The Substitute Bride: Making Memories Of Us (Lois Stone)
Chapter 31: They Were All Unscrupulous People

Chapter 31: They Were All Unscrupulous People 

"Don't go.I'll take you out of here, away from this damned place!"

Before Ayla could say anything, Toby pulled her into his arms once again.He couldn't bear to see hisbeloved woman suffer like this.

She didn't even answer her phone after she disappeared.

It turned out that Brian had kept her strictly under house arrest.But Ayla shook her head.

She couldn't leave at all.

If she ran away, it wouldn't be just she who would suffer the consequences.

She should be grateful that she wasn't sexually assaulted or beaten black and blue by Brian'ssubordinates.

"Toby, you should go back.I want to stay here.Go back to Miss Smith! You'll be happy with her!"

'’I will just be a burden to you.I'll only bring you trouble, ‘' she thought deep down.

Brian must have known that Toby was there that day, so he asked for her to bring wine to Toby onpurpose.

"Lala!"

Toby watched as she withdrew from his grip with sorrowful eyes.

He knew that she felt completely helpless about her situation.

"Mr.Brown."

Seeing that Toby was about to reach for Ayla again, Fred stopped him.

"You can leave now.I have something to discuss with her."

‘'Do I still need to care about the consequences now?'’ Toby thought with determination.

Brian wasn't planning on seeing Toby that night.He just wanted to let Toby know that he was in fullcontrol of everything.

"Lala, tell me the truth.Did he force you to do this? How could he let you do such a thing?"

Toby held her hands in his and gently caressed them.

Ayla quickly withdrew her hands, replying, "Toby, you misunderstood everything.He's not forcing me todo this.I'm fine."

"You think you're fine? Look at yourself! You've lost so much weight and you look exhausted.Seeingyou like this reminded me of the little girl who was constantly mistreated by the Woodsen family!"

Toby yelled at her.

"That little girl is gone.I'm not that person anymore."

Ayla then smiled at him and added, "I've grown up.I'm a strong woman now.You know what? I lived wellduring those years when you were abroad.I will do just as fine in the future."

She promised herself that she would live well from then on, even without him.

Besides, Brian would never let her die.

There was nothing he wanted more than to continue insulting and torturing her for the rest of her life.

But at this point, she felt almost satisfied with her prospects.

"Lala, can you stop being stubborn? Just come back with me, okay?"

Toby couldn't understand why she would choose to suffer there rather than go with him.

But Ayla turned her back and walked towards the kitchen with heavy steps.

She wasn't being stubborn about the whole thing.

She just didn't have any other choice.

Toby left and had been gone for several days.

Ayla thought that he should be very happy with Miss Smith now.

She returned to the small room arranged for her in the entertainment club.

There was no heating inside, only a small bed and a thin quilt.

Under the dim light, she finally shrank in a corner.

Meanwhile, Toby found himself sitting on the sofa in Brian's office.

They had been in a stalemate for half an hour and neither wanted to break the silence.

Seeing that his cup of coffee had turned cold, Toby stood up and said, "Mr.Clark, you didn't ask mehere just for coffee, right?"

"Of course not.I thought you had something to tell me, Mr.Brown."

Brian didn't expect that Toby would wait many days before confronting him.

He initially thought that he would question him right away as to why he treated his beloved woman thatway.

"Yes, I do have something to tell you.I will take her with me."

Toby didn't want to beat around the bush anymore.

Besides, he thought that Brian must know his intentions.

"What made you think you can take her away from me? Do you think you can do everything you wantjust because you're the Deputy CEO of the Smith Group? Would you even still be the Deputy CEO ifMr.Smith learned that you're in a relationship with another woman?"

Brian raised his head and gave Toby a confident glare.

He clearly knew a lot about him.

Everything that Toby had was handed to him by the Smith family, and they could always take it all back.

Toby looked at Brian as he listened to his words.

It was true that Brian could see through him.

He was really a man who always took control of every situation.

"So what? Even if I were to lose everything I have now, I wouldn't let her stoop so low as to wash thedishes."

Toby was willing to leave the Smith family, if only to ensure that Ayla would no longer suffer like this.

"Oh, yes! Believe me, once I've turned you into nothing, you wouldn't even have dishes to wash!" Brianwas determined not to lose to him.

"Why do you have to be so cruel to her? She doesn't deserve this and she has suffered enough.Whyare you torturing her?"

Toby wasn't sure how Clayton had offended Brian, but he knew that it had nothing to do with money.

For a man like Brian, money was never an issue.

"I can stop making her life miserable of course.I've read the plan prepared by Smith Group and I'msatisfied.If you're willing to give away twenty percent more of your proposed profit, she will continue tobe Mrs.Clark and will be treated well moving forward.What do you think, Mr.Brown?"

Brian said as he leaned against the back of his leather chair.

He stared at Toby with a smirk on his lips.

Toby hesitated.

He could easily adjust the proposal as he did prepare the agreement.

But if he gave twenty percent of the company's profit to Brian, Smith Group's performance this yearwould be worse than last year.

He wouldn't be able to explain it to Hayden, but he had to do it for Ayla's sake.

"Very well.I agree to your proposal.But I want to see her now."

Toby had to make sure that Ayla was fine.

He wanted to give her a better life as soon as possible.

But Brian merely lit a cigarette and asked, "Don't you trust me, Mr.Brown? I've always been a man ofmy word.And I did say that she would continue to be Mrs.Clark.Won't you agree that it's inappropriatefor you to meet with my wife?"

That woman was his and his alone.And he intended to keep his word.

Toby stood in front of him and said, "I don't trust you.I would never believe a man who's willing to doanything just to get what he wants!"

"What about you? Didn't you also do everything to get to where you are now? You got engaged toMiss Smith only because you wanted to be the Deputy CEO of the Smith Group.Surely, you wouldn'twant to lose all of what you have now just because of a woman." Brian's words hit him hard.

Toby had sold himself for money, position, and power.

"You can leave now.Once you sign the agreement, she will live a happy life with me just as you wish."

Brian then went to the door and opened it for him.

Finally, Ayla returned to the villa again.

She had been gone for a long time, but she thought it better to live in the small room of theentertainment club than in this big villa.

"Mrs.Clark, you're back." Maria instantly walked up to her and led her into the house.

"Maria." Ayla greeted her sweetly with a smile.

"Please come in. Mr.Clark told me to let you use the guest room upstairs from now on."

She then took Ayla upstairs and showed her in an elegantly decorated room.

'’Is it really reserved for me?'’ Ayla wondered.