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

a 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

shackled to him, she could very well

Ayla just wanted to stir up trouble and provoke

already finished what needed to be

shrugged the black suit jacket off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor.She didn't need it or anything

out dressed like that?" he asked

to teach her a lesson because of how stubborn she was being, but he chose otherwise when he saw the fresh bruises on

let go of her torn clothes

do you

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

less lay a finger on her!  Ayla chose to keep her

after, Brian

you to dinner," he

her

to

would lose her appetite if she had dinner with

for dinner as well,

put on the new clothes, he said, "Okay, fine! Instant noodles, then.Let's not

out

awkward silence in the room was too unbearable for one's

bites and Brian went on his

nerves finally relaxed the

off her chest and she could finally

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

tossed it into the trash can

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

he really wanted to continue with this? ‘Isn't there anything I can

who would sleep with many

could finally let her go? If

the end?’ Ayla asked herself

all.  Meanwhile, Lucas drove to Ayla's apartment.He was a bit hesitant to go at first, since he wasn't sure if he should pay her a visit.He actually missed

he craned his neck upwards

doing, 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 moment

had been with Ayla every day.He should have

badly Brian hurt her,

what faith he had slowly dissolved when Lucas saw that Brian's car had just