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 with blazing

that operation? Need I remind

he would keep her shackled to

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

already finished what needed to be done.You should go back

off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor.She

out dressed

because of how stubborn she was being, but he chose otherwise when he saw

her torn clothes and

do you want me to

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

touch her, much less lay a finger on her!  Ayla chose to keep her mouth shut, not wanting to argue

long after, Brian came back carrying a new set of

dressed.I'll take you to

shook her head in

prefer to

appetite if she had

for dinner as well, but for now, he would

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

he pulled her out of the studio and went to her

on the noodles, the awkward silence in the

and Brian went on his way

nerves finally relaxed the moment he

like a huge boulder was lifted off her chest and she

second, she headed to the bathroom and stripped off the

tossed it into the trash can where it

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

she do if he really wanted to continue with this? ‘Isn't there anything I can do for him to give up completely?’ she thought hard with

hated flirtatious women who would sleep with

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

be worth it in the end?’ Ayla asked

to endure 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

the building, he craned his neck upwards to look at

did before? Or will you come back to Brian without hesitation and throw yourself into his arms the moment he shows up?’ he

had been with

Brian hurt her, she wouldn't turn around

Lucas saw that Brian's car