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,"

have to

for

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

room, where there was a

that he was watching a financial

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

to take it to the kitchen, but

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

the empty plate from her

you can take it with you when

opportunities for the two of them to get to

thought Mr.Clark must have changed his mind, which was why he'd brought Mrs.Clark back and arranged for her to live in

breath and went

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

living like this.She had so many

brought out a phone and handed it to

"Here," he said.

sweetheart and tell him how well you're doing

don't want to disturb his happiness,"

her mind not to disturb

want to be the other woman between

glanced coolly at

that your duty now is to live here and act

he

stared at him with

it her duty to endure his overbearing attitude and satisfy his needs?She found her situation helpless and painful, and she had to force herself to be

he did not like spending the whole night with anyone, she had to drag her aching

was the price she had to pay for her luxurious living

rest of the week,

until dawn,

seated in his office, was feeling

had been a long time since he negotiated

the staff members there informed him that Lala was not there

had taken her

not trust Brian at

was willing to gamble on his company's

saw that Toby was

the woman had left because she had fallen

own that she would

towards the

"Toby," she said.

called his name,

hello.You're here," he said,

ignoring her, because his mind and heart were full of

have some soup for you," she said, holding up a

these past weeks.Do you need to be working overtime so much? Dad and Mom hope you'll

him to the sofa and handed

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

stop himself from loving Lala, he couldn't forget his duties towards Molly

day, while Ayla was helping to clean the villa, she considered her dream

able to, but still, she couldn't stop

in the living room with a book in her

getting drowsy when her mobile phone suddenly rang, jolting her