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

Chapter 24: He Was Her Ruler 

Everyone returned to their party mood once Ayla left.

Her leaving didn't affect the party much.

The party was still lively.

Toby, however, looked at the way she went from time to time.

Did Lala run away? What if something happened to her? Although he was engaged, and she was married, he still cared for her.

What a ridiculous situation they were stuck in! They didn't even get a chance to explain things to each other.

Few minutes later, Molly went to the restroom to fix her makeup.

When she was about to enter the washroom, Ayla came out and saw Molly.

She nodded politely and greeted her, "Miss Smith."

"Mrs.Clark, you don't need to be so polite with me.You can call me by my name.Also, since you and Toby are friends, you must also call me Molly."

After applying the face powder on her face, she took out a red lipstick and applied it as well.

Then she turned to Ayla and gave her a disdainful smile.

"Miss Smith, you've misunderstood.The relationship between me and Toby is nothing like what you've interpreted," Ayla explained.

Perhaps she had a little hope in her relationship with Toby in the past, but after today's face off, it was gone.

"I could only hope so.Anyway, I'm going to marry Toby.You're also invited with Mr.Clark!" Molly smiled.

After Ayla smiled back with a nod, they both went back to the banquet hall, pretending to develop a friendship between them.

"Molly."

When Toby saw Molly and Lala coming back together, he felt uneasy.

However, Molly overlooked his reaction and smiled enthusiastically.

"Toby, Mrs.Clark just congratulated us! Shall we drink a toast to her?" Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

"Molly, Lala doesn't..."

Before he could complete his sentence, Molly already had handed a glass of wine to Ayla.

"Mrs.Clark, please.For good times' sake, let's drink.I heard that Mr.Clark is very good at drinking.You shouldn't have a low tolerance, therefore," Molly said teasingly.

Ayla being the polite girl that she was, couldn't refuse her.

"Miss Smith, Mr.Brown, I wish you a happy married life together!"

Ayla said then raised her glass and drank it up in one gulp.

"Mrs.Clark, wow.You really have a high tolerance.I'll join you too."

Molly also drank it up in one gulp.

The two women found it a way to express their inner turmoil.

So they continued drinking glasses after glasses.

A silent war broke between them.

Toby realized this would not end soon, and in the worst case, Molly might try something stupid.

In order to prevent Molly from hurting Lala, Toby took a hold of Molly's hand and excused themselves from there.

Ayla felt thankful when Toby took Molly away.

But she felt too weak to stand anymore.

Fortunately, she saw an empty chair beside her and immediately held the back of it to steady herself.

Her alone time was short- lived as someone came and stood before her right at that moment.

She raised her head and saw the familiar handsome face with cold eyes staring right at her.

"Mr.Clark."

"Did I ask you to leave me and do whatever you want? Huh? Answer me! Were you waiting for the chance to throw yourself into your childhood sweetheart's arms?"

Brian had been witnessing their interaction from not afar.

They were really attentive to each other.

If she was so drawn to this one man, what about her relationships with other men?

"No, I was just..."

Ayla wanted to explain, but she knew it wouldn't make any difference to Brian.

He didn't even want to listen to her explanation.

He was indifferent and sarcastic towards her from the beginning.

Just like Molly always misunderstood her.

To Brian, she was nothing but a harlot.

Brian grabbed her wrist tightly.

"You better chastise yourself, Arlene.Don't embarrass me here."

Ayla's wrist hurt because of his vice grip, but she didn't show it.

Maybe, if Toby saw her with Brian, he'd know that she was actually living a good life and feel relieved.

Looking at her wrist, which was tightly held by Brian, Toby felt a pang in his chest.

His heart ached for his Lala.

Brian would never be a good husband to her.

He would find out why she agreed to marry him.

How could Clayton do this to her? Even if she was not his biological daughter, he couldn't just let her suffer like this.

With a forced smile on her face, Ayla followed Brian everywhere.

She didn't get the chance to pay attention to what others were doing or talking about.When Hayden announced that Toby and Molly would get married next month, Toby was stunned.

He wasn't expecting Hayden would fix a date that early.

But when his eyes shifted to Ayla to see her reaction, she remained expressionless.

Molly observed that Toby's entire attention was on Ayla.

Although that bitch couldn't anymore destroy her life, she still had his full attention.

Molly glared at Ayla.

She hated that bitch! Ayla, however, didn't notice any of this as she was feeling too dizzy from the alcohol she consumed earlier.

Her face flushed as she suddenly felt hot.

Her limbs became heavier, and footsteps became unsteady.

She squeezed Brian's arm that she was holding.

Brian noticed that.

He didn't want to stay at the party any longer either.

He had learned the relationship between her and Toby, so there was no need to stay any longer.

Ayla tripped as Brian led her towards the exit and almost fell to the ground.

Toby saw that and was about to step forward when Molly pulled him back.

"Toby, she is Mrs.Clark now.Mr.Clark is there to help her."

Yes, Mrs.Clark! She was Mrs.Clark.She was married now.

Toby froze in his place and watched Brian holding her waist and pulling her close.

The two of them then left together.

"Thank you.I can walk by myself."

As soon as Ayla walked out of the banquet hall, she wanted Brian to release her.

They acted intimate only for others to see.

Now that they left the party, they needed not to continue their fake intimacy.

Wasn't that what he wanted? Brian already knew something like this would happen.

He wanted Toby to realize that Arlene was his legal wife now and he should stay away from her.

So, he forced Arlene to act intimate with him to prevent others from approaching her in the future.

No one would dare to get close to her after tonight.

Ayla didn't know how she should feel.

But, she had no choice but to listen to him.

Brian loosened his grip on her.

Due to the high heels she was wearing, she stumbled forward only after taking two steps and fell on the ground.

If it weren't for the carpet on the floor, she would have hurt herself severely.

"Are you really bad at drinking?"

Brian bent over and studied her.

Her face flushed while her eyes became blurred.

He watched her drink only three glasses of wine.

That shouldn't affect her considering her consumption reputation.

Without looking at him, Ayla said, "You won't believe me no matter what I say."

He would only think that she was pretending and acting to gain his sympathy.

Brian put his arm around her waist and lifted her up, without stretching the conversation.

As they got into the car, Ayla leaned against the seat and closed her eyes.

"I don't want to go back to the villa.Can you please let me go?"

Was she drunk? She collected courage to request him after drinking the alcohol.

Brian didn't answer until the car stopped at the red signal.

He turned towards her.

"If you tell me the truth, I will let you go.But of course, someone has to pay the price."

There was no trace of consideration in his voice.

He was literally the ruler of death.

If anyone would piss him off, death was the only consequences that could be expected from him.

Of course, she couldn't tell him the truth that she was the adopted daughter of the Woodsen family, and that she was a substitute bride.

"You have nothing to say? Then don't expect me to let you go.Because you are not qualified to request me that!"

As soon as the green light turned on, the car continued to drive forward.She had no right to live free! Ayla was not qualified to control her life.Whether it was Clayton, Arlene or Brian, they all thought so.

Ayla kept silent all the way until they returned to the villa.

Brian got out of the car and left her alone.

She opened the car's door and fell on the cold ground.

A terrible pain erupted in her stomach as she trembled, then she vomited all over the ground.