The Substitute Bride: Making Memories Of Us (Lois Stone)
Chapter 85: Lala Was Missing

Chapter 85: Lala Was Missing 

Ayla turned her face away.

"I'll return to the warehouse later."

Sitting by the bed, Brian asked, "Are we really just going to stay at an impasse?"

"Well, what can I do? You never believe nor listen to me," she growled.

“Fine.Go ahead.Say what you want to say," he muttered.

Ayla sat upright, and said, "I've promised to stay by your side, and yet you deprived me of everything Ihad.My mind says that I should just walk away and leave, but my heart tells me to stay."When he heardthat, Brian was too astonished to respond but he understood what she meant."

You once told me that falling in love with a man like you who has no idea how to love is a sure path todestruction, so I guess we can safely assume that my demise is inevitable.Does hearing that make youhappy?

Ayla's voice was weak, but it could be seen through her eyes that her resolve was strong.

"Enough!"

Brian shouted.

He tried to hide the fact that he felt something in his heart.

The following second, he got up, and said, "If you want to leave, just go!"

Ayla watched as he stormed away.

In the end, he told her to leave despite her sincere confession of love.

It turned out that receiving his love was nothing but a pipe dream.

She was fated to get nothing in return.

Once he had left the villa, Maria walked in and asked, "Did you make Mr.Clark angry again?"

"Maria, I'm fine.Help me pack my things.I'm leaving."

In the days to come, Ayla was going to live by herself.

However, her heart now belonged to Brian, and it should always remain with him.

"Lala, do you really have to leave? What are you going to do from now on?"

Maria was worried about her.

However, Brian said that Ayla could leave if she wanted to.In the cold night, Ayla dragged heavy stepsout of the villa, carrying her luggage all alone.

As she stood at the gate, she thought, 'I wanted to leave here when I couldn't, but now that I'mpermitted to leave, I don't want to go.

Sadly, I don't have a choice anymore.' After all, she didn't belong here.

She hadn't recovered all of her energy yet, but there were no taxis that passed through this place atnight.

Her only choice was to walk.

Soon, a car light shone on her face, blinding her eyes, and causing her to lose consciousness.

Brian was sitting next to Anna in the entertainment club.

"At last, you finally let her go."

"Yes.It was time for her to leave anyway."

His voice sounded indifferent.

Ayla's affection for him made him want to drive her away.

No matter how much she loved him, he wasn't going to let her stay with him.

"Are you really willing to just let her go like that?"

Anna could tell by the look in his eyes that he had already fallen for Ayla.

Brian didn't respond but kept drinking.

Suddenly, his phone rang.

"Hello?" he said.

"Mr.Clark, Miss Woodsen disappeared right after she left the villa."

Brian had asked one of the bodyguards to follow her, and now, that bodyguard said that she wasmissing.

"Where did she go?" he shouted.

"I don't know, sir.All I know is that a car passed by, and when I tried to follow it, the car was gone, andso was Miss Woodsen," the bodyguard replied in a trembling voice.

"You good-for-nothing son of a bitch! Hurry up and look for her!"

He put his phone away and stormed out of the room.

Quickly following him, Anna said, "Brian, don't worry.She doesn't have anywhere to go.Maybe she's—"

"She has a lot of lovers.How come she doesn't have any place to go?"

The mere thought of someone picking Ayla up was getting on his nerves.

He immediately regretted letting her go.

Even if she had developed feelings for him, he shouldn't have let her go.Taking the key from his hand,Anna said, "Allow me to drive.You drank too much today."

She wasn't capable of stopping him from looking for that woman, so she might as well come with him.

But in her heart, she was hoping that something terrible had happened to Ayla.

Maybe she was dead or maybe she wouldn't be able to show up again.

And if either of that happened, she would be the only woman beside Brian.

This was Anna's selfish motive.

However, when she saw how anxious Brian was, she wondered if it was wrong to have such selfishdesires.

He was the only man she had ever loved, but he always had so many other women around him.

In the end, she could never be the only one he would keep by his side.

Anna must've driven around the entire city Antawood, but she never saw Ayla.

It was already dawn when she finally drove Brian back to his villa.

"Maria, make Mr.Clark some breakfast and a cup of coffee."

Anna helped Brian get to his room upstairs and helped him onto the bed.

Nodding, Maria quickly prepared the food and coffee.

Then, Anna went back downstairs and walked into the kitchen.

"Maria, what time did Ayla leave last night? Did she tell you where she might be going before she left?Or maybe she called anyone?"

Maria shook her head.

"Miss Woodsen didn't tell me anything, and she didn't contact anyone.All she took with her were a fewsets of clothes and then she left."

She had also heard of Ayla's disappearance, so she was also worried about her.

Afterwards, Anna walked out of the kitchen, carrying the cup of coffee.

"I see.Mr.Clark has been in a terrible mood for the past two days.Whatever you do, don't mention Aylain front of him," she said to Maria.

It would be better not to talk about Ayla, so that Brian would forget about her easier.

Meanwhile, he was on his bed, leaning against the headboard and smoking.

Compared to how angry he was last night, he looked much calmer now.

Jaime called him and he had searched all the hospitals he could reach.

Unfortunately, he didn't replace any leads on Ayla.

Anna came into the room and gave Brian his cup of coffee.

"Don't worry, Brian.I've already asked people to look for her.As long as she's still in Antawood, there willsurely be news about her."

However, a week had passed since Ayla's disappearance, and there was still no news about her.

Jaime walked into Brian's office, and said, "Boss, Lucas is in Central Hospital right now.Are you goingthere in person?"

"Let's go."

Brian grabbed his coat and walked out of his office without hesitation.

In the Central Hospital, Lucas' burns still hadn't fully recovered.

He had been confined to the hospital all this time, and he was being taken care of by the nurses.

Occasionally, the Smith family would come to visit him.

"Mr.Clark, are you here to see me?"

Lucas stared at the man who appeared in his ward out of the blue.

Brian appeared to him later than he had expected.

"Where did you take Lala?" Brian said as he stood by the bed.

"Lala? Didn't she go home? Why are you asking me? I've been in the hospital this whole time.Howwould I know anything?"

Although Lucas was able to leave his bed now, leaving the hospital was still out of the question for him,not to mention taking a woman away.

"Don't lie to me.Who else could it be besides you? Haven't you always wanted to take her away?"

Brian was aware that Lucas was in love with Ayla and that he had always desired to take her away.

“Mr.Clark, I'm afraid you have the wrong suspect."

Lucas looked him directly in the eye.

"Why are you blaming me when you're the one who failed to protect your woman?"