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

Chapter 80: Deliberate Arrangement Or Coincidence 

Brian stared at the woman in front of him for a long moment before saying, "Are you waiting for me to come back?"

He was probing, but his steely tone was ruthless.

Ayla merely looked at him wordlessly.She wasn't waiting for him, but she knew he didn't want to hear that.Her only option was to remain silent.

"Why don't you say something?"

Brian tightened his grip on her waist, his fingers digging painfully into her flesh.

"No," she said.

She knew he would be upset, but she didn't want to lie to him.

This was how they got along with each other.

Brian cocked his head as his gaze bore into her and said, "You are getting bolder and bolder with each passing day."

Although he was drunk, he still could steadily steer her towards the second floor.His swift movement made Ayla almost believe that he was sober.

The next morning, Lucas was standing at the school gate, a light gray overcoat around his shoulders as he waited for Ayla to show up.

As Brian drove, Ayla looked out of the window, annoyed.

She wouldn't be late for class if he hadn't forced her into sex this morning.

Luckily for her, it was wintertime and she could wear a turtleneck to cover the hickeys.

Facing her classmates would have been mortifying otherwise.

The car stopped at the school gate.

Brian's eyes found the figure waiting at the gate, but he didn't say a word to Ayla.

Instead, he drove away the moment she got out of the car.Ayla, on the other hand, hadn't noticed Lucas.

But when she turned to find him leaning leisurely against the gate, she was stunned.

"Why are you here, Mr.Collins?"

Lucas made a show of looking at his wristwatch and said, "You are late today."

Embarrassed, Ayla lowered her eyes to the ground.

"Why are you still standing there? Come on in!"

He took her hand and led her into the school square where Ayla noticed a crowd had gathered.

She frowned.She hadn't gotten any notice about a meeting.Heads turned and whispers broke out as they walked in, hand in hand.Ayla withdrew her hand at once and sighed.She was afraid that she would be misunderstood again.

However, she didn't seem to hate Lucas holding her hand.

Instead, she had felt the warmth of family.She stood among the crowd, dazed.

Soon enough, the principal made the announcement that Lucas would be the new vice principal.

Ayla looked at the stage, shocked, trying to process what the principal was saying.

When it did sink in, a sense of betrayal descended upon her.

She felt cheated.Lucas saw Ayla hurry out of the gathering without meeting his eyes.She seemed frightened.

Sure enough, she avoided him for the next few days.

Lucas finally caught up with her outside the library, where he had been waiting for her for three hours.

She spotted him the moment she walked out of the library, and pursed her lips.

"Are you still angry with me, Ayla? I didn't mean to lie to you," Lucas said desperately, stepping in her path to stop her from leaving.

Ayla looked up at him and said, "I should call you Principal Collins, shouldn't I?"

She had ignored him because she didn't want him to be involved in any kind of gossip.She didn't want her classmates talking about him behind his back.

But it seemed inevitable.

Jealous women were horrible.

They could make up random stories without any truth to them.

They had spread the rumors that Ayla was going to dump the old man who kept her his mistress, that she was hooking up with the new vice principal, and that the two stayed at school late, had dinner, and went back home together.

Ayla never explained anything to them, because she couldn't stop them from talking.

"I don't mind if you call me Lucas," he said, flashing her a charming smile. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Ayla looked at his joyful smile that lit up her world like a ray of sunshine.

She was a woman who needed warmth and Brian was always cold and sneering to her.

Lucas gently touched her face and said, "Ayla, I don't care what anyone says.Maybe I want what they say to be true."

Ayla stared at him, stunned.Was she hearing correctly? How could he think that?

"How is that possible? I'm married."

The big diamond ring glinted on Ayla's finger.

Brian had forced her to wear it, saying that he didn't want other men to get close to her.

Shaking his head, Lucas took off the ring and said, "This ring is too loose for you.You are still a student.You shouldn't be wearing such a monstrosity."

He pocketed it and said, "Let's go.I've been waiting for you for three hours.Would you like to have dinner with me?"

He didn't give Ayla the chance to refuse.

Before she could say anything, he had steered her into his luxury sports car and driven away from Melody Road.

"I...I can't eat outside.I want to go back."

It took Ayla a long time to utter these words.

"No.You've been busy all day and it's now eight at night.I know you didn't eat much at noon.If you don't eat now, your body will become weak" Lucas said, his eyes never leaving the road.

Despite not being with her at all times, he seemed to know everything about ners. He not only knew that Brian had driven her to school these past couple of days, but also knew that she needed to go back on time.

But today, he was making her break this rule.

Lucas ordered a hearty meal and said, "Eat, Ayla.You shouldn't waste food."

Ayla sighed.She had no choice but to pick up her chopsticks and eat.

Brian and Anna sat at a different booth in the same restaurant.Their seats were next to the window, overlooking the entrance.They had seen Ayla walking in hand in hand with Lucas.

"Brian, you shouldn't keep such a woman by your side anymore," Anna said.

She looked up at Brian, concerned, for his face had darkened with gloom and rage.

One small action on Ayla's part had the power to change Brian's mood, and this in turn scared Anna and filled her with unease.

Brian picked up the glass in front of him and downed the drink in one gulp.He had seen that man at the school gates that day.

Did he have a purpose for doing this? He knew Lucas, the only son of the once famous Collins family.

But Brian heard nothing else about him in the past few years, except that Lucas shared a close bond with Hayden.

It was also because of Hayden that he had become the vice principal of the school.

However, was Lucas' sudden appearance a coincidence or a deliberate arrangement that Hayden had orchestrated?Brian remained silent.

Anna persisted in her questions.

"Do you just let her do whatever she wants?"

He had never let a woman do such things and this realization caused him to burst out, "Leave her alone!"

Brian was stunned at the strange feeling suddenly taking over his heart.

But he tried to remain indifferent and suppressed it, unwilling to talk.When Ayla and Lucas walked out of the restaurant together, they came upon Brian holding Anna in his arms.

This unexpectedly sent daggers into Ayla's heart.

Brian didn't say a word.

Instead, he merely walked away, Anna plastered to his side.

Anna, however, turned to look at Ayla, sneering disdainfully at her.

Noticing Ayla's dazedness, Lucas asked, "What's wrong, Ayla? Do you know that man?"

"No, I don't," Ayla said, shaking her head.

It didn't matter if she knew him or not.

She should have known that Brian still maintained intimate relationships with many women.

How could she expect him to belong only to her? But the more important question was: why was she so heartbroken", Ayla didn't know how she went back to the villa.

Lucas had dropped her but she couldn't remember the drive back home.Maria hurried out as she spotted Ayla coming in.

"You're back, Ayla.Mr.Clark is back too.He seemed to become very angry when he realized you hadn't returned yet." Ayla nodded.

"I see.I'll go in and see him."

She had thought that he would spend the night with Anna and would return only tomorrow.Now that she knew he was in the villa, she didn't know how to face him.But she couldn't escape it either.Could she?