RIA ♠
EPISODE •• FIFTY •• SEVEN
THEME: THE CHASE
°°°°° Three Days Later °°°°°
♦ Ria’s Ap@rtment ♦
IAN POV ????
I woke up from a de-ep,wonderful sleep to the rays of sunlight in the room,with Ria by my side. I never looked away from Ria each morning I wake up to see her by my side. We were alone in her home. The kids moved to Mrs Elise home two days ago.
We haven’t heard anything about Frederick but the police are on the look out for him.
Ria and I lived like a married couple. Having a quic-k k!ssbefore getting out of be-d,taking coffee and breakfast together and then
Driving to her sto-re.
I didn’t want it to end.
I felt each breathe she took, her heart beating against my side with her hand laying on my che-st.
I haven’t had a good sleep in a while now but two nights with Ria laying next to me gave me a good one.
It struck me right then that finding Ria had brou-ght me something I hadn’t had with other women.
I exhaled
Peace, and I felt the s-en-se of completeness.
And it was all because of Ria.
It was simple and remarkable.
Even though I haven’t had her yet..but Ria’s way of tou-ching me gave me life.
She sighed softly and settled again.
Ria was the first woman who could make me smile,she could make me feel lonelier that I ever thought if she left.
The reason why I can’t live without her and why I love her so much.
She looked lovely as she l@ynext to me.
I pressed a k!ssin her hair and I felt her stir in my embr@ce.
“You awake?” She asked in a whisper
She shifted,moving slightly from me to raise herself on elbow an look at me.
“I didn’t think you were awake” I said
I t©uçhed her cheeks with the ti-ps of my f!ngers
“Good morning Hun” I said
“Morning”
I sli-pped my hand to the nape of her n£¢k and laced my f!ngersin her hair. I pu-ll-ed her gently down to me, found herl-ips and k!$$£d her with as much nee-d as pas-sion.
“Ian -” she muttered
I k!$$£d her again to keep her words at bay. I trailed my t©uçh along her cheeks.
I ca-ressed her cheeks with my thumb.
I felt her heat mixing with mine. My ton-gue darted out to t©uçh herl-ips. I didn’t allow myself to think about anything except k!ss!ngher and this time I was doing it thor0ûghly. There was fire all around a nee-d that c@m£ out of nowhere.
I wanted her badly.
I left herl-ips,with k!sses trailing to her throat to a s-en-sitive hollow by her ear. My hand lowered between her th!ghs to push her legs higher. I felt Ria trembled
“Ian no -”
She pushed at my shoulder gently. And that st©pped me.
“plea-se..no…no” she whispered unsteadily.
And I drew back to look into her eyes.
“plea-se…I can’t” she took a shuddering breathe.
Then I saw it again..that fear.
I sat up on the be-d and stared at her.
I couldn’t hurt her,not in anyway.
“I’m…sorry”
A tear slid down her cheek
No i didn’t want that!
I didn’t want her to cry!
I un-derstand that she was still getting over what Lucas did to her.
Damn it! Why didn’t I remember it before!
I wanted her but I totally forget what she was trying to deal with..her b©dy.
“Ian..I’m so..sorry”
She sobbe-d
I didn’t want her to apologize either!
It was my fault, I started it.
“Ria -”
I moved closer to her and pu-ll-ed her into my arms. She was trembling.
“I’m..so..sorry Ian”
She said
“No.. don’t be plea-se -” I murmured
“I’m sorry” I breathe
I held her ti-ghtly
She clung to me as i whispered soothing words into her ear.
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♦°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°♦
RIA POV ????
“Ma’am do you want to drop by at the mall?”
Brian asked.
He sat next to Bert in the front seat.
Bert was driving.
“No..to the sto-re plea-se”
I replied
The time was 6:00pm
I just finished clas-ses at the institution. I had planned to call at the mall on my way back home but I changed my mind. I was tired.
My phone buzzed. A message from Ian.
“Are you done with clas-ses now? I’m on my way to the sto-re”
Ian was at the Factory. His friend Harvey Wesley was helping him with a new construction.
“Yes..heading to the sto-re too. How are you?”
I s£nt it back to him
Ian and I lived like a newly wedded married couple even if we are not.
We are good together!
We argued at some point cause Ian always want to help with the dishes and cleaning the house and also doing the laundry.
I didn’t want him to do anything.
He was getting better now no more lump on his head..just his wrist.. Still a bit swollen.
Mrs Perla was happy that I offered to take care of him personally and she insisted that he shouldn’t show up at work. He had to go to factory cause today was the meeting with Harvey.
“I’m not fine” he replied
“Why?”
I bec@m£ worried and was about calling him when my phone buzzed again
“I miss you”
A smile formed myl-ips
“I miss you too. I’ll be at the sto-re soon”
“Okay.. I love you”
“I love you too” I s£nt it back to him.
I felt really bad for what I did to him this morning. He didn’t make any advances,No pressure about S-x from Ian since he moved in. I had expected him to crawl his hands into my dress in the middle of the night like Lucas would do but he didn’t. We never even talked about having S-x. But still..I couldn’t bring myself to give in this morning.
Though his t©uçh was gentle but at that moment he slid his hands between my legs – it c@m£ back..mental pictures from Lucas den crashed over me in seconds and I couldn’t bear it. My cries,pleads and the pains they were too much for me to Bear and it made me st©p Ian. I wasn’t re-ady for it.
I have to work on myself and get over those fears. I should let go of my past even if I can’t forget it all.
Mrs Elise words echoed in my head.
“It time to let go of the past”
I told her about it and she suggested that I see a psychologist who can help me get over those fears.
But,
I won’t be seeing any psychologist. I don’t want to share that aspect of my life with anyone again.
Ian said that he was willing to wait till I was re-ady.
But I can’t keep him waiting for too long..it has too be soon.
And I think everything Ian has done for me is enough reason to convince me that he was so different from Lucas. I believe our love – the true love I have for him will take away those fears with time.
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AUTHOR POV ????????
Ria noticed Brian whispering and exchanging glances with Bert. She didn’t know what they were discussing but it bothered her.
Brian looked up into the rear mirror and he saw the red car that had been following them from the institution.
Brian brou-ght out a gun from the car safe and loaded it with bullets.
Ria was confused
“Brian why are you with a gun -”
“We’re being followed ma’am”
“Followed?” She repeated
Bert connected with Chad on phone to inform him about the situation.
“Yes Ma’am”
She looked around
“By who?”
She asked again
Ria shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
Bert sped up
“Don’t worry we’ve gat you covered Miss Ria” Brian said
She was scared and his words wasn’t comforting her.
Then it was like a fast motion something hit the car behind. Ria screamed when she heard the sound of gunsh0ts in the air.
“Get down!” Brian barked
And she did as he ordered.
Her heart beats ra-pidly
His name echoing in her head.
“Frederick”
He had come for her.
The red car hit their car again from the side, flinging Ria against the car door.
She yelped in pain
“Step on it Bert!”
Brian screamed
He stepped on the g@s petal to increase the speed.
“You can do better”
Brian pressed a bu-tton and the t©p of the car opened.
Another sh0t hit the glas-s. Ria screamed again as shattered glas-ses cut throu-gh her skin. She felt the blood tickling down her upper arm. The pain was sharp.
Brian fired at them bringing down the main shooter in the red car
“Damn it” Bert muttered
He saw an oncoming truck heading straight at them.
“fv¢k!” Brian fell back in the car. He was bleeding from his shoulder.
“Brian!” Bert screamed
“Don’t worry I’m fine.. Keep going”
He tried to maneuver to the other side of the road but they were tra-pped.
Breathing heavily Ria reached for Brian.
“Brian..I’m so sorry”
“I’ll be fine” he gro-an ed in pain.
She didn’t want this to happen. This was the reason why she didn’t want a b©dyguard.
She saw the truck and the cars next to them. Suddenly Bert let out a loud cry as he held his n£¢k still trying to control the wheel.
“Oh no..no” she sobbe-d
He pressed the br@ke sharply and the car st©pped.
A man in black outfit and mask c@m£ out of the red car.
“Let go of me!” She kicked at her captor when he opened the door and gr@bb£d her.
Bert was unconscious while Brian lazily reached for his gun that fell in the car.
“Come on my lady” the de-ep voice said.
“No!!” She screamed when another fired at Brian. It was chaos
They heard the distant sirens
“Lyet go!” The man barked at his men as he carried Ria into the limousine that c@m£ around.
The glas-ses was tinted
“Someb©dy help!” She screamed
“Keep it down!”
He did his best not to hit Ria to make her stay quiet. He had been given the order not to hurt her but bring her alive.
“Let me go monster!” She clawed his face with her nails and he screamed in pain. She opened the door in motion but he was quic-k to hold her.
He ti-ght£ñed his hold on her and placed a white handkerchief on her nose.
Ria fought him as she inhaled it. Sound of sirens reached her ears.
They won’t know she was in this car with the tinted glas-ses..no one will suspect it.
She knew her end has come
Frederick was going to put an end to everything today. She thought of Ian,Elise and her kids and everything. How she had struggled in life,what she went throu-gh because of him.
That was the last thing she thought before she blacked out.
♦°°°°°°°°°°°♦
Someb©dy help Ria?! ????
Frederick your time is up ????
♠ RIA ♠
EPISODE •• FIFTY •• EIGHT
THEME:GIVING UP ????
AUTHOR POV ????????
The man in black walked into the small sized house with Ria in his hands.
“Here she is Boss” Ria’s captor said
The man referred to as Boss stood up from the couch and went to him. A smile formed on hisl-ips when he saw Ria. She la-id unconscious in her captor’s hands.
He knew that he shouldn’t be happy at the sight of her but he couldn’t help it.
He found himself smiling and c@r£ss!ngher cheeks with his knuckles.
His gaze dropped to her upper arm. A white handkerchief was tied on it. It was bloody.
Then he turned serious.
“What did you do to her?”
“She wouldn’t st©p fighting me so i made her inhale some stuff”
He gestured to the handkerchief.
He collected Ria from him and placed her gently on the couch.
“I’m not talking about her being unconscious! Didn’t you see the wound?”
He panicked
“Boss I saw it and that was why I tied that stuff on it”
He looked up at him
“I don’t know too much but I guess it from the shattered glas-ses of her car”
“I told you to be careful” he gritted
He hated the fact that she was hurt.
“You better pray that nothing happens to her or else I will end your life. Now get me a Nurse!” He snarled
The man rushed out of the house.
He went back to Ria and gathered her up in his arms again and carried her to the be-droom
He smiled.. Finally
He had her for himself.
He watched her sleep,her che-st rising and falling gently.
She looked beautiful even in her sleep.
He was tem-pted to k!ssher in that unconscious state or even do more than just k!ss!ngher. Ever since he met her,he had imagined them slee-ping n-ked in be-d, with Ria drawing circles on his che-st begging for his t©uçh.
He could bring his imagination to reality now.. By just taking her.
He thought
Then he leaned In to k!ssherl-ips.
No it shouldn’t be!
He couldn’t hurt her! And it isn’t right for him to take a woman against her will.
He drew back from Ria and moved away from the be-d.
He would wait for her to regain unconscious. There was a lot of talking to do. He nee-ded to know the truth. He pu-ll-ed the blanket over her b©dy and waited patiently for the Nurse.
♦
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RIA ROBERT COUTURE
And ever since Ian received the call from Chad that Ria was being followed by some unknown men and now she was missing,he couldn’t stay calm.
Ian was alre-ady at RRC when Chad’s call c@m£ in.
Chad rushed into RRC.
Brian was sh0t on his shoulder while Bert was still unconscious.
Earlier on the chase, Bert wasn’t sh0t with a real bullet but a drowsy bullet that would make him sleep for couple of hours. Brian was sh0t with a real one but the second one fired at him when he tried to sh0t back at those men was the drowsy bullet. Ria didn’t know about it.
The one who s£nt them told the men that they shouldn’t kill anyone in the course of abducting Ria. But they only fired at Brian because he fired their main shooter on his shoulder too.
Though it was very easy for them to hit Brian straight in the head but they didn’t want to go against the boss orders. He doesn’t want anyone’s blood because he wanted Ria.
“Did anyone call you?” chad asked Ian
“No… and she isn’t picking up her calls either”
He was angry
And he was mad that he had failed Ria. Ian regretted not listening to his mom’s advice of hiring 5-6 b©dyguard to safeguard Ria.
“I found it in her car” chad brou-ght out Ria’s phone which he had taken from her car.
He gave to him. The screen was broken.
“Did you find anything else?”
“Yes her bag is in my car ”
“What about her abductor?”
“I’m sorry Ian we lost them” Chad replied
“What?!..what are you talking about?! You couldn’t catch just one culprit? He snarled
“I’m sorry” Chad apologized
Ian relaxed a bit
“So what are you doing now?”
“Derrick is with the search team now. We are going to find her”
“You better find her”
He pointed at Chad
“If anything happens to Ria,I won’t spare you”
Actually, he won’t spare whoever abducted Ria.
“Don’t worry we’ll find her” Chad as-sured him
He couldn’t sit back and wait for them to bring him news about Ria.
“I’m coming with you” he said
“No Ian..it’s not advisable for you to work with us..you have to stay safe for Ria”
“I can’t -”
A beeping sound from his phone interrupted him.
It was his mom!
He had called her immediately Chad broke the news of Ria’s disappearance.
“I’ll take my leave now” Chad said
“Can I come with you to get Miss Ria bag?” Elise asked
“Sure”
They walked out of the sto-re to Chad’s car.
“plea-se make sure he doesn’t leave the sto-re”
He said after handing Ria’s bag to Elise.
She nodded slowly
But she knew de-ep down in her mind that she wouldn’t be able to st©p Ian if he decides to leave and find Ria himself.
He told his mom the situation of things. And she was worried about Ria.
“What will you do now?”
“I will try to call Frederick again”
He replied
“Don’t worry she will be fine. And plea-se call me if you have any news okay?”
“Sure mom”
He hang up
He had been trying the line Frederick used in calling him the other day but it was switched off.
Ian knew all this was Frederick’s doing.
Ian swore that He won’t spare Frederick.
And he would never forgive himself if anything bad happens to Ria.
Tears stings at the corner of his eyes at the thought of losing Ria and not seeing her again.
No!
He wouldn’t wait till the cops bring him news that she was dead!
He pas-sed Ria’s phone to Elise.
“plea-se take care of things around here – I will be right back”
“Mr Ian -”
Elise called at him but he was alre-ady out of the sto-re before she could say anything.
Ian wondered about Ethan too. He couldn’t reach him too. Ian wasn’t sure if Ethan was aware that Ria was missing if not he would have come to the sto-re.
Where could He be?
Perhaps is he searching for Ria too?..alone.
He had no idea of where to look for Ria but all he did was pray over and over again for Ria’s safety.
♣
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“How could you?! -” He threw the glas-s across the room.
“I’m sorry Sir” Biggy apologized
“Sorry?! Sorry for losing her?! Now someone has her! And you were so foolish that you didn’t even follow her abductor!” Frederick yelled at him
Fury crashed over him. He clenched his fists.
He s£nt Biggy and two other men to kidnap Ria without leaving a trace. He ordered them to bring her alive at all cost.
He had hoped to see her and end her life once and for all.
But things didn’t work out as planned. Biggy c@m£ with the sad news that someone took Ria away.
Biggy had followed after Ria’s car the Moment she was leaving the sto-re to the institution..same thing with the other gang. The one who took Ria in the end was quic-k to notice Biggy. And it didn’t take him much time to figure Biggy’s purpose of following Ria. And he was also smart enough to change his plans. He Informed his men in the other car to distract Biggy from Reaching Ria. And somehow they distracted Biggy, his car was far behind when they took Ria.
Then Biggy realized that he lost Ria and c@m£ back to Frederick to tell him about it.
“Pardon me Sir”
Frederick gulped down a glas-s of whiskey
“Find her! And make sure you bring her to me alive!”
He wondered who wanted Ria too. He thought de-eply but nothing occurred to him.
???? ∆ ???? ∆ ????
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RIA POV ????????
A pounding Pain from my arm woke me up. I observed my surrounding throu-gh my blurred vision from waking up.
“Where was I?”
I was in a large Room,laying in a king sized be-d. I felt expo-sed and I looked un-der the cover only to find out that I was nearly n-ked beneath the covers. I was on my br@ and p@n-ties.
“Who undressed me? What happened to me?”
I tried to sit up on be-d but the pain held me down..My gaze fell on my arm. There was a bandage wra-pped around my arm.
“How did I get here?”
I closed my eyes memories flooding my Mind – the attack,a man carried me into a car,I tried to get out and ten he st©pped me and he covered my nose. I bec@m£ drowsy immediately as I thought of Ian and my family and it ended.
A door opened and closed slightly.
“Are you up?” My eyes opened when I heard the raspy voice.
I g@sped when I saw who it was.
Drake Robert was there!
He was dressed in a short. His che-st was ba-re and his hair we-t.
He c@m£ closer
I held the sheet ti-ghtly to my b©dy.
And I didn’t want to believe what was going on in my head.
I woke up n-ked in be-d and he was coming from the shower.
No!
My heart beat accelerated.
“Don’t..don’t come closer…”
He st©pped and raise an eyebrow.
Ignoring the pain from my arm,I managed to sit up still holding the sheet around me b©dy.
I cursed un-der my breathe at the pain.
“Careful -” he muttered
Anger welled up within me
“Don’t tell me to be careful!”
I yelled at him
A tear slid down my cheek in the process
Drake stared at me in shock
“What..what..did..you do… to me?”
And I was annoyed because I couldn’t get out of be-d to hit him.
I was n-ked and I couldn’t risk getting out of be-d just to hit him without the sheet falling off my b©dy.
And how much had he seen?
No! don’t let it be that –
He chuckled
“Ria what do you think? Waking up n-ked in my be-d”
He pointed at me
I cringed at his words
“I’m close to being n-ked too and just coming from the shower..what does it mean?”
I couldn’t utter a word
“You are not a kid Ria -” he snorted
“I know Ian would have had the best of it..and I also wanted to taste a beautiful woman too” he laughed
I couldn’t believe his words but I heard myself saying to him
“Drake..perhaps did…you..-”
I clenched my fist
“Ria we had S-x” he spat
I closed my eyes
My heart broke into pieces
I was weak beyond words. And I couldn’t do anything but stare Into space.
Tears dropped and I couldn’t control them
He did it.
I wouldn’t have sle-pt with him if I was conscious. He took advantage of the fact that I was unconscious.
“Come on Ria.. It’s not a big deal. I’m sure you are used to having men in your life. Mostly those who can’t seemed to control that strong de-sire to get you in be-d..I’m one of them. You know ever since I met you I couldn’t st©p imagining stuffs like this.. And I’m glad I got what I wanted -”
He f0rç£d himself on me.
Another Lucas in my life.
I never thought of it that Drake was the real abductor – i had my mind on Frederick.
How could he do this to me?
Didn’t he re-ad the news?
We are cousins!
“Well I abducted you to get back at Ian for cancelling the deal. He breached our agreement.. You know I would have filed a lawsuit against him but I couldn’t. It was pointless cause i know I may not be able to win him in court so decide to come for you. And I just thought of getting something from Ian..just one thing that will make Ian troubled. You”
He laughed
“And..you have no… idea what.. you’ve done” I whispered
“Tell me what I don’t know”
“You don’t know?”
He was silent
“I don’t know”
I swallowed ha-rd
I nodded slowly.
“All my Life I wanted just one thing – Happiness. I was happy when my parents were alive… despite being blind it never really bothered me… because I was happy and I had the best parents In the world. And never for once… did they ever complain or… say that I was simply a burden to them”
I wiped my tears
“But it was just so sad that I lost my happiness the very day my parents died. Do you know what it means to lose a loved one? Or to watch you loved one die right in front of you and because of you and you couldn’t for anything?”
He didn’t respond
“No you don’t.. My eyes were gone and I was alone. And each time I tried to be happy..but then my past keeps standing in the way. It reminded me of so many things today. It was horrible. A Past filled with pain,guilt,sorrow and sadness and it also left me with a scar. A fear..the greatest fear which I’m still trying to overcome and i wanna forget everything”
I looked at him
“And everything you and your father ever did was cause me pain…too much pain. Frederick Robert was the architect of my horrible past -”
He looked stricken
“What do you mean?” He said with a serious face..but I couldn’t tell that he knew what I was talking about or he just wanted me to keep talking.
“Don’t act like you haven’t re-ad the news or that you don’t know who your Father is -”
I glare at him
He was silent
“Take me back home” I whispered
“What did he do to you?..Tell me the truth”
He said
“He killed my parents”
Our gaze met and no one Looked away.
“You’re joking right?”
“No…And I keep wondering why he had to go to such extent of killing my parents because he wanted my dad’s inheritance”
“No..” He covered the steps from where he stood to the be-d.
I moved away from him
“I’m not going to hurt you okay?”
He said innocently
Bastard! Acting all innocent after he R@p£d me.
“Don’t t©uçh me -” I gritted
There was nothing I could do to him. Even though I felt dirty at the moment The deed was alre-ady done.
He had his way with me!
“Okay..I won’t t©uçh you but I nee-d you tell me everything”
“Find out from the news.. You can call someone in Idaho to confirm it”
I didn’t want to talk about it with him!
“Frederick Robert is a Murderer” I blurted
He stood up from the be-d.
“I want to believe you and everything I saw on the news.. But I can’t”
Oh! So he re-ad the News!
“You saw the news..so why didn’t…you put wings together to figure that we are cousins -” My voice broke
The tears Flowed again
“..before you R@p£d me”
I swear I will put him and his father in jail for many things if at all I make it out of this place.
“Believed it..your dad killed parents!”
He shook his head and laughed out loudly
I noticed the tear that strayed down his cheeks.
“Unbelievable! I won’t believe you”
He went to the drawer and picked up his phone.
“Dad..it me Drake”
He was calling his Dad!
Then my heart skipped beats.
Drake works for his dad!
What is he going to do me again?!
“Mom gave me your number. Can we meet up now?” He said
I thought of what to do at the moment.
No idea!
“You don’t want to meet me?”
He paused
“But what if I say I have Ria Robert with me?”
He looked at me as our eyes met.
“I do..I can s£nd you pictures of her in my be-d”
I closed my eyes
He was going to take me to his father.
I drew in a de-ep breathe.
And I had no idea why I was so calm.
I heard flashes as Drake took pictures of me and soon he was back on the phone.
“I will bring her to you ..but on one condition -” he st©pped
“I will be there with you while you do everything”
He sniffed
“Okay then s£nd me a location”
I Refilled my lungs with fresh air
I wasn’t afraid to meet Frederick anymore.
“You are taking me to him right?”
“Yes..he is my father and I can’t turn my back against him no matter what” he said coldly
“But I’ll advice you do the right thing”
“Which is..returning you back home. No Ian won’t spare my life. I lost everything..my company just in few days. Every p@rtner in limos st©pped p@rtnering with us,shareholders withdrew their shares,protesters storming my office to produce my Father…”
He eyes held pain
“I have nothing and i can’t take this anymore” he whispered
“Well I went throu-gh worst fate than that…for months”
“So let’s end everything..let’s all die together”
“No..I can help you Drake. I can persuade Ian to let things go,I can make him sign that deal again”
“No”
“Okay”
I whispered
“Take me to your father and let’s end everything”
I hate to say those words myself but I had no choice. No way to safe myself..I was going to meet Frederick.
But before he kills me I will make sure he tells me why he killed my parents.
I don’t want to accept that he did that because inheritance.
I s-en-sed there was more to it.
He gr@bb£d a t©p from the single couch nearby and wore it. He threw my clothes at me and Moved away from the be-d.
“Change up and don’t try anything funny”
He said and Turned his back at me.
Why did he turned away when he had seen my b©dy while I was unconscious?
And what he did pierced my heart the more..he wasn’t different from Lucas.
It was pointless fighting him. I was alre-ady tired of the fight.
So it was better to end things.
“Done?” He asked
“Yes” he replied
He went to the drawer again and brou-ght out a robe and tied my hands behind my back.
Whatever happens in the end doesn’t matter to me..even if I die in Frederick’s hands.
I concluded
But,
p@rt of Mtr remained hopeful that nothing was going to happen to me and that I wasn’t going to die.
I doubted it.
????
Tbc