Owned By The Playboy Billionaire

ELARA'S POV "Elara, wake up! Ryder's flight is about to leave; you should at least be there before he goes!" I heard Mom's voice. "Elara, come on!" Her tone was impatient, so I forced myself to move from my bed. If I didn't act quickly, I knew I'd receive a scolding. "Mom, why do I have to go there?" I grumbled back at her, "Ryder and I have already talked." "And what will Ryder's mom think if you don't even show up before they leave? Come on, get up, and get ready!" She ordered me, so I begrudgingly got up and followed her instructions. I headed to the bathroom to freshen up. It was only two in the morning, so it was really hard for me to get up since I had only fallen asleep at eleven. Ryder didn't like it when I slept earlier than him; he wanted our sleeping schedules to match because we were going to be married soon. Our fathers had arranged our marriage since we were seven years old, so I was accustomed to this setup. Our dads had been close friends since they were kids, and they promised each other that if they had a son and a daughter, they would marry them off to each other. That's exactly what happened with Ryder and me. Although I didn't really mind because I had been with Ryder since I was seven, we eventually fell in love with each other. We officially became a couple when we were just sixteen. I truly loved him; he was my first love, so I couldn't bear to lose him, and I always followed everything he wanted, especially what his mom wanted. "Elara! You're taking too long!" I heard Mom yelling at me again, so I hurried up with my shower. The only person standing in our way is Ryder's mom, because she doesn't approve of me for Ryder. She constantly looks for faults in everything I do to taint my image in front of my parents and prevent our marriage from happening. So, I obediently follow everything she says, as do my parents. Even the course I took was far from what I really wanted in life. Ever since I was young, I had a passion for the arts, so I wanted to study fine arts. But Ryder's mom strongly objected, saying I wouldn't gain anything from that course. She claimed that artists are no longer relevant in today's society, and I would only be a burden to Ryder if I couldn't contribute to their business. That's why I ended up graduating with a degree in business administration, majoring in management. Ironically, I haven't been able to use my degree because Ryder doesn't allow me to work for their company, and his mom doesn't want me there either. It's something I still don't understand. When I wanted to pursue another course, she got angry, saying I wouldn't be of any help, but now that I've graduated from the course they wanted for me, she still won't let me work. If I can't work, how can I acquire experience? I stepped out of the bathroom, which was inside my room, and searched for something to wear. I opted for jeans, a printed t-shirt, and a jacket because it was still early in the morning, and I knew the journey would be chilly. When Mom entered, she scrutinized me from head to toe. "What are you wearing, Elara?" she snapped. "Do you think that's appropriate? Change your clothes!" She gave me an angry order and walked to my closet to select another outfit for me. "Mom, this outfit is fine! It's cold outside, so I think this is suitable," I protested. "Shut up, Elara!" Mom snapped at me, leaving me with no choice but to keep quiet. "Here, wear this! Remember, Elara, never make excuses that Ryder's mom will criticize you for again," she instructed as she handed me the outfit she had chosen for me. "Yes, ma'am," I replied with a frown, taking the clothes she gave me. I quickly changed. It was a light pink dress with a baby collar, fitting snugly from my chest to my waist and flowing into an A-line style that reached my knees. Whenever I visited Ryder or attended gatherings with his family, I always maintained a conservative image. I didn't necessarily mind, but it meant I couldn't do the things I wanted. I had no choice but to follow my parents' wishes for me. "It's better if you always look like this, don't tie your hair, and wear the sandals Ryder's mom gave you," she added as she left my room. "Hurry up, follow me downstairs; we're leaving." "Yes, ma'am," I forced myself to reply before she exited my room. Knowing she would reprimand me if she had to come back for me, I quickly followed her after completing everything she asked. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, Mom and Dad were already waiting for me. "Let's go," Dad beckoned, so we followed him out. During the ride, we were all silent. We went straight to Ryder's house, which was just in the next block. We lived in a different block because my parents couldn't afford to buy a house and land in the same block as Ryder's house. Our house was in a decent area, but Ryder's mom still rejected me because she believed there was someone better suited for Ryder than me. When we arrived, our van stopped in front of their house. We didn't have trouble entering their place because we already knew them. "Elara, you go down first," Mom instructed me, so I complied immediately. Ryder's van had already parked, signaling their impending departure. As I was about to enter their house, Ryder came out, looking surprised to see me. "Oh, love, why are you here?" He asked in astonishment. I quickly approached him and kissed his cheek. "You know how Mom is; she wouldn't allow you to leave without seeing you," I explained. "Will you take us to the airport?" he asked, grasping my hand. Just as his mom emerged, we walked out holding hands. She immediately scrutinized me from head to toe, as if examining my entire being or, perhaps more accurately, as if she didn't want to see me there at all. "Good morning, Auntie!" I greeted her politely and approached, about to kiss her cheek, when she abruptly stopped me. "I'm okay," she said, blocking my advance with her palms in front of my face. I felt somewhat embarrassed by her gesture, so I stepped back. "Sorry," I apologized, feeling ashamed. Ryder then approached me, took my hand again, and gently squeezed it, a silent apology for his mom's behavior. "Didn't Ryder tell you it's okay for you not to accompany us?" She asked coldly. "Uh, well…" I didn't know how to respond to her. It was all Mom's fault. If she hadn't insisted, I would've been sound asleep right now. She raised an eyebrow, clearly waiting for my reply. "Uh, I—" "I forgot to tell her, Mom; it slipped my mind." Ryder promptly intervened. "Next time, Ryder, when I ask you to convey something, do it immediately so my day isn't ruined," she grumbled before heading straight into the car. "Let's go; we might be late for the flight," she added, beckoning Ryder. "Okay," Ryder complied, and then he led me towards the car. But before I could step inside the van, his mom blocked my path. "It's too crowded in here; just go to your own car; I don't want you to be inconvenienced," she said, causing me to pause again. But I managed to smile at Ryder. "Okay, sweetheart, I'll simply ride in our car; we'll meet at the airport." I bid him farewell before quickly turning away from him. Ryder's mom's blatant rejection didn't hurt me easily, but I made an effort to understand. Her demeanor only changed when Ryder's dad was around; Uncle would scold her whenever she treated me like that. "Oh, why?" As I got into the car, Mom asked in surprise. "I'll just ride in our car; there's too much stuff in Ryder's car, so we won't fit if I ride there," I answered. "That's true; they probably have a lot of luggage since they'll be in Madrid for 15 days." She agreed with my reasoning. I didn't delve into Ryder's mom's rejection further, knowing Mom would be angry again and Dad would be the one she'd take it out on. Because if it were up to Mom, she wouldn't have let me be rejected like that, but because of Ryder's mom's clear refusal, as well as Dad's request and our indebtedness to Ryder's family, Mom couldn't do anything about it. Besides, I love Ryder. I quietly leaned back and closed my eyes. Our car followed behind the van that Ryder was riding in. Our journey wasn't too long, so in just a few moments, we were already at the airport. As soon as we parked our car, Ryder ran towards us and opened the door for me. "Good morning, Uncle, Auntie!" He greeted my parents with a smile as he opened the car door. My dad greeted him back, "Good morning to you too, Ryder." He stood by me as I stepped out of the car. "Love, what souvenir would you like?" he asked with a smile as we walked hand in hand towards the airport. "Just come back before our 10th anniversary," I replied. "Yes, I'll definitely be back before our anniversary; we're only going to be in Madrid for 15 days. Dad just wanted us to meet him in Madrid, and then we'll all return to Aberdeen together," he assured me. "Okay, just make sure to call me from time to time to let me know what you're doing there, okay?" I reminded him. He nodded with a smile. The real plan was for me to be on that flight to Madrid with them, but Ryder's mom strongly opposed it, so I couldn't do anything about it. Ryder couldn't disobey his mom, and I understood that. And I knew I wouldn't enjoy myself if I went with them, because his mom wouldn't treat me well. "Let's go, Ryder; we might be late," his mom called out to him, so he quickly kissed my cheek. "We'll go ahead, love. I love you; take care on your way home," he bid me farewell before hurrying to catch up with his mom. I just watched him leave. The truth was, I didn't feel even the slightest bit sad every time he left, because he often did so to attend to his dad's business. At first, I used to feel sad because we'd only see each other once or twice a month. We were both only children, so we grew up like siblings, and I got used to always being with him whenever he had the chance. In fact, when we were in elementary and high school, we were inseparable. That was also why I didn't have any other friends apart from him, because he didn't want me befriending just anyone. And since that's what he wanted, I had to follow and do it.