The Substitute Bride: Making Memories Of Us (Lois Stone)

"What do you think? Mrs.Clark, are you satisfied?" said a voice from behind Ayla.

It was Brian.She turned to face him.Her expression was wary.

"Mr.Clark, what do you want?"

"What do you think?" Brian said softly, moving closer to her.

He lifted her chin, tilting her face so she had no choice but to meet his eyes.

"I can return to the entertainment club.I can keep washing dishes," Ayla offered.

Brian shook his head adamantly.

"No.You don't have to go back.Your sweetheart has spent a lot of money to get you out of that place and allow you to continue being Mrs.Clark.Do you want to let him down?" She said nothing.

Brian added, "So from now on, you live here.Get used to it."

He stepped back and turned away from her, walking into his own bedroom, which was the master room on the other side of the hallway.

As soon as he closed the door behind him, Ayla walked inside her room.

She gazed at the pretty purple bed sheets, the gauzy beige curtains, and the pure white wardrobe and dresser.

It was a lovely, feminine room.

She couldn't believe she would be living here.

She felt as though she didn't deserve this.

She wandered out to the private balcony, which overlooked the lawn.

She spent the rest of the afternoon seated on a lounge chair, enjoying the sunlight and the breeze and the gorgeous view of colorful flowers strewn over the grass.

The sun was setting when she heard a knock at the door.

"Come in," she called.

Maria entered.

"Mrs.Clark, dinner is ready," she said respectfully.

Ayla took a last look at the beautiful orange sky.She smiled to herself.

"Thanks, I'll be right down."

She entered the dining room to find Brian already seated at the head of the table, reading a newspaper.

She stopped near the doorway and said, "Hello, Mr.Clark."

He gave her an impatient look.

"Well, don't just stand there.Do you need me to invite you to sit down?"

He put down the newspaper beside him and gave her a cold look.

She hurried to the table and sat down.

The atmosphere in the dining room was so tense she didn't even dare to glance at him.

so scared," he

to get used to

eating the sumptuous food prepared for them, but

forced herself to finish the food so he wouldn't snap at

to the living room, where there

peeked in and saw that he was

was rare for him to stay at home like this, and as long as he was in there, she didn't want to enter the

up her plate, intending to take it to the kitchen, but

I'll clean the table. You can go and keep Mr.Clark

her hand and

Mr.Clark's favorite snack.Go on, you can take it

opportunities for the two of them

mind, which was why he'd brought Mrs.Clark back and arranged for her to live in the room

took a deep breath and went

Mr.Clark," she said softly, putting down the bowl of fruit on the table

used to living like this.She had so many

out a phone

"Here," he said.

your sweetheart and tell him how well

don't want to disturb his happiness,"

had made up her mind not to

did not want to be the other woman

coolly

this way.Keep in mind that your duty now is to live here and

he mean

stared at him with her

his needs?She found her situation helpless and painful, and she had

with anyone, she had to drag her aching body

price she had to

the week, she could barely

awake until dawn, her thoughts

in his office, was feeling

a long time since he

the staff members there informed him that Lala

Brian had

not trust

worried that Lala would suffer, but he was willing to

she saw

the woman had left because she had fallen in love

her fault? Had she decided on her own that she would no longer

towards

"Toby," she said.

Molly called his name, he came to

he said,

ignoring her, because his mind and heart were full of

some soup for you," she said, holding up a bag in her

be working overtime so much? Dad and Mom hope you'll be able to spend more time

led him to the sofa and handed

drinking the warm soup.He said, "Don't worry.I'll come

couldn't stop himself from loving Lala, he

to clean the villa, she considered her dream of returning to

to, but still,

the living

was getting drowsy when her mobile