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"

turned to him

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,"

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

at a loss for words as he stared at her unbelievably.He thought Ayla just wanted to stir up trouble and provoke him.Wasn't she afraid that he would shoot her?

to be done.You should

let it fall

going out dressed like that?"

a lesson because of how stubborn she was being, but he chose otherwise

torn clothes and threw back a

do you want

and reminded her possessively, "I'm the only one who can

a finger on her!  Ayla chose to keep her

long after, Brian came back

you to dinner,"

shook her

thanks.I prefer to eat instant

her appetite if she had dinner

already changed his clothes for dinner as well, but for now, he would give

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

he pulled her out of the studio and went to her

on the noodles, the awkward silence in the room was too unbearable

went

nerves finally relaxed the

was lifted off her

second, she headed to the bathroom and stripped

tossed it into the trash can where it

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

what could she do if he really wanted to continue with this? ‘Isn't there anything I can do for him

hated flirtatious women who would sleep with many men

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

worth it in the end?’ Ayla asked herself

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

his neck upwards to

before? Or will you come back to Brian without hesitation and

Lucas had been with Ayla every day.He

how badly Brian hurt her, she

slowly dissolved when Lucas saw that Brian's car had just driven away from