Love Began with the First Meeting
Chapter 88 Are You In Love With Me (Part Two)

So immersed in thoughts, she didn't notice the rage in his eyes.

'Eric?'

'Bah!'

An exasperated Brian snorted, although his face remained expressionless. But deep down inside, he boiled and roiled with anger, like a brewer's pot.

Knowing that Brian was burnt out, Molly took out the slippers, crouched down and fitted them to his feet.

Indifferent to her charitable act, all Brian realized was that she still wore his coat. "Who were you talking to just now?" he asked coldly.

These words reminded her of what Shirley said. She paused for a moment, and said, "I just called Daniel to ask about my mom."

"Why? You're afraid I won't pay for her treatment anymore?"

Brian asked, staring at her as if he could read her mind. It was evident to Brian; she was trying to hide her feelings. But she was not good at weaving lies and faking appearances. Ever so honest, straightforward.

At his feet, Molly concentrated on removing his shoes and fitting him with slippers. "My mom's sickness got complicated because she had been left untreated for a long time, seeing we didn't have the money to treat her from the outset. Of course I'm afraid because you said you were not gonna pay for her treatment."

In fact, her lies were also truths which really distressed her. She thought about the slap mark on her face the other day in the hospital room. That prickly feeling on her face she couldn't forget.

As Brian listened, he squinted, moved by her sad face and helpless words. It made his heart ache, washing away the anger, like a wildfire dying out in unexpected torrential rain.

"Then you should look before you leap. If you do it again, you and your family will be in trouble," Brian warned.

"Okay, I got it," she whispered in reply, then put his shoes on the shoe rack. "It's very late. I'm going upstairs."

Before Brian could respond, she turned around and started to climb the stairs. On the second flight of stairs, her arm was grabbed from behind, making her miss a step. The force of her fall and his pull at her sent her hurtling back, right into his arms. In shock, she tried reflexively to disengage herself from his arms, but Brian would not let go.

"Why do you want to stay away from me?" he asked. A hint of anger in his voice.

The strength he exerted on her arm was so strong that Molly scowled in pain. She shook her head. "No, I'm not trying to keep away from you," she denied.

"No?" "Then why are you in such a hurry to go upstairs?" he snorted. Is it because you had a good time with Eric, so you're tired? Or you had a date with someone at the dessert house, so you need some rest? Why are you always trying to get away from me?" "Brian Long, I'm not trying to stay away from you!" Molly said. The strength he exerted on her arm got even harder. Molly grimaced in pain. "I just went out to have a night snack with Eric, but then we parted, and I went to the dessert house with a lady I met on South Street Alley."

"Eric, that's how you call him, huh?" Brian got more and more angry. He didn't mind who she was with at the dessert house, so much as he did mind the way she called Eric Long.

The way she called him always frustrated him. But tonight she merely called him Bri. And that, just once when she was forced to.

After a couple of days alone with her, it was ridiculous that in her eyes, he was even not as good as Eric Long.

Out of anger, he instinctively increased force on her arm, eventually squeezing so hard she screamed.

"Ouch! That hurts!" Molly's face twisted in pain and said, "I didn't make out with him... Brian Long, let go of me. It hurts..."

With her other hand, Molly tried to pry his hands off. As she struggled with him, all of the events of the day flashed through her mind. She was left by Brian on the road, then got robbed on South Street Alley and scalded her ankle with hot soup; then saw him with a girl at the dessert house... She felt angry and wronged. Her mouth twitched as if she were about to cry.

"Brian Long, since you make out with other women, why can't I do such things? What am I to you? I'm just your plaything for one month. You're not entitled to meddle in my affairs."

Hearing these words, Brian's eyes became squarely cold and deep. He sneered and growled, "You are my woman. You can't make out with anyone but me! Why do you want to stay away from me? Molly Xia, don't ever think about it. You're still my woman, after this month and beyond."

It sounded like his words had muffled her. As if, instead of getting into her ears, she perceived them by the mouth, and they got stuck in the chest. With sudden anger, she stared him in the eyes and reminded him, "You promised I didn't need to pay you back if I stay with you for one month. After this month, you can't interfere with my affairs. You can't blackmail me except for my mom's treatment fees."

"Besides your mother's treatment fees... there are so many things I can do to make you suffer," he said in a cold voice filled with sarcasm. As she weighed her options against his words, Molly's heart sank.

The tears she'd been fighting, she couldn't hold back any more. Anger and fear showed at once. "Brian Long, just leave me alone! Your girlfriend is back, and I'm not in for shits and giggles!" Please, just let me go... let me be.... I don't want to get in between the two of you, and I don't want to be your other woman!"

She blurted through sobs. The last words especially left her smothered.

Watching her cry pierced him to the heart. He despised tears, but Molly's tears had a different effect. They moved him, in ways he'd never known.

"Is it your intention to run away from me... or is it really because of my so called girlfriend?" For a moment, he put his feeling aside and stared at Molly. When he keenly looked at her, he could see her eyes had in them an unusual affection. A vague smile curved the lips of his mouth. "Molly Xia, So you're in love with me?"☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐