Love Began with the First Meeting

"Hmm.... Hm..."

Frightened, Molly groaned struggling to keep her eyes open and frantically fighting to pry away the hand that covered her mouth. The horror of it all felt surreal, like a bad dream you wished you'd wake up from. From somewhere, she heard someone say in a low voice,"You are such a stupid woman!"

The tone of those words tasted like salt and bile. Bitter, malicious words, but unmistakably a familiar voice. When she finally stopped struggling, the oppressive hand over her mouth was removed.

"Humph! Do you want everyone to hear you scream?" Brian took a contemptuous, sarcastic glance at Molly.

Glaring at him, Molly said in a huff,"Since you suddenly drew me, I was very frightened."

"Are you such a coward?"Sarcastically, with a straight face, Brian continued,"You only put on an intrepid face when you know it's me!"

Already, Molly had given up on her idea of making an apology to Brian. She bit her lips, stared him straight in the face and asked through clenched teeth,"Didn't you leave just now?"

In response, Brian snorted coldly,"I won't just leave you here alone. I would have to rescue you if you were to be abducted by others. I wouldn't want to let such thing happen again and be involved by any means."

"You could just stand by!" Angrily, Molly probed, her mood sour as green gooseberry.

The words made Brian sneer. With a raised brow, he asked,"Do you think Edgar will rescue you if I don't?"

Those words took Molly by surprise. She couldn't put her finger on a plausible answer. After a short silence, she spoke in a measured voice,"I think, it's you who's always thinking about him, not me!You're such a crazy man, Brian Long. I think you suffer from not only schizophrenia but also IAD! Illness Anxiety Disorder," she remarked.

speaking, Molly draped on Brian's suit jacket more tightly and walked

noticed in him, she'd concentrate on that. As flawed as he was, it wasn't lost on Molly that her own father had done her and the entire family untold injustices. It was on account of the indolent old-man's debts that Molly now found herself in Brian's hands. Unable to pay off the debts, she had agreed to being Brian's demi-mondaine for a month. A last-ditch, desperate means to financial settlement. But what other chance or means of payment did she have? As well, Molly's mother was now in hospital, receiving costly treatment they could not afford, all on Brian's account. That particular gesture

"Ah!"

arm again. Without

and followed her right in. Tony cast a glance in the rear-view mirror and then started the car and drove away from the Moonlight

him to stop. From there, they could see Molly still standing

the crowd, looking so contemplative. She was completely out of place like

coat, the waitress uniform underneath. The cold wind must have been harsh on her,

early days, his quick temper had stuck to him like glue. It had been only when he was with Wing that he was willing to show his emotion like this. In public, he always looked aloof and detached. Even while he was staying with his parents, indifference was his signature. Neither had he been keen on mingling, nor willing to confide in anyone. A

had no idea of what was on Brian's mind. Perhaps, Harrow was right.

any action to look for Becky. Tony had thought before that if Becky knew

she still hadn't come back. Moreover, Brian also seemed

through the car window, as if those lights were crystal balls that contained clues to the puzzles of her life. In her mind, she kept simulating possible alternate scenarios of surviving the following ten days without incurring his unreasonable anger. She also got a bit excited

smile spread across her face, as if she'd hit the jackpot. Even the corners of her eyes lit up, although she was cautious, knowing Brian was watching. At that, her shoulders tightened, her face turning pallid as she slumped back into

that point, the awkward silence in

giving way to surprise. Right away she answered, casting a dubious glance at Brian who was looking at her with interest, almost like he wanted to eavesdrop on every word of

"Little Molly..."

number. Now that Brian sat beside her, she thought it must have been Daniel calling. Without bothering to check who was calling, she was about to speak, when Eric's voice