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

Ayla's body was pressed firmly on the couch making it difficult for her to ignore Brian's probing eyes.She looked away instead to evade his questions.

"Why don't you answer me? Does it hurt?" Brian asked as he searched her eyes for answers that her mouth wasn't willing to give.

Bending his head down, he gently kissed Ayla's scar.His lips left a trail of moisture that was impossible to ignore.

That scar would remain etched on her skin for a lifetime and it was a Clear representation of what he owed her.  

"It hurt," Ayla nodded.

No matter how painful the physical wounds were, they all belonged in the past now.

What kept her hurting was the emotional trauma he put her through.  "I'm sorry."

Brian spoke softly.

He remembered how she got that scar and no amount of apologies could turn back time and erase it.

Still, he wouldn't give up easily trying to win her heart.Biting her lower lip, Ayla pleaded, "Why can't you set me free? Why?"

Tears welled up in her eyes, a mixture of pain and anger that she couldn't quite release.

"I can promise anything else, except this one,"

Brian said with finality.  Ayla gasped in horror and exclaimed, "You devil!"

"So don't ever try to escape from me.Now that you're here, I will never let you go again.If ever you try to leave, I will come find you, understand?" he repeated as he gazed at her pointedly.

There was no sense arguing with him at this point.

Ayla broke free from his grasp and plucked the torn dress from the floor to cover her body.

Brian draped his suit jacket on her shoulders and said, "I'll ask someone to bring clothes for you here."

"No, thanks.There's no way for me to afford it," she countered to decline the offer.

Ayla didn't want to be regarded as a sexual partner.

She tried her hardest to recover from her bitter past and becoming like this would only waste her sacrifices.

"Well, if you hate me that much, it means that I'll be always in your heart." Brian grinned at her.

At the back of his mind, he thought, 'You can hate me.It is better to hate me than to forget me"

him

feel nothing for you at all.Should I be grateful that you agreed to let me have that operation? Need I remind you that no matter how many times we have sex, I won't bear another child ever again and that's because of you," she stated as a matter

make her feel more indifferent.If he would keep her shackled to him, she could very well give him a taste of his

stared at her unbelievably.He thought Ayla just wanted

needed to be done.You should

her shoulders and let it fall to the floor.She didn't need it or anything from him

going out dressed like

she was being, but he chose otherwise when he saw the fresh

of her torn clothes

what do you

her possessively, "I'm the only

finger on her!  Ayla chose to keep her mouth shut, not

down on the couch and not long after, Brian came back carrying a new set of

take you to dinner," he

her

to

appetite if she had

clothes for dinner as well, but for now, he would give

she put on the new clothes, he said, "Okay, fine! Instant noodles,

say anything, he pulled her out of the studio

silence in the room was too unbearable for one's

a few bites and Brian went on his way shortly

finally relaxed the

boulder was lifted off her

waste any second, she headed to the bathroom and stripped off the designer dress that Brian

it into the trash

bathtub, hoping the water and soap would cleanse whatever he left on her body.

‘Isn't there anything I can do for him to give up completely?’ she thought

would sleep with many men

doing that to make herself the kind of woman he hated, so he could finally let her go?

in the end?’ Ayla asked herself over

bit hesitant to go at first, since he wasn't sure if he should pay her a

his neck upwards to

you doing, Lala? Will you hold on like you did before? Or will you come back to Brian without hesitation and throw yourself into

years, Lucas had been with Ayla every day.He should have faith

badly Brian hurt her,

faith he had slowly dissolved when Lucas saw