The billionaire taboos bride

Rihanna's POV

The second slap landed before I could react.

My head snapped to the side, the sharp impact sending a sting across my cheek. I slowly turned my face back and wiped the blood at the corner of my lips with the back of my hand.

"You shameless little monster," my father said, his face red with anger, his fists shaking. "He is my brother! He calls your dear grandfather father! How dare you even open your mouth to me?"

"He was adopted, Father," I replied calmly, even though my heart was pounding inside my chest. I looked him straight in the eyes and lifted my chin. "Grandpa only adopted him because you don't have what it takes to lead the empire, and everybody in this city knows it."

"You arrogant bitch!"

My father raised his hand again, his palm coming toward my face. I gritted my teeth and squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself for the blow.

But it never came.

Instead, I heard a sickening crunch, followed by my father's sharp gasp of pain.

I slowly opened my eyes.

Ted stood in front of him.

He held my father's wrist in a grip so tight that the skin had turned white. Dressed in a perfectly fitted charcoal three piece suit, Ted looked completely calm. His dark eyes held no anger, no surprise, nothing at all. Somehow, that made him even more terrifying.

"Uncle Ted..." His name slipped from my lips before I could stop myself, barely more than a whisper.

Ted didn't look at me. His eyes remained fixed on my trembling father as his fingers tightened around the older man's wrist, forcing another groan from him.

"Where was this courage when he was hitting you?" Ted asked me, his voice cold and sharp. "You speak to me like a queen, yet you allow a coward to treat you like a dog."

"Ted... let go of me!" my father choked out, sweat running down his face. "How dare you..."

"Mind your tone with me, brother," Ted said quietly before releasing his wrist with a disgusted look.

My father stumbled backward, clutching his injured arm.

"You don't want to cross me. You know what it will cost you."

"Wait until Father hears about this!" my father hissed, retreating toward the desk. His confidence had completely disappeared. "Wait until he finds out you're trying to seduce his granddaughter!"

Ted let out a low laugh.

Then he finally turned to look at me. His eyes moved over my flushed cheeks, the torn lace at my shoulder, and the blood on my lips.

The air between us suddenly felt different. Heavy and uncomfortable, as if we were both standing too close to something we shouldn't touch.

"He won't hear a word," Ted said softly. He took a step toward my father but kept his eyes on me. "Because if I have to speak to the old man, I might tell him things you'd rather keep buried. Things like the hitmen you sent after me five years ago in Milan."

My father went silent.

His mouth closed, and all the color drained from his face.

Ted turned back to me. He reached out and gently held the side of my neck, his thumb brushing the blood from my lip. His touch was firm, and I found myself holding my breath.

It was completely inappropriate for a man I was supposed to call family, yet I couldn't bring myself to pull away.

"Go to the car, sweetheart," he murmured, his eyes briefly dropping to my lips before meeting my gaze again. "The grown ups are talking."

The door didn't close completely behind me.

Instead of walking down the hallway to the driveway, I pressed my back against the wall outside the study and held my breath. My heart pounded as I leaned closer to the door, listening.

"You think you can play God just because the old man gave you a seat at the table?" my father's voice rang out, shaking with anger and desperation. "She's my daughter, Ted! She carries my blood!"

"And yet she has more courage in her little finger than you've had in your entire pathetic life," Ted replied.

His voice was low, but every word carried a warning.

"Let me make something clear. Touch her again, and I won't just take your seat on the board. I'll destroy every company, every account, and every foundation you've spent twenty years hiding behind."

"You... you wouldn't," my father stammered. I heard papers rustling as he moved away. "Father would never allow you to take everything from me."

"Father is old, and he knows who keeps this family standing," Ted replied calmly. The sound of his lighter clicking broke the silence. "You sent men to put a bullet in my head in Milan because you knew I was coming for what belongs to you. Now I'm taking it. Starting with her."

"She's your niece!" my father spat.

"She's the old man's granddaughter, and we both know there isn't a single drop of shared blood between us," Ted replied. "You gave up your right to protect her the moment you raised your hand against her. From this moment on, she belongs to me. Try to stop me, and I'll make sure Milan becomes the least of your problems."

Footsteps approached the door.

I quickly hurried down the corridor, trying to keep my heels from making too much noise. I slipped through the massive double doors and stepped into the cool night air.

A black Maybach was waiting at the bottom of the steps, its engine running. The driver stood beside it, waiting patiently.

A moment later, the front doors opened, and Ted walked out.

He adjusted his cuff links, his expression completely unreadable, as if he hadn't just threatened to destroy my father.

The moment he reached the bottom of the steps, I forgot about behaving properly. I forgot the driver was watching.

I rushed toward him and threw my arms around his neck, burying my face against his shoulder.

The faint scent of his expensive perfume filled my nose, and for a moment, the mess inside my head seemed to settle.

His body stiffened for a second before his arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me against his chest.

"I told you to go to the car," he murmured against my hair, but his arms didn't loosen.

"I didn't want to leave you," I whispered, gripping the fabric of his jacket.

He opened the rear door and guided me inside before sliding in beside me.

The door closed.

As the car pulled away from the estate, Ted shifted closer and drew me against his side. I rested my head on his shoulder, feeling the warmth of his body beside mine.

"You heard us, didn't you?" he asked, his voice low near my ear.

I didn't bother lying.

"Every word."

"Then you understand how dangerous this is." His fingers gently traced my jaw, brushing the sore skin where my father had slapped me. "You know what people will say if they find out about us. They'll call it a scandal. They'll say I corrupted you."

"Let them talk." I lifted my head to look at him. "I don't care about the city. I don't care about my father. I only care about you."

A faint smile touched his lips, but there was something dangerous about it.

"You're playing with fire, little girl."

"Then let me burn," I whispered.

Ted didn't answer.

Instead, his hand moved from my neck to my knee, resting there as my skirt shifted slightly. His thumb brushed against my skin, sending a shiver through me.

He leaned closer, his lips brushing my temple.

"You're mine now. You understand that, right? There's no going back after tonight."

"I don't want to go back," I whispered, placing my hand over his.

The car began winding down the narrow mountain road leading away from the family estate. Rain had started falling harder, making the road slippery.

Then Ted's eyes suddenly shifted toward the front of the car.

His hand stopped moving.

The driver kept pressing the brake pedal, but the car didn't slow down.

The engine roared as we picked up speed, rushing down the steep road toward a sharp turn overlooking the cliff.

"Sir..." The driver's panicked voice came through the intercom. "The brakes... they're not responding!"

Ted didn't flinch.

His eyes narrowed as the car continued speeding through the dark, rain soaked night.

"Press it to the floor!" Ted ordered sharply.

"I am, sir! The line's been cut. The brakes are completely gone!"

Rihanna's POV

"The brakes aren't working! The line has been cut!"

My heart dropped. The car was moving faster, and the driver couldn't slow it down. Rain covered the road, making it difficult to see what was ahead. We were heading toward a sharp turn, and beyond it was a cliff.

"Ted, what are we going to do?" I asked, grabbing his arm.

He looked at me, then pulled me into his arms. He held me so tightly against his chest that I could barely move.

"Listen to me, Rihanna." He held the back of my head and looked into my eyes. "I won't allow anything to happen to you. I'm going to protect you. Do you understand?"

I shook my head, tears filling my eyes. "But we're going to crash!"

"Hold on to me tightly. Don't let go, no matter what happens."

I wrapped my arms around him, pressing my face against his chest. I was terrified. I didn't want to die, and I couldn't bear the thought of losing him either.

Ted looked toward the driver. "Can you stop the car?"

"No, sir! The brakes aren't responding!"

"Then find another way. Look for something you can hit to stop the car before we reach the cliff."

The driver looked ahead, searching for a way out. A concrete barrier stood beside the road, just before the next turn.

"Sir, there's a barrier ahead!" he shouted. "I can turn toward it, but I can't promise we'll survive the impact. It's fifty-fifty!"

Ted didn't hesitate. "Do it!"

I lifted my head. "Ted!"

He held me closer. "I'm here, sweetheart."

"I'm scared."

"I know." He kissed my forehead. "Just hold on to me."

The driver turned the steering wheel sharply. The car swerved, and I screamed as we rushed toward the barrier. Ted wrapped both arms around me, covering my head with his hand.

The next thing I heard was a loud crash.

The car slammed into the barrier. The impact threw us forward, and the sound of breaking glass filled the air. I felt Ted's body press harder against mine as he tried to shield me from the impact.

The car spun before coming to a stop.

For a few seconds, I couldn't hear anything. My head hurt, and my whole body felt weak. I tried to move, but something was pressing against me.

Then I realized it was Ted.

"Ted?" I called softly.

He didn't answer.

I lifted my head and looked at him. His eyes were closed, and blood was running down his face. His shirt was soaked with blood around his abdomen.

My heart nearly stopped.

"Ted!"

I grabbed his shoulders and shook him gently.

"Please, wake up!"

He didn't move.

I touched his face, tears running down my cheeks. "Ted, please. You promised me you wouldn't let anything happen to me. Please, open your eyes."

A faint groan escaped his lips, but his eyes remained closed.

I held his hand tightly and looked toward the broken window.

"Help!" I screamed. "Somebody, please help us!"

I could hear people outside, but I was beginning to feel dizzy. My head was spinning, and I couldn't keep my eyes open.

"Ted, please stay with me."

My fingers slowly slipped from his hand.

The last thing I saw was his bloodied face before everything went dark.

*******

When the ambulance arrived, Rihanna was already unconscious. The paramedics rushed to get both passengers out of the wrecked car.

"She's unconscious, but she's breathing," one of them said after checking her.

Another paramedic examined Ted and immediately called for help.

"He's lost a lot of blood. We need to get him to the hospital now!"

They placed Rihanna on a stretcher and carried her into the ambulance. Ted was placed on another stretcher, but as they prepared to take him, he suddenly opened his eyes.

"Rihanna," he whispered.

A paramedic leaned closer. "Sir, can you hear me?"

"Where is she?"

"She's in the ambulance. We're taking both of you to the hospital."

Ted tried to sit up, but pain shot through his abdomen. He groaned and fell back against the stretcher.

"I need to see her."

"Sir, you need to stay still. You're badly injured."

"I don't care. Take me to her."

The paramedic exchanged a worried look with his colleague. Ted was losing too much blood, and they needed to get him to the hospital as quickly as possible.

"Please, sir. Let us help you."

Ted closed his eyes for a moment, struggling to stay awake.

"Just make sure she's all right."

The ambulances arrived at the hospital, and the medical team rushed out to receive them.

Rihanna was taken into a treatment room while Ted was moved to another. The doctors began checking his injuries, but he refused to let them treat him properly.

"Mr. Lockwood, we need to stop the bleeding," the doctor told him.

"Where is Rihanna?"

"She's being examined by another team."

"Is she awake?"

"We don't know yet. Please, let us treat you first."

Ted tried to sit up. "I'm not going anywhere until I see her."

"Sir, you're losing blood. You need treatment immediately."

"I said I want to see her first!"

The doctor sighed and looked at the nurse beside him. Ted's wound was serious, and his condition was getting worse. They couldn't afford to waste any more time.

"Mr. Lockwood, listen to me. If we don't treat you now, you could die."

Ted looked at him without saying anything.

"I don't care about that," he finally said. "I need to know she's alive. I need to see her open her eyes. After that, you can do whatever you want with me."

The doctor shook his head. "You can't keep doing this. You're seriously injured, and you need to understand that we can't help you if you refuse to cooperate."

Ted turned his face toward the door.

"Just tell me when she's awake."

The doctors continued trying to convince him, but he wouldn't listen. He only wanted to know that Rihanna was safe.

Finally, they managed to stop the bleeding temporarily and promised to update him as soon as they knew anything about her condition.

Ted lay back, staring at the ceiling.

Rihanna's POV

He had faced many dangerous situations in his life, but none had frightened him as much as seeing Rihanna unconscious beside him. He could still remember the way she had cried and begged him to wake up.

He closed his eyes.

She had to be all right.

Rihanna slowly opened her eyes.

For a moment, she didn't know where she was. She stared at the ceiling, trying to remember what had happened. Then the accident came back to her, and she immediately tried to sit up.

"Easy," a nurse said, hurrying to her side. "Don't get up yet."

Rihanna grabbed her arm. "Where is Ted?"

"You're in the hospital. Please, calm down."

"Where is Ted Lockwood?" she repeated, her voice rising. "The man who was in the car with me. Where is he?"

The nurse glanced at the doctor before answering.

"He's receiving treatment."

"Is he alive?"

"Yes, he is."

Rihanna covered her mouth as tears filled her eyes. Relief washed over her, but it didn't last long.

"Can I see him?"

"You need to rest first. You lost consciousness after the accident, but we've examined you, and you don't appear to have any serious injuries. We'll keep you under observation."

"I don't want to rest. I want to see him."

The doctor stepped closer. "Miss Ashbourne, I understand you're worried, but you need to give us a little time."

"Please," she begged. "I just need to see him."

Before the doctor could answer, the door opened, and her father walked in.

Cassian Ashbourne looked at her briefly before turning to the doctor.

"How is my daughter?"

"She's awake and stable. Fortunately, she hasn't suffered any serious physical injuries."

Her father let out a breath and nodded.

"And Ted?"

The doctor's expression changed. "Mr. Lockwood is badly injured. He's lost a lot of blood, and we need to treat him immediately."

Cassian's face darkened.

Without saying anything else, he turned and left the room.

"Father!" Rihanna called.

He didn't stop.

She tried to get out of bed, but the nurse held her back.

"Please, don't move. You need to rest."

Rihanna stared at the door, feeling uneasy. Her father hadn't even asked to see Ted. He hadn't shown any concern beyond asking how badly he was injured.

Something was wrong, but she couldn't think about it now.

All she wanted was to see Ted.

Cassian found Ted in the emergency room, where the doctors were still trying to control his bleeding.

The moment he saw him, his face filled with anger.

"You bastard!"

Before anyone could stop him, Cassian walked up to Ted and punched him across the face.

The nurse gasped.

"Sir, you can't do that!"

Cassian ignored her and grabbed Ted's shirt.

"If anything happens to my daughter, you'll pay for it!" he shouted. "Do you hear me? If anything happens to her, I will make you regret it!"

Ted slowly turned his face toward him. He didn't fight back or even attempt to push him away.

Instead, he looked past Cassian toward the door.

"Is she awake?" he asked weakly.

Cassian stared at him in disbelief.

"Are you listening to me? I'm talking to you!"

"Is Rihanna awake?"

"You're the reason she's in this hospital!" Cassian shouted. "You dragged her into this mess, and now she could have died!"

Ted remained silent.

Cassian released his shirt and shoved him back against the bed.

"Stay away from my daughter. If she has any injuries because of this accident, I swear you will pay for every single one of them."

Ted didn't respond. He was too weak to argue, and even if he had the strength, he wouldn't have wasted it fighting Rihanna's father.

All he wanted was to know she was safe.

A doctor hurried over and pushed Cassian away from the bed.

"Mr. Ashbourne, you need to leave. You're interfering with our work."

Cassian adjusted his jacket and glared at Ted.

"This isn't over."

He turned and walked out.

Ted watched him leave before turning back to the doctor.

"Please, tell me how she is."

The doctor checked his wound and shook his head.

"She's awake, Mr. Lockwood. She's stable, and she hasn't suffered any serious physical injuries."

Ted closed his eyes in relief.

"Thank God."

"Now, please, let us treat you. You've lost a dangerous amount of blood, and we need to operate."

Ted nodded faintly.

"All right."

The doctor immediately instructed the nurses to prepare him for surgery. They began moving quickly, but before they could take him away, Ted's face suddenly lost what little colour remained.

He tried to speak, but no words came out.

"Mr. Lockwood?"

His eyes rolled back, and his body went limp.

"Doctor!"

The medical team rushed toward him.

"His blood pressure is dropping!"

"Get him to the operating room immediately!"

They transferred him to a stretcher and hurried down the corridor. The doctor checked his condition while a nurse worked to keep him stable.

"We need blood," the doctor said. "He's lost too much."

"How much do we have available?"

The nurse checked the records before looking up.

"Doctor, his blood type is extremely rare. We don't have enough compatible blood in the hospital."

The doctor's expression tightened.

"Contact the blood bank. Call every hospital nearby if you have to. We need a donor as soon as possible."

The nurse hurried away while the team continued working on Ted.

His condition was getting worse, and there was no time to waste.

I was still in my room when a nurse came in with an update.

"Miss Ashbourne, the doctors are preparing Mr. Lockwood for surgery."

I immediately sat up.

"What happened to him?"

"His condition became worse. He's lost a lot of blood, and he needs an operation."

I threw the blanket aside.

"I need to see him."

The nurse tried to stop me, but I held on to her arm.

"Please, tell me he's going to be all right."

She hesitated, and my heart began to pound.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"His blood type is very rare. The hospital doesn't have enough compatible blood for him right now, and the doctors are trying to find a suitable donor."

I stared at her.

"What do you mean?"

"He needs a transfusion, but finding compatible blood may take time. His condition is serious."

My hands began to shake.

"Will he survive?"

The nurse looked down before answering.

"The doctors are doing everything they can, but his chances are fifty-fifty."

I felt as though the whole room had disappeared around me.

Fifty-fifty.

No. That couldn't be true.

Ted had protected me. He had held me in his arms and promised that nothing would happen to me. Even when he was badly injured, he had refused treatment because he wanted to see me open my eyes first.

And now he was the one lying unconscious, fighting for his life.

Tears ran down my cheeks as I shook my head.

"No. He's not going to die."

The nurse tried to comfort me, but I could barely hear her.

"He's not going to die," I repeated. "He promised me."

I covered my face with my hands and cried.

I didn't care about the scandal our relationship might cause. I didn't care about my father's threats or what the rest of the family would say. I only wanted Ted to open his eyes and tell me he was all right.

A few minutes later, the door opened again.

The doctor stood there, and I immediately looked up.

"Doctor, please. Tell me he's going to survive."

He walked toward me, his expression serious.

"We're doing everything we can, Miss Ashbourne. But we need to find compatible blood as quickly as possible."

"Then find it!" I cried. "Please, don't let him die!"

The doctor said nothing for a moment before turning toward the door.

"We'll keep you informed."

He left, and I was alone again.

I stared at the door, praying that someone would come back with good news.

Then my phone rang.

I looked at the screen through my tears. It was an unknown number. For a moment, I considered ignoring it, but something made me answer.

"Hello?"

A man's voice came through.

"Am I speaking with Rihanna Ashbourne?"

"Yes. Who is this?"

"We're calling from the blood bank. We've received an urgent request concerning Mr. Ted Lockwood. We may have found a compatible donor, but we need to confirm a few things first."

I sat up straight, my heart racing.

"Does that mean he can get the blood?"

"We cannot confirm that yet. We need to complete the necessary tests."

"Please, hurry. He's dying."

"We understand, Miss Ashbourne. We'll do everything we can."

The call ended.

I stared at my phone, my hands trembling.

There was still a chance.

But as I sat there waiting for another update, one thought kept repeating in my head.

What if the blood arrived too late?