The Substitute Bride: Making Memories Of Us (Lois Stone)
Chapter 36: Making Decisions About Lala

Chapter 36: Making Decisions About Lala 

Ayla stared at him unhappily.

"If you don't want me to go out, then stop me! You make all the rules, don't you? It's up to you whether Ican leave or not!"

"Good," said Brian coldly.

"You understand what your situation is."

He was sure that Ayla and Toby's meeting at the school this afternoon had been the first time.

After today, Toby probably wouldn't be so blatant anymore, even if he wanted to see her again.

Meanwhile, Toby went to see Molly.

She met him at the door of the villa.

"You're back! Where have you been? I called the company and they said that you left work early today."

"I just had something to deal with," he replied evasively.

"Why? Is anything wrong?"

Molly did not want to mention Toby and Ayla's relationship.

She preferred to pretend as though nothing had ever happened between them.

"No, I just missed you," she said brightly.

"I thought you might be coming home early when I heard you left the office."

She slid her arm around his waist and led him to the living room.

They sat down together on the sofa.

Hayden was also in the living room.

He put down the newspaper he was reading and looked at the two of them.

"Molly, don't nag Toby.You know how busy he is with work.He's already canceled so many socialengagements recently."

"Dad, don't call me a nag," Molly pouted.

She added, "You know I don't mind him working.I just want him home instead of socializing outsideafter work!"

After all, Molly was not blind, nor was she stupid.

How could she fail to notice that most of Toby's so-called social engagements required him to go outwith other businessmen to flirt with women in bars and pay women in brothels? She did not like it at all.

Toby belonged to her.

If any other woman dared to touch him, Molly vowed she would make that woman pay for her mistake.

Hayden sighed.

"Toby has no choice, Molly.It's inevitable.If he refuses to participate, it will have a negative impact onhis career."

Turning to look at Toby, he said, "By the way, I know you're in charge of most of the company's affairsnow, and I don't want to interfere.But don't you think we've made too many concessions to Mr.Clark,just to get him to cooperate with us?"

Toby wasn't surprised to hear the question.

He had allowed the company's annual revenue to decrease for Ayla's sake.

Hayden was still the leader of the company, and when it came to business matters, he would prioritizehis own interests ahead of any other concerns.

"Hyde Group in general is not easy to deal with, and Mr.Clark in particular is known to be difficult," Tobyreplied.

"We must pay a steep price if we want this project, but if we do well, we stand to reap great benefitsfrom this deal."

Although Toby spoke calmly, he was not as confident as he seemed.

But he needed to replace an excuse that Hayden would accept.

He was willing to make such a decision for Lala.

He was worried that Brian would bully her again because of their meeting earlier this afternoon.

He decided he needed to replace time to talk to Brian.

"I understand.Very well, I will leave it up to you," Hayden answered.

He hoped Toby was handling things well.

He'd once been seriously ill before, and since then, he hadn't been able to go to the company as muchas he wanted to.

He only went when there was an urgent meeting, or some matter that required his personal attention.

"Dad, you just need to trust Toby.You and Mom should just focus on preparing for our wedding," chidedMolly.

She and Toby had decided to get married before the new year, and she was sure that grandpreparations were ongoing for the event.

The wedding of the only daughter of the Smith family would need to be a magnificent affair.

"We are already preparing," Hayden said, smiling.

"I suppose we will have to watch our only daughter leave our family..."

Molly immediately put a comforting hand on her father's knee.

"You've always wanted me to be happy, and now I am! I've grown up.I have someone I love.Ourmarriage will be a success, just like yours.Anyway, we will still live here after we get married, so I'mdefinitely still part of this family."

Only after they got married could Molly rest assured that Toby belonged to her.

Since she was a child, her parents had doted on her and given her everything she wanted.She didn'tlike the feeling of losing anything.

Miley joined them in the living room.

"Dear, take a look at some of these brochures for dressmakers and studios, for your wedding dressand photo shoots.You should take your pre-wedding photos as soon as possible," she said.

"Thanks, Mom!" said Molly brightly.

"Toby, let's go up to my room and look at these materials privately, all right?"

She took Toby's hand, and the two of them went upstairs.

When Miley was alone with Hayden in the living room, she turned to him and said pensively, "Honey,don't you worry that Molly seems to be a little too attached to Toby?"

She appreciated the work her prospective son in-law did for the company, but as a mother, she couldn'thelp but notice that it was Molly who clung to him; Toby himself was more lukewarm towards herdaughter.

Hayden, however, dismissed her concerns.

"There's nothing to worry about," he said reassuringly, returning to his newspaper.

"As long as Molly is happy, everything will be fine."

Over the next few days, Ayla worried that Brian would curtail her freedom, but he didn't set anyadditional limitations on her movements.

She was still able to go to school.She arrived on time every day, and stayed as long as possible withoutrousing Brian's suspicions, for she was eager to spend as much time as possible away from the villa.

One evening, Maria walked into Ayla's bedroom and saw her poring over a large stack of books on herdesk.

"Mrs.Clark, I just wanted to inform you that Mr.Clark won't be coming home today," she said.

"Would you like to have dinner now?"

"Sure, I'll be right down,"

Ayla replied absently, still focused on her books.

She had already missed a lot of courses, and the date for examinations was approaching fast.

She was determined to pass, or else all her efforts over the past several months would be in vain.

While Ayla was busy studying, Brian was in the entertainment club, seated in the private upstairs roomof the establishment.

Jaime sat across him.

He asked, "Mr.Clark, do you really think you're going to see her here?"

"Well, hasn't she come yet?"

Brian asked, looking downstairs through the French window.

"She will come.She often comes recently," Jaime replied.

That bit of information frightened Jaime, who couldn't believe that Arlene the same girl who had beendancing in the club and hooking up with different men every night was the real beloved daughter of theWoodsen family.

Ayla, as it turned out, was only a substitute.

She had been adopted long ago by Clayton's wife.

Unfortunately, the wife had passed away soon after the adoption was finalized, but before her deathshe made Clayton promise to keep the child.

Ayla had been raised as a second daughter of the Woodsen family.

Brian had suspected for a while now that the woman in his villa was not Arlene.

By all accounts, Arlene was a wanton and experienced woman who loved partying and knew how toplease men.

Ayla, on the other hand, clearly had no idea how to make men happy.

He'd learned that Ayla was a substitute as soon as he started investigating, but it took him a little longerto discover where to replace the real Arlene.Now that he knew the truth, of course he wanted to meet thereal daughter of the Woodsen family.

"Mr.Clark, once you confirm the truth about Arlene, will you let Ayla leave?" Jaime asked.

He thought that if Ayla was just an innocent substitute, then she should not be punished for what herfamily had done.

"Do you think I should let her go?" Brian said, raising his eyebrows.

But it actually didn't matter to him what Jaime thought.

He had already decided to keep Ayla.

She was so stubborn that he wanted to show her she couldn't escape him.

"Mr.Clark, she is only a substitute...Or have you developed an interest in her?" Jaime asked.

To himself he thought, '’If that woman is not Arlene, shouldn't he just let her go? Unless he has feelingsfor her!'’

Brian scowled, then forced his face to return to its usual cold and indifferent expression.

"No," he snapped.

"But if she wants to pretend to be the real daughter of the Woodsen family, then she can keep beingMiss Woodsen forever."

Jaime's brows furrowed with confusion, but before he could respond, there was a knock on the door.

Brian said, "Come in."

"Mr.Clark, Miss Lene has come," said the manager of the club in a deferential tone.

"Jaime, go to her and convince her to come up here," Brian ordered.

He put down his glass and went to stand in front of the French window, gesturing for the manager topoint out Arlene in the crowd.

He looked down at the enchanting woman in the beautiful red dress.

Jaime watched him, feeling more confused than ever.

Was Brian interested in Arlene, after all? In fact, if they had seen the real Arlene who would becomeBrian's bride back then, all of them would have disagreed to the marriage.

Jaime went down and spoke to Arlene, and she quickly agreed to come with him to the private roomupstairs.

"Who wants to see me?" she asked, smiling coquettishly.

"But you should know, I don't meet anyone casually."

She looked sideways at the gentleman beside her.

His expensive, tailored suit had convinced her it might be worth her time to see what he wanted.

"You'll understand as soon as you see him," Jaime answered.

He hid his frown, thinking, '’She's just after money.Who does she think she is? She's greedy and self-centered"