BETROTHED TO THE BILLIONAIRE

Valerie’s POV

He was blinded.

At first, blinded by denial. Now he is blinded by rage.

My sobs wake him up. I feel his hand moving and I quickly raise my head to see his eyes open. He isn’t looking at me. He is staring at the ceiling while he is still laying on the hospital bed with an expression I can’t place.

He is still as pale as ever.

I thought I was going to lose him. The thought alone made me mad and full of sorrow.

I was also blaming myself. If I hadn’t put everything to him that way, maybe this wouldn’t have happened.

If I hadn’t said all those things which were painting his whole family as black, maybe he wouldn’t be filled with so much rage and hatred for the man he has called Father for more than two decades.

I should have tread slowly and carefully with him. I should have stopped him from running out that night.

What happened two nights ago broke my heart and also made me realize how attached I am to Ryan.

I have realized how much he means to me. When I told my father that I can’t leave him because I love him, I said that out of courtesy. I said that because I wanted to be a loyal wife to him. I never knew he meant the world to me.

Now I know his worth. Now I know how lucky I am to have him.

Having him unconscious for more than a day has made me realize that. It made me remember all the efforts he made just to win me over. All the efforts he made just to make his mother happy because we thought she was dying.

It brought tears to my eyes.

And I prayed for the very first time in years for God to bring him back to me.

Who would have thought this thing between us would become real? If I was told I would fall head over heels for another man apart from Fred, I would have rejected it or laughed mockingly at the person suggesting such a ridiculous thing.

But now, it has happened.

And I can’t believe it.

Abruptly, he shoots upright, dragging the comforter I placed last night on his unconscious body away.

Without sparing me a glance, he looks sideways and begins to search for something while I watch agape.

He finds it.

His phone.

He begins to dial a number and I know what he wants to do. The anger is still very much present but I don’t know if it is the guilt about how he treated me concerning this issue that is making him ignore me like I am not here.

“Ryan”, I call out, making my presence known and holding his hand to stop him from calling whoever it is he wants to call.

He avoids my gaze but his breathing has become so heavy with anger.

He just woke up after a long sleep and the first thing he wants to do is continue what he did that led him to become a patient in the hospital.

He acts too irrationally for my liking.

His mother is still in the hospital preparing for surgery because the poison affected an organ.

He is in the same hospital laying down here because of the same person who almost killed his mother and he wants to keep up with the irrational behavior.

Mr. Lorenzo isn’t a fool. He knows what he is doing. He has been planning to do this for years. He won’t give up just like that and he won’t stay put just because Ryan finally knows the truth.

I know the kind of person he is. Father eventually told me everything when he came to visit Ryan this morning. I didn’t bother to ask him but he told me everything he knew about him.

I know Ryan will be more pained if he gets to know the whole truth about his parents.

“What are you doing?” I demand softly, grazing my hand over his arm.

He does not respond and does not stare at me.

“Ryan….”

“Did you call the police?” his gaze finally rests on mine. His eyes are blazing red in anger and the color is back to his face. It is not as pale as it was when he was asleep. But his lips are still white.

“No”, I reply, wondering why he is asking me such a question when he ought to be worried about other things.

“Then I am doing that”, he mumbles before he shifts his attention back to his phone.

“What?!” I exclaim in disbelief. “Why would you do that?” I hold his hand again to stop him.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

“Why didn’t you call the police so they could question every single soul in that house, then? Isn’t that what the first thing you were supposed to do?” he retorts at me angrily and my jaws drop.

“What? Really?”

He looks away.

“Is this what you are supposed to be worried about? I should have called the police instead of rushing you down here to the hospital, right? I should have watched you die because making the call to the police is a priority?”

“Yes”, he affirms with confidence as he watches me with a cold glare.

I never thought we would be back to this stage. The stage of arguing back and forth about everything. I thought we have gone past that stage but I guess we can never outgrow the attitude.

He always acts irrationally and it annoys me. On the other hand, I can’t ignore his silly behaviors. I can’t let him jeopardize his life and that of the mother who births him.

“You think rescuing me was the best decision? Do you think giving them more time after revealing the fact that I already know everything is the best? Do you think he will stop at that? What if he blackmails them into telling different stories? You should have called the police first so they can investigate all the domestic staff in the house, my father…”, he trails off, beads of sweat dripping off his forehead while I continue to stare in utter disbelief and amazement.

Ryan will never cease to amaze me.

He gulps with guilt flashing across his expression before turning back to his phone. Surprisingly, he isn’t dialing the number anymore.

If I want to talk about his behavior, then I will blame him for every single action he took right from when I told him Anita wasn’t his sister. He acted rashly and that was so stupid of him.

I didn’t think of that stupid act before risking my life by taking a cab that late to his parent’s home just for me to stop him from doing what is unheard of.

Not only did he reveal the fact that he knows almost everything now but he also had a fight with his Father.

Not just a fight.

He was beating up the man he has called father all his life. If there is anything else more stupid than this single act, then I really do not know what that is.

I am tempted to spill it all out but I am refraining from doing so, to avoid annoying him further.

“I’m calling the police, they should arrest everyone and have them interrogated”, he states and begins to dial the number.

I do not say anything until he drops the phone. I am wondering why he isn’t calling anymore until I see that his phone has suddenly gone off.

Then I speak up. “You act rashly sometimes that it tempts me to hit you.”

He turns to me with a look of disbelief. I nod.

“I mean what I said, Ryan. You are so silly and obnoxious. This is the man you have always called Father, how could you raise your hands at him? Do you want to take laws into your hands? Go shoot him then. I shouldn’t have rescued you, right? Then shoot your brains out too. Your Mother is fighting for her life and all you can think about is how to pour out your anger. Do you think he will be quiet about this? Do you think he is as stupid as you are? Do you think he is going to remain calm after you openly made it known that he is responsible for your Mother’s poisoning? You think…”

“Shut the fuck up and get out of here!” he shouts, cutting me from going further.

I didn’t care if he got extremely angry but I don’t expect he will send me out.

Why can’t he just read between the lines?

Did he just send me out of his room? Really? After spending two nights by his bedside, my reward is having myself thrown out.

“What did…”

“I said shut up and get out. I am stupid, aren’t I? Then get out, you wise woman. You aren’t in my shoes so you have no idea how I feel and you have no fucking right to tell me not to beat that man up. So get out!”

“Really?” I can’t believe my mouth has been hanging open in extreme shock at his choice of words.

I know I was harsh but that was done on purpose so he could understand my point. Now he is throwing me out when I have been so worried about him.

I even cried because I thought I was going to lose him and will never have a chance to scold him for his stupid behavior.

I gulp down my pride, pick up my phone from the bedside table, and give him a last look before heading toward the door.

I should have left when I had the chance. The night he fell unconscious was the same night I told him we were done but I found myself running back to him because he wanted me with him at the hospital where his Mother was rushed to.

I shouldn’t have gone there. Maybe this won’t be happening. Maybe he won’t be so mad at me and his family members. Maybe he won’t be this new man I am seeing in him.

Even if I had gone there to give him my moral support and also told him about my discovery which led to all this, I shouldn’t have spent two nights here because they are obviously unappreciated.

If only I wasn’t here when he woke up, then he wouldn’t have the guts to throw me out.

Maybe this is revenge for what I did.

I did a lot.

I broke up with him and ruined his family ties.

I thought it didn’t matter but now I know it is and I know my worth.

Thinking he will stop me by the door, and apologize so I can still leave with my pride intact, I turn the doorknob but Ryan is silent.

The room is so silent that a pin drop can be heard.

With a sinking feeling, making my throat and heart hurt badly, I open the door and walk out, throwing to the winds whatever is to come after this.