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.

Brian turned to Anna, his

back to the company

fully intending

take the doctor- prescribed medication when she left the hospital in

minutes of resting on the sofa, she

the door, not

allowed access to her room any time of day, with no need

Brian Clark.

wasn't

"Who are you?"

strange man at her

"Mrs.Clark, I am..."

rose at the way the

mistaken, I'm not Mrs.Clark.My

curtly corrected the

make the man call her that? Must he continue to hurt her so? She

let alone two years after.It was an empty title,

might be his wife in name, but

in Ayla's heart, the

Mr.Clark asked me to bring this

by the man's stubbornness, but she could not fault the guy for not daring to disobey

food and medicine

can go back

began walking away, Ayla called out in a huff,

door as soon as the man left.She placed

container filled

expected that man to have a caring

scoffed at the

of his to get back in her good

food, and she needed a

gloomily watched as Brian personally arranged for Ayla's designs to be made into

Ayla

gruffly ordered as he finalized

back? What did she do

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

was with Lucas now, so

you just

Anna's arms and squeezed

say is with

I hear correctly? Lucas? How

hurting me!" Anna

why was he so

it? Say his name again! "