The Substitute Bride: Making Memories Of Us (Lois Stone)

Ayla ruffled through the folders from the drawer until she found what she was looking for.

"This is for Mr.Clark."

Her smile was confident as she handed her documents to Ellie.

She was sure her design drafts fully showcased her abilities which she knew were rather considerable.

Ellie quickly received Ayla's papers and handed them to Brian.

"These documents require your attention, Mr.Clark."

She felt her heartbeat anxiously speed up as Brian took the folder from her hands.She had heard so much about him even before she entered the company, and it was the first time she saw him in person.She found him quite intimidating.

"Hmmm," Brian murmured as he carefully perused Ayla's designs, leafing through each draft one by one.

Anna, who was standing beside Brian, sullenly watched him as he calmly examined Ayla's work.Her fists clenched into tight balls.

She knew that Brian would abandon her because of Ayla's appearance.She would not allow it! Done with his scrutiny, Brian closed Ayla's folder.

"Anna, tell me, what's wrong with these design drafts?"

His tone of voice was strictly professional when he spoke, cold and devoid of any hint of tenderness.

Unable to come up with a suitable response, Anna could only press her lips tightly together and sulk in silence.

"You have nothing to say, right?" Brian's eyes narrowed in warning.

"Anna."

He had always allowed Anna to do whatever she wanted, even when she challenged his decisions time and time again.

He tolerated her simply because of all that she had done for him in many years.

When it came to Ayla, however, it was time he drew a bottom line.

Ignoring the tension in the room, Ayla stood up and put away the design drafts.

"So, what do you think, Mr.Clark?"

She chattered nonchalantly as she fixed the papers in their folder.

"If you think there is no problem with these design drafts, you can use them to make sample clothes.But there is not much time left.If you find them unsatisfactory, you can return them to me and I will make the necessary modifications."

Brian just looked at her, and said, "There's no need for that.I will deal with the rest.You can rest today."

"Miss Anna, you heard Mr.Clark.You won't count it as an absence if I took my leave now, will you?"

Having said thus, Ayla blithely picked up her handbag and left the office.

room, Brian turned to Anna, his expression

going back to the

apartment, fully intending to rest even without Brian's

forgotten to take the doctor- prescribed medication when she

on the sofa, she heard the doorbell

door, not bothering to

allowed access to her room any time of day,

Brian Clark.

wasn't him this

"Who are you?"

regarded the strange man at her

"Mrs.Clark, I am..."

rose at the way the man

mistaken, I'm not Mrs.Clark.My family name

curtly corrected

that? Must he continue to

alone two years

be his wife in name, but not where it

he'd awakened in Ayla's

to bring this

the man's stubbornness, but she could not fault the guy for not

she accepted the food and medicine

go back

walking away, Ayla called out in a

as soon as the man left.She placed his delivery on the dining

container filled

ever so thoughtful?’ She never expected that man to

scoffed at the

deliberate ploy of his to get back

so, she disliked wasting food, and she needed a full stomach to be able to

Brian personally arranged for Ayla's designs to be made

a studio for Ayla

ordered as he

as soon as she came back? What did she do to enthrall you so? Don't you know that she has

look came upon Brian's face.She didn't wish to hurt him, but

with Lucas now,

you

clasped Anna's arms and

you say

I hear correctly? Lucas? How could

you're hurting me!"

was just telling the truth, so why was he so

his name again! "