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"

to him with

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 poison in her

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

loss for words as he stared at her unbelievably.He thought Ayla just wanted

what needed to be done.You should go back now," she

suit jacket off her shoulders and let it fall to

you're going out dressed like that?"

of how stubborn she was being, but

go of her torn clothes and threw

you want

took her in his arms and reminded her possessively, "I'm the only one who can see your

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

after, Brian

take you to dinner," he

shook her head

thanks.I prefer to eat

lose her appetite if she had

as well,

the new clothes, he said, "Okay, fine! Instant noodles, then.Let's not wait any longer.I'm

her out of the studio

the noodles, the awkward silence in the

Brian went on his

relaxed the moment

was like a huge boulder was lifted off her chest and

any second, she headed to the bathroom and stripped off

trash can

would cleanse whatever he left on her body.  She didn't want to

this? ‘Isn't there anything I can

women who would sleep with many men the

of woman he hated, so he could finally let her go? If so, how far was she

in the end?’ Ayla asked

go at first, since he wasn't sure if he should pay her a visit.He actually missed her so

building, he craned his neck upwards to look at

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

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

hurt her, she

when Lucas saw