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

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

her shackled to him, she could very well give him a taste of his

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

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

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

you sure you're going out dressed

of how stubborn she was being, but he chose otherwise when he saw the fresh bruises on

go of her torn clothes and threw back a

do you want

her in his arms and reminded her possessively, "I'm the only one

lay a finger on her!  Ayla

and not long after, Brian came back carrying a new

dressed.I'll take you to dinner," he

her head

thanks.I prefer to

would lose her appetite if she had dinner

for dinner as well, but for now, he

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

say anything, he pulled her out of the studio

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

went

finally relaxed the moment he

was like a huge boulder was lifted off her chest

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

it into the trash can where it rightfully

cleanse whatever he left on her body.

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

hated flirtatious women who would

he could finally let her go? If so, how far was she willing to go to do it?

the end?’ Ayla asked herself

it 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 her so much, but he couldn't come see her constantly anymore.He could only drive to

he reached the building, he craned his neck upwards to look

did before? Or will you come back to Brian without hesitation and throw yourself into his arms

with Ayla every day.He should have

her, she wouldn't

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