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

Brian stared at the woman in front of him for a long moment before saying, "Are you waiting for me to come back?"

He was probing, but his steely tone was ruthless.

Ayla merely looked at him wordlessly.She wasn't waiting for him, but she knew he didn't want to hear that.Her only option was to remain silent.

"Why don't you say something?"

Brian tightened his grip on her waist, his fingers digging painfully into her flesh.

"No," she said.

She knew he would be upset, but she didn't want to lie to him.

This was how they got along with each other.

Brian cocked his head as his gaze bore into her and said, "You are getting bolder and bolder with each passing day."

Although he was drunk, he still could steadily steer her towards the second floor.His swift movement made Ayla almost believe that he was sober.

The next morning, Lucas was standing at the school gate, a light gray overcoat around his shoulders as he waited for Ayla to show up.

As Brian drove, Ayla looked out of the window, annoyed.

She wouldn't be late for class if he hadn't forced her into sex this morning.

Luckily for her, it was wintertime and she could wear a turtleneck to cover the hickeys.

Facing her classmates would have been mortifying otherwise.

The car stopped at the school gate.

Brian's eyes found the figure waiting at the gate, but he didn't say a word to Ayla.

Instead, he drove away the moment she got out of the car.Ayla, on the other hand, hadn't noticed Lucas.

But when she turned to find him leaning leisurely against the gate, she was stunned.

"Why are you here, Mr.Collins?"

Lucas made a show of looking at his wristwatch and said, "You are late today."

Embarrassed, Ayla lowered her eyes to the ground.

"Why are you still standing there? Come on in!"

and led her into the school

notice about a meeting.Heads turned and whispers broke out as they walked in, hand in hand.Ayla withdrew her hand at once and sighed.She was afraid that she would be misunderstood

to hate Lucas holding

she had felt the warmth of family.She stood among

the principal made the announcement that Lucas

at the stage, shocked, trying to process what the

in, a sense of betrayal

cheated.Lucas saw Ayla hurry out of the gathering without meeting his eyes.She seemed

him for the next

her outside the library, where

she walked out of the

mean to lie to you," Lucas said desperately, stepping in her path to

him and said, "I should

didn't want him to be involved in any kind of gossip.She didn't want her classmates talking about him behind his

But it seemed inevitable.

Jealous women were horrible.

make up random stories without any truth to

kept her his mistress, that she was hooking

anything to them, because she

Lucas," he said, flashing her a

his joyful smile that lit up her world like a ray

a woman who needed warmth and Brian was always cold and

her face and said, "Ayla, I don't care what anyone says.Maybe I want what they say to

she hearing correctly?

is that possible? I'm

big diamond ring glinted

saying that he didn't want other men to

too loose for you.You are still a student.You shouldn't

pocketed it and said, "Let's go.I've been waiting for you for three hours.Would you

Ayla the chance

she could say anything, he had steered her into his luxury sports car and driven

can't eat outside.I want to go

a long time to

know you didn't eat much at noon.If you don't eat now, your body will become weak" Lucas said, his eyes never leaving

to know everything about ners. He not only knew that Brian had driven her to school these past couple of days, but also knew that she needed to go back on

making

a hearty meal and

to pick

to the window, overlooking the entrance.They