Blind Billionaire Bride

BEIJING, CHINA

BEIKE EYE CENTRE: IN A PRIVATE WARD

Ria was moved into a private ward that would enable Ian stay in the same room with her. A white band was over her eyes. When Ian asked about it, Doctor Lui stated that it was to keep germs away from her eyes so it won’t affect the healing of the stem cells.

“Ria, can you hear me?” Ian sat on a chair close to the bed. Ria nodded her head in response.

“How are you feeling?” He asked again.

“Sleepy.” Ria replied in a low tone.

Ian held her right hand in his hands. “Ma’am Elise called while you were still in the operating ward. She asked how you are doing and I told her everything.”

“How is Phoebe and Phoenix?” Ria demanded.

“They are doing okay. You should try get some rest.” Ian stood up and covered her body properly.

“Ian, did you wait outside the operating room the whole time?” Ria asked.

“Yes.” Ian replied.

Ria sighed. “You should rest too.” She whispered.

*********

It has been four weeks since the eye surgery was done but Ria was still yet to see. Doctor Lui assured Ian and Ria that everything was fine. He stated that stem cells treatment takes at least six to eight weeks or more to heal the patients eyes completely and results also shows that Ria’s eyes were getting better.

“Do you need anything?” Ian asked Ria as he filled the chair next to the bed.

“No, I am fine.” Ria replied.

Ian Bryant was just coming back from a meeting with an investor. Ian had to see the Chinese businessman because he had promised to visit him anytime he is in China.

“Aren’t you hungry? The nurse in charge called me over the phone and said you haven’t eaten since morning. So I bought food from the hotel restaurant.” Ian stood up to set out the utensils necessary for her to have a meal.

“I am not hungry.” Ria mumbled.

Ian sat next to at the edge of the bed and placed a spoon in her hand. Ria dropped the spoon. “I am not hungry.” She repeated.

“If you are not going to feed yourself then I am going to have to feed you myself.” Ian paused waiting for a reaction from Ria but she ignored his words and stared into space.

“Come on, Ria.” Ian held a spoonful of food right in her mouth. “Open up.” He prompted but she turned her head away to the side.

“You have to eat. Please Ria.” Ian didn’t give up so he brought the spoon closely to her lips

“I am not hungry!” Ria said in an unusually raised tone.

Ian concluded that it must be the mood swing attached to the conditioning treatment. He dropped the spoon and packed the food back in the boxes. “What’s the problem?” He asked calmly.

“Nothing.” Ria replied sharply.

Ian breathed out as he tucked his hand into the pockets. “Are you doubting the surgery?” He demanded and Ria froze immediately. He got the response to the question from her reaction. Ria is refusing to eat because she was yet to gain her sight!

“Listen Ria, we still have about four more weeks and anything could happen even before that time. So-”

Ria interrupted him. “What.. what if.. it doesn’t work? What if I can’t see the-” Her voice trailed off.

Ian took her small hands in his large ones. “It will work Ria. We have to believe. The treatment only needs time to heal your eyes completely. This is going to work out. You will be able see! I am sure that you are going to see soon. Remember Doctor Lui also said the result shows that your eyes are getting better.” He reassured her with his soothing words until she calmed down.

******

FIVE WEEKS LATERConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

The room was silent except for the constant beeping of a device that Ria couldn’t make out. Ria shifted on the bed as she regained consciousness slowly. She opened her eyes and was welcomed by darkness again. Ria heard a voice in the room which she recognized to be Ian’s. He was talking to someone over the phone.

Slowly everything became so blurry to her and it was as if she could see rays of light through the white band on her eyes. Ria reached the knot behind her head and it came off.

At first, Ria thought she was imagining things in her head in probably in a dream land. So she blinked rapidly and repeatedly until everything became so clear! She was in a room painted in white.

“Unbelievable! I can see?” Ria said within still not believing that her vision was clear.

Her eyes lingered to the window where she saw a well built man dressed in a faded jeans and top she couldn’t decipher and she sat up immediately. Ria’s mind was blank like a piece of white paper that doesn’t have any words written on it.

Ria glanced around the room once again to be sure if she was seeing things with her eyes. “I can see.” She mumbled.

“You are up?”

Ria turned towards the direction of where the voice came from. Ian walked closer to the bed. She could recognized Ian by his voice but it seems he didn’t notice that she could see him.

“Are you feeling better today?” Ian asked me as he took her hand in his hand.

Ria’s lips remained silent. She doesn’t even know what to say at the sight of him. “I can see him! I finally got the chance to see him!” She bantered internally.

This guy sitting right in front of her was the one who helped her. Ria had wondered what he looked like and now she could see him. He was here for her, he took care of her, fed me and encouraged her never to give up.

In the passed few weeks, she had ruined his expensive wears with vomits, yelled at him for being too persistent and he never complained or feel irritated. During the conditioning treatments, he was there, the sleepless nights, when she feeing so weak and covering her hair tight to stop it from falling off and also the morning walks around the hospital when she needed fresh air out of the ward.

Ian Bryant went there through those periods with her! And Ria have grown to admit that they have become so close over the past few weeks than she ever expected. Tears formed at the corner of her eyes as she looked straight into his eyes. The same man she had tried to push away turned out to be the most loving care giver.

“Ria, why are you crying?” Ian asked when the tears dropped her cheeks.

Ian stared at her with a furrowed eyebrow. “Wait, why did you take off the band?” He asked. “You should put it back on so your sight won’t get infected. Listen Ria-” She stopped him when he was about to fix it back.

Ian Bryant stared at her in shock. How did Ria manage to stop him in the right way? All of a sudden, his jaw dropped as if he knew her reason for refusing the band

“Can you… see me?” He stammered.

“Yes.. I can see you.” Ria nodded slowly.

“Really?” Ian demanded as he sat at the edge of the bed.

Ria reached out her hand to touch his thigh and she closed eyes to feel the material. “This is a Jean material.” She reopened her eyes.

“Yes! Yes! You are right, Ria! Yes I knew it!” The brightest smile broke out on his face. “I knew this would work!” Then Ian Bryant did the unexpected by hugging her!

Ria didn’t push him away instead she pulled him in tighter and sobbed in his chest. Finally! After all these years of waiting! Now Ria can see the world for the first time!

“I am so happy! You can see everything now!” Ian released her. The brightest smile was still on his face and it suite his handsome features perfectly.

“Let me get Doctor Lui.” Ian rushed out of the room and he came back with the aged man.

“Miss Ria.” The familiar voice she had registered in her head said with a smile.

Ria wiped her cheeks clean and smiled back at him. “I want to believe that you can see me now.” She nodded.

“How many fingers?” Doctor Lui raised his right hand up in the air.

“Five fingers.” Ria replied.

And Doctor Lui went on and on like that to see if Ria could identify simple objects around and she did by just the description she has mastered in her head. Ian Bryant stood staring at Ria with a smile on his face.

“It is a good thing that you can see, Miss Ria.” Doctor Lui announced.

“What’s next now?” Ian asked.

“Few tests and some monitoring for a couple of days.” Doctor Lui answered.

“Okay. Thank you, Doctor Lui.” Ian shook his hands with the doctor before he exited the room.

“So will you like to go take a walk around the hospital?” Ian asked as he sat at the edge of the bed again.

“Yes! I want to see the world! Everything!” Ria exclaimed.

Ria Robert wants to see the world! She want to see it first with just one person-Ian Bryant! Ria wants Ian to be the one showing her world!