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

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

would keep her shackled

as he stared at her unbelievably.He thought Ayla just wanted to stir up trouble and provoke him.Wasn't

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

fall to the

you sure you're going out dressed like that?"

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

her torn clothes and threw back

what do you want me to

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

lay a finger on her!  Ayla chose to

long after, Brian came back

you to dinner,"

her head in

prefer to eat instant

appetite if

well, but for now, he would

soon as she put on the new clothes, he said,

anything, he pulled her out of the studio and

slurped on the noodles, the awkward silence in the room

had a few bites and Brian went on his way shortly

nerves finally relaxed the moment

a huge boulder was lifted off her chest

to waste any second, she headed to the bathroom and stripped off the designer dress that Brian gave

tossed it into the trash can where

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

to continue with this? ‘Isn't there anything I can do for him to give up completely?’ she thought hard with her eyes

flirtatious women who would sleep with many

doing that to make herself the kind of woman he hated, so he could finally let her go? If so, how far was she willing to go to do it? This plan was to set herself free

be worth it in the end?’ Ayla asked herself over

ready to endure it all.  Meanwhile, Lucas drove to Ayla's apartment.He was a bit hesitant to go at first, since he wasn't

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 murmured

few years, Lucas had been with

hurt her,

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