cassidy too. Ian instructed Cassidy to go with the dress Ria made for her to convince Lauren that the seamstress was good. Although leaving the details that Ria was blind because Ian knew Lauren might not want to make that dress from her. Fortunately, Lauren had liked the dress Ria made and even promised to make one for her child Mia. That was Ian’s main n even before ma’am Elise helped out by cooperating with him.


    “Just a seamstress.” Mr Jack chuckled.


    “Listen dad, Ria is not just a blinddy but she makes dresses.” Ian pointed out. He was trying to create a good impression of Ria to his family.


    “You shouldn’t partner with irrelevant people.” Mr Jack spat.


    Anger wailed up within Ian and he stood up from the chair. He can’t sit back and watch his father talk down about Ria. Ian saw no point in telling his father anything about Ria or even his mapped out ns for her since he regarded her as a nobody because she is blind.


    “I am out of here.” Ria is an extraordinary being that he would like to bet his life on and also do all it takes to make things work out for her.


    “Son.” Mrs Pe called out to him.


    Ian stopped beside his father’s chair on his way out. “Ria is relevant. I’ll prove it to you.” His voice was stern.


    “Son.” Mrs Pe called.


    “Ria is relevant.” Ian chanted in his mind as he walked away and out of the house to the driveway.


    Mrs Pe followed her son immediately. “Ian!”


    He was almost at the car when he saw his moming after him. “Ian.. wait up!”


    Ian stopped and waited for her to meet up with him. “Mom, I am not changing about Ria.”


    Mrs Pe heaved a sigh. “Yes. Yes. Yes I know. Look son, I am not here to change your mind. So let us talk.”


    They entered the car and settled in it. Ian waited for his mom to start the conversation but she didn’t say anything for a few seconds.


    “Tell me about thisdy named Ria. Ian, I know you never go after something that is irrelevant. You have partnered with great people, ones with good dreams, those who believe in hard work and that has made you a good CEO.”  Mrs Pe locked hands with her son as she waited for him to say something.


    “I want to know about this blinddy too.” She added.


    Ian sighed before telling his mom about Ria, her damaged sight and their ns to travel to China for the surgery. Mrs Pe listened without any interruptions and that’s the more reason why Ian loves his mom. She has always been there to support and listen to him even if the whole world is against him.


    “I should have told you about it but I didn’t know how you would feel about it.” Ian ended the story of the blinddy.


    “I understand.” Mrs Pe wasn’t mad at her son for nning to leave the country without informing her..


    “So, the medical bills has been settled right?” Mrs Pe asked.


    “Yes mom. I already called my bank manager to get the transaction done but-” Ian stopped.


    “But what?”


    “Ria wants to refund all the money I will spend on the trip to China.” Ianpleted his intended statement.


    “Why?” Mrs Pe furrowed her eyebrows.


    “Mom, I am not sure about the reason.” Ian sighed.


    “Then let her refund it if she wants to do it.” Mrs Pe shrugged.


    “No, it is a whole lot of money.” Ian countered.


    “I know. Listen Ian, some people don’t like to be indebted to others. So you have to do what she want.” Mrs Pe’s voice was so calm.


    “I don’t want her to refund it.” Ian said.


    “Then do something about it. Come up with a n that she won’t be able to reject it.” Mrs Pe suggested.


    “Yeah. You are right mom.” Ian shook his head.


    “So what about partnering with Ria?” Mrs Pe asked.


    “Nothing much. I haven’te up with the best idea. Just a vision of erging her sewing business once she regains her sight.” Ian answered.


    “And you think Ria will allow you do that for her?” Mrs Pe gave his hand a small squeeze.


    “Actually she won’t allow it. So I will create a contract of partnering with her. I’ll get the necessary things for the sewing business and we strike a deal afterwards. The textilepany can always supply her with quality materials. Does that sound like partnership?” Ian thought he was bbing.


    “Yes, it is a good idea. I am sure with the contract Ria won’t be able to turn you down.” Mrs Pe smiled heartily.


    “Well I hope so.” Ian mumbled.


    “Oh Ian, tell me the truth. Is this whole thing just about partnership and investing in her business or you feel something for her?” Mrs Pe winked.


    “Oh mom! There you go again.”


    “Always.” They chuckled.


    “You know mom, the same thought has been going through my mind since the time I left the park…” Ian stopped to reminisce about that day.


    “So you like her?” Mrs Pe asked.


    “Yes mom. No! Please don’t get me wrong. I am not doing all these things to win her heart. I just want to help her.. sincerely.” Ian rushed out his words.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Mrs Pe sighed. “What about Lorna?”


    Ian rolled his eyes. “I don’t love her mom. I never even liked her in such a way that makes my heart beat so fast. We are just friends and I told Lorna about it on her 18th birthday that nothing can work between us.”


    “I knew it. Look, you don’t have to worry about Lorna or your dad anymore. I will make sure that he doesn’t pressure you about getting married to Lorna.” She assured her son with a smile.


    “You will do that for me?” Ian screwed up his face.


    “Of course! Now that I know you love someone!” Mrs Pe enthused.


    Ian hugged his mom immediately. “Thank you, mom! You are the best!” He kissed her forehead before letting her go.


    “Don’t worry, I will help at thepany while you are in China. I will visit the office from time to time and make sure that the necessary files are sent to your system.” Mrs Pe kissed the back of their locked hands again.


    “Thank you, mom.” Ian smiled.


    “Anything for you. And have fun with your new investment.” Mrs Pe winked and Ian giggled like a child.