Ria's Room
Alex scoffed.
"Hear this clearly, Rian. I didn't come here to see her ugly face. I came to annul this wedding. I'm not marrying her. I love someone else and I expect all of you to stay out of my life."
His words rang with fury.
Crash—
The sound of shattering glass echoed through the room.
Both men turned sharply toward the door.
Rian's eyes widened in horror.
Alex froze, confusion flashing across his face.
"Muffin…" Rian whispered.
"Ria?" Alex muttered.
She stood there, trembling, shards of glass scattered at her feet.
What she had heard…
She had never imagined it would come from him.
Tears streamed down her cheeks unchecked.
'So it was true', she thought bitterly. 'He loves someone else.'
A hollow scoff escaped her lips.
'You're such a fool, Ria. To love a man who sees you as nothing but filth.'
Gathering every ounce of courage she had left, she spoke her voice cold, though her heart was breaking.
"Don't worry, Mr. Gonzales. I'll cancel the wedding myself. You don't have to sacrifice your life for a lowly bitch like me." she said, trembling.
She turned to Rian.
"Boboo… I don't want to marry him."
Wiping her tears roughly, Ria turned and ran, leaving behind shattered glass, shattered pride, and a silence far heavier than any scream.
Alex stood frozen, rooted to the spot.
Suddenly, a punch slammed into his face, sending him staggering back.
"You b@stard! I told you to f*cking shut your mouth!" Rian roared, landing another blow on Alex's face.
Alex didn't resist. He didn't even flinch. He stood there and took every hit in silence. Rian punched him again and again until Alex collapsed to the floor, blood seeping from his split lip. One last kick landed on his chest before Rian turned away and ran out, desperate to find his sister.
Alex lay there, barely aware of the pain. His mind was still reeling from what he had just learned.
'She… she can't be Zaria Remington. The arrogant woman I knew… No one can change this much. My Ria…'
With a groan, he fisted his hands into his hair, frustration and self-loathing tearing through him.
"What have I done?" he whispered.
Forcing himself up, he stumbled slightly, then rushed out after Rian.
_____________________________________
Rian stormed down the stairs into the living room, where Adel sat waiting, worry etched across her face.
"Rian, son, what happened to Ria?" she asked anxiously.
"Where is she, Mom?" he demanded, panic lacing his voice.
"She ran outside… crying," Adel said, clutching her hands together. "My baby…"
Rian gently held her shoulders, trying to steady her. "Don't worry, Mom. I'll explain everything later. She'll be fine. I need to find her."
Adel nodded quickly as Rian rushed out, got into his car, and drove off, already tracking Ria's location through the GPS he had installed in her car.
_______________________________________
Moments later, Alex descended the stairs and found Adel sitting on the couch. When she saw his bruised face, she hurried toward him, gasping.
"God! What happened to your face? What happened upstairs?" she asked, fear and confusion flooding her voice.
But Alex didn't hear her.
His gaze was fixed on the large photo frames on the opposite wall.
"She…" he murmured.
Adel followed his line of sight, her brows knitting in confusion.
"You mean Ria?" she asked.
Alex's eyes widened. Slowly, reluctantly, he nodded.
"Our Ria. Zaria Remington," Adel said, still puzzled. "You two are close, aren't you?"
Alex swallowed hard. His throat burned, his chest tightening as the truth finally settled in.
'Holy shit… I f**ked up.'
He had to find her. He had to beg for forgiveness. Whoever she was, whatever the truth, he couldn't lose her. Losing her wasn't an option. He couldn't survive it.
"Aunt… where's Rian?" he asked, his voice ough, heavy with emotion.
"He went after Ria," Adel replied.
That was all Alex needed to hear.
Without waiting another second, he turned and ran out.
Alex drove first to AZTech, then to Rian's private villa, and even to RN Hospital. Nowhere.
No sign of them anywhere.
Then a thought struck him. Without hesitation, he turned the wheel and headed straight for Meg's place.
As expected, Rian's car was parked outside.
Alex jumped out and rang the doorbell repeatedly, desperation tightening his chest.
After a moment, Meg opened the door. The second she saw him, her expression hardened.
"Oops, sorry. No b@stards are welcome here."
The door slammed shut in his face.
"I…. " The words died on his lips.
"Sh!t," he muttered, kicking the door once, not to break it, just to release the frustration boiling inside him. He didn't want to create more trouble. So he stayed, standing outside, deciding to wait until they came out.
______________________________________
Inside the house
Ria was curled into Rian's arms, crying quietly. Rian sat stiffly, jaw clenched, fury simmering beneath the surface. All he wanted was to go back and finish what he'd started with Alex.
"Boboo… I.. I don't know why it hurts so much," Ria whispered between sobs.
Rian gently stroked her hair. "It's okay, muffin. Just forget whatever happened today, hmm?"
Ria nodded, wiping her tears.
Meg walked in and sat beside her, cupping her face tenderly. "My baby Ria is a strong girl. She doesn't cry over some stupid b@$tards. And if it's not him, there'll be a hundred better options."
Ria let out a small chuckle through her tears.
"Now leave it," Meg continued softly. "Tell me, what does my baby want for breakfast?"
"I don't want anything," Ria mumbled, shaking her head.
Meg nudged her gently. "What about masala poori? I remember it's your favourite."
Ria hugged her tightly. "My Meg is the best," she said, sniffing.
Meg and Rian chuckled. Meg stood up. "I'll make it right away."
Rian rose too. "Everything will be fine, dear. You rest. I'll be back."
As he turned to leave, Ria caught his arm.
"Boboo…"