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

Chapter 173: Her Inescapable Heart 

Brian smirked.

"Are you worried about me?"

"Why should I worry about you? There are already far too many people concerned about your well- being.I'm not the only one, you know? To be honest, I'm more worried about Lucas."

In Ayla's mind, Lucas could never win against Brian.

"The more you worry about him, the more miserable he'll be!" he warned.

He didn't know whether she was bluffing or just doing this on purpose.Ayla cast a sidelong glance at Brian.

She didn't give a damn about his threat because she had nothing to fear.

But in reality, the person she worried about the most was Brian, not Lucas.Brian just cast her an indifferent glance, and drove back to the apartment.

Meanwhile, Anna was sitting alone in a bar.She had emptied the entire bottle of liquor she ordered, and yet she was still very sober.

For some reason, no matter how much she drank, it could never erase the pain she was feeling.

After everything that happened, and despite the fact that Brian kept turning a blind eye to her affection, she still loved him so much.

Her heart was still reluctant to let go.

Brian and Ayla had been getting along well, more and more each day, but Anna was all alone.

Ayla had completely taken her place.

It was understandable that Anna hated how things turned out, wasn't it?

"Anna, have you been drinking all by yourself here?"

Linda showed up, wearing an enchanting black dress. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Anna caught her eye as soon as she got here.

Judging by that look on Anna's face, Linda was sure that the woman's foul mood was caused by Ayla.

"What are you doing here?" Anna glanced back at Linda.

She had never been sympathetic towards this woman because she knew that Linda had ulterior motives for Brian.She just never said a word about it.

Linda sat across Anna.

"I'm here to drink of course! Just like you," she said with a smile.

Anna had been with Brian for so many years.

Perhaps she was the only person willing to lose everything for him in exchange for nothing.But Ayla managed to take everything away from her.

"Don't tell me you're here because of me."

Anna poured herself another glass of wine, and drank it all down.

Linda leaned against the leather sofa, not saying anything.She poured herself three glasses in a row before she decided to break her silence.

"I wasn't looking for you on purpose.Earlier, I saw you looking so depressed, so I decided to accompany you.You and I are both women who can't get the man we love."

"Love? Do you even deserve to say that word?" Anna sneered.

"All you want is prestige and status.I don't think you want love." Brian possessed all those things.

"I never imagined you to read me so well." Linda smirk.

"Honestly, I'm not that greedy.Back when I was in Italy, I was a design director.But when I arrived here in Antawood, I became the same as Ayla, just another designer.To top it off, she got more than I did.How could I be reconciled with that?"

She was a proud and arrogant woman.

No matter what happened, she had never gotten hurt.

Perhaps her only mistake was to underestimate Ayla.

Back when she was still in Italy, Ayla was just a school girl who went to school and took up a part-time job.But upon her arrival at Antawood, Brian gave her everything.

"You can fight with all you have and use up all of your time, effort, and resources, but it's useless to come to me for aid."

Anna was implying that Linda got the wrong person.

No matter how capable she was, she wouldn't be able to help her.

Moreover, Anna knew Brian's capabilities all too well, so she wouldn't want to go against him.

"Don't say that! You're Anna, the woman who has been by Brian's side through thick and thin for the longest time.You're far more capable than Ayla ever will be," Linda said with a smile.

More than anyone else, Anna was the only person who could claim to love Brian deeply.

A bitter smile appeared on Anna's lips.

"You're exaggerating."

Indeed, she had been by Brian's side for so many years, but it was because she had never crossed the line.

Anna was well aware of what she could get, and what she couldn't.

Nobody could ever understand her pain, especially not Linda.

"Whatever the hell you're planning to do, don't ever do something that will harm the Clark Group.If something had happened once, it won't be allowed to happen again."

Anna didn't have to say it directly.She just wanted to remind Linda of what she had done.

If Anna was capable of figuring out that Linda was Ayla's assailant, then Brian had probably known it by now.

He was an incredibly perceptive man.

Just because he wasn't saying anything about it, that didn’t mean he didn't care.

But if something of the same nature were to happen again, perhaps it would prove to be fatal for Linda this time.Once Anna was done speaking, Linda left her seat.

'Was she implying that she knew that I assaulted Ayla?Well, lucky for me, I'm sure Anna doesn't have any evidence to prove it! “ she thought.

Linda sat on a different booth alone, continuing to drink.Meanwhile, Ayla was sitting alone in the living room and looking at the design drafts in her hand.

There was no way she would let any accident happen on the fashion show again.

But unfortunately, there were some things that she couldn't control.

Yareli came to Antawood again.

When she arrived, she called Ayla.

"Ms.Evans, what brings you to Antawood?" Ayla answered the call, surprised.

"I actually just arrived.The second fashion show will be held the day after tomorrow.I heard you suffered a minor injury last time.I was so worried about you that I had to come here," said Yareli.

The reason she came back this time was to monitor the fashion season.

Upon hearing her response, Ayla could tell how worried she was.

After all, rumors and gossips were fatal in the design industry, not to mention Ayla's lack of experience.

As soon as Brian walked out of the study, he heard ayite phone call with Yareli.He didn't say anything and just sat beside her.

It was only until she was finished with the call did he finally speak.

"Has Ms.Evans returned?"

"Indeed, she said that she'll drop by the company tomorrow." Ayla said, turning towards him.

‘Isn't this an official business?’ she thought.

Whenever they were in the apartment, they didn't talk that much about the company's affairs.

Normally, they were busy doing their own things.

The only thing they did together was sex.

Besides, once Brian had asked for it, Ayla had no right to refuse it.

The only thing that could stop him was her period.Brian placed his arms around her waist.

"Are you happy that Ms.Evans is here?"

When did Ayla ever smile like this around him? Perhaps in her mind, he was trying to please her and making up for his mistakes because he had an ulterior motive.

"I just don't want to disappoint Ms.Evans."

If it weren't for Yareli's words, Ayla would've kept her distance from Brian.

But now, she was under his control with no chance to escape.

Although, did she really want to leave him again? She had no choice but to leave him two years ago.

Now did she still have to make that choice? Maybe, Ayla had never lost what had been engraved in her heart.And perhaps, from the very beginning, what she couldn't escape was actually her own heart.