The Billionaire's Promise
Chapter 116: Social Injustice

Chapter 116: Social Injustice

Erik picked up Aryana from the hospital at 5pm. In the car, Aryana was pensive and was unusually silent.

Erik reached out and held her hand.

"Is something the matter? Why are you so downhearted?"

Aryana sighed.

"I visited Jessa today. She was in a pathetic state." Her voice sounded heavy.

"Jessa?" Erik frowned.

"She is Vince’s wife. She is a victim of hit and run."

"Why do you stress yourself with the affairs of outsiders?" Erik said coldly. He was clearly displeased.

Aryana inched closer to Erik and leaned on his chest. She wanted to feel his warmth for it was a source of comfort to her.

"Have you ever been in a situation wherein you meet a stranger who is in need and you feel in your heart that you needed to help him? I just have this hunch that if I don’t help Vince I would be missing out on something important." Aryana’s voice was soft.

Erik caressed her hair. He pondered for sometime.

"Yes. A few years ago, there was this delinquent who was almost beaten to death by a gang. I saved him and sent him to school. He turned out to be a computer genius."

"Then you should understand where I am coming from." Aryana’s voice was gentle and almost coquettish.

Erik felt that he fell into Aryana’s trap.

"But why are you so sad?" Erik asked.

"I’m saddened by the social injustice that the poor is suffering. I witnessed today the difference in treatment between the rich and the poor." She said bitterly.

"Don’t stress yourself about such things. That’s the reality of life. That’s why I worked hard to be powerful so I don’t get to suffer injustice."

"So the driver that hit Jessa will simply get away unscathed right, because the victim is powerless." Aryana sounded so heartbroken.

Erik did not want to see Aryana sad. "Tell me when and where the accident happened."

Aryana’s ears perked up.

"A week ago at the junction at First and Second Avenue at around ten am."

"The accident happened in broad daylight and there was no witnesses?" Erik asked surprised.

"I guess there are witnesses but they are not willing to testify because the victim is a nobody." The bitter tone was again apparent in Aryana’s voice.

Erik messaged King of Aces.

Erik: Can you check the surveillance cameras on the junction between First and Second Avenue? Saturday at ten am.

"Are you going to show how powerful you are Mister CEO?" Aryana looked up and teased him. Their faces were very close to each other that Aryana could feel Erik’s hot breath on her face.

"Let me show you..." He held Aryana’s back of the head and kissed her deeply. "Did you know how much I have to restrain myself not to kiss you when I barged in that room earlier." Erik’s voice was deep and seductive.

Erik lowered his lips once again and ravaged Aryana’s lips. He only lifted his head when he heard his cell phone dinged. It was a message from King of Aces.

King of Aces: Boss the videos were deleted from the traffic cameras. But I recovered from a backup and also got a copy of videos from the dash cam of a car who was behind that car who hit the woman and from another car coming from the opposite traffic.

King of Aces sent the three videos to Erik’s phone. Erik frowned when he played the videos.

"Looks like the car belonged to a congressman judging by the plate number. This is not a simple case. Better to settle this amicably."

"Then can we let them pay the medical expenses?" Aryana weighed the pros and cons. She agree with Erik to settle amicably. What was important was the money needed to pay for Jessa’s operation.

Erik sent another message to King of Aces.

Erik: Send the videos to the congressman who owns that car. Use an anonymous account. Tell the congressman that all we want is for him to settle the medical bills and nothing else.

"Let’s wait tomorrow. You’ll see how powerful your hubby is."

Aryana giggled. "Of course I know how powerful my husband is." But then she remembered something and a fleeting sadness appeared in her eyes. "I felt so insignificant standing beside you."

Aryana felt Erik’s muscles tensed beneath her.

Erik understood the underlying message on Aryana’s sentence. He kissed her again. Aryana was panting when he released her mouth.

"Silly girl. You don’t have to do anything. Just be yourself." Erik’s voice was reassuring.

"Boss we have arrived." The driver announced.

When Aryana looked outside, she noticed that they were not in the Gaeya Tower garage but in front of the famous seafood restaurant by the bay.

"We haven’t have dinner outside for a long time. The sea breeze feels good and the sound of the waves is relaxing."

Aryana looked at her coat that has been dirtied earlier. She tried to brush off the dust and try to smoothen the wrinkles with her hand but it was useless. She decided not use her coat anymore.

Erik went down and went around to her side of the door and opened it for her. He put his hand on top of the car to protect her head.

"My coat is dirty and wrinkled I cannot use it anymore." Aryana told Erik. "Anyway it is not cold tonight and the sea breeze is warm."

Inside the restaurant a pair of eyes was looking at the entrance.

"It is really a small world. Look who’s here." Marriane nudged at Cassie. Cassie and Rhia looked towards the entrance at the same time.

"Bitch!" Cassie cursed. She gritted her teeth. She was just telling Marriane and Rhia about the two hours she spent with Erik in the morning and how he was impressed with her presentation. But here are Erik and Aryana looking intimate as they entered the restaurant.

"Damn it." She cursed a second time.

Aryana felt that there were pairs of hostile eyes that were looking at her. She looked around but did not see anyone she knew.

Cassie and her friends were seated at the corner and was blocked by an artificial plant from Aryana’s line of sight so she did not see them.

Erik and Aryana went to the third floor where the Al fresco dining was. The waiter led them to their table. It has the best view of the sunset.

Aryana stood beside the railings and felt the breeze on her face. Her hair was being blown gently by the breeze. Erik stood beside her and held her hand as they watched the sun set in the west.

"It’s beautiful and breeze feels so good. Thank you for bringing me here Erik." Aryana’s mood has greatly improved. She gave Erik her killer smile.

Erik was breathless for a second. They had been together for a few months now but that smile of hers still takes his breath away.