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 with blazing

space in my heart or in my mind.I don't love you and I don't hate you either.I 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 of fact with

feel more indifferent.If he would keep her shackled to him, she could

he stared at her unbelievably.He thought Ayla just wanted to stir up trouble and provoke him.Wasn't she afraid

to be

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

sure you're going out

stubborn she was being, but he chose otherwise when

go of her torn clothes and threw back

do you want me to

reminded her possessively, "I'm the only one who can see your body.Do you

less lay a finger on her!  Ayla chose

couch and not long after, Brian

you to dinner,"

shook her head in

prefer to

appetite if

well,

she put on the new clothes, he said, "Okay, fine! Instant noodles, then.Let's

her out

the noodles, the awkward silence in the room was too

bites and Brian went on his way shortly

finally relaxed the moment

was lifted off her chest and she could finally

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

into the trash can where it

she lay in the bathtub, hoping the water and soap would cleanse whatever he

anything I can do for him to give up completely?’ she thought hard with her

who would sleep with

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

the end?’ Ayla

Ayla's apartment.He was a bit hesitant to go at first, since he wasn't sure

craned his neck upwards to

are you doing, Lala? Will you hold on like you did before? Or will you come back to Brian without hesitation

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

how badly Brian hurt her, she wouldn't turn around

Lucas saw that Brian's car had