《The Substitute Bride: Making Memories Of Us (Lois Stone)》 Chapter 1: She Was Just A Substitute Chapter 1: She Was Just A Substitute It was a night of autumn, and the night sky was filled with clouds, almost covering the moon. Tonight was a busy night for the Hyatt Hotel, which was the most luxurious, six star hotel in the city Antawood. The worldwide famous businessman, Brian rk had booked the whole hotel for tonight. Brian, in his ck suit, sat in a luxurious room, with a cigarette between his slender, long fingers. The smoke curling up from the burning cigarette had created a mysterious aura around him. "Brian, we all had a good time tonight.But it''ste now ¡° the man next to him eximed.He had dark skin, thick eyebrows and big eyes. "I''ve heard that Miss Woodsen is a social butterfly.She''s well known for sleeping with a lot of men.Are you sure about this?" Someone else added. From the tone of their voices, you could tell that they had their doubts about this marriage. However, since Brian had made his decision, there''s nothing much other can do. Tonight was a busy night for the Hyatt Hotel, which was the most luxurious, six star hotel in the city Antawood. Some discussions can only happen after consumption of alcohol. "yton Woodsen owes me a huge amount of money.Giving me his precious daughter is not going to cut it," This time it was Jaime Turner, Brian''s right hand man who spoke. Brian still wore his usual stony expression. Taking a drag of his cigarette, he said, "Keep a close eye on yton Woodsen.I will make his life a living hell!" "Is that what you''re going to do to your bride tonight as well?" The person who asked this had a sly smirk on his face. "Or...have you other ns for her?" He had only heard of the beloved daughter of the Woodsen family, but never had the chance of meeting her. In fact, there were very few people who had seen her before. "I''ve heard that she''s a beauty.She has the curves that all men desires.She might be a tough one." The men sitting around the sofa participated in the conversation actively about the bride who was yet to show up. However, the woman standing beside Brian had a bitter expression on her face. She obviously hated the woman they were talking about. "Enough!" when she couldn''t stand it anymore, she blurted. "Oh! Miss Anna is angry." It was so obvious to everyone who had discerning eyes that Anna, who had been following Brian her whole life, had a special ce for him in her heart. The rtionship between the two of them was ambiguous. She had failed to be Mrs.rk, which was all because of a woman named Arlene Woodsen. To Anna, Arlene didn''t even deserve Brian. "Angry?" Brian put out his cigarette and nced at her. Though very subtle, a faint smile appeared on his lips. "Brian," Anna called out his name and said nothing else. She knew her ce. No matter how close she had been to him, she would have to stick to her duties and would never cross the line between them. "Brian, why don''t you introduce your new bride to us?" a follower of Brian asked with others agreeing. Brian raised his ss gracefully and gulped down the drink in one go. Putting down the ss on the table, he nodded his approval. Meanwhile, A Woodsen was waiting anxiously in a deluxe presidential suite. She was wearing a luxurious wedding dress specially customized in Paris with delicate makeup. Today was her wedding day, but there were no rtives present. She just signed her name on a piece of paper and sold the rest of her life to a man that she had never met. Despite her unwillingness, for the sake of her father and to support her family, she became the substitute for the so called "sister" she had and had to marry a devil named Brian rk. She was squatting in the corner of the room, trembling.She was only twenty-two years old.Her life had only just begun.But now she was forced married to a man six years older than her. Though the room was luxurious and brightly lit, she was still scared.She was terrified, but had no choice.She had not eaten anything since yesterday, and now she was very dizzy. There was no food in the room except for the wine bottles and sses on the table. She had never drank alcohol in her life and she had always been her teachers¡¯ favorite student. She knew that since the moment she promised to be the substitute, her old life was behind her and her future was filled with uncertainties. Her stomach growled. She was starving. Her glossy lips were drying out. She bit on her lower lip trying to keep herself conscious. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. She had been waiting for the man that everyone called a devil to show up. The door opened suddenly and two strangers entered. Both men were rough looking and neither of them was Brian. "Mrs.rk, Mr.rk wants to see you," one of them spoke coarsely, rather disrespectfully. "Where is he?" A stuttered and scooted back like a frightened little bunny. The two men didn''t answer. Instead, they pulled her up rudely and dragged her out of the room. She resisted and struggled to free herself, but all went in vain. "Ouch!" Before A knew what was going on, she was thrown hastily to the ground.Even though the ground was covered with carpet, she was still badly hurt. "Arlene, look at me!" Brian spoke with a steady but domineering tone. ¡®¡®Arlene! That''s right! I''m Arlene Woodsen now, not A Woodsen¡¯'' A thought inwardly. She didn''t dare raise her head to look at Brian.If he realized that she was just a substitute then her life would be in grave danger! Chapter 2: He Hated Her Hypocrisy Chapter 2: He Hated Her Hypocrisy "Arlene, why are you pretending to be all innocent?" Brian was still sitting on the sofa. He threw an unrelenting stare at her. When she didn''t responded after a while, a man shouted aloud, "Didn''t you hear what Mr.rk said?" This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. His voice boomed across the room, making her jump in fear. The next moment, he was in front of her, roughly raising her chin. Everyone present in the room now could clearly see her face. A also settled her eyes on the man sitting in the center for the first time. ¡®¡®It''s him! Brian rk! The man who is to be my husband.¡¯¡¯ "Well Brian, looks like your bride really is a beauty.No wonder she''s so popr amongst men." A was indeed a real beauty. She had a delicate figure with doe-like eyes which were as ck as kohl. However, due to panic, her eyebrows were knitted together. She had the aura of attractiveness around her that any men could fall for her easily. She could make a man be obsessed with her in just one nce. "Are you afraid?" Brian stared down at her and asked in a menacing tone. Afraid? Yes, she was indeed. "Say something! Don''t y dumb with me!" He yelled at her angrily. "I...I.." She stuttered. She wanted to say something but no words came out. She didn''t know what exactly to say. Especially in front of someone like Brian. "As per your previous reputation, you''ve dated a lot of men.Then, what are you ying at today?" Brian hated women who changed color like a chameleon. Especially the woman in front of him. If he hadn''t heard about her past, she''d have actually deceived him. "Teach her a lesson Brian, so that she will be obedient and won''t dare cheat on you," one of Brian''s men said with contempt. "I''m not pretending.And I won''t cheat on you." A finally opened her mouth to speak. "I sure hope so! Otherwise, the Woodsen family will be no more!" Brian warned her with a harsh voice. "All right, all right.Let''s go! Let''s not disturb Brian." Although it was a wedding without a ceremony. All she did was sign her name, but this meant that she had sold the rest of her life to this devil. All the people left the room when they saw the look in Brian''s eyes.The originally lively room instantly became empty, leaving only the two of them, with the smell of cigarette and alcohol that had not yet dissipated. "Get up!" Brian was still sitting on the sofa with his legs gracefully crossed.Regardless of the pain in her body, A finally managed to stand up. The wedding dress was a little burdensome.It had a long tail. She pulled the dress tightly with her hands, revealing the white high heels on her feet. "Come, sit by my side." Looking at her coldly, Brian wondered why she was so pretentious tonight. She used to be bold. As soon as she sat down, Brian handed her a cigarette. "I don¡¯t smoke," she said in a low voice. "You don''t?" Brian snorted. The famous girl of Woodsen family didn''t smoke? Brian then immediately forced a wine ss in her hand. "Drink it!" "I don''t drink either." A refused again. She was afraid that she would pass out if she drank what''s in the ss. Brian frowned. But, this time he didn''t let her off so easily. He cupped her face with his big hand and poured the wine in the ss into her mouth. A choked on the wine. She coughed. The strong taste of alcohol made her tear up. "Arlene, are you kidding me?" Brian burst intoughter. "From now on, you are Mrs.rk.Such a title is not something ordinary people can have." Brian wanted to make it clear from the very beginning that he wouldn''t tolerate her bad behaviors. ¡®¡®I don''t want that title at all ''¡¯ A almost said that aloud but refrained herself. Mrs.rk? She didn''t care about it at all.She just wanted a normal life.She wanted to wait for her beloved Toby to return.But all her dreams had been shattered. "What''s wrong? You don''t like the title?" Seeing the displeasure in her eyes, Brian said, "Oh yes.You are Miss Woodsen, you can have any kind of man you want.Am I right?" A pursed her lips and didn''t say anything.It was not that she didn''t want to speak, but her stomach was aching. She covered her mouth and saw a ss of water on the table. To soothe the ufortableness in her stomach, she reached forward and took the ss and gulped it down. But, she couldn''t swallow it. She sputtered it out. Because, it wasn''t water, it was Spirytus. "Oh! So, this is what you like." Brian was starting to believe maybe she was telling the truth. But maybe she was just putting on a good act. "No.I just..." Before she could finish her words, she clutched the sofa beside her and threw up. As she didn''t have anything to eat, all that came out was stomach acid. Brian helped her up after that and threw her on the king-sized bed in the room. A''s head was already heavy and Brian''s actions made her hit her head on the bedside table. Her forehead immediately swelled up. She felt dizzier as the pain made her wince. Brian, however, didn''t show any mercy for the woman in front of him. He just stared at her with a fierce look. Things were only just getting interesting. Chapter 3: She Had No Choice Chapter 3: She Had No Choice Seeing that Brian was hovering over her intimidatingly, A instinctively pulled the nket over herself. "Miss Woodsen, you''ve signed the marriage contract.Why are you hiding yourself from your own husband?" he mocked, seeing her hiding under the nket. Brian couldn''t understand why was she hiding. Anyway, he wouldn''t let her off easily tonight. Meanwhile, A was scared of the man in front of her. "You are my legal wife already." Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Brian scoffed as he closed the distance between them. "Don''t you know how to fulfill your duty as a wife?" He shot a vicious re at his newly married wife who was curled up in front of him wrapped in a nket. "No, I don''t!" A cried out. Although she was terrified of this man, she was bold enough to speak up her dissent. She knew her resistance would make no difference, but she still had to give itatry. "You are just a woman I bought with money.You think you have a choice?" Brian gritted his teeth while staring at her. ¡®¡®This woman is so ignorant.Is she trembling? Is she actually scared?¡¯¡¯ The more she behaved like this, the more he was determined to show her, her ce. Brian climbed onto the bed and grabbed her, pulling her towards him. His muscr arms wrapped around her body, keeping her in his embrace. "Let go of me!" A struggled to push him away. However,pared to him, she was fragile. Yet, she didn''t want to give in so easily. Brian raised his eyebrow and sneered, "Let you go? Have you forgotten that today is our wedding day? We are going to consummate our marriage tonight." "No, please, don''t! Mr.rk, please let me go!" A felt humiliated. "Is this some kind of a joke? Are you trying to y innocent? Don''t you think you''re being a little too hypocritical?" Brian thought that as the famous girl of the Woodsen family, she would do anything for money. He knew, as long as he had money, she would not refuse him. However, this woman in front of him had been giving him surprises after surprises. "Ouch.It hurts.Please..." A cried out in pain as Brian positioned himself between her legs. There was no way back now. Brian was trying every means to torture her. She should have known this before she got married. Now it was toote. There was no escape for her. Looking at the blood stain on the mattress, Brian asked, "How much did it cost to do the hymen repair?" A felt helpless. She didn¡¯t even have the strength to fight back anymore. He wouldn''t of believed whatever she said anyway. Nheless, isn''t her goal was to reassure Brian that she was Arlene. How could she tell him the truth? She couldn''t admit her identity, that she wasn''t Arlene. So she chose to be silent and said nothing. "Fuck off! Get out of this room!" Brian suddenly yelled out after finishing off. He had prepared two rooms because he didn''t want her to stay in his room. He just wanted to humiliate her. A shook visibly at hismand. She quickly pulled a nket over her before returning to the room she was in before. She could sleep that night. She spent the night sitting on the ground and looking out of the window. Would she have to face such a life every day in the future? Being humiliated by a man who didn''t even love her, she had lost the most precious thing for a woman. The next morning, the door was pushed open with a bang as Brian came in with a bottle of medicine in his hand. He threw it at her. "Take it." He didn''t want her to get pregnant, yet. Also, she was a member of the Woodsen family. He would hate it if she got pregnant with his baby. Although A was inexperienced, but she knew what this medicine was. He was right.It was necessary. She had to go to school and continue her life. He was right. It was necessary. She still had to go to college and continue her life. "You can''t get pregnant without my permission.For the sake of Woodsen family''s safety, you''d better listen to me!" He opened the bottle, poured out a white pill. He then threw it directly into her mouth and made her swallow it without any water. She almost choked. Tears brimmed her eyes. "Get changed.We''re going out." Brian sat down on the sofa, took out a cigarette and smoked elegantly. A arose, struggling a little. "But, I don''t have any clothes." Unlike Arlene who had an endless collection of branded clothes, she only had a few casual clothes she wore in college. She couldn''t really go to college in her wedding dress. "Mrs.rk, you''re my wife now.I''ll provide you with everything you need." It was indeed Arlene. Brian was now sure of it. She asked for clothes on the second day of their marriage. Arlene and her luxurious lifestyle. He took out his phone and made a call. Within ten minutes, a pile of branded clothes were sent to her room. Looking at all kinds of clothes and dresses made of excellent and soft fabric in front of her, A was bbergasted. Although she loved the clothes, but she wasn''t a greedy person. She chose a simple white dress and walked into the bathroom. Sitting on the sofa, Brian was watching her. He frowned slightly when she chose the in white dress. Sometimes, he couldn''t understand what was going on in that mind of hers. Chapter 4: Compromise Chapter 4: Compromise A got changed and walked out of the bathroom. Brian was waiting outside. He took a quick nce at her as his jaws clenched. Without another word, he turned and stormed out. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She followed him obediently. The car ride was the most awkward. The air inside the silver Bentley was so tense that A could only look out of the window and pray it''s end soon. The temperature of the air always seemed to drop whenever Brian was, which made her shiver. The car ride was mostly silent. An hourter, they reached Brian''s luxurious vi. The elegant vi had an exquisiteyout which only Brian could afford. The car slid into the garage and came to a halt. Brian got off of the car and ordered her in a bitter tone, "Get out!" The Woodsen family also owned a vi, but it was iparable to Brian''s. She timidly followed behind Brian, taking each step cautiously. "Sir, you are back." The butler, Ruben, greeted them and nced at the beautiful woman behind Brian, but said nothing. Brian went straight to the living room and sat down on the sofa. Maria came out shortly and served him coffee in a delicate and expensive coffee cup. "Sir, here is your coffee." Brian had a habit of drinking coffee at this time. Brian smelled the strong fragrance of the coffee, made from top ss Jamaican coffee beans. It was his favorite. A, meanwhile, stood aside uneasily. The serious ambience inside the vi reminded her again that she didn''t belong here. But, the fact was that she couldn''t escape either. Suddenly, the coffee cup fell to the ground and broke into pieces with a bang. "Sir!" Maria eximed and immediately went to clean up the mess, but stopped midway when Brian held up his hand. "You,e here and clean this up!" he gestured to A and ordered cruelly. A was stunned for a moment. She looked up at him, bbergasted. "What''s wrong Miss Woodsen? Oh, I think it should be Mrs.rk now.Didn''t you hear me? Or, do you want to defy me?" Brian asked sarcastically. A blinked and averted her gaze. It didn''t matter to him if she was reluctant to do it, he''d make her do it anyway. Besides, she had done such things in the Woodsen family before. For her, it was an easy task. A quietly bent down, picked up the pieces one by one and threw them into the trash can. Maria gave her the duster cloth, which she used to clean the floor after picking up the pieces. Her eyes fell on the coffee stains on his shoes. She carefully wiped them with tissue, fearing he might kick her if he disliked the act. But her cautiousness didn''t prevent him from despising her. To the woman he hated the most, he would show no mercy. However, Brian couldn''t understand why Arlene was being sopromising. He never expected her to obey him without questioning anything. Suddenly, he withdrew his feet, slightly unsure of how he should react. A looked up at him, half scared, half confused. Was it something that she did? Was he not satisfied? Brian leaned forward and grabbed her chin forcefully. "From now on, you''ll stay in here without making any fuss.You''re not allowed to go out without my permission.Also, you''ll have to take care of everything here.I won''t this ce to remain crystal clean.Am I understood?" he questioned with an authoritative tone. She understood that he wanted her to live here as a servant and not as Mrs.rk. "Yes." A nodded. "Good girl!" He acknowledged her answer before standing up and walking away. "Hold...Hold on." Seeing that he was about to leave, A stopped him in a hurry. Brian turned towards her. "If you need anything, just ask Ruben or Maria." He didn''t want to talk to her anymore. "No! It''s not that." A reached for his hand and held it hesitatingly before saying, "I''m willing to do whatever you ask me to do, but I want to go to college." ¡®She wants to go to college?¡¯ Brian was taken aback. "You want to go to college? You can''t be serious right? You were Arlene Woodsen, now Mrs.rk.You can get whatever you want.Why would you need to go to college? Besides, as far as I know, you never were a good student." He snorted. A didn''t know what to say. Arlene might have never cared about anything, but A was different. She wanted to independent. She had her own dream. "Don''t bother me anymore!" He pushed her away, turned back and left thereafter. "Mr.rk." A, however, didn''t give up so easily. She wanted to follow him, but was stopped by Maria. "You can''t go upstairs! You can''t go up to the second floor without permission!" "Howe?" She could do anything he asked, all she wanted was to keep going to college It took her a lot of effort to get into the college. She had worked throughout the summer vacation to earn the course fees. She wasn''t going to give up that easily. She ran upstairs when Maria was a little distracted. When she barged into Brian¡¯s room, Brian yelled aloud, extremely infuriated, "Who allowed you to come upstairs?" A flinched and realized, she had been reckless. She shouldn''t havee upstairs without his permission. "Get out!" Seeing that A was still standing at the door, Brian roared again. A flinched again at the intensity of how he spoke. She quickly looked down and didn''t dare to look up at him again. She just wanted to run and hide from him. Chapter 5: Her Promise To Him Chapter 5: Her Promise To Him Brian narrowed his eyes and walked up to her. "As far as I have heard, they call you brave.Then why are you afraid now?" "I...I just want to go to college," A stuttered, lowering her head. "If you''vee here to talk about going to college, then stop where you are.Because that''s not happening." Brian had never thought that Arlene would beg for his permission to go to college. He believed she was trying to fool him, so that she could hang out with her friends. A was crestfallen when he denied her request. She wasn''t allowed to go to college ever again? She would graduate in two years. Was she going to give up just like that? Seeing that A stood there bbergasted, Brian ignored her and walked into the bathroom, expecting she would just leave. But when he came out, she was still stood at the door. She was indeed a stubborn woman. I When he didn''t acknowledge her, her head hung low. Heartbroken, A turned around to leave. "Wait!" But Brian stopped her. A immediately turned around and looked at him expectantly. He was now sitting on the sofa and smoking. Their eyes met as she waited for him to say something. However, he didn''t speak until he finished his cigarette. His gaze was so intimidating that it made A feel scared instantly. The events ofst night was like a nightmare and she didn''t want that to happen again. She just wanted to run and hide from him. When she saw he wasn''t going to say anything, she turned to leave. "That''s all you got for your patience?" Brian mocked her slowly. His voice made her stop again. This time A walked up to him and asked, "So do you agree?" Brian arose and stood right in front of her. He lifted her chin on his fingertip and made her look into his eyes. "How many men are waiting for you outside? Why are you so eager to leave? Hmm?" he asked her in a cold and harsh tone. ¡°What are you talking about?.I just want to go to college! I swear!" No matter how timid her response sounded, she was willing to give itatry. She knew what kind of person Arlene was. The reason why she married this man for Arlene was to protect the Woodsen family and her foster father, yton. All she did until now was to repay him for his kindness, but she wasn''t going to give up her dream doing so. "You know I hate it when people lie to me," Brian stated in a harsh way. A gave a stiff nod. Everything except her identity was not a lie. "If I ever find out that you''re lying to me, you know the price you''ll have to pay!" Brian would like to see how far Arlene could go. He wanted to catch her red- handed. "I understand.I will only go to college ande back home.I won''t go anywhere else." She promised him. He gave her permission to go to college. But by not going anywhere else, she wouldn''t be able to afford her tuition fees. "Leave now!" Brian ordered. He didn''t want someone like her on the first floor, in his room specifically. A bowed. "Thank you, Mr.rk." She didn''t dare to get close to the devil and left quietly thereafter. There was no difference between living in the Woodsen family and living in rk family. Her biological parents abandoned her at birth. So, A had this strong belief that she was destined to be lonely all her life. That was why she always focused on fulfilling her dreams and being independent. Brian said nothing. He just nced at her coldly as she disappeared. A was given a small room on the ground floor. There was a small bed and a desk. A window was there to fill the room with daylight. It was in fact, better than what she had in the Woodsen family. The only disadvantage was she had lost her freedom. "Mr.rk asked me to tell you that you cannot leave the mansion unless he gave the orders.If you need anything, you cane and find me," Maria politely said. "Thank you, Maria.I''ll remember that." Standing in the room, A eyed around. She had nothing here that belonged to her. Most of her things were still in her previous house, and some of them were at college. She needed to buy some necessary items, clothes for example. But she wasn''t allow to leave the house. After a while, Maria brought some daily necessities along with some new clothes. A wasn''t expecting that. She was greatly relieved after seeing them. She hoped, living here wouldn''t be as bad as she had thought. Having nothing to do in her room, A went to the kitchen to help cook. Maria was surprised to see her in the kitchen. She had heard that Mr.rk had married a spoilt and arrogant woman. But Mrs.rk hadn''t yet shown anything that could match that description. Noticing that A was an expert in washing and cutting vegetables, Maria asked, "Mrs.rk, can you cook?" A answered with a smile, "Not everything, just some simple dishes." A had learned cooking from the servants of Woodsen family. "Would you like to prepare the lunch for Mr.rk?" Maria asked suddenly. She was wrong in perceiving that Mrs.rk was just a rich and spoileddy with a hot-temper. Maria could see now, she was very different from that. A stopped washing the vegetables and turned towards her. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "Wouldn''t that make Mr.rk angry?" It was true that she was very scared of him. Besides, she didn''t want to lose the chance to go to college because she cooked his meal for him. "No, he won''t be angry.Mr.rk doesn''t talk too much and might look intimidating, but in reality, he is easy to get along with.Besides, he is not too picky about food.He won''t even notice." Maria had been working in the vi for many years. She knew how Brian quite well. A considered Maria''s words carefully. She said he was easy to get along with. But A had to disagree. One intimidating look from him could make her tremble all over. She just knew they would never get along with each other. His cold gaze always made her feel like she was in a world of ice and darkness. However, as long as he didn''t deliberately make things difficult for her, she would stick to her own duties and mind her own business. To avoid his wrath, she would listen to him no matter what he wanted her to do. After all, she was his wife whom he bought with money. Chapter 6: Giving Her A Chance Chapter 6: Giving Her A Chance As the food was served, Brian stared at the dishes and realized they differed from what Maria usually cooked. He believed that Maria didn¡¯t cook the food herself. Seeing that Brian wasn''t eating and only staring intently at the food, Maria informed, "Today''s lunch is made by Mrs.rk." One of Brian''s eyebrows raised up as he shifted his gaze at A. "You can cook?" "Only a few simple dishes," A answered honestly as her cheeks took a red hue. But she was well aware of his disdain from his words. It was discernible that she made an unnecessary move. Brian however, averted his gaze from her and began to eat slowly, savoring the taste. Standing next to him, A felt uneasy. She was afraid that he wouldn''t like the food and scold her again. After finishing the food in silence, Brian finally put down his chopsticks and turned towards her. "Since you can cook, I can assume you won''t have any problems in cooking for your husband.I want you to prepare my every meal from now on, but each meal must be different." He did it on purpose. Since she voluntarily cooked for him, he wanted to see how long she could pretend to be the good girl. A was slightly surprised when he seemed to enjoy the food cooked by her. Although, he gave her a moderately difficult task now, she let out a sigh of relief that at least he wasn''t angry with her. Next morning as promised, Brian arranged a car for A to go to her school. "Lyle, you can drop me here." A asked the driver to stop a block ahead of her school. "Mrs.rk, Mr.rk has strictly ordered me to drop you at the campus gate." The driver, Lyle, didn''t listen to her and continued to drive towards the school. A knew it was useless to say anything after that. She understood why Brian would do something like that. But she didn''t like it. Although she just started school and didn''t know many people, she really wouldn''t like to lead such a life in the future. "Thank you, Lyle." As they reached the campus gate, A climbed out of the car after thanking the driver. Lyle waited until she got into the school. After making sure she entered the school, he took out his phone and dialed Brian''s number. "Mr.rk, she has entered the school." "Keep an eye on her," Brian tley ordered while standing before the window. His eyes were filled with distrust and coldness. He was still suspicious. He still couldn''t understand why Arlene was so eager to attend school. Jaime came in after a while. "Mr.rk." "Jaime, here you are.Have a seat." Brian asked him to sit on the sofa as he joined him. After sittingfortably, Jaime eyed around the ce and asked, "Where is she?" Brian understood that Jaime was asking for Arlene''s whereabouts. "Are you here to visit her?" Brian nced at him sideways. Jaime seldom came to meet him. Now that he finally came, he was asking for Arlene''s whereabouts. Jaime gave him a sheepish smile. "Of course not." He was not interested in such a woman. Her appearance might look pure, but she was hiding a wanton personality inside her. "Anyway, why are you here?" This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Brian lit a cigarette as he inquired. "yton has left for another city." It was the reason why Jaime asked if she was there. "His intention is to run away." Brian had already guessed it, so, he wasn''t even surprised. yton possibly had this n from the beginning. He sent his daughter to Brian so that he could escape easily. "So, Mr.rk, do you think Mrs.rk will also escape?" Jaime feared that there was a great possibility of this to happen. yton was a cunning man. He perhaps, had nned everything from the start. Taking a drag of his cigarette, Brian smiled faintly and said, "She cannot escape.And yton too.No matter where he goes, he can''t escape from me." He allowed Arlene to leave the vi, because he had his spies everywhere. He knew, she couldn''t deceive them just like that. "Mr.rk, how are you so confident? That woman is very sly." Jaime was worried that if Brian got captivated by this woman''s beauty, it''d make a huge problem. "You are right, she is indeed deceitful," Brian agreed. He was actually surprised that she was being so nice and obedient to him. "Let''s go! Come with me to inspect the work progress at the branchpanies." The rk Group owned the real estate industry and hotel industry, as well as various entertainment venues. It also had a lot of other business along with global creditpanies. "Mr.rk, I''m d to see you doing fine." Jaime was worried about Brian. But when he saw him calm and collected as always, Jaime felt relieved. Meanwhile, A went to her dormitory to pack up her luggage, after her sses. She didn''t have a lot of luggage, but only a small suitcase. She had been so busy today at school. After attending many sses, she went to the library to study and make notes. A few of her friends came to talk to her when she was in her dormitory. She greeted them with a smile. "I heard that you came here in a luxury car this morning.Is that true?" one of her friends asked curiously. A was taken aback slightly. She wasn''t expecting that question. However, she neither admitted nor denied it. "It was true.I saw it with my own eyes," another friend answered for her. "A, have you found yourself a rich man? Of course.You are so beautiful.Any rich man would be interested in you." Her friends were so sure that she found herself a rich man without telling anyone. That was why she was leaving the dormitory. However, no one knew the truth that she was sold, and she might never have her freedom back all her life. "Wow! How old is he? Is he a bald-headed old man?" Her friends were very curious. They joked, but actually they wanted to know the truth. No one could imagine that she got married to a young, rich and handsome man who''d never fall in love with her. Everyone knew A wasn''t the type of girl who ran after rich men.Then how could they ever imagine what was the reality? Chapter 7: Punished Them By Myself Chapter 7: Punished Them By Myself "Arlene, Arlene..." Seeing that Brian waspletely unmoved, the girl immediately begged for mercy from A when two bodyguards dragged her away. "Mr.rk..." A looked at Brian. She really didn''t want to see such a bloody scene. That the girl was just kicking up a fuss and didn''t deserve to die. "You want to intercede for her?" Brian furrowed his thick eyebrows, and a trace of displeasure flickered across his eyes. A knew that interceding for those who had bullied her would infuriate Brian. He would think that she was coward. "She didn''t hit me." It seemed that a severe punishment was inevitable today, so she could only try her best to minimize the harm. Looking into Brian''s unfathomable eyes, A took a deep breath and said firmly, "I prefer to punish them myself." Hearing her words, Brian was indifferent. Seeing that the girl was dragged away, A blinked her eyes and begged, "Mr.rk, please...I''ll punish her myself, okay?" Hearing her begging, Brian heart softened and he nodded. A walked up to the girl who was dragged by bodyguards and pped her. The girl''s hand was going to be cut off, so a p in the face was a light punishment for her. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. In the crowd, a group of girls ran over and begged A to forgive them. They had all bullied A before. A felt a sharp pain in her hand. She turned around and nced at Brian. But he snorted and ignored her. A should have cut off their hands. But she chose to torture herself by pping them in the face. She deserved it. A had no choice but to grit her teeth and continue. However, the p was getting lighter and lighter. Fortunately, Brian didn''t have a problem with it. Tired of the punishment, A went back to Brian and said indifferently, "Most of them had conflicts with me before, but they weren''t present yesterday." "Pick the girls who weren''t present yesterday." Although Brian was cruel, he was reasonable. A picked out more than 20 girls. The girls were all grateful and hurried back to the crowd. The feeling of surviving from a disaster almost made them copse. There were only Vicki, Lisa and two girls left. The two girls had been bulling A, but she didn''t know their names. Brian was quite satisfied with A''s action. In fact, she was very smart. She knew that if he didn''t punish them today, he would definitely be angry. Therefore, she tried her best to save the innocent people. She knew that there was no way she could not save the rest. In fact, how could Brian not know who bullied her yesterday? A knew that ying tricks in front of him was useless. Even if she had the guts, she knew she should watch her behavior. "Mr.rk, it has nothing to do with me.A wronged me." Lisa looked at Brian, and her eyes immediately became moist. She was not inferior to A at all, even more beautiful and charming than A. Moreover, she was the daughter of the headmaster. She didn''t believe that Brian would fall in love with a woman like A, but not herself. At this point, she didn''t care about the consequences and made a desperate struggle. She strode to Brian and no one stopped her. Behind her, the president of BJ University was almost scared crazy. But when he saw his daughter''s pretty and charming figure, there was a glimmer of hope in his heart. Was this thest chance? If Lisa could win over Brian, it would be a good thing for him! "Mr.rk, I know why A wanted to hurt me, because I found that she is a mistress of an old man! She wants to take revenge on me! If you don''t believe me, you can ask others." Lisa walked up to Brian and stopped obediently, looking pitiful. "Oh? Old man?" Raising his eyebrows, Brian squinted at her leisurely. Chapter 8: Your Beautiful Face Is Your Asset Chapter 8: Your Beautiful Face Is Your Asset A''s high fever never dropped for once, which made Maria worried. Although Mr.rk didn''t give her any order, she had no choice but to call the doctor. "She needs to have an injection to bring down her fever.Otherwise, she might catch pneumonia," the doctor said while preparing the injection. "Is Mrs.rk''s fever too bad?" Maria was anxious because she knew Mr.rk was short-tempered. If anything happened to his newly wedded wife, he might get furious. "Well, it''s somewhat serious.She is too weak right now.She needs to have a good rest." The doctor gave A the injection then wrote the prescription. Although, her temperature dropped after taking the injection, she was still unconscious. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. When Brian came back, it was almost dawn. As he entered the hall, he found no one there. "Maria!" he called out. "Sir, you are back," Maria answered from his room. Brian grumbled and went upstairs just to find out A was still unconscious. He quickly ordered, "Send her downstairs! And clean up my room!" He hated when others touched his belongings. Maria and Ruben took A to the first floor in her room. Next day when finally she got her senses back, it was almost noon. She eyed the familiar room and slowly recalled what happenedst night. But how did she return to her room? She clutched her aching head. She felt extremely weak. Maria pushed open the door and came in. "Oh! Mrs.rk, you''re awake.I''ll get you some porridge then." A whileter, she brought a bowl of porridge. "Thank you, Maria.Thank you for taking care of mest night." A was more concerned about her school than her health. If she didn''t regain her strength, she couldn''t go to school. "Never mind.But be careful in the future.How can you take a cold shower so carelessly?" Maria was so scared when she was suffering from the high fever. A smiled helplessly. "Okay, I''ll remember that in future." A somehow managed to go to school even with the weakness. Lyle dropped her there. She always preferred to sit in the front row, but today, she chose the back row. She was afraid that if she kept coughing, it would affect other students. However, the whispers of her ssmates¡¯ gossip didn''t escape her ears. "I saw A came here in a luxury car this morning.I heard that she got herself a rich old man," one of her ssmates said. "Really? How can she be so shameless as to sleep with an old rich man? She is so beautiful.But it turns out, she''s a gold digger too," another one said. "What''s the use of being beautiful?" someone asked mockingly. "If you don''t have money, your beautiful face is your asset!" someone else answered. A was surprised to see that her ssmates thought such lowly of her. It was only the second day, she had been dropped by the luxury car. But so many students had seen that and given her strange looks. It was evident that her future held a lot of rumors. During the lunch break, A felt ufortable and had no appetite. So she went back to her dormitory to have a rest. One of her roommates, Veronica Keating, saw her lying on the bed with a pale face. She worriedly asked, "A, are you okay?" "I''m fine.I was just feeling slightly queasy.So I came to take some rest." A smiled weakly. Veronica poured a ss of water and gave it to A. "Drink some water." "Thank you." Veronica had always been very kind to her. "Veronica, you don''t have to worry about her.She might have had a rough night yesterday.That is probably the reason why she is feeling tired," Lisa Williams said with disdain. She hated women who used their beauty to take things, just like A. "Lisa, how can you say that? A is sick." Veronica red at Lisa. Lisa scoffed, "Of course.Who knows what kind of disease she has received from that man.She is indiscreet about her private life.You''d better stay away from her." Lisa let out a snort after saying that and left the dormitory. Seeing that A''s face turned paler, Veronica walked up to her andforted her, "I believe in you.You are not that kind of person." "Thank you for believing in me." A was introverted and unsociable. She never had many good friends at school. Veronica was the only one who talked to her. It was already noon when Brian went downstairs. "Where is she, Maria?" "She went to school," Maria answered honestly. "Oh?" Brian''s jaws clenched. That meant she was just ying with himst night. She had enough strength today to go to school? Did she go to see that boy? Toby? "Sir, Mrs.rk left this morning in a hurry and forgot to take the medicine.Should I send it to her?" Maria asked cautiously. She was afraid that Mr.rk would be angry. But if Mrs.rk didn''t take the medicine, she''d fall ill again. "No," said Brian, with a dismissive hand gesture. She already had a man to care for her. No need to pay her extra attention. This woman dared to break his rules again and again. So far he had been good to her. But now, he had had enough. "But, sir, Mrs.rk..." Maria wanted to say something more, but gulped down the rest when Brian red at her. Chapter 9: Only She Was Qualified To Be Angry Chapter 9: Only She Was Qualified To Be Angry After returning from the school, A walked into the vi with heavy steps and met Maria in the hall. After greeting her, A went back to her room to rest. Meanwhile, Brian was with Anna in a luxurious private room of the WH Entertainment Club. Anna was sitting beside him intimately. "Mr.rk, you haven''t been here for a long time.Isn''t it?" The Cloud Club was one of the businesses owned by Brian''s Hyde Group, managed by Anna. "Yes, I was busy in thepany," Brian exined in a t tone. Anna noticed he was drinking too much. "You must not drink too much alcohol, Mr.rk.Let me change the wine with a light one for you.Okay?" Anna took his ss from him cautiously. Brian wrapped his arms around her and asked, "Are you worried for me?" "Yes.You will damage your stomach if you drink too much alcohol." Anna poured a ss of light wine and gave it to him. ¡°You never take care of yourself." "Why would I when you''re here to take care of me?" Jaime was also present there. They often came to this ce together. "Exactly! When the beautiful Anna is here, there is nothing to worry about," Tayson Hughes agreed before sipping on his wine. Anna leaned shyly in Brian''s arms. She knew, even if Brian married the girl from the Woodsen family, the rtionship between them hadn''t changed. James Manson poured another ss of wine for himself and asked, "Boss, how''s Mrs.rk? Is everything fine between you two? But no matter what she does, she¡¯s notparable with Anna." "Well, I heard she went to bars every night before, but she actually pretended to be innocent that night.It was impressive," Jaime said. Tayson had seen Arlene in night clubs quite a few times. She liked to wear heavy makeup and tight clothes while dancing and making out with men openly. That was why he was surprised to see Arlene being an entirely different person that night. Brian took a drag of his cigarette. It didn¡¯t matter to him what kind of woman Arlene was, he was determined to only humiliate her. yton sent her to him for his benefits, but now, Brian would use her for his own convenience. "You had seen her before? Does that mean you two had made out too? Did you sleep with her or something?" James teased Jaime with a yful smile. "Don''t talk nonsense in front of Mr.rk.He might end up killing me.Besides, it''s not a funny joke.I don''t even like such women!" Everyone fell silent hearing Jaime''s words. Anna looked at Brian. Did they consummate their marriage? Brian put down his wine ss. "Why are you all looking at me? I''m a man.I have desires too." So what if he had slept with her? She was his legal wife after all. However, he was indeed surprised when he found out she was a virgin. Arlene really had many tricks to y. Anna was slightly disappointed as Brian said that. She had thought that he married Arlene only to humiliate her. She thought he would only torture her. "Mr.rk, you made Anna sad." Jaime noticed how Anna''s face disyed hurt. Hearing that, Anna blinked, averted her gaze and pretended to be indifferent. Of course, he was free to take any woman. Brian had never made any promises to any women, including her. She was the only woman who stayed with him for a long time, but she was not the only one. She stupidly expected someday he would belong to her only, but it was just an unreasonable hope. Brian saw Anna going quiet. "Anna, are you angry with me?" "No, I''m not qualified to be angry with you." She took a quick nce at him before asking, "Does she treat you well?" Anna had always been concerned about his care. His wife might not know how to take care of him. What if she messed up and couldn''t take care of him properly? Brian pulled her closer. "Of course, you have the right to be angry.Only you are qualified to do that." Did he just allow her the rights to be angry with him? It was beyond her expectation. "Really?" Anna beamed at him and snuggled closer to him. "Oh! Now you''re doubting my words?" Brian asked calmly. He always remained calm andposed. "No, no.I believe you." Anna leaned in and kissed him on the lips. "Will you stay here tonight, please?" Brian didn''t answer, instead he deepened the kiss and held her close in his arms. Meanwhile, A was feeling so weak. So she took medicine and slept throughout the night. After waking up, she felt little better. In the kitchen, Maria was preparing breakfast.A went there. "Maria, do you need any help?" "No, thanks, Mrs.rk.Are you feeling better now? I''ve prepared some nutritious breakfast for you." This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Maria used to think Mrs.rk was a hot-tempereddy who only knew how to order around. But after getting to know her, she could tell she was far from that. She was in fact, very good girl. Perhaps, Mr.rk had misunderstood her. A noticed Maria had served breakfast only for her. So she asked, "Didn''t hee backst night?"Or did he already have his breakfast?" "No.Mr.rk didn''te backst night.In fact, he often spends his nights outside.But you don''t have to worry.You can live here well." Maria knew that A was afraid of Mr.rk. Whenever she''d see him, she''d cower away from him. Maria didn''t stretch the conversation and served breakfast. A ate the porridge in a hurry, because she had to go to school. She happily finished her breakfast, then packed up her books and walked out of the vi with her backpack. But before she could reach the car, she bumped into someone and stumbled back. Chapter 10: He Had Another Woman Chapter 10: He Had Another Woman Brian didn¡¯t expect that he''d bump into that stupid woman while entering the vi.So, he didn''t even help her when she stumbled back and fell on her bum. His eyes turned cold as he watched her with pursed lips. A hissed in pain before raising her eyes and met with Brian''s icy re. She gulped and apologized immediately, "I''m sorry, I didn''t notice youing." "Who are you going to meet in such a hurry?" Brian sneered at her making A flinch. Of course, she couldn''t get lucky all the time, and the devil had toe at this time just to prove that. "I was just going to school." A whined as she got up staggering slightly. She refrained herself from saying anything else, because she knew he would not believe her anyway. ording to Brian, everything she said was just an excuse. "Really?" Obviously, Brian didn''t believe her. A took a nce at her watch. She''d bete today. Her eyes shifted back to Brian when she noticed the red mark on his neck. Observing it carefully, she realized it was a lipstick mark. That meant, he was with another womanst night. That was the reason why he didn''t return home.But, she didn''t care about it. In fact, she''d be relieved if he was with other women. He''d let her live in peace if he had other women. Even if it was a hopeless wish and literally would be a dream, she wanted it to happen. After that encounter, A left without saying anything further. Lyle was already waiting for her with the car. She hopped in before the car drove away. Sitting in the car, she looked out of the window and pondered on the possibilities she could get away from Brian. Although he let her go to school, he seemed to be angry with her. Her father only owed money to Brian. So, if she could earn money and pay him back, she''d have her freedom again. When their car reached a crossing of the high road, another car broke the traffic signal and ran across their car with a reckless speed. Lyle mmed the brake hurriedly, causing her to jump forward. However, when A raised her eyes and looked ahead, her eyesnded on the big LED screen at the roadside. It was broadcasting financial news and Toby''s face was on it. A watched the news carefully. Her eyes gleamed with excitement when she learned he had be the Executive Director of Smith Group. He went to abroad, after theirst meeting. She never received the news of his return. Had he forgotten her already? Why hadn''t hee to take her away yet? The thought made A very sad.She couldn''t even focus on studies and remained absent-minded all day long.Would she ever get to see him again? She couldn''t wait to meet Toby.So, she decided to go to his office by herself. After the school was over, she walked out of the school''s side door to avoid Lyle and left quietly. When she finally arrived in front of Smith Group''s office building, she stopped. Suddenly shecked courage to enter the building. She stood there in a daze staring at the building until it was dark. She couldn''t do it. Her chest felt heavy as she turned to leave. However, she had to stop when she heard the automatic door opening and a group of people came out. She turned immediately and located the familiar face among them. It was Toby and he was holding a beautiful and elegant woman in his arm. A¡¯s heart dropped when she realized he was dating another woman. Her lips trembled at the sight and two streams of tears rolled down her face. She watched them getting into an expensive car together. But before entering the car Toby suddenly turned and looked at A''s direction. As soon as their eyes met, he froze. A immediately turned away to hide her tears from him. But when she turned back again, the car had already left. It turned out that he had be so sessful, but what about her? Life had been so unfair to her lately. She lost her virginity to someone who didn''t even love her, she lost her freedom to a devil and now the man whom she loved was avoiding her. There was no hope left for her. Only she and her poor self-esteem was all she had now. When she returned back to the school, everyone had already left except a familiar car along with its driver. It was Lyle and the car was waiting for her. She stiffened as she noticed them. "Lyle, I''m sorry." "Mrs.rk, Mr.rk is waiting for you at home." Lyle held open the door for her until she got inside. When A returned to the vi, as expected, Brian was sitting on the sofa in the living room. But what she didn''t expect to see was Anna, who sat beside him. A had met her before. "So finally you realized it''s time toe back?" Brian put out the cigarette and looked at her. Her eyes were puffy from all the crying and her face was covered in tear stains. "I''m sorry.I went to deal with something important.I had to do it." A lowered her head. "I don''t want your excuses!"he bellowed. "I won''t do that again," said A, taking a step forward. She wanted to just leave. But he stopped her. "Stop! Did I say you can leave?" Brian stood up and walked up to her. "Are you having the false belief that you can actually act like Mrs.rk?" "No." A never considered herself of that status. "I- I have to prepare dinner as you asked me.Let me go, please.What would you like to have in dinner?" Brian stared at her for a moment then went back and sat down beside Anna. Looking at Anna gently, he asked, "What do you want to eat?" This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Anna took a look at A and then tangled her arm with Brian''s. "Mr.rk, does Mrs.rk even know how to cook? I don''t want to fall sick eating food cooked by a stranger." "Try it once.If you don''t like it, I''ll take you out to eat." A saw their intimacy, but she didn''t look away. Was he putting a show for her? But it wasn''t really necessary. Without saying anything else, A went into the kitchen. Looking at the ingredients in the fridge, she promised herself to cook well. However, Brian just wanted to see her suffer. He was determined to create more difficulties for her. So, he sent all the servants away to do other household chores, so that no one would be avable to help her. He wanted to see how capable she was. Chapter 11: Deliberately Picking On Her Chapter 11: Deliberately Picking On Her After A prepared the dishes and served them at the table, Anna looked at them with a disgusted expression.Brian and Anna were sitting face to face. Brian asked her to taste the dishes and give her opinion about them. Anna tasted each of them and was very much unsatisfied with the taste. She either pointed out the dishes were too salty or too spicy. Seeing that, Brian red at A and asked, "Are you taking your revenge on me because I asked you to cook?" "No, it''s nothing like that." A shook her head. It was so very obvious that they intentionally picked on her.She had nothing to say because it wouldn''t make any difference. "No? Because, none of these dishes is edible! These taste so bad!" he snapped then got up and threw away all the food to the ground. The floor was a mess now. A although had expected this, it still hurt her feelings. She had cooked with so much dedication, but he didn''t even value her hard work. All of her efforts just got wasted by that devil. But she didn''t even feel sad. It could be expected from him. However, she had suffered enough today. First, Toby''s intimacy with another woman, then Brian''s and Anna''s humiliations. Seeing A didn''t even react, Brian got more furious. His eyes narrowed to slits in exasperation as he raised his hand and pped A on her cheek. The force was too much that it made her fall to the ground. It stung where his hand made contact with her cheek. She was wrong when she thought she couldn''t feel pain anymore. "Clean up this ce!" Brian didn''t like it when she showed no expression. It bothered him unreasonably to see her acting emotionless. She should be crying and begging to him. But she did neither of that. He had always wanted to be in charge of every situation, but it frustrated him when he couldn''t control A. A didn''t say anything. She kneeled down on the ground quietly and picked up the pieces of broken tes one by one. Her finger got cut identally and blood oozed out of the wound. But she just lost her enthusiasm to react to that even. She quietly continued her work.She brought a broom and started sweeping the ce clean.She was humiliated beyond her expectation.She mocked herself for the life she had.She wasn''t even the real daughter of the Woodsen family.She was just an orphan girl adopted by them. The man she had trusted and loved, had left her. She even lost her virginity. After all of these, she had no right to expect anything good from her life. But she couldn''t do anything but to endure. The man in front of her would torture her every day, humiliate her every way possible, make her eternally doomed, and still she couldn''t stop him. Seeing that she didn''t even make a sound, Brian got angrier. It bothered him. Frustrated by A¡¯s behavior, he took Anna''s hand in his and left without looking back. A didn''t even raise her head until she heard the footsteps. She watched them leave holding each other''s hands. She felt so frustrated with her situation. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. She slumped back on to the cold floor and broke down. She couldn''t hold back anymore. She sobbed her heart out as her blood dripped on to the white, cold tiled floor. At one point, Maria heard the noise of her crying and came downstairs to inspect. She gave A a pitiful look. She had predicted this to happen. Anna had been to the vi several times, and Maria knew how very picky she was with food. Anna was one of Brian''s girlfriends, and as a servant of the rk family, Maria couldn''t say anything about her. "Mrs.rk, please stand up." Maria helped the numb girl get up and took her to her room.She took the medicine box and dressed A''s wound carefully.She didn''t expect that her hand was cut so badly by that porcin te. It was a deep cut. "Mrs.rk, please don''t cry.Everything will be fine." Maria wiped off A''s tears for her. She was also a woman and a mother. It hurt her when she saw A crying so bitterly. A was like her daughter. After a long while, A stopped crying and said in a hoarse voice, "Thank you, Maria.I''m fine now.I just want to be alone." "Okay, go to sleep!" Maria nodded understandingly. Then she left when Ay down and closed her eyes. The faint moonlight fell onto the floor through the open window. But A couldn''t fall asleep. Shey there with eyes wide open. At one point, she got out of the bed and took out a silver bracelet from her bag. The design of this silver bracelet was very ordinary. It was not very expensive, but it was her most precious belonging. It was a birthday gift from Toby, which he gave as a promise. But now, things had changed. Toby left her five years ago to go abroad and forgot his promise. But she remembered each of his words distinctly. The entire night afterwards, she just sat in a corner of her room, holding the bracelet close to her heart.She had lost her everything.What should she do now? In the morning, when Maria pushed open the door, she saw A''s dark circles around her eyes.She realized A didn''t sleepst night. "Mrs.rk, I have made breakfast for you.Would you like toe to the dining hall and eat? You don''t have to go to school today.Take some rest," Maria said sympathetically. A looked at Maria.No one had ever cared for her this much. Chapter 12: He Was Still Toby Chapter 12: He Was Still Toby A looked down at the porridge made by Maria and got overwhelmed by her generosity.She was so touched that it made her teary.Her eyes welled up and tears streamed down her face. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "Mrs.rk, please enjoy your breakfast.You ate nothingst night.You are still sick and I just received the news that Mr.rk won''te back today.So, you can rest at home peacefully." Maria gave her an encouraging smile and went back to the kitchen. After the breakfast, A put on a white coat and went to the garden. Sitting alone on a bench, she eyed around the ce. The garden was beautiful, but she didn''t like it. Her heavy heart made it impossible to concentrate on the beauty. The entire day she stayed at home. But this could not go on forever. The next day, she went to school. Around noon, she went to the bank near the school alone. She had some savings there. It was umted from her part-time jobs. The money was not much, but she could always work and earn more. A withdrew the money from the bank. Her shoulders slumped low, as she left the bank and started walking back to the school. She was adopted by the Woodsen family, but she had never thought that she would end up like this. "L." A faltered on her steps, hearing that intimate call. She didn''t expect to hear it again. The familiar call made her heart tremble slightly. She wondered whether she had misheard.But her doubt abated when a slender figure came and stood in front of her. "It''s me, L.Don''t you remember me?" A raised her head and looked at the person in front of her. He was still as handsome and gentle as before. Today he even wore a pair of gold rimmed sses, looking gentler. It was him, her Toby, the man she had waited for five years. The man she had loved and trusted. "L, how are you? I''m back from abroad." Toby reached out and took her hand in his. His voice was so gentle and sweet, which stirred her heart. A nodded as her eyes became moist. "It''s good to see that you''re back, Toby." She had never thought that their reunion five yearster would be like this. There was no joy, expectation and eagerness. If it was like the old times, she''d have jumped into his arms, crying and telling him all of her grievances by now. The story of her helplessness, and her deep longing for him in her heart, she''d have told him everything. "Aren''t you happy to see me?" Toby observed the girl carefully. She had changed a lot in these five years. But for him, she was still the same. She had always been in his heart. Never once had he forgotten about her. In order to bring her happiness, he had worked hard for all these years. He wanted to give her the best life. But to life''s hardship, he had been helpless. He became the Executive Director of the Smith Group, but the price was too much. He had to be the fiance of the Smith Group''s owner''s daughter, Molly Smith. He wouldn''t have been sessful, if he didn''t have a strong background. For the sake of his L, he took this difficult choice. "I''m very happy that my Toby is back." She choked with sobs. She thought that she had no tears left, but how wrong she was. Seeing Toby in front of her, she couldn''t control herself. Toby reached out and pulled her close. The warmth from their embrace made her sadder. "I''m sorry, L.I''m sorry for being away from you for too long.But you don''t need to worry anymore.Now that I have returned, I won''t let you suffer anymore." Although heforted her by talking about the future, he himself wasn''t sure if there would be any future between them. A, too, knew it was impossible. She was sold to Brian by yton, and Toby also had a beautiful woman by his side. A felt nothing but betrayed. She tried her best to hold back her tears, but she couldn''t. She broke down bitterly. Toby thought that it was because they hadn''t seen each other for a long time. A must have missed him so much that she couldn''t hold back her tears. "Okay, cry all you want right now! But I won''t let you cry again in the future.I like it the most when you smile, L.Your smile is so beautiful." Toby patted her back gently. After a while, she stepped back. Toby took her to a coffee shop nearby. They sat facing each other. Looking at him, A asked, "Toby, when did youe back? How have you been these years?" He seemed to live a good life. She nced at his branded attire. They gave out his wellbeing. "I''m fine, my dearest L.How are you doing? Why do you look thinner than you used to be?" Toby pushed the desserts towards her and said, "L, aren''t these your favorite? Eat!" A stared at Toby. He had always been so sweet to her. In the past, he spoiled her with delicious food all the time. Today he was treating her the same. "Toby, you should eat too." A pushed the te in the middle and the two ate together. In the meantime, Anna and Brian had to meet with a client. So, Anna suggested waiting in a nearby coffee shop until the client arrived. The two of them walked into the coffee shop together and Brian''s eyes immediately spotted the woman sitting by the window with a man. All this time, she had been lying to him. If he hadn''t seen her with his own eyes, she would never have admitted it. Chapter 13: Her Dignity Chapter 13: Her Dignity As they were eating, A looked up from the te and turned around. Suddenly she froze when her eyes met Brian''s sharp gaze directly on her. Anna followed Brian''s gaze and located A. A smirk appeared on her face as she waited for the drama. "L, what''s wrong?" Toby held A''s hand and shook it gently. "Are you cold? Why is your hand so cold?" "Oh, it''s nothing.I''m fine." A forced a smile as she averted her gaze from Brian and looked down. She withdrew her hand gently from Toby''s hold, conscious of Brian¡¯s burning gaze that bore into her. She knew he was misunderstanding the whole situation. She''d have to face its consequences. "Come on, finish the food.Do you want more? I can order more for you." Toby looked at her with adoration in his eyes. She was still that little girl whom he left years ago. He reached out and rubbed her hair softly. He wanted toe back before her eighteenth birthday and celebrate it with her. But he couldn''t make it. Now that he was here, he could make it up for her. "Thank you, Toby." A nodded then drank the orange juice quickly. Toby noticed how suddenly she turned restless. Meanwhile, Anna gave Brian a side nce. "Mr.rk, why did you marry such an unworthy woman?" In fact, Anna never really understood why Brian married yton''s daughter if he wanted to take revenge on him. Such a skittish woman was not suitable for him. For a person like Brian, any woman would want to marry him. But he chose Arlene out of all. It was beyond understandable to Anna. Brian and Anna took seats at the table opposite to the one where A was seated. Brian quietly stirred the coffee in front of him before saying, "Well, I expected this." He had expected that yton''s daughter wouldn''t be a loyal woman. Brian used marriage to bind Arlene for a lifetime. Because the hatred he had in his heart, wouldn''t have subsided otherwise. "Mr.rk, I really don''t understand why would you do that? Although she is beautiful and slender, as far as I can tell, you don''t care about appearance." Anna looked at him. Brian was handsome and a renowned businessman. But his appearance was of a cold and strict person. No one could really understand what went on in his iprehensible mind. He was like a closed book. She couldn''t read him, and perhaps no one else could. "You are right." Indeed, Brian wasn''t a man who only paid attention to appearance. When he decided to marry Arlene, he didn''t even know how she looked like. Brian had no idea that he actually married yton''s adopted daughter, A, and not his biological daughter, Arlene. "I hope I am the only woman who knows you well." Anna smiled. No matter how many women Brian would meet and take, she was the only one who would always stay by his side. Brian didn''t answer. He just picked up the coffee cup and drank it slowly.His icy re shifted to A. Seeing her with another man, he felt bothered. He said to Anna, "I''ve had enough coffee.Let''s go now!" Anna looked over at A. She might look nervous on the outside, but that woman was bold. She didn''t even try to leave and continued to talk with that other man. Brian was careful of his image outside. Otherwise, he''d have done something reckless. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. A shuddered at the thought. A''s heart sank when she saw the deathly re in Brian''s eyes when he left. She felt guilty and helpless, ncing at Toby. "L, are you living in the school dormitory now? I can help you find a better ce to live.Okay?" Toby didn''t want her to be bullied in the school. The Woodsen family never treated her well, but she deserved better. She might be the adopted daughter of the Woodsen family, but she was nothing more than a servant. A shook her head. "No, that won''t be necessary." She didn''t even have the basic freedom now. It was impossible for her to move out. "Why? What''s wrong? Do you still live with the Woodsen family? Have Uncle yton forbidden you to move out?" Toby knew that A was obedient to yton. She''d never refuse yton''s words no matter what. "Uh, I''m living in my student''s home.I am her home tutor." A lied to him.She couldn''t tell him that she was sold to a devil named Brian. "Do you still work part-time?" Toby was aware of her working part-time. She worked to earn money and save it for her higher studies. "Yes, I do."A nodded guiltily. She wanted to hide her marriage from him as long as possible. She wanted to protect her dignity in front of Toby for now. She knew she shouldn''t lie to him, but she couldn''t bear to be looked down upon by him. If Toby had returned earlier, she wouldn''t have been in this situation. "L, you don''t have to do part-time jobs anymore.Now I can afford a good life for you," Toby said. He wanted to provide her a good life. She needed not to rely on others anymore. "Toby, I''m fine.Don¡¯t worry for me." A didn''t want Toby to stress for her. He must have a lot of pressure already. A didn''t want toe between him and his achievements. Toby closely observed her, then held her hand. "L, don''t lie to me.Tell me what''s wrong with you? You are so thin.Aren''t you taking care of yourself? I''ll find a house tomorrow.You can quit your part-time job and move out.You just need to focus on your study.You don''t need to worry about anything else.I will be with you and everything will be fine.Okay?" He didn''t want her to suffer anymore. Since childhood, he had seen this girl suffering a lot, and he felt sorry for her. Toby had loved her since those younger days and wanted to marry only her. Chapter 14: Humiliation Chapter 14: Humiliation A couldn''t say no to him when Toby insisted.She wasn''t sure how long she could hide the truth from him. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. But if she rejected him too many times, he would be suspicious. After leaving the cafe, Toby drove her back to her school. "L, can you have dinner with me tonight?" Toby eagerly waited for her response. He even was very reluctant to leave A. A felt guilty again to lie to him. But she had no other choice. She gave him a half-smile and said, "Toby, I have work tonight.Let''s do it sometimeter." Toby thought for a moment and then said, "Okay! This is my card.It has my new phone number.Call me if you have time." "Okay." A nodded with a smile and took the card from him. The card had his title printed on it. "Executive Director and Deputy CEO of Smith Group". After exchanging goodbyes to each other, Toby left and A went back to attend her sses. When she returned to the vi after school, Brian hadn''te back. She was temporarily relieved for his absence. So, A helped Maria prepare the dinner and waited for Brian toe back. She knew today she''d have to give him an exnation for her seemingly rendezvous with Toby. "Mrs.rk, you can have your dinner.Mr.rk hasn''t called yet.He might not return tonight." Maria was worried about A''s health. It was almost midnight now, and still she didn''t eat or drink anything. She had been waiting for Mr.rk since she returned from school. A smiled at Maria and said, "Don''t worry.I''m fine.He''ll be back soon." However, she was well aware of the possibility that once he returned, things might go haywire. Perhaps, she''d have to face his wrath. She still couldn''t believe that she bumped into him while being with Toby. But she wanted to get it over with. So she waited anxiously. Brian came back around one o''clock in the morning. A was already trembling with fear with the thought of facing him. As soon as Brian came in, a rush of cold, bitter wind entered the vi along with him. "Mr.rk." A mumbled his name and walked up to him. She bowed politely wondering whether she had any chance to negotiate with him. Brian red at her. This woman had the audacity toe and stand before him after he caught her red handed. "Well, have you had your dinner? I''ve cooked as per your instruction." A umted a lot of courage to say that to him. Brian said nothing and walked directly into the dining room. The table had already been prepared. He noticed the dishes and the soup on the table. They looked delicate and delicious indeed. Despite being cold, they still looked appetizing. But he did not show any appreciation. She had cheated on him for God''s sake. How could he forgive her? Did she think making a few delicious dishes would make him forget everything? But how wrong she was! Arlene shouldn''t have underestimated him and thought that he wouldn''t find out. He had been being generous with her. He provided her a good life. He even gave her the permission to go to school. Yet, she cheated on him. "Arlene, how dare you! How can you think cooking food for me would make up for your deed? Did you think I would forgive you easily? You are my legal wife.Do you still remember that?" Brian shouted aloud and with a wave of his hand, threw away all the dishes to the floor. The porcin dishes and bowls broke into pieces and scattered around. A flinched in fright. She was about to bend down and clean up, but she was pulled back and pressed on the table by him the next second. The suddenness took her by surprise. "What...What are you doing?" She trembled being held by him tightly. "What am I doing? What exactly do you think I am doing?" Brian gritted his teeth. This woman was indeed a temptress, and she thought she could tempt him as well. Many men might want to spend time with her, but he didn''t. All he wanted was to humiliate her in every way possible. "Arlene, since you love talking andughing with other men, you wouldn''t refuse your own husband, right?" Brian spat the words out bitterly. They were filled with hatred. "No, no! You''re misunderstanding things, Mr.rk.He and I are just..." A couldn''t finish her sentence because she was tightly gripped by him. Two streams of tears rolled down from the corner of her eyes. But it didn''t make Brian feel sorry even the slightest. This time Brian was even more brutal. Almost animalistic. A held the edge of the table tightly and endured the pain. She was afraid. He''d always humiliate her like this, and she couldn''t do anything about it. A didn''t know how long he continued his torture on her, because at one point, she fainted because of the terrible pain. When she regained her senses, she was the only one present in the dining room, lying on the table, naked. Enduring the pain, A sat up and collected her dress from the ground to cover her body. She went back to her room and walked into the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her body was covered with bruises all over. It hurt. She hurt everywhere. She couldn''t even stand any longer. She copsed on the ground as the shower kept pouring on her head. A grabbed a scrubber and washed her body with hot water. She rubbed her body hard to wash away all the evidences of torture left by him. What Brian had given her was the worst pain anyone could have, and this moment would never fade away from her life. "Toby, what should I do?" She whispered then broke downpletely. Tears streamed down her face, mingling with the running water. Chapter 15: He Has A Fiancee Chapter 15: He Has A Fiancee Brian stood in front of the window, overlooking the garden below. An inner turmoil was going on inside him. The room was dark and the only light came from the lit cigarette held between his fingers. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. His jaws were clenched together making his aura look more domineering. His mind darted to the thought of that woman he had made his wife. He couldn''t understand how she could affect his heart so much. When he saw her at the coffee shop, getting cozy with that man, something unusual shifted inside him. It surprised him more when she allowed that man to hold her hand and touch her hair. The way she smiled at him, it made Brian unreasonably angry. His phone rang suddenly. He nced at the screen before answering the call. "Jaime, how is it going? Have you got any information?" "Mr.rk, his name is Toby Brown, the Deputy CEO of Smith Group," Jaime answered. Brian had asked him to investigate this particr person without telling him the reason. Jaime was slightly confused. They had no business rtionship with the Smith Group.Why was Brian interested in the Smith Group''s Deputy CEO? "Toby Brown? The Deputy CEO of Smith Group." Brian repeated Jaime''s words. His eyes narrowed at the mention of Toby''s name and position. Toby. Wasn''t this the same man she was mentioning that night? Apparently she missed him so much. "Yes, he joined the Smith Group three years ago.After his engagement with Molly Smith a year ago, he had been promoted to the Deputy CEO post a month ago.Toby is close to the Woodsen family as well." Jaime informed Brian. It wasn''t difficult for him to investigate and find everything about Toby. He thought, perhaps, it was because of the Woodsen family, and Toby''s rtionship with them that Brian asked him to find out details about Toby. Brian fell silent. So these two were childhood friends turning lovers. Although Toby was engaged to Miss Smith, he still met with Arlene. Perhaps, he didn''t love his fiancee. "Mr.rk?" When Brian didn''t respond after a long time, Jaime called out his name. "Send his details to me by tomorrow morning." Brian wanted to know everything about him. A still wasn''t overst night''s incident. Standing in front of the mirror the next morning, she observed the marks Brian left on her skin. She chose a high-necked dress and a coat to cover up those marks. When A left her room, Maria was the first one to see her. She looked at A and noticed how haggard she looked. In the morning, when Maria was cleaning the vi she saw the mess in the dining room and guessed what might have happenedst night.The servants¡¯ house was at a certain distance from the main vi. Unless Brian called them urgently via the inte, they were not allowed toe over past midnight. "Mrs.rk, are you okay?" Maria asked with concern. A nodded. "I''m fine." She couldn''t hide in her room forever.She''d have to face it sooner orter. Maria felt sorry for her. "Mrs.rk, you look tired.I am making breakfast.Please wait a little." A few minutester, Brian came downstairs. He stood at the lowest step of the stairs and called, "Arlene!" A was sitting at the dining table, face down. She was, in fact, slightly distracted. "Arlene!" When she didn''t respond, he raised his voice. It was evident that he was displeased with her. A jumped up in fright and turned around at once. She froze seeing him scowling at her. She was still scared by what happenedst night, but she couldn''t avoid him. She walked towards him in trembling steps. "Mr.rk." Her voice wavered. ncing at his indignant face, she realized it''d be useless to try to exin things to him. Because he wouldn''t believe it anyway. Also, he was a dangerous man and she should never offend him. "Are you nning to meet your lover again today? Aren''t you satisfied already after yesterday?" Brian noticed the clothes she wore today. She wore a high- necked dress and a coat to cover the marks he deliberately and intentionally left. "I won''t go out." A knew that he wouldn''t let her go out today.So, she gave in voluntarily. Brian nodded. "Good." Then he sneered, "Make me a cup of coffee." "Yes, sir." A immediately went to the kitchen and prepared coffee for him. She didn''t know how he liked his coffee to be. So, she asked Maria and made the coffee as per her instruction. Few minutester she served a cup of coffee in front of him and stood aside like a servant. She dreaded his reaction.What if he would be dissatisfied with the taste? "Arlene, has yton called you recently?" Brian asked her. yton loved his daughter the most. He must have contacted her.He must have discussed his escape n with his daughter. A tensed up at the sudden mention of yton.She shook her head. "No, he didn''t call me." yton would never call her.She''d never be equal to his biological daughter. "No?" Raising his eyebrows, Brian asked, "So, he won''t try to stop me and let me do whatever I want to you? If he hasn''t yet called you, it means, he doesn''t even care for you and your well-being.No matter how you are living, he doesn''t care.So, you want me to believe that yton doesn''t love his only daughter? Alright, I might even believe that lie.But you can''t forget that you have been sold to me.Without my permission, no one can touch you." A clenched her fists, but said nothing. Brian continued, "If you dare to go out and try to meet another man again, I''d give you two choices only.Either yton dies or Toby." A''s face turned pale when she heard thest sentence of Brian. How did he find out Toby''s name? Her blood ran cold. Would he make Toby lose everything he had now? At that exact time Jaime came in with the documents of Toby. He saw A standing aside with a pale face and gave her a smirk. As he handed the documents to Brian, he said, "Mr.rk, here are the documents of Toby that you wanted." Brian picked up a photo of Toby and looked at it intently. "This man has a fiancee, do you know that?" Although he said the words in a t tone, they dropped on her like a bomb.She couldn''t even stand steadily anymore. Chapter 16: Her Freedom Toby had a fiancee? Chapter 16: Her Freedom Toby had a fiancee? The unexpected news shocked A. How could it be possible? Why didn''t Toby tell her anything? It meant the woman she saw with Toby that day was his fiancee. If he was engaged already, why did he promise to be with her? He promised to give her a good life in the future.Was it nothing but a lie? "Don''t tell me you don¡¯t know that," Brian taunted, noticing her surprised expression. A''s eyes darted towards the documents in Brian''s hand. She realized they were all rted to Toby. Of course! He was Brian rk! A man whose one word was enough to decide if a person would continue to live or just die. It was ridiculous for her to expect anything good from him. "Why are you silent now? Arlene, I didn''t really expect that you''d date such a man.Why are you now pretending to be surprised?" Brian dropped the photo of Toby on the table and looked up at A. A considered whether she should tell him the truth. She bit on her lips before opening her mouth. "Mr.rk, actually, I want to tell you something." "Tell me something? Are you even qualified to talk to me? What would you tell me by the way? Apparently I know things more than you," Brian sneered, intimidating her. "Mr.rk, I can do anything you want me to do.I will help keep your vi clean, cook for you, and wash your clothes.I will do everything to pay back the money my father owes you.But, will you please give me freedom after that?" Her voice broke at the end. A wanted nothing but to be free. No matter what kind of life she would lead in the future, she didn''t want to stay prisoned like this forever. She had no freedom here, and she didn¡¯t want to lose herself. Brian and Jaime exchanged a look before turning towards A at the same time. "I have many servants.I don''t need your help in anything." Brian scoffed. "If I give you freedom and let you roam freely, how much would you make by selling yourself? Even if you trade yourself, it won''t be enough to pay me back.Your father took sixty million dors from me, and gave you to me to pay my debt back.Do you think you can make that much money easily?" His words struck her like a cannon ball. She was really scared now. yton owed him more than what she had expected. She couldn''t make that much money even if she worked all her life. Did that mean she''d lose her freedom forever? Brian deliberately thought about her request before speaking, "Give me some time to think about it.If you can make me happy, you can stay here peacefully." What Brian actually meant was he wouldn''t let her go. He was possessive over his belongings.He didn''t like sharing his owned things with anyone. Then he turned to Jaime and instructed him, "Jaime, investigate the Smith Group and see if it is worth buying." He would like to see how important Toby was to Arlene. If he bought Smith Group, Toby would work under him. How would she react then? Jaime nodded and stood up to leave. Seeing him stand up, A immediately grabbed Brian¡¯s hand and pleaded, "Mr.rk, please, don''t do that to my Toby." "Whoa! Your Toby? That sounds intimate."Brian shook her hands away. "Why did you even think that I''ll listen to your useless begging? The more you beg to me, the more miserable his life will be, and I promise you that," Brian said bitterly then arose from his seat and stepped towards the exit. "No! Please, no! I won''t see him anymore.I promise I won''t!" A shouted behind Brian helplessly. Jaime looked at A disapprovingly. "Mrs.rk, please behave yourself.Don''t embarrass Mr.rk." "Jaime, please.You have to help me.Please persuade him to not hurt Toby.Please! I promise, I''ll listen to him always." A said that without thinking twice. Practically, she had lost everything. She couldn''t afford to lose Toby as well. She didn''t want him to get into such predicament where the chance of winning was nil. Jaime didn''t say anything, because he couldn''t make a decision whether to ept A''s request or not. It made A more worried. Jaime left after giving her an indifferent look. She brought out her phone, but couldn''t make herself dial Toby''s number. After that encounter in the morning, A made herself busy in gardening to distract her mind. Maria found her squatting in the garden, trimming flowers and nts. A didn''t even go to her room until it was dark. As she finished freshening up and changing her clothes, Brian came back. She went up to him and took the coat from his hand. Brian sat down on the sofa as his eyes fell on A''s phone on the tea table. It was a very old model. Why was she using this old phone being yton''s daughter? "Make me a cup of coffee," he ordered her then picked the remote control and switched on the TV. Leaning against the sofa, he concentrated on the news on it. A few momentster, A''s phone started ringing. Brian nced at it, annoyed by the ringtone. A came running from the kitchen when she heard the phone ringing. She read the number disyed on the screen and froze immediately. She didn''t dare to answer it in front of Brian. "Answer it! Who is it?" Brian didn''t look at her, but he knew she was hesitating. A wanted to answer the phone in her room. But if she tried to avoid him now, she''d look more suspicious. She had no other way but to answer it. "Hello." "L, where are you? Why didn''t youe to school today? Are you sick?" Toby bombarded her with questions soon after she answered it. He went to the school today to look for her. When he learned she didn''t show up in the school, he got worried. He couldn''t help but call her. "I''m fine.I''m not sick.I had something else to deal with today." A tried her best to keep her voice as low as possible, but it didn''t escape Brian''s ears.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Chapter 17: She Gave In Again Before Chapter 17: She Gave In Again Before A could hang up the phone, Brian stood up quickly, grabbed her phone and threw it on the floor. The phone broke in half instantly. "My phone!" A screamed. She looked at the broken phone on the ground in horror. She bought the phone by saving money for several months. Although she had used the phone for many years, she couldn''t afford another phone at this moment. "Oh? Are you bothered by that broken phone? You''re from the Woodsen family.This inexpensive phone must not be too much for you.If you want to talk to that Toby, I can give you my phone." Brian was furious after learning Arlene didn''t take him seriously when he asked her not to contact Toby anymore. He walked towards her broken phone and stared at it with a scowl. "This old model of your phone is making me suspect whether you are really from the Woodsen family." A flinched at his words. He had suspected her. What if he found out the truth? If he learned it somehow that she was not Arlene, the whole Woodsen family would suffer the consequences. A tried to sound firm when she replied, "Of course I''m from the Woodsen family.Let''s make a deal.From now on, I''ll listen to your every instruction, and in turn, you won''t hurt my father or Toby.You agree?" Brian turned around and red at her. "You aren''t qualified to make a deal with me.I don''t even trust you.Just keep your mouth shut and stay at home." A had no power to disobey him. There was no other way but to ept his everymand. Meanwhile, Toby was confused when the call got cut shortly. He dialed her number again, but the line didn''t connect. He anxiously asked for her address from her ssmates. But no one knew where she lived. He lingered at the school gate almost the entire day. But A didn''t show up. When the sses were over, it was almost dusk. Veronica and Lisa walked out of the school together and spotted Toby in front of the school gate. "Isn''t he A''s friend? What is he doing here?" Lisa said to Veronica. "He must be looking for A.She hasn''te today.She might have fallen sick," Veronica said worriedly. "How could A be sick? Isn''t she with some rich man now? Won''t he take care of her like a princess? She doesn''t even need toe to school!" Lisa said that aloud intentionally to make Toby hear what she said. And it worked. Toby heard A''s name and turned towards them. His brows knitted in a frown as he approached them. "What did you just say?" He abruptly caught a hold of Lisa''s arm. "Ouch! It''s hurting.Let go of me!" Lisa didn''t expect he''d pull her arm so roughly. He looked like a handsome gentleman but didn''t know how to behave. A frown appeared on Toby''s face as he let her arm go. "You are L''''s ssmate.You must know what happened to her, right?" Lisa rolled her eyes. "A used to live in the same dormitory with us.But she moved out recently and resigned from her part- time jobs.These days she came to school by a luxury car.Although we don''t know for sure, everyone has been gossiping that she is hooking up with a rich man." Toby''s face darkened as Lisa said that. "That''s all I know." Lisa shrugged and stepped away from him. This man also seemed to belong to the elite ss. Was he too an admirer of A? Veronica walked up to Toby and said, "Sir, it is just a random guess from our ssmates.Please don''t mind about it.How about you leave your phone number? If she comes to the school, I''ll let you know." Toby agreed. He took out a business card and handed it to Veronica. "Thank you so much.I''lle again tomorrow." They exchanged formal goodbyes before he got into his BMW and drove away. Meanwhile, Molly showed up in Toby''s office without informing him beforehand. Today she wore a light pink chiffon dress that looked pretty on her just to impress Toby. She sat on the sofa while a bodyguard stood beside her. Toby''s assistant offered a ss of fresh juice to her. "Miss Smith, here is your juice." "Where is Toby? Where has he gone?" She red at Toby''s assistant. Molly was an extremely domineering woman. She never allowed any other woman around Toby. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Even she chose his personal assistant by herself. All of the staff that Toby dealt with personally, were males. "Miss Smith, the Deputy CEO only said he had something personal to do today." Fred Fowler, Toby''s personal assistant, just repeated what Toby said before leaving. He knew that vague answer would make Miss Smith unhappy, but he couldn''t help but obey Toby''s instruction. "Something personal? What is it? He never mentioned it to me." Molly''s voice wasced with fury. Toby had been behaving strange since he came back from abroad. He was often absent-minded, as if he had something going on in his mind all the time. She even asked him if something was bothering him, but he never answered her clearly. This definitely made her more suspicious. "He didn''t tell me, either." Fred found it really more difficult to cope with Molly''s interrogation than to deal with these unruly and insatiable clients. "Aren''t you his personal assistant? You should know everything about his schedule.Shouldn''t you follow him when he goes out for business?" Molly took a sip from the ss and ordered, "Call him and ask him toe back soon." But it wasn''t needed anymore as Toby entered the room pushing the door open. "Molly! What are you doing here?" When Molly saw Toby, she beamed. She put down the juice ss on the table and walked over to him. Flinging herself onto him, Molly asked, "Toby, where have you been? I want to have dinner with you." Toby looked at the woman in his arms and agreed. "Okay, I''ll have dinner with you." "Did I interrupt your work? You must have been very busy today," Molly asked tentatively. Toby always worked diligently. He often went to work early and came backte. This had been more frequenttely. She didn''t even know what he was doing these days. "It''s okay.What do you want to eat? Let''s go to a five- star restaurant." Toby wrapped his arm around her waist and the two left the office. "Toby, are you too busy with your worktely? You aren''t spending enough time with me these days.Let''s enjoy tonight with each other.Please?" It was Molly who persuaded thepany directors to make Toby the Deputy CEO. So, Toby couldn''t deny her request. However, as he had a prescheduled work, he said to Molly, "Molly, tonight it won''t be possible.I have some work pending.But I promise, tomorrow night I''m all yours." "Okay.No problem.Tonight I''ll apany you while you work.I won''t be a disturbance, I promise." Molly was determined to not leave Toby''s side tonight. So, she didn''t give him a chance to refuse her proposal. In the end, Toby had topromise. He didn''t want to offend her. In the meantime, Anna went to meet Brian in his office. "Mr.rk." "Anna, have a seat." Brian didn''t look up at her and continued to read the documents in his hands. "Mr.rk, I heard from Jaime that you were investigating the Smith Group.Is it because of your wife?" Anna didn''t think it was necessary. The Smith Group was also a bigpany. If Brian was intending to buy it, he''d have to spend a huge amount.A corner of Brian''s mouth tilted up. "Anna, why are you interested in it?" Anna smiled. "Mr.rk, I only think about your interests." After a momentary pause she asked again, "So, is it anyhow rted to her?" Brian got up and pulled her closer. "Go back to the club and wait for me.I''lle tonight." Anna nodded before cing a soft kiss on his lips. "Okay, I''ll have them prepare some delicious food especially for you." These days, Brian rarely went to the club.Maybe it was because of that woman, Arlene. Chapter 18: He Wanted To Know Her Chapter 18: He Wanted To Know Her In the club, sitting in the private room on the second floor, Brian overlooked the crowd on the first floor through the ss window. "Anna, you have managed this ce so well." Anna handed a ss of wine to Brian. "Mr.rk, how can I not since it''s your order? How can I be careless in taking care of this ce?" Brian had many entertainment clubs, hotels and other subsidiaries running under his name. He ran them all by himself, and Anna really could understand the pressure he put up with all the time. "Anna, are you tired?" As Anna sat beside him, Brian pulled her close by her waist. "If you feel tired, you can ask Jaime to help you." Anna smiled. "Don''t worry, Mr.rk.I''m fine.You saved my life.I''m willing and very d to do everything for you." Brian nodded and gulped down the wine in the ss. "You follow me everywhere.If you keep doing that, you can''t rx for yourself." Anna was the only woman who followed him everywhere. "I don''t care about that, Mr.rk.I don''t care about anything as long as you are with me.Please don''t drive me away from yourself." Anna was not afraid of anything because she had faced many difficulties in the past. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Her condition had been so bad that she used to live on the streets. Her life depended on beggary. She still remembered that one time when she was so hungry that she went to a small shop to steal a piece of bread. The shopkeeper caught her red-handed and beat her to death. It was Brian who found her on the streets almost dead. He brought her to his home and treated her back to health. Since then, she always stayed by his side. He was the most important person in her life. "How can I drive you away?" The reason why Brian saved her back then was because there was a glint of tenacity in her eyes, which was simr to his. The first floor suddenly became livelier. A woman with heavy makeup, long curly brown hair, and a tight ck skirt, had entered the club. Her appearance naturally attracted all men''s attention towards her, making them covet her. She swayed her hips coquettishly while making her way to the dance floor. All the men gathered around her watching her dance enchantingly. The men whistled, cheering for her and it became louder and louder with every passing moment. Even the men who weren''t on the dance floor, walked onto the stage and danced with her. Some of them put their big hands on her waist, while dancing. The environment got hotter. "Who is this woman?" The woman had caught Brian''s attention as well. "I don''t know.She has beening here for a few days now.She is indeed very attractive.My goal is to make money.As long as she can bring or attract more customers, I don''t need to know who she is." Anna had a strong business outlook. She had noticed the presence of this woman had been beneficial for the club. The sales, especially of the alcoholic beverages, had increased a lot in the past few days. Brian gave Anna a proud smile. "Anna, you''re getting more and more business-minded.I guess, I don''t have to worry about this ce anymore.Even if I can''te here personally in the future, you''ll be able to take care of it efficiently." Anna teased, "So you used toe here to inspect how I was running this ce? Were you worried that I couldn''t run it well?" She took the empty ss from Brian''s hand. "Mr.rk, do you like that woman? If you want, I can invite her over to apany you." Brian waved his hand dismissively. "No, I don''t want her.But you can ask someone to find out who she is." His eyes darted towards her. Why did he have a bad feeling about her? Anna looked at him, slightly confused, but she didn''t ask more. She would do whatever he had asked. However, after walking around the first floor, Anna found out that everyone called her Lene. Anna wanted to know more about her. But she couldn''t see her anywhere. So she asked a few people about where she went, and found out that Lene had been taken upstairs by the Stone Group''s CEO''s son. Anna was very efficient in her job. She knew, at this time it wouldn''t be wise to go and stop the Stone Group''s heir. Because it''d offend him, and that wouldn''t leave a good impact on the business. So, Anna returned to Brian and informed him, "Mr.rk, I''m sorry.I couldn''t find out her exact identity.But everyone called her Lene." "Lene?" Brian''s eyebrows knitted in a frown. A momentter, he stood up and said, "It doesn''t matter.I''ll leave soon anyway." When Brian was about to leave, Anna hugged him from behind. She didn''t want him to leave so soon. "Are you going back to her?" "Why do you think so? You already know how much I hate her." Brian turned around and gently kissed on her pink lips. "Mr.rk, why do you have a grudge against her?" The amount of money yton borrowed from Brian was huge. Under the current circumstances, it was impossible to pay back all the money to Brian immediately. That was why Brian hated yton so much. But why did he hate Arlene? What had she done? Brian only smiled when she asked that. He didn''t hate her exactly, but he hated yton, and he hated Arlene for being yton''s daughter. All he wanted was Arlene to bear his hatred for the rest of her life to repay what yton owed him. After that conversation, Brian sat down on the sofa again and drank wine with Anna, sses after sses. However, he still wasn''t drunk even after drinking quite a few bottles. When Brian finally returned to the vi, it was already one o''clock in the morning. As A was the only one who lived in the main vi, she heard the noise when Brian entered the vi. She quickly put on an overcoat and went to receive him. "You are back." A realized Brian was drunk. Although she was scared to be near him, she walked up to him and helped him walk. "Have you been waiting for me?" Brian stared at her closely. When she nodded hesitantly, he abruptly pulled her into his arms and kissed her aggressively. "Mr.rk, you are drunk." A struggled in his arms. She knew that he was drunk and didn''t know what he was doing. After what happened in the dining roomst time, she had been afraid of him. Now that he was drunk, she was more afraid to be near him. But Brian didn''t let her go. "Mr.rk, please! Let go of me!" A cried out in pain. "It''s hurting me.Please! Let me go!" But her pleading didn''t work on him. He pushed her down on the sofa, and climbed on top of her. He had tried everything to test this woman. But still he couldn''t understand her fully. Brian''s eyes darkened. "This is the real you, isn''t it? Arlene, this is what you want, right? Stop pretending!" He knew she was about to reveal her true colors. But he couldn''t let her go, could he? If Arlene lived a peaceful, unhindered life, it''d be no fun. It would be meaningless to keep her with him, if he just let her go. After he finished, Brian stood up and looked down at her spitefully. "Don''t forget to take your medicine!" He sneered then left without looking back. He had no feelings for her except hatred. He only wanted her to suffer. He didn''t need a child from her, and he made it very clear to her. He didn''t like to be bound by such things. Chapter 19: Tried His Best To See Her Chapter 19: Tried His Best To See Her A dragged her aching body to her room.She was sore all over. Leaning against the bed, she sat on the ground. Her eyes shifted to the bottle of contraceptive pills on the bedside table.How long would she have to do this? Sitting in his room, Brian took a drag of his cigarette and puffed out the smoke. His mind kept reying what just happened. He wondered why he became so impulsive after being drunk. It never happened before. He still couldn''t understand what kind of woman Arlene was? Brian wanted to investigate about her when he realized her behavior differed from what he had heard about her. But when Toby showed up, he overlooked his suspicion. Her secret rendezvous with Toby was enough proof. A grabbed her new phone, which was given by Brian. There was no other phone number except his. He really wanted her to cut off all contacts. She stared at it forlornly before putting it aside. A week passed by after that incident. A feared that Toby would be worried for her. She needed to meet him and exin things. She didn''t want Toby to lose his bright future and his beautiful fiancee because of her. Although she had just seen his fiancee from a distance, she could tell that his fiancee was a beautiful and very gracefuldy. Unlike her, who had just been a burden to Toby, his fiancee was mature and really suitable for Toby. Toby always had A''s back since childhood. He skipped sses for her, fought for her, worked for her to buy her delicious food. So, the Brown family hated A very much for being Toby''s priority. Although she was adopted by yton, she never understood what his purpose was behind adopting her. Because he never cared about her and never wanted to keep her in his close proximity. A never called him father. When she turned eighteen, she thought she could finally get rid of the Woodsen family, which never really was her home. But instead, yton pushed her towards a darker future from where she couldn''t see a way out. She couldn''t refuse yton when he approached her with a request to marry Brian. For the sake of his so- called kindness of raising her, she had to sell her whole life to the devil, Brian rk. It had been three days since Brian didn''te home. As there was nothing to do, A walked out of her room and went to the garden. The only freedom Brian approved of was, she could roam freely inside the vi. So, he didn''t assign any bodyguards to restrict her freedom. As there weren''t many visitors, the only people she saw were the servants. But today she had to sneak out of the vi anyhow. She secretly told Maria that she was going to take care of some private affairs and woulde back soon. She didn''t even ask Lyle to drive her. Instead, she went to the nearby bus station and took a bus. As soon as she arrived at school, she met Veronica and Lisa. "A, finally you came.Was that rich man keeping you locked? You aren''t evening to school these days.But if you continue to be absent from school, you will get into trouble.Our dean has been looking for you.But we couldn''t get in touch with you," Lisa said everything in one go. Veronica pulled Lisa''s sleeve in order to make her shut and said, "A, you can talk to the dean and I''m sure things will be fine after that.But during your absence, a man named Toby came looking for you." "Toby came to the school? Did he say anything?" A asked anxiously. Since Toby hade to school, he might as well go to the Woodsen family. If he went there he''d know what had happened recently. "That man is really very handsome! He looked like a business elite and wore a designer suit.Are you in a rtionship with him too?" Lisa blurted out. She didn''t like A, especially because A was better in studies than her. A was always appreciated by the teachers. However, she wasn''t good at socializing, as she spent a lot of time in the library every day. She also worked part-time. Even without her family''s support, A was able to gain a lot of people''s love and care. Lisa wasn''t really a bad person. But she was jealous of A, because A was more popr than her. Lisa looked at Veronica. "Veronica, didn''t he give you a business card? Why don''t you give it to A?" Veronica nodded. She took out a card and gave it to A. A felt fortunate to have Toby''s card. As Brian destroyed her phone, she lost Toby''s number along with it. "Thank you.I have to go now.Can you please ask the dean to grant me a few days'' leave?" A couldn''t stay in the school for a longtime without Brian''s consent. Veronica nodded understandingly. She knew something had been going on with A. But until A feltfortable to talk, she wouldn''t ask. A wasn''t a talkative person, so it exined why she hadn''t yet told anything. Sitting in a cafe, A gripped the business card in her hand tightly. After thinking for a long time, she dialed the number. "Hello!" Toby answered the call. His voice soundedposed and professional, not how she had imagined it''d be. She had thought he''d sound more anxious because of her missing. "Toby, it''s me," A said in a low voice. Toby paused for a while. His eyes shifted to Molly who was sitting right in front of him on the sofa. Toby asked almost in a t tone, "What''s the matter?" "Are you busy now?" A didn''t want to interrupt his work.But if she didn''t make it clear today, she might never get the chance to do so. "Go ahead." This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Although Toby looked calm and collected on the outside, his heart was palpitating inside. "I want to meet you.Can we meet? If you are busy now, I can wait until youe." A knew that if he was busy working now, it''d be inconvenient for him to talk. She told Toby where she was and she''d wait until he came. There was a firm belief in her heart that he''de. After their telephonic conversation, Toby hung up the phone with an indecipherable face. But all he wanted was to meet A right now. He just wanted to know what was happening with her. He was worried for her. This girl always had a special ce in his heart. Only when he''d see her with his own eyes, would he feel relieved. Molly noticed how quickly Toby''s mood changed after the phone call. "What''s wrong, Toby? Who was that?" She stood up and walked around the table to his side. Toby caught a hold of her hand and said, "Nothing is wrong, Molly.Don''t worry.If you''re feeling bored sitting here, you can go shopping." Molly got the idea immediately. He was actually driving her away. Was he nning to meet someone behind her back? But she wasn''t going to let him do as he wished. This man belonged to her and only her. "I don''t want to go shopping alone.Only if you''lle with me will I want to go." Molly pouted, then sat on hisp. Toby wrapped his arms around her slender waist. There was nothing wrong with Molly, but he had always loved L. "But I''m working now," Toby said with a smile. Molly turned her head and kissed him on the lips. Her slender arms encircled his neck and pulled him closer. No man had ever resisted her beautiful lips. Toby wasn''t an exception. "Toby, can you spend tonight with me?" Although the two of them had been officially engaged, Toby wanted to live separately before marriage. Toby said nothing at first. He smoothed her hair and said after a while, "Let''s go shopping!" In fact, he was not in the mood to work now. He couldn''t concentrate and kept thinking of L. Chapter 20: Pretended Nothing Had Happened Chapter 20: Pretended Nothing Had Happened A waited for Toby in the cafe, but he didn''te, and it was already dark outside. Would hee today? She was confident that her Toby woulde. But after the night fell, when he didn''t show up, she decided to leave. If she didn''t leave now, she wouldn''t be able to catch thest bus. When she was about to leave, a familiar figure walked into the cafe. "I''m sorry, L.I''mte." She beamed at him. Finally, her Toby hade. But, her smile onlysted for a short moment. How would she exin things to him? She didn''t even know how to start the conversation. Although, she had prepared for this meeting and thought of many ways she could exin, but now they seemed not good enough. "L, what''s wrong? You look unhappy.Why? Are you sad because I''mte?" Toby reached out and held her hand. His eyes were full of concern. "I''m really sorry, L.I was busy with some important work." A shook her head. "It''s alright.I''m not upset because of that." Toby smiled. "I thought, you are angry with me.Are you hungry? Let''s eat something first, then I''ll take you home." A was about to say something, but Toby didn''t notice it.He called the waiter over to order the food. In fact, Toby didn''t have much time. When he and Molly were at the mall, he lied to her that there was some emergency in thepany and he needed to be present there. So, he must return to Molly as soon as possible. A refrained herself from speaking. He had been busy all day long, he must be hungry. Also, it''d be the same if they talked after eating. She also wanted to spend more time with him. However, things didn''t go as she had thought. The steak was just served in front of them when Toby said, "L.Let''s eat!" Toby considerately cut the steak into small pieces before putting them on the te in front of her. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. "Thank you Toby." A was touched by Toby''s kind gesture. He was still so considerate to her. He had never changed. Toby smiled and said, "You don''t have to thank me.Silly girl, just eat the delicious steak." The two looked at each other and smiled. The moment seemed like they had returned to their childhood, as if it was just yesterday and they were still the same. "Toby!" A shrill and angry voice caught their attention. Molly suspected him when he left her at the mall. So, she followed him and caught him red-handed. Toby was stunned to see Molly here.Did she follow him? "Molly!" "Toby, won''t you introduce her to me?" Molly came and wrapped her hands around Toby''s arm intimately. This man was hers. She could give him everything, unlike this woman and she''d prove it to her. Toby saw the calm look on A''s face. She wasn''t even surprised when she saw Molly, as if she already knew about his fiancee. "L." Toby felt a little uneasy as he didn''t know how to introduce them to each other. Things didn''t go as he expected. He wanted to take L to his apartment today, but Molly appeared suddenly. A smiled at Molly politely. "Nice to meet you.But Toby, I have to go now." A didn''t have the courage to face his fiancee. She wanted to hug Toby and tell him everything, but she didn''t expect Molly woulde along.She couldn''t do that in front of her. Now she just wanted to run away as fast as she could. When A got up, about to leave, Toby grabbed her hand and said, "You haven''t eaten anything, L." Molly felt jealous when she saw how intimately Toby held the girl''s hand. But Molly knew better to not show her displeasure in front of Toby. Instead she acted generous and asked A to stay for the dinner. A whileter, she turned towards Toby. "Toby, I''m feeling cold.Can you please get my coat from the car? The white one which you just bought me from the mall, " Molly said in an enticing voice. Toby hesitated to leave A with Molly, but then nodded. "Okay, if you want something else, you can order it.I''ll get the coat for you." As soon as Toby left the cafe, Molly turned her unfriendly look at A, making her a_ little ufortable. "I don''t know who you are, but please stay away from Toby.He is my fiance.I don''t want him to have contact with any other woman besides me." Molly came straight to the point. "He might have other women in the past, you will be thest one.Toby is a soft- hearted person.He can''t refuse anyone if they pretend to be helpless in front of him.So, don''t try to fool him." Her hurtful words made A disheartened. Unintentionally, she had put Toby in a difficult situation. "Don''t worry.I understand.I won''t contact him in the future.I wish the two of you a very happy and wonderful life ahead.But now, I have to go.I have something important to do." A hurriedly got up and almost ran away from there.At the exit, she bumped into Toby who had Molly''s coat in his hand. "L, where are you going?" he asked with concern. "I''m sorry, Toby.I have something else to do.I have to go now," she said in the calmest tone she could muster, but her heart had been broken into million pieces. She was hurting inside and the pain was too much to endure. Toby tried to stop her, but A didn''t stop and left quickly. Toby watched her leave helplessly before he turned and came back to Molly. "Toby, she left after answering a phone call.I think, there must be something urgent.Why don''t you go and check on her?" Molly pretended to be worried. Toby gave her the coat and said in a low voice, "It doesn''t matter.Let''s eat." A went straight to the bus station and waited for the bus. But to her misfortune, no bus was avable even after an hour. She asked around and came to know, thest bus had already left. She rummaged through her bag and found out she didn''t have much money left to hail a cab. A sad smile escaped her lips. She shouldn''t havee here and let Toby get involved in her miserable life. Having no other options, she started walking along the street with heavy steps. Where would she go now? Because she certainly couldn''t go back to rk vi. It was almost midnight when she couldn''t walk anymore. A took out her phone, but it was useless. Because she had no other number except for Brian, and she wasn''t willing to call him. She had no one to ask for help. A sense of grievance spread through her chest. How miserable her life had be! She copsed on the ground and broke downpletely. All her sadness streamed down her face as tears. There was no one but herself tofort her. She felt so alone. In the meantime, Jaime was driving Brian back to the vi. As the speed of car was at a moderate rate, he saw a lonely person on the road. At first, he didn''t care about it, because it was night time. Nothing could be trusted at night. However when the car passed by her, he saw her face. It was Mrs.rk. "Mr.rk!" Brian had also noticed her. She had tear stained cheeks. Her shoulders hunched forward as if in defeat. It meant, she left the vi without his permission.But why was she crying alone on the roadside at this time? "Stop the car!" As the car halted right beside her, Brian got off and shouted at her, "Arlene, what exactly are you doing here? Don''t even try to make an excuse like you''ve been waiting for me here." A looked up at him with teary eyes. Due to her blurred vision, she couldn''t see the man clearly, but his voice was familiar. "Mr.rk." "Get in the car!" Brian yelled aloud before going back to the car. A didn''t have much of a choice. She might be scared of Brian, but she was more scared of spending the night alone on the streets. Back in the vi, Maria was very worried. Mrs.rk told her that she''d return home soon but it was past midnight and she still hadn''te back. If Brian came back before her, he''d be so furious. Only thinking of that made Maria very scared. When she heard the sound of Brian''s car sliding into the garage, Maria hurriedly went to receive Mr.rk and saw Mrs.rk getting off the car along with him. "Mrs.rk, you''re back. Are you okay?" A nodded. "I''m sorry to make you worried, Maria.I missed thest bus." "Mrs.rk, It''s not safe toe back thiste.Next time, if you need money, you can ask me.But please take a cab, ande back home on time," said Maria in a low voice. Although they talked in a hushed voice, Brian and Jaime still heard them. Chapter 21: Pay The Price Chapter 21: Pay The Price Brian''s eyebrows knitted in a frown. Was Arlene walking back home because she had no money? It was hard to believe that the daughter of the Woodsen family had a crisis of money. Maria and A''s conversation confused both Brian and Jaime. However, Brian only red at her and said nothing. His icy stare made A shiver. She lowered her eyes and said, "Mr.rk, I won''te back thiste next time." A was so disappointed of her misfortune today.Her intention of going out today went down in vain.She couldn''t tell anything to Toby. Brian''s eyebrows furrowed. "There will be no next time.If it happens again, you don''t have toe back." Brian was astonished of her patience and energy. It was sote and she was wandering around the road alone.How did she even think that she could walk herself back to home? A didn''t say anything. She just lowered her head and watched Brian walk into the main vi. Jaime gave her a curious look before he drove away. Meanwhile, Molly practically dragged Toby back to her house.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. It was rare for Hayden Smith and Miley Jones to see their daughter and future son-inwe home together. "Dad, Mom! See, Today I brought Toby along with me," said Molly with a smile. She held Toby''s arm closely and pulled him down to sit on the sofa beside her. The servant immediately served two cups of tea and fruits. "You two went shopping? Why did you buy so many things?" Miley noticed the driver bring in more than ten shopping bags. "Mom, don''te at me.I bought some for you too! See? I''m a good daughter," said Molly, grinning. "Of course, you are! Tara, bring some soup for Molly and Toby," Miley ordered the servant. "Mom, let Toby live here tonight, please?" Molly leaned her head against Toby''s shoulder and pleaded to Miley. Toby however, wasn''t feeling good. He was so worried for L. Since she ran away like that, it had been bugging him. In fact, he doubted that Molly had said something to her, but he couldn''t question Molly. Everything he had now was given by the Smith family. If he left the Smith family, he would lose everything he had achieved. "That''s for you to decide.As elders, we can''t interfere." Although the wedding date hadn''t been decided yet, the two of them had been engaged. But Toby didn''t want to stay. He thought for excuses to refuse her offer and leave the vi. But he couldn''t manage any and thus had to spend the night in the vi. When Molly walked out of the bathroom wearing a silk nightgown, she saw Toby standing in front of the window, staring at the darkness of night. He had a ss of wine in his hand. She walked forward and ced her slender arms around his waist and said, "Toby, let''s get married early! She wasn''t sure why he was dying their marriage.But after seeing that girl named A today, she understood the real reason. Toby turned around and focused on Molly. "Molly, didn''t we already decide that we would talk about it next year?" "It''s autumn now.Won''t it be nice if we get married before the next year?" Molly looked into his eyes worriedly. "Toby, don''t you like me anymore?" "What? No, it''s not like that! Molly, how could I not like you? Why are you saying that?" Toby reached forward and caressed her hair softly and said, "It''s gettingte.Go to sleep now.I have something else to deal with." Holding his waist tightly, Molly shook her head. "No! I won''t let you go.Can''t you take care of your work at office tomorrow? Am I not more important than your business? I''m your fiancee!" Toby never regarded her like his fiancee. This was very unfair. "Okay.I won''t work tonight if that makes you happy." Toby agreed. Molly took him to the bed and the two of themy side by side. However, Toby was still thinking about L, and it was evident from his expression. Molly wasn''t a fool. She could see and understand what he might be thinking. But she refused to ept defeat. She''d do everything to keep this man by her side. "Toby, I really love you.Don''t you love me?" Molly scooted closer to him and rested her head on his chest. Caressing his cheeks, she asked softly. Toby touched her face as well. "Of course I love you, Molly." Meeting Molly and saving her from that ident wasn''t really his n. In fact, because of this ident only, he became the Deputy CEO of the Smith Group. But A was still there in his heart. He had loved her since childhood and promised her a loving future. "Then why don''t you want to be closer to me?" Molly wrapped her hands around his waist. She wanted to be closer to him. He was a normal man, and he had responsibilities towards his fiancee. But his behavior very much differed from being responsible, and he knew it. But now, to provide L a secured future, he had to do it. Toby turned sideways and pulled Molly in a spooning position tenderly. Theyy there in each other''s arms, soaked in the beautiful moonlight that seeped through the open window. Toby had promised to make this woman his wife. He couldn''t back off now.Would this marriage take a lifetime ofpromise? Shortly, Toby fell asleep while thinking about his unsure future. But Molly was still awake. She studied his sleeping face and wondered whether he regretted his decision. Who the hell was that woman who wanted to steal him from her? She would figure it out. Back in the rk vi, A fell asleep as soon as shey down on her bed. She was so tired of everything that happened that day. When she woke up the next day, it was already nine o''clock in the morning. She hurriedly left her room and on the way to kitchen, saw Brian sitting in the living room with a newspaper in his hand. "Mr.rk, I''m sorry.I overslept." Although Brian heard her, he ignored A and continued reading the newspaper. A hesitated for a while before quietly asking, "Mr.rk, can I please continue my school?" "No, you can''t." Brian put down the newspaper hastily and red at her. "You are not allowed to go anywhere without my permission.Have you already forgotten my order? Don''t even try to sneak out of the vi." He had started to doubt her identity. Until he investigated and confirmed her real identity, he wouldn''t allow her to leave the vi. "Okay, I understand." A nodded calmly. She had no choice but to ept his every order. If she displeased him, her future would be more difficult to live under the same roof as him. Brian thought for a while before saying, "If you want to go out, you cane with me." "No, thanks.It''s alright." Even if she died while staying as a prisoner in the vi, she would never go out along with him. Because that would only make her want to die sooner. As the day progressed, Brian went to his office and concentrated on his work. Jaime came in after a while. "Mr.rk." "Jaime, what''s the matter?" Brian looked up at him. "This is an invitation for the 20th anniversary of the Smith Group.Are you going to attend it?" Jaime handed him an invitation card. Brian took it but didn''t open it. He threw it on the desk and asked Jaime, "The Smith Group? Next Friday?" The name of thepany reminded him of something. Wasn''t it the group where Toby worked? Without thinking much, he consented. "Make arrangements.I''ll go." He seldom attended such kind of parties. But this time he agreed without hesitation.Why did he ept the invitation so quickly? "Mr.rk, should I ask Anna to apany you?" Jaime asked since Brian said nothing more. When Brian heard Jaime''s suggestion, he raised his head at him. He thought for a moment, then said, "No.I''ll take Arlene to the party this time.Arrange a gorgeous dress for her to go to the banquet." He would take her to her old lover and see how the two would meet and greet each other. Although Jaime wasn''t happy, he did as Brian ordered. But if Anna got to know about it, she would be hurt. The Woodsen family''s daughter was such a cunning woman. She not only pretended to be pure and pitiful, she was now affecting Mr.rk as well. Jaime could only hope that Mr.rk would not fall in love with Arlene. Such women we¡¯re crooked and knew how to foolmen. Chapter 22: They Were Totally Different People Chapter 22: They Were Totally Different People Next morning, Toby got up early. Everything had changedst night. He went to the window and looked at the beauty of nature. Molly woke up soon after. When she saw him standing in front of the window, she got off the bed and walked up to him. Wrapping an arm around his, she said with her still sleepy voice, "Toby, I''m really happy to have you." Last night he finally made her his. Although she knew he didn''t want to have sex with her before marriage, he had to because he couldn''t deny the daughter of the Smith family. Molly was determined to keep him at home every night and wouldn''t let him see that girl again. "Are you overwhelmed by the happiness, silly girl?" Toby felt sorry towards Molly. He only consented in this marriage because of the promise he had made to Hayden. He needed the money and Smith family helped him earn. But now, he was doomed for life. He couldn''t give Molly the love that she truly deserved. He loved his L. Did his L know about his rtionship with Molly? What would she think realizing he was engaged to Molly and would marry her? She must be disheartened and have looked down on him. "Toby, I don''t need anything else.You are everything to me!" Molly''s face expressed nothing but happiness. Toby caressed her back softly. "Well, get changed.Let''s go downstairs quickly.Dad and Mom must be waiting for us.Let''s not keep them waiting." In the living room on the first floor, Hayden was sitting on the sofa with a newspaper in his hand. He was going to throw a grand party for hispany''s anniversary. Besides, he had decided to announce the wedding date of Toby and Molly. "Good morning, Dad." Toby greeted him with a smile as he and Molly walked in. Toby although had stayed in the Smith vi several times before, but he was still not used to living here. After all, this was the Smith vi, and being a member of Brown family, he didn''t belong here. "Toby, I''ve decided the wedding date of you and Molly.l announce it at tomorrow''s event," Hayden announced. Toby didn''t expect it to be so sudden. In fact, it was still unbelievable for him to imagine himself as the son -inw of the Smith family. "Dad, why are you in such a hurry? Toby said we would decide about the marriage next year." Molly noticed Toby''s facial expression, and evidently he was not happy about the arrangement. "Why should I not hurry? You have been together for long now.I don''t want you to get pregnant before marriage." Hayden said that as a matter of fact. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Even though Toby was present there, it was still up to the Smith family to decide about their marriage. "Okay, Dad.We''ll do as you say." Toby held Molly''s hand and gave her a small smile. "That''s right," Hayden said in a satisfied tone. After breakfast, Hayden and Toby went to thepany together. Miley and Molly went to the garden to spend some time together. They were served vored tea and desserts. "Molly, has anything happened between you and Toby? Why do I always feel that Toby is a little reluctant in the marriage?" Miley always worried for her only daughter. "Mom, don''t think too much.I''m beautiful and our family is rich.He won''t leave me and go anywhere.He knows that without me, he can''t do anything," said Molly firmly. Miley nodded, hearing her daughter''s words. If her daughter was so confident, she better not interfere in their personal matters. In the beginning, Miley was against the marriage of Molly and Toby. But Molly did not give up and persuaded him into marriage. So, Miley couldn''t help but let it be. As a mother, she wanted nothing but her daughter''s happiness. Molly received a phone call and left the vi. She had fixed an appointment at a cafe. She needed to reach there on time. When she reached the cafe, a man who probably was in his early thirties waved a hand at her. She noticed him and went forward and joined him. "Miss Smith." He smiled tteringly. "Have you found anything?" She directly came to the point. "Have you got any information about that girl?" Molly ignored the man''s polite approach and asked haughtily. Sne was a woman who only knew one thing. If she was paying the money for something, she wanted nothing but perfection on that matter. As long as she was satisfied with the result, she was willing to pay as much money as they wanted. "Of course, I have gathered some information.How can I forget your demand, Miss Smith? But there is very little information about her." The man handed over a document, which only showed that she was the daughter of the Woodsen family and the name of her school. But how could the daughter of the Woodsen family be so abject with no proper details about her background? "Miss Smith, I have another interesting information about her." He gave her another piece of paper. There were two photos of two different women. But didn''t the Woodsen family have only one daughter? She could recognize A. But the other woman was very beautiful. The two of them were totally different. "Miss Smith, this woman..." He pointed to A''s photo. "Her name is A Woodsen and she was adopted by yton.Arlene Woodsen is his real daughter.But recently, yton sold A to marry Brian instead of Arlene." Private detectives were really good at investigating. They could dig out information that nobody knew. While flipping through the documents, Molly found out that A had married to Brian rk of rk Group. The rumored most emotionless man. "Okay.Very good.I''m very satisfied with your work." Molly took out a check from her bag, wrote the amount and held it out to him. She paid him more money than she had promised. The man took the check and left with satisfaction. Molly studied the documents again. That meant A was a substitute for Arlene. Did Toby know about this? Did he do all of that just to save her from this marriage? Or was he still in dark? But she and Toby would announce their wedding date tomorrow. After that, A would never have a chance to steal Toby from her. After leaving the cafe, Molly went to thepany. Since Toby was attending a meeting, she waited for him in his office. As she wandered around the office looking through his files, her eyes fell on a photo almost hidden under one folder. Molly picked it up and saw it was A. Why did he still have that girl''s photo with him? She angrily picked up the photo, tore it into pieces and threw it into the trash can. Fred watched her as she asked him not to tell Toby that she came here, and left thereafter. Meanwhile, A stared at her textbooks morosely. It was no longer important whether she went to school or not. Perhaps, her whole life was going to be wasted in the rk vi! She sighed deeply, then went to the garden and looked up at the sky. A small whisper left her mouth. "Toby, are you happy? You will be happy without me, won''t you? You will be happy with your fiance." At that moment, Jaime arrived at the vi and saw her in the garden, alone, gazing at the sky. Seeing her quiet and pitiful face, his heart suddenly softened. A sensed someone''s eyes were on her. She turned around and saw Jaime. She smiled politely at him. "Mr.Turner, are you here for me?" Jaime was slightly taken aback by her kind gesture. He hesitated before saying, "Mr.rk asked me to bring you clothes." He stiffly held out an exquisite box, containing a delicate dress for her. Looking at the box in his hands, A said, "But I already have clothes." "Mr.rk asked you to wear this dress tomorrow and wait for him to pick you up," Jaime informed her simply. He didn''t think it was necessary to tell her anything more. In fact, Jaime didn''t like Brian''s decision of taking her. But once Brian made a decision, he never allowed others to object it. Chapter 23: She Is My Wife Chapter 23: She Is My Wife A didn''t know how to put on an expensive and elegant dress like this. It was a pink-colored evening dress, with a deep cut V-neck and a shining first-ss diamond lining on her left shoulder. Under the light, it was shining brightly. There were matching white high- heels, which were also decorated with pink diamonds. After helping her change her dress, Maria regarded her beauty and praised her. "Mrs.rk, you look so beautiful." Standing before the mirror, A looked at her image and didn''t know what to do. She looked very different, and it was awkward for her to wear such an expensive dress. She was afraid that she''d damage it if she became slightly careless. After a few minutes, Brian''s car drove into the vi. A makeup artist and a hair-stylist got out of the car along with him. "Sir, you are back.Mrs.rk has changed her clothes." Maria walked out to wee him. Maria whole- heartedly wanted things to go easy between him and Mrs.rk. Maybe after a period of time, Mr.rk would realize that Mrs.rk was actually a good girl. Brian shifted his gaze at A, who was standing aside, looking uneasy and eyes downcast. She indeed looked very different in these bright-colored, expensive clothes. In fact, she looked more dazzling than he had imagined. The light pink fine fabric stuck to her delicate body, whichplemented her fair skin tone. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Brian averted his gaze to the makeup artist and the hair-stylist behind him and instructed them to do their job. A whileter, when A appeared in front of him again, Brian couldn''t recognize her. He was stunned by how different and elegant she looked. Although she wore a light make-up, and her long ck hair was loosely coiled up, she looked graceful. "Mr.rk," A said in a low voice. Brian didn''t respond. His emotionless demeanor made her more nervous. He led her quietly to the car and ushered her inside. She sat in the car and kept quiet. The car drove away from the vi and headed downtown. Today, Toby wore a ck suit, and Molly matched her red evening dress with a long tail. They looked perfect beside each other. "Toby, Dad asked you to preside over the party tonight, which means you have great importance to him.I also believe you can do well," Molly said with a smile. She was in a good mood today. She had asked someone to inquire about Brian, and learned that Brian would attend the party with his wife. Molly would take this opportunity to end every chance for A tonight. If Toby got to know that she had married another man, he would never ept her again. Molly would do everything to keep the man she loved to herself. She wouldn''t let anyone take him away. As soon as A got out of the car, she shivered because of the chilly wind. Looking at the tall building in front of her, she felt nervous. Standing beside her, Brian looked down at her and frowned. "What are you thinking about?" A hurriedly shook her head. Brian led her inside the building and took the elevator to reach the third floor where the banquet hall was. Inside the hall, A''s eyes were dazzled by the shining light and the guests'' luxurious clothes. Although she had seen such parties in the Woodsen family, she had never attended them. Every time the Woodsen family held suchvish parties in the vi, she would always end up in the kitchen to help the servants. Now, standing here like this, she felt her legs tremble in nervousness. If she hadn''t had her armced with Brian, she might have copsed to the ground already. "Are you nervous? Aren''t parties your favorite hobby, Arlene?" Brian could almost feel her trembling beside him. Was she pretending to be scared? Or was she really scared? "N-no! I''m not nervous." A didn''t want to run away because of fear at this point. She clenched her fists to steady her nerves. Her palms were sweaty. She took a deep breath and pursed her lips tightly. Brian only scoffed and stepped towards Hayden. Brian''s presence at the anniversary of the Smith Group surprised Hayden and made him feel proud. "Mr.rk, you came.Please make yourselffortable." Hayden greeted him with a smile. A waiter immediately served him a ss of wine. "Thank you, Mr.Smith.That''s very kind of you." Brian took the ss and continued, "You''ve arranged the party impressively.I didn''t want to miss the opportunity to offer my congrattions to you." Hayden nced at the woman beside Brian and said, "Mr.rk, yourpanion tonight is very beautiful." When Brian and A walked in, Molly had seen them, but Toby didn''t as he was busy chatting with other guests. "Toby, Mr.rk is here.Let''s go and greet him." Holding Toby''s arm, Molly dragged him towards Brian with a phony smile stered on her face. A turned to look at Brian. She was hispanion for tonight.What was that supposed to mean? "Actually, Mr.Smith, this is my wife." Brian''s introduction not only froze A, but also made Toby, who was walking towards them with Molly, drop the wine ss from his hand. The crashing noise attracted everyone''s attention. Finding Toby there, A was stunned. She opened her mouth several times, but words wouldn''te out. His wife? Toby was sure that he hadn''t misheard. How did his L be this man''s wife? Molly looked at Toby''s shocked reaction. He really cared about this woman. How could he be so careless to drop the ss like that? It was so embarrassing. She quickly grabbed his hand and pulled him aside. She was sure, if she wasn''t there, he would have done something reckless. "Toby, what''s wrong with you? Why are you so careless?" Molly asked a waiter to clean up the floor as soon as possible. Hayden also noticed Toby''s unexpected reaction, but he regained hisposure immediately. "Mr.rk, let me introduce my daughter to you.She''s Molly, and this is her fiancee, Toby Brown.He is also the Deputy CEO of the Smith Group." Toby looked at Brian. Of course he knew this man. He was the owner of the rk Group.Who didn''t know him? But why was L with Brian? "Nice to meet you, Mr.Brown." Brian maintained his calm demeanor. Toby nodded. "Mr.rk, nice to meet you too." Toby knew Brian was an elusive man and was capable of making great changes in the business world. But how did he end up with L? ncing at A''s pale face, Molly was secretly pleased. She also noticed the disbelief and the disappointment on Toby''s face. "Miss Woodsen.Oh, sorry.Mrs.rk.What a coincidence! We just met a few days ago! I didn''t know you were married to Mr.rk.It''s a pleasure to meet you again.Toby? Don''t you know each other? Why don''t you greet her?" Molly took the initiative to speak with a smile, while holding Toby''s hand intimately. Toby was extremely disappointed. He looked at her and asked, "L, should I congratte you?" Why didn''t she tell him anything when they met? Why did she keep him in the dark? Now it was difficult for him to cope with everything. Brian was displeased to hear Toby call her intimately. Her nickname was L? A only smiled faintly. Why did she have to face him on such an asion without any preparation? lIler heart ached watching Toby''s sad face. When she saw the doubts and disappointment in his eyes, she felt heartbroken. Perhaps, she had lost her Toby forever.. "I..I need to use the restroom." A turned around and left quickly.She staggered out of the banquet hall in her high heels. Chapter 24: He Was Her Ruler Chapter 24: He Was Her Ruler Everyone returned to their party mood once A 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 L 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 exin things to each other. Few minutester, Molly went to the restroom to fix her makeup. When she was about to enter the washroom, A came out and saw Molly. She nodded politely and greeted her, "Miss Smith." "Mrs.rk, 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 A and gave her a disdainful smile. "Miss Smith, you''ve misunderstood.The rtionship between me and Toby is nothing like what you''ve interpreted," A exined. Perhaps she had a little hope in her rtionship 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.rk!" Molly smiled. After A 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 Ling back together, he felt uneasy. However, Molly overlooked his reaction and smiled enthusiastically. "Toby, Mrs.rk just congratted us! Shall we drink a toast to her?" "Molly, L doesn''t..." Before he couldplete his sentence, Molly already had handed a ss of wine to A. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. "Mrs.rk, please.For good times'' sake, let''s drink.I heard that Mr.rk is very good at drinking.You shouldn''t have a low tolerance, therefore," Molly said teasingly. A being the polite girl that she was, couldn''t refuse her. "Miss Smith, Mr.Brown, I wish you a happy married life together!" A said then raised her ss and drank it up in one gulp. "Mrs.rk, 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 sses after sses. 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 L, Toby took a hold of Molly''s hand and excused themselves from there. A 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.rk." "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 rtionships with other men? "No, I was just..." A wanted to exin, but she knew it wouldn''t make any difference to Brian. He didn''t even want to listen to her exnation. 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." A''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 L. Brian would never be a good husband to her. He would find out why she agreed to marry him. How could yton 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, A 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 A to see her reaction, she remained expressionless. Molly observed that Toby''s entire attention was on A. Although that bitch couldn''t anymore destroy her life, she still had his full attention. Molly red at A. She hated that bitch! A, 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 rtionship between her and Toby, so there was no need to stay any longer. A 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.rk now.Mr.rk is there to help her." Yes, Mrs.rk! She was Mrs.rk.She was married now. Toby froze in his ce 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 A 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. A 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 sses of wine. That shouldn''t affect her considering her consumption reputation. Without looking at him, A 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, A leaned against the seat and closed her eyes. "I don''t want to go back to the vi.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! A was not qualified to control her life.Whether it was yton, Arlene or Brian, they all thought so. A kept silent all the way until they returned to the vi. 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. Chapter 25: Dont Cry Again Chapter 25: Don''t Cry Again Maria found A in the parking lot and brought her back to her room.She held A by her shoulder andforted her. "Mrs.rk, please lie down for a while.I''ll get you some food." A nodded. "Thank you." Her voice sounded so weak, and it was not only from the drink she''d had.It was because she was too depressed and grieved and had lost all her enthusiasm. After that party, things never got better.A fell seriously ill. Over half a month passed until her condition was better. All the while she stayed locked in the vi. Besides, Brian disappeared soon after that night and hadn''t returned home yet. However, it was better for her to live here alone than to face him. The doctor who was treating her, had advised her to get rid of the depression she was suffering from. Otherwise she would end up with incurable depression. But how could she stop her depression? She had lost her everything.Even her enthusiasm to live.She was now just waiting for death. Was she so desperate to die? She nced at her phone on the bedside table and pressed the power on button. As soon as she did so, dozens of messages kepting in and all of them were from Toby. She didn''t want to read them. If she could, she would have deleted them all.But she could not.She still had feelings for Toby. Even though they were separated from each other for several years, they grew up together and were close to each other. She had been waiting for him all these years when they were apart, because he was her only hope.He was her future.But now everything was meaningless. She reluctantly opened the messages and read them. It turned out he had found out how she had be Brian''s substitute bride. She had no choice but to take Arlene''s ce. Her phone suddenly buzzed. She read the number but couldn''t recognize it. "Hello?" A softly said. "L, finally! I have been trying to catch you on the phone for so long.You got me so worried.How are you doing? Where are you now? How''s everything? I want to see you!" Toby bombarded her with a long chain of questions. "Toby, I''m fine." She was really fine. As long as Toby was happy, she would be fine. "Nonsense! I don''t believe you.I absolutely know what kind of person Brian is! He can make your life worse than death, L! I''m worried." Toby couldn''t even imagine the various ways Brian would torture her. He couldn''t endure seeing her suffer like this. Brian would see her as Arlene, who was the real daughter of the Woodsen family and hate her. "Toby, he is not that bad." A didn''t know why she said that. Brian had never treated her well. He had tortured her by having sex without her consent and restricting her freedom. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Then why did she say he wasn''t a bad person? Toby could tell from her voice that she was trying to be strong. She had always been like this. She always endured pain withoutining once. "L, tell me, where are you now? Let''s meet and talk." He needed to see her. Without seeing her personally, he wouldn''t believe what she said. "But..." A hesitated. Brian made her promise that she wouldn''t leave the vi again. "L, you muste and meet me.I have something important to tell you.Tell me, where do you live? I''ll go and pick you up." Toby had investigated that Brian had many vis and apartments, but he didn''t know which one Brian had arranged for L. A hesitated for a while, but then agreed. The two of them agreed to meet at a cafe in the city. To her fortune, she realized Maria had gone to shop downtown with the driver, Lyle. There were only the housekeeper and other servants in the vi. After changing into a set of clothes, A went out quietly. At the pre-selected coffee shop, Toby didn''t go inside. He stood by the entry, waiting for A. An hourter, a taxi stopped before the cafe and A got out of it. "L." Toby stepped forward and took her hand in his. A got confused when he didn''t lead her inside the cafe, instead he walked her towards his car. "Get in my car.Let''s talk somewhere else." Before A could object, Toby pulled her hastily inside his car. "Toby!" A looked at him in confusion. Why was he behaving so strange? What did he want? But Toby turned to her and smiled, then stepped on the elerator and the car rolled by. After an almost quiet ride, they stopped in front of a building. "Let''s go upstairs." Looking at the new building in front of her, A asked, "Toby, why have you taken me here?" "From now on, you can live here, L.I won''t let you go back to Brian.No one can torture you here." Toby had taken her to his new apartment.He led her upstairs. "Toby, I can''t stay here." Sitting on the sofa, A eyed around the ce. She didn''t expect that Toby would take such an unexpected decision.She couldn''t stay here. If Brian learned about it, he would turn Toby''s life in a living hell. Toby suddenly pulled her into his arms. "Of course you can, L.why not? I promised you that when I came back, I would give you the best life.You deserve happiness, L.Now, I can give you the best andfortable life." Toby''s generosity made A emotional.She leaned against Toby''s chest and put her arms around his waist. Their close proximity was so familiar and warm to her, that she didn''t want to let go.But she knew she couldn''t enjoy it forever.She''d have to let go. Brian was her foremost obstacle.If she made him angry again, not only she but also Toby and the whole Woodsen family would suffer his wrath. "I''m sorry, Toby.I''m not the same person as you used to know." Tears welled up in her eyes and streamed down her face which soaked his shirt.Toby patted her on the back andforted her. "Don''t cry, L.It''ll be alright.You should only smile in front of me.You should be happy." A shook her head. She couldn''t anymore smile as cheerfully as she used to when she was a child.Happiness was such a simple thing when they were young.She could smile brightly just because of a candy or a chocte, but now things had changed. "L, no matter what happened to you, you are still the one I love most in my life," Toby said firmly. He loved her. No matter what Brian had done to her, he didn''t care.He would love her for the rest of his life. "I, I have had sex with him." A choked out the words while a bitter sob erupted out of her. Even though she was reluctant, she lost her virginity to Brian. Her words stunned Toby. A pushed him away. "I think I''d better go back!" She could feel that he wasn''t expecting that. "No! You can''t go!" But Toby stopped her immediately and said, "I don''t mind that.I really don''t.From now on, you will be mine, only mine.I will still love you." He loved her, and this fact would never change.Did she not love him anymore? A looked at him questioningly. "Toby?" Toby pulled her in his arms again and gently pressed his lips on hers. "You''re mine, L.You can only be mine." Even if he waste, he would keep her in his life forever. He kissed her again, this time it was more passionate. His kiss aroused the love and helplessness in A''s heart. Brian had never kissed her like this. He had only forced himself on her. Chapter 26: He Was Her Nightmare Chapter 26: He Was Her Nightmare Toby knew only one thing. The woman in front of him was the one he had loved for so many years. No matter what kind of rtionship she had with Brian, he still wanted her. If he hadn''t left A ande backte, she would have been his woman instead of Brian rk. However, that changed nothing. He didn''t know what A was thinking, but he still wanted her to be his woman. Maybe he was being selfish, but didn''t they say everything was fair in love and war? Toby caressed A''s face.She looked nervous and scared. Seeing her trembling in his arms, he asked softly, "Are you afraid, L? Don''t be afraid.I''m here." Toby ced another kiss on her lips and said, "L, no matter what had happened before, you are mine today.You are mine." A looked up at Toby with teary eyes and touched his face. "I''m scared, Toby.What if he finds out about us? I don''t want to return to him.I want to be yours.I really love you." Her tears, those who had blurred her vision, rolled down her cheeks. Toby pulled her against him. "I love you too, L." Toby wanted her to forget every hurt Brian had imparted on her. He wanted to make her feel secure. She had lost her enthusiasm to live until Toby made her feel secure again. If Toby didn''t mind whether she had been sold to Brian, then she would spend the rest of her life with the man she loved. Toby wanted to be intimate with her. But when A sensed he was trying to get close to her, she looked up at him with blurred vision and saw Brian in ce of Toby. She screamed aloud. "Ah! No! Get off me! Let go of me! Leave me! Don''t touch me!" A wed at him and pushed him away. Whenever she reminded herself of Brian, she felt her body shaking painfully. She was so scared of Brian. Toby worriedly noticed her cowering away from him in fear. "L, I''m sorry.I-l didn''t mean to scare you." Toby brought a warm nket and covered her with it before pulling her close to him andforting her. A sobbed quietly in his arms. She couldn''t get out of the trauma of Brian''s torture. "Toby, I don''t want to return to the rk vi.I''ll stay here.Even if it''s for just one day, I want to stay away from him." She didn''t want to stay locked up forever. The rk vi was like a cage for her. No matter howfortable her room was there, staying there was nothing but a nightmare for her. "Stay here as long as you want.You can live here from now on and no one will know." Toby wanted to protect her from every evil. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. But A wasn''t confident of her fate. She didn''t know how long she could live here. Toby had a fiancee, so she couldn''t be a burden to him for a long time. She had been a burden since her childhood. Her biological parents abandoned her. Even if the Woodsen family adopted her, she was still redundant. In order to repay yton for raising her up, she listened to him and married Brian. While going through these thoughts, A fell asleep at one point. Toby softly tucked her in the bed and kissed her on the forehead before he got off and put on his clothes. He went out to buy a few necessities for A. From now on, she would live in his apartment. He earned money to buy his own apartment so that he could give it to A. He was happy to have her, finally. When Brian returned to the vi, he was told that A had gone missing. No one knew where she had gone. She didn''t even take her phone with her. She had been out for an entire day and hadn''te back. "What the hell is wrong with you? Can''t you do your duties properly? Have you forgotten what I had ordered?" Brian yelled at Ruben and Maria in front of him. "Sir, Mrs.rk will be back.Don''t worry" Maria said in a low voice, "Maybe she had missed the bus and couldn''te back on time likest time." Brian was taken aback by what Maria said. Last time, it was a coincidence to meet her on the road. This time,he knew that she had escaped. That woman actually dared to escape from his control. Well! He would find her and show her, her real ce. Brian sat on the sofa and pondered on thest few days'' events. Toby. She must have run away with that man. But Brian would never let her escape from his control. He''d make here back to him. He would make her obedient to him. Three days passed by after this incident. In Toby''s apartment, A stood in front of the window and looked outside. Since she came to live in Toby''s apartment, days went by like a dream. Now she was afraid this would end too. Every day before going to work, Toby would prepare breakfast and lunch for her. In the evening, he woulde back and make dinner with her. A had longed for this kind of life since long. But it was a useless hope for her. When Toby returned to his apartment, he saw A standing in front of the window, deep in thought. "Why are you standing here like that, L? Are you feeling bored staying at home all day long?" "No, It''s not that.I''ve been waiting for you!" A turned around with a smile and threw herself into his arms. Her biggest dream was to be a full-time homemaker and cook for her beloved man. Now, it''d beening true. "What do you want to eat for dinner? I''ll make it for you." Toby kissed her lovingly on the cheek. The day he brought her here, he had lost control.But these days, he had been sleeping on the sofa and left the main bedroom for her to sleepfortably. "I will eat whatever you''ll cook," A said with a smile. She would be satisfied with whatever he would give her.She only cared for Toby and his happiness. Nothing else mattered. They made dinner together and ate while talking andughing. After dinner, A leaned against Toby''s chest and asked, "Toby, youe here every day.What about Miss Smith?" She had wanted to ask this question for a long time. It was inevitable that one day his fiancee would be his wife. Toby kept quiet. He didn''t know how to answer that. L had no choice when she became Brian''s wife, but what about him? What was he doing? He also needed to give her an exnation. "L, do you trust me?" Toby held her tightly in his arms and asked quietly. "Yes, of course I do." He was the only man she could trust, and the only person close to her. Toby briefly exined how he met Molly and ended up as her fiance. He knew he should be responsible towards Molly when he promised to marry her. But he couldn''t take responsibilities for two women. "She is very beautiful and she loves you very much," A said to him. If she hadn''t loved him, she wouldn''t have been afraid, thinking A would steal Toby away from her. "L, but I only love you." Toby was afraid that L would misunderstand him and think he was deceiving her. A nodded. "Yes, I know.I always knew this.You know what? I''d spent these past years waiting for you in a hope that you''d return and take me away with you.You had promised me that you would celebrate my eighteenth birthday with me.But you didn''te back, and it''d hurt me so much." She only survived these past years with this one hope. "I''m sorry, L.I''ll celebrate your birthday with you tomorrow.Although it''s toote, I''ll celebrate it with you as long as you don''t mind it, okay?" Toby didn''t return earlier because Molly had fallen sick at that time and he had to stay with her. "Okay.As long as you are with me, everything is better for me." A smiled at him. It would never be toote if the man she loved was beside her. Everything would be beautiful as long as she felt loved by him. Suddenly, Toby took out a new phone and said, "L, this is for you.Do you like it?" The white cellphone was of thetest model. A remembered that she had left the phone given by Brian back in the vi. That was why he hadn''t found her yet. She could only hide from him for a while but not for a lifetime. "I like it.Thank you." A nodded and epted it with a smile. For the first time in a while she felt content. Chapter 27: What Else Could She Expect Chapter 27: What Else Could She Expect Brian was sitting on the ck leather couch while Jaime and several men in ck were standing towering over yton, who was kneeling on the ground. All the men had weapons in their hands. On the ground, yton looked like a mouse caught by a fierce cat. Several bruises were on his face. "Mr.rk, I promise I''ll pay you back.I''m trying to find a way.Please give me a few more days." He begged and hoped Brian would spare him a little mercy. "yton, have you forgotten the conditions we made?" Brian asked in a harsh voice. Did he think that he could escape from Brian''s reach after he fled abroad? yton made a big mistake by underestimating Brian''s power and contact all around the world. "No- no.I didn''t forget.Believe me, I''m trying my best to collect the money.I can pay you some amount right now, but I don''t have the full amount." yton was about to get up from his position when he was hit down on his shoulder and he fell on the ground again in front of Brian. "yton, your daughter is very cunning.She ran away from me.Do you think you still have the chance to leave? You don''t deserve to live, yton," he leaned forward and whispered in a deadly tone. A ran away? That bitch! yton couldn''t believe the news. Now he understood why Brian had captured him and brought him here. It was all her fault. He wanted to live the rest of his life in peace, but because of that bitch, it seemed impossible now. "Mr.rk, don''t worry.I''ll find her and bring her back to you soon.You can then do anything to her, and I''ll support you," yton promised, grabbing Brian''s legs. "Tomorrow.I''ll give you only one day.If you can''t bring her to me by tomorrow, your life will be in danger.Don''t forget that you sold your daughter''s life to keep yourself alive." Brian could have killed yton directly, but he didn''t want to. He wanted to see yton suffer, and he wanted to keep humiliating his daughter. He would torture her all the way possible. "Mr.rk, do you really think that yton will bring her back? What if he runs away too?" Jaime thought that Brian shouldn''t let yton go because he was not trustworthy. So, he asked Brian as soon as yton left. "He can''t run away.He doesn''t have the guts.If he really dares to run away, he knows he''ll die." Brian gazed at yton''s back as he fled in a hurry. After living in Toby''s apartment for so many days, it was the first time A went out. Toby had bought her many new clothes. Today, she chose a light pink chiffon dress with long sleeves, and left her long hair down casually. "You look so beautiful, L." Toby took a white coat and put it on her. "It''s slightly cold outside.You''ll need it.I don''t want you to catch a cold." Standing in front of the mirror and looking at her image wearing these expensive designer clothes, A felt uneasy. But as Toby assured her, she nodded and followed Toby out of the apartment. Toby drove her to a restaurant. However, they didn''t notice a specific car following them all the time. "Miss Smith, Mr.Brown is in the restaurant.Shall we go in?" The driver turned to ask Molly, who was sitting in the back of the car. "No.Not yet." When Molly noticed Toby had been behaving strangely in these past few days, she started to keep an eye on him. He didn''t attend a lot of social engagements and remained punctual at work, but didn''t go back to the Smith vi or his original apartment. Eventually she found out he bought another apartment to hide his mistress. That bitch dared to pester her man again and again! Molly wouldn''t spare her this time! As soon as Toby and A sat down in the restaurant, Toby''s phone buzzed. Toby answered the call and immediately Molly''s voice flew in. "Toby, this is Molly.Where are you now? Dad wants you toe home now." "I''lleter." Toby hung up the call after saying this briefly. A sensed his dilemma and realized it was because of her. "Toby, if you have something urgent to deal with, you can go! Don''t dy your things because of me." A was really thankful to Toby for whatever he had done for her these days. "It''s alright.I have promised to celebrate your birthday today.We''ll celebrate it, then I''ll go," Toby said with a smile, trying to make her feel at ease. Toby had ordered a big birthday cake for her. When the waiter brought the cake and ced it on the table, Toby eximed, "L, congrattions! You''re a grownup now." When she was eighteen years old, he wanted to say these words to her on her birthday, but he couldn''t. Today he''d make it up to her. "Thank you." A blushed. Back then, she celebrated her birthday alone with a small cake and spent the entire night crying. She was truly grateful to Toby that he celebrated her birthday today like this.What else could she desire? "I hope you won''t me me anymore, L." Toby felt that he owed her too much. He loved her, but couldn''t give her what she truly deserved. He couldn''t even give her the status of his legal wife. The Smith family had helped him a lot, so he couldn''t refuse Molly. But what about L? What should she do? Where would she go? The Woodsen family wouldn''t let her in, and Brian, he''d make her life a living hell. "Don''t worry, Toby.I''m very happy." A smiled. "Toby, you can go.I''ll be fine.I can go back by myself.You just go!" Toby cut a piece of cake and gave it to her. "First, eat it! I''ll go after you finish this." A didn''t want to waste his time, so she finished the cake in a few big gulps. "This cake is really delicious.Can you buy another one for me?" "If you want, I''ll buy it for you every day." Toby wiped off the cream from the corner of her mouth with a tissue. Molly, who was sitting in the car outside the restaurant, saw everything through the big ss window. She clenched her fists in anger. She would not let that bitch go so easily! When Toby left, A stared at the cake in front of her. It was big and beautiful. It must be very expensive. She was reluctant to eat it and destroy its beauty forever. If there wasn''t any chance of it bing sour, she would have kept it for a lifetime. Toby left a red brocade box in front of her. He said that she could look at it after he left.He hoped that she would wear it, if she liked it. She opened the box and saw a diamond ring in it. Was this his proposal to her? But she couldn''t ept it. "Bitch!" As soon as Toby left, Molly barged into the restaurant and saw the diamond ring in A''s hand. All hell broke loose as she angrily pped A in front of everyone. "Miss Smith?" A was stunned to see Molly there. Her face burned from the sudden p. "Shut up! You have no right to call me like that! Bitch!" Before A could say anything, Molly pped her again. "I''m sorry." A knew that it would be meaningless, but she could only apologize to her.? Molly hollered, "Sorry? You have been harassing my fiancee since he came back.Do you think you can just say sorry and I''ll forgive you?" She hated the word ''sorry'' the most. Could a ''sorry'' solve all the problems? No! Problems like this couldn''t be solved with a ''sorry''! She couldn''t anymore let this woman be closer to her man. Molly was done being a generous woman. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. "Don''t misunderstand us, please," A said. She just didn''t want to cause any unnecessary misunderstandings between Toby and Molly because of her. She knew eventually this day woulde. If Toby didn''t belong to her by fate, he would never be, no matter what.Everything was predestined. Chapter 28: She Had Nowhere To Go Chapter 28: She Had Nowhere To Go "Misunderstanding? How ridiculous! Do you think I''m stupid? I should have caught you in bed with him.Only then would you have admitted, right? Bitch!" Molly sneered. "You''re even flirting with each other in public.How could you tell me that I''m misunderstanding you after seeing that? Anyone who has eyes can clearly see that neither of you is innocent, and here you''re, busy eating cake?" Molly''s eyes darted towards the cake on the table. "I''ll let you eat it then!" As soon as she finished her words, she picked up the cake and smashed it on A''s face. All the cream got stuck on A''s face, making her embarrassed in front of everyone. A didn''t know how to react after this. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. She just sat there inadaze. "Bitch, don''t let me see you again!" Molly pushed on her chest hard, then turned around and left. There was cream all over A''s face. She quietly stood up, painfully aware of everyone''s gaze on her, then left the restaurant. Walking on the road in a daze, she felt so alone in this whole world. She couldn''t go back to Toby''s apartment, so where would she go now? She had nowhere to go. Despite the world being so big, there was no ce for her to stay. Her life was so pathetic. Her eyes welled up, but she stubbornly didn''t let her tears fall. Crying couldn''t solve her problem. Meanwhile, yton went to her school to ask about A. But both the school authority and her friends couldn''t give any information about her. After that, he began searching for her on the roads. Where was she? While A was walking aimlessly on the Melody Road, keeping her head down, yton found her. "You''re such a bitch!" Seeing her, yton immediately came over and pulled her hair. "Dad? What are you doing here?" A grabbed his hand and endured the pain, but winced when she saw the bruises on yton''s face. No wonder that he would vent his anger on her. "What am I doing here? I am here because of you! If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t have to face these dire consequences!" yton harshly pulled her towards the taxi by her hair and pushed her inside. She didn''t need to ask because she knew where they were going. She cowered in a corner of the car''s back seat and waited for her inevitable punishment. She was going back to that hell. Yes! yton had sold her to that devil. Where else could she go? She couldn''t escape from that cage. The car finally stopped at the gate of a luxurious entertainment club. As it was daytime, the club was much quieter than in the night, but there were still some guests. As soon as yton got out of the car, he pulled his daughter into the club by her hair, ignoring the surprised gazes of others. Upstairs, in a private room, Brian was waiting for them with a ss of wine in his hand. The room was dimly lit by floormps only. He watched quietly as yton pulled A in. "Mr.rk, I''ve found this bitch." yton pulled A down along with him as they kneeled in front of Brian. There was no dignity in his action. Brian didn''t respond. He drank the winezily, then put down the ss, and focused on the two people in front of him. "Arlene, Mrs.rk, you are really daring!" He stood up from the sofa and walked up to A. Observing the red mark on her cheek and the cream stains all over her face, he asked, "Whom did you hook up with this time? Perhaps, his partner didn''t like it." "I didn''t hook up with anyone." A lowered her eyes. The hateful gaze of him made her not want to face him. She had escaped, maybe which was wrong. But it wasn''t all her fault. Longing for freedom was her right, which he was reluctant to give her. "Really?" Looking at the cream on her face and hair, Brian asked, "What is this all about then? Do you think I''m a fool?" "Mr.rk, it''s all her fault.Please let me go now.She won''t run away again," yton promised. A looked up at Brian and said quietly but in a firm tone, "I told you I want to be free.Give me some time and I''ll make up for what I owe you, but give me freedom.That''s all I want." She didn''t want to go back to his prison. She didn''t want to lose her self-esteem anymore. Brian grabbed her arm and pulled her up. "yton, your daughter wants her freedom, what do you think?" "No, she won''t.Her life is yours, Mr.rk." yton red at her, hinting to stop talking nonsense. Freedom? What freedom she was talking about? They had lost all their money, and they were lucky enough to be still alive. How could they be longing for freedom! "You want to be free? Okay then." Walking to the sofa, Brian looked at A and said, "But your freedom depends on whether you are willing to sacrifice your father''s life." "No! No! Mr.rk." yton panicked. As soon as he finished his words, two men came over with thick wood sticks and began hitting him mercilessly. He couldn''t help but scream in pain. "Mr.rk, Mr.rk, please forgive me!" It was the first time that A had seen such a cruel scene. How could he be so cruel? Brian poured himself another drink and drank calmly as if nothing was happening. "Mr.rk, please let him go.Let my father go.Okay! Okay! I will listen to you." A saw yton''s condition with horror-stricken eyes. He was covered with bloodied wounds everywhere. "I have decided to set you free, but Mr.Woodsen must die.You will be free when he dies.Isn''t it what you want?" Without shifting his eyes from A, Brian ordered her men coldly. "Don''t stop.Keep hitting! Arlene, I will let you go when he breathes hisst." "No!" He was a devil, aplete devil! How could he treat a person so cruelly? How could he take someone''s life just like that? A stepped forward and grabbed his leg. "Mr.rk, please stop." She bent her knees and knelt down to him. Brian looked down at her. If she was so scared, how could she leave him? She could never escape him! He wouldn''t let her! "Are you sure that you still want to be Mrs.rk?" Brian bent over and lifted her chin with his finger. "You must be aware of what you should do and what you shouldn''t do.I''ll give you food and clothes, and you''ll be satisfied and thankful for that withoutining." This woman had been away from him for only a few days, but he felt bothered, which was odd for him. He wasn''t willing to let her go. However, what was up with yton? How could he treat his only daughter like this? Wasn''t she the beloved daughter of the Woodsen family? "I understand.I won''t leave you again." A agreed, wasting no time. She couldn''t watch yton die in front of her. Brian helped her up and signaled his men to stop. No other sound except yton''s groan and A''s whimpering from fear could be heard in the room. A''s phone rang suddenly, and she froze. Toby! She had forgotten about himpletely. Brian stared at her and ordered, "Answer the phone.Why aren''t you answering?" A feared the way Brian would react when he''d see the phone Toby gave her. She didn''t use the phone he gave her, but she was using a phone given by another man. She took out her phone and on the screen, two words shed. ''My Toby.'' A raised her head to look at Brian. He was looking at the screen as well. She was doomed right now. She didn''t know how she could exin this to him. She feared the devil in him and didn''t want it to emerge again, which probably would anyway, soon. Chapter 29: Please Help Me Chapter 29: Please Help Me A clenched her phone tightly.She couldn''t answer it in front of Brian, nor could she keep the phone with her. ¡®''I''m sorry, Toby, ¡®'' she apologized silently in her heart. Before Brian could understand what she was about to do, she threw the phone towards the wall. It crashed on the wall and fell on the cold marble floor. The phone stopped ringing at once. She had broken the phone! Along with their rtionship! She stared at the broken phone with teary eyes.She had no other choice. "Good." Brain then turned to his subordinates.He waved his hand dismissively. "Let him go." A asked yton with a wavering voice, "Dad, are you okay?" "What do you think? Do I look okay to you? If you hadn''t run away, I wouldn''t have ended up like this!" yton snapped sharply. "Dad, let me take you to the hospital!" A walked up to him to help him up, but yton pushed her away.He nced at Brian and denied her immediately, "No, I don''t want to go to hospital.You don''t have to do anything for me.You''ve already done enough.I won''t die, so just leave me." It was his great fortune that he was still alive. Brian pulled A back towards him and ordered Jaime, "Jaime, ask someone to take him to the hospital." Jaime obliged immediately. He and the other men left the room taking yton with them.Then there were only Brian and A left in the room. "Mr.rk, thank you for letting my father go," she mumbled to him, looking downward. "I won''t let him go so easily in the future.You should be careful about my warning, otherwise you can''t even imagine the dire consequences that you''ll have to face." Brian let her arm go then walked back to the sofa and sat down. "From today on, you will stay here." A looked at him stupefied.Did he want her to be a barmaid here? "Mr.rk, why do you want me to stay here?" A was scared. She knew that she had to pay the price for her escape, but she didn''t know what cruel way he''d punish her. "Aren''t you good at serving men?" Brian taunted her. "If you want to repay the money your father owed me, you''ll have to work here.Otherwise, there''s no other way you can do that." A couldn''t help but just ept his decision. After that, he called Anna and asked her to arrange for A to start to work tonight. Anna nodded then went and sat down beside Brian. "Mr.rk, do you really want her to be a barmaid here? Are you really willing to do that?" Anna wanted to confirm his decision.She thought that Brian wanted Arlene to have sex with him whenever he wished.Then why was he letting her stay here? "She is not that important,"Brian said firmly. He just wanted to vent his hatred. The more humiliated this woman would be, the happier he would feel. Anna entangled her fingers with his and leaned towards him. "That means, I don''t need to take special care of her, do I?" Brian said nothing. He lit a cigarette and smoked. A changed into a tight barmaid dress before Anna led her into a luxurious private room. "Please take good care of the customers here.If they are unhappy, you will be the one to suffer," Anna reminded her sharply, though she believed that her words were unnecessary for a woman like Arlene. It shouldn''t be difficult for a social butterfly like her to smile and drink with others.However, Anna was surprised to see A was struggling to do so. Anna thought it was ridiculous. Why did Arlene keep pretending her innocence everywhere? Even in the club too, which was in fact her expertise. "Mr.Hamilton, you haven''t been here for a long time.Have a good time today.I''m sure you''ll be satisfied." Anna pushed A towards Mr.Hamilton. "Oh, is she new here? She is pretty, but I don''t know if she''ll be able to satisfy me." Mr.Hamilton put his hand on her cheek and caressed it. Anna smiled seeing that and left the room. A bit on her lower lip, almost drawing blood. The strong smell of smoke and alcoholing from the man made her stomach churn in disgust. "Get me some wine," Mr.Hamilton put his ss on the table and said to her. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. A nodded then picked up the wine bottle and filled the ss obediently. Then she handed it back to him.But Mr.Hamilton didn''t take it. Instead he ordered her, "Drink it!" "I...I do not drink." A looked at the ss of wine ufortably. She couldn''t drink it. If she consumed alcohol, she''d end up falling sick again. "Really? I don''t believe that! You just don''t want to drink with me.Isn''t it?" Mr.Hamilton pinched her chin, held the ss in front of her mouth and forced her to drink it. A struggled and instinctively pushed his hand away causing the ss in his hand to be thrown away to the ground. The ss broke and the wine spilled all over. "You''re such a bitch! How dare you refuse to drink? It''s your honor that I''m letting you drink with me.You''re a shameless, pathetic slut!" As he humiliated her by those words, he pped her hard across the face also. Blood oozed out from the corner of A''s mouth as she was pushed to the other side of the sofa. "Drink it!" This time, Mr.Hamilton gave her a whole bottle of wine and poured it directly into her mouth. A didn''t even get the chance to refuse. Her throat burned as the wine ran past her throat to her stomach. The strong wine made her feel sick. More than half bottle of wine was poured into her mouth, while shey there helplessly and coughed violently. "It doesn''t matter if you can''t drink.As long as you stay with me, I will make you drink all kinds of good wine." Mr.Hamilton pulled her up and close to him once she had downed the wine. "Tell me, which kind of wine do you want to drink?" His voice suddenly turned less vicious. He pointed at different kinds of wine on the table. A felt her stomach twisting and she felt nauseous and dazed. She sensed the unfamiliar touch all over her body. The man beside her was touching her and a sense of fear spread through her. "Don''t...Don''t touch me!" A pushed the man''s hand away. "There is no woman here that I can''t touch!" Mr.Hamilton smirked as he said so before he tore her clothes and pressed himself on her. A struggled under him. No! No! This couldn''t happen! She couldn''t let this man touch her! As he forced himself on her, she bit his arm hard. Mr.Hamilton let go of her in pain. A quickly collected herself and went to the door. But Mr.Hamilton grabbed her waist and pulled her into him as she tried to open the doorknob. "How dare you bite me! I''ll teach you a lesson!" Mr.Hamilton pushed her to the ground and pressed himself on her again. He kissed her forcefully and held both of her hands above her head. A felt sick from the bottom of her heart, but she couldn''t let this happen to her.She raised her leg and kicked him hard in between his legs. This was the only way she could escape from his ws.A got up and ran towards the door. But as soon as she opened the door, she bumped into a person. "Help me, please help me." She hastily called for help. Jaime looked down at the disheveled woman in front of him but couldn''t see her face clearly. Only her voice sounded very familiar. "Mrs.rk?" A looked up at Jaime. "Please help me." Brian and Anna wereing from the other end of the corridor. Their eyes found Jaime and A when A threw herself into Jaime''s arms. "Today is only the first day, and you''ve already messed up!" Brian''s voice boomed across the corridor. A flinched at his voice and looked at his way. She lost her virginity without her consent on the first day of their marriage. But if she had to bear this forceful sex every day in the future, her life would be a living hell. "Mr.rk, you didn''t say that I need to use my body for pleasuring the customers!" A put one of her hands on the wall to support herself. She felt too weak from the alcohol she consumed earlier. "Do you think this is a ce for children to y games?" Brian countered harshly. The entertainment club was a ce for the customers to have fun. They spent money here to find pleasure in alcohol and the barmaids. "I won''t give away my body to please others." It was enough for A to get sold to Brian for a lifetime. She didn''t want to be insulted by everyone else. Chapter 30: She Was Willing To Do That Chapter 30: She Was Willing To Do That Brian red at the disheveled woman in front of him. "Do you think you have a say in this?" Brian still couldn''t understand why was she pretending to be innocent? "I know this is not up to me to decide anything, but you can''t do this to me." A felt nauseous as the effect of alcohol kicked in. Her stomach twisted as she leaned against the wall. "Then what do you want? Are you not satisfied with one man? Do you want several men at one time? Huh?" Brian gritted his teeth. He was now frustrated with her. She was the only one who dared to touch his tolerance limit.She was testing his patience over and over. "I can do anything for you, but I don''t want to stay here.I will do other jobs and make money to repay you." He just wanted money, didn''t he? Then he should not care how she made money. "Mr.rk!" Anna opened her mouth. She looked at the stubborn woman named Arlene and wondered what if she was scheming a n to escape. But why was Brian so furious with her? Brian always remained calm in situations like this. But now he was bothered by this woman''s condition, maybe a little concerned too. "Let me do something about it!" Anna held Brian''s arm and led him away from the scene. "Mr.rk!" A mumbled his name before copsing on the ground. She watched them leave arm in arm, as the nausea she had been suppressing hit her suddenly, making her throw up. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Jaime frowned, then said, "You better listen to Mr.rk." He put his coat on her shoulder and helped her up. A thanked him quietly. Jaime watched her staggering away. She finally got rid of those men. She didn''t have to entertain the guests of the club anymore. Anna assigned her in the kitchen. She helped in washing the bowls, dishes and cups. Every day she washed so many dishes that her hands became rough and her skin started to peel off. Even she wasn''t allowed to sit while working. Her legs ached constantly, but she didn''tin. Anna noticed this behavior of Arlene and wondered how strange it was of her. She stood at the kitchen door and watched her silently washing the dishes. When they asked her to drink with the men, which was practically her forte, she desperately begged for mercy. But now, even if she was so tired that her limbs were cramped, she didn''t say a word. Meanwhile, Brian was in a meeting inside his private room. Several men fawned on him for getting the new project. A middle-aged man handed over a check. "Mr.rk, are you satisfied with this?" "Mr.Willis, you are so generous, but..." Brian raised his eyebrows as he took the check and read the amount written on it. Of course, everyone was after the big project he wasunching currently. He knew that the Smith Group also wanted this project.So, it was time for him to meet Mr.Brown. "Mr.rk, do you think it''s not enough? Please tell me how much you need and I will try negotiating." Mr.Willis had been trying to meet Brian for several months. He must get this project. This project was worth millions of dors. If this project seeded, they would meet a grandiose profit. This was why everyone wanted to get their hands on this project. "I''m more concerned about the work n than the amount this time.I want to pick the best n and for that I''ll have to make a decision by discussing with the board of directors." Although Brian said so, everyone knew that it was just an excuse. However, no one dared to object Brian''s decision. "Sure.I''ll try my best in making the work n." Mr.Willis nodded and bowed at him. "Then I won''t disturb you until the n is prepared." Brian nodded at them before the men vacated the room. Everyone was aware of Brian''s bad temper. Once he was annoyed, the consequences were always severe. Anna came in after the men left. "Mr.rk." "What do you want now?" Brian put down his wine ss and stared at Anna. "Mr.Brown, the Deputy CEO of the Smith Group, is here.He has been waiting for you for over an hour." Brian said nothing but nodded once Anna sat down beside him and asked, "Are you still going to leave Arlene here at the club?" "What''s wrong with her? Is she making any problems?" For so many days, Brian hadn''t seen her.She also hadn''te to him to negotiate. If she could do that difficult work, then let her continue. She was more stubborn than he thought. "No, she''s not arising any problems, and that''s why I feel strange about her." Anna said seriously, "As the daughter of the Woodsen family, the social butterfly in people''s eyes, she is not willing to drink and entertain those men, but willing to wash dishes in the kitchen.Don''t you think, it''s kind of strange?" "It''s none of your business.I have noticed that already, " Brian said calmly. "Okay fine.Then do you want to see Mr.Brown now? Should I send him in?" Anna reached for his wine ss and poured wine in it. "I''m not going to see him, yet.Ask Arlene to bring a bottle of wine to Mr.Brown." Toby was waiting along with his personal assistant Fred in another room. "Mr.Brown, do you think Mr.rk will meet us? We have been waiting for over an hour." Fred suspected that Brian was ying with them. "Don''t worry about that.I''m willing to wait." Toby was drinking. In fact, he wanted to know where had Brian taken L since she disappeared after that day. What had he done to her? He wanted to tell Brian that she was A, not Arlene. He had to let her go. 4% Fred didn''t say anything after that and waited with him silently. Of course, this new project would be a big project for the Smith Group. When Anna handed her a bottle of wine, A stared at her, puzzled. Anna ordered, "Send it to Room 2808." "Miss Anna, I was already told I don''t have to drink with them." Why was she asking her to do that again? A would never do that work of entertaining guests. "Don''t worry.We won''t stop you if you want to pleasure the guest willingly this time." Anna''s words confused A. What the hell did she mean by that? Why would she willingly pleasure the guest? "Miss Anna." A held the bottle and looked at Anna in confusion. "Go ahead! Don''t make Mr.rk angry." A nced at her. She had been safe these days from Brian. So, she should not make him angry again. I She was wearing a white and red dress of a waitress with an apron. Her ponytail was a little messy. She looked dirty and disgusting.But she had no choice.She walked towards that specific room and knocked on the door before pushing it open. Toby raised his head when he heard the noise. As soon as he saw the person entering, he froze in his ce. "L?" A froze at the voice as well. She was so shocked that her grip on the bottle loosened and it fell to the ground. It crashed and wine spilled everywhere. "Toby?" "L! What are you doing here? How did you end up like this?" Toby immediately arose and stepped forward before pulling A in his arms. "Don''t.Don''t do this, Toby." A pushed his chest, but Toby held her more tightly. "L, tell me.Did Brian make you do this?" Toby took her rough hands in his and studied them furiously. A smiled sadly. "I''m fine.It''s alright, Toby.I am willing to do this job to pay him back." As long as she wasn''t getting insulted, she was willing to stay in the kitchen for a lifetime. "It''s alright? How is this alright, L? Look at yourself.What''s wrong with you?" Toby looked at her hands then at her pale face. He felt sorry for her. His heart broke into million pieces seeing her like that. A stepped away from him and said, "I have work to do, Toby.I should leave now." How could she stand before him looking like this? Didn''t she decide to stay away from him and not be his burden? 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 ce!" Before A could say anything, Toby pulled her into his arms once again.He couldn''t bear to see his beloved 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 A 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 ck and blue by Brian''s subordinates. "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 on purpose. "L!" Toby watched as she withdrew from his grip with sorrowful eyes. He knew that she feltpletely helpless about her situation. "Mr.Brown." Seeing that Toby was about to reach for A 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 nning on seeing Toby that night.He just wanted to let Toby know that he was in full control of everything. "L, 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. A quickly withdrew her hands, replying, "Toby, you misunderstood everything.He''s not forcing me to do this.I''m fine." "You think you''re fine? Look at yourself! You''ve lost so much weight and you look exhausted.Seeing you 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." A then smiled at him and added, "I''ve grown up.I''m a strong woman now.You know what? I lived well during 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. "L, can you stop being stubborn? Juste back with me, okay?" Toby couldn''t understand why she would choose to suffer there rather than go with him. But A 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. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. A 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.rk, you didn''t ask me here 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 that way. "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 want just because you''re the Deputy CEO of the Smith Group? Would you even still be the Deputy CEO if Mr.Smith learned that you''re in a rtionship with another woman?" Brian raised his head and gave Toby a confident re. 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 the dishes." Toby was willing to leave the Smith family, if only to ensure that A 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!" Brian was 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.Why are you torturing her?" Toby wasn''t sure how yton 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 n prepared by Smith Group and I''m satisfied.If you''re willing to give away twenty percent more of your proposed profit, she will continue to be Mrs.rk 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 thepany''s profit to Brian, Smith Group''s performance this year would be worse thanst year. He wouldn''t be able to exin it to Hayden, but he had to do it for A''s sake. "Very well.I agree to your proposal.But I want to see her now." Toby had to make sure that A 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 of my word.And I did say that she would continue to be Mrs.rk.Won''t you agree that it''s inappropriate for 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 do anything 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 to Miss Smith only because you wanted to be the Deputy CEO of the Smith Group.Surely, you wouldn''t want 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, A returned to the vi again. She had been gone for a long time, but she thought it better to live in the small room of the entertainment club than in this big vi. "Mrs.rk, you''re back." Maria instantly walked up to her and led her into the house. "Maria." A greeted her sweetly with a smile. "Pleasee in. Mr.rk told me to let you use the guest room upstairs from now on." She then took A upstairs and showed her in an elegantly decorated room. ''¡¯Is it really reserved for me?''¡¯ A wondered. Chapter 32: The Wifes Duty Chapter 32: The Wife''s Duty "What do you think? Mrs.rk, are you satisfied?" said a voice from behind A. It was Brian.She turned to face him.Her expression was wary. "Mr.rk, what do you want?" "What do you think?" Brian said softly, moving closer to her. He lifted her chin, tilting her face so she had no choice but to meet his eyes. "I can return to the entertainment club.I can keep washing dishes," A offered. Brian shook his head adamantly. "No.You don''t have to go back.Your sweetheart has spent a lot of money to get you out of that ce and allow you to continue being Mrs.rk.Do you want to let him down?" She said nothing. Brian added, "So from now on, you live here.Get used to it." He stepped back and turned away from her, walking into his own bedroom, which was the master room on the other side of the hallway. As soon as he closed the door behind him, A walked inside her room. She gazed at the pretty purple bed sheets, the gauzy beige curtains, and the pure white wardrobe and dresser. It was a lovely, feminine room. She couldn''t believe she would be living here. She felt as though she didn''t deserve this. She wandered out to the private balcony, which overlooked thewn. She spent the rest of the afternoon seated on a lounge chair, enjoying the sunlight and the breeze and the gorgeous view of colorful flowers strewn over the grass. The sun was setting when she heard a knock at the door. "Come in," she called. Maria entered. "Mrs.rk, dinner is ready," she said respectfully. A took ast look at the beautiful orange sky.She smiled to herself. "Thanks, I''ll be right down." She entered the dining room to find Brian already seated at the head of the table, reading a newspaper. She stopped near the doorway and said, "Hello, Mr.rk." He gave her an impatient look. "Well, don''t just stand there.Do you need me to invite you to sit down?" He put down the newspaper beside him and gave her a cold look. She hurried to the table and sat down. The atmosphere in the dining room was so tense she didn''t even dare to nce at him. "Stop being so scared," he snapped. "You''re going to have to get used to this lifestyle." This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. He began eating the sumptuous food prepared for them, but A had lost her appetite. She forced herself to finish the food so he wouldn''t snap at her again. After dinner, Brian went to the living room, where there was arge-screen television mounted on the wall. A peeked in and saw that he was watching a financial news program. It was rare for him to stay at home like this, and as long as he was in there, she didn''t want to enter the living room. She picked up her te, intending to take it to the kitchen, but Maria suddenly appeared beside her. "Mrs.rk, I''ll clean the table. You can go and keep Mr.rkpany." A hesitated, but Maria took the empty te from her hand and reced it with a bowl of fruit. "This is Mr.rk''s favorite snack.Go on, you can take it with you when you join him." Maria was deliberately trying to create opportunities for the two of them to get to know each other. She thought Mr.rk must have changed his mind, which was why he''d brought Mrs.rk back and arranged for her to live in the room on the second floor. A took a deep breath and went to the living room. "Here, Mr.rk," she said softly, putting down the bowl of fruit on the table in front of him. She was not used to living like this.She had so many questions, but she was afraid of angering him. Brian brought out a phone and handed it to her. "Here," he said. "Call your sweetheart and tell him how well you''re doing here." "No, I don''t want to disturb his happiness," she replied. A had made up her mind not to disturb Toby. She did not want to be the other woman between them. Brian nced coolly at her. "Good.It''s better this way.Keep in mind that your duty now is to live here and act as a good wife." Her duty? What did he mean by "good wife?" She stared at him with her lips parted in surprise. Was it her duty to endure his overbearing attitude and satisfy his needs?She found her situation helpless and painful, and she had to force herself to be pleasant towards him. For instance, because he said he did not like spending the whole night with anyone, she had to drag her aching body back to her own room every time they had sex. Her body was the price she had to pay for her luxurious living conditions. For the rest of the week, she could barely sleep. She stayed awake until dawn, her thoughts churning. Toby, seated in his office, was feeling restless. It had been a long time since he negotiated with Brian. When he''d gone to the entertainment club, the staff members there informed him that L was not there anymore. Apparently, Brian had taken her away. He did not trust Brian at all. He worried that L would suffer, but he was willing to gamble on hispany''s big project. When Molly entered the office, she saw that Toby was deep in thought. Was he thinking about that woman again? Molly frowned, wondering if the woman had left because she had fallen in love with someone else. Or did she realize her fault? Had she decided on her own that she would no longer be a third party coming between them? She walked towards the desk. "Toby," she said. When Molly called his name, he came to his senses. "Oh, hello.You''re here," he said, smiling at her. Recently he had been ignoring her, because his mind and heart were full of thoughts of A. "I have some soup for you," she said, holding up a bag in her hand. "You''ve been working so hard these past weeks.Do you need to be working overtime so much? Dad and Mom hope you''ll be able to spend more time with me." She led him to the sofa and handed him a bowl of soup. Toby began drinking the warm soup.He said, "Don''t worry.I''lle home early today." While he couldn''t stop himself from loving L, he couldn''t forget his duties towards Molly either. One day, while A was helping to clean the vi, she considered her dream of returning to school. She thought she wouldn''t be able to, but still, she couldn''t stop herself from hoping. Afterward, she sat alone in the living room with a book in her hand. She was getting drowsy when her mobile phone suddenly rang, jolting her awake. She nced at the screen. It was an unknown number. She lifted an eyebrow, wondering who it could be, because only a very few people knew her number. Maria heard the ringing and poked her head into the living room. "Mrs.rk, aren''t you going to answer that? It might be Mr.rk." Maria was worried that Mr.rk was calling, and that he would be angry if Mrs.rk didn''t answer. Mr.rk had note home for several days now. He must have been extremely busy. A hesitated, then tapped the screen. "Hello?" she said tentatively. "It''s me." She immediately recognized the familiar voice on the phone. "Sister?" she asked. Pressing her mobile phone to her ear, she rushed out past Maria and went to her room on the second floor. ¡°Oh, so you still remember me! I thought you''d forgotten me," Arlene said sharply. "You know, because you hooked up with Mr.rk." "Why would you say that?" A said, upset. "Why are you calling? Where are you calling from?" A was used to Arlene''s sarcasm, but she didn''t care for it this time. Since their childhood, she had been like Cindere, while Arlene was the arrogant princess. "Where I am is none of your business.I''m just calling because I need money." Arlene had always spent moneyvishly, going to bars and nightclubs and fooling around with different men every night. She used to be quite wealthy, but she''d gone through all her cash by now, so she decided to ask her sister for money. A sighed and said, "My sister, I don''t have money to give you." She''d used up all her savings to pay for tuition, and now she''d been sold to Brian by yton. Although she was living in this huge vi, she couldn''t go to school, nor could she work and earn money of her own. "You don''t have money? Aren''t you Mrs.rk? Dad said that you''re living in a gorgeous vi, being driven around by expensive cars.How can you not have money?" Arlene demanded incredulously. Her voice grew angry as she added, "Or are you just looking down on me because we''re not rted by blood? Maybe you''re just refusing to give me money because you''re selfish!" A pursed her lips. Apparently, not only did Arlene know her phone number, she also knew everything about A''s living conditions. "Sister, it''s not what you think," she said miserably. A didn''t even have the right to go outside without permission. What her sister imagined to be a life of limitless wealth was actually a life of entrapment and loneliness. In truth, A would rather be free and poor than live in this luxurious cage. Chapter 33: Nothing But Contempt Chapter 33: Nothing But Contempt "It''s not what I think?" said Arlene sarcastically. "You''re unbelievable! If you don''t want to give me money, just say so! I can''t believe you''re being so selfish and ungrateful.After all those years we spent raising you and taking care of you!" Arlene knew her little sister very well. While A didn''t get anything from the Woodsen family, she believed she was still indebted to them. "I really don''t have money," A said unhappily. Even as she spoke, however, she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. Brian had entered the room.How long had he been standing there? How much had he overheard? "You''re back,"she blurted out. She was so surprised that her grip on the phone loosened, and it fell to the floor. Brian frowned. "What''s wrong? Are you short of money? Who is trying to borrow money from you?" He walked quickly forward and grabbed the phone before she could pick it up. He looked at the number disyed on the screen. A snatched her phone back, pressing the button to end the call. ¡®''I can''t let him find out who called me¡¯'' she thought anxiously. ''If he finds out, who knows how he''ll react?¡± "Which boy toy of yours is asking you for money?" Brian asked in a dangerous tone. He moved closer to her, cing his hand on her neck.To A, his touch felt threatening. "Are you deaf? Answer me!" he snapped. When she still said nothing, he said grimly, "I''ve been gone for only a few days, and already you''re lonely?" He moved his hands to her shoulders and pushed her backward until she sat down heavily on the sofa inside the bedroom. "Remember who you are! Have you already forgotten your current identity?" "Mr.rk, please don''t do this," A said desperately. "I really didn''t do anything wrong, I swear." She wanted to push him away, but he was pressing her down into the sofa, gripping her wrists tightly. "It''s not up to you what I do," he said. His eyes were dark with anger. She felt a wave of fear. Her refusal was only making him more determined to have his way with her. She didn''t have any say in the matter.She clenched her fists. The terrible feeling of having no control over the situation made her bite her lower lip so hard that it bled. ''He must truly hate me¡¯'' she thought frantically. After all, he had never bothered to treat her gently.He''d never even kissed her lips.And he wasn''t nice or gentle this time, either. Later, when Brian had left her room and the sky had turned ck outside her window, A crept downstairs. All the rooms were dark except for a dim yellow light in the living room. She went quietly to the kitchen and poured herself a drink of water, feeling dazed. Her thoughts turned to Arlene, who had called just to ask her for money. She knew her sister very well, too. A knew that if Arlene didn''t receive any money, she would just keep calling and calling until she got her way. It was not the first time such a thing had happened. In the past, when Arlene couldn''t get money from yton, she would ask A instead. A had no choice but to give her the bulk of the sry she earned by working. ¡®''What can I do?¡¯'' she thought. She was so tired she didn''t even have the energy to return to her bedroom. The next morning, when Brian went downstairs, he saw A fast asleep on the table, her head buried in her arms. He scowled. ¡®''She''s acting this way on purpose, pretending to be pitiful so I feel sorry for her¡± he thought irritably. ¡®''She has afortable room just upstairs.There''s no reason for her to sleep in the dining room.¡± He grabbed the empty ss on the table and put it back down with a heavy thud. The sound roused A, who sat up immediately, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She saw the cold face looking down at her. "Mr.rk," she said uneasily. She stood up, stepping away from the table. She was unconsciously putting distance between them. Brian saw what she was doing. As he poured himself a ss of water, he asked, "Am I so frightening?" "No," A said quickly. The truth was, she was indeed afraid of him. However, she had no choice but to face him no matter how great her fear was. "Then what are you doing?" he said, watching as she made sure not to get anywhere near him. He deliberately sat down in the furthest chair, raising an eyebrow at her hesitant expression. A twisted her hands together. Unexpectedly she said, "I would like to go out today.May I leave the vi?" She wanted even the slightest bit of freedom. But in order to go out, she had to obtain his permission. He said, "Go ahead.I won''t stop you." A couldn''t believe her ears.Brian had agreed without hesitation! "But remember what I said before," he warned. "You can go out if you want, but you are not allowed to go out with other men." A nodded. "I won''t be out for long." She had a bankbook, and although there was not a lot of money in her ount, she decided she would give the remaining bnce to Arlene. She went to her room to get ready and to tell her sister to meet her at a coffee shop. Soon, A arrived at their meeting ce. Arlene was already waiting, and she snapped, "Finally, you''re here.Where''s the money?" Arlene didn''t bother to waste any time on greetings or catching up with her sister. Arlene''s brown hair fell in curls over her shoulders. She wore a gorgeous dress and tasteful makeup.She looked very beautiful. "Arlene, how are you doing?" A asked. They hadn''t seen each other for a long time. A had no idea what Arlene was up to, or why she needed money. "It''s none of your business!" said Arlene, sounding aggravated. "Anyway, Aren''t you Brian''s wife now? Look at yourself! Why are you dressed in such shabby clothes? Are you pretending to be poor so I''ll stop asking you for money?" Arlene took a sip of her coffee, ncing with disdain at A''s simple outfit. A shook her head. "Why do you always think the worst of me? Now that Dad is having such a big problem with his company, are you still living elsewhere?" "I don''t need you meddling in my life! What I need is for you to give me more money," Arlene said angrily, putting down her cup so hard that coffee sshed onto the table. Wordlessly, A handed her sister the bankbook. "Is this all?" said Arlene, looking with disgust at the total amount she would receive. "I told you, my sister, I don''t have a lot of money. That''s all I have," said A patiently. Although Arlene was difficult to deal with, A would never turn her away, because of the gratitude she felt towards the Woodsen family for adopting her. Otherwise, she would have been left out on the streets to starve. Arlene suddenly said, "Is Brian treating you badly? Doesn''t he give you arge allowance? If he''s that kind of man, it''s fortunate I didn''t marry him.By the way, have you had sex with him?" A froze, stunned and humiliated. A lot of people had said that Brian was the devil, and now Arlene was saying the same thing but instead of telling him to his face, they avoided him. Was this the reason why she became the substitute bride of her sister? "I see," said Arlene, smirking at the look on A''s face. "Well, don''t be bitter, A.In the end it''s still good to have a man.Just try to enjoy yourself!" Without saying goodbye, she stood and walked out of the coffee shop, leaving her half-empty cup of coffee on the table. For a long time, A just sat there, miserable and lost in thought. Finally, with a heavy sigh, she decided it was time to return to the vi. On her way out, she ran into Molly and another well-dressed, wealthy-looking woman as they were entering the coffee shop. "Ms.Woodsen, what a coincidence! Are you here for coffee alone or waiting for someone?" asked Molly spitefully. She red at A, recalling the words she''d said to her thest time they met. She thought, ''¡¯This woman should be embarrassed to run into me in public! But of course, she''s shameless¡­¡± "I was just leaving," A said, flushing. She thought, ''¡¯Molly must be very happy now.I wonder if Toby is also doing well?¡± If so, that was enough for her, A decided. "Oh? Really?" drawled Molly, wrinkling her nose. "Are you about to go and meet some man? Or perhaps you already did." Smiling coldly at A, Molly took the arm of her mother, Miley, and guided her to a nearby seat. Miley turned to look at A''s receding figure as she left. "Molly, how did youe to know a woman like that?" she asked her daughter. "Mom, stop," Molly groaned as they sat down. "I have nothing but contempt for that bitch. Let''s not ruin the day by talking about her." Molly gestured for a waitress toe over so they could ce their orders. As long as Toby stayed with her, she wouldn''t give a damn about that bitch. He had been going to the vi every day to spend time with her recently. Well, what more could she ask for? Meanwhile, A headed for the nearest bus station. But instead of catching a ride, she just stayed in the station, feeling gloomy. It was a cloudy day, and soon, it began raining heavily. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. A brought out her cell phone and opened the contact list. There was only one number saved on her phone. She took a deep breath and thought, ¡®''I have to stop moping around.I need to face my circumstances as bravely as I can.¡± Before she could dial the number, the phone rang.It was Brian. As soon as she answered, she heard his furious voice on the other end of the line. "Where are you? Why aren''t you back yet?" "I...I''m at the bus station.I''m on my way back to the vi right now," she replied. A realized that she had been outside for much longer than she''d originally intended. But it still wasn''t enough. Even now, she wished she could stay out here just a bit longer, so she could breathe freely. The vi was ptial and luxurious, but she did not feel at home in that ce. It might resemble a castle, but to her, it was a prison.Inside, she waspletely at Brian''s mercy. "Which bus station?" Brian demanded. She told him. Soon, she caught sight of Brian''s car speeding towards her in the rain.It came to a stop beside her. Chapter 34: I Cant Say No Chapter 34: I Can''t Say No A sat in the car as Brian drove her back. Outside, the rain was getting heavier and heavier on their way to the vi. As soon as they pulled up the driveway, Maria came out with an umbre and greeted them, "Mr.rk, Mrs.rk, wee back." "Thank you for driving me home," A said as she walked alongside Brian into the house. "You can ask the driver to take you anywhere in the future," Brian replied. He went straight to the sofa in the living room and sat down. "No, thanks.I won''t go out again." There was clear disappointment and despair in A''s tone. "Are you sure? I thought you didn''t like it here." Brian didn''t even look at her as he spoke and his voice sounded cold. He could instantly tell what she was thinking, especially since A could never really hide her feelings.He knew exactly what she thought and wanted to say. "Mr.rk?" ¡®''What did he mean?¡¯'' she wondered. Could she finally get in and out of the estate freely? "As I said, as long as you know perfectly well what you should and shouldn''t do outside, you can go out as you please." After all, Brian could easily learn wherever she was with a phone call. With his permission, A went back to school. She even gave Brian her schedule even though she knew that he wouldn''t even read it. The driver, Lyle, picked her up every day. She would go to school whenever she had sses and would stay in the vi during her days off. She seldom went to the library now. She only went there whenever she needed to borrow some specific books and references. "Mrs.rk, dinner is ready." When Maria went upstairs, she saw A sitting in front of her desk and reading a book. Maria immediately thought, ''¡¯She''s such a good girl! I don''t understand why Mr.rk doesn''t like her? Why does he ignore her every time?¡± "Thank you, Maria.I''ll be right there." A turned off the light in her room and asked, "Won''t hee back tonight?" "Mr.rk is on a business trip," Maria replied. Apparently, Brian didn''t even inform her of his ns. "Okay." A sat alone at the table and looked at the empty seat that he would usually upy. Wasn''t it better to stay in the vi without him? Why was there a sense of emptiness in her heart? "Are you worried about Mr.rk?" Maria asked when she saw A lost in her thoughts. "Don''t worry.It''s usual for Mr.rk to go on long business trips.He''ll be with Miss Anna anyway.She will take good care of him." "Miss Anna is close to him, isn''t she?" While she wasn''t allowed to stay in his room and sleep beside him, Anna could do all of these and more. Once Brian was asleep, A must always head back to her room. She was different from Anna. She was nothing but a ything for him, while he treated Anna as his lover. Why was this causing pain in her heart? Did she have feelings for him? How was that possible? She was always so scared of him. "Mr.rk, it''s alreadyte.Are you still going back to the vi?" Anna gave Brian a curious look. At that point, they had been on a business trip for a week. But although they had been together every day, Maria would always call him to report about Ms.Woodsen. "You must be tired after spending so many days with me. Go home and have a good rest," Brian said calmly, stretching out his hand to smoothen her hair. "Okay, good night." Anna leaned over and kissed him on the lips. The ck car drove into the vi in the dark night. From the ground, Brian could clearly see a dim lighting from one of the rooms on the second floor. It waste. Why wasn''t she in bed? Standing at the door of her room, Brian looked at the woman who fell asleep on her desk. Her long hair looked soft under the gentle light. Her lithe figure was clothed in a powder pink nightdress. The style of the nightdress was old-fashioned, but she looked quite lovely in it. After noticing the open book in front of her, Brian took it away and examined the notes she left on it with a pen. Suddenly, A woke up and stared at the man beside her. "You...you''re back." "Were you waiting for me?" Brian put down her book.He knew that she seldom stayed up sote. "I didn''t know you woulde back today." A stood straight and looked at his tired face. "Well, I...You can go and get some rest now!" But instead of listening to her, Brian leisurely sat on the sofa and asked, "Are you driving me away? Or do you want me to stay?" A didn''t answer. She knew that he would be unhappy no matter what she said.And after seeing his exhausted expression, she decided that it was not a good idea to provoke him. "Why won''t you answer me?" Brian asked as he looked up at her. "This is your vi. I have no right to say anything." A felt a little annoyed. Why was he always pushing her around? He was so forceful. Sure, he had not done anything cruel recently and he did allow her to go back to school. But every time she was close to thinking well of him, he would always ruin any chances of her liking him. "I haven''t seen you in a few days and it seems like you''re beginning to be disobedient now." Brian then knocked on the table beside him. Immediately, A fetched a pitcher and poured him a ss of water.If he wanted a drink, he could just say so.Why was he being a jerk on purpose? "Bring me coffee." Brian didn''t even look at the water in front of him. "You can''t have coffee!" A took a look at the clock and saw that it was already past midnight. She wondered why he still wanted to drink coffee.Didn''t he want to sleep? This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "Are you ignoring my orders?" Brian reached for her hand and pulled her to sit on the sofa beside him. "Yes, it''s not a good idea to drink coffee at this hour." Although A had always been obedient, she wouldn''t follow him regarding this matter.She was only doing this for his own good. A smirk appeared on Brian''s lips. "Then what should we do now?" "It''s veryte." Recognizing the lustful look in his eyes, A immediately shrank backwards. "Well, what if I don''t want to go to sleep and I want you?" She instantly understood what he meant.She was his wife and she needed to fulfill her duty as a wife. A froze. "I can''t say no, can I?" But before she could wait for a response, he had already held her in his arms and pressed his body against hers. After having sex, A leaned weakly against the sofa while Brian was in the bathroom. As he stepped out of the shower, he was only wearing a robe and he looked seductive with his damp hair. She held her breath and gripped the thin nket tightly as he stared at her. "Don''t worry.I''ll eat the contraceptive pill," she said in a weak voice. He didn''t want a baby and neither did she. Besides, he would never allow her to carry his child. This was the one thing they both agreed on, and she never dared forget it. At school, A still felt pretty much alone. She didn''t hang around in the campus and would prefer to head home directly once sses were dismissed. But one day, just as she was walking out carrying a few books as usual, she saw Toby standing by the school gate. Pretending not to see him, A walked hurriedly towards the car on the other side. "L! L!" Toby immediately came over as soon as he noticed her. He heard that she had returned to school. Perhaps Brian had really kept his promise, but he had to confirm it with his own eyes. He grabbed her arm, but she immediately shook him off. "Toby, please don''t do this." "Are you hiding from me? Is it because of Brian? Has he forbidden you from talking to me?" Toby looked at her. Why was she hiding from him? They were not really in a rtionship now. Did she really need to avoid him? Chapter 35: She Lost The Right To Love Him Chapter 35: She Lost The Right To Love Him A didn''t mean to hide from Toby, but she thought that seeing him and talking to him waspletely unnecessary. Meeting him again only made her sad. She loved him so much that she couldn''t easily forget her feelings for him. It was unfortunate that he had to be with another woman. Besides, that other woman also cared for him very much. However, A had already lost the right to love him since she was Brian''s wife now. For so many years, she thought that he was the love of her life. Of course, it broke her heart to see him again this way. She wanted to forget, run away, and hide because there could be no future between them. "L, look at me! Why won''t you look at me?" Toby held her by the arms and shook her.Why was she avoiding him? Was it because of Brian or Molly? "Toby, don''t do this.Other people might misunderstand." A tried to struggle and protest, but she felt helpless against him. "Then tell me, how have you been these days? Why weren''t you answering your phone? Did you change your number?" Since Toby couldn''t get in touch with her, he had been feeling anxious and worried recently. Now he finally saw her in front of him, but she was trying to avoid him. This made him sad. "Toby, from now on, we can no longer talk or see each other.Just pretend that you never came back, okay? Can you do that?" It might have sounded like she had lost all her love for him, but the truth was that she felt like she could no longer love anyone. Perhaps if Molly weren''t around, she could continue to love Toby. Or if she only had her freedom, nothing would stand in the way of their rtionship. But at this moment, she had nothing.What right had she to love him? "Are you in love with him, L? That man is a devil.He will never love you!" Toby feared that she had already fallen in love with Brian. He knew that his feelings for her had never changed. But what about her? Had she given up so easily? Was she willing to spend the rest of her life with that man? Eternally humiliated and mistreated by him? A knew what kind of person Brian was. How could he love her? Brian wasn''t capable of loving anyone. He was a heartless man. And even if he could fall in love, he was not likely to fall for someone like her. "I know.I''ve always known that about him.But I still can''t see you.I just can''t! You have a fiancee now," A said as she stared at him with mncholic eyes. They had better not see each other again. This way, she wouldn''t miss him and be heartbroken anymore. She could''ve easily faced her future without worry. She was determined to brave each hardship alone. Besides, she wouldn''t want to ruin his shot at happiness. She knew what it was like to dream of family, friendship, and affection since childhood. Simrly, she had waited so many years for love and romance. But in the end, she came up with nothing. "You don''t want to see me because of Molly? Is this all because of her? Did she say something to you that day?" Toby had a feeling that Molly had said something bad to her that time. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have been in such a hurry to leave. He was certain that L had loved him ever since. If it weren''t for Molly, there wouldn''t be any obstacle between them. Even if Brian tried to get in their way, he couldn''t use his power to abuse L for the rest of her life. "It has nothing to do with Molly or Brian.Aren''t we much better apart? I have to go home now." A couldn''t risk going backte. "Do you have to go back to him? Do you know that he keeps many women around him?" Despite everything, Toby didn''t wish for A to feel like she was being cheated on. She had already suffered so much since she was a child.Must her future be difficult as well? "So what? It''s none of your business whether or not I see other women, right?" Both of them heard a maic voice from out of nowhere. A and Toby turned to look at the man standing a few steps away. ''Why did hee? What did he see? What did he hear?'' A was shocked. There was no telling what Brian was thinking based on his expressionless, handsome face. "Mr.rk, if you don''t want to care for L, stop mistreating her.Let her go.I can make her happy." Toby held A in his arms. Since he couldn''t be bothered with L, Brian should back off and leave her to him. "Mr.Brown, the woman you are holding is my wife, at least for now.Don''t you think you''re going a little too far?" It was just a sudden impulse that brought Brian to Melody Road. He never expected that he would encounter this spectacr scene. "But do you treat her as your wife? When you asked her to wash dishes in the club, did you treat her as your wife then? When you were hooking up with another woman, were you treating her as your wife?" Toby had often seen Brian with another woman in the club. Completely ignoring his words, Brian walked up to A and asked, "Can I trust you, Mrs.rk?" He had given her freedom to leave the house and go back to school. But it didn''t mean that she was free to meet up with Toby. A pushed Toby away and moved closer to Brian. "Will you believe me?" "Let''s go!" Brian put his arm around her waist and escorted her towards his parked car. Toby followed and asked, "L, are you really going with him?" "Toby, you should go back now! I''m fine.You''ve seen it for yourself." A smiled at him as she spoke. She wanted to let him know that she was fine without him. In the next couple of seconds, she was inside Brian''s car. She kept her gaze on the road and dared not look behind. Throughout the drive, she didn''t say a word, fearing that the man in the driver''s seat would get angry for no reason. "Are you upset? Is it because I came and prevented you from catching up with your ex-lover?" At this time, the couple had reached the vi. Brian stopped A just as she was about to head upstairs. "No.Nothing happened between me and him.You saw the whole thing, didn''t you?" A turned around and gave him a firm re. With his arms crossed over his chest, Brian slightly raised his eyes and said, "I hope that what happened today will be the first andst of its kind.If I catch you again with another man, the consequences would be dire.Do you understand?" He was threatening her again.But she had to listen to him, hadn''t she? "Don''t think that you can threaten me like this just because you have money and power!" A was so enraged that she had to retort. "Well, you can always evade my threats.If you have the guts, that is." Brian fished a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and lit one up, just as he was sitting down on the sofa. Meanwhile, A turned around and went upstairs. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Sitting before her desk, she propped her chin with her hands and looked out of the window. What was she doing just now? It was true that he saw her with Toby that afternoon. But Brian didn''t yell at her nor did he stop her from going out tomorrow. Why was she angry with him? After around ten minutes, she went downstairs and stood in a corner of the living room. "Mr.rk, I''m sorry.I didn''t mean what I said." "I don''t want to hear apologies.I''ll believe you''re sorry when I see it." Brian preferred action over words. A then took a deep breath and headed straight to the kitchen. When she came back, she was holding a cup of coffee, which she ced in front of Brian. "Are you doing this just because you want to keep your freedom or is it because you want to see your ex-lover again?" It seemed that Brian wouldn''t ept her peace offering. Chapter 36: Making Decisions About Lala Chapter 36: Making Decisions About L A 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 I can leave or not!" "Good," said Brian coldly. "You understand what your situation is." He was sure that A and Toby''s meeting at the school this afternoon had been the first time. After today, Toby probably wouldn''t be so tant anymore, even if he wanted to see her again. Meanwhile, Toby went to see Molly. She met him at the door of the vi. "You''re back! Where have you been? I called thepany 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 A''s rtionship. She preferred to pretend as though nothing had ever happened between them. "No, I just missed you," she said brightly. "I thought you might being 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 social engagements 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 outside after 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 out with 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 on his career." Turning to look at Toby, he said, "By the way, I know you''re in charge of most of thepany''s affairs now, and I don''t want to interfere.But don''t you think we''ve made too many concessions to Mr.rk, just to get him to cooperate with us?" Toby wasn''t surprised to hear the question. He had allowed thepany''s annual revenue to decrease for A''s sake. Hayden was still the leader of thepany, and when it came to business matters, he would prioritize his own interests ahead of any other concerns. "Hyde Group in general is not easy to deal with, and Mr.rk in particr is known to be difficult," Toby replied. "We must pay a steep price if we want this project, but if we do well, we stand to reap great benefits from this deal." Although Toby spoke calmly, he was not as confident as he seemed. But he needed to find an excuse that Hayden would ept. He was willing to make such a decision for L. He was worried that Brian would bully her again because of their meeting earlier this afternoon. He decided he needed to find 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 thepany as much as 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," chided Molly. She and Toby had decided to get married before the new year, and she was sure that grand preparations 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 aforting 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.Our marriage will be a sess, just like yours.Anyway, we will still live here after we get married, so I''m definitely 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''t like 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 dress and 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 inw did for thepany, but as a mother, she couldn''t help but notice that it was Molly who clung to him; Toby himself was more lukewarm towards her daughter. 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, A worried that Brian would curtail her freedom, but he didn''t set any additional limitations on her movements. She was still able to go to school.She arrived on time every day, and stayed as long as possible without rousing Brian''s suspicions, for she was eager to spend as much time as possible away from the vi. One evening, Maria walked into A''s bedroom and saw her poring over arge stack of books on her desk. "Mrs.rk, I just wanted to inform you that Mr.rk won''t being home today," she said. "Would you like to have dinner now?" "Sure, I''ll be right down," A 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 A was busy studying, Brian was in the entertainment club, seated in the private upstairs room of the establishment. Jaime sat across him. He asked, "Mr.rk, do you really think you''re going to see her here?" "Well, hasn''t shee yet?" Brian asked, looking downstairs through the French window. "She wille.She oftenes recently," Jaime replied. That bit of information frightened Jaime, who couldn''t believe that Arlene the same girl who had been dancing in the club and hooking up with different men every night was the real beloved daughter of the Woodsen family. A, as it turned out, was only a substitute. She had been adopted long ago by yton''s wife. Unfortunately, the wife had passed away soon after the adoption was finalized, but before her death she made yton promise to keep the child. A had been raised as a second daughter of the Woodsen family. Brian had suspected for a while now that the woman in his vi was not Arlene. By all ounts, Arlene was a wanton and experienced woman who loved partying and knew how to please men. A, on the other hand, clearly had no idea how to make men happy. He''d learned that A was a substitute as soon as he started investigating, but it took him a little longer to discover where to find the real Arlene.Now that he knew the truth, of course he wanted to meet the real daughter of the Woodsen family. "Mr.rk, once you confirm the truth about Arlene, will you let A leave?" Jaime asked. He thought that if A was just an innocent substitute, then she should not be punished for what her family 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. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. He had already decided to keep A. She was so stubborn that he wanted to show her she couldn''t escape him. "Mr.rk, 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 feelings for 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 being Miss 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.rk, Miss Lene hase," said the manager of the club in a deferential tone. "Jaime, go to her and convince her toe up here," Brian ordered. He put down his ss and went to stand in front of the French window, gesturing for the manager to point 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 be Brian''s bride back then, all of them would have disagreed to the marriage. Jaime went down and spoke to Arlene, and she quickly agreed toe with him to the private room upstairs. "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" Chapter 37: Cant Escape From His Control Chapter 37: Can''t Escape From His Control Arlene looked at the man sitting in the middle, and he immediately attracted her attention. His handsome face and unruly temperament made her red lips curved into a charming smile. "Sir, are you looking for me?" she asked. As she spoke, her fair arms clung to his arm. "Miss Arlene Woodsen?" His voice was so cold that Arlene felt like she froze for a moment. Her brows furrowed, wondering how did this man know her real name. She had always used the name Lene everywhere. Even when she went abroad and went back, she had used the same name. If this man knew who she was, it meant that he had investigated her. But she didn''t want to confirm her real identity to him. "Sir, my name is Lene." She smiled seductively and leaned over to him. "Really? Your father mustn''t have told you who I am." Brian pushed Arlene away. His sharp and deep-set eyes red at her as if he could already see through her. "Who...who are you?" she couldn''t help asking. She had never been a curious person, but this time, he aroused the spirit of inquiry in her. "Miss Woodsen, let me tell you this.Your father helped you escape from my control and let your so- called sister be your substitute.Have you been living afortable and contented life since then? Enjoying your freedom? I heard that youe here almost every day.Should I thank you?" Brian said coldly without taking his gaze away from her. He noticed that the expression on her beautiful face slightly changed. Was it fear? Back then, was she so scared of him that she let someone rece her? She must be very happy after that. "You...you are Mr.rk?" Arlene''s face turned deathly pale, and she leaned against the sofa feebly. For a moment, she was too shocked to move. She knew that Brian was so powerful, so she thought that he was a bad old man. It never urred to her that he was young, handsome, and so mature. If she had known, she would never have refused to take the crown as Mrs.rk. "So you know me.That''s good then.You must also know why I''ve asked you toe here, right?" Brian looked at her carefully, studying her features. Indeed, she looked a lot like yton. She was like the female version of him. While A, on the other hand, didn''t have even the slightest simrity to him. "I...actually don''t know." If he had really investigated her, Arlene didn''t think that he asked her toe here to make her his legitimate wife. "You don''t know? I''ll tell you then.Since you are the real daughter of the Woodsen family, it is your responsibility to pay off your father''s debt using your body," Brian exined clearly, looking straight into her eyes. "Me? Why me? That bitch A is already your wife, isn''t she? Can''t she satisfy you, Mr.rk? Well, I must not be surprised.That woman has always been lifeless since she was a child." Arlene snorted coldly when she suddenly remembered her mother. She had always believed that A was a jinx. If her mother didn''t adopt A and bring her back to their home, her mother wouldn''t have died of illness. Brian''s and Jaime''s expressions changed upon hearing what she said. It turned out that A was the humblest in the Woodsen family, so they sent her to Brian and made her suffer all his humiliation. If he hadn''t investigated, would she take Arlene''s identity for the rest of her life? "Miss Woodsen, no, maybe I should just call you Lene.Do you think I will need a woman like you?" Brian walked up to her and added coldly, "All I need is for you to pay back the money the Woodsen family owes me." "Mr.rk, let me be honest with you.I don''t know how to make money.But if you don''t mind, I''ll serve you well tonight.I''m sure you will be satisfied.What do you think?" Arlene caressed his handsome face flirtatiously. "I don''t need your service.But the guests whoe here every night will definitely need it," he said coldly, shaking her hand off. "You want me to be a bar girl?" Arlene asked incredulously. Of course, she didn''t want to. Although she flirted with different men, not any man could just touch her casually. "At least you''re smart enough to know." Brian hated being deceived and fooled the most. But yton, Arlene, and A conspired to do such things to him. "No way!" Arlene used A as her substitute before because she didn''t want to lose her freedom. And now that she was involved again, what would happen to her? She needed to be free to enjoy her time, her youth, and everything she had. "Well, it''s not up to you." Brian sat down on the sofa and looked at Arlene. He didn''t only want to keep her, but he also wouldn''t let A go.The Woodsen family caused this to happen. He didn''t do anything wrong, so they couldn''t me him. He was a man who could do everything he wished and could get everything he wanted, by all means, be it unscrupulous. "No, I won''t do it! Mr.rk, if my father owes you money, go to him and ask him to pay you." Arlene would never agree to be a lowly bar girl. She had high ambitions in life. Her main goal was to find a rich man she liked and live a luxurious life. Not to stay in this bar and let any random man touch her. After all, she believed in her own charm. "Do you think I will let go of you so easily?" Brian had already known that she would refuse. But for a man like him, it was impossible for her to escape. If she was able to enter this ce so easily, then she would find it difficult to go out. Arlene turned around and ran to the door. But when she opened it, two burly figures stood in front of her. She turned to Brian and snapped, "Mr.rk, what is the meaning of this? You have to let me go.A can also do what you want.I''m sure she can make a lot of money for you." It was only then that she realized that she had offended him. He might be good-looking on the outside, but she knew that he was not a good man. He was someone she could not afford to offend, let alone resist. "She is my wife now, so I can do whatever I want to her.But you are different.You are the real daughter of the Woodsen family.No one is more responsible to pay for yton''s debt than you." As he looked down at Arlene, who was now kneeling in front of him and begging for mercy, Brian''s heart didn''t soften a bit. For him, she didn''t deserve to be pitied at all. Right now, she was wearing designer clothes, and she looked charming and enchanting. But although he was a normal man, he felt nothing but disdain towards her. "Mr.rk, please, don''t give me to them.I don''t want them to touch me." As she spoke, Arlene nced at the two men walking towards her. Their wretched faces and the obscene look in their eyes gave her goose bumps. She couldn''t let these men insult her. "Then you''d better stay here quietly.Before you dare to escape, think about it a million times.I assure you, the consequences are unimaginable." Brian then stood up from the sofa and kicked her away rudely. Arlene couldn''t do anything but just watch Brian''s back dejectedly. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Was there really no way for her to escape? She didn''t want to be rotten in this ce and be bullied by men all the time. As the real daughter of the Woodsen family, she had a noble bloodline. Although their family was now suffering from huge losses, it wouldn''t change that fact.She was not like A, who was so humble and easy to bully.Looking at Arlene, Jaime suddenly felt sorry for A. It turned out that she was not pretending.She was really innocent "Why are you looking at me like that?" Arlene asked. She stood up and walked in front of Jaime. "Do you like me? How about you being my first guest then?" At least, the man in front of her was able to attract her attention. He was also handsome and elegant. But of course, since he worked for Brian, he must be a bad guy too. However, at this moment, she didn''t care whether he was a good man or a bad man. As long as he was rich, powerful, and handsome, she would not refuse. She was even willing to take the initiative. "Bitch!" Jaime shook her hand off, turned around, and walked out of the room. In the vi, A dragged her exhausted body downstairs. The living room was dark and quiet. In such a big vi like this, she always felt empty and lonely. Brian didn''te home often, and she also didn''t ask. He only came back whenever he wanted. She pressed a button on the wall with her slender and fair finger, and the whole living room turned bright. But she was utterly shocked, and she froze when she saw a figure on the sofa. Chapter 38: He Doesnt Want A Baby Chapter 38: He Doesn''t Want A Baby "Do you want to hide after seeing me?" From the corner of his eye, Brian saw that A turned around and was about to leave.A turned around again. "No.I just don''t want to drink water all of a sudden." If she had known that he was downstairs, she wouldn''t get out even of her room. She didn''t want to see him after all. His return meant that he wanted to have sex with her again. The pain that she felt every time they did it had already scared her. "Come here," Brianmanded emotionlessly. "Mr.rk, do you need anything?" It was sote, and there were no servants in the main vi at this hour, so she should be the one to serve him. "Are you really used to being ordered to do things?" Brian couldn''t help wondering what kind of treatment she had received from the Woodsen family that she had be so obedient. She could have refused to be Arlene''s substitute, but she did not. She agreed to marry him and suffered without anyints. A gripped the corner of her shirt tightly.Did she do something to annoy him? "Yes, Mr.rk.So I would rather you treat me as a servant." With the way Brian was treating her, she thought that it was better to be a servant. She didn''t mind doing theundry, cooking meals, and cleaning the entire vi as long as she could live her life in peace, and she had freedom. "Why? Is something wrong? I think you''ve been living a good life in the past few days.Have you already gotten impatient?" He didn''t like her stubbornness, provocation, modest concession, and submission. "Although the Woodsen family has sold me to you, I still want my freedom.Can I have it back from tomorrow onwards?" If Brian didn''t say those words just now, she wouldn''t have the courage to tell him how she felt. He would get angry at her for sure. But she''d better tell him directly than let him find out by himself. "I want to go to work starting tomorrow.I can just give you my schedule once I know my working time," A said in one breath after plucking up all her courage. But as she spoke, she never dared to look at his eyes in fear that his sharp gaze would interrupt her. She had given all her savings to Arlene, so she had to start working again. Otherwise, she would be so penniless in the future that she wouldn''t even afford a bus fare. "You''ve decided to go to work before telling me? I was only away for a few days, and you''ve already learned to make decisions on your own?" Actually, Brian didn''t have any objections at all. After knowing that she was A and not Arlene, he wanted her to do whatever she liked. A shook her head. "No, it''s not like that.I''m not making decisions on my own.I just think that I also need to do something." She didn''t want to be a parasite, let alone to him. And he could abandon her at any time, so she could only rely on herself. "Well, as long as you behave yourself, I can give you freedom." Brian pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her slender waist. She could actually just be his wife and do nothing. He could give her everything. There was no need for her to go to school, work, or show up in public. However, she was different, so he didn''t want to stop her. But she must still be his woman. "I know." A nodded.She knew that she should never cross the line because she was under his control.She lived in his house, so she had no choice. Brian stubbed out the cigarette in his hand and held her in his arms.His sudden intimacy made her whole body stiffened. "You seem so scared every time I hold you.Is he the only one who doesn''t frighten you?" He might not be aware of it, but his words were full of jealousy. A didn''t want to waste her time exining. He wouldn''t listen to her anyway. Besides, she couldn''t refuse him if he wanted to have sex with her. "Well, tell me, how did he treat you?" Seeing that she remained silent, he leaned much closer to her. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "Not here, please." Although she knew that there were only the two of them in the vi, she still didn''t feelfortable having sex with him on the sofa in the living room. Brian hooked his long arm around her neck. "Do you want to pick a ce?" His sneer made her tremble all over. "No, I don''t.And even if I say so, you won''t agree anyway." She lowered her head, not wanting to meet his eyes. "It''s good that you know." Brian continued to approach her wantonly until she was pinned on the sofa, leaving her no space to step back. About an hourter, A weakly dragged her sore body upstairs. He followed behind and stood at the door, watching her take out a piece of medicine from the drawer and eat it. "Don''t stare at me like that.I don''t want to give birth to your child at all," she said. He was a devil, and she didn''t want her future child to be like him. Seeing the disdain in her eyes made Brian wonder how much resentment and hatred she had towards him. "Whether I want to have a child with you or not is not up for you to decide.But don''t worry, I don''t want a child either." He had experienced something before that he didn''t want to experience again. And it made his heart as hard as a stone that he didn''t know how to love or care about anyone or anything anymore. It was unlikely for him to have a child. "I understand." A was not as cruel as him. No matter how unwilling she was, she could never be ruthless. Brian frowned when his gaze swept over the stack of books on the desk. He thought inwardly, ¡®''This woman has the energy to study and work, but she has no energy to please me" The next morning, A woke up and went downstairs, but didn''t see Brian anywhere. Maria came to her room and brought her breakfast. "Mrs.rk, breakfast is ready." "Where is Mr.rk?" she asked at once. Brian always got up early, so she thought that he should be downstairs at this time. "Mr.rk left early today," Maria replied while putting the tray with a bowl of porridge and other dishes on the table. A was a little surprised. He came back sotest night, but he went out so early today. Didn''t he get tired? Maybe she really couldn''t bepared to him. "Mrs.rk, Mr.rk is always busy with his work.He can sleep for only a few hours a day.Don''t worry.You will get used to it," Maria said when she saw the worry in A''s eyes. Later that day, aftering out of her school, A took out a business card from her pocket. It was her new part-time job. She would be working as a photography assistant in a wedding photography studio. This kind of part-time job paid better than working as a waitress or dishwasher in a restaurant. "Hi! Are you A? Come here." The manager of the studio weed her enthusiastically. He seemed to be full of energy. He even gave her a tour of the studio and told her some basic information about it. She had the same work experience before, so she got familiar with her tasks quickly. After A''s shift, the manager said to her, "A, you did well today.You impressed me on your first day.By the way, we have a VIP customering this weekend.I need you to work the whole day on Saturday, okay?" The manager checked his schedule, and this Saturday was the most important day. He couldn''t afford to offend the Smith Group. As a matter of fact, he had guaranteed them the best service, so he wanted to give them the most satisfying sets of pre -wedding photos. A had no objection at all. She didn''t have sses on weekends anyway. Chapter 39: Deliberately Making Things Difficult For Her Chapter 39: Deliberately Making Things Difficult For Her Saturday came. A woke up early, took a shower, and changed into a set of simple casual clothes. She also tied her hair into a ponytail and didn''t put on any makeup. "Mrs.rk, are you going out? Today is Saturday," Maria asked upon seeing her downstairs. A didn''t have sses on weekends, so she usually slept until she would naturally wake up. "Maria, I have work today, remember? My manager said a VIP customer has booked us today, so as the assistant, I have to be there," A replied with a smile. Unlike other people, she didn''t look troubled or unhappy despite having to work on a weekend. "Oh, yes, now I remember.But you must eat something before you go.Wait a moment." Maria then went to the kitchen, heated up the milk, and made a cheeseburger for A. "Thank you, Maria," A said as she took the ss of milk and the cheeseburger from Maria. She drank up the milk and put the ss down on the table. "I''mte.I''ll just eat this in the car," she said, referring to the cheeseburger in her hand. While in the car, A ate her cheeseburger bit by bit. It was a good thing that Maria was thoughtful enough to give her something to eat. Her manager told her that they would be busy all day today, so she couldn''t go to work with an empty stomach. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have the strength to run around taking photos. "Mrs.rk, water." Lyle, Brian''s driver, handed her a bottle of water. "Thank you, Lyle." She took the bottle of imported mineral water, looked at it, and held it tightly in her hand. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. For her, it was such a luxury. "That''s Mr.rk''s favorite mineral water, so I always keep a few bottles in the car," Lyle exined when he noticed her hesitation and reluctance. A nodded and looked at the bottle in her hand again. It turned out that he had a favorite brand of drinking water too. She thought that he only liked drinking strong ck coffee. Meanwhile, standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling French window, Toby seemed preupied. He had a responsibility, and he had to face it. There was no escape from it anymore. Hayden had announced at the anniversary banquet that Toby was getting married to Molly and now was the right time. "Toby, are you okay? What are you thinking about? Hurry, change your clothes now.We have to go.We can''t bete," Molly said while taking out a set of casual clothes for him. Today was their appointment for their pre-wedding photo shoot, so they had to be at the wedding photography studio at this time. When the car pulled over in front of the studio, A thanked Lyle and jumped out. "Hi, A," Alice Jefferson, one of the staff, greeted A while looking at the car outside. She was actually surprised to see A getting out of a luxury car. "Hello, Alice," A greeted back. "Am Ite?" She looked at the manager walking towards them. Alice''s eyes were still fixed on the car. A had already expected that her coworkers would wonder why a mere assistant photographer like her would ride a luxury car. But she couldn''t do anything about it. If she didn''t allow Lyle to drive her to work, she was afraid that Brian would be unhappy. As much as possible, she didn''t want to do something that might annoy him. "No, you''re notte yet.Is the car outside yours?" Alice said after a while. "Nope.Someone just gave me a free ride." A''s reason might soundme, but it was indeed true that the car was nothers. However, she couldn''t tell Alice anything about her situation. At this moment, the manager was already in front of them. "Ladies, get ready.Mr.and Mrs.Brown will be here soon." Toby and Molly arrived at the studio at ten o''clock. "Toby, let''s go inside.This wedding photography studio is the best," Molly said with a hint of excitement in her eyes. "As long as you like it, I''m okay with it." Toby had never objected to any decision that Molly made. "No.Not because I like it, you will be okay with it.You should like it yourself too." Molly wanted them to have mutual feelings in everything. The two of them walked inside the studio, arm in arm. As soon as the manager saw them, he immediately weed them with a friendly smile. "Mr.Brown, Mrs.Brown, you''re here.This way, please." When they were both seated on the sofa, A brought two cups of tea at once. "Sir, ma''am, have some tea first." Toby seemed to hear a familiar voice, so he raised his head and looked at the woman in front of him. And he was surprised to see the woman he had been wanting to see every day. "L? What are you doing here?" He noticed that she was wearing the staff''s uniform of the studio. Was she working here? Shouldn''t she be with Brian? She should either be at school or in the rk family''s vi at this moment. "Toby?" A''s whole body froze as a trace of surprise was also written all over her face. She didn''t expect that the VIP customer her manager was talking about was Toby. He and Molly were getting married, so naturally, they needed to have a pre-wedding photoshoot. But why did her heart seem to ache at the thought of it? Molly also saw A, and she couldn''t help but secretly give a snort of disgust. Of all people, why did they have to meet A here? And seeing how Toby stared at A, she got furious at once. "A? What a coincidence! I didn''t expect that you work here." She clung to Toby''s arm, raised her head, and red at A. Indeed, it was a coincidence. But A didn''t like it at all. Yes, she couldn''t forget Toby, and she had been wanting to see him again. But she didn''t intend to meet him in this kind of situation. Molly didn''t want to give Toby and A a chance to talk to each other, so she asked A to apany her to choose a wedding dress for the photo shoot. "What do you think of this one?" she casually asked, showing A a white wedding dress. A shook her head. "Miss Smith, this one is..." "Please call me Mrs.Brown," Molly corrected her, throwing the wedding dress away. "Okay, Mrs.Brown." A was just a mere assistant while Molly was a VIP customer. She had to be extra courteous in front of her. "That''s better.Then what kind of wedding dress do you think will Toby like me to wear? You choose one for me." Molly looked at her. "You are very much familiar with him, aren''t you? You know him well." A didn''t say anything. She quietly walked to another wardrobe and took out a bright red handmade strapless wedding dress from the hanger. "Miss...Mrs.Brown, you have snow-white skin, so I think red suits you well.This will look good on you." She chose the wedding dress for Molly. Toby once told her that he loved seeing her wearing red. He even told her that he would give her a red wedding dress in the future. His words still lingered in her mind. However, things had changed between them. They had to separate. She had to marry Brian while he had to marry Molly. "Oh, really? But I think this one is too bright and old fashioned.I still prefer white." Molly disgustedly shook off the wedding dress that A handed to her. Actually, she found the red wedding dress lovely too. But since A chose it for her, she pretended not to like it. Of course, A knew that Molly deliberately refused what she chose. Although she didn''t know what kind of wedding dress Molly liked, she believed in her own taste. It had been a long time, but Molly had not decided what to wear yet. She declined all the wedding dresses that A rmended to her. Toby ran out of patience, and he couldn''t wait any longer in the lounge, so he went to the second floor where the collection of wedding dresses was. And his eyes widened in shock when he saw so many wedding dresses scattered on the floor. "No! I don''t like that.Don''t you have good taste? I don''t understand why this shop has hired you.You don''t even know how to choose what wedding dress suits your client.Call someone else to serve me here.I don''t want you anymore!" Molly yelled. Toby witnessed and heard everything. "Such an ignorant woman!" She arrogantly stepped on the wedding dress that A was about to pick up. "Molly..." Toby called out her name, trying to hold back his anger. How could she treat A like this? As soon as Molly heard his voice, she immediately put on a smile and turned to him. "Toby, why are you here?" She couldn''t help feeling nervous. Actually, she wanted to ask how long he had been there. How much did he see and hear? However, he didn''t answer her question. Instead, he asked, "What''s wrong? Don''t you like any of these wedding dresses? Do you want me to choose for you?" He was talking to her, but as he spoke, his gaze was fixed on A. Without waiting for Molly to respond, Toby took the initiative to help A out. He knew that Molly was giving A a hard time purposely, and A had to bear it. It made him feel sorry for her. Chapter 40: You Are His Legitimate Wife Chapter 40: You Are His Legitimate Wife When Molly heard that Toby was going to help her choose a wedding dress, her smile deepened. She held her head up high and looked at A arrogantly. It was as if she was showing off to the other woman that he belonged to her, and A was just an assistant who would be responsible for their pre-wedding photos. She never thought that he was doing it to help A. A saw how Molly held Toby''s arm intimately while checking the wedding dresses one by one. It hurt her, and she wanted to stay away from them. But she had no other choice. For the sake of her job, she had to stay and endure watching the scene in front of her. "Molly, how about this one?" Toby took a red wedding dress and showed it to Molly. It was the same red wedding dress that A chose first. Molly''s expression turned gloomy at once. A and Toby seemed to have a tacit understanding. Did they already talk about their wedding before? This thought made her change her mind, although she also liked the red one. "No, I don''t like that! Didn''t you say I''m the purest? Then I should be wearing a white wedding dress." From now on, she hated the red wedding dress. It seemed that Toby and A both loved this color. Feeling helpless, Toby paused and turned to look at A. However, she had lowered her head all the time, so she didn''t see him looking at her. Still holding Toby''s hand, Molly pulled him forward in front of one wedding dress. "How about this one?" Her voice sounded so sweet. "Well, it''s beautiful," Toby replied with a nod without even looking at it carefully. Finally, Molly had chosen a wedding dress for herself, so A apanied her to the dressing room. Molly took off her clothes casually as if A was not watching her. She actually did it to deliberately show the hickeys on her body to A. Of course, A would immediately understand that it was Toby who left those marks on her skin. "Toby loves me so much that he likes leaving his marks on my body.He said that my body only belongs to him as I am also exclusively his," she said to A on purpose. A wanted to pretend that she didn''t hear anything. But when she raised her eyes and saw those clear marks of love on Molly''s body, her heart ached so much that her whole body stiffened. But she also scolded herself for feeling that way. Toby and Molly were already a couple, so whatever happened to them had nothing to do with her anymore. Seeing that A was standing there in a daze, Molly mocked, "Does it break your heart? I bet Toby hasn''t done anything like this to you before." She smiled smugly at A. "Well, you are his legitimate wife now.Does it still matter what he has done to me before? Do you really care?" A said with a faint smile while zipping up Molly''s wedding dress. "You''re just a part of his past.Whatever he has done to you then is none of my business anymore.But you''d better stop pestering him from now on.If I find out that you are seeing him, I will definitely teach you a lesson." After saying those words, Molly stomped off the dressing room. Toby''s gaze passed Molly and fell on A, who still had a smile on her sweet small face. "Toby, how is it? Do you think I look beautiful in this one?" He only came back to his senses when he felt that Molly tugged his sleeve. ''Would he keep ignoring me like this every time A is in front of him?'' she thought unhappily. "Yes, you look very beautiful," he replied with a nod. "Actually, I''m still not satisfied with it.Can I try another one?" Molly didn''t like having A standing beside them all the time, so she deliberately wanted to give Aahardtime. She tried the wedding dresses one by one, and every time she changed in the dressing room, she would sneer at A and mock her. However, A seemed not affected at all. She just smiled as if she didn''t hear anything that Molly said. No matter how arrogant Molly was to her, Molly was still a VIP customer. So she couldn''tin even though she knew that the other woman was deliberately being so picky. Finally, the fitting of the wedding dresses came to an end. It was already almost noon when they started the photo shoot outdoors. A patiently assisted Molly all the time. She helped Molly retouch her makeup and gave Molly a ss of water to drink. She didn''t mind even if she turned into Molly''s personal assistant instead of an assistant photographer of the studio. Toby wanted to say something. But after hesitating for a while, he decided to just shut his mouth. He knew that Molly was deliberately making things difficult for A. But if he tried to stop her, he knew that she would only continue giving A a hard time. "Why is this so hot? Do you want to scald my tongue and mouth with it?" Molly snapped as she returned the cup of hot water that A handed to her. "But Mrs.Brown, you said that you want to drink hot water." A only gave Molly what she wanted, but she looked so disgusted with it. "I don''t want to drink this anymore.Take this away!" Molly shoved the cup to A forcefully, so the hot water spilled on the back of A''s hand. A hissed in pain and withdrew her hand at once.Toby immediately stood up and ran to her side. "L, you''re hurt.I''ll take you to the hospital." She shook her head and withdrew her hand that he was about to hold. "I''m fine.It''s nothing serious." But deep inside her, she was really hurt. She just had to clench her teeth to endure the pain. The manager of the studio also ran over to her when he saw the situation. "What happened? A, is your hand scalded?" "I''m fine, manager.I''ll just wash it with water." A then turned around and left. Toby was about to follow her, but Molly stopped him. "If you follow her, I will make you lose everything.Believe me." She couldn''t allow him to chase after A. Yes, she hurt A on purpose, and she didn''t regret it. After all, A had always been seducing him. As soon as A walked into the bathroom, she opened the faucet and let the running cold water pour into her hand. Alice, who followed her, asked, "A, are you okay? Oh my, I think that''s a serious burn that has to be treated.There''s a hospital nearby.Let me take you there." This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Alice didn''t like Molly either. For her, Molly had gone too far. Just because she was rich, she was so rude and arrogant. A didn''t refuse Alice''s offer anymore. The doctor immediately applied some medicine on her scald and wrapped it with gauze. Then they returned to the shooting location to continue assisting on the photo shoot. When Toby saw her bandaged hand, he was so worried that he wanted to approach her. However, Molly held his arm tightly. "Do you want to go and check on her?" Molly was afraid that Toby would hold a grudge against her for what she did just now, so she took the initiative to urge him and walk towards A. "A, I''m sorry.I didn''t mean it," she apologized. Toby gave her a surprised nce before he looked at A. "Don''t force yourself to apologize if you really don''t want to," A said with a sneer. Thest thing she needed was Molly''s hypocrisy. "Hey, what''s wrong with you? I''m already apologizing.What else do you want?" Molly sounded aggrieved. But she thought inwardly, ''Bitch!'' If it weren''t for Toby, she would never apologize to A. She did it only to please him. A didn''t say a word and just looked at them embracing each other so intimately. What did she want? She actually didn''t want anything from them. Obviously, Molly had been targeting her. So she didn''t want to say anything more. She only wanted to do her job well. It was lunchtime, so Molly invited them to a high-end restaurant nearby. A had no choice but to go with them since all the staff were invited. However, she made sure that she sat very far away from the couple. Because of the bandage in her hand, she found it difficult to hold her chopsticks. Toby, who had been observing her all the time, noticed it, so he called a waiter. "Give thedy over there a spoon," he said, pointing in her direction. Molly''s face darkened upon hearing his words. Why was he so concerned about A? He had never been this considerate to her.A shook her head. "Thanks, but no need.The chopsticks are fine.I can manage." She didn''t hesitate to refuse his kindness. Molly secretly red at A and thought, ¡®''You''d better be.If you dare ept his offer, I swear, I won''t let you go" The dishes on their table were all mouthwatering, but A barely ate anything. Seeing the care in Toby''s eyes and the fierceness in Molly''s eyes made her lose her appetite no matter how hungry she was. Chapter 41: He Felt Sorry For Her Chapter 41: He Felt Sorry For Her In the afternoon, everyone of the studio was still busy with the photo shoot. A was injured, but she did her best to assist the photographer. However, Molly seemed so determined to make things difficult for her. She had so manyints regarding the setup, the background, and everything. Even the photographer felt that she was making nonsensical objections and inappropriate changes. But what could they do? After all, she was a VIP customer. Toby didn''t try to approach A again too. But he would asionally stop Molly from throwing tantrums. He knew that he would only make things worse if he said something to stand up for A. Molly took time choosing her wedding dress in the morning, and she made a lot of changes during the photo shoot, so they had not finished the outdoor shots on time. It was alreadyte in the afternoon, but they had only done half of it. "Toby, I''m so tired now.Can we just continue the shoot tomorrow? Anyway, our schedules are both free, right?" Molly held Toby''s arm intimately, acting like a spoiled brat in front of him. - Toby couldn''t help ncing at A, who didn''t look well at all.He knew that she was the most tired today, but he couldn''t do anything for her. "Okay, let''s call it a day." He nodded in agreement. "You! I don''t want to see your face tomorrow.Don''te here," Molly suddenly said, ring at A. "Molly?" Toby looked at her in surprise. He didn''t expect that she would say such a thing. She already made things difficult for A the whole day.Was she not satisfied with it? Was she going to make A lose her job? "Oh, Toby, do you feel sorry for her? You don''t want her to lose her job, do you?" Molly turned to look at him. He didn''t even hesitate to show that he still cared for A. Did he really have to be so partial in front of other people? Molly thought that all A could do was make herself lock weak and delicate in front of men. That bitch was just pretending to be pitiful. Toby couldn''t retort. Indeed, he felt sorry for A. But how could he admit it in front of Molly? Things had changed between them. Now, he couldn''t protect A just like what he did to her when they were younger. "Don''t worry.I''m just asking her not toe tomorrow, not to resign.Don''t be so nervous.She won''t lose her job." Everyone knew that Molly''s words had a great impact on A''s life and career. Before A clocked out, the manager told her that she didn''t have toe to work tomorrow. But the rest of her schedule remained the same. Touching her bandaged hand, she thought that it was also a good idea. Actually, although the scald on her hand hurt, the pain in her heart was more intense. The pain was tearing her heart apart, and she felt like it was too difficult to breathe. The moment Lyle saw Aing out of the studio, he immediately opened the car door for her. "Mrs.rk, are you okay?" he asked, looking at her bandaged hand. A nodded. "I''m fine.Sorry for making you wait for so long today." "It''s okay.I''ve already called Mr.rk and told him about it," Lyle replied with a smile. He then started the car and drove back to the vi.Just as he parked the car in the garage, Brian''s car also came in. "Mr.rk..." Lyle greeted him.Then he looked at the back seat. "Mrs.rk has fallen asleep." Brian opened the car door and looked at A, who was sleeping soundly. His thick brows furrowed when he noticed the bandage on her hand. With a frown, he carried her in his arms and took her inside the vi. Perhaps A felt the warmth of his embrace. She nestled in his arms and changed into a morefortable position. Brian looked down and stared at her sleeping face. If this was in the past, he would have thrown her away and ignored her. But now, he was reluctant to treat her like that. There was something in his heart that told him not to let her go. "Mr.rk, you''re back." Maria immediately walked up to him and smiled when she saw A in his arms. Brian put A down on the sofa. But as soon as her back hit the soft fabric, she opened her eyes. And she was stunned to see his handsome face so close to hers. "You...I..." she stammered. She then abruptly sat up and pushed him away. "Why are you so scared to see me? If I have known it earlier, I should have let you sleep in the car." Brian got angry upon seeing her reaction. "I didn''t mean to fall asleep in the car." It was only then that A realized that she had fallen asleep while Lyle was driving home.Did Brian carry her in? "What happened to your hand?" he asked indifferently, looking at her hand coldly. She hid her hand and said, "It''s nothing.I''m fine." Seeing her bandaged hand and the exhaustion on her face, he didn''t believe her words at all. "If you don''t tell me, don''t think of going to work from now on." It was Brian''s way of forcing her to speak. A took the cup of warm water that Maria handed to her and took a big gulp. She didn''t have time to drink water or rest today, so she felt so thirsty. "Mr.rk, shall I set the table for dinner now?" Maria asked as her gaze swept over Brian and A. And she was worried to see the tiredness on A''s face. Brian nodded and urged A to walk with him to the dining room. Maria had already put all the dishes she cooked on the table quickly before Brian and A sat down. When A picked up the chopsticks, she felt a sharp pang in her hand, so she dropped them to the floor. "Maria, give her a spoon," Brian ordered without raising his head. He just continued eating the food in front of him. A took the spoon and ate with her left hand awkwardly. "I met Mr.Brown and his wife in the studio today." She wanted to put an end to all these things, so she decided to tell him honestly. It was only then that Brian finally raised his head and looked at her. "They booked a pre-wedding photo shoot in our studio today." She didn''t expect that she could say it so lightly. "We haven''t finished today, so they have toe back tomorrow to continue it.But I don''t need to be there tomorrow." A didn''t feel bad about it anymore. After all, she didn''t want to see Molly again, hear her sneers, and see how she clung to Toby''s arm like a leech. Besides, it was she who rejected Toby before, right? If she didn''t refuse him, some things would have been different. After dinner, A went to her bedroom, took a shower, andy in bed. She had a long day, and she felt so tired that she immediately fell asleep. She had totally forgotten that Brian was home today. Brian had just finished his work, so he walked out of his study. When he passed by A''s room, he noticed that the door was ajar, so he pushed it open and entered. She was sleeping like a log, so he was free to stare at her and study her features. She was obviously worn out the whole day. For the sake of her work, did she really think that no matter how tired she was, it was still worth it? ? Then he suddenly thought of Toby. When she told him earlier that she met him in the studio, he felt very ufortable. The next second, he pulled the thin quilt away from her, and the gust of cold wind woke her up. "You..." Through the dim light on the bedside table, A caught a glimpse of Brian''s handsome face. But there seemed to be gloom in his eyes. She subconsciously looked down and found out that her nightdress had slipped up, revealing the lower part of her body. She immediately pulled it down and grabbed the quilt. But it had already been thrown to the floor. "You seem to forget something today." Brian grabbed her slender arm. She was so tired that she forgot. When he was at home, she had to serve him well before going back to her room. She pressed her lips tightly. "I''m sorry." But did he really need to wake her up in the middle of the night just because of it? Couldn''t he endure it even for one night? Brian didn''t want to hear her apology. The next moment, his tall body covered her. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. It was just a kind of physiological instinct. And every time he did it to her, A could only feel pain, no pleasure at all. She suddenly remembered everything that Molly said to her today in the dressing room.Molly was so proud of having sex with Toby she enjoyed it very much. However, what about A? Brian tore off her nightdress. And when his hands touched her skin, she stiffened. Chapter 42: He Does Things According To His Mood Chapter 42: He Does Things ording To His Mood Brian looked at A''s slightly closed eyes.She looked like she was enduring a great pain caused by him. "How much does that man love you? Is he the reason why you seem to be so afraid of me?" His voice was so low, but it made her open her eyes wide. Seeing the anger on his handsome face, A wanted to exin. But eventually, she decided not to say anything. Sometimes, exining about things he didn''t like to hear only made him angrier. And she didn''t want it to happen right now.She grunted in pain. Brian was taking his revenge. But because of her injury, she had no strength to resist. A knew that she should refuse and push him away, but she couldn''t. In the end, she was so overwhelmed by fatigue that she lost consciousness. It was already bright outside when she woke up. The warm sunshine seeped through the thin gauze curtain and shone on her. She subconsciously turned over only to touch a warm and solid body beside her." "Ahhh!" she reflexively screamed. However, when she got a clear view of the man''s face and realized that it was Brian, she was totally astounded that she abruptly sat up. Brian opened his eyes and looked at her, thinking about what happenedst night. It was actually his first time to sleep with a woman for a whole night. But he didn''t feel any disgust at all. Following his gaze, A looked at her body and then took a deep breath. She wasn''t wearing anything. And his closeness and the way he stared at her made her feel so ufortable. So she pulled the quilt to cover herself. But when she did it, Brian''s naked body was exposed before her eyes. She didn''t mean to see his body. A quickly turned her head away and said, "I didn''t see anything." She felt like their situation was so awkward and embarrassing. Seeing the look on her face, Brian said, "We already had sex several times.I''ve seen and touched every inch of your body.What is the use of hiding it like that?" He then stood up, picked up his pajamas on the floor, and put them on. A didn''t say anything or even look at him. She only turned around when she heard the door opened and closed. When she was sure that he was gone, she checked the marks on her body as well as the messy bed sheet. A strange feeling surged up her heart. She was about to get out of the bed when she felt so sore all over her body that she couldn''t even stand steadily. In her heart, she couldn''t help cursing Brian for being so harsh on herst night. He was not the same as before. A dragged her sore body to the bathroom. Standing in front of the mirror and looking at her reflection, she couldn''t exin how she felt. Because of the injury on her hand, she took a long time cleaning herself and getting dressed. She then went downstairs when she was ready. "Mrs.rk, you''re awake." As soon as Maria saw A going down the stairs, she immediately walked up to her and helped her. "Mrs.rk, are you going to the hospital today to have your hand checked?" "No.I''m okay now." A just found it inconvenient to do things, but she didn''t need to see a doctor anymore. Brian was already in the dining room reading newspaper. He looked so fresh and seemed in a good mood. The aroma of his coffee filled the whole dining room. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "Maria, take her to the hospital today.I don''t like doing things inconveniently in the bed," he said coldly. His words made her blush. "I...I''m not hungry yet.I''ll go back to my room first." She turned around and was about to walk out of the dining room. However, Brian stood up, put down the newspaper in his hand, and said, "You''d better listen to me." He then took his briefcase and suit jacket from Maria and left without saying anything more. Since he was gone, A turned around and sat down at the table. Actually, she was starving now. She didn''t eat muchst night, and she had been tortured by him the entire night.She was famished. Maria knew that A couldn''t eat using chopsticks, so she specially made some chicken porridge this morning. "Mrs.rk, please eat more.Mr.rk asked me to cook this especially for you." I A stared at the pot of chicken porridge on the table, wondering if Brian''s attitude had already changed. Did he transform into a good person all of a sudden? No, she didn''t believe it. A leopard couldn''t change its spots, so Brian couldn''t possibly change his nature. Maybe he only changed his attitude towards her this morning because he was in a good mood. After all, he always did things ording to his mood, right? When he was happy, he could be amicable to others. But when he was in a bad mood, he would either ignore people or talk to them coldly. A had not been with Brian for so long, but it seemed that she could already understand his temperament. It was as if she was very much familiar with him. He was unscrupulous in everything. But at least, he hadn''t been too cruel to her for the time being. When Maria put down the bowl of chicken porridge in front of A, she noticed that the young woman was in a daze, so she couldn''t help teasing her. "Mrs.rk, do you already miss Mr.rk? You know what, Mr.rk never goes to work thiste." A took a spoonful of porridge and stuffed it into her mouth, pondering on Maria''s words. Brian went to workte for the first time because of her. What did it mean? After breakfast, she checked her wound. Then she decided to go to the hospital with Maria to have it re-examined. Besides, she didn''t want to disobey him. Molly looked at Toby, who wrapped his arms around her waist. She didn''t like seeing him so restless and absent-minded. They had to retake a lot of shots because of him. And she could only think of A''s absence as the reason why he seemed so strange today. "Toby, are you still worried about A?" She couldn''t take it anymore, so she whispered in his ear.She knew that it had something to do with A. Last night, he even questioned her why she did those things to A. She was just a woman who was in love. To protect the man she loved, she had to be rude to a bitch who was trying to seduce him. "You are thinking too much," Toby denied. He didn''t want to fight with Molly today, but actually, she was right. He was not in the mood today because A wasn''t here, and he was so worried about her. Yesterday, A couldn''t even hold the chopsticks. So her injury must be serious. He was thinking if he should go and see her. Chapter 43: If She Is Happy, He Will Be Happy Chapter 43: If She Is Happy, He Will Be Happy In the hospital, the doctor checked and dressed A''s wound.Then he prescribed some medicine to help her recover faster. After listening to the doctor''s advice and instructions, she and Maria went out of the doctor''s room. "Mrs.rk, I''m d that your scald has been checked.Mr.rk really cares about you because he wants to make sure that you recover quickly," Maria said while helping A walk to the entrance of the hospital. "Mrs.rk, wait for me here.I''ll just go to the pharmacy to buy your medicine." A just nodded and stood at the door, watching the peopleing in and out.She subconsciously looked down at her bandaged right hand.Now she knew why her left arm was so sore that she couldn''t even lift it when she woke up this morning. Last night, she used it for support, especially when Brian pressed his solid body against hers. She was still lost in thought when she suddenly saw a middle-aged man staggering to his feet. He was clutching his chest with one hand while leaning on the wall beside her. "Sir, are you okay?" A stepped forward to help the man up. "Medicine...medicine.". With his trembling hand, Hayden took out a bottle of medicine from his pocket. "Oh, okay." She took the bottle from his hand, opened the lid, and took one pill. "Here.Please open your mouth." Then she gave him her bottled water that she hadn''t drunk yet. When Hayden felt relieved, he looked up at her and said, "Thank you." His voice still sounded weak. "You''re wee," A replied with a smile. "It''s just a small thing." "No, I owe you my life.If not because of you, I would have died." With sincerity in his eyes, Hayden looked at her. Then he suddenly felt a sense of familiarity. ''Why does she look so familiar to me?'' he thought inwardly. "Miss, have we met before?" he couldn''t help asking. Actually, Hayden also looked familiar to A. She thought for a while and said, "You are Mr.Smith, right? I think we''ve seen each other at the anniversary party of Smith Group." Hayden nodded his head slightly, but he still felt a strong sense of familiarity towards her. They didn''t just casually meet at the anniversary party. At this moment, Maria walked up to them with the medicine. "Mrs.rk, I''ve bought all your medicine.Shall we go?" It was only then that Hayden noticed the bandage in A''s right hand. He nodded at her and said, "It seems that you are also injured.You''d better go home and have a good rest.I''m fine now.Thank you for helping me.I have to go to my doctor to get my medicine as well." A also nodded at him. She then walked out of the hospital with Maria and went back to the vi. Since she had nothing else to do, she spent the whole day in the vi, sitting on a chaise lounge in the garden and basking in the warmth of the sun. She rarely had such a rxing day, so she savored the moment. When it was getting dark, A decided to go back inside the house. But then, she heard a car in front of the gate of the vi. She wondered who could it be. Brian never came home this early, and he never parked his car outside. She walked towards the gate to check. But when she saw the man getting out of the car, her body froze. It was Toby, who was still wearing the suit he used in the photo shoot. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "L! L!" Toby called out upon seeing her. A looked at him and asked, "What are you doing here?" She didn''t know how he found out where she lived. "I''m worried about you, so I came to see you," Toby replied, staring at her beautiful face. She looked much better today than yesterday. But her hand was still bandaged. "I''m fine.You should go back home now." A then turned around and was about to go back inside the house. They had no reason to see each other now. Besides, she didn''t want Brian to misunderstand her, nor did she want Molly to know that she was still seeing Toby. Seeing that she was about to leave, Toby shouted to stop her, "L, open the gate.Let''s talk, okay?" Although he knew it was unnecessary, he still wanted to exin everything to her. "I don''t have anything to talk with you.You''d better go back to Miss Smith.She must be looking for you now." Deep inside her, A wanted to see him and be with him. But she knew it couldn''t be possible anymore.It was inappropriate. "And please, don''te here again." If Brian found out, she couldn''t imagine the consequences. "L, does Brian forbid you to see me?" Toby didn''t believe that A didn''t want to see him. He thought that Brian was locking her up and forcing her to stay away from him. A shook her head. "It doesn''t matter anymore.I am married, and you are also getting married.Focus on your wife and love her well.I know you will be happy." She wished them happiness from the bottom of her heart. "And what about you? Are you happy? How can I be happy if I know that you are not?" Toby smiled bitterly. A was his only happiness, and he didn''t love Molly at all. He was only marrying her because of responsibility. "I think I will be happy soon." If she couldn''t escape or hide from Brian for the rest of her life, then she would try to make herself happy. "No! He can never make you happy.He can''t give you your happiness." Toby wanted to wake up A from her craziness.She could never live a happy life with Brian. A turned around and looked at him. "Whether I can be happy or not has nothing to do with you." As long as Toby was not involved, she could ept everything in her heart.It didn''t matter whether Brian loved her or hated her. She could take it. "How can it be? I always want you to be happy, and I know that I''m the only one who can give you happiness." Toby didn''t want to give up. He was very close to her now. If only there was no big iron gate between them, he would definitelye to her and hug her. At this moment, Brian''s car stopped outside the gate of the vi. He decided toe home early today, and he didn''t expect to see such a scene. His eyes darkened at once. "Mr.Brown, you really are capable.You can even find my vi." His voice was freezing cold. When A saw Brian, she immediately pressed the button to open the gate and greeted him, "You''re back.¡± "Let her go!" Toby shouted. He was so angry when he saw Brian wrapped his arm around her waist that he wanted to pull her away. "Mr.Brown, she is my wife.Who are you to prohibit me from touching her? And who do you think has the right to touch her? You?" Brian derided as he held her tighter. A''s head was starting to ache. She didn''t want Brian and Toby to have a conflict because of her. So she raised her head slightly and looked at Brian. "Mr.rk, let''s go inside now." "Why? Are you afraid that your sweetheart will be unhappy to see you in my arms?" Brian asked coldly. He knew that she wanted to break free from his embrace, but he wouldn''t allow her to do so. "No, that''s not what I mean." A''s headache was getting worse. His ability to misinterpret her words had never changed. "Brian rk! Don''t go too far.Get your filthy hand off L.You can''t touch her." Toby stepped forward and tried to take Brian''s hand away from A, but his strength was no match for Brian. With only one forceful swing from Brian, he retreated a few steps back. "Mr.Brown, do you really think you are much better than me? You already have the daughter of the Smith family, but you are not contented yet.You also want to take my wife.Don''t you think you''re the one who is going too far?" Toby was stunned upon hearing Brian''s words. His face turned pale at once. A pursed her lips and said, "They are a couple." "And so are we." Brian then wrapped both arms around her waist, bent over, and kissed her lips. In front of Toby, he kissed her deeply and passionately. It was such a sudden move, and A was unprepared. She was stunned and didn''t know how to react for a moment. However, thest bit of sanity left in her told her that she should push him away. Chapter 44: Falling In Love With Me Is Destruction Chapter 44: Falling In Love With Me Is Destruction Rage red up in Toby''s heart when he saw Brian kissing A.He wanted to step forward and beat Brian up, but he couldn''t.He was afraid that his impulsivity would only make A suffer in the end. "Mr.Brown, I want to spend time with my wife alone.You can leave now." Brian let go of A, faced Toby, and asked him to leave. Although Toby was still worried, he knew that he couldn''t stay. When he looked at her and saw from her eyes that she seemed fine, somehow he felt relieved. He had no other choice but to turn around, get in his car, and drive away. After watching Toby''s car disappear, Brian turned to A. "Since I didn''t allow you to go out, you let your old lovere here for a tryst, huh?" he said coldly. There was a hint of usation in his voice. "No, I don''t even know how he got here.You misunderstand." After what he had witnessed, A knew that it would be hard for her to exin the truth to Brian. "Okay, fine.You don''t know.But if I didn''te on time to see everything, you are going to hide it from me and say nothing, right?" A lowered her head, looking aggrieved. She didn''t want to retort because she knew that if she talked and exined too much, he would think that she was being defensive. Finally, Brian didn''t force her to talk. It turned out that he came back home early today because he had to go on a business trip. This time, she helped him pack his luggage. "How many days will you be away this time?" A couldn''t help asking.She wasn''t used to his absence now. Before, she felt happy and rxed every time he went on a business trip.But now, there was a sense of reluctance in her heart.She didn''t know why she felt this way. "Why do you want to know my schedule? So you can tell your old lover when toe here?" Actually, Brian didn''t know how long he would be away this time.He could onlye back after he dealt with some matters there. "If that''s what you think, I can''t do anything with it.I don''t want to exin myself to you anymore." A felt that everything she would say made him unhappy. Brian stubbed out the cigarette in his hand, stood up, and walked to the edge of the bed. He then wrapped his arms around her slender waist from behind. "You look so unhappy.Is it because I am still here or because I am leaving?" Deep in his heart, he hoped that her answer would be thetter. "Will you believe what I say this time?" A turned around and looked at him. "You can try to tell me." He met her eyes, wanting to hear the truth from her. After all, she had never really told him her innermost thoughts since they got married.She did nothing but submit and give in to him. A shook her head and broke free from his embrace. "I don''t want to talk about it." "You have a crush on me." Brian turned her around and put his hand on her left chest, feeling her heartbeat. The delight in his eyes and the coquettish smile on his face made her heart tremble. She had a crush on him? How could that be? Only Toby upied her mind and her heart. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Even if they were not meant to be together, she wouldn''t love any other man except him for all her life. Besides, how could she fall in love with such a ruthless man like Brian? He even disdained her. "Mr.rk, stop joking.How is it possible?" A forced a smile. She wasn''t in love with him at all. The reluctance in her heart couldn''t be mistaken for love. "I hope so too.You should know that the consequence of falling in love with me is destruction." Brian didn''t want to fall for her, and he wouldn''t allow her to fall for him either. A looked at him, but she didn''t say anything. There was nothing wrong with falling in love with a handsome, rich, and powerful man like him. But in her case, falling in love with him was like jumping off a cliff. She would be doomed. Wearing a bathrobe, A stood on the balcony and watched Brian''s tall figure leave. It seemed that all the passion he had towards her just now had disappeared. Sex still hung in the air of her room, but he just left her out in the cold. He only cared about himself. Every time he wanted to have sex with her, he never asked her if she was willing to do it, let alone give her more warmth and care after making love.But what about her? All of a sudden, A felt her face moistened. She reached out her hand and touched it only to find out that they were tears. She wiped them with the back of her hand. How long had it been since shest cried? She couldn''t remember anymore. After all, she always told herself not to cry. But right now, tears streamed down her face for no reason at all. She was ataloss. Every time Brian was away, the whole vi felt so empty and quiet. But because of A''s presence now, there was a burst ofughter and warmth in the house. With a bunch of flowers in her hands, A walked into the living room. "Mrs.rk," Maria greeted her. "Maria, look at these flowers.Aren''t they beautiful?" She loved flowers, so she recently took flower arrangement sses. Now, there were not only priceless antiques in the entire vi, but also many beautiful flowers that A had brought back. "Wow! They are so beautiful.Mrs.rk, your flower arrangement is the best!" Maria noticed that since Brian left, A had be much more cheerful. A removed the withered flowers from the side table and reced them with the new ones. "By the way, Mrs.rk, tomorrow is a weekend.Are you still going out?" Maria said while looking at the flowers on the table. Their light and elegant fragrance now filled the entire living room. "Yes.There are lots of things to do in the studio tomorrow, so I have to go to work," A replied with a nod. It was almost the end of this semester, and she would be busy preparing for her final exam soon. Brian had been away for a long time now, but she hadn''t heard anything from him. Thest time she heard was that Anna went with him. Perhaps there was no need for her to worry about him. That woman could take good care of him.But why did her heart feel sad? "Mrs.rk, are you thinking about Mr.rk?" When Maria went upstairs to bring a ss of milk to A, she saw her sitting on the sofa in a daze, so she couldn''t help asking. Her voice seemed to have awakened A from a deep sleep. "Of course not." A shook her head, denying and trying to get rid of the man that had been troubling her mind. Sometimes, the people we didn''t wish to see were the people we suddenly bumped into so easily. A was busy with her work in the studio when Molly and her mother, Miley, came in. They were there to pick up the photos. "I didn''t expect that you''re still here.You are really shameless," Molly remarked sarcastically. "Mrs.Brown, what''s so surprising about me being here? I''m an employee here.Although I only work part-time, I believe that I am doing my job well.Is there any reason for me to resign?" A needed a job, and she liked her work in the studio so much.She wouldn''t give it up unless her manager fired her, which she believed was unlikely to happen. This was something that a daughter from an affluent family like Molly would never understand. She didn''t need to worry about her life, and she didn''t know the meaning of hard work. "Well, you''re quite eloquent.But what if I tell you that your future in this studio depends on me? Will you believe me if I say I can make you lose your job right now?" Molly raised her eyebrows and cast A a sidelong nce. At this moment, the manager of the studio came out. "A, go and help them on the second floor." He sent A away, so he could personally entertain the two distinguished guests from the Smith family. "Mrs.Brown, what can I do for you? If you need anything, just let me know.I will help you with it," he then said to Molly as he stepped forward. Molly nced at A, who was walking upstairs, and said, "Mr.Walker, I want you to drive that woman away." "Mrs.Brown, you can''t be serious." Mr.Walker didn''t know why she always made trouble for A. Actually, he didn''t have the right to do what she wanted. "Why? Can''t you decide on such a small matter?" Molly noticed the embarrassment that surfaced on the manager''s face. "Mrs.Brown, I don''t think it''s necessary," he said with a smile. "Not necessary? Well...Who''s protecting her? Is it Toby?" The manager looked helpless, and Molly had seen it clearly. This had confirmed her suspicion. Someone must be protecting A.That was why he couldn''t fire her. Chapter 45: Let Her Witness Chapter 45: Let Her Witness This time, Mr.Walker seemed to be in despair. "Mrs.Brown, please don''t make things difficult for me.I''m just a manager here." Unlike them, he was just an ordinary person. "If Toby is the one protecting her, you have nothing to worry about.You don''t have to be so afraid of him.After all, he also relies on the Smith family to get to his current position," Miley chimed in. She had always looked down upon Toby. For her, he was just a poor man, and he was nothing without the Smith family. Mr.Walker fell silent for a moment before he said, "It''s not Mr.Brown." ''He is more powerful than Mr.Brown.I can''t possibly offend him¡± he wanted to add but chose to keep it to himself. Actually, the next day after A got injured, he received a notice from their superior. He must make sure to take care of her and not let anyone bully her. Otherwise, he wouldn''t be able to live well. Molly was about to say something more when her mother pulled her arm and said, "Forget it.Since Mr.Walker can''t make the decision, don''t make things difficult for him anymore." As long as Toby wasn''t involved with A, they had no reason to force the manager to fire her. After taking the photos, they wouldn''t have toe here again, anyway. Molly looked up at A, who was busy working on the second floor. She then said, "All right.Well, just please give this to Miss Woodsen, Mr.Walker." Mr.Walker took it and said, "Don''t worry, Mrs.Brown.I will definitely give this to her." After her work, Mr.Walker gave the red wedding invitation card to A. She gave it an incredulous stare. Did they really have to invite her on their wedding day? Why did they want to let her witness such an intimate moment with her own eyes? Even when she arrived home, she still couldn''t stop staring at the invitation card on the tea table. Actually, she had been looking at it for half an hour now, especially at the words, "Groom: Toby Brown." "Toby, I wish you all the happiness.I know that you will be very happy after your wedding," she murmured. Even if she was not his happiness, she still hoped he would be happy. Brian was already back from his business trip. And the first thing he saw when he entered the vi was the red wedding invitation card on the tea table. He actually received one too. The next day, Brian was in his office as usual. He was sitting on the sofa, savoring the aroma of the ck coffee in front of him. After a while, Anna came in. "Brian, are you looking for me?" "Yes.How is Arlene doing recently?" He knew that Arlene had been trying to escape. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t get away from his control. "She''s still the same¡ªnever behaved herself." She was definitely giving Anna a headache. "If she doesn''t behave herself, teach her a lesson." Brian had never seen Arlene again after that night in the bar. But he knew that she was really good at hooking up with men. She was indeed the real daughter of the Woodsen family. "She actually has escaped more than once." Anna sat beside him. "Aren''t you going to see her?" Brian picked up the coffee cup and took a sip elegantly. "No need.If she runs away again, just do as I say." "Then what about that other woman? I mean the fake daughter of the Woodsen family.Is she really going to be your wife for the rest of your life? "Anna didn''t expect that Brian wouldn''t let go of A." If A kept the crown as Mrs.rk, what about her? Would she only stay by his side silently all her life, without a title? She didn''t know if she would be willing to do it. Brian didn''t say anything. Actually, he had the final say. As long as he was willing to set her free, she could leave. But he was reluctant to let her go. Instead, he wanted to protect her. When he found out that she got hurt in the wedding photography studio, he immediately used his power to keep her safe. A was the type of woman who always endured no matter how much injustice she suffered. She even sacrificed herself to be his substitute bride. "It seems that you already feel something for her," Annamented. She had known Brian for a long time, but she couldn''t even stay in his vi. But A, who was just his fake wife, lived there now. Envy and jealousy overwhelmed her. "You''re thinking too much." Brian stood up, trying to convince himself that his treatment of her was nothing but only because of a man''s most instinctive physiological need. That was all. "I really hope I''m just overthinking.You should know how painful the consequences you will endure if you fall in love with someone," Anna warned Brian.But she failed to warn herself not to fall in love with an indifferent man like him.She also stood up and looked at the wedding invitation on the table. "Are you going there?" The Smith Group had always wanted to please him, but he had been deriding them. It was only because of A now that he made exceptions again and again. He reached out and picked up the wedding invitation card. How could he not attend it? Actually, Brian wanted to see how A would react when she saw Toby being married to Molly. A was in her room, standing in front of the French window in a daze. Toby and Molly''s wedding would be tomorrow, but she had not decided whether she should go or not. Actually, she knew that she shouldn''t show up. Her presence would only make everyone there unhappy. But she also wanted to see Toby as a groom even though she was not his bride. "What''s bothering you? Are you thinking whether to attend his wedding tomorrow or not?" With just a nce, Brian could clearly tell what she was thinking. A turned around and looked at Brian, who suddenly appeared in her room.He still had a cold face as if there was always a chill all over his body. "When...when did youe back?" A felt a little guilty. As much as possible, she didn''t want him to know what she was thinking because he would only misunderstand her. "This is the first time that you didn''t notice mye back," Brian remarked. Usually, when she heard his car in the garage, she would go downstairs. But today, not only did she not go downstairs, but she also failed to notice that he had been standing in her room for a longtime. "I''m sorry.I didn''t notice," A apologized without even taking a step closer to him. "Then tell me honestly, are you thinking about that?" His eyes cast a cold nce at the red invitation card on the table. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Everything about A couldn''t escape his eyes. "I''m not going," he heard her say. "No.You must go.And you are going with me." Brian had already made the decision for her. Well, he could do whatever he wanted. The next morning, A woke up feeling weak all over. But she knew that Brian had been waiting for her downstairs, so she had to drag her sore body to the bathroom. He must have decided to attend this wedding long ago. Otherwise, how could he prepare everything she would wear today? He said that as long as she was still his wife, he didn''t want her to make him lose face. So even if the dress was so expensive that she didn''t even want to touch it, she had to wear it. It was a handmade pink strapless long gown. The front was adorned with some pearls of the same size. When she wore it, it highlighted the beautiful curves of her body. Around her neck was a cold-proof white fur shawl that could protect her from the cold weather outside. When Brian went upstairs to check on her, he saw her standing in front of the mirror, mystified. But the dress matched her perfectly. It made her skin fairer. He walked in and asked, "Why don''t you go downstairs?" A looked at him from the mirror then looked at her dress. "Do I really have to wear this?" She actually didn''t feelfortable in such expensive clothes. "Do you want me to repeat it?" Brian had grown impatient, and his temper was not as good as she imagined. She knew that it was useless toin, so she kept quiet. Chapter 46: Attend Tobys Wedding Chapter 46: Attend Toby''s Wedding Brian was an overbearing man, and A couldn''t do anything to change it. So she just let him do whatever he wanted to do as long as he was happy. Her protests were all obliterated. On their way to the venue of the wedding, she didn''t say a word. Her mind was in a mess. Actually, she was afraid to feel heartbroken after witnessing Toby being married to another woman. She didn''t want to think that she would never be able to rely on him from now on. After a while, their luxury limousine slowly pulled over in front of the hotel. Toby was dressed in a white shirt, ck tuxedo, and ck bow tie. He had a faint smile on his face, but it didn''t reach his eyes. After all, his heart was in sorrow. For him, this wedding was nothing. It was only like one of his regr meetings in thepany. There was no sense of happiness and joy, only helplessness. He wondered if A knew that he was getting married today. If she did, would she be disappointed in him? She might even think that he broke his promise. Molly walked out of the lounge and saw Toby standing in the corridor. He was in a daze, and there was no trace of anticipation and joy on his face. Obviously, he wasn''t excited about this wedding. Since he saw A again, he had been neglecting her. She was no longer the only one he cared for and loved like before. "Toby..." She walked towards him and asked, "Why are you here?" Toby turned around and looked at Molly. She looked so beautiful in her handmade white wedding dress made in Italy. But no matter how lovely she was, she was not the woman he wanted to marry. "I''m waiting for you" he said lightly. But the truth was, he was hiding here. He was not in the mood to join the lively celebration in the hall. Hearing the guests'' well wishes and blessings only made him feel bitter. "Let''s go and wee our guests then.Dad and Mom must be very busy entertaining them." Molly held his arm, smiling happily. The two of them then walked towards the banquet hall. After greeting a few of their guests, Molly looked around as if looking for someone. She knew that the manager of the studio had given the invitation card to A. However, she couldn''t see A among the crowd. Did A lose the courage toe and witness her wedding in person? A was still outside the banquet hall, standing next to Brian. She was too timid to go inside. If only she could, she would run away from this ce right this moment. Brian must have noticed her reaction. He nced at her and asked, "Don''t you want to go in?" His voice was cold as usual. It sounded like he was asking her. But in reality, he wasn''t giving her a choice. "Of course, we''ll go in." What else could she say? No matter how unwilling she was to attend this wedding, he still had the final decision. All she could do was listen and obey. The wedding banquet was indeed very lively. Most of the guests were prominent people from the politics and business world. Some reporters were also given permission to cover and broadcast the whole event. The celebration looked grand and luxurious. The red carpet wasid from the entrance of the Hyatt Hotel until the banquet hall. A couldn''t help feeling ridiculous. A few months ago, her wedding was also held in this hotel. However, the situation at that time was totally different. She was only forced and left with no choice. But this time, Toby must be very happy to finally marry the woman he loved. Brian noticed that she was lost in thought. "Are you not ready to see this yet? Well, I don''t mind you grabbing the groom as long as you have the courage." He knew exactly what she was thinking. If the Woodsen family didn''t force her to rece Arlene and marry him, she would still be waiting for Toby to marry her. Or even if she couldn''t be Toby''s legal wife, she would be willing to be his mistress, right? A red at him. "Mr.rk, what are you talking about? It''s not funny at all." She then strode forward, ignoring her five-inch high heels. But when she turned to a corner, she unexpectedly bumped into Toby, who came out to answer a phone call. Fortunately, he supported her timely and held her in his arms before she fell to the floor. "I''m sorry.I wasn''t looking," A immediately apologized without even knowing who was holding her. "L?" Toby said in a soft voice. Surprise was written all over his face as he didn''t expect to see her here. Why did shee? Was she going to attend his wedding? Hearing the familiar voice, A quickly struggled to her feet and broke free from his embrace. "Toby?" Her voice was so low, almost a whisper. She looked so scared. On their way here, she kept wishing not to meet either Toby or Molly. She even nned to hide in a corner just to be unnoticed. But of all people, why did she have to run into Toby directly? Was fate really ying on her? Molly had been following Toby all the time. So when she saw him walk out of the banquet hall, she went after him. However, she was shocked to see A in his arms. The two of them looked so intimate. She was the bride, his wife. How dare A flirt with him on her wedding day! "Bitch!" She rushed towards them and pped A in the face without warning. A didn''t expect it to happen, so she was unprepared. The impact of Molly''s p was so strong that she retreated a few steps. Her left cheek was immediately red and swollen. Molly had always been cruel to her. Touching her face and tasting the salty blood in the corner of her lips, she could only feel so unfortunate to experience such humiliation. "Molly, what are you doing? How can you hit someone just like that?" Toby snapped as he walked towards A. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. "L, are you okay? Does it hurt?" he asked. Molly''s five fingers left red marks on her fair face. "Toby, don''t forget that today is our wedding.Can you see yourself right now? You''re acting so mean to me just because of this woman.Do you ever love me?" Molly''s roar had attracted many reporters'' attention. A pushed Toby away. She didn''te here to make trouble or ruin their wedding. However, it seemed toote. The reporters, who were very interested in the scene, had already flocked around them. They were not only taking photos but also videos. She could only sigh in her heart. Toby nced at A. He really wanted to, but he couldn''t protect her well on such an asion like this. Feeling helpless, he slightly sighed and walked to Molly''s side. "Molly, as you''ve said, today is our wedding.Don''t make a scene." "I''m making a scene? Are you saying that I''m causing trouble in my own wedding?" Looking aggrieved, Molly looked at A. "For the sake of this woman, you are putting all the me on me.Then why did you hug her just now?" She deliberately invited A not to ruin her wedding but to show A the truth that Toby only belonged to her. "Mrs.Brown, you misunderstood what you just saw.I identally tripped, and he only helped me not to fall to the floor." A still opened her mouth to exin, although she knew it was useless. "And you did it on purpose, didn''t you?" Molly red at A. Obviously, she didn''t believe what A said. Did A just fall into Toby''s arms coincidentally? Hayden also heard the unusual noise outside, so he immediately came out. "Molly, what is going on here?" "Dad, this woman is flirting with Toby." Molly seemed determined to destroy A''s reputation in front of so many reporters. She didn''t intend to leave her even a little dignity. Hayden looked at A and remembered her at once. "Miss Woodsen, it''s you." "Dad, do you know her?" Judging from the way Hayden spoke to A, Molly felt that he was quite familiar with A. "She was the one who saved me thest time I had a heart attack." Hayden didn''t feel even the slightest hostility towards A. He had a good impression of her. "Did Molly hit you?" he softly asked, looking at the red marks on her face. A was so stunned that she only stood rooted to the spot. She didn''t even know how to answer Hayden''s question. His attitude towards her really puzzled her. Chapter 47: She Has No Choice But To Hide Chapter 47: She Has No Choice But To Hide Brian, who had already anticipated this scene to happen, just stood by. A stood there nkly, staring at Hayden''s hand which was about to touch her cheek. She was so shocked that she didn''t know what to do. She turned her head to look at Brian, hoping to get some help from him.However, he was just smoking some distance away from the group of reporters. It was as if he didn''t see her.Was he deliberately ignoring her? Hayden couldn''t take his gaze off A. He even looked at her closely, studying every feature of her face carefully. She and the woman he couldn''t take his mind off looked so alike that he couldn''t help remembering some memories. Seeing that even Hayden was on A''s side, Molly felt unhappier, and her resentment towards A intensified. ¡®''That bitch is indeed a temptress.She does not only seduce Toby but even my father¡¯'' she thought angrily. Molly red at her and said disdainfully, "Dad, this woman is here to spoil my wedding." She pulled Hayden away from A. "Molly, she is also one of our guests.How can you treat her like this in front of so many people?" Hayden looked at Molly angrily.He didn''t like her attitude towards A. A bit her lip.She plucked up all her courage and finally said, "I''m sorry.I''m leaving now." She couldn''t stay here any longer and suffer more humiliation from Molly. She tried to squeeze out of the surrounding crowd, but she couldn''t. Toby was about to take a step towards her when a cold voice was heard from behind. "What''s the problem here?" Brian stubbed out the cigarette in his hand and slowly walked towards A. The aura he emanated was so majestic that the crowd automatically dispersed, making way for him. As she watched him walk towards her, A knew that he did it on purpose. Before she could know it, his powerful long arms had already been wrapped around her waist. "Didn''t I tell you to wait for me? What are you doing here?" She really wanted to stomp on his shoes. He had been just standing there, watching her being bullied.He even turned a blind eye to what was happening. Why did he have to wait for a long time before he came to her rescue? And he seemed to be ming her for staying away from him just now. "Mr.rk" Hayden immediately greeted Brian. Looking at Brian, Toby finally realized that A came here with him. It was probably the reason why she immediately struggled to break free from his embrace just now. Was the woman in front of him still the old A he had known before? ¡° "What happened? Did my wife cause any trouble?" A felt so absurd. What was Brian doing now? Was he pretending to be kind to her in public? But what could she do? With his arms around her waist, she was totally dominated by him. This time, Molly turned to look at him and said, "Mr.rk, please take care of your wife.Don''t let her go around and flirt with other men." She didn''t care about the asion and the crowd anymore. Today was her wedding day. It was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. But what happened just now only made her feel so humiliated. And it was all A''s fault. She would definitely ruin A''s reputation. Brian''s cold voice, indifferent look, and overbearing aura made everyone go away. As much as possible, he wanted to keep a low profile in this event. But A was really good at causing trouble for him. She was so reluctant toe to this wedding. But when she saw Toby, she immediately came to him. After the tension, A sat alone in a corner. She was just an inconspicuous woman, after all. Brian, on the other hand, was very popr. Now, many people surrounded him, trying to start a conversation with him. Obviously, they were all trying to make friends with him. It was a wedding banquet. But with the way they flocked around him, the event seemed to turn into an ordinary social gathering. She wanted to go home, but she knew that she couldn''t leave without him. So she had no other choice but to hide. In such a big banquet hall, she was too ordinary to be noticed by the other guests. "Are you Molly''s friend?" A gentle male voice suddenly rang out in her ears. When she raised her head, she saw a man in a ck suit standing in front of her. He handed her a ss of juice.He looked so gentle and warm. "Do you mind if I join you here?" The sofa was long enough to amodate four people, so A couldn''t possibly sit there alone. But the man sat too close to her. She slightly moved her body to keep some distance from him. "Are you scared of me? I didn''t know I am that scary," he said with a gentle smile on his face. She turned to look at him. "I''m sorry, but I don''t know you." She actually wasn''t used to talking to strangers. "Oh, I''m so sorry.Well, let me introduce myself.My name is Lucas Collins." The man introduced himself proactively. "I didn''t know that Molly has such an introverted friend like you." ¡®''If you only know, I am not Molly''s friend at all.In fact, I''m the person she hates the most¡± she silently said in her heart. But she didn''t think it was necessary to let this strange man know about it. So she didn''t waste her time correcting his impression of her. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. They wouldn''t see each other again anyway. Lucas Collins felt a little embarrassed because of her silence. "Are you really that shy? Why don''t you introduce yourself to me?" He tried his best to be courteous. However, A just ignored him. All she wanted now was to sit there quietly. She didn''t want to have a chat with random strangers. Much to Lucas'' surprise, she didn''t say a word for a long time. She just gave him a faint smile. Then he soon realized that it wasn''t even a real smile. She was just being polite. Actually, A felt a little aggrieved. Brian took her to this event but left her alone. She clearly understood that he only didn''t want to lose face because of her. Her inferiority and lowliness prevented her from taking the initiative to approach him. So she could only stay far away from him. Finally, the wedding ceremony officially began. The emcee on the stage talked about the love story of the couple. A stood in the corner and listened attentively. It turned out that she had missed a lot. In the past years that she and Toby went separate ways, so many things happened to each of them that they didn''t know. That was why things ended up like this. He was there on the stage while she was here below as only part of the audience. He was so handsome today. And she couldn''t deny the fact that she was still attracted to him. How she wished they could go back to the time when she could rely on no one but only him. But it was toote. Molly, the most beautiful woman in her white wedding dress,was now the one beside him. A was staring at Toby so intently that she didn''t notice Brian''s cold gaze and also another curious gaze from someone else. When Toby and Molly put the shining diamond wedding rings on each other''s fingers, they made a lifelong promise. But as he spoke, Toby also nced at A. He didn''t expect that he would marry another woman in front of her. Would she ever forgive him? Would she forgive him for breaking his promise to her? ? A understood the look in his eyes. She knew that he was trying to apologize to her. But for her, he didn''t actually need to do it. After all, she also betrayed him when she married Brian. So she smiled at him, giving him her blessing. Molly was still unhappy because of what happened earlier. But now that the wedding ceremony was over, she felt ted. Finally, she became the legitimate Mrs.Brown. A had totally lost to her. A didn''t know why but Brian''s face was as cold as ice the whole night. She also smelled the alcohol all over his body. She wasn''t sure if he drank because it was a social gathering or something else. She didn''t dare to ask, nor did she want to know. But she understood that both of them were looking for trouble for themselves that night. "Stop drinking." A couldn''t help taking the goblet in his hand. He loosened his grip, but she was not able to catch it. It fell to the floor with a crisp cracking sound. It attracted everyone''s attention, so all the guests turned their heads to look at them. She froze, but he remained expressionless and calm. It was as if everything had nothing to do with him. Chapter 48: His Words Touched Her Heart Chapter 48: His Words Touched Her Heart A squatted down and picked up the pieces of broken ss carefully. However, she still cut her finger. She hissed and bit her lower lip as she saw the red blood starting to ooze out. The wound was a bit deep, and it must be painful. But much to her surprise, she seemed not to feel the pain at all. Maybe it was because her heart was hurting more. The pain of seeing Toby being married to another woman outweighed the pain caused by her wounded finger. The crowd just watched her in a daze. Perhaps they didn''t expect her to do such a thing. Brian just looked at her with his cold eyes. Lucas kept staring at her with curiosity in his eyes. And Toby could only look at her with concern, fighting the urge toe over to her. Finally, Hayden recovered from the shock. He stepped forward, called the waiter, and said, "Clean this up." He then squatted down and asked her, "Are you okay?" Looking at the blood still oozing from her finger, he held her up and said, "Come with me.Let me clean your wound and bandage it." A shook her head. "It''s all right, Mr.Smith.Don''t bother.It''s just a small cut." Brian''s eyes were emitting a very cold aura that could freeze people to death. She knew it wasn''t a good sign, so she didn''t want to cause any more trouble. Even if he didn''t say a word, she could understand what he was thinking. It was strange. But her heart seemed so close to him that it could feel him. Despite his being cold and heartless, she still couldn''t help paying attention to him. Perhaps she was really destined to be with him, and she could never escape from his control. Brian suddenly took A''s hand from Hayden and pulled her out of the banquet hall. In front of so many people, he didn''t even bother to exin. Well, he had always been egotistical after all. And it was because he was Brian rk. A''s wrist felt sore because of his grip, but she didn''t evenin. She quietly followed him, staggering on her high heels, almost tumbling down. On their way back to the vi, their car was galloping at an astonishing speed. She would be a liar if she said she was not scared. In fact, her stomach had been churning. She tried to speak several times, but she still couldn''t say a word. She just closed her eyes until she felt that the car had finally stopped. However, they were not in the vi. Instead, they were outside a leisure club in the suburb. A didn''t even bother to look around. She immediately pushed the door open, got out of the car, and retched. She knelt on the ground and threw up everything she had eaten. Brian stood beside her and watched her closely. She was not even aware that her innocence, helplessness, andpromise made him very angry. He wanted to make her suffer. But every time he saw the expression on her face, a strange feeling surged up in his heart. Jaime received a call from Brian, so he immediately walked out of the club. "Good evening, Mr.rk." "Arrange a room for her," Brian said coldly before he turned around and walked inside. A luxurious room was arranged for A.She had already rested for half an hour, but she still felt dizzy.Inside the bathroom, she nestled in the bathtub and let the warm water slide over her cold body.In the other room, Briany in bed with an enchanting woman clinging to his body." Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. "Mr.rk, it''s been a long time since youst came here," the woman said in a coquettish voice, pointing her slender finger at his chest. "Really?" His voice was still cold. He held her tightly in his arms but without much affection. "Yes.And I''ve missed you, so let me apany you tonight." She moved, and her red lips were about to kiss him, but he dodged her. He didn''t like women touching his lips, and all the women around him knew it. Brian walked into A''s room wearing only a night robe. He frowned when the bed was empty. Did she go out? When he went to the bathroom to check, he saw her lying in the bathtub, unconscious. She might have been soaked in the warm water for a long time because her skin was red and wrinkled. Her face was also horribly pale. His brows furrowed. Was this all she could do? He almost yelled at her. He stretched his long arms to pick her up, grabbed a bath towel, and wiped her body casually before throwing her on the bed. A curled up in bed the whole night while Brian leaned against the sofa. She had an endless dream. It made her feel like she was shuttling through a ck hole that had no way out. "Toby...help me...Help me..." she cried softly. She tried to grasp his hand. But the more she stretched out her own hands to reach him, the farther she moved away from him. When a ck shadow suddenly appeared, she felt more hopeless. Her world had gotten even darker. "No! No!" She exhausted all her strength to run away from the ck shadow, but she couldn''t. It was so overwhelming. A suddenly opened her eyes. Finally, she woke up from her nightmare. Her gaze swept over the strange room, and she frowned upon remembering everything. She was drenched in sweat, and she felt so weak. The room was dark inside. But through the faint moonlight seeping through the window, she could see Brian leaning against the sofa with his arms crossed over his chest. A sat up and leaned against the headboard in a trance. She was so afraid to close her eyes again, so she stayed awake for the rest of the night. Brian was a light sleeper, so he was awakened when she moved. But he pretended to be asleep, although it was not easy for him to endure being stared at by her until dawn. A was naked, so she could only cover herself with the quilt. Brian opened his eyes and just nced at her before walking into the bathroom. Not long after, he came out neatly dressed. "You...are you leaving?" she asked after hesitating for a while. If he left her here, what would she do? She didn''t want to follow him, but she was more scared of staying alone in this strange room. Her head was in a mess. He was really making her crazy. Brian turned around and saw the horror on her face. There was also a trace of panic in her eyes. Much to A''s relief, he finally gave her a set of clothes. "Go change and follow me." Those simple words touched her heart. She, who had always been independent, seemed to have someone to rely on all of a sudden. She grabbed the clothes from his hand and put them on quickly. Then she quietly followed him into the car. She didn''t dare to ask where they were going and just let him drive. Brian took A to his office, so she got the opportunity to witness how busy his day was. Many of his clients thought that she was his new secretary. Some of his close clients even teased him for changing his secretary into a woman. It was her first time to know that all of his assistants and secretaries were men, except for Anna.Maybe Anna was very special to him, right? A was not good at socializing with people, but she made sure that she kept a decent smile on her face. In the evening, Brian didn''t drive A back to the vi. Instead, he took her with him to the entertainment club. Anna was so stunned to see A. She knew that A was with him at the wedding, and she also saw them on TV when the reporters broadcasted the scandal that happened during the event. But she didn''t expect that he would take A here right now. Actually, Brian didn''t stop the reporters yesterday. He also did not tell the newspaper and magazinepanies not to write articles about it. But Anna knew that someone from Smith Group took the initiative to block the news. But it wasn''t that helpful. As long as Brian didn''t personally stop thosepanies, they would still release the news even if Smith Group forbade them. After all, it was their way of making money, and Smith Group was not that powerful. Anna thought that perhaps Brian didn''t care even if the news spread. A smiled at Anna. Even if they were not familiar with each other, she couldn''t just give Anna a straight face. Besides, she was not as arrogant as Brian. She preferred to be amicable to others. "We have something to discuss.Just stay here and don''t run around." It waste at night, and there were all kinds of people in this ce. Brian wanted to tell her that if she still dared to run around and got herself into trouble, he wouldn''t care to help her out. She nodded obediently and waited at the door while he was doing business inside the private room. While standing there, all she could do was watch Brian and Anna walk into the room intimately. She didn''t notice that a figure had been staring at her at the other end of the corridor. Chapter 49: Cant Pay Off The Debts Chapter 49: Can''t Pay Off The Debts Arlene stood at the other end of the corridor and watched A standing in front of a private room. From what she had seen just now, she could tell that Brian had different feelings for A. She clenched her fists, and her eyes darkened. She was the real daughter of the Woodsen family. But here she was, no freedom at all. Brian had imprisoned her here and forced her to serve the guests. She also had to drink with them and entertain them. While A was enjoying her life. Sne was even wearing delicate and expensive clothes now. Squinting her eyes at A, Arlene made up her mind. She would take back everything that belonged to her. A didn''t have the right to take advantage of the things that were supposed to be hers. A kept her head down all the time, so she didn''t notice that Arlene had been staring at her fiercely for a long time. She had been waiting in front of the private room and didn''t dare to go far. This was an entertainment club, after all. Aside from its strange atmosphere, she was also afraid that she would bump into some random strangers and got herself into trouble. The experience she had herest time still gave her the creeps. She would never want it to happen again. It was already early in the morning when Brian and Anna walked out of the private room. Actually, they did not only talk about business but also had sex. It was their habit and tacit understanding every time he came here. His marriage to A had not changed their rtionship. Following behind Brian, Anna was still tidying up her clothes. When she raised her eyes, she was stunned to see A squatting beside the door and sleeping. Her long ck hair fell to the front, partly hiding her beautiful sleeping face. Brian stared at her. Although the heating system in the entire club was sufficient, he knew that she still felt cold. After all, she was only wearing a dress without a coat. That strange feeling welled up in his heart again. Did he feel sorry for her? How could that be? If he really felt sorry for her, he could have just let her enter the private room or arranged another room for her.But he didn''t, right? Instead, he let her stay outside until she fell asleep while he and Anna were having sex inside. He was indeed a heartless man. And to him, every woman was the same. But sometimes, Brian also felt that A was different. They had been together for quite a while now, but she had never taken the initiative to seduce him. It seemed that she didn''t even care about him. Other women would do everything just to climb into his bed. But in her case, he was the one who always came to her to have sex. She was only good at giving him an innocent and helpless look all the time. Perhaps she was trying to soften his heart, so he could easily give in when she made a request. "Brian?" Anna gave Brian a questioning gaze. She wondered what he was thinking. Actually, she didn''t expect that A would really stay at the door the whole time. A''s submissiveness made her feel a little strange and ufortable. She was just one of his women with no title at all. But A was the legitimate wife. For so many years, Anna had never cared about her status in Brian''s life. But ever since A appeared, she started to have a sense of crisis. "Miss Woodsen?" Brian didn''t say anything, so she took the initiative to wake A up. Calling A "Miss rk" was her only constion. At least, no one addressed A as Mrs.rk in public yet. Somehow, this made her feel that A was just one of them¡ªhis women. When A woke up, she felt cold and stiff all over. She was still in a daze. But when she saw Anna and Brian in front of her, she stood up at once. ¡®''Did I fall asleep?''¡¯ she asked inwardly. Upon realizing that she had really fallen asleep, she apologized. "I''m...I''m sorry.I didn''t mean it." She thought that he was angry. "Let''s go!" Brian just said those two words coldly, then walked towards the other end of the corridor. A''s legs were both numb, but she ignored them. She staggered to her feet and quickly followed him. He drove her back to the vi. When she entered the living room, she saw a newspaper on the table. The news was about the incident at Toby''s wedding yesterday. There were even some photos of them on the page. "Mrs.rk, you are finally back.Did something happen to you and Mr.rk?" Maria''s voice was full of concern. When she read the news, she was worried that Brian might misunderstand A. And she got more anxious when they did note homest night. A shook her head. "Nothing." Brian didn''t get out of the car. He only sent her home then drove away. Of course, she still didn''t dare to ask where he was going. It had been a few days, but Brian hadn''te back home yet. Thest time A saw him was when he sent her home from the club. He didn''t go on a business trip, so she thought that he was either staying in thepany all the time, he was with Anna, or with another woman.She sat in front of the French window and locked outside. What was she waiting for? It was her winter vacation, so she only spent her time at work and at home. She went to the studio during the daytime and directly went home in the evening. It was getting colder and colder day by day. And it was even snowing right now. Wearing a thick coat, she stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window after getting tired of sitting for a long time. Before leaving the main vi, Maria went upstairs to bring A a ss of hot milk. "Mrs.rk, it''s too cold.You''d better go to bed early." In the past two days, she noticed that A didn''t turn off the lights in her room even it was alreadyte at night. She didn''t need to ask to know that A was waiting for Brian toe home. A took the ss of milk from her and said, "Thank you, Maria." In less than five minutes, she was all alone in the entire vi. And only the lights in her room were on. She couldn''t understand herself. Was she waiting for Brian? Should she really wait for him? At this moment, Brian was in the club, sitting in a private room and drinking one ss after another. He had note home for a few days, but A had never made trouble for him. Although he didn''t see her, he still knew her whereabouts every day. The door of the private room was pushed open all of a sudden. He thought that it was Anna, but he was wrong. "Mr.rk," Arlene called out his name softly. Brian turned his head and saw her approaching him. She looked so enchanting. The smell of alcohol and her pungent perfume immediately mixed in the air inside the private room. "Who said you are allowed toe here?" He pushed her away. "Oh, Mr.rk.Of course, I''m here to serve you." She knew that he had been here and hadn''t left these days. But she couldn''t approach him just like that. She needed to find the right time and opportunity to make him her man.She had gotten along well with many men. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. And she knew that as long as he spent one night with her, he wouldn''t be able to escape from her palm again. Especially now that she still had the drug that fascinated men the most. "I don''t need your service." Brian didn''t like women to get too close to him unless he needed them. "How can that be? Mr.rk, you are a man, aren''t you?" A normal man would definitely need a woman by his side. When Arlene thought that Brian was not paying attention, she picked up a ss of wine and secretly sprinkled the white power she had been hiding in her hand. She then slightly shook the ss to melt it quickly. "Mr.rk, I don''t like serving the guests here and drinking with them.But still, I want to thank you for giving me the chance to live.To show my gratitude, I want to offer this ss of wine to you." Looking at the ss in her hand, he asked, "Why are you here? Are there no guests in the bar tonight, Miss Woodsen?" "Oh, no.We have lots of guests tonight.But I''ve declined all my guests so I can have a drink with you.Don''t you want to drink? Don''t you know that I am now the best bar girl here?" Arlene tried every means to make him drink the wine she offered him. Brian sneered, "Should I feel honored then?" "Of course, Mr.rk.Don''t you think so?" She put down the ss on the table and wrapped her arms around him.She would do everything to get him tonight. "Then you should also know that what your father owes me is far more than this." He believed that she could never pay off her father''s debts in whatever ways. "I know.That''s why I''m so obedient to you now.So can I propose a toast?" Arlene picked up the ss again and took a sip. "Please, Mr.rk?" Brian took the ss from her and said, "I''ll drink this ss of wine, but you can go out now." He then drank it up in one gulp, put down the ss on the table, and asked her to go out. While watching him drink the wine, Arlene''s lips curved into a very charming smile. Chapter 50: He Doesnt Have A Fever Chapter 50: He Doesn''t Have A Fever After drinking the wine, Brian noticed that Arlene was not moving yet. "Leave now," he said coldly. "No, Mr.rk.I can''t leave because you will need me," Arlene said confidently. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. She then raised the ss in her hand and drank up the wine coquettishly. In less than two minutes, Brian felt something strange in his body. The drug was already taking effect. As heat surged up all over his body, he frowned. "How dare you drug me!" "Well, it feels wonderful, isn''t it? Don''t you want to experience such kind of feeling, Mr.rk?" For many years, Arlene had taken all kinds of drugs, both forced and voluntary. And she knew the effect of each drug on people. That was why she didn''t hesitate to use the drug to get Brian. After tonight, he would be hers. Then she would take back the crown as Mrs.rk and return A to where she should belong. She would live a perfect life in luxury. He would definitely give her everything she wanted.Brian suddenly pushed her away. "Don''t you want to live anymore?" All his life, he never forced a woman, and no woman had ever fooled him. Arlene must be courting death for tricking him. "Mr.rk, I''m still young.Of course, I want to live.I want to live life to the fullest.But I don''t want to live alone.I want you to be by my side for the rest of my life.Don''t you like it?" Arlene wrapped her arms around his hot body and said, "Mr.rk, let me help you." The kind of drug she used on him was very strong, and she put a lot of it into his wine. How could he not need her? She always believed that no man could escape from her, not even Brian. After she had sex with him, she would drive A away, and she would be the only Mrs.rk. Brian''s frown deepened. No matter how strong the effect of the drug on him, he would never let her seed. He knew what she wanted from him. Arlene was totally different from A. She was indeed yton''s daughter. Both of them were equally unscrupulous. They could use all means to exploit the people around them. When Arlene felt that Brian was about topromise, she thought that she had seeded. However, she was shocked when he suddenly pulled her hands away and snapped, "I will never touch a woman like you." Before she could react, she had already been pushed to the floor. "If you need men, there are many outside." He then strode out of the private room wearing only a thin shirt. Brian drove his Lamborghini at full speed with the windows down, even though the cold winter wind was freezing. He didn''t even seem to notice that it was snowing. The heat inside his body was getting more and more intense. A had just turned off the lights andin in bed. However, she only kept on tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Then all of a sudden, she heard the screeching of tires downstairs. Her heartbeat went abnormally fast.Had he returned? She didn''t even bother to put on her coat. Wearing thin pajamas, she ran downstairs only to bump into Brian, who had juste in. A mixture of hot and cold breaths hit her and made her tremble. "What''s wrong with you?" she couldn''t help asking. She noticed that he was unbuttoning his shirt randomly. "Do you have a fever?" A touched Brian''s face and forehead. Her mouth gaped open when she felt that he was surprisingly hot.And why was he wearing such a thin shirt on a snowy evening? She was still lost in thought when he suddenly pulled her closer to him. And as soon as he touched her soft and slightly cold body, the heat in his body red up again. Before she could react, he had already picked her up and strode upstairs. He took her to the master bedroom and threw her heavily on the bed. "What...What are you doing?" A couldn''t help but feel scared. His behavior and his temperature were both terrible tonight. Just now, she tossed and turned in bed, wishing for him toe back. But why did he have toe back like this? Brian pressed his body against hers. "What do you think I am going to do?" Since Arlene drugged him, A should cure him. "Kiss me," he ordered in a cold voice. A was stunned. Brian never wanted to be kissed. Why was he asking her all of a sudden? Her eyes widened in shock when she found out that her pink lips were tightly covered by his. His lips and his body were burning.It sent a strange sensation on her. Was she going crazy? Why did she feel like she also longed for his body? It was such a torrid night for both of them. And when the heat in his body finally dissipated, and they were both exhausted, they fell asleep. The next morning, A''s beautiful sleeping face was the first thing Brian saw when he opened his eyes. He frowned when he suddenly felt a sharp pang in his head. Then he gradually recalled everything that happenedst night. He clenched his teeth, and his expression darkened. Arlene had put so much drug in his wine. When A woke up, she saw Brian''s handsome face so close to her. Usually, she would immediately go back to her room after they had sex. But this time, she slept soundly beside him on his bed. And now, she still had no strength to get up. Brian stood up, turned around, and walked into the bathroom without even looking at her. While listening to the sound of watering from the bathroom, she couldn''t help wondering if he was angry. A propped herself up. But before she could get out of the bed, the bathroom door opened. Brian walked out wearing a ck robe and tossed a medicine bottle to her. "This is what you deserve." If Arlene hadn''t drugged him, he wouldn''t treat A like this. A didn''t understand what he meant by saying that she deserved this. But she was familiar with the medicine because he had given it to her several times. While putting on his clothes, Brian said, "Don''t go anywhere today." ¡®''Of course I won''t go out today.Do you think I still have the strength to go out after such a crazy night?¡¯'' A sighed in her heart. She nodded without hesitation. She then took a thin nket, wrapped it around her body, and walked towards the door. But before she could go out, she turned around and said, "Don''t take that drug again.It''s not good for your health." Brian was stunned upon hearing what she said. It turned out that she knew that he was druggedst night.But why did she still let him do whatever he wanted? A had been muddled for several days now, and she spent most of her time lying in bed. It was too cold outside, so she feltzy to go out. And now, even if she wanted to go out, she didn''t have the strength anymore. After that intense night between Brian and A, Brian left again and did note back. In the entertainment club, Arlene had been locked up in a narrow and dark room for several days. She had been confined here since that night she drugged Brian. And every night, she was forced to take the aphrodisiac, but she was being tortured alone. This evening, Brian came to check on her. He walked into the room, stood beside the door, and said coldly, "How''s it going?" "Mr.rk, I''m so sorry.Please forgive me.I''ll never do it again," Arlene begged. She didn''t expect that he would be this ruthless. He was a devil, and she was so stupid to offend him. "You''ll never do it again? Do you think there will be another time?" Brian was not a fool to give her a chance to trick him again. Chapter 51: He Wont Make An Exception Chapter 51: He Won''t Make An Exception Arlene looked at the man behind Brian. The drug she had just taken was now starting to take effect, and she felt very ufortable. It seemed that Brian read her mind. "Don''t you feelfortable taking these drugs every day?" He had never been soft to others except to A, who was always stubborn and innocent. "Do you want him?" he asked again as he turned his head and looked at the man behind him. His voice was still as cold as ice. "Help her." He then stood at the door and waited. Half an hourter, the man was neatly dressed when he walked out of the room. "Mr.rk." "You can leave now." Brian looked at Arlene and sneered. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. "Mr.rk, do you want to do it now?" She only said it. But the truth was, she didn''t have the strength to have sex anymore. Brian''s face darkened. "You are really a cheap bitch.I didn''t even touch youst time.Do you think I will make an exception today?" Of course, he knew her purpose. She wanted to be his woman, so he could get her out of her current predicament. But unfortunately, she had already given up this opportunity when she refused to marry him. There was no more chance for her. Besides, he had always disdained women like her. Actually, if A had taken the initiative to give herself to him back then, he wouldn''t have sex with her. Men were always like this in nature. The more they couldn''t get something, the more they wanted it. But they couldn''t care less about things easily offered to them. "Mr.rk, have you fallen in love with that bitch A?" Arlene always liked to irritate men, especially this demon in front of her. She was not afraid of him anymore.She was in a terrible situation now.What else could be worse than this? "You have a wild imagination." Brian looked at her. His control over A depended on this woman. Arlene was not easy to control, but he had his way. Another man walked in with a syringe. Arlene looked at him in panic. "What are you going to do to me?" "It''s none of your business." With just a nce and nod from Brian, the man injected a tube of liquid into her body without hesitation. "Let her out.Let her do whatever she wants to do." He knew that with this drug, he had control over her. Anna walked in, held Brian''s arm, and asked, "Brian, can you really control her with this drug?" "Don''t you have faith in me? You should know that she can''t get this drug from someone else except me." It only took ten milliliters to make Arlene addicted to the drug. "You are controlling her for A, right?" In her heart, Anna felt very uneasy. Brian was rendered speechless. Was he really doing it for A? She had been very obedient to him recently. She didn''t mention anything to him, let alone about leaving. What was he afraid of? Or was his heart looking forward to a future with her? "You have done so much for her, but she doesn''t care about you, right?" Anna was also a capable woman. When she found out that A was just a substitute bride, she investigated everything about A. And that included A''s rtionship with her childhood sweetheart Toby. If A already had a man in her heart, could she still fall in love with another man? Brian knew that Anna''s words made sense. Indeed, A didn''t really care about him at all. They had had sex so many times, but she never took the initiative. She just let him do whatever he wanted. "Are you going back home tonight? Or you will continue to live here?" Anna wished in her heart that he would never go back to his vi again. However, Brian didn''t answer. He just walked back to his office. It had been a while since hest came home. But he knew that A had been staying in the vi most of the time. She seemed to have be sozy that she seldom went out. He wondered what was keeping her busy at home. A took out a pot of soup from the kitchen and put it on the dining table. "Maria,e here.Have a taste and tell me how it is." Mariadled the soup in a small bowl and took a sip. "Mrs.rk, your cooking skill is getting better and better." These past few days, A had been searching for some recipes online and trying them at home.And she preferred some nutritious soup. She was still wondering when Brian woulde home. Yesterday, it snowed heavily. She felt a little sad because she remembered him. It had been more than half a month since she saw him. Fortunately, today was sunny outside. She felt much better. The snow outside was so thick that the sun hadn''t melted it yet. After lunch, A put on her white down jacket and went outside. She was not afraid of the cold as she excitedly made a snowman with her bare hands. Several servants in the vi also came out to help her. Not long after, a big snowman stood in front of A.She was so happy that she couldn''t stop laughing.How long had it been since sheughed heartily like this? She had envied this kind of life since she was a child. She wanted to have a carefree childhood, but she couldn''t. If it snowed, she must clean the paths of the Woodsen family vi instead of ying. At school, she spent all her time studying hard. Because when she got home, she had to help the servants with all the household chores. She had only begun to have some happy days when she became an adult. Even if she couldn''t see a clear future right now, she didn''t have any regret. "Mrs.rk, it''s cold outside.Let''s go inside." It was actually colder when the snow was melting than falling. But A seemed not to care at all. She didn''t even mind that her fair hands were already red and wrinkled.She smiled. "It''s okay.I''m not cold at all." As she spoke, she took a deep breath as if savoring the beauty of winter. She then took off the red and gray id scarf and tied it around the snowman''s neck. "Maria, look! It''s beautiful, isn''t it? I want to take a picture with it as a souvenir." A took out her phone. It was thetest touchscreen phone with a high definition camera given to her by Brian. After taking several photos of the snowman, she handed the phone to Maria and said, "Maria, please take one for me." Her little snow-white figure stood beside the snowman. Giving her all-out smile, she raised her two hands and made a V-sign. "How is it? Let me see." A took the phone from Maria and checked the gallery. When she clicked thest photo, she was stunned. There was a smear of ck in the white. It was Brian.How long had he been there? She didn''t hear any sound.Maybe she was so focused on the snowman that she didn''t notice his car. "Mr.rk, you are back." Maria walked up to him, took his briefcase, and walked into the vi. Actually, Brian had been there long enough to witness how she enjoyed the snow, hear her crisp laughter, and see her purest smile. Was such an ugly snowman worthy of her joy? She even took photos as souvenirs. He looked at her two small hands that had been red from the cold. The scarf around her neck was given to the snowman, so her fair neck was empty, and the cold wind poured in freely. "Don''t you recognize me anymore after not seeing me for a few days?" His voice was cold as usual. He was a little disappointed because he had thought that she was looking forward to his return.He also came home today to see how free and easy her life was when he was not here. And after what his eyes had seen, sure enough, she was very happy without him. Chapter 52: She Doesnt Hate Him That Much Chapter 52: She Doesn''t Hate Him That Much A was in a light trance. Yes, she had been thinking when Brian woulde home. But she didn''t expect that it would be at this time.And it seemed that he had been there for a while.It was just that she didn''t notice him. "You''re back." She finally managed to greet him after standing there in a daze for a long time. Brian nced at the snowman coldly before he turned to look at A''s flushed face. "Do you still want to y?" Of course, she wanted to y wildly in the snow for a long time.But when she looked at his cold eyes, she could only shake her head. Without saying a word, he held her cold hand and took her back into the vi.The vi had a heating system, so the inside was morefortable. Brian took off his jacket and threw it on the sofa casually. His gaze swept over the flowers on the side table, which added warmth in the living room even in the cold winter. A had really taken this ce as her home.She had added a woman''s touch to this cold and empty vi. But he wasn''t angry at all.He didn''t seem to hate such a change. As long as she didn''t cross his bottom line, he would let her do whatever she wanted. After all, he believed that she would never go too far. "Mr.rk, what do you want to drink?" A asked. Standing aside, she felt that the atmosphere around them was a little depressing. "Coffee," Brian replied without even looking at her. His eyes were fixed on the TV screen. She nced at him and asked tentatively, "Can you drink something else instead?" His face looked tired.It seemed like he hadn''t taken a good rest recently. "No," he directly refused. "But I think..." He turned his head and red at her. Such a sharp gaze made her swallow the rest of the words she wanted to say. A turned around and walked to the kitchen. "Does Mr.rk want to drink coffee?" Maria immediately asked upon seeing her. "Yes." She nodded helplessly. "Mr.rk has always liked coffee," Maria exined. Of course, she knew why A looked unhappy. A looked at the boiling coffee in front of her and murmured, "Drinking too much coffee is not good for his health." She wanted to stop him from drinking coffee because she cared for his health. It was for his own good. "Let me do it" she volunteered with a smile. But instead of making coffee, she made him a cup of honey citron tea. She knew the consequences of disobeying him, but she had to do it. When A put down the cup on the tea table in front of Brian, he looked at the steaming liquid with a frown. "What is this?" "It''s honey citron tea," she answered honestly. He worked too hard and often drank alcohol untilte at night. These were not healthy habits, so she thought that honey citron tea was more suitable for him. "I want coffee." It was already good enough that he didn''t sweep the cup in front of him off the floor. However, A insisted on letting him drink the tea, so the two of them were in a stalemate. At this moment, Maria walked out of the kitchen and said, "Mr.rk, Mrs.rk prepared the tea especially for you.Drinking and smoking will harm your stomach.This kind of tea is good for your health." Looking at A, Brian snapped, "I don''t need it." He had never needed such care.He could do whatever he wanted. Maria picked up the cup of tea on the tea table. "All right.Mr.rk, I''ll bring you a cup of coffee then." A didn''t refute anymore. Pursing her lips, she thought, ¡®''Such a self-righteous man.Fine! Just keep on drinking coffee.It''s as dark and bitter as you anyway" She then turned around to go upstairs. Watching her receding back, Brian thought inwardly, ¡®''She''s getting more and more grumpy.Is it because I''m being too tolerant of her?¡¯'' Since he was a child, no one had ever cared for him. And now that he had be a capable man, he didn''t need it, especially from people not important to him like A. A sat on the sofa in her room, feeling strange. Brian used to do whatever he wanted, and she shouldn''t care about it.But why was she so upset now? Well, maybe she only felt this way because he hadn''te home for a long time. The door in her room was ajar, so when Brian passed by her room, he saw her sitting on the sofa, lost in thought. He wondered what she could be thinking. "You don''t want to see me, or you want to care about me?" he asked lightly, leaning against the doorframe. A almost jumped out of the sofa when she heard his voice. For more than half a month, she had been looking forward to seeing him. But now that he was here, she felt ataloss. "You don''t need other people''s care at all." Because if he needed it, he shouldn''t have insisted on drinking coffee just now.Brian shrugged. "Yes, you are right." He walked into the room. "Don''t expect that you are special to me." A looked at him. "I''ve never thought that way." She didn''t need to be special to him. The reason why she was trying to make him happy was that she wanted to be free. She thought that if he was always in a good mood, there might be hope that he would let go of her. A had gotten so used to this vi that she thought she could stay here for the rest of her life. But she felt that this was not what she wanted. Maybe sometimes she felt that it would be nice to stay here without thinking about anything. However, she knew that she didn''t belong here. "I like the way you know how to behave yourself." Brian walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I''ve been away for so many days.Were you lonely?" She smiled bitterly. Her heart was empty now. How could she understand what loneliness was? A read an article about Toby and Molly recently. They were living a good and happy life. Looking at their photos, she could say that they were really a perfect match. "Your smile is not sincere." He could see through her. "You shouldn''t have asked me then." She looked up at him. His face was so cold.But he was still so handsome that women could easily fall for him. And what about her? Would she also fall in love with him? Or she had fallen in love with him already. A shook her head hard. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. She must be going crazy. How could she ask herself such a question? She would never fall in love with him. All of a sudden, Brian pushed her hard to the bed. "Then you should not forget what you have to do." It made her remember that night when he was like crazy. She thought she was going to die that time. But then, she started unbuttoning his shirt. She already knew what to do. In the past half a month that he was away, she told herself that she had to learn to be his woman. Her hands were slightly trembling, so she had difficulty unbuttoning his shirt. She almost wanted to give up. When his tall body covered hers, he was so close to her, and his warm breath brushed her face.It made her unable to breathe steadily. "We''ve done this many times.You still haven''t learned how to do it?" Brian felt particrly happy upon looking at her flustered expression. A lowered her hands, feeling frustrated. "No." She failed him. "Any woman will please you more than me, right?" She turned her head away and looked at the snow outside the window. Brian reached out and held her chin.Her words sounded so bitter, but she was right. All the women he had slept with were more charming and alluring. But he didn''t know why he missed her so much. No one said a word. She only felt cold for a moment. Then the next second, they were entangled tightly.The heat of his body sent warmth to her heart.The temperature outside was freezing. But inside the room, it kept on rising and rising.Brian didn''t get up from her bed after having sex with her. It was way smaller, and not asfortable as his, but he wanted to stay here a little longer.It seemed that there was a fresh and charming fragrance that attracted him. Chapter 53: As His Real Wife Chapter 53: As His Real Wife On cold winter days, A dominated the kitchen of the vi.She cooked different kinds of soup every day. Brian didn''t say anything or stop her from what she was doing. In fact, he ate anything she prepared on the dining table.It had been a while that he didn''t go to the entertainment club. He went to work in the daytime and came home at night. One day, it was getting dark outside. A was reading a book on the sofa. After a while, her eyes felt tired, so she leaned back and closed them. Before she could know it, she had already dozed off. When Brian came back from work, he frowned when he saw her sleeping on the sofa. Before he left this morning, he told her that he woulde homete. But still, she deliberately stayed in the living room to wait for him until she fell asleep. Why did she do it? Was she trying to be a good wife, waiting for her husband toe home? He froze. His wife? When did he start treating her as his real wife? A wasn''t sleeping deeply, so when the book in her hand fell to the floor, she was awakened. And as soon as she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Brian''s handsome face. "You''re back." Although she was still sleepy, she smiled at him. "Are you waiting for me?" Brian held her in his arms, so her face touched his coat covered with snowkes. "It''s cold outside," she said when she felt the chill on her face. She heard him hum softly, but she wasn''t sure if it was a response to what she said. "Let''s go upstairs.It''ste now," she said. A was so used to his existence that she just waited for him subconsciously, although she wasn''t sure if he wasing home or not. After all, it was up to him if he wanted toe back. If he wouldn''t, there was nothing she could do. Brian didn''t refuse. He wrapped his arm around her waist, and they went upstairs together. He sat on the sofa and took off his coat, leaving only a thin shirt and a V-neck Armani sweatshirt. She poured him a cup of hot tea and said, "Don''t drink coffee at night.Tea is better to help you rx." He took the cup from her. But when he took a sip, he slightly frowned.It seemed that he treated her too well these days. "Don''t you like it?" A sat down next to him. The room was warm enough, but her hands and feet still felt cold. So she took the cup from him and held it between her palms. It made her feel warm. Then she raised the cup to her lips and took a sip. "I think it tastes good." Brian saw the satisfaction on her face after she drank the tea.He was amused. She really got satisfied so easily. He took the cup from her hand, held her chin, and kissed her lips. A put her arms around his neck and responded to his kiss. Perhaps she was really beginning to have feelings for him. She slept soundly in his arms. His broad and solid chest seemed to give her a sense of security. She had been sleeping in his room these days, and he was not driving her out, so she already felt so comfortable. The next day, A was awakened by the warm rays of sunlight that seeped through the curtains. She got up and found that Brian was still sleeping next to her. She liked it when she woke up ahead of him because she could get the chance to take a closer look at him without inhibitions. He looked so different when he was asleep. The cold expression disappeared, and he looked more handsome when his face softened. Her slender fingers inadvertently touched his chest. And a great force of temptation seemed to be pushing her to caress it over and over again. Much to her surprise, Brian suddenly caught her hand. "What are you doing? Trying to seduce me early in the morning?" His voice sounded hoarse andzy, perhaps because he had just woken up. A''s face flushed at once. She felt like a child being caught doing something naughty. She should have known that he would be alert. She didn''t know him that much. But she knew that he had experienced a lot of things that made him alert all the time. "Lost your tongue?" There was a trace of amusement in Brian''s eyes. He turned over and pressed her body under him. "I...I have to get up now." But he turned a deaf ear to her. He bent over and nuzzled in her fair, slender neck. Maria had already prepared breakfast when A went downstairs. "Mrs.rk, is Mr.rk still asleep?" "He''s taking a shower. I''ll make coffee for him," A replied, still blushing in embarrassment. Maria nodded. After a while, she said, "Mr.rk has beening home recently and treats you very well.I think it won''t be long before this vi bes more lively." A looked at the maid with a puzzled expression on her face. "More lively?" "Yes.Are you not nning to have a baby yet?" Not only A but also Brian, who was going downstairs, froze upon hearing Maria''s random question. A saw that Brian''s face turned cold. Would he misunderstand her? Would he think that she wanted a child and use the child to keep him by her side? The two of them sat at the dining table and ate their breakfast without saying anything. She didn''t eat much because she felt very uneasy. When she saw him stand up, she immediately followed him. "Mr.rk, don''t worry.I''m taking my pills all the time." Brian looked much calmer after hearing what she said.But he just went out of the vi without saying a word. A stared at his back in a daze. Actually, she lied. That night that he was drugged, she forgot to take her pill. She only remembered it when she saw the blister pack in the cab. But she continued taking them until today, so there should be no problem. And she thought that she didn''t need to tell him. Maria also noticed Brian''s reaction, so she thought something was wrong. "Mrs.rk, is Mr.rk upset because of what I said?" "No.It''s because of me." A then went back to her room and took a pill from her drawer. She poured a ss of water and ate it. Since that day, Brian didn''te home again, and it made her heart lonely. She must admit, she cared for him. After all, she was a normal woman, and she was not heartless. Maria went upstairs and reminded her, "Mrs.rk, Mr.rk may note home today too." "I know.I''ll go to bed early," she replied with a nod. She sat on the sofa in her room. Since he wasn''t here, she also never entered his room. A was about to go to bed when her phone suddenly rang. Her brows creased, wondering who would call her at this time of the night. She picked up her phone from the bedside table and answered it. "Hello? Who''s this?" "A, it''s me." Arlene''s weak voice came through from the other end of the line. "Help me...Please help me." "Arlene? What''s wrong? What happened?" A felt uneasy at once. Arlene hadn''t called her for a long time, so something must have happened this time. Judging from Arlene''s voice, she could tell that her sister was very ufortable. "I...Lean''t take it anymore.Can you...Can you tell him to let me go?" Arlene got addicted to the drug that Brian had injected to her. Now she really had no choice but to ask for A''s help. Before A could have the chance to realize what was going on, the call was cut off. "Mr...Mr.rk?" Arlene trembled when she saw Brian in front of her. She shrank to the corner, overwhelmed by fear. "It seems that you are really fond of making trouble.Why did you call her? What do you want her to do? Don''t you know that she has been locked up in my vi? What can she do to help you?" Brian''s voice sounded cold and ruthless. If he didn''t arrive on time, was Arlene going to say something to A? But so what? It didn''t matter even if she told A the truth. Arlene shook her head. "No.Mr.rk, I just feel too ufortable.I didn''t mean to call her." Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. The truth was, she wanted to ask for money from A so she could buy the drug by herself. Chapter 54: Wont Let Their Wishes Come True Chapter 54: Won''t Let Their Wishes Come True Brian looked at Arlene coldly. "Are you trying to get money from her?" Arlene lowered her head. She felt so weak and hopeless.She would never have the chance to call A again. He slightly bent over and said, "If you dare to make another phone call, you will never get that drug again." A was his woman. No matter how unhappy she would be, he would never allow Arlene to approach her.So he had to threaten Arlene.Arlene shook her head. "No.I won''t ever call her again." She squatted in the corner and watched Brian leave.She was left alone in the room again. Was Brian protecting A? In the past, Toby was the one always protecting her. Now, it was Brian. Was A using her beauty to charm these men to be rich? But Brian also had Anna by his side. Not only Arlene but also A knew the intimate rtionship between them. After all, A was just a nominal wife. And she was much inferior to Anna. No matter what kind of asion he had to attend, Anna was always by his side, not A. Meanwhile, A couldn''t stop worrying about Arlene after that call. She had been trying to call Arlene, but her number had been deactivated. If not for the call history on her phone, she would think that she was just hallucinating. The days were getting colder and colder. And the heavy snow made her stay in the vi all the time. She couldn''t go anywhere. In the afternoon, sunlight dappled the windows in the living room. A curled up on the sofa, sleeping soundly. Maria walked up to her and covered her with a thin nket. Brian hadn''te back home for days now. Maria thought that the youngdy couldn''t sleep well because of it. Toby sat in his office, looking at the snow outside the window. He took a deep breath. It had been a long time that he hadn''t heard from A. He didn''t know how she was doing right now. If only he could, he would go and see her. But it seemed impossible. Since they got married, Molly almost deprived him of everything, even his personal time. As soon as it was time to get off work, she would call him and urge him toe home directly. If not, she woulde to thepany and stay with him until he decided to go home. He had been holding the phone in his hand, but he couldn''t make a call. Molly looked so elegant in her white fur coat. She walked into Toby''s office and asked, "Honey, are you busy?" Toby stood in front of the window in a daze again. Every time she came to thepany, he was either in a meeting or standing there like this. She got upset at once. Was he still thinking about A? As long as A didn''t appear in front of them again, Molly would never allow him to see the woman. She knew that he was so eager to hear something about A again. But she would do everything she could to prevent it from happening. "You''re here." Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Toby was not surprised to see Molly inside his office at this time. She was a selfish and dominating woman.She even destroyed A''s only photo that was left in him. "I went to a beauty salon near thepany, so I decided to drop by. Anyway, we could go home together." Molly walked towards him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and nestled in his chest. He put his arms around her shoulders and said, "Well, I''m not busy today.We can go home early." She looked at him. "Let''s go shopping and have dinner outside, okay? You''ve been so busytely that you don''t have time to take me out." As she spoke, she pouted like a spoiled child. "Okay, I will go with you today.Where do you want to go?" Toby thought that he also needed time to go out and take a walk. But he still couldn''t take A out of his mind. He wondered if she was still working in the wedding photography studio. Was she taking good care of herself on cold days? Thest time he saw her, she didn''t seem well. "Honey, are you okay? What are you thinking? Look at this dress.What can you say?" They were currently in a high-end boutique, and Molly had already tried several dresses. But Toby had been so absentminded. He walked up to her and said, "This one is beautiful.It looks good on you." "Then, can you buy it for me?" She was not short of money. But she wanted him to spend his own money on her dress because he had never bought anything for her in the true sense. "Okay.As long as you want it, I''ll buy it for you." Toby could give everything to Molly except his heart. He was responsible for her, but he could only love A. He turned his head and looked at the clothes rack beside him. A long white coat caught his attention. While Molly was in the fitting room, he secretly bought the coat and gave the shop assistant an address. He gave her extra money for it to be delivered. After paying for Molly''s dress, the two of them went out of the boutique together. Then she chose a restaurant for their dinner. "Honey, this is a newly opened restaurant, but I heard that they serve delicious dishes here.Let''s give it a try." Toby had no objections, so they walked into the restaurant intimately. Brian and Anna sat opposite each other by the window, eating dinner. Anna was filled with joy, and it was written all over her face. Brian still looked calm right now, but he was not indifferent to her. As soon as they entered the restaurant, Molly followed Toby''s gaze. She then asked, "Honey, is that Mr.rk?Isn''t he already married to A? It seems like he doesn''t treat A well.But anyway, who can me him? She looks like a temptress, and she probably hooks up with men outside.No wonder Mr.rk doesn''t like her." Molly always liked speaking ill of A. After all, she believed that A wanted to seduce Toby. Toby''s face darkened. "Molly, why are you saying that? I don''t like you being so mean." He knew A very well. She was not the kind of woman that Molly thought.She had to marry Brian because she had no choice. "Am I being mean? You are saying that I am mean because of that bitch? I am your wife.What the hell is that woman to you?" Molly had been avoiding mentioning A''s name for a long time, especially in front of Toby. But she could only take so much. She knew that he was always thinking of A. At night, every time they made love, he had no emotions at all. It was as if he was just working in the office. She even had to take the initiative. Otherwise, he would never have sex with her for months. She had so many sleepless nights. But what about him? He was sleeping well, dreaming of A. She had heard him murmuring A''s name in his sleep many times. She had tolerated him so much. But now that he even called her mean, he went too far. She was not mean but jealous. Molly was afraid of losing him because she loved him so much. Toby froze upon hearing what she said. He saw that Brian slightly moved and looked at them. It seemed that he also heard it. Anna only nced at them coldly for a few seconds. She then turned to Brian and said, "Mr.rk, how is A? Are you still not willing to let her go? She must still love Toby." Because if not, Molly wouldn''t have yelled at Toby in public and made a scene. "So what? Do you think I am the type of person who helps other people achieve their goals?" Brian put down the steak knife and fork in his hands, picked up a piece of tissue, and wiped the corners of his mouth. His lips then curved into a cold but charming smile. Did Toby want A? And did A want to live a happy life with him? If the answer was yes, then Brian wouldn''t let their wishese true. Besides, he hadn''t gotten tired of A''s body yet. Anna looked at him and said, "Are you doing this because you don''t want to admit defeat? I actually thought that you have already fallen for her." "Do you think I will?" Brian asked coldly. He would never fall in love with any woman. If he got tired of A''s body one day, he might decide to let her go. Chapter 55: Forget Him Chapter 55: Forget Him After eating, Brian and Anna left the restaurant, while Toby and Molly found a table in one corner. Molly was no longer in the mood.She had been wearing a sullen expression on her face. Toby watched Brian and Anna leave together, looking very intimate, and his heart ached for A. Brian was dating another woman outside. But what about her? She did not only have to work and make money, but she also had to be locked up by Brian in his vi. She had no freedom at all. Molly noticed that he looked restless, so she said, "Do you want to find that bitch right now? Okay, fine! Go ahead and look for her!" She then grabbed her handbag and ran out of the restaurant without looking back. Looking at the dishes that they hadn''t eaten yet, Toby heaved a sigh. He then took out some cash from his wallet, put it on the table, and followed her out. "Molly, wait! Molly, please don''t be angry." He grabbed her. "What? Why are you pulling me? If you want to find her, just go.You don''t care about me anyway.Now, just tell me frankly.Who owns your heart? She or me?" Molly raised her chin and looked at him with tears in her eyes. She loved him so much, but he didn''t care about her at all. He only had A in his heart and in his mind. "Molly, let''s not talk about this, okay? Let''s just go home now." Toby could neither lie nor tell her the truth, A owned his heart, but Molly was his wife. He was responsible for her, and he couldn''t hurt her. However, A was suffering now. To make him feel at ease and give up his promise to her, she lied to him. She said that she was living a happy life, but she wasn''t. Did he make the wrong decision when he married Molly? But he would lose everything if he left the Smith family. How could he give A a good life if he had nothing? He left the city alone that year because he was afraid that she would suffer with him. But now, he wanted to regret what he did. If he had known that things woulde to like this, he would have taken A away back then. "Tell me honestly, do you still miss her? Will you go and find her?" Molly said, gripping his sleeve tightly. Toby held Molly in his arms without saying a word. He didn''t know what to say because he couldn''t answer her questions again. He couldn''t stop missing, thinking, and caring about A. However, she quickly pushed him away and hailed a taxi. He was left there standing in a daze. Perhaps he was destined to hurt Molly. But he couldn''t give A happiness either. A was in her room. She sat on the sofa and watched the snow falling from the sky. But she seemed not satisfied, so she put on her down jacket and stood outside the balcony. She reached out her little hand to catch the snowkes and let them melt in her palm. No matter how beautiful they were, she couldn''t keep them. They would melt, and she had no way to stop it. As soon as Brian entered the room, he saw her stretching her hand out and catching the snowkes with a smile. "What are you doing here at this time of the night?" A turned around and looked at him with her mouth agape. Was she imagining things? How could he suddenly appear here? He should have been angry with her, right? "Aren''t you going toe in?" Brian threw his coat away and sat on the sofa. It was only then that A came back to her senses. She walked back to her room, closed the door of the balcony, and rubbed her cold hands. "Why are you back sote? I thought you''re noting back today." Brian lit a cigarette and snapped, "I cane back whenever I want.Do you have any problem with that?" Actually, he didn''t have ns ofing home tonight. But since he saw Toby in the restaurant earlier, he became curious. He wanted to see whether A was behaving herself or not. "No, not at all." A dragged her oversized plush slippers and walked towards him. "Have you eaten yet? I''ll make you something to eat." "Okay." Brian didn''t refuse this time. A immediately went to the kitchen and heated up the soup she made for dinner. She also prepared a bowl of rice for him and some of his favorite dishes. She knew that he always preferred to eat rice every time he was at home. While eating the dishes and soup in front of him, Brian remarked, "Your cooking skills have improved a lot." When he criticized the dishes she cookedst time, she worked hard to improve her cooking skills. It was her motivation, so she learned faster. Upon seeing that he was almost done, A went back to the kitchen to make his coffee. She didn''t want him to drink ck coffee, but she couldn''t go against his will. Brian put down his chopsticks and took the cup of coffee from her. She had been observing him, and she noticed that he seemed to be in a good mood tonight. She could always feel the slightest change of his mood. Brian went back upstairs while A cleaned up the kitchen. When she was done, she also went upstairs. He was in his room, sitting on the sofa in a night robe. She stood at the door, hesitating to go inside. Eventually, she decided to walk inside. After all, she had never been alone every time he was home. And tonight was no exception. Brian looked at her. "I saw Mr.Brown today." His words stopped her in her tracks. Since Toby''s wedding, she had been trying to forget him. He was already married, and they couldn''t possibly be together again.A smiled indifferently. "This city is not that big, so it''s not surprising that you run into each other.Besides, you still have some business cooperation, right?" "Well, you''re quite open-minded.But will it make you happy if you find out that he and his wife fought in the restaurant because of you?" Brian couldn''t see through her heart, so he wanted to know her reaction. Even if she wanted to escape the past, he knew that she still had feelings for Toby.So she must be affected, right? "If I feel happy about it, you will be unhappy." For her, her happiness didn''t matter because she didn''t want to cause discord between Toby and Molly. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Brian pulled her into his arms and said, "Forget him." A didn''t say anything and just wrapped her arms around his waist.She would forget him, but she needed time. Under the dim light, he kissed her slightly cold cheek and then her lips. He pressed her body against the sofa, unwilling to let her go. But all of a sudden, her lower abdomen tightened, and she felt a sharp pain. She subconsciously pushed him away. "No, don''t!" Brian stepped back and watched the red blood flowing down her legs. Thinking that she was on her period, he coldly turned around and walked into the bathroom. A''s face turned deathly pale, and she felt like she was about to faint. She looked at the blood on the floor in horror. She was so scared that she didn''t dare to move. After lying in her bed the whole night, the pain in her lower abdomen gradually alleviated. She curled up in bed and wrapped herself tightly in the quilt, trembling. Maria went upstairs to check on her. "Mrs.rk, what''s wrong with you? Are you feeling sick? Do you want to go to the hospital?" A shook her head. "No need.Maybe it''s just because of menstruation." She felt strange because she never felt this kind of pain during her monthly period before. "Mrs.rk, has your period be irregr? It used toe on time, right?" Maria asked while pouring a cup of ginger tea with brown sugar for her. "Have some ginger tea first.It will help you feel better." A was also stunned by Maria''s question. Her menstrual period was indeed very urate. But this time, she didn''t notice that it had been a month and a half. And it only camest night. Was it because of the contraceptives she was taking? She really hoped so. Then she remembered Brian. He didn''t evene over to check on her. He would only let her rest every time she had her period. Chapter 56: The Baby In Her Belly Chapter 56: The Baby In Her Belly A had been lying in bed for hours, but she wasn''t getting better.Her face was so pale now that it made her look lifeless. Beads of sweat streamed down her forehead as the pain got worse.Maria touched A''s forehead, and her eyes widened in shock. "Mrs.rk, we have to go to the hospital." A struggled to prop herself up and get out of the bed. But as soon as her feet touched the floor, she fell down and lost her consciousness. Maria screamed in fear. Brian was in the study talking with someone on the phone. When he heard the noise, he rushed to A''s room. "What''s going on here?" There was a clear hint of displeasure in his cold voice. "Mr.rk, Mrs.rk fainted." Maria was panic- stricken.She looked at him, not knowing what to do. "Tell Lyle to take her to the hospital." He then turned around and left. When A regained her consciousness, she was already lying on the hospital bed. "You''re finally awake.How are you? Are you feeling better now?" asked the doctor standing beside her bed. "Doctor, what happened to me?" She could still feel pain in her lower abdomen. "You are pregnant.The first trimester is the most crucial stage of pregnancy, so it is not advisable for women to have sex.Fortunately, you and the baby are safe now.Next time youe to the hospital for your prenatal care checkup, ask your husband toe with you," the doctor replied. A was so shocked that she stared at the doctor incredulously.Was this some kind of a joke? How could she get pregnant? She was taking contraceptives regrly. "I''m pregnant? Doctor, are you really sure about that? There must be a mistake." She still didn''t want to believe it, so she had to reconfirm it to the doctor. The doctor shook his head. "No, we can''t be wrong.You are indeed six weeks pregnant.Here''s the result of your pregnancy test." The doctor handed her a piece of paper. A stared at it for a long time, her eyes wide and mouth agape. The doctor wasn''t kidding. She was really pregnant. Her bleedingst night might be because the baby in her belly was hurt. The doctor''s words and the document in her hand were proof that she was really pregnant. Then she remembered Brian. He was a man who never took others into ount when he had sex with her.He could surely hurt the baby. Her head was in a mess. What should she do next? How could she protect the baby in her belly? If Brian knew about it, he would definitely get rid of the baby. "Doctor, I have a favor to ask from you.Can we just keep my pregnancy a secret? I don''t want my family to know about it for now." A needed time to think carefully. She felt so disoriented that she didn''t know what to do with the baby. The doctor respected her decision, so he just nodded. A went out of her ward to personally go to the pharmacy. The doctor prescribed her some medicine to prevent miscarriage. But she happened to meet Maria, who went out to buy a cup of hot tea for her, in the hallway. "Mrs.rk, where are you going? How do you feel now?" "I''m fine, Maria.Don''t worry about me now," A replied with a smile. Her knees were still trembling, and she felt so weak, but she had to pretend that she was okay. The fewer people knew about her current condition, the better. Obviously, Maria was relieved. "Mrs.rk, have a cup of hot tea first.I''ll just call Lyle so he cane and pick us up." A just stayed in bed when she got home. The doctor rmended she be on bed rest for a while. Otherwise, she might lose her baby. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. She still had a high risk of miscarriage at this moment. "Baby, please tell Mommy what to do," she murmured while caressing her belly. She didn''t want to give up the innocent child. But if she hid it from Brian, could she give birth to the baby safely? And the big question was, could she even hide it from him? Maria went to her room with a package in her hand. "Mrs.rk, Mr.Brown sent this here." A looked at the package with a frown. But she took it from Maria and opened it. Inside the package was a long white coat. It was the style she liked. But why did Toby suddenly send her a coat? Molly would definitely get upset once she found out. "Maria, give this back to them." She couldn''t ept it. Besides, she didn''t need it. She had enough clothes to wear now. Maria hesitated for a moment and said, "Mrs.rk, the shop assistant, who brought this here has already left.Just keep it.Don''t worry.I won''t tell Mr.rk about it." A said that she had no special rtionship with Toby, and Maria believed her.So perhaps he sent her this coat as a present for a friend.There was nothing wrong with it. "All right, I''ll just keep it." A also thought that if she returned it, Toby might be worried about her.She didn''t want him toe here again. Since A was on bed rest, Maria was the one who prepared meals for two consecutive days. But Maria was not aware of A''s condition. She only thought that A was still not feeling well because of her menstruation, so she just sent A''s food upstairs. A looked at the food in front of her. She had no appetite at all. But for the sake of the baby in her belly, she had to force herself to eat. "Mrs.rk, don''t you like this food? What do you want to eat? I''ll cook it for you," Maria said when she noticed that A was not touching her food. ¡°No need, Maria.Everything is fine.I am not picky." Actually, her biggest problem was her morning sickness. It was getting worse and worse. As soon as Maria went out with the empty tes, she ran to the bathroom and retched. She vomited everything she had just eaten. "Baby, please stay safe inside Mommy''s belly, okay?" She was so scared. She didn''t know anything about pregnancy, and she had no one to talk about it either. Ay in bed the whole week. And with the help of the medicine she was taking every day to prevent miscarriage, she felt better. Wearing a thick down jacket, she went downstairs.It was warm inside the vi, but she still felt cold. Maria was surprised to see her in the living room. "Mrs.rk, why are you here? Are you feeling better now? Mr.rk just called.He said he would be home for dinner tonight." Actually, this whole week, Maria had followed Brian''s order to cook nutritious food for A every day to strengthen her body. A tensed up upon hearing what Maria said.She couldn''t say anything, so she just nodded. Sure enough, Brian came home on time in the evening. A stood far away from him, not knowing what to do.She wondered if he was going to have sex with her tonight. "What? Are you afraid of me?" he asked with a frown. "Make coffee for me." A was so nervous the whole time, even during dinner. The dishes in front of her all looked mouthwatering, but she had no appetite at all. Her stomach had been churning, but she was trying her best not to retch. She couldn''t act strange in front of Brian. Brian nced at her coldly. Maybe he noticed her uneasiness, so he asked, "What''s wrong with you?" "Nothing.I..." Before she could finish her words, she covered her mouth and shook her head. Maria walked into the dining room and said, "Mr.rk, Mrs.rk has not been feeling well these days." Brian just looked at her and said nothing. He then put down his chopsticks and went upstairs. A followed him. "Mr.rk, I''m still not feeling well tonight.I...I''m notfortable." She tried her best to avoid him, even just this once. The doctor said that the first trimester was the most crucial, and she couldn''t have sex. "Okay," Brian replied without looking at her. She was surprised that he agreed so easily, but she was also relieved. She quickly went back to her room, afraid that he might change his mind. Toby was standing in his study, thinking of A. He knew that she should have already received the coat he sent to her, and he hoped she liked it. Although she didn''t call him, it was already enough for him that she didn''t return it. Molly entered the study. "Honey, are you still busy? It''ste now." "I''m almost done.You go to bed first." Toby sat at the desk with several documents in front of him. Molly walked to his side and said, "You''ve been so busy these days that you don''t have time for me.Can''t you apany me tonight?" "But I really have to get this done.This is urgent" Toby said. But it was only an excuse. "It''s okay.I can wait for you." Molly was so eager to always sleep with Toby because she wanted to get pregnant. She believed that if they had a child, they could live a happy life. Toby wanted to say something. But before he could open his mouth, she suddenly said, "Honey, you promised that you would only have me in the future, right?" Molly reminded him of his promise. Chapter 57: He Thought She Was Lying To Him Chapter 57: He Thought She Was Lying To Him Toby looked at Molly solemnly. "You are my wife." His words were enough to remove all the uneasiness in her heart at once. "Honey, maybe it''s about time we consider having a baby." Molly didn''t like the fact that Toby had been using condoms, preventing her from getting pregnant. He kept on saying that he didn''t want a baby yet because he wanted to enjoy their lives together, just the two of them. But she knew that it was only an excuse. He didn''t want to have a baby because he didn''t want a burden. And he didn''t want to be tied up to her forever. Toby looked at Molly. "Didn''t we make a deal before we got married?" "I know.But I want to have a baby now.I stay at home every day doing nothing, and I''m getting bored.I want to have a baby to take care of and y with." Molly wanted to keep him by her side using the baby. But not only that. She wanted to have everything of him, not only his body but also his heart. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and bent over to kiss his lips. "Honey, let''s make one exception tonight, okay?" What she meant was they made love without contraception. Today was her most fertile day, and she didn''t want to waste it. She wanted to make sure that she would get pregnant with Toby''s child after tonight. "Okay." Toby picked her up and carried her to their bedroom. Finally, he agreed. After all, he knew that he could only escape temporarily. Someday, he had no other choice but to face everything. His ord dissipated all her restless thoughts in the past few days. "Honey, I really love you." She loved him so much that she was willing to give him everything, including the whole Smith Group. Toby stared at the beautiful woman in front of him. Then gradually, he was seeing A''s face. His beloved A. No matter how close Molly''s face was to him, he seemed not to see her. He couldn''t teach his heart to love Molly. In fact, he only took the responsibility to marry Molly because he wanted to make A happy. Indeed, life was ridiculous. In the end, he still lost A. After having sex, Molly leaned in Toby''s arms and suddenly asked, "Honey, what do you prefer, a son or a daughter?" She took his hand and ced it on her belly. Toby was stunned. He didn''t want a baby at all, so he never thought about it. In fact, he already regretted making love without using condoms just now. He lowered his eyes to look at her and asked, "Do you really want to have a baby?" She nodded her head vigorously. "Yes, of course.I want to have a son who looks like you.He must be very handsome when he grows up." She seemed to be daydreaming. Toby didn''t say anything anymore. He just reached out his hand to turn off the bedsidemp and held her in his arms. But he was still thinking of A. When A opened her closet and saw the white coat hanging in there, she felt warm in her heart. She took it out and held it in her hands. She didn''t even notice that Brian had alreadye in and saw her standing still, staring at the coat. "Did he give that coat to you?" he asked tly. He knew that she would never buy a coat worth more than ten thousand dors even if she could afford it. Besides, he was the one buying her clothes every month. He definitely didn''t give her this style. Upon hearing his voice, A was so shocked that the coat in her hand fell to the floor. "Why...Why aren''t you sleeping yet?" She thought that he was sleeping in his room at this moment. "You lied to me.It''s not true that you''re not feeling well, right? Is it because of this coat?" Brian picked up the coat, opened the window, and threw it out. "Mr.rk..." A stretched out her hand to pull it back, but she was toote. The coat had fallen to the garden outside. She turned around and was about to walk out of the room, but he stopped her. "Do you want to go downstairs to pick it up? Just try it." He looked at her, and his eyes emanated a very cold aura. She gasped when he suddenly grabbed her wrist. But she managed to say, "I''ll give it back to him." Brian thought that the coat was given by Toby.And he was right, so there was no use denying it. After all, she really wouldn''t buy such an expensive coat. "Are you looking for an excuse to see him?" Brian dragged her, threw her on the bed, and pressed his body against hers. A struggled and tried to push him away. "Mr.rk, don''t.Not today, please." Obviously, he didn''t believe her. Brian thought that she was making an excuse to avoid having sex with him. Until he saw the bleeding with his own eyes, he stopped his advances. He thought she was lying to him. But it seemed that it was true she hadn''t recovered yet. A still had a slight bleeding. She was afraid to lose her baby, but she also couldn''t tell Brian the truth. When he walked out of her room, she put on her clothes and ran downstairs to pick up the coat. It was a sleepless night for her. She just leaned against the headboard, looking at the darkness outside the window. She reached out her hand and touched her belly. If she was not pregnant, she was willing to endure whatever Brian wanted to do to her. But now that there was a little life inside her, she had to learn to resist. For the sake of her child, she wouldn''t give up. He hated her, so he would aiso definitely hate the baby in her belly. The next morning, sitting at the dining table, Brian watched A going downstairs. She looked haggard, with dark circles around her eyes. When she entered the dining room, he just nced at her without saying a word. Then he lowered his head and continued reading the newspaper while drinking coffee. Still, A had no appetite. She stared at the food in front of her for a while before she picked up the chopsticks. But as soon as she put the food in her mouth, she suddenly stood up, ran into the bathroom, and retched. Brian''s gaze followed her. And when he heard her retching, his eyes darkened at once. Maria immediately went to her and asked, "Mrs.rk, are you okay?" "I''m fine," A answered weakly. She almost hadn''t eaten anything in the past two days, so she didn''t have strength at all. And now that Maria witnessed her vomiting, it seemed that she couldn''t hide from her anymore. Maria helped her up and asked, "Mrs.rk, are you pregnant?" She was older and more experienced, so she could tell that A was pregnant. A looked at her pale face in the mirror. She then looked at Maria and said, "Maria, can you keep this a secret for now?" "But Mr.rk will be happy to know that he will soon be a father, right?" As Maria spoke, her eyes lit up. She imagined that the vi would be livelier with little kids running and ying around. "No, Maria.Please don''t let him know." A shook her head and looked at Maria expectantly. "Promise me." Finally, Maria nodded in agreement. "But we can''t keep this from him for long.We can''t stop your belly from getting bigger after all.And your morning sickness will worsen.He will definitely notice it." A walked out of the bathroom, sat quietly at the table, and watched Brian finish reading the newspaper. After breakfast, he finally left. Toby took out a pill, put it in a ss of warm water, and waited for it to melt. He then took it to the bedroom. "Molly, drink some water first." Molly was a little surprised. It was the first time that he served her water proactively without her asking.She felt warm in her heart, so she took it and drank it up without any doubt. Toby had to put that pill in her water because he didn''t want a baby. When Toby arrived in his office, he received a call from A. "Hi, Toby, it''s me." "L? I''m so d you call.Where are you? Can we meet?" He was surprised to receive a call from her, but he was also happy. Looking at the coat in her hand, A said, "I don''t have much time." She couldn''t go out for too long because she had to go to the hospital today.Her only purpose for calling him was to return the coat in person. Eventually, they agreed to meet near the hospital. This time, Maria was with her, and Lyle drove them to the hospital. "Maria, you don''t have to go with me.I can go in by myself." Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. She then walked towards the OB- GYN Department. After her prenatal care checkup, the doctor prescribed some more medicine for her and for the baby. He also advised her to continue to have a good rest. She went to the pharmacy first to buy all the medicine. Then she walked to a coffee shop near the hospital. Toby was already there waiting for her. "Toby." A sat opposite him. She hadn''t seen him for a long time, but he was still as handsome as before. Her heartbeat went abnormally fast. She couldn''t deny the fact that he was still in her heart. Chapter 58: Dont Tell Me You Are Pregnant Chapter 58: Don''t Tell Me You Are Pregnant Toby looked at the bag of medicine in A''s hand. "L, what''s wrong with you? Are you sick?" A shook her head. "I''m fine." When a waiter came over and gave them the menu, Toby asked, "What would you like to drink or eat, L?" "Just a ss of milk, please." She couldn''t drink coffee because of the baby in her belly. Toby ordered a cup of coffee for himself. As they sat facing each other and waiting for their orders to be served, A took out the coat. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "I know what you want, but I can''t ept it." She had to clear up the misunderstanding now. Otherwise, it would continue to exist for a long time. They would only make things more difficult for them. Toby looked at the coat she handed to him. "He''s upset about it, isn''t he?" He had already anticipated this. But every time he remembered how intimate Brian and Anna were in the restaurant, he felt very angry. "Toby, Molly is your wife now.You should love and cherish her.I think you are living a happy life together.Well, I am happy with my own life now too," A said, forcing herself to smile. She was fooling herself. Her happiness was still too far away. And perhaps, she was already destroyed before it came. Now that she was pregnant, she really wanted to run away with the baby in her belly. But how? Toby nced at the bag of medicine again. "Why did you buy a lot of medicine? Is something wrong with you? Did he do anything to you? Did he hurt you?" He cared so much for A, and all he wanted was her happiness. He would deal with the matter between him and Molly. Before he could make up his mind, he wouldn''t have a child with Molly yet. The waiter came back and served their orders. A took a sip of her warm milk and touched her belly. "I''m pregnant," she faintly said. Toby was stunned for a few seconds, staring at her incredulously. "You...you''re pregnant? With his child?" It seemed so difficult for him to utter those words. The look of disappointment and desperation was written all over his face. First, Brian took away the woman he loved the most. And now, he got her impregnated. She would give birth to Brian''s child soon. It only meant a lifetime of endless suffering and helplessness for her.How could he help her out? "Yes, but he doesn''t know yet." Actually, A already knew what Brian would do if he found out that she was pregnant. But she didn''t want to give up her child.She wouldn''t let anyone take this innocent life from her belly. "Well, will he allow you to bear that child?" Toby felt that Brian didn''t want a child or even think of having one. Besides, he didn''t take A as his real wife. She was just a woman he needed. "I actually want to surprise him," A said weakly. Surprise him? Would Brian be happy with her surprise? His reaction must be frightening instead. Not long before, the two of them walked out of the cafe together. A stood at the roadside with a smile and watched Toby drive away. Maybe this would be thest that she could see him. Their paths would never cross again in the future. As soon as they returned to the vi, A went directly to her room andy in bed. She was trying her best to keep the baby, so she should take a good rest. After finding out that A was pregnant, Maria had been making tonic soup for her to drink. And although she was just throwing up after drinking them, she didn''t refuse. She knew that it was good for her baby. Being pregnant was really hard. But no matter how hard it was, she was willing to endure it. "Mrs.rk, this isn''t working at all.It will be useless if you just keep on vomiting after you eat.Your body will not absorb any nutrients, and neither will the baby in your belly.Why don''t we try to follow your appetite this time? They say that pregnant women have some cravings.Think of what you want to eat, then I will cook it for you," Maria said, sitting on the edge of the bed. Fortunately, Brian hadn''te home these days.If he saw A''s current situation, he would definitely know everything. "I really don''t have anything in mind, Maria.I just feel tired and sleepy all the time." A had been lying in bed for days now. It seemed that she didn''t have enough strength to move. Besides, it was still cold outside, so she couldn''t go out. "Okay, have a rest first.I''ll make some soup for you again." Maria tucked A under the quilt before she walked out of the room. Since A didn''t want to eat anything, she had no choice but to make some soup for her again. At dinner, A forced herself to get up from the bed and went downstairs. She wanted to eat in the dining room this time. Sitting at the dining table, she stared at the delicious dishes in front of her. But she really didn''t have any appetite. Suddenly, they heard a car stop outside. Startled, she stood up from the chair and said, "Brian''s back." Brian strode in. He was on a business trip for a few days. And when he came back, Jaime immediately reported to him that A went to the hospital. She also met Toby. He was so angry. But when he saw A''s pale face, he didn''t say anything and just walked into the dining room. "Mr.rk, I''ll serve your dinner." Maria took a bowl of rice and ced it in front of him. A had no choice but to sit down again. "I didn''t know you''reing back today."Brian didn''t reply. He hadn''t eaten anything the whole day, so he had to fill his stomach first. Otherwise, his anger would aggravate. A reluctantly took a bite of her food. But her stomach suddenly churned, so she put down her chopsticks and ran to the bathroom. Brian stood at the door of the bathroom. He watched her squatting on the cold floor and vomiting in the toilet. "Don''t tell me you are pregnant!" He was not an idiot. He actually didn''t believe itst time when she said that it was just because of her period. A held onto the sink and stood up weakly. "No." "No?" The coldness in his eyes made her shiver. It was as if he had already seen through her. Maria walked inside the bathroom to support A. "Mr.rk, Mrs.rk is..." But before she could finish her words, he interrupted, "Get out! I want to hear it from her." He then turned to A. "Do you want to tie me up with a child? Or do you want to be a real Mrs.rk?" A shook her head. "Mr.rk, you''re misunderstanding me.I''ve never thought any of those things." The baby came unexpectedly. She didn''t n it. Brian held her arm tightly and asked, "Aren''t you taking contraceptive pills regrly?" "I am.But that time when you came home drugged, I forgot." She couldn''t hide it from him anymore. "And you want me to believe you? How can you forget? I''ve reminded you many times about it.Last time, you were even affirmative when you told me that you''re taking medicine." Brian felt that he had been fooled by A. She pretended in front of him, but she had been lying to him. His grip on her arm was too tight that she started to feel a sharp pain. "Mr.rk, please don''t do this to me.Let go of me first, okay?" If he hurt her, the baby in her belly would be inflicted. "Let go of you? And then what? Let you do whatever you want?" He could never allow it to happen.He was a man who was used to controlling everything.How could he let a woman y tricks on him? "Come with me!" Regardless of A''s thin clothes, Brian pulled her out of the vi. "No! Mr.rk, please.Where are you taking me? I don''t want to go with you." They were already in the garden, but A didn''t stop struggling. It was a chilly evening, but she didn''t seem to feel the cold. Fear outweighed everything in her right now. "Go with me to the hospital!" Brian didn''t want to have children.He didn''t need one now or even in the future.And no one could change that. "No! I won''t go with you.This baby is mine.It''s mine." A held onto the railing tightly, unwilling to take even one single step forward. He suddenly let her go. She didn''t expect it, so she fell to the ground, with her arm first. With a click, she felt a sharp pang of pain. Maybe her bone was broken. "Mr.rk, please give me some time." Ignoring the pain in her arm, she knelt on the cold ground, folded her hands together, and begged. Brian bent over and looked at her face. "Who is the father of this child? That man? Are you really that cheap?" A thought that Brian didn''t want the baby in her belly because he didn''t like children. She didn''t expect that he was thinking it was someone else''s child. She never had a special rtionship with other men, not even I with Toby. How could he misunderstand her like this? Chapter 59: Forced Her To Get Rid Of The Baby Chapter 59: Forced Her To Get Rid Of The Baby While tears streaming down A''s face, she looked at Brian and shook her head vigorously. "Mr.rk, please believe me.There''s nothing between Toby and me.Nothing happened between us.The baby is innocent.Please don''t do anything to my baby." Brian just stared at her coldly. "How can he buy you such expensive clothes if you''re not seeing him often? You''ve met each other these days, right? That''s why he has gotten you pregnant so easily." Obviously, he didn''t believe her words. He never believed in her in the past, he would never believe in her now or in the future. "No! Mr.rk, it''s not like that." She held his sleeve tightly, trying her best to persuade him. "Mr.rk, please let Mrs.rk in first.It''s so cold outside, and she''s pregnant now.Something bad may happen to her and to the baby." Maria couldn''t stand it anymore, so she plucked up all her courage to speak up. Now she understood why A asked her to keep this matter a secret. Brian shook off A''s hand, strode back to the living room, and sat on the sofa. A could barely walk, so Maria helped her walk into the vi. "Mrs.rk, are you okay?" Maria asked worriedly while letting A sit on the sofa. The atmosphere in the living room became even colder than the cold wind outside. "I''m fine," A replied, trying her best to keep her voice steady. After a while, Brian drove Maria out, so only the two of them were left in the main vi now. "Do you want to keep this child?" he asked. A knew that although he was asking her, he didn''t want to hear a positive answer. But she didn''t want to lie to him either. "Yes, I want to keep this child." "And do you expect me to agree?" Despite the pitiful look on her pale face, he reminded himself not to soften up. He didn''t care whether she was pregnant with his child or not. She must have her own purpose in keeping the baby, so he wouldn''t want it. "Mr.rk, I beg you.Please, let me keep this baby.No matter what, I want to give birth to this child.I will do everything you want me to do.Just don''t take this baby away." As tears welled up in her eyes, A knelt down in front of Brian and begged. "No.I''ll never let you do that.You have toe with me to the hospital tomorrow to get rid of that child." He shook off her hand and went upstairs without looking back. She was left in the living room, kneeling on the floor. Her eyes were blurry with tears. How could she ept the fact that she was about to lose her baby? The child inside her belly was helpless. She couldn''t even protect it. All of a sudden, she felt a sharp pang of pain in her belly. She covered it with her hands as beads of sweat started to surface on her forehead. "Baby, please hold on tight.Don''t leave Mommy, okay?" A didn''t want to be alone all her life. She really wanted to have a child to apany her until she got old. She climbed up the stairs, almost crawling. But all of a sudden, she felt something warm flowing down her legs. It frightened her. Was she going to lose her baby? No! She''d rather die than lose her child. There was a dim light inside Brian''s room. A sat outside his room for a long time until she couldn''t hear any sound. Then, she dragged herself to her room, took her money, and put on a coat. She sneaked out of the vi in the still of the night. Brian came out of the bathroom and sat on the sofa. He poured wine in the ss and lit a cigarette. A''s greed and impertinence made him very unhappy, so he was upset. What he wanted from her was only her body. He didn''t need a child. A was so scared that she ran away despite her condition. She didn''t stop until she made sure that she was already far from the vi. What was more depressing was it took her a long time to hail a taxi. "Take me to the hospital, please," she said to the taxi driver. She felt like she was about to lose her consciousness, but she was fighting. She couldn''t lose her child just like this. When the driver saw that she was profusely sweating and her face was deathly pale, he couldn''t help asking, "Miss, are you okay?" "Please take me to the nearest hospital." A bit her lower lip tightly, trying her best not to lose consciousness. For the sake of her child, she had to hold on. She was lucky to find a very kind driver. He immediately drove away and sent her to the emergency room in the nearest hospital. A was already in the ward when she woke up. She was on an intravenous drip. At this moment, a nurse pushed the door open and came in. "You''re awake.We need your personal information for the admission procedure." A was stunned. If she told the nurse her name, Brian would definitely find her. "Nurse, how is my baby?" she worriedly asked while touching her belly. "Your baby is fine, but your current condition is very dangerous.You need to stay in the hospital for a while, " said the nurse before asking for her name again. A had no other choice but to give a false name to the nurse. She was willing to stay in the hospital no matter how long it would be just to ensure her baby''s safety. She just wished that Brian wouldn''t find her. After taking her medicine, she fell asleep soundly. The next morning, Brian walked out of his room and went downstairs. While going down the stairs, he saw bloodstains on every step. His eyes darkened, but his heart never softened. He didn''t even feel distressed. Maria approached him in the living room and asked, "Mr.rk, is Mrs.rk in your room?" She was also frightened to see the blood on the stairs when she came to the main vi earlier.She went to A''s room, but no one was there. "She''s not there." Brian sat on the sofa and asked, "Where is she?" "I didn''t see Mrs.rk when I came here this morning.I went to her room, but she wasn''t there either, so I thought she was in your room." Maria suddenly felt that there was something wrong. Brian picked up the newspaper and the cup of coffee in front of him.He thought that A ran away overnight. She was brave, but he wouldn''t let her do whatever she wanted. "Clean up the room," he said before leaving the vi. While cleaning up, Maria was thinking of A. She didn''t know why A left without saying a word. Knowing the young woman''s current situation, she couldn''t help but feel worried. Sitting in his office, Brian didn''t change his mood because of what happened to A. He just looked at the documents as usual as if nothing happened. At this moment, Jaime came in. "Mr.rk." "How is it going? Have you found out if she went to find Toby in Smith Group?" He thought that A had no one to rely on except Toby. If he found that she really dared to ask Toby for help, he would make them pay a hefty price. "No, Mr.rk." Jaime shook his head. "Will A go find someone else?" "No, that''s impossible.She doesn''t know anyone here," Brian said. yton was out of the country, and Arlene was in his hands. A had nowhere else to go. "Then where is she?" Actually, Jaime was also shocked when he heard that A was missing. Brian casually lit a cigarette and said, "Go and check every hospital in the city." If she didn''t go to Toby, the only ce she could go was the hospital. "Do you think she will go to the hospital?" Jaime asked. "Just check," Brian replied coldly. A took her phone with her. As long as she turned it on, he could find where she was. Did she think she could escape from him? It was already noon when A woke up the next day. She couldn''t get out of bed to buy food, so she had to order her meal from the hospital. Looking at the cold porridge and the hard steamed buns in front of her, she felt like she lost her appetite. But when she thought of the baby in her belly, she forced herself to eat. When she looked at the other pregnant woman in the ward, she couldn''t help feeling sad. The woman was also there to ensure the safety of her baby. However, her husband and mother-inw were with her. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. They also brought her delicious food and chicken soup. A looked down at her belly and gently caressed it while biting her lower lip. She then whispered, "Baby, I''m so sorry.This is all Mommy''s fault.Please make do with it for a few days, okay?" She bit the hard steamed bun and took a sip of the porridge.If it wasn''t for the baby in her belly, she really didn''t want to eat at all. Chapter 60: Last Resort Chapter 60: Last Resort A was a little surprised when the middle-aged woman from the other bed in the ward came to her. "What you''re eating is not nutritious enough for you and your baby.Have some chicken soup." The middle- aged woman put a bowl of chicken soup in front of her. A lowered her gaze, looked at the steaming chicken soup, and said, "No, thanks.It''s okay.I''m just fine." "Just drink it.You have to eat well for the sake of your baby.But you can''t do that if you only rely on the food here.Small hospitals like this don''t actually serve good meals.Anyway, I''ve cooked a lot, and my daughter-in-w can''t drink it all.So just drink this, okay?" the woman said with a smile. With a faint smile on her face, A picked up the bowl and said, "Thank you." "Are you alone? Why is there no one here to take care of you?" the woman then asked curiously. "Yes, I''m just alone," A replied with a nod.She was alone now.But in the future, she had a child to apany her. "Poor girl! But don''t worry.Starting tomorrow, I''ll make more soup for you.The first trimester of pregnancy is the most crucial stage.You have to pay more attention to your body and health." The middle-aged woman might also have her own daughter, so she felt sorry and distressed when she saw that A was alone. Jaime had searched all the hotels and hospitals in the city, but he really couldn''t find A. Brian was not worried at all. He believed that she couldn''t hide from him for the rest of her life. A had already run out of cash, but she still couldn''t get out of bed. In the end, she had left with no choice, so she turned her phone on and called Toby. "L? Where are you?" Toby was so worried. He knew that something happened to A because Jaime came to him two days ago. "Toby, I''m in the hospital." She told Toby the name and the address of the hospital. Toby immediately bought some tonics and supplements and went to the hospital as fast as he could, "Why didn''t you call me sooner? Have you been alone here all the while?" He looked at A in disbelief. The hospital was so small, and the ward was crowded. "I...I''m sorry..." As much as possible, she didn''t want to bother him. But she was forced to do so because of her current situation. "Silly girl.Why are you apologizing to me? What do you want to eat? I''ll go out and buy it for you." Toby felt so sorry to see the sadness on A''s face.She looked so pale and pitiful too. "I don''t want to eat anything now.I just want to sleep.I feel so tired and sleepy." She felt more at ease now, knowing that Toby was by her side. "Okay, take a rest now.I''ll just stay here with you," Toby said while pulling the quilt for her. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. He couldn''t just leave her here like this. She needed someone to be with her right now. A held Toby''s hand tightly and soon fell asleep. During lunchtime, a nurse came with a bowl of cold porridge and a te of hard steamed buns for A. Toby couldn''t help frowning while looking at the tray. He wondered if she had been eating this food in the past two days. At this moment, the middle-aged woman with a daughter-inw in another bed came in. When she saw a man beside A''s bed, she couldn''t help walking forward and asked, "Are you Ms.Woodsen''s husband? What makes youe here sote? How can you let a pregnant woman stay here alone without something nutritious to eat? If this goes on, she won''t be able to survive, let alone the baby in her belly." What she said made Toby realize how much A had suffered when he was not by her side. When A woke up, she felt d that Toby was still there. "Toby..." "You''re awake." Toby stood up, adjusted the bed, and propped her up. After making sure that she was leaning against the bedfortably, he said, "Have a rest first.I''ll be back soon." But she stopped him. "Toby, can you help me withdraw money from the bank?" She handed over her passbook to him. Although there was not much money in it, it was enough for her to live in the hospital for a long time. He nced at it, but he didn''t take it. "Why do you still regard me as an outsider?" He then turned around and walked out of the ward.Looking at his receding back, she couldn''t help feeling sad. She really didn''t want to bother him, but she had no choice. He was herst resort. When Toby came back, he brought bird''s nest congee and various kinds of desserts. He put them on the bedside table and said, "L, eat something first.Don''t eat that cold porridge and steamed buns again." A took the hot porridge and desserts from him. "Thank you, Toby.I think I''ll be fine.You can leave now.I know you still have a lot of work to do in the company." "It''s okay.I''ve already asked Fred, my assistant, to cancel all my schedules for the next two days.I can stay here with you." He sat on the edge of the bed and took out a brown envelope with the thick cash he had withdrawn just now. He knew she needed money now "Did he drive you out of the vi?" he then asked in a low voice. She shook her head. "I ran away." Toby finally understood why Brian had sent some people to look for A. It turned out that she ran away from him. If he found out where she was, she would surely suffer a lot. "Toby, he doesn''t want to have a child.He wants to get rid of the baby in my belly." A held his hand tightly. It was as if she was gasping a life-saving straw. "Don''t worry too much.It will harm you and the baby.Just stay here and rest well.When the doctor says you can leave the hospital, you can live in my apartment." Knowing that she badly needed him at this moment of her life, he wanted to protect her. A didn''t say anything more. She just lowered her head and ate. Never did she think that what happened today would bring a disaster to her and Toby. And she would also have to pay a hefty price. Brian''s mouth curled up with a sneer when he found out that A finally turned on her phone. "Jaime, let''s go to the hospital." Jaime got the car ready at once. "Mr.rk, do you want to go there now?" "Yes." Brian stood up from the sofa, took his coat, and walked out of his office. A sat on the bed with Toby by her side. His phone had already rung many times, so she said, "Toby, you can leave now.Don''t make her worry." She didn''t mind being alone in the hospital anyway. "I''ll just take this call." Toby walked out of the ward and answered his phone. "Molly, I''m dealing with something important right now." "You''re with that woman, aren''t you? I called your office.Fred said that you didn''te to thepany today." Molly had already had a bad feeling since this morning. "Molly, what are you talking about? I really have something to deal with.I''ll go backter.You can go to bed first.Don''t wait for me." Toby then hung up and turned off his phone. He knew that Molly wouldn''t stop pestering him until he went home. A vaguely heard his conversation on the phone, so when he came back inside, she said, "Toby, go home now.I am fine.I feel sleepy anyway.I''ll just sleep when you leave." "Okay, I''ll go.But I''ll wait until you fall asleep before I leave." Toby needed to make sure that she was okay. Otherwise, he wouldn''t feel relieved. A had justin down in bed for less than five minutes when she suddenly heard a noise outside. And before she could react, two men in ck came in, followed by Brian and Jaime. "Mr...Mr.rk?" Looking at Brian''s gloomy expression, her whole body trembled. She was so scared. "Did I scare you?" Brian asked, standing by the bed. He was so angry when he found out that A used a different name in this hospital. No wonder Jaime couldn''t find her. Did she really want to escape from him and give birth secretly? She must be too naive. A just looked at him. No matter what, she couldn''t escape from him anyway. "You are so stupid!" Brian snapped as he clutched her slender arm fiercely. There was no gentleness in him at all. "Let go of L!" Toby walked over and tried to pull Brian''s hand away. Did Brian think there was now? He wouldn''t let Brian take her away again, let alone hurt her. Brian turned to look at Toby and asked, "What''s the matter? Do you want to change your job because you are tired of being the Deputy CEO, Mr.Brown?" His voice was calm and indifferent but with a sense of endless majesty. A shook her head. "Mr.rk, he has nothing to do with this.I ran away by myself." "No! It''s me.I''m the one who asked L to leave you because you are a demon!" Toby pushed Brian away forcefully and held A in his arms. Chapter 61: Willing To Go Back With Him Chapter 61: Willing To Go Back With Him Brian stood aside, watching Toby guarding A against him. He looked at Toby and asked, "Mr.Brown, you seem to be very protective of her.Is it possible that the child in her belly is yours?" A''s eyes widened in shock upon hearing Brian''s words.She shook her head and replied, "No, it''s not his." She had made things worse now. If Brian continued to misunderstand the situation, Toby would be involved. He was already married, and she didn''t want him to be in big trouble just because of her. But much to her surprise, Toby suddenly said, "Yes, L''s child is mine, so let her go now.I''ll give you anything you want as long as you let her go." Seeing A in such a miserable situation made Toby decide to take her away even if he lost everything. "No! I want her," Brian retorted. His eyes darkened as he stared at Toby. "Do you know how she is when she is in my bed, huh?" Toby''s face turned deathly pale. Brian''s words were like a knife that pierced through his heart, and he felt so ufortable. Indeed, A was pregnant with Brian''s child. "Come home with me," Brian ordered, looking at A "No! I don''t want to go back to your vi anymore," A refused at once. If she went back with him, he would definitely get rid of her baby. She''d rather be alone outside than have an abortion. "Do you want to go with him then?" Brian asked. His eyes moved back to Toby and continued, "This man is married.Do you want him to divorce his wife, or do you want to be his mistress? Do you think the Smith family will allow you to do that?" His every word tore her heart apart. What he said was true. Toby had a wife and couldn''t be with her.But what else could she do? "Mr.rk, this is none of your business.I''ll take care of L.Don''t worry about it." Toby held his chin up and met Brian''s eyes. Brian stole A from him. If she continued to stay with this demon, she would only suffer more. But Brian just ignored Toby. He turned to A and said, "Do you want to go with him? I want a clear answer now.Are you going back with me, or are you going with him?" Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. He stared at her with his dark and sharp eyes. A bit her lip, lowered her head, and said, "I''m not going back with you." But she wouldn''t go with Toby either. She could live by herself as long as she kept her baby. "That means you''re choosing him over me, right?" Brian bent over and asked again. A nced at Toby. Then she forced herself to nod and answered, "Yes, I''m choosing him.I want to go with him." Brian looked at his men, and they immediately rushed towards Toby. They pulled him, punched him, and kicked him heavily. He tried his best to fight with them, but his strength was nothingpared to Brian''s burly bodyguards. A jumped out of her bed and screamed, "Stop it! Let him go! Don''t hurt him!" But no one paid attention to her scream. Even the family from the other bed didn''t dare to interfere. So she turned to Brian and begged, "Mr.rk, please let him go.I beg you...please..." "Aren''t you going with him? If he dies, will you still go with him?" His words made her face turn paler. Was he going to let his men beat Toby to death here? A trace of panic shed across her eyes. "No! Mr.rk, I''ll go back with you now.Just please, tell them to stop hurting him.He has nothing to do with this." A knelt on the floor and held Brian''s trousers tightly. "Mr.rk, please.I''m willing to go back with you now.Don''t hurt him again." She had no other choice but to give in. If she continued to resist, it might cost Toby''s life. She didn''t want him to suffer because of her, so she had to go back with Brian. No matter what happened, she had to stay with Brian from now on. "Think it over first.I don''t have time to y hide-and- seek with you." Brian''s expression was still cold. Actually, if A continued to be stubborn, he had more means to make her yield. "I''ve thought it over, and I''m very decided now.I won''t run away from you again.Please, tell them to stop beating him.He will die." A sobbed helplessly. Brian pulled her up from the floor and held her in his arms. He then turned to his men and shouted, "Stop." Toby was beaten ck and blue, with a bruised nose and swollen face. But he could feel from the pain all over his body that his injuries were just superficial. Still, he didn''t expect that Brian would deal with him andA this way. "Jaime, ask someone to drive Mr.Brown back to his house.Then tell Mr.Smith that he has to stop his son- inw from meddling in other people''s business.Otherwise, I can''t guarantee that Smith Group will continue to be safe," Brian said and walked out of the ward with A. It was very cold outside, but he didn''t mind it. He still went out of the hospital with her, although she was only wearing a thin hospital gown. On their way back to the vi, A squeezed herself in the corner of the car, not because she felt cold but because she was afraid. As soon as the car stopped in the garage, she opened the door and ran inside the vi. Jaime nced at Brian and asked, "Mr.rk, are you really going to get rid of the child?" "Don''t worry about it.But I won''t have a child," Brian replied. A went straight to her room and locked the door. She thought that Brian wouldn''t be able to get in there. But she was wrong. He had a spare key for every door of the vi. And even if he didn''t, no one could stop him from smashing the door and doing anything to het Maria saw that A had returned. She was so worried, and she wanted to talk to A. But when she saw Brian''s cold face, she didn''t dare to go upstairs. A was curling up on the bed when her room was opened from the outside. Brian walked in, sat on the sofa, and said, "You are quite bold.Do you still want to be with that man?" "I just want my baby." She pulled the quilt and covered herself tightly. "Do you really want to have a child?" He lit a cigarette and took a deep drag. She knew that even if she insisted, he would still force her to abort the baby. He didn''t want a child. What should she do? She lowered her head and didn''t say anything. She had no right to speak. After all, he always had the final say in everything. "I''ll give you one night to think it over carefully.I need your decision tomorrow morning.If you dare to run away again, I won''t look for you anymore.But I assure you that yton, Arlene, Toby, and Smith Group will all be destroyed." With such a threat, Brian didn''t think that A would have the courage to run away again. And he was right. Indeed, she didn''t have any ns of running away again. When she saw that Toby was almost beaten to death, she got scared. It was all her fault. If she didn''t call him, he wouldn''t have gone there, and he wouldn''t be hurt. If he returned to the Smith family''s vi with all the bruises he had on his body, he would find it difficult to exin himself to them. Maybe he wouldn''t be able to live a good life there in the future. She couldn''t help ming herself for everything that happened today. So even if she didn''t want to be with Brian, she had no other choice. Otherwise, Toby would continue to suffer. Brian gave her one night to think about it. But for her, it was useless. What did she need to consider? Even if she told him that she wanted to keep her baby, he would still not listen to her. After a while, Maria brought some food to A''s room. "Mrs.rk, whatever happened today, you still need to eat." Staring at the food in front of her, A realized that she hadn''t eaten anything yet. But she still had no appetite until now. "For the sake of your baby, force yourself to eat something.You have to stay strong and healthy." Maria could now guess that Brian would never keep the child. "Okay." A nodded and sat on the edge of the bed.She picked up the chopsticks and started to eat. But in the end, she only threw up everything she had eaten.She squatted in front of the toilet and retched. After taking out everything, she sat weakly on the cold floor tiles. She felt like she had vomited even the digestive juices inside her body. "Baby, what should I do? I don''t want to lose you.Please tell Mommy what to do." A felt even more helpless now. Was she going to lose her baby this time? All of a sudden, she felt like her vision started to in ate .When Maria walked into the bathroom to check on A, she found that A was lying on the floor, unconscious. Chapter 62: Abortion Chapter 62: Abortion Maria stayed in A''s room the entire night.Seeing A''s miserable look, she felt sorry.But she was just a servant.She couldn''t do anything to help A. When A opened her eyes, the sky was already bright outside.She didn''t know what happened after she vomited in the bathroomst night. But how she wished morning didn''te. Because today would be the most painful day of her life. Brian sat on the sofa in the living room. As usual, he was drinking coffee while reading the newspaper. A went downstairs in a white shirt. As soon as she saw him, she greeted him. "Mr.rk." "Have you thought it over? I''m waiting for your answer now." He didn''t even raise his eyes to look at her.He expected to hear the answer he wanted. "My answer is still the same.The baby in my belly is innocent.Besides, it''s really yours.You just don''t trust and believe me.Why do you have to be so cruel?" She stood in front of him and gathered all her strength to yell at him. Brian put down the newspaper and finally looked at her. "I''m cruel? Yes! I am a heartless person.So do you think I will want this child? Whether it''s mine or not, I still don''t want it." In his heart, he clearly knew that the baby in her belly was his, because A was always under his control and he knew every move of hers. It was just that her sudden pregnancy really enraged him. He didn''t like anyone to challenge his authority. "You know that you''re the only man who has ever touched me, so you know that this baby is yours.Although the baby has not been born yet, it''s your own blood.How can you say you don''t want it?" A knew that Brian was cold-blooded and ruthless. But she still believed that he couldn''t possibly harm his own child "What do you want me to do then? Let you do whatever you want?" What he said made her feel hopeless all of a sudden. Her words didn''t change his mind at all. "Mr.rk, please, just let me give birth to this child.After that, you can let me leave, or you can take my life.You can do whatever you want.I just don''t want to deprive the child of the right to see the world." Since she couldn''t persuade him, she thought that perhaps she could bargain with him. After all, she was willing to give up her own life just for her baby to live and see the world. Brian stared at her. "Why would I take your life? You seem to be so firm with your decision.But don''t worry.I will make you agree willingly " he said lightly. Panic surged up in A''s heart.She didn''t know how to react. What was he nning to do? Was he going to force her again? She was already in a desperate situation. Did he have to push her into hell? This thought scared her. If she kept defying him, she and her baby might both die. It didn''t matter if she died. She had nothing to miss and to lose. But if she lost her child, her life would be useless. No one loved her, and she didn''t own anything. Her baby was the only one she had. Half an hourter, Jaime arrived in the vi with Arlene. A was shocked to see Arlene so weak. She wondered what happened to her. And what was Arlene doing here? Did Brian know that she was not the real Arlene? She looked at him and asked, "What are you going to do?" Brian stood up from the sofa. "What do you think? Are you surprised? You still think that I don''t know the tricks you are ying in front of me, right?" A slumped on the sofa. It turned out that he already knew everything. She was the only one who had been kept in the dark. "Now, I''ll give you two choices.Abort the child and stay in my vi as Mrs.rk, or keep the child, and I will do something to her that you can''t imagine." As soon as he finished his words, two men pressed Arlene to the floor and tore off her clothes. "Mr.rk, what are you going to do?" A''s eyes widened in shock. Why did Brian let his men humiliate Arlene like this? How could he be this ruthless? "See it yourself," Brian replied while sitting on the sofa. Actually, whatever she said wouldn''t change anything. The result would still be the same. One of the men put a pill inside Arlene''s mouth. And within a few minutes, she took the initiative to seduce the men in front of her. "No! Stop it! Don''t do this to her!" A stepped forward and tried to pull the men away. "Don''t touch her.You can''t touch her." This was crazy! Why did this have to happen? "Mr.rk, what do you really want? How can you treat her this way?"Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. She felt like she was about to break down. Her eyes were already blinded by tears.Arlene was totally controlled by the drug. She had lost her sanity. Regardless of how many people were in the living room right now, she didn''t care at all. It seemed that only the man in front of her mattered to her. She took the initiative to get close to him and kissed him with her coquettish red lips. A tried to pull Arlene away, but she was only pushed away. She couldn''t believe what she was seeing right now. Arlene was being humiliated and abused by several men in front of her. Such a scene made her heart ache. "Mr.rk, please stop them.It''s okay now.I''ll let you get rid of the baby in my belly.I''m willing to have an abortion.Just don''t do this to her again," she helplessly turned to Brian and begged. What else could she do? He was really pushing her into a desperate situation. Her hand subconsciously touched her belly as she thought inwardly, ¡®''Baby, I''m sorry if I can''t protect you anymore.I want to keep you alive, but I have no choice.But don''t worry.Mommy will apany you.I will go with you.You won''t be alone.I will always stay with you" But it was toote for her willingness. Everything that should happen to Arlene had already happened. A turned to look at Arlene. But Arlene didn''t seem to recognize her. Maybe it was because of the effect of the drug. Arlene wasn''t herself anymore. This was all because of Brian''s cruelty. "Why does this have to happen? Do I really deserve this?" A murmured through clenched teeth. "You are so cruel.You are not a human at all." "Now that you know, you''d better behave yourself.Be obedient and don''t upset me." Obviously, what happened in the living room just now didn''t matter to Brian. He would do everything to get what he wanted even if he had to do it in an unscrupulous way. Tears streamed down A''s face. She was full of regret. "This is my fault.This is all my fault." Because of her, many people around her had been hurt. She shouldn''t have expected that she still had hopes. She should have epted the fact that she was destined to face all the pain in her life alone. How did she even want a child to apany her? It was only now that she realized that the child would only suffer the same pain as her. "Take that woman away," Brian ordered his men emotionlessly. A didn''t say a word. She just dragged herself and followed Brian''s steps. The smell of disinfectant made A feel sick. She leaned against one of the chairs in the corridor of the hospital, vomiting continuously. She tried her best to bear such a bad feeling, but she couldn''t stand it anymore. Brian sat in the corner and didn''t even spare a nce at her or say anything. Then the door of the operating room was opened. The doctor came out and took her inside. A''s face turned deathly pale as shey down on the cold operating table. And when she heard the sound of the instruments, her body felt so feeble. "Don''t be afraid.It won''t hurt after you get anesthetized," the nurse said when she saw that A clenched her fists and beads of sweat streamed down her forehead. "Can you not use anesthesia on me?" A could bear the physical pain. But her heart was so painful that she couldn''t breathe. All she wanted now was to leave the world with her baby. She had lost the will to live. At first, the doctor insisted on giving her anesthesia. But she firmly refused, so he finally gave in. During the operation, she had heavy bleeding, but she still smiled. The doctors and the nurses felt strange upon seeing it. In the end, the pain made her fall into aa. Chapter 63: She Wants To Die Chapter 63: She Wants To Die After her operation, A was still unconscious when the nurses took her to her ward.Brian stood next to her bed and asked the doctor, "What happened?" "Mr.rk...Mrs.rk asked not...to be anesthetized.She also bled heavily during the operation, so she lost a lot of blood.That''s why...she can''t...she can''t wake up yet..." Upon seeing Brian''s gloomy face, the doctor was so frightened that he stammered. "You are the doctor.You know what you should do.How can you listen to your patient and let her decide?" Brian yelled at the doctor unceremoniously.The doctor didn''t say anything more.He just nodded in a hurry and strode out of the ward. Brian knew that A did it on purpose. It was her way of protesting because he forced her to get rid of the child. He couldn''t understand why she was still so naive and disobedient after everything he had done to her. It was already a day after when A woke up. As soon as she opened her eyes and looked around, all she could see was white. Her hands were cold, but she knew that she was still alive. Before she fainted in pain, she heard the doctors and nurses shouted that she was bleeding. She remembered that she even smiled, thinking that she would finally die inside the operating room with her child. But why was she still alive? She should have been dead by now, right? How about her baby? Her baby must be scared of being alone in another world. No, she couldn''t let her baby feel that.She must go and stay with her baby. A felt the pain all over her body, but she endured it.She propped herself up from the bed and pulled the hypodermic needle on the back of her hand.She walked to the window and looked outside. Seeing the small figures down there, she realized that she was on a very high floor. If she jumped from here, she would definitely die.She was in a very good location. A opened the window and climbed up. ¡®''Baby, Mommy ising.Wait for me.Don''t go too far yet, okay? Please wait for Mommy.¡¯'' She closed her eyes and gradually loosened her grip on the window frame. But when she thought that she was about to fall, she was suddenly pulled back. "Mrs.rk, you can''t do that.If anything bad happens to you, Mr.rk will definitely raze the hospital to the ground." The nurse was scared to death. She just went out to get some medicine. Who would have thought that A was going to climb the window and jump off the building? At that moment, Brian walked into the ward. He saw that A was sitting on the windowsill as if she was about to fall soon. "Do you really want to die? And who do you want to be buried with you?" he snapped. As his voice resounded through the ward, A finally let the nurse pull her back to the bed. One week had quickly passed. A still didn''t say a word to anyone. It seemed that her whole body had lost its soul. She just kept on muttering, "Baby, I''m sorry." The private nurse hired by Brian stayed with her twenty- four hours a day. Her meals were all nutritious and served on time. There were also two bodyguards at the door of her ward. But Brian had nevere to visit her. Maria also went to the hospital sometimes. But A didn''t talk to her either. It was as if she didn''t know Maria at all. She only kept talking to herself. "Mrs.rk, is there anything you want to eat? I''ll make it for you, okay?" Maria asked. She was sitting on the edge of the bed and peeling an orange for A. "Baby, I''m sorry...I''m so sorry," A still murmured.She didn''t even cast a nce at Maria.But she took the orange that Maria handed to her and ate it. "Baby, you won''t be hungry.Mommy will eat more, so you won''t get hungry." Maria stayed with A for an hour before she decided to leave. When she was about to go out of the hospital, she met Brian. "Mr.rk, Mrs.rk doesn''t seem to be in good condition.Do you want to take her back to the vi?" "Let''s wait until she recovers." Actually, Brian always went to the hospital. It was just that he didn''t enter her ward every time he went there. Toby was lying on the hospital bed while Molly sat beside him, peeling an apple. "Honey, here.Eat this apple." "Thank you." Toby took the apple from her and took a bite. His ribs were broken, and he had been staying in the hospital for several days. And now he had no way to contact A at all. "Honey, don''t do it again, okay? I''ll tell Dad that everything will be fine after you are discharged from the hospital.Let''s just forget what happened.But promise me that you won''t think about her anymore." That day when he was beaten ck and blue by Brian''s men, she fainted upon seeing his unconscious body at the door of their vi drenched in blood. Toby stared at Molly. He thought that he should not disappoint her anymore after he let A down. He couldn''t lose her after losing A. "Okay, I promise you.I will only think of you from now on." Molly nodded vigorously, tears streaming down her face. "Honey, thank you.I love you.I love you so much." He held her in his arms and said, "I''m so sorry.It''s all my fault.Don''t cry now, okay? I don''t want to see you crying." She smiled happily. From now on, she would be happy. A could no longer take Toby away from her. Never again. "Wait a moment.I''ll get some hot water for you." Molly then walked out of the ward. When she reached the end of the corridor, she saw two burly men in ck standing outside another ward. It seemed like they were bodyguards.It piqued her curiosity, so she stopped walking. She wondered who the patient inside was. To have two bodyguards standing outside the ward, the patient must be someone from a rich and powerful family.But why did the patient need bodyguards in the hospital? Was the patient''s life in danger? "Mrs.rk, please eat something now." Molly vaguely heard the nurse''s voice, then it was followed by loud bangs and the sound of broken bowls. A pushed the door of the ward open. But the two bodyguards stopped her at once. "Mrs.rk, you can''t go outside yet." It was only then that Molly heard the name of the patient clearly. ¡®''Mrs.rk? Could it be her?¡¯'' she thought. She walked closer to the door of the ward and looked inside. Then she saw a woman in disarray hair. When she got a clearer view of the woman''s face, her eyes opened wide in shock. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Indeed, it was A, the bitch who had been pestering her husband. But how did she be like this? She seemed insane. "Ma''am, sorry, no one is allowed toe here.Please leave now." One of the bodyguards stopped Molly. When Molly returned to Toby''s ward, she didn''t have the hot water with her. Actually, she had totally forgotten about it.She went to the nurse station and asked about A.She found out that A had an abortion and was currently mentally upset. Molly''s mind was ina mess. If A got pregnant, who was the father of her baby? "Molly, are you okay? What happened? I thought you''re going to get some hot water.Where is it? And what has taken you so long?" Toby frowned when he saw Molly walked back to the ward empty-handed. Molly shook her head absentmindedly. "There is no hot water now." She thought that it was better to hide what she had discovered from Toby. If he found out A''s situation now, his heart would definitely soften.He might have another conflict with Brian because of A. She didn''t want it to happen again, so she decided not to mention anything to him. "Oh, okay.Don''t mind it.Have a rest now.I know that you didn''t sleep wellst night.When the doctor comes, ask him if I can be discharged now.Then help meplete the discharge procedure.I really don''t want to stay in the hospital for so long," Toby said. Molly nodded.She thought that it would be better for Toby to be discharged. If he stayed here longer, he might also know A''s current condition.It would be bad for all of them.She had to be with him all the time, so she could watch over him. A curled up on the sofa, hugging a pillow in her arms.She was still murmuring to herself. The nurse sat beside A quietly.She didn''t say anything because she knew that A wouldn''t listen to her. It had been half a month since A was discharged from the hospital. That day when she returned to the vi and looked at the familiar living room, she shivered in fear and ran upstairs to her room. She locked the door and hid under the quilt with a pillow in her arms. Chapter 64: Am I Still Alive Chapter 64: Am I Still Alive Hiding in a corner, A watched as Maria brought her meal into her room.She stared at the food nkly, with no appetite at all. "Mrs.rk, please eat now.You haven''t eaten the whole day, and your health condition is getting worse.If this goes on, your body will not be able to stand it," Maria said, holding A''s hand. "No, don''t touch me!" A withdrew her hand and said, "You are a bad person.Don''t touch my baby and me." Seeing the horrified look on A''s face, Maria couldn''t help asking, "Mrs.rk, why have you be like this?" But A just ignored Maria.She held the pillow tightly and didn''t let anyone touch it. Brian walked into the room and looked at A. Her hair was in disarray, and her face was pale and haggard. He had already asked a doctor toe and give her a checkup. The doctor said that she seemed not to ept what had happened to her. Her mind escaped from reality because of the blow. She would recover, but it needed time. "Mr.rk, you are back," Maria greeted him. "Mrs.rk''s condition seems to be getting really worse.She hasn''t even eaten anything the whole day.Have you found a doctor to check on her again and treat her?" She then looked at A worriedly. He walked over to A and said, "Wake up, A.If you go on like this, I''ll kill you!" But A''s face didn''t show any fear or horror at all.She just opened her eyes wide and looked at him in confusion. But there was also no focus in her eyes. He didn''t know where she was looking at, but he was sure that she didn''t see him. It was as if she was looking at something through him. "Mr.rk, with your behavior, you may scare her," Maria said, shaking her head helplessly and looking at the food in front of her that had gone cold. "Get out of here now.If she doesn''t want to eat, take all the food with you." Maria picked up the food tray and walked out of the room. When Brian heard the door closed behind him, he looked at A, who was continuously muttering something. "What do you want? Is this your way of protesting against me?" He grabbed the pillow from her slender arms and threw it away. There was no reaction from A at first. Even if he held her arms tightly, she still didn''t say anything. But when her gazended on the pillow on the floor, she pushed him away forcefully and stood barefoot on the floor.She didn''t mind if she was only wearing thin pajamas.She picked up the pillow and said, "Baby, don''t be afraid.Mom is here." She then patted the pillow as if coaxing a baby. Brian dragged her up. "Do you want a baby so much? Okay then.I will give it to you as long as you can give birth to a baby." With her current condition, he knew that she couldn''t get pregnant. And he didn''t want to give her a chance either. But seeing her like this made his heart burn with anger. He pulled her pajamas .When she still didn''t react, he pushed her. "Do you want a baby? Do you think you are qualified?" A looked at him in a daze. She touched his face with her cold hand and said, "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean it.I really didn''t mean it." Brian didn''t know if she was talking to him. Her emotionless face that looked like a dead fish made him lose his patience. So he stood up, turned around, and left. When he was gone, she put on her pajamas, held the pillow in her arms, and hummed a luby as if she was coaxing a baby to sleep. In the entertainment club, Anna saw Brian walked in so she approached him. "Brian, why are you here?" "Bring me a bottle of wine," he ordered as he walked into a VIP room and sat on the sofa. "Are you in a bad mood because of A?" Anna asked as she walked into the VIP room with the bottle of wine. She had also heard about what had happened to A, and she thought that A only deserved what she had be. A knew that Brian didn''t want a child, but she still dared to get pregnant. Whether it was his child or not, he wouldn''t ept it. She even tried to escape foolishly. Had she forgotten how powerful he was? No one could hide from him. Brian didn''t say a word and just drank the wine Anna handed to him. A had seriously affected his mood. He became so irritable for no reason. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Anna sat beside him, poured wine into his ss, and drank with him. "Won''t it be better if you let her go?" He turned to look at her and said, "It''s none of your business." Letting A go would actually save him from so much trouble. He didn''t need to spend so much effort on her.But no matter what, he wanted her to stay by his side for the time being.He didn''t care even if she had gone insane. "I know that it''s none of my business.I don''t want to interfere, but I don''t like seeing you like this.You are not happy at all." Anna took the ss from his hand and looked at him. "Brian, I''ll apany you tonight, okay?" Since thest incident, Brian had been apanying A.She was very unhappy about it, but she couldn''t show it in front of him. All she could do was ept it silently and continue helping him manage the club. "I''m going hometer." It seemed that he didn''t want to leave A alone in the vi. Seeing her like this always gave him a strange feeling in his heart. If it was in the past, he would definitely kick her out and let her live and die by herself. He nevercked women after all. It had been a few days since thest snowfall. And tonight, it was snowing heavily outside. In the past two days, A still didn''t say anything, but she started eating. The whole vi was very quiet. It was already midnight, and Brian wasn''t home yet. Actually, she didn''t know if he woulde home, and she didn''t care. It didn''t stop snowing until three o''clock in the morning. Still awake, she looked at the vastness of white outside her window. Then wearing a white night robe, she ran downstairs without even putting on her slippers. She walked barefoot on the snow without even feeling cold. Soon enough, the whole garden was filled with her footprints. Brian arrived home at six o''clock in the morning. As soon as he got out of his car, he saw a petite figure in the garden that blended in the white snow. If it weren''t for her long ck hair, he could hardly see her. He strode over, and he frowned when he saw A lying on the snow, unconscious.He had tried his best toe home every day recently. But he just didn''te home for one night, and she became like this. Maria went out of her little house behind the main vi. She saw Brian walking into the main vi with the cold and unconscious A in his arms. "Mr.rk, Mrs.rk fainted.Shall I call the doctor?" She was also startled when she saw that A''s face and body had be blue and purple. A must have been outside in the cold for a long time. Fortunately, A was still breathing. Otherwise, she would think that A was already dead. "No need." Brian took A back to her room, took off her pajamas, and soaked her cold body into the bathtub with warm water. Maria followed behind him with a bath towel in her hand. "Mr.rk, let me help warm Mrs.rk up." ''My God! Why has Mrs.rk be like this now?'' she thought. These days, she always felt like A would die at any time. Brian took the towel and wiped his hands. He then walked out of the bathroom and sat on the sofa. The sky was still a little gloomy, and he felt like it was heavily pressing him down. A had been soaked in the bathtub for half an hour, but it seemed that she still didn''t get warm enough. Maria raised the temperature to make the water warmer and rubbed her body for a long time. It was only then that A slowly opened her eyes. When she saw the familiar bathroom, she asked, "Am I still alive?" Chapter 65: Her Life Should Have Ended Chapter 65: Her Life Should Have Ended Maria was startled when she heard the words that came out of A''s mouth. "Mrs.rk, why did you say that? And why did you go outside alonest night? It was snowing, right? It must be freezing.Didn''t you feel cold?" A looked out of the window and answered, "I''m fine.Help me up." "Okay," Maria said with a nod. She was so happy because it was her first time to hear A speak after so many days.She supported A to get up from the bathtub and led her out of the bathroom. The room was filled with smoke, so she imagined that Brian, who had been sitting on the sofa, had smoked a lot of cigarettes. A didn''t say anything.She just nced at Brian and hid under the quilt.She didn''t know what to say to him.Her heart still hurt until now. Every time she closed her eyes, the scene in the operating room that day shed across her mind. It was so cold, and she felt how her baby was taken from her belly. She wanted to die with her baby, but why was she still alive? "Mrs.rk, what do you want to eat? I''ll cook it for you," Maria said while adjusting the heater. "It''s all okay.I''m fine.I just feel so hungry now." A had dinnerst night, but she threw up everything after.So she was hungry and wanted to eat. Brian watched her lying t in the bed, breathing lightly. It was as if she would disappear all of a sudden. "When are you going to stop behaving like this?" he asked coldly, walking to the bedside. A rolled her ck eyes, and the corner of her mouth twitched slightly. "I won''t do it again in the future.Never." Because she would never have a future anymore. "I hope so," he said before walking out of her room. ¡®''Everything should be over.It''s time to end my life.I should have no regrets now.I''m not expecting anything either, ''¡¯ A thought to herself. She ate up the meal that Maria prepared for her. "Mrs.rk, you need to take a good rest.Your health condition is not good.You have to take care of your body from now on." After eating, Maria asked her to lie down again. She just had an abortion, and her body soaked in the snow the whole nightst night. These two incidents might do a lot of harm to her body. Maria was afraid that she would find it very difficult to get pregnant again in the future. Besides, losing her baby was a big blow to her. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Because if not, she wouldn''t be like this. "All right," A replied with a nod. She pulled the quilt up to her chest, closed her eyes, and fell asleep.She didn''t sleep all night, so now that her body was warmed, and she was full, she slumbered so soon. When Maria went downstairs, she saw Brian sitting on the sofa in the living room. "Mr.rk, what do you want to eat? I''ll prepare it for you now." "Did she eat?" he asked indifferently. "Yes, Mr.rk.Mrs.rk seems to be in a good mood today.She should be fine." Maria then walked into the kitchen and began to prepare Brian''s food. "I have a business dinner tonight, so I''ll be homete.Stay here and make sure that she doesn''te out again," Brian said to Maria while eating his breakfast. "Okay, Mr.rk.I will sleep in the living room," Maria replied and nodded. She was also afraid that A would run out of the vi again likest night. At noon, A went downstairs for lunch. She sat alone at the dining table and ate almost all of the food. "Mrs.rk, I think you have a good appetite today.Are you feeling better?" Mariamented. She was d to see A eating a lot, but she didn''t know why she felt strange in her heart. "I''m fine.I''m going upstairs now." As soon as A returned to her room, she sat at her desk and looked at all the books there. She then put all of them away. Her dreams and life pursuit had all be nothing to her now. The sky was dark outside. Maybe it was going to snow again. She hesitated for a while before she took her phone and dialed Toby''s number. Toby was in the study, and he left his phone in the bedroom. Molly had just walked out of the bathroom when she heard it ringing. Although no name showed on the screen, she could guess that it was A.She gritted her teeth in anger. A was really shameless. How dare she call Toby at this time! Wasn''t it enough that Toby was severely hurt because of her? "Toby..." When the call got connected, A was stunned for a while before she finally uttered Toby''s name. Molly didn''t say anything, but she clenched her fist. How dare A call Toby so intimately! Now that he was her husband, she wouldn''t allow A to call him that way again. "Toby, how are you?" A asked. She was worried that because of her, he must be in a very difficult situation now. "He is not good.You shameless bitch! Because of you, my husband was hospitalized.You still have the nerve to call him now? Are you trying to destroy our family? Do you want to hook up with my husband? You''re such a shameless vixen!" Molly was so furious that she cursed A on the other end of the line. A smiled. She had extravagant hopes. Without her, Toby would have lived well. Molly must really love him so much. "I''m sorry.I didn''t mean it to happen," A apologized to Molly. Although she didn''t mean things to happen, she still hurt Molly unintentionally. "You are so ridiculous! You seduced my husband, and now you''re apologizing to me, telling me you didn''t mean it? Do you want me to forgive you so easily? Dream on! And don''t you dare to call Toby again! My husband hasn''t recovered yet, and he needs rest," Molly said. In her heart, she kept on wishing that A would never show up in front of Toby again. A pursed her lips and said, "Don''t worry, I won''t bother him again.I hope you will always love Toby and make him happy." "You don''t need to say that to me.Toby is my husband, and I love him so much.Just don''t call him again.If there is nothing else, I will hang up now." Molly directly hung up the phone without waiting for A to respond and deleted the call log. At this time, Toby walked into the room with the help of the servant. "Molly, what''s wrong? Did someone call me?" He wondered why Molly was holding his phone in a daze. "No." Molly shook her head. "Your phone is out of battery, so I''m going to charge it for you.Aren''t you going back to thepany officially tomorrow? I want to check on you at any time, so I don''t want your phone to run out of battery." "Oh, I can charge it myself.It''s gettingte.Let''s have a rest now." Tobyy on the bed and said, "Molly, I''m a little thirsty.Can you get me a ss of water?" Molly nodded and went out of the room. She would go downstairs to get him a ss of milk. Toby took the phone and looked through it. But he didn''t see any new messages and call log, so he put it back down. "Honey, I got you a ss of milk instead.This can help you sleep better," Molly said, smiling at him. "Thank you." Toby stretched out his hand and took the ss from her. He wiped out all the thoughts about A in his mind. A turned off her phone and went downstairs to drink a ss of water. Seeing Maria spreading a quilt in the living room, she couldn''t help thinking that Maria must be very tired because of her. "Mrs.rk, what do you need? Let me get it for you." Maria followed her into the kitchen. "I suddenly feel thirsty, so I want to drink some water.Maria, I''m sorry.I''ve been bothering you all this time." Even to Maria, all she could say was sorry. "No, don''t say that.You''re not bothering me at all.And you are Mr.rk''s wife.No matter how many conflicts ur between you, they will always pass." Maria wanted tofort A. It was just that A''''s heart seemed to have died, and she also lost hope in life. Chapter 66: She Doesnt Deserve To Be A Mother Chapter 66: She Doesn''t Deserve To Be A Mother After drinking water, A returned to her room.She then changed her clothes andy on the bed. The lights in her room were off, so she could clearly see the vast whiteness of snow outside the window. Her lips curved into a bitter smile as she took out a silver knife. It gleamed in the dark. Without hesitation, she heavily slid the sharp de on her wrist, making blood gush out in an instant. Did it hurt? She had been through a lot of more painful experiences than this one. Her body was already numb to feel pain. As her eyelids got heavier, she murmured to herself, "Baby, Mommy is about to see you.We will be together soon.Wait for Mommy, okay?" After losing her baby, she didn''t see any reason to continue living. And she always thought that her baby must be alone in the other world, so she must be there. On such a cold day, she had to stay with her baby. She was determined to end her life, so she didn''t care about anything else anymore. As time went by, A felt that her body got lighter and lighter. It was as if she was about to float in the air. It was already veryte when Brian came back to the vi.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. As soon as he came in, Maria got up to greet him. "Mr.rk, you''re back.Would you like some coffee?" "No," he answered. Then he asked, "How is she?" He had always been a sensitive person. The moment he entered the vi, he felt something strange, so he couldn''t help asking about A. "Mrs.rk went downstairs on her own for dinner earlier.She seemed to be fine today.She went downstairs just now to drink water, then went back to her room." Seeing the improvements in A''s condition, Maria thought that she was gradually forgetting those unhappy memories as time went by. Brian''s thick eyebrows wrinkled when he suddenly smelled a strong scent of blood in the air. Without saying a word, he strode upstairs and went straight to A''s room. As soon as he opened the door, he saw a pool of blood on the floor. And A was lying on the bed, unconscious, with pale face and lips. Maria, who followed behind him, screamed in fright when she saw the scene. "Get the first aid kit!" Brian ordered. He knew that A was stubborn.But he didn''t expect that she would reach this far. He actually thought that she would return to normal soon.But he was wrong. She even tried to kill herself now. As soon as Maria handed him the first aid kit, he took out gauze and wrapped A''s bleeding wrist. Her wound was quite deep. She really hurt herself so badly. If he didn''te back tonight, she would definitely die. After he stopped the bleeding, Brian drove A to the nearest hospital. The doctor immediately treated her wound, and she had a blood transfusion before she was transferred to the ward. Maria was so frightened. She thought that A was fine. Who would expect that A wouldmit suicide? She had lost so much blood. It was really shocking. "You go back and clean the vi.I''ll stay here with her." After sending Maria home, Brian sat on the sofa in the ward and waited for A to wake up. A''s eyelids fluttered. When she slowly opened her eyes, she saw that everything was white. She wondered, ''Will one see white after death?'' She turned around and saw a man standing by the window. His tall and handsome figure was familiar to her. It was Brian.Why was he here? A sat up in a panic, so she identally touched the needle on the back of her hand.She hissed in pain. Brian turned around and looked at her. "You know so many ways to court death.Do you really want to die?" "Yes, I want to die.Why do you keep on saving me? You hate me, right? Don''t you think it would be better if you just let me die? You won''t be bothered or displeased by me anymore.Both of us can be happy," A shouted at him. She had nothing. No one loved her. So she should die. But what about him? Without her, he would be happy. He would never be upset again. Wasn''t it great? But why did he send her to the hospital again? Brian sneered. "How considerate of you to think of my happiness.You really want to die? Do you want me to grant your wish?" As he spoke, he took out an exquisite ck gun and aimed it at her. "I''ll let you die.But, I''ll make sure that many people die with you," he said. "Think about it.If you don''t value your life anymore, it''s fine with me.But, are you readyWhile she looked at the ck gun pointing at her, A''s body trembled.Brian didn''t let her freeze to death in the snow. He didn''t let her die from the wound on her wrist. But he wanted her to die in his hands? He could either kill her with a single shot or torture her to death by one shot after another. "What now? Are you scared?" Brian''s marksmanship was very urate. And yes, she guessed it right. He wanted to torture her with gunshots. But not only her but also the people around her. A couldn''t just die as she wished. "No, I''m not afraid at all.I don''t want to live anymore, so just kill me.Only me.You can''t hurt others." A had nothing to miss in this world, so she wanted to end her life. But she didn''t want to implicate innocent people. She didn''t want Arlene or Toby to be afflicted. All her sufferings were hers alone. Her life was superfluous. "Who do you want to protect with your life? Toby Brown, Arlene Woodsen, or yton Woodsen?" Brian asked coldly. She smiled bitterly. Why would she protect them? Did they protect her? What they did to her was the same as him. They had no love for her. All they did was torture her and use her cruelly. "I want to die alone.But if you can''t give me that, then I''ll continue to live.But I just have a request.Don''t do anything to them.Let them live their lives the way they want." A had no choice but to give in. Brian pulled the trigger and approached her step by step. "You really dare to bargain with me, huh!" Actually, he had already decided to grant her request. But since he had taken out his gun, there was no reason not to shoot. So with a bang, the bullet broke the vase in the ward. The loud sound made A slump against the bed. She had never imagined dying this way, so she couldn''t deny the fact that she got scared.Her body even trembled.But then, she realized that she was still alive. She sat on the bed and said, "I really miss my baby.I let him lose the right to live and see the world.This is what I owe to him.In the future, I will have topensate him with everything I have." Maybe making it up to her child was futile, but she still wanted to do it. Brian didn''t say anything.He just stood aside and listened.But his heart was not moved even a little. A continued, "I didn''t mean to get pregnant.It was really just an ident.But in the future, I will never let it happen again." She looked up at him and said, "You don''t want a baby, neither do I.But you still have the right to change your mind.For me, I don''t want it anymore.I don''t deserve to be a mother, so I will ask the doctor to do the ligation procedure on me." Brian was slightly stunned by her words, but he still did not say anything. "Mr.rk, I don''t want to be Mrs.rk anymore, so let''s sign a divorce agreement.But don''t worry, I promise not to leave until you let me go.I will stay in your vi.And you don''t have to be afraid that I will get pregnant because I will undergo a ligation procedure." A had made up her mind. After losing her baby, she would never have another one.She didn''t want to make herself an unqualified mother all her if "Don''t think about divorce.I won''t give it to you.But if you want to undergo ligation, I will arrange a doctor to do it for you." Brian didn''t want to let her go.No matter what, he wanted her to stay with him. A clutched the quilt tightly.She swore to herself that she would never be a mother.She gave up this right by herself, and she wouldn''t regret it. Chapter 67: She Is Desperate Chapter 67: She Is Desperate With Brian''s arrangement, the doctor immediately performed the ligation procedure on A. A week after her operation, she was discharged from the hospital and went back to the vi. As soon as she entered the living room, there was no expression on her pale face. For her, even though she was still alive, her heart had died. And she would never return to her old self. Maria helped her to go upstairs. But when they reached her room, she stopped at the door. "Maria, help me pack my things.I''ll move to the servants'' house," she said. Brian just stood behind them and didn''t say a word. Maria turned her head and nced at him, hoping to hear his objection.But since he didn''t, she went in and started packing A''s stuff. During the entire week that A was in the hospital, Brian stayed with her. But the two of them hadn''t spoken a word, so they never talked about the divorce she requested before. Now that she wanted to move to the servants'' house, it only meant that she was not interested in the title of Mrs.rk anymore. She probably even disdained it. So he didn''t object or force her to stay in the vi. But it didn''t mean that he would let her go. The condition of the servants'' house of course was not as good as that of the main vi. Her room in this house was small and not as warm as the room A used to live in. "Mrs.rk, are you sure you want to stay here?"Maria asked. A had not fully recovered yet, so she was worried that it wasn''t suitable for A to live in this house. A smiled at the older woman and said, "Well, it''s pretty good here.And from now on, don''t call me Mrs.rk anymore.Just call me L." After everything that happened, she wanted to let go of everything that Brian gave her.They didn''t belong to her in the first ce. Maria nodded and said, "Okay, L.Go to bed and have a rest now." She knew that A was a stubborn woman. But after what she had witnessed, she didn''t know if A was lucky or not to meet Brian. A had been through a lot. And to help her feel at ease, Maria agreed to her request. From now on, she was just A Woodsen. Brian looked at Maria, who was standing in front of him. He then said, "If she wants to stay in the servants'' house, let her. Just continue taking care of her daily life, but let her clean up the main vi." "But Mr.rk, Mrs.rk still needs rest." Maria realized that Brian was also a little softhearted. Although he didn''t admit it, she knew that he also cared for A. These two people actually had a chance to be happy together. But now that something like this happened to A, she might already find it difficult to have feelings for him. "Okay, let''s wait until she recovers." Brian then turned around and went upstairs. A had been staying in her room for three days now.She didn''t do anything, not even sleep. "L, time for dinner." Maria walked into the room with a tray of food in her hands. Although A moved to the servants'' house, she still prepared food for A just like before. A took the bowl of soup and drank a few mouthfuls. Then she said, "I''m full.Take them away." "L, you need to eat more.You have to keep your good health.Otherwise, you will suffer a lot in the future." Seeing that she only drank a few mouthfuls of soup, Maria tried to urge her to eat more. "No, I''m alright.By the way, I want to go out today." A took a coat. Maria could only watch her helplessly.She didn''t want to eat, and Maria couldn''t force her. A could still go out because Brian didn''t restrict her movements. In fact, he let Lyle drive for her and take her wherever she wanted to go. Maria apanied her this time. They went to a baby shop and bought several baby clothes. After that, she didn''t go anywhere else, so they just returned to the vi. In the evening, A borrowed a small shovel from the gardener, dug a pit next to the servants'' house, and buried all the clothes she bought today. She also erected a wooden tablet in the middle, but she didn''t write anything there.Her heart still felt so heavy. This was the only thing she could do for her unborn child. Maria, who had been standing aside, offered to help her. However, she refused. When A went back to her room, she said to Maria, "You can go back to your room and have a rest.You don''t have to always stay with me.I have promised Mr.rk that those things won''t happen again, so you don''t have to worry about me." When she buried all the baby clothes just now, she also buried both her baby and her heart. From now on, she was nothing but just a living dead. Brian returned to the vi more often than usual. But A tried her best not to see him. Every time he was home, she stayed in the servants'' house or in the garden. Sitting on the sofa in the living room and reading the newspaper, he asked Maria, "What is she doing?" "Mrs.rk is in the garden.But she has cooked today''s lunch." Maria was aware that A was deliberately avoiding Brian. That was why A left before he went downstairs. "Okay." He then stood up and walked towards the dining room. In the garden, A looked at the withered flowers and nts that had been covered by thick snow. Without any trace of emotions on her face, she cut them off little by little. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Her hands had already been red. If she stayed longer in the cold, her hands would get frostbite. But she seemed not to care at all. Today was Saturday, so she knew that Brian was at home.She actually didn''t want to see him, but she remembered that she had something to tell him. Brian was in the study, sitting at his desk. His slender and clean fingers were tapping on the keyboard at a fast speed. He looked very busy. A went back to the vi and personally made coffee for him. Then she went to the study and knocked on the door. "Mr.rk, may Ie in?" "Yes," he replied in a low voice without raising his head. A entered and said, "Your coffee." She stood beside his desk and put down the cup of coffee. "What''s the matter?" He knew that she wouldn''t want to see him, let alone take the initiative to see him if it wasn''t something important. "I want to go back to school next semester," A directly said. It was only then that Brian raised his head and looked at her. "Well, you can go if you want.But there are some things that I don''t want to happen again." "I understand.You can rest assured.Well, that''s all I want to say.I won''t bother you anymore." Just as she turned around, she was surprised when her slender waist was suddenly sped by a strong arm. "Mr.rk..." She already knew what it meant. s, there were really some things that she couldn''t escape. "Come to my room tonight." Brian had given A enough time. He never stopped her from doing what she wanted to do. Now it was time for her to repay him. A reluctantly nodded. "Okay." He let go of her and continued with his work.He didn''t look at her again. It was a cold winter night, and a gust of cold wind blew outside. A took a shower, put on her nightgown, and walked to the main vi. She went straight to Brian''s room. The door was ajar, and in the dim light, she saw him standing in front of the French window, smoking. She walked in and stood behind him. The room temperature was just right, so it wasfortable. She took the initiative to take off her thin silk nightgown and wrapped her slender arms around his waist. "I''m here, Mr.rk." Brian opened the window and tossed the cigarette butt outside. "You came on time." He turned around and looked at her. Compared to before, he could tell that she had lost a lot of weight. She didn''t have much flesh in the past, but now she had be bony. "I can only obey you, can''t I?" This was A''s fate.And since Brian wanted to keep her alive, and she had to live such a humble life, she had no choice but to ept it.Brian raised his hand, held her chin, and said, "You are too thin.It doesn''t look good." "Then don''t touch me if you are not satisfied with me." He knew that she took the initiative to get close to him, not because she loved him but because she hated him.So he chuckled lightly and said, "Do you think I asked you toe here just to check on you?" He then picked her up and threw her on the big bed. Resisting the urge to throw up, she smiled at him and said, "Please hurry up then." She hoped that he would have sex with her quickly. Anyway, it didn''t mean anything to her now, so she wouldn''t feel anything. "You can''t wait, huh?" Brian pursed his lips as he wrapped his slender and fair arms around her shoulders. Chapter 68: She Doesnt Want To Leave Chapter 68: She Doesn''t Want To Leave After having sex with Brian, A didn''t want to stay with him any longer.So when he let go of her, she immediately got up from the bed, picked up her nightgown from the floor, and put it on. "Can I leave now?" she asked coldly without even looking at him. Brian propped up from the bed, leaned against the headboardzily, and looked at her. Obviously, she didn''t want to have anything to do with him. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. But she still came to his room when asked and had sex with him. Now, he couldn''t tell what was in her mind. A didn''t hear any response from him, so she didn''t move yet. She called him, "Mr.rk?" Brian stood up and walked up to her.Then he pulled her into his arms and kissed her again. He was confused. Did he want her to stay with him? Didn''t he want topletely destroy her? For the first time, he felt like his mind seemed to be in a mess. A pushed him away and asked, "Isn''t it enough yet?" Did he want to have sex with her again? Just now, she tried her best not to throw up.But if they did it again, she probably couldn''t stand it anymore. Brian chuckled lightly. "Well, it''s not up to you whether it''s enough or not.But anyway, go now." Finally, A heard what she had been waiting for. So she quickly ran out of the room even though she had not put on her slippers yet. Brian stood in front of the window and watched her running back to the servants'' house.He knew that she was still afraid of him. She only pretended to be strong in front of him. But the truth was, she was still weak. As soon as A entered her room, she rushed to the bathroom and washed herself over and over again. She wanted to wash away all the traces Brian had left on her body. In the following days, A tried her best to avoid Brian. In the daytime, when he went to thepany, she went to the vi to clean up the rooms and cooked dinner before he came back. However, he would still ask her to go to his room at night, and she could not refuse. But the two of them never said a word while having sex. It seemed that there was already a tacit understanding between them. They both knew that she only allowed him to have sex with her because it was her obligation. But in her heart, she detested him. Tonight, A was in Brian''s room again. But after having sex, she put on her night robe and walked out of his room without saying a word. "A Woodsen!" He called her when she was already at the door. It was his first time to call her by her name. "Is there anything else, Mr.rk?" she asked without even turning around. She didn''t want to look at him or see his face. "Are you still not willing to move back to your old room in the vi?" Brian walked up to her and asked. She shook her head. "No!" "Then what can I do to make you move back?" He held her shoulders, turned her around, and stared at her face closely. "You don''t have to do anything.I just don''t want to move back.I don''t have any problem in the servants'' house now.Besides, isn''t it good for us that we are like this now? Things won''t beplicated.Anyway, I cane to you anytime you need me.If you still don''t want to let me go in the future, let''s just do things this way." A sighed slightly.She didn''t want to change anything now. After all, she was not capable of changing things in her life. Brian held her slender wrist, looked into her eyes, and said, "Move back here.I''ll let Arlene go." He didn''t know why but the more stubborn she was, the more he wanted to force her. Hearing his words, A suddenly realized that she had not turned on her phone or contacted anyone these days because she thought that she would die at that time. She hadn''t heard anything about Toby, yton, or even Arlene now. So when he mentioned Arlene, she couldn''t help asking, "How is she?" "She should be doing good." Brian didn''t give her a definite answer. She frowned and asked, "What do you mean?" A could still vividly remember what happened that day when Jaime took Arlene to the vi. How could she believe that Arlene was doing good? If it was her, she actually didn''t know if she could still survive after being hurt and bullied by those men. "Well, she cannot live without men, so she seems to be doing good in the entertainment club.It''s what she wants.But you are different from her because you can only have me." For Brian, A was his woman.And he didn''t allow his woman to have rtionships with other men. Of course, even though he knew that she didn''t care about him. As he had said, she was different. Other women out there would do everything just to climb to his bed when they saw him, but not her. A gently shook his hand from her wrist and said, "I''m leaving now.But if possible, I want to see her." After that night, she didn''t think too much about her request.She thought that Brian would not grant it anyway. But a few dayster, he drove her to the entertainment club. The night was deep, and it was very dark outside. But with the bright lights that were all on, the entertainment club was dazzling. It was festive and full of excitement. When Brian and A walked in, they saw a lot of people dancing and drinking. Actually, it was not her first time to be there. She had stayed there for a long time, so she had gotten used to the noisy surroundings. He nced at her and asked, "Are you sure you want to see her?" "Yes.Regardless of what has happened to her, I want to see her." She just wanted to feel at ease because until now, she still felt guilty. At that time, she did not think about anything else but her baby.Her determination to save her baby had implicated some people including Arlene.So now that she had made a deal with Brian, she wanted to set Arlene free. Arlene was inside a spacious and luxurious VIP room.She looked so seductive in her tight dress. When A entered the room, she saw how Arlene clung to a man.Their posture was so intimate that she could hardly look at them.As soon as the man saw Brian, he stood up. "Mr.rk, why are you here? Is there anything I can do for you?" "Nothing.We just want to see her," Brian replied, looking at Arlene. He then turned to A and asked, "Do you want to say something?" A walked up to Arlene and asked, "Arlene, do you want to leave this ce? I can get you out of here if you want." Arlene looked at A with disdain. "Leave? And why should I? It''s so good here.Besides, how can I make a living if I leave this ce? Are you going to give me money? Do you have any money now? Ha-ha! A, we are just the same.We both have to rely on men to live a good life." She didn''t want to leave the entertainment club anymore. Brian wasn''t deliberately making things difficult for her now, and she had her drug regrly. She had everything she needed here. A looked at Arlene in disbelief. How could Arlene think that staying in this ce was a good thing? Why did she have to make herself so lowly? For the sake of money, she had to please different men every day. She had to hug, kiss, satisfy them, and do whatever they wanted her to do. After A talked to her sister, Brian took her into another VIP room. It was way too different from the previous one. The VIP room where she saw Arlene was full of the pungent smell of alcohol and cigarette. While this room was full of specially made scented candles that filled it with a pleasing fragrance. "Do you still want me to let her go? She doesn''t want to leave this ce at all." Brian looked at A. Since she met Arlene, she seemed to be in a bad mood. A looked at the bottle of wine in front of her. She then picked it up, poured herself a ss and, drank it in one gulp. The liquid felt hot in her throat and flowed down to her stomach. "This is all your fault." She drank one ss after another, and he didn''t stop her even if he knew that she could get drunk easily. He lit a cigarette, took a drag, and said, "It''s her fate." Then he took another drag. Since A had drunk too much, she started to feel dizzy.She looked at the man next to her and asked, "Is it fate? Yes, that''s right. I think we''re just the same.I don''t want to ept my fate, but you make me ept it." She was ming him. She had been ming him in her heart all the time. But she didn''t dare to tell him, and she would never tell him. "Why are you forcing me? Why do you have to force me like this?" A poured another ss. But this time, she didn''t drink it. Instead, she handed it to Brian and said, "You drink too." He took it and drank it in one gulp. Then he said, "You eat." He pushed the te of snacks to her. She shook her head and leaned against him. "You eat it.I don''t want to eat.I am not happy.I am sad.Very sad." "You''re drunk." Brian did not push her away, and he just listened to her voice. After all, it was the first time that she leaned on him like this and poured out her heart. Chapter 69: Trying To Forget Chapter 69: Trying To Forget A chuckled. "I''m not drunk.I can hold my drink," she said to Brian. ''You''re not drunk?'' Brian''s eyebrows shot up. He could clearly see that she was unable to stay sober now. She had only drunk a few sses of wine but had already been smashed. "Drink with me," A said, pouring a ss of wine and passing it to him. She wanted to get drunk so that she wouldn''t feel the pain or think about everything that happened in the past few days. Brian took the ss and downed the drink wordlessly. A slipped her arms around his waist. "You are a bad guy. A devil." Saying this, she buried her face in his chest and sobbed. He remained stoic. It was not the first time he had heard words like this, and she was not the first one to say so. He had started working as a teenager, and had lived a life that was as dangerous as walking on a knife. If he hadn''t be stronger than the others, he would have been trampled underfoot. Or worse, ded "A baby is very important to me.You don''t know that, do you? You must have no idea." Tears streamed down A''s cheeks. She couldn''t forget the baby she had lost, no matter how hard she tried.She just couldn''t. Brian froze. She was still thinking about the baby! But he didn''t need it, and he knew that he wouldn''t need it in the future either. "I''m sorry.I''m sorry, baby.Mommy''s really sorry for you," A cried. She then filled another ss and gulped it down. When Anna heard of Brian''s arrival, she went to his private room after work.She pushed the door open to find A clinging to Brian''s body. He wasn''t pushing her away. ''Such a tramp! Didn''t she say she didn''t want to sleep in the same room as Brian?'' Anna seethed. Anna had asked the driver what was going on with A. He had told her that A had moved into the servants'' house and that she didn''t want to talk to Brian.But what was Anna seeing now? A was shamelessly clinging on to Brian! "Brian," Anna called, walking over to them. "Why didn''t you tell me you wereing today?" "She came to see Arlene, so I drove her here.I didn''t want to disturb you." As Brian continued drinking, A''s hands tightened around him. Anna stood there, staring at them. She hadn''t seen Brian for a long time because of A, and now he had brought this woman here. "What do you want to eat? I''ll ask them to make it," Anna said, ignoring his hint and sitting down on the sofa, her gaze fixed on A. A looked back at her, and asked, "Miss Anna, are you here to drink as well?" She poured Anna a ss of wine. Anna reached out to take it, but stopped just out of reach before A let go. Wine sshed down on Brian''s pants as the ss fell to the floor. "I''m sorry! I''m so sorry!" A said, shocked, the sound of the ss shattering almost sobering her up. "It doesn''t matter.I will change my clothester.I think you should stop drinking," Brian said. "I want to drink more!" A said rather petntly, grabbing hold of the bottle. "I don''t have money. You pay for today''s wine." "Okay," Brian said, nodding. Anna was stunned. She recovered soon enough to say, "Brian, I think you should go to my room and change." ¡®''This woman is so presumptuous! Or has the bitche here to provoke me? Even if she had been pregnant, so what? The baby was doomed to be aborted.She has the title of Mrs.rk.Does she want to own Brian now? Is this woman so naive?''¡¯ Anna thought angrily in her mind. She and Brian left the room together, leaving A to her own devices.She sat on the couch and continued to drink until she couldn''t sit upright and slid to the floor.But it looked like she wasn''t about to give up drinking. Anna took out a new suit. "Brian, have you made up with Miss Woodsen?" "No," Brian said shortly. He had never thought of reconciling with A.He just took what he wanted since she was merely a woman. "Then why did you let her drink like that? It''s not good for her health.She hasn''t gotten much rest ever since the abortion.Right?" Anna said, helping him out of his coat. Brian didn''t answer her.He wordlessly walked into the bathroom, clean suit in hand. Once he had gotten changed, he walked out, to Anna asking him, "She still holds your heart, doesn''t she? You haven''t let her go.Am I right?" A was special to him. Brian rk would never allow a woman to mess around with him, but that woman could do it. Anna had been with Brian for a long time, but she hadn''t held that kind of power over him. "Don''t you think such questions are boring?" Brian said as he looked at Anna. "I haven''t been here in a while.Is that why you are unhappy?" Anna shook her head and answered, "No.I know you''ve been busy." Brian had indeed been held up with work at thepany and had gone back to the vi every day because of A. Having gotten changed, he made his way to the VIP room, and found a drunk A curled up on the carpeted floor. Anna had followed him in. She went up to him and said, "Let me help her." "No, thanks." He strode over and picked A up off the floor, frowning. This woman was so annoying! The moment he did, A snuggled into his chest, subconsciously wrapping her arms around his neck. "Are you going back?" Anna looked at Brian, disappointed. A had done this on purpose, she thought. Brian nodded. "I need to go.I''lle back to see you when I''m free." With that, he carried A out of the room. Arlene, who had just walked out of the room, caught sight of Brian walking towards the elevator, A in his arms. She snorted. ording to her, A was a hypocrite and the cause of everything wrong. If she hadn''t run away and if she hadn''t insisted on keeping the baby, things wouldn''t have been so bad. Now, Arlene had no choice but to stay here in the club. But she would leave this ce one day. Even if Brian didn''t make things difficult for her these days, he was still a devil that she couldn''t afford to offend. She would find a man she wanted on her own conditions, and then leave. Brian nced at Arlene. "Don''t contact A without my permission." "I know, Mr.rk.Do you love her a lot? But it''s all in your head, you know.You will never get her love.I didn''t expect you to fall in love with such a woman.She is a jinx, who will always bring bad luck," Arlene said coldly. "If you change your mind and decide that you don''t want her, you cane to me.I will serve you better." Arlene was saying this, fully knowing that Brian was a man who didn''t easily change his mind. If he had been a fickle man, he would have let go of A a long time ago and Arlene wouldn''t have be like this now. Brian pursed his lips before saying, "You''d better stay here.Do you think I''m short on women?" No matter what happened, he wouldn''t let A leave him. Arlene took the wine from the waiter and said, "I will, but my words won''t change." She shot Brian a winning smile. Brian drove A back to the vi where Maria was waiting at the door. "What''s wrong with Mrs.rk, Mr.rk?" "She is drunk," he said and carried her into his room on the second floor. Maria poured a ss of water, mixed it with honey, and said, "Mr.rk, make Mrs.Woodsen drink this water, or she will have a headache tomorrow.This will help her sober up." Brian nodded and said, "You can go back now.She can stay here tonight." Maria didn''t say anything else. Maybe Mr.rk and A would make up. When A woke up, she felt a splitting headache. "Ouch, my head hurts!" she whispered. Brian heard her and took her into his arms. "Is it fun, getting drunk? You deserve the headache," he said coldly. A jerkedpletely awake at his voice, sitting up abruptly, the thin silk nket slipping from her body, exposing her fair skin. Brian''s eyes darkened. ¡®''Damn it!''¡¯ he cursed to himself A immediately pulled the nket over herself, looking around. "I''m sorry.I drank too muchst night." Why had she slept here? She didn''t really know and try as she might, couldn''t remember anything. She only knew that she had been sad, and so had kept drinking because she didn''t feel pain when she was drunk. "Will you drink so much next time onwards?" Brian asked sharply. He was really annoyed. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Was this woman afraid of him? They were now so far apart on the big bed that two more people could fit snugly between them. A''s mouth tightened into a grim tine. Next time, she wouldn''t tell him if she went drinking.She must have caused a lot of troublest night, if his expression were anything to go by. "Answer me!" Brian pulled her forward so that she was flush against him, their faces mere inches apart. Chapter 70: She Was Always Forced Into Situations Like This Chapter 70: She Was Always Forced Into Situations Like This Brian''s gaze made A ufortable, so she just shook her head reluctantly. "No, I won''t drink that much anymore." Only when she gave him a satisfactory answer did he finally let her go. "It''s almost Chinese New Year.Pack up your things from the maids'' house and move back in here.Don''t make me say it again." Since he had allowed her to meet Arlene, she must uphold her end of the bargain and move back in. Stunned, A asked, "Didn''t you say that you wouldn''t force me to do anything?" Why did he change his decision overnight? She wouldn''t agree to his request even if she was drunk. "I''m making you do this for a good reason.If you want Arlene to have a good life, you need toe back." He remembered how she went to his room every night like she was making a report recently. At the thought of it, Brian felt very unhappy. "I don''t believe she''s living a good life right now.Do whatever the hell you want, I''m not going to move back in." She went into the bathroom and put on a bathrobe. Upon hearing her words, Brian realized that he had given her too much freedom. When A went downstairs, she ran into Maria, causing her to tighten her garb because she felt abashed. "Hi, L! You''re awake.Do you happen to have a headache?" Maria asked. "Would you like some water with honey? Allow me to make one for you!" "No, thanks.I can do it myself.But I''m going to change my clothes first," Most of the servants would jump to conclusions if they saw A wearing a bathrobe anding out of the main vi this early in the morning. When she went back to her room, she stared at herself in the mirror. How much did she drinkst night that she ended up losing consciousness? She didn''t even have a clue if she vomited or not. After changing into a more appropriate set of clothes, she walked out of the room, and soon went to her baby''s grave in the backyard. Her heart was torn. She still couldn''t forget her unborn child. This ce was exclusive to her, and nobody not even the servants were allowed to touch it. As Brian sat at the table, staring at the dishes, he suddenly lost his appetite. That woman disobeyed him out of the blue. "Where''s A?" Since she left early in the morning, he hadn''t seen her yet. Maria nced at Brian. "Mr.rk, during this time of day, Mrs.rk is usually in the backyard," she said vaguely. Understanding what she meant, he didn''t say anything else. Meanwhile, A had been standing there for an hour already.She felt so cold that her body was bing numb.She was afraid that her baby would get lonely, so she stayed with him every day. On a snowy day like this, it should be very cold. Tears streamed down her cheeks. It was cold, and she could taste her salty tears at the corner of her lips. Up until now, she still hadn''t recovered from this pain, and maybe she never would. She was the most heartless and useless mother in existence.She couldn''t even give her child the chance to see the light of day. A heaved a sigh. Now that she had undergone an operation, she might not be able to have a child for the rest of her life. Every day, to lessen the pain, she told herself that what she did was right and that she wouldn''t regret anything. Over the following days, A kept herself busy by preparing for the New Year. It had been almost six months since she started living in this vi. Time fluttered by quickly. The driver, Lyle, drove her to the shopping mall. Brian told her that it was up to her to decide what to buy, and how she was going to decorate the vi. Meanwhile, Molly and Miley were holding each other''s arm intimately. Their chauffeur followed them around, carrying every bag of clothes that they had bought. "Mom, I want to buy some clothes for Toby.He''s been so busy working overtimetely.He seems to be hard at work every day.He deserves a nice gift." Molly had been getting along with Toby recently, and it hadn''t changed because of what happened to A. Although Hayden never said anything, he was always suspicious of Toby''s motives. Even though A had left a good impression on him and he had a sense of familiarity with her, Hayden didn''t want to see his son-inw getting too close to another woman. It could end up hurting his beloved daughter. Miley nced at her daughter. "Don''t be so spineless! You''re still in love with him after what happenedst time? You don''t even know what''s on his mind right now." That day, Toby was dropped off at the front gate of the Smith family''s vi, half-dead. The members of the family were frightened by his state. After figuring out why he had been beaten within an inch of his life, Miley didn''t talk to him nor visit him at the hospital for several days. "Mom, I love him with all my heart.As long as he stays by my side, everything will be fine.There''s nothing else that matters to me.Besides, he''s been very good to metely, hasn''t he?" When Molly turned to the elevator at the corner, she identally bumped into A, who was carrying a large bag at the time. She had arge bag of fruits and vegetables that she had just bought from the supermarket, and she fell to the floor after bumping into Molly. The bag was torn and her fruits rolled all over the floor. Molly wasn''t happy to see A here. "What bad luck I have! Why do I run into you everywhere?" A propped herself up with her hands and stood up. "Hello, Mrs.Smith and Mrs.Brown," she greeted them with a smile. Miley rolled her eyes at A, and sneered, "Are you the tramp? You''re so shameless! How can you even show your face outside? If I were you, I''d just kill myself!" "Mrs.Smith, I think there''s been a misunderstanding." A had no idea why she was able to face them so calmly now. But she believed that she didn''t do anything wrong. "A misunderstanding? Tell me, why did Toby have to suffer for you? How dare you say that we misunderstood you? Bitch!" Miley stepped forward and pped A across her face.She had been wanting to p this woman for a long time now. And now that she did, A was taken aback. Their voices were so loud that it was attracting attention at the vast shopping mall. Blood seeped from the corner of A''s lips. Lately, she had been getting pped a lot, but she hardly felt any pain. "Shame on you!" Even Molly stared daggers at her. Coincidentally, Toby wasing over to pick Molly and her mother up. However, he didn''t expect that this was what he would see when he arrived. A''s face was red and swollen, and blood was dripping from her mouth. She was picking up all the fruits and vegetables that had been scattered on the floor. She just ignored all the onlookers because she didn''t give a damn anymore. "L." Toby crouched in front of her, helping her pick up the oranges. "How are you doing?" Before A could speak, Molly pulled Toby away from her. "You''re my husband! How dare you flirt with this bitch in front of me? Do you still not take me seriously?" ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Every single time A showed up, nothing good ever happened. That woman still wouldn''t admit how much of a bitch she was. With all her strength, Molly shoved A, and pulled Toby away from her. "Don''t you dare pester my husband again, and don''t even think of showing your face to us! I''m begging you, just stop, okay?" A stood up and picked up her shopping bag. "Mrs.Brown, we''re in a shopping mall.It''s not a crime for me toe here, and you did nothing wrong by doing the same.Can''t you just pretend that you don''t know me?" She didn''t want to meet them either. In fact, she had forgotten them. However, the world was small, so running into them at a shopping mall wasn''t unlikely to happen. If she had known that she would run into them today, she would''ve asked Maria to do the shopping instead. "You..." Molly wondered how A had the gall to speak to her like this in front of Toby. The other woman wanted to destroy her image to him. She had cursed A, and her mother had pped her, but so what? With a stern expression, A gave Toby a look, and walked past the others. It seemed that she was about to leave. She was allowed to leave whenever she wanted, right? She never wanted to see them again. From now on, they were strangers to her. "L." Toby stopped her. All he wanted to do was to ask her how she was doing. "Mr.Brown, let me go." He was tightly grasping A''s wrist, and she felt a bit of pain from it. Upon seeing them behave like that, Molly scoffed, and interjected, "Miss Woodsen, please." Regardless of the asion and her dignity, she knelt before A. Even A was startled by her action. "Mrs.Brown, you don''t have to do this." She was always getting forced into situations like this, and she had no way of turning back. Brian had forced her into doing his bidding, and now Molly was doing the same. At that moment, Toby loosened his grip on A''s wrist. Chapter 71: Ayla Ignores Brian Chapter 71: A Ignores Brian A looked at Molly totally aghast.Then she stared at Toby quizzically.She said, "Get up, Mrs.Brown.I promise not to ever see him again!" After all that had transpired recently, there was certainly no reason for her and Toby to ever see each other again. Toby tried to interject but A knew that anything he uttered at that moment would further exacerbate the problem. She instructed him, "Mr.Brown, take your precious wife home! We are in a public ce now." A was not in the least bit concerned about anyone''s opinions about her. But she knew at the back of her mind that if the daughter and son-inw of the prestigious Smith Group continued to misbehave in public, they would promptly feature in the following day''s news broadcast.A then made a hasty exit from the shopping mall. Lyle, who had been patiently awaiting her at the gate, hurried forth to assist her with her bag. He immediately detected that something was amiss. Deeply concerned, he enquired, "Miss Woodsen, are you all right?" Lyle was horrified to see her swollen face and the bloodstain at the corner of her mouth. She had been in the mall for barely an hour. What could have possibly happened to drive her into this tragic state? "I''m just fine, Lyle.Don''t mention a word about this to Mr.rk," she pleaded. A slumped against the seat helplessly. She gently closed her eyes and introspected. Tears cascaded down her burning cheeks. She was consumed by old emotions of heartbreak and bitterness. Past pain of misery resurfaced. Coupled with this emotional torture, she had reached a new low of extreme pain and helplessness. Meanwhile, after quickly assessing the gravity of the situation, Toby swept Molly off to a nearby hotel. Miley, on seeing them safe, gestured to the driver to take her back home. Molly was visibly disturbed.She couldn''t bear to look Toby in the eye. "Molly," Tobyforted, "please don''t be angry.You know that I had lost all contact with L.Was all this embarrassing drama even necessary? And in full view of the public?" Toby asked her with some concern in his voice as he sat beside her.He was genuinely worried about A. Four months into her pregnancy and he did not notice a baby bump. Chances were great that she had miscarried. Brian had clearly misunderstood the rtionship between Toby and A. He refused to believe that the innocent baby that A was carrying was his. How A must have suffered back then listening to the baseless usations snarled upon her. She looked like a weak, sickmb. Surely the rk family had enough servants to carry out menial tasks! Why on earth was she asked to go out and purchase the vegetables? "In what way was she embarrassed? It was I who was embarrassed! I was the one who was subjected to humiliation! My husband made a beeline for another woman in public! Am I nothing to you? Be honest with me.You owe me that much.If you no longer love me then admit it.You didn''t have to feel obligated to marry me just because I gave up my virginity to you.That''s not your responsibility! Did you take responsibility for A? Did You?" Molly finally took a breath after this tirade.She was fully aware that A and Toby had lived together in that apartment. It would be naive to believe that they had not had sexual rtions.She was aware that people wouldn''t easily forget those who had sexual rtions with them. She also knew that Toby had married her so soon only because she had given herself to him so early in their rtionship.Besides, there was one thing confusing Molly. She hadn''t taken any contraceptives recently, but why hadn''t she fallen pregnant yet?Toby cradled Molly in his arms and lovingly remarked, "Molly, I am truly sorry.Let''s put this unpleasant episode behind us and move forward with renewed strength and trust.I am your husband ...and always will be." He had been indecisive in the past. He had only decided to give up on A because he saw how she was pressured and tortured by Brian. He was nothing without the Smith family.Molly gazed into Toby''s eyes. "Are you absolutely sure? Do you really mean it? Can you promise never to see A ever again? Not to even think about her? Can you erase every memory of her? If you make every attempt to avoid her then there will be no more run-ins between A and me," Molly concluded. She confessed to herself that she had made many a sacrifice to sustain this love, but at the end of the day, was he really worth it? Toby slowly inhaled a deep breath of fresh air. Then, taking her in his arms as gently as a newborn, he whispered convincingly, "Yes, I promise." He recollected lying in pain in that diseased hospital bed.Molly was the only person who had stood by him and helped him get back on his feet. She was destined to be a major part of his life. Toby''s words brought a beam of sunlight to her face. With a sensual smile, she teased, "Shall we spend the night in the hotel? We should not head home.You know how inquisitive my parents are." Molly knew in the depths of her being that she truly loved Toby.She had always been a caring, protective, somewhat possessive lover, but it had all been in the name of love.She would always treat him this way... cover him with the hues of the powerful rainbow.Meanwhile, A had returned to the vi and was packing the fridge. Maria said affectionately, "I''ll take over now.You get some well-deserved rest, L." Maria only called her "L" when no one else was around.A replied sweetly, "It''s okay.I need to keep busy right now.Thank you." She wanted to wash out all disturbing thoughts from her mind. The sooner she reconciled her thoughts, the less desperate she would be.Suddenly Maria pulled A towards her. "How in heaven''s name did you bruise your face so badly? Oh no! Your lips are also swollen!" she cried. "Oh, it''s nothing," A lied. "I identally walked into a wall and got a nasty bump." A''s lies literally ate her up.She knew that Maria was unconvinced. "You know me better than that, L.Tell me what happened.I can''t bear to see you in such pain.Who did this to you? How can anyone be so harsh?" Maria tenderly nestled A on the sofa. She then went to the fridge and returned with an ice pack which she wrapped in a towel and dabbed on her face.A took the ice pack and reassured Maria, "I''m fine, really.I''ll be as good as new in a twinkling." "Mr.rk will not be too happy when he finds out." Maria''s eyes scaled A. ¡®''A is too kind hearted.She distances herself from conflicts as a rule.What could have possibly transpired at the mall that resulted in her sustaining such an ugly wound?¡± "Please don''t mention anything to him.He doesn''t need to know.I''ll ensure that I''m back in my room before he returns." A was determined not to run into Brian that day. "What must she not mention to me? Why don''t you want me to know?" asked Brian. He had overheard their conversation in the living room. Mortified, A stood up. The ice pack crushed to the floor. "Mr.rk, we were not expecting you back so soon!" she stammered. He had returned much earlier than expected. Brian noticed the bruise on her face. "What happened to you?" "I identally walked into a wall and got a bump." No one believed the story she had cooked up. "Do you take me for a fool?" Only a ghost would believe that she had sustained that injury from walking into a wall! "I''m going to my room," she said as she tried to retreat. Thest thing she wanted was to be confronted by Brian. "A Woodsen!" he screamed in an earth-shattering voice. Mercilessly, he pulled her towards him. "Hey! Let go of me!" A said sketchily. He acted as if he hadn''t heard her. She couldn''t fathom out what he was thinking as his demeanor was so calm. He lit a cigarette and smoked unhurriedly. "May I go now?" she asked with awkward impatience. "No!" Brian refused to allow her to retreat into the secretfort of her room.He had a business trip.He came home early from work to pack his luggage. Was A going to y hide-and-seek with him all her "I''vepleted all my work." She thought, ''Now he has no reason to keep me prisoner here any longer!'' It was still early. Surely he wouldn''t go to bed now. She didn''t see he would need her in anything. As Brian choked the life out of his cigarette, he instructed her to pack a traveling bag for him as he was going on a business trip. Was this what she was reduced to? A mere servant? With some degree of relief, she replied, "Okay.How long will you be away for?" With slow measured steps, they proceeded upstairs together.She packed a small suit case with his necessities.His eyes dug like a dagger into her back.How could she be so cold and unfeeling to him now? "Your suit case is all packed now." She ced it beside him. "Aren''t you curious to know where I''m going? And with whom?" He resented her indifference. He felt he was losing control over her, like a wounded lion lost its prey to a powerful predator.A smiled indignantly, "I''m not in the least bit interested." They both knew that this rtionship had no future. Neither of them had invested any emotions. After all, this was only a marriage in name. He held her in his arms. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. "You did it on purpose, didn''t you? Do you think it''s proper for you to refuse me? What''s the point of acting like this?" Chapter 72: The Pain Numbed Her And Made Her Cold Chapter 72: The Pain Numbed Her And Made Her Cold ''What''s the point?'' A sneered. Right now, everything was pointless to A. If he wanted to tell her something, he would. But if he didn''t want her to know anything, or if he was going to take another woman on a business trip, then it was better if he didn''t tell her. "What time is your flight?" A said to him after a long time of hesitating to speak. Was she beginning to care about him? She had barely ever asked him about anything, not even what he wanted for dinner. But no matter what she cooked, Brian neverined. As he rested his chin on her slender shoulder, he said, "Send me off at the airport." She didn''t have the right to refuse him.Her face was a bit swollen, but she didn''t feel any pain.They were seated at the back of the car. A looked out the window at the vast snowynd. "It''s so beautiful," she muttered.This winter, she had lost everything, and her heart was sealed in ice, causing it to be colder than snow. She felt so numb that the only way she could fall asleep was through taking sleeping pills every night. If it weren''t for Brian putting pressure on her, she might''ve swallowed all the pills to forget everything. Embracing her, he said, "Apany me on the business trip." The sound of his voice was so calm and certain, but somehow, there was still a bit of doubt in it. A shook her head. "I''m not used to it." Never had she left this city, and she didn''t have any ns to do so either. At least not right now. "You''re so stubborn.I''m starting to believe that you only agreed with Arlene to be her substitute and marry into the rk family because of my wealth." Nobody in this world could be richer than Brian. He was enjoying a good life, but that was only because he made greater efforts than everyone else. "That''s right.I''m tired of being poor, so I came after your money." A didn''t deny his im. Maybe he wasn''t the only person thinking that. Perhaps Toby, Arlene, and all the members of the Smith family were of the same mind. She was a girl who had nothing. What else could she want other than money? Didn''t she choose to do this because she wanted to have more? But despite what she said, Brian didn''t get mad at her. "As long as you don''t displease me, I''ll give you whatever you want." He was never stingy with money. A just looked at him in silence. ''Do I still hate him? Maybe not anymore" In the lobby of the airport, there were many people passing through. The chauffeur was standing beside Brian and carrying his suitcase. When Brian was about to board the ne, his travellingpanion still hadn''t appeared. A was confused. Was he nning to go on this business trip on his own? Didn''t he bring anyone else with him? As Brian walked forward with a suitcase in hand, a slender hand suddenly grabbed him. "Are you alone?" The sound of her voice wasden with concern. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "I am." This was the first time he went on a business trip without Anna.He wasn''t sure why he did so, but he just felt like going alone. "Oh, then you can go inside! Don''t bete for your flight." As soon as A stopped Brian, she instantly regretted asking him a question. She even wished she could bite her tongue off. Seeing that she awkwardly turned her head away, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her amidst the crowded airport hall.A''s mind went nk because of his sudden kiss, and her eyes widened in surprise. She allowed him to kiss her until she couldn''t breathe. Afterwards, he backed away from her and walked into the entryway without ncing back.It took her a while to regain herposure and go back to the car. After he left, A wasn''t as relieved as she imagined she would be. It was almost the Chinese New Year, so she was very busy every day. Even though A was staying at the servants'' quarters, she was able to manage the whole vi well.Everything was done. She did all the cleaning herself, including cleaning Brian''s room. "L, dinner is ready." When Maria went upstairs, she found A cleaning the study with a duster cloth.A nodded. "Okay.I''ming!" Then, the two of them sat at the dining table and had dinner. "Maria, have you received any calls recently?" Brian never seemed to call thendline phone of the vi whenever he was out on a trip, and A''s cellphone hadn''t been used for a long time because she had nobody to contact.Shaking her head, Maria answered, "No, Mr.rk usually doesn''t call when he''s on a business trip." A shifted her focus back on the dishes, but she didn''t have an appetite."It''s New Year''s Eve in two days.Mr.rk didn''t mention when he would being back," Maria added. As a maid who had been working here for many years, she had gotten used to it. Brian never stayed at home during Chinese New Year, so the vi was usually deserted and tranquil. "I see." A put down her chopsticks. "It''s fine if he doesn''te home." This way, she could spend the Chinese New Year with her baby. It had been cloudy for two days. On New Year''s Eve, a heavy snowfall ensued. A was wearing a simple dress as she squatted in the backyard. "Baby, Mommy''s with you right now.How are you? Are you mad at me? Why aren''t you appearing in my dreams anymore?" No matter how much time had psed, the wound in her heart still hadn''t healed.Momentster, Maria came over to put a thick coat on her. "It''s gettingte and the snow is getting heavier. You should go back inside, or else you''re gonna catch a cold." "I''m fine.I haven''t spent time with my baby for a long time, so I want to be with him for a little bit longer today." A knew how it felt to be lonely, so she didn''t want her baby to experience the same thing. Maria decided not to say anything anymore. Throughout the whole vi, this ce was the only cold and quiet one. It waspletely devoid of the happiness and excitement brought by the festival. No matter how beautiful the fireworks were or how muchughter there was, A seemed like she didn''t want to partake in anything. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she fell to her knees on the snow. As time passed by, she just sat there, motionless. So much pain ruled her heart that it turned numb and cold.Little by little, a tall figure approached her, but she didn''t notice that person at all.Brian was wearing a ck overcoat, and the cold breeze blew past the hem of his coat. His legs looked really long and powerful wearing those pants.He came home in a hurry. He had worked day and night for so many days just so he coulde home and celebrate the Chinese New Year with her. However, she didn''t seem to be prepared to wee him. Maria mentioned that A had been here for several hours. He heard her sobbing. Her petite body was trembling, and a thickyer of snow had formed over her head and shoulders. "Do you want to die or something?" Brian walked over, pulling A up from the snow. Upon seeing his frowning face, she thought that she was seeing things due to the tears blurring out her vision. "Why are you always so grumpy? I also get angry, but I''m not qualified to vent my anger, am I?" She touched his face with her hand, and said, "I don''t want to see you.I just want to stay with the baby." He grasped her hand tightly. Due to his motion, her coat fell to the ground and she shivered because of the cold. "Ouch! It hurts!" It was only then that A finally saw him clearly. It turned out that she wasn''t hallucinating. He dragged her to the living room of the vi and threw her on the sofa. "Are you awake now?" Ignoring the pain, she curled up on the sofa, and said, "I didn''t know you were back." "Go upstairs and take a hot shower.And don''t show up in front of me while you''re still shivering," Brian roared. "Did you juste back?" A approached him, wiping the snow off his clothes. "I didn''t think you''de home." "This is my house.I cane back whenever I want." On the way back a few moments ago, Brian thought about what she might be doing. She should''ve been having a good time while he was away, especially now that it was the New Year''s Eve today. But it turned out that she was just sitting in the backyard on her own. Brian was upset because of that. A rubbed her hands together and said, "You haven''t eaten anything, have you? Do you want me to cook for you?" ¡®''It''s not midnight yet.Did he make sure toe back on time?¡¯'' "That''s not necessary." Brian took off his coat and sat on the sofa. Chapter 73: She Was Drunk But Didnt Make A Scene Chapter 73: She Was Drunk But Didn''t Make A Scene Instead of going upstairs to take a shower, A headed for the kitchen.She reached into the refrigerator and took out the dishes for the supposed dinner tonight. Then, she ced them on the dining table. "Here you go.Have a taste," she said as she approached Brian. It was Chinese New Year''s Eve, and people were supposed to have a family reunion dinner tonight. But unfortunately, A was all alone. As such, she lost her appetite. While staring at A, Brian also entered the dining room and took a seat. Then, his eyes shifted to the dishes on the table. "Did you prepare all of these yourself?" She nodded. "Yeah, I did.Why? Is there anything you don''t like?" Since she wasn''t busy, she decided to make dinner for New Year''s Eve. Unfortunately, she found herself alone that night. After picking up his chopsticks, Brian tasted the dishes.He looked at her with an impressed look. "They taste fine." As she met his gaze, A politely answered, "Enjoy your meal.I''ll leave first." She had no reason to stay in the main vi since he was already home. "Wait.Who told you to leave?" A hint of coldness was in his voice. "Fetch me a bottle of wine." If she had known that he was going to ask for alcohol, A would have left earlier. Instead of preparing dinner for him, she would have shut herself in her room. Unfortunately, it was toote to change her mind. With a frown, she headed to the wine cab. After getting a bottle and a ss, she went back to him. "Should I pour you a ss?" It seemed so natural for him to be served by her. As such, he nodded at her. Since his several meetings swamped his schedule, it had been a long time since he had a decent meal. He decided to enjoy himself tonight with the delicacies and wine in front of him. While pouring wine for him, A cursed in her thought, ''I hope you drink too much that you''ll die.I don''t want to see you ever again" However, when he noticed that the ss was full, Brian told her, "Drink it." "What are you saying?" She was dumbfounded by his order. At first, she thought she heard him wrong. Drinking that much wine would be too much for her. She would be asleep almost immediately. "I want you to drink that ss of wine." Repetition of his words was Brian''s worst pet peeve. Nheless, the woman in front of him seemed so disobedient that he had to tell her the same thing twice.With a confused expression, A shook her head. "I don''t want any alcohol tonight." Thest time she got drunk, she had no idea what she did.She didn''t want to get drunk again. "Why don''t you like it? Do you want me to pour that down your throat?" He grabbed the ss and drank it.Then, he poured it full again. No matter what happened, he wanted A to taste it. "Have some.Tonight, you will drink.I will not let you go until you take a sip.Don''t worry.Even if you do something stupid, I''ll keep it a secret." He moved the ss a little bit closer to her. "Just go to the entertainment club if you want someone to apany you while drinking." With a scowl, A drank the wine. "I know it''s supposed to be a family-reunion night.Nheless, I shouldn''t be the one apanying you." Brian kept quiet and took another ss instead. While eating, the two of them sat face to face and shared a conversation. Meanwhile, Ayia only drank a little. When she noticed that Brian already had enough, she ced her chopsticks down.She walked to the kitchen counter and prepared him a cup of coffee. After handing him the cup, she said, "I remember that you like this." Aside from coffee, Brian wouldn''t drink any other beverage that A offered. They satfortably in the dining room. Finally, the bell rang at midnight. The night sky was filled with fireworks. A stood up and admired the beautiful scenery. As a finale, a huge firework had the brightest explosion in the sky. Then, nothing else followed. Despite their beauty, fireworks onlysted for moments. They were like something precious that people would never get. For a long time, A had closed her heart from anyone around her. As long as she remained distant and unattached, no one could emotionally hurt her. However, the man in front of her had the key to her heart. He was the one who could make her sad. Even before she fell in love with him, her heart already had an emotional scar. "Those fireworks are beautiful.Do you enjoy watching them?" ¡®''Well, women like to watch pretty things, right?¡¯'' Brian looked at her with a curious face. However, she shook her head. "Actually, I don''t." At that moment, he remembered watching the fireworks disy on one New Year''s Eve with Anna. She mentioned that the view of beautiful fireworks exploding in the night sky seemed so enjoyable and enchanting. The event had a sentimental impact on her. But Brian left almost immediately that night.However, he never expected that he would be watching the fireworks with A now after so many years. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Despite the previous incidents, they could still face each other so calmly. "Although they are gorgeous, fireworks always disappear in an instant.Their beauty won''tst forever." As she stared outside the window, A realized that many people still enjoyed watching fireworks.She did like them at some point, but not anymore. Then, he picked up a ss. After yfully pinching her cheeks, he urged her to drink the wine. Although she was already a bit drunk at that point, A didn''t cause a scene. When he noticed her dizzy expression, Brian carried her upstairs. A dared not to refuse him as she already knew that there was no escape for her tonight. As they entered the huge room, their path was illuminated by amp on the floor. Given the mood that they had, his sexual urges began to tingle.She knew she couldn''t change her destiny. For now, she did not need contraceptives because her body couldn''t bear a child anymore.She wasn''t sure whether this was good news for him or for her. With uncontroble lust, Brian almost lost his mind. The woman in his arms was so captivating that he didn''t dare let go.The longer he stared at her, the more his urges became uncontroble. "Hey, Mr.rk." However, A couldn''t bear the torture. With trembling lips, she pleaded him to stop. Nheless, he remained unfazed and dared to continue. All of a sudden, a ringtone echoed from his pocket. The unexpected call interrupted them. With reddened cheeks, A pushed him away. "Mr.rk, please answer your phone." A frown shed across his face. After putting on a night robe, he finally swiped right on his screen. "Who is this?" "Hello, Brian.How are you?" Anna''s voice echoed from the speaker.Immediately, A recognized who was calling. That voice was something she would always remember. At that moment, A drowned from embarrassment as she realized how shameless she was. She felt like Anna was Brian''s legitimate wife while she was the mistress. All A could do was wrap herself with the nket and hide her face. "Hey, what''s up? It''s alreadyte yet you are still awake.Is something wrong?" he asked in his usual calm tone. As she heard his soothing voice, Anna replied, "Where are you, Brian? I thought you''re going to have some business meetings tonight?" "I''m at the vi right now since my meetings are canceled." On the other side of the phone, Anna suddenly became bothered. Brian never stayed in the vi on special days or during festivals before. Usually, he spent his free time with her in the entertainment club. However, even though she was at the club, he was spending New Year''s Eve in the vi with A.At that moment, Anna recognized howplicated A was as a woman. "Why are you at the vi? I think it''s better if you''re here with me." Since he was abroad on a business trip, Anna had been waiting for Brian. However, instead of visiting her at the entertainment club, Brian went to the vi and stayed with A. "Don''t worry.I''ll visit you there tomorrow.Why don''t you tell the others to manage the club for tonight so that you can rest early?" he coaxed over the phone.Anna''s lips curved in a wry smile. "Brian, you know it''ll trouble me if someone else is managing such a big entertainment club.Moreover, the holidays are the best time for business since we have a lot of customers these days." She was trying her best to improve his business. However, he replied in a dull voice, "I understand.See you there tomorrow." After ending the call, a sigh escaped his lips. Then, he looked at A who was pretending to be asleep under the nket. "Just sleep here tonight." Atst, her stiffened body rxed as she breathed a sigh of relief. Chapter 74: Annas Boastful Nature Chapter 74: Anna''s Boastful Nature A sat up and said, "I don''t want to stay here." She despised living there, more so after Anna called Brian. Brian advanced towards her and angrily threw back the covers. "Then don''t sleep tonight!" How could this woman be so ungrateful? She was clearly taking advantage of his kindness. Brian had ruthlessly tortured her throughout the night. She felt too weak to beg for mercy.On Chinese New Year''s Day, A only awoke at noon.She was in Brian''s room.Her body wracked with pain, making any kind of movement difficult. She promised herself that she would not act tough in front of him in future for her own safety.On the other hand, Brian seemed unperturbed. Lounging in a ck robe, he lookedid-back, yet elegant, as he savored a ss of red wine. "Are you awake? Get up! Quit pretending to be asleep!" Brian had noticed her eyelids flutter, but she quickly pretended to fall into a slumber again. A awoke, draped herself in the thin quilt then picked up the phone. She requested Maria to bring her a fresh set of clothes. The maid came up from the first floor, clothes in hand and greeted A warmly, "Good morning, Mrs.rk." She took the clothes and disappeared into the bathroom. After a while she stepped back into the room, beautifully adorned. As Brian ced his ss down, he instructed her, "Go downstairs and prepare lunch if you are ready.We have to go out this afternoon." She knew that she would be forced to apany him, but she had no idea that he would take her to the entertainment club. "Are you working on the first day of the Chinese New Year?" She stood at the door, fearing to go beyond.The parking lot of the entertainment club was choked with various cars. The club was pretty lively even for the daytime. "No," he replied softly, as he walked in, holding her around the waist. As they pushed the door and entered the luxurious private VIP room, A was consumed by nausea. She was allergic to the smell of alcohol and cigarettes and swooned into a bout of coughing.Anna was heartbroken to see Brian holding A so lovingly. Nevertheless, she approached him and with a smile, she said, "Wee, Brian! Everyone is waiting for you!" Brian''s entry into the vibrant and lively private room was followed by a sudden hush, as everyone stood up and respectfully addressed him as Mr.rk. "Please, continue to y." He then looked at A and asked her, "Can you y mahjong?" She shook her head. "No." Such games were alien to her. She was a virtuous girl who spent her time studying and working. "Anna, teach her to y mahjong." Brian sat on the sofa and poured himself a ss of wine. "But I don''t wish to learn how to y mahjong." She didn''t want to be addicted to gambling like he had.She regarded gambling as one of the worst vices known to mankind. Wasn''t yton destroyed because of his gambling tendencies?The Woodsen family was ruined by gambling alone. Brian walked to the automatic mahjong table and remarked, "Observe carefully.You will learn quickly.It will be useful to you in the future." He asked A to sit next to him. As she stared at this conundrum, her mind wandered off. When they were young, yton always took Arlene to the amusement park or ski resort for two weeks at a time. However, A was expected to remain in the little house behind the Woodsen family''s vi, reading or cleaning.She was not ustomed to such rowdiness. Brian extended his hand out to her. Taken aback, she asked, "What''s the matter?" "Get me a cup of tea." He knew how easily she became absent-minded when she was around him. "Okay." When A jerked herself back to reality, she quickly brought him a cup of tea. But before she could hand it to him, someone bumped into her and the tea spilled all over her. Brian immediately held her hand and asked, "Why are you so clumsy? Did you burn yourself?" His sudden concern frightened her. "I''m fine.The tea is not hot." She pushed his hand away. A crowd of people gathered around them. Was it appropriate for him to behave like this?He looked at her and enquired, "Are you sure you are all right?" At that moment, Anna hastened forward and said, "Miss Woodsen,e along with me.I''ll get you a change of clothes.I have a wardrobe of new clothes.It will fit you perfectly." A looked at Brian, seeking permission. "Go with her.A change of clothes is necessary." They traipsed off to another room on the same floor. The room was breathtakingly beautiful and of a magnificent standard. The European-styled interior, with an exquisite imported crystal chandelier that emitted a strange brilliance, was overwhelming. "Come in and have a seat.I bet you are not used to being suffocated by so many men drinking and smoking all around you." Anna continued with her annoying chatter. "It actually doesn''t matter," replied A. If she had a choice, she would never havee there. "I guess if you really want to be with Brian then it doesn''t matter where you end up, right?" Anna walked towards the wardrobe. She asked, "Miss Woodsen, what kind of clothes do you prefer? Feel free to select whatever you wish to wear.Brian has spoiled me rotten by buying me such a huge selection of clothing.My wardrobe is bursting at the seams as a result of his generosity.There''s more for you to choose from.A nced at the designer clothing that shimmered in the wardrobe.Was Anna just being boastful? Well Anna had picked on the wrong person.A was far from impressed.She looked on disdainfully. "No, thanks.I would rather wear my own clothes." She examined the tea stains on her clothes and said, "These stains are barely noticeable.I can wash them off when I go home." Anna handed her a beige overcoat. "Here, slip this on.If Brian finds out that you haven''t changed, I''ll be in hot water." Obviously she was pretending to be kind. A smiled. "Okay, thank you," She put on the beige coat. Anna said admiringly, "It fits you perfectly.Brian has always had great taste." She continued to make small talk.A just smiled and quipped, "I''m ready.Let''s go!" She didn''t want to engage in silly banter with Anna. There was no sense to this kind of war between them.She dismissed Anna''s words. She cared less about Brian and his rtionship with Anna. A returned to Brian''s side. "I didn''t expect Anna''s clothes to fit you so well," he remarked as he nced at her indifferently. "Really?" A forced a smile. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. She couldn''t be bothered whether it fitted her or not.She had only changed because he had insisted she do so. Personally, she felt morefortable in her own clothes.Evidently, he was good at ying mahjong. His winnings had increased whilst she was away. He had much more chips than his three opponents now. She was still distracted when he pushed down the mahjong tiles and dered, "I win!" His tone remained unchanged, however, his opponents'' expressions were questionable. "Mr.rk, are you trying to extort money from us?" asked Tayson, who was sitting opposite Brian. "I can''t help it if you are unskilled." Brian scooped up the pile of chips he had won. "Mr.rk, are you trying to impress the beautifuldy beside you?" James asked, unwilling to admit defeat, Brian looked at her. "Are you Lady Luck?" He spoke softly yet audibly enough for everyone to hear. A was lost for words.Her silence elicited a response from him. He stood up and said, "Now it''s your turn to y.I''m too embarrassed to win any more.y to win or lose.It makes no difference." Chapter 75: She Was Up To Something Chapter 75: She Was Up To Something It was easy for Brian to say something like that. He told A to sit on his seat. She felt pins and needles on her sweating palms. Was she actually going to y mahjong now? She didn''t even recognize any of the mahjong tiles. Not ten minutes after she sat down, she had almost lost all of the chips Brian had won earlier. To her, it felt like she just willingly gave the other three opponents all the money.Meanwhile, Brian just drank and smoked nonchntly. He hardly cared about the money at all. It didn''t matter how much she lost because he could afford it. All he wanted was to alleviate her boredom. However, he realized that this woman had absolutely no affinity for gambling. A lost again and again, and now, she really had no more chips on hand. She turned to Brian and helplessly shook her head. "Mr.rk." "Mrs.rk, it''s not a big deal.I can lend you three hundred chips." "I''ll lend you five hundred, Mrs.rk." "Well, I''ll lend you all my chips!" A sat there as the three people at the mahjong table earnestly offered her chips with a wide grin on their faces. Their sinister smiles sent shivers down her spine. "Do you want to lend her your chips or just give them to her?" Brian walked over, staring daggers at the three men. "We''ll give them to her," they all said in unison. Even though they had won a lot, their opponent had no clue how to y mahjong. It would be an embarrassment to them if they took money from their boss like that.A looked at Brian. He had pushed her into a pit of suffering, while he and Anna were talking andughing happily. But it didn''t matter that much because he was wealthy, so she was in charge today. "There''s no need to do that.It''s Mr.rk who will pay for the money you''ll lend me." A smiled at them. Such leisurely days were a rare asion for her.She was Set to go back to school in half a month. Without objecting to her words, Brian kept on drinking. Anna clung to his arm, and the two of them looked very intimate. For the duration of the entire afternoon, A lost tens of millions of dors. If she had known that they''d be betting so much, she wouldn''t haveid a hand on the mahjong tiles. After the game, Brian took her to a restaurant. However, she didn''t look so happy ever since they left the club. "What''s up with you? Are you scared?" ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. He took a sip of tea and looked at A. She was also drinking a beverage.She hadn''t drank anything warm yet, but this afternoon, she was sweating all over. "I''m not an idiot.You did it on purpose, didn''t you?" A didn''t know how she made it through the whole afternoon. Was she just trying to rx or was she causing herself some trouble? Momentster, the waiter arrived, and Brian looked at the steak that he had brought. "Let''s eat!" A nced at the medium rare steak on her te, and thought that it was still a bit bloody. She couldn''t move her knife and fork because she felt nauseous. The following second, she ran to the bathroom and threw up in the toilet. She had been sitting at the mahjong table the entire afternoon, but she hadn''t eaten anything. Apart from drinking a few sses of water and losing a mountain of money, she hadn''t touched any food. But when sheid eyes on the steak, she immediately wanted to vomit.When A came back to her seat, her steak had been reced by a cup of coffee and a te of pasta.Brian held a cup of coffee as well, drinking it elegantly. If A wasn''t famished, she still wouldn''t want to eat the pasta. However, she was already hungry earlier, and then she threw up upon seeing the steak just now. Now, she really wanted to eat something, and the pasta on her te looked appetizing enough for her.It waste at night by the time they got back to the vi. Upon arrival, A went to her room in the servants'' house. However, as soon as she sat down, her phone started ringing. "Who told you to go back to your room?" It seemed that Brian really wanted to torture her. And it didn''t seem like he had anything better to do this week. "Mr.rk, I''m about to sleep.Can we please just talk about this tomorrow?" A answered. She was indeed too tired to endure more of his antics. Last night, she was too tired because of what he did, and it almost felt like she had lost her life. Afterwards, she spent an entire afternoon, ying in the entertainment club. Even though she was so tired, she didn''t feel any pain in her heart. Perhaps the more preupied she was, the less bad memories she remembered. After hanging up, she walked towards the small pile of soil in the backyard. "Baby, I''m sorry that I couldn''t apany you today." She stood there, murmuring to herself for a long time before she decided to go back to her room. Staring at the light in her room through the window, A frowned.She seemed to recall turning the light off when she left. Moreover, she was worried that Brian would call her again, so she unplugged the phone line as well. Did she somehow forget to turn off the light when she went out earlier? As soon as she pushed the door open, she saw the man leaning against her bed. He was wearing a night robe, looking charming and seductive. Her heart trembled upon seeing him. Pursing her lips, she entered the room. "Mr.rk, it''ste.Why did youe to my room to smoke?" Brian knew whenever A was lying to him because she was a bad liar, and she wasn''t smart enough to fool him! "Didn''t you say you had gone to bed? Is it your ghost who was sleeping here?" He took another drag of his cigarette. She could see how displeased he was based on his expression. "Mr.rk, whether you want to see me or a ghost, I really want to rest," A said with a smile.Brian noticed that she was wearing a thin coat when she came from outside. He must''ve seen her take off her coat the second they came back to the vi. That coat cost more than ten thousand dors, but she didn''t seem to like it. "Go to my room in the main vi." After saying that, he stood up and left her room. As she watched him walk away, A knew that he was here to trouble her. Was she afraid? She would be lying if she imed that she wasn''t. But what was she afraid of? She had gone through so many obstacles that it rendered her fearless of almost everything. Perhaps it was because he could do whatever he wanted! Brian sat on the sofa in his room with a cigarette between his fingers, waiting for A to arrive. If he hadn''t been in a good mood for the past two days, he would''ve dragged her to his room as usual. How could he have the time to wait for her toe to his room? After an hour''s dy, she finally came to his room. "Mr.rk." Brian saw that A hadn''t changed her clothes, nor taken a shower. She was holding a ss of milk. "Please drink this," she said. "I don''t drink milk." He preferred to drink coffee.Was this woman challenging his authority on purpose? "I''m here to apologize.You lost a lot of money today because of me." If she hadn''t yed, he wouldn''t have lost millions in cash. Perhaps to him, money wasn''t an object, but she still needed to express her apology.It took A an entire hour to reach this conclusion. She decided to ingratiate herself with him.But Brian didn''t buy it. "No need," he said. When he saw her standing at the door and hesitating, he immediately knew that he shouldn''t drink this ss of milk. Even though A wouldn''t poison him, no matter what she added to the milk, he wasn''t going to drink it.She held the ss tightly, and said, "Just have some! You drank too much wine today." Did she actually care about him? She felt that anyone who heard what she said would think that she gave a damn about him. Creasing his forehead, Brian asked, "Are you implying that you care for me?" Why did he think that she was up to something? "Yes." A held back her nausea. Was it really necessary for her to do this? "Fine.I''ll have some." Brian took the ss of milk, holding it firmly in his hand. It did seem that she had put a lot of effort and thought into it.Standing by the sofa, A watched as he just held the ss of milk and looked at it. Seeing that he didn''t seem like he was going to drink, she said, "You should drink it now.The milk won''t taste good if it''s cold." Swiveling the ss in his hand, Brian looked at her closely. "It''s too much for me to finish alone.Drink the other half." As soon as he finished talking, he noticed a change in A''s expression.She obviously wasn''t adept at trickeries, but she insisted on showing it to him today.Should he just cooperate with her? "No, no.I''ve already had some." A wouldn''t drink the milk because she didn''t want to spend the night with him.And so, she urged him to drink it alone. Chapter 76: A Glass Of Milk With Sleeping Pills Chapter 76: A ss Of Milk With Sleeping Pills Brian put the ss down. "Then I''m not drinking it.It''s gettingte.You should go to bed." Upon seeing that he didn''t drink the milk, A felt disheartened. ''My n failed, didn''t it?¡± He pressed her against the sofa, holding her in his arms. "What''s going on? You were smiling at me earlier and you even served me milk.Is there something you want me to do? Or maybe you''re asking for more sex?" ''How perverted he is! Isn''t there any other thought going on in his head?'' A cursed in her mind.Or was he so horny that he wanted to fuck her again? "What are you thinking of? Have you made up your mind?" Brian had always been aloof and devoid of emotion, and the mere sound of his voice was enough to weaken her knees. Impatiently, A answered, "Drink the milk and you can do anything you want to me." Since she had said that, he was certainly going to drink the milk.His lips evoked a charming smile.And like a poppy flower, it enticed everyone, including her. A stared at the ss of milk without blinking. However, disappointment was written all over her face. "Fine.I will." After saying that, Brian kissed her lips.She tightly grabbed the edge of the sofa as his kiss was so intense and passionate. "Tell me, did you miss me?" He didn''t need an answer to know that A didn''t miss him; not even a little pt Picking up the ss of milk, he said, "Answer me.Then, I''ll drink the milk." A nodded in response.He had forced her into doing it anyway. After seeing her nod, Brian smiled before he took a big gulp of the milk. However, he didn''t swallow it right away. Instead, he pressed his lips against hers, transferring the milk into her mouth. A had long known that he wasn''t a simple man to deal with. When she was having a hard time breathing, she identally swallowed the milk which wasced with two sleeping pills. Upon seeing Brian''s devilish grin, she finally realized that she could do nothing against him. The only thing she could do now was to ept her fate. When she was sound asleep, he picked A up. It turned out that she had added sleeping pills into the milk. The only time this woman shut up was when she was asleep. For the first time since the abortion of the baby, she finally resisted him, and she didn''t even use a good method. Even if he had ingested the sleeping pills himself, it would only buy her one night of freedom from his grasp. It still wouldn''t be enough to escape him for a lifetime. She was still too naive. Meanwhile, Toby, along with Molly, went to a ski resort in the suburb. "Honey, will you be spending the New Year with me alone every year from now on?" she asked. "Aren''t you happy that we came out to have some fun?" Toby asked, holding Molly in his arms. He took her here for the holiday because she enjoyed skiing. "Of course, I am.As a matter of fact, I''ll be happy wherever I am, as long as I''m with you." Molly believed that he loved her now, and their rtionship was improving. "Then we can stay here for half a month before going home." Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Toby was learning to love her, and treat her well, but he wasn''t going to let her have a baby before he was certain that he truly loved her. Looking him in the eye, Molly replied, "Okay.Only the two of us are here.I want to be sure of something.Why haven''t I gotten pregnant? Is it because of my poor health?" Her words left Toby petrified for a moment. Then, he smiled and said, "It''s all gonna be alright.Don''t worry.Just let nature take its course, okay?" "But it''s been so long since we''ve tried making a baby.If I can give birth to a son like you, I''ll live a happier and more fulfilling life." She leaned against his chest as they sat on a cable car in the skiing resort, staring at the snowy horizon. Toby didn''t say anything, and just kissed her cheek. The reason they left the city and went to the ski resort was so that he could forget all about L. He didn''t want to fill his head with thoughts of her anymore.It would help to ease his pain if he could forget about her temporarily. When A woke up, she realized that she was in a familiar room.Her memory of what happenedst night gradually came back to her.She dug her own gravest night, and jumped directly into it. Panting heavily, she pulled up the quilt and looked around. Fortunately, Brian wasn''t beside her. Otherwise, she''d feel ashamed of herself. A thought that he must''ve already left, but when she went downstairs, she saw him drinking milk, which was different from his usual habit. It was like the sun was rising in the West. "This milk isn''t good either," Brian said tly, hinting at something. A wasn''t an idiot.She gathered why he had said this to her, but she pretended like she heard nothing. Although, what Brian said was true. Indeed, the milk wasn''t tasty, and it smelled a bit strange. "Mrs.rk, I warmed the milk for you," Maria said to A as she walked out of the kitchen. A frowned. "I don''t want any milk today.I''ll have coffee instead." Merely hearing the word "milk" was enough to humiliate her. Turning a page of his newspaper, Brian said, "Well, you have to go outter, so don''t drink any milk.It''ll be unfortunate if you end up feeling sleepy for the rest of the day because of it." It was obvious that he was satirizing her. Scoffing, A went into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. However, it didn''t taste good, so she added some sugar and milk into it. Sadly, it still didn''t taste good.It was far too bitter. Sure enough, different people had different preferences. At the thought of being taken back to the entertainment club for an entire afternoon, A felt her skin crawl. However, the matter of her visit today was different from that of yesterday. As soon as she entered the room, she was served tea, water, and some desserts. Brian''s men kept addressing her as Mrs.rk.She wasn''t that close to them yet, was she? They had only met yesterday! The only other time she saw them was on her so-called wedding half a year ago. How could they act so familiar with her now? Brian looked at her and said, "They think you''re a God of Wealth." She lost so much money to them yesterday. How could they not be happy to see her? Perhaps they were hoping that she''d lose more money to them today. A shook her head. "I''m not gonna gamble today.I''m afraid that one day, !''il be the one who''ll burn all your assets away." "You''re not capable of doing that yet." This time, Brian yed mahjong himself, and he dragged A to sit beside him and serve him tea and desserts. In such a lively ce, Anna was definitely present. She walked to Brian''s side, putting her hands on his shoulders and looking at his cards. "Miss Woodsen, you should practice some more.Although Brian is wealthy enough, that doesn''t mean you can throw his money away just like that," Anna taunted A. Brian didn''t partake in their conversation and just focused on ending this round. "I win." A got up from her chair and said, "I''m not interested in gambling.Miss Anna, if you like it so much, you can join the game and enjoy all you want." Secondster, Jaime appeared. "Mr.rk," he greeted. Brian nced at him, stood up, and said to A, "y the game for me." However, she didn''t move nor respond. Instead, Anna sat down in his ce. "Anna, please go easy on us." As soon as they saw Anna sit at the mahjong table, they all pleaded for mercy before the next round even began. It seemed that she was also an experienced gambler. Brian and Jaime had entered the small room, so A didn''t have to pretend to be interested in the game anymore.She sat on the sofa alone, holding a pillow in her arms. "How''s it going?" Brian asked, staring at the other man. Jaime handed over a document, and exined, "Mr.rk, yton has returned from abroad two days ago.He went to Las Vegas to gamble, and he lost all his money." "I''ve already guessed it.He''s not lucky enough to make money through gambling.Let him have a good time for the next two weeks, and we''ll talk about it at ater date," Brian said coldly. Jaime nodded. "When I investigated yton, I found that the chairman of the Smith Group, Hayden, was also investigating him.It seems that it had something to do with Miss A Woodsen." Chapter 77: Meeting Lucas By Chance Again Chapter 77: Meeting Lucas By Chance Again Brian frowned at the thought that everything had something to do with A.He shouldn''t have underestimated her. "Mr.rk, shall we investigate this matter as weil?" Although Jaime''s opinion of her had improved, he was still a bit worried.Because A, the adopted daughter of the Woodsen family, had stirred up a ruckus and it hadn''t subsided yet. "No, that''s not necessary.There are a lot of people doing it already.Sooner orter, the truth wille out.You can rest for a few days.You shouldn''t go running around working all the time." Brian patted Jaime on the back. "I''m alright, Mr.rk.I think you should keep an eye on Miss A Woodsen.I''m worried that she has ulterior motives." He was still suspicious of A''s true identity. No self-respecting woman would subject to being a substitute bride unless she was up to something. "I got it.It''s not that big of a deal.If you have some spare time on your hands, watch over the TH Gang for me.If you see them making any moves, tell me right away." Brian turned his gaze towards the window. He was going to be busy in theing days. Nodding, Jaime replied, "I understand." Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. "Let''s have dinner together," Brian remarked as he went out of the room. Jaime followed him and watched him approach A, hoping that she wouldn''t cause Brian any trouble.She was sitting on the sofazily. When she noticed that Brian had returned, she bolted upright. "Do you...want something to drink?" A said reluctantly as she turned to the ss in front of her. Looking at her, Brian asked, "Are you nning on tricking me again?" He wasn''t worried about Jaime''s warning because this woman was neither conniving nor capable of trickery: A looked back at him. "I''m not." That was because she didn''t want to fall into the trap that she prepared again.Should she feel lucky that she had put sleeping pills into his milk instead ofxatives? "Why don''t you drink that ss of wine first to prove that you didn''t do anything to it?" It seemed that he was taking advantage of the situation.A tried to drug himst night, but he didn''t end up drinking any of the milk.And now, he was asking her to show her sincerity by drinking the wine she was offering. Despite her reluctance, she gulped it down to prove her innocence. "Incredible.Your drinking capacity has improved drastically!" Brian got up and walked towards Anna. While his attention wasn''t focused on her, A spat out the wine in her mouth into the trash can. There was no way she could drink that much alcohol! Besides, she didn''t want to get drunk and lose face in front of Anna. All of a sudden, she was shocked by her own thoughts. Why did she start caring about what that woman would think of her?A turned her gaze towards Anna and Brian. They were sitting together intimately. Perhaps they were the perfect match after all. If it weren''t for her, the two of them would''ve been together, wouldn''t they? Brian was sitting on the sofa in the living room and reading a newspaper, while A was cleaning the room on the second floor. During the first half of the month, she had been staying with him every day in the entertainment club; eating, drinking, ying games, and gambling. Atst, she understood that this life was majorly different from hers. However, she was still grateful because he helped her get back to school. It was good to have both power and influence. The school administration didn''t dare to speak of her performance in thest semester, so she was able to continue her course. On top of that, Brian even paid for A''s tuition. He said that she could go back to school, but he wasn''t going to allow her to stay outside for too long.She should be d that he didn''t stop her from taking up part-time jobs. Every day, A went to school, and the driver sent her back and forth.She had no objections to that setup. It had been more than half a month since Brian went on his business trip to America.He didn''t call her once, but she was used to it. She walked alone in the campus, carrying arge pile of books.She worked part-time in the library, so her ssmates were always asking her to borrow books for them at the library, and she would take the books back after they had finished reading. At the corner of the stairs, A''s gaze was lowered, so she was oblivious to her surroundings.She didn''t even notice the person turning from the other side, causing her to bump into the man and identally dropping her books to the floor. "Sorry, I didn''t see you there." On his first day at this school, Lucas had already bumped into someone by ident. Without even casting him a nce, A picked up the books one by one. Suddenly, the two of them reached out for the same book at the same time. As soon as their hands touched, A drew hers back. "Here you go." Lucas handed the book to her. However, when he realized that it was A, he was surprised. "It''s you! What a coincidence!" He was able to recognize her, but when he saw the confusion on her face, it didn''t seem like she remembered him. A took the book from him and asked, "Have we met?" It wasn''t because she had a bad memory, it was just that she couldn''t think of a striking impression that this man left on her. "Allow me to carry those books for you." As a gentleman, Lucas couldn''t let her carry all those books herself, so he offered to do it. Looking at him, A said, "Just give them to me.I need to take those books back to the library." "It''s fine.I''m on my way to the library to take a look at it.I''ll take them with me," he said with a smile. Besides, he needed to familiarize himself with the campus anyway. Meanwhile, A was still in shock.She pondered where she had met this man before. "Why are you still standing there? Lead the way!" said Lucas. "Alright.The library''s on the third floor," she replied. The two of them walked side by side along the stairs until they finally reached the library. "Thank you for your help," A said politely. Smiling, Lucas replied, "You''re wee.Oh, by the way, I''ll reintroduce myself to you.My name is Lucas Collins." ¡®''Lucas Collins?''¡¯ A looked at his smiling face.She finally remembered that she had seen this man on the night that Toby was married, but she didn''t pay him much mind back then.It was only when she heard his name that she remembered who he was. "Do you remember me now? We met at the wedding," Lucas reminded her. Embarrassed, A nodded. "That''s right.Hello, Mr.Collins.It''s nice to meet you." "So, can you tell me your name now?" Lucas propped his arms onto the table and stared into her eyes. "I''m A Woodsen." She didn''t tell him her name on Toby''s wedding party.Now, she would feel embarrassed if she didn''t introduce herself again. "It''s a nice name.May I call you L?" Lucas didn''t hesitate to say her nickname endearingly. Taking a few steps back, A asked, "Mr.Collins, what brings you here?" He touched his sses and said with a gentle smile, "You can call me by my first name.I think you''ll find out who I am soon enough.We''ll meet again soon." After saying that, he left. At this time, the head librarian appeared and said, "Hi, L.A new batch of books will arrive tomorrow.You can sort these books out now and make a list for tomorrow." The head librarian was a middle-aged woman.She had been working at this college for many years now. Although she looked strict, A thought that she was a good person. "Yes, ma''am.I''ll get them once I''m done here." She smiled and put the books back to the shelf one by one. For the rest of the afternoon, she worked at the library because she didn''t have any sses. By the time she was done working, it was already dark.She quickly ran downstairs because there was nobody else here during the night, and the lights weren''t that bright.She was running so fast that she eventually stumbled and fell to the floor.Her palm had gotten cut due to the ident. "Are you okay?" In the dim light, someone approached her.Standing up, A said, "I''m fine, Mr.Collins.Why are you still on campus at this time of the night?" Outsiders weren''t allowed to stay here during the night. Noticing the concern and uneasiness in her eyes, Lucas swallowed back the words that he was about to say. "I, uh...I got lost when I was walking around the campus." Chapter 78: She Forgot Her Promise To Him Chapter 78: She Forgot Her Promise To Him Regardless of how sore her hands felt, A grabbed her bag, and said, "How about this, Mr.Collins? I''ll help you get out of here.Outsiders are not allowed to stay in the school for too long, so I''ll just tell the guard you were here to help me with the work in the library." Thinking that her suggestion was reasonable, Lucas said, "Thanks for your help." "It''s no big deal.Anyway, let''s move it!" A shed him a beaming smile. Perhaps she was the type of girl who would easily trust people. She showed her Student ID to the guard and said something to him, and then she and Lucas ran out of the school quickly. "It''s okay now.You can go home quickly.I''m going home, too." Lyle must''ve been waiting for a while now, so A had to get home as soon as possible. As soon as she turned around, Lucas grabbed her wrist. "L, you helped me.How about I treat you to dinner?" he asked. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ncing at her watch, she said, "I''m sorry, Mr.Collins, but it''s gettingte, and I have to go home." Lucas looked at the car nearby and saw a middle-aged man step out of it. "It seems that someone hase to pick you up, so never mind.But maybe we can just have lunch together at that restaurant tomorrow.Would that be fine with you?" He pointed at an ordinary restaurant across the campus. Lucas seemed that he knew her well.If he suggested a high-end restaurant, she might''ve declined right away. However, a simple meal at a simple restaurant was something she couldn''t refuse.When A returned to the vi, she insisted on staying at her room in the servants'' house.The main vi was dark, indicating that Brian hadn''te home yet. It looked like he had be quite busy after his vacation. Maria cooked dinner for her and asked her to eat before she went back to her room. Meanwhile, Lucas was holding a ss of red wine in front of the French window of his apartment. He didn''t expect to run into A today.It was as if they were fated to meet each other. "What''s the matter, Lucas? Are you not in the mood?" A voluptuous woman approached, taking the ss from his hand, and drinking it down in one gulp.She then kissed him and transferred some of the wine into his mouth. "What are you doing here?" Lucas pulled her away from him, his eyes turning colder than before. "I heard that you were back, so I came to see you." This woman was close enough to him that she had a spare key to his apartment. "Sunny, next time, don''te by without my permission." Lucas went to the sofa and sat down. Sunny Connell sat beside him, and asked, "Mr.Collins, are you starting to like another woman?" Continuing his drink, he didn''t respond to her question. That woman suited his preferences well, and he did like her very much. "But that woman isn''t here tonight, so just let me have fun with you instead!" Sunny had been with Lucas for more than five years now, so she knew him well enough.He put down his ss, pressed her against the sofa, and removed her scant clothes. Sunny was a sexually active woman. Her curvaceous figure was very inviting and she could make any man surrender to her wiles. After having sex, she put on her nightgown and leaned against Lucas. "Aren''t you going back to Thand this time, Lucas?" "Why are you so interested in my personal affairs?" He had been traveling around all these years. "Hey, I was just asking casually.There''s no need to get upset," she responded. "Just go home! I have something to do tomorrow." This was the first time that he prohibited her from staying overnight in his apartment.Sunny did not go against his wishes. "Judging by your reaction, it seems that you really care about this new woman.Well then, I won''t bother you anymore.Remember to contact me whenever you have time." On the table, she put down a piece of paper that had her new address written on it. Afterwards, she changed her clothes and left. A had sses for the entirety of the morning, and she had one more ss in the afternoon. Afterwards, she must go to the library to work. And because of how busy she was, she had forgotten that she promised to meet up with Lucas at the restaurant today. Meanwhile, he waited for her at the restaurant for an hour, but she never showed up. When he went to the school''s cafeteria, he found A sitting alone and eating rice with vegetables. Wasn''t she supposed to be Mr.rk''s woman? Her way of living was surprisingly simple. "L, you''d rather eat cafeteria grub than to have lunch with me, I see.That makes me really sad!" Lucas sat across her. It was only when A saw him that she finally remembered her promise to have lunch with him. "Sorry, I forgot." Embarrassed, she looked him in the eye, and said, "You probably haven''t had anything to eat yet, have you? Let me buy you some food instead." She really didn''t mean to abandon him like that; she just forgot. Lucas looked at her stir-fried vegetables and tofu soup, shaking his head. "Do you want me to eat that? Besides, I don''t think there''s any more left." "I''ll treat you some other day then.I''m really sorry for what happened today," said A. "You don''t have to apologize.If you want to treat me a meal, you just have to be sincere." Ignoring the gazes of other students, Lucas led her out of the cafeteria and then they left the school together. A noticed his firm grip on her hand. "Mr.Collins, please let me go.This isn''t good." She had had enough of rumors, and she didn''t want to add another scandal to her name.However, Lucas ignored her plea and brought her to the restaurant across the school.The two of them went to the VIP room on the second floor. "Mr.Collins, can you let me go now?" A''s wrist was starting to hurt. Letting her go, Lucas helped her to her seat. "This restaurant looks good, but the dishes are served rather slow.Are you okay?" His question embarrassed her. Nodding her head, A said, "I just had lunch." She didn''t have that much appetite anymore, so she wouldn''t be able to eat all the dishes he ordered. It was too much for her. Pouring her a cup of tea, Lucas said, "Have some tea first.We can eat slowly." Afterwards, A poured him a cup of tea as well. "I''m really sorry for what happened, Mr.Collins.To make up for it, today will be my treat." "It''s fine.We agreed yesterday that I''ll pay for the meal.I''m the man after all.How can I let a student like you pay the bill?" How could Lucas allow her to pay for his meal? No matter how much money Brian gave her, he wasn''t going to let her pay.The two of them looked at the home-cooked dishes served by the waiter. "Let''s eat! Why are you just sitting there?" Lucas picked up some food for her. Staring at the dishes that had been served, A was touched. All of them were her favorites. He locked his eyes on her and thought, ''She''s not only a simple woman, but she''s also easily moved.Why would Brian keep her by his side? He must''ve made a big mistake.'' Later that day, while A was busy in the library, Lucas entered. When the head librarian saw him and was about to greet him, he cut the librarian off. "Pretend like you don''t know me.Is A inside?" "Yes, she''s the only one working in here today." The head librarian nodded at him. "Don''t let anyone else in." Heading straight inside, Lucas closed the door behind him.The head librarian shook her head helplessly.The new vice-principal of the school was really weird. Why was he so interested in A? Meanwhile, A was organizing the new books alphabetically and neatly ced them on each self. All of a sudden, someone took the books from her hand. "Why are you carrying such heavy things by yourself? Let me help you." A was startled when she saw him. "Mr.Collins, what are you doing here again? I''m afraid you won''t be able to get out tonight." "With you here, how can I not go out? Big deal! I''ll treat you to another meal!" Lucas took off his coat, rolled up his sleeves, and ced the books into the shelf for her. "Mr.Collins, I don''t need your help.I can do it.You don''t know the proper way to organize these books." A was more than capable to do it on her own. Moreover, Lucas was wearing an expensive suit, so it wasn''t appropriate to ask for his assistance. "Then you can teach me how to sort them, yes?" Lucas handed her some books. "Where should I put these?''¡¯ Realizing that he wasn''t going to take no for an answer, A gave up. Chapter 79: Challenge His Principle Little By Little Chapter 79: Challenge His Principle Little By Little With Lucas'' help, A finished two days'' worth of work by nine PM.As she stared at the neatly organized bookshelves, a smile appeared on her face.Lucas said to her, "Isn''t it good that I helped you?" "Indeed! Thank you very much.It''s gettingte, we should go!" A walked out of the school along with him. "It''s reallyte.Would you like to have dinner with me?" he said, leaning against the car.She wanted to refuse him, but when she saw how exhausted he was, she didn''t have the heart to reject him this time. "Sounds great!" Lucas drove A to a high-end western restaurant for dinner, and Lyle followed behind them. "Would you like to have steak or pork chop?"asked Lucas. "Either is fine," A said, smiling. She really didn''t care either way. In truth, the choices didn''t matter because she never liked western food. Looking at her, Lucas said, "I''d suggest you try the spaghetti.They make an amazing spaghetti here." "Okay." She nodded. In front of him, she acted very reserved. "L, has your chauffeur been following you all this time?" Lucas nced at the car outside, wondering what kind of rtionship A had with Brian. Was it purely a sexual rtionship?In that case, Brian didn''t have to keep her by his side, and she didn''t seem to be willing to ept his affection. If A willingly epted everything that he had given her, then she wouldn''t have chosen to eat cafeteria food, and she wouldn''t work at the library for money "Yes.It is alreadyte in the evening, and Lyle gets worried about me." In reality, she just didn''t want to talk about Brian. "With a luxurious car like that, you probably don''t have to eat such crude lunches in your school cafeteria.Aren''t you afraid of being undernourished?" asked Lucas. "Not at all." A began eating the spaghetti.She needed to save money. Even though it was difficult to earn money, she still wasn''t going to touch Brian''s money. It was already nearing midnight when they finally left the restaurant. Instead of Lucas, she asked Lyle to drive her home. Lucas, on the other hand, returned to his apartment, only to find that the door was already open and someone was sitting on his sofa. "Dad," he said. "Where have you been? Did you go see that woman again?" The man had his back to him, and all the lights in the room were dimmed. "I did." Lucas sat in front of the man, who was his adoptive father. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Why didn''t you tell me that you wereing?" "I can drop by whenever I want.You''d better be careful around that woman," his adoptive father warned him. Although he had only seen A''s photo, he could tell that she was the kind of woman that could entice any man. "Dad, it''s none of your business." Lucas enjoyed spending time with A, and liked the feeling of being with her. However, he had been getting closer to her these days, and if Brian really cared about her, he would soone back. A had been sleeping soundly, but she suddenly felt something itchy.She moved her hands around, trying to get rid of the uneasiness she felt. However, this feeling soon spread across her face. When she felt something cold, she finally decided to open her eyes and saw that a man was on top of her. "What...what are you doing here?" Brian''s shirt was still neat, but the two buttons of her blouse had been unbuttoned. "Who were you with when I was away? Huh?" Brian was aware that she had beening home veryte these days, and that she was spending time with a man. And so, he came back to see what was happening. "I..." A was about to deny his words, but she realized that he was right. It was true that she had been spending a lot of time with Lucas, but they had a purely tonic rtionship. Brian didn''t want to hear any exnation at all. What fresh hell did she invoke during his absence? After he left, A went into the bathroom to wash away the traces he had left on her. Because of his return, she got up early to prepare breakfast. When Brian came downstairs, he smelled the aroma of coffee. He was far too busy these days that he hardly got enough sleep. "Mr.rk, here''s your coffee." Wearing a housecoat, A gave him his morning coffee and newspaper. "Go change your clothes.I''m driving you to school today." Brian took a sip of his coffee, not bothering to even cast her a nce. Soon, they were in the car, and he was driving as if he was taking his time. A figured that he was deliberately driving slowly because he wanted her to bete. As soon as the car stopped, she got out of the car without saying goodbye and ran towards the school gate. Brian took out his phone and called Jaime. "Jaime, find out who''s been hanging out with L." "Yes, sir," Jaime replied. For an entire week, A didn''t meet up with Lucas. Apart from doing the part-time job at the library, she went home on time. Meanwhile, Lucas was in the office on the school building''s second floor, watching her enter the car, and then he went back to his seat. "Lucas, it''ste.Why don''t you get off work already?" A middle-aged man came in.He was the school''s principal. "I want to stay in the office for a little bit more in hopes of learning more about our school." The main reason Lucas managed to be hired as the school''s vice -principal was because of his talents, and his connections to Hayden. "Let''s go! Have a cup of coffee with me, would you?" said the principal. Soon, A arrived at the vi. Since Brian hadn''t returned yet, she ate by herself and went back to her room. Maria knocked on her door, and walked in. "Are you busy at schooltely? You shouldn''t overwork yourself.Remember that your health is most important." "I''m fine.Goodnight, Maria!" A leaned against the bed. She realized that she had been quite busy recently.Not long after Maria left her room, the sound of a car could be heard from the garage. A opened the door and said, "It seems that Mr.rk is back.I''ll go and greet him." She noticed that he was drunk. "How much did you drink today?" she asked. A supported him to the sofa in the living room. "I didn''t drink much." ¡®''It''s lucky for me to still stay sober after a whole night of drinking with my clients¡±'' he thought. Judging by the foul odor of alcohol exuded by his body, she knew that he was lying.She could only imagine how much alcohol he had drunk.She made him a cup of honey water and said, "Here.Drink some of this honey water." Brian waved her hand away. "I don''t want to." "I don''t care whether you want to or not!" said A. She then noticed that there were red lip marks on his white shirt. He ate and drank all night, made out with a woman, and got angry at her the second he arrived at home. In all honesty, she didn''t really care if he suffered through a hangover or not.All of a sudden, Brian grabbed her and had her lean on his chest. "Why are you so stubborn? You do have a bad temper." They both wore thin clothes, and at this moment, their bodies looked intimate. Chapter 80: Deliberate Arrangement Or Coincidence Chapter 80: Deliberate Arrangement Or Coincidence Brian stared at the woman in front of him for a long moment before saying, "Are you waiting for me to come back?" He was probing, but his steely tone was ruthless. A merely looked at him wordlessly.She wasn''t waiting for him, but she knew he didn''t want to hear that.Her only option was to remain silent. "Why don''t you say something?" Brian tightened his grip on her waist, his fingers digging painfully into her flesh. "No," she said. She knew he would be upset, but she didn''t want to lie to him. This was how they got along with each other. Brian cocked his head as his gaze bore into her and said, "You are getting bolder and bolder with each passing day." Although he was drunk, he still could steadily steer her towards the second floor.His swift movement made A almost believe that he was sober. The next morning, Lucas was standing at the school gate, a light gray overcoat around his shoulders as he waited for A to show up. As Brian drove, A looked out of the window, annoyed. She wouldn''t bete for ss if he hadn''t forced her into sex this morning. Luckily for her, it was wintertime and she could wear a turtleneck to cover the hickeys. Facing her ssmates would have been mortifying otherwise. The car stopped at the school gate. Brian''s eyes found the figure waiting at the gate, but he didn''t say a word to A. Instead, he drove away the moment she got out of the car.A, on the other hand, hadn''t noticed Lucas. But when she turned to find him leaning leisurely against the gate, she was stunned. "Why are you here, Mr.Collins?" Lucas made a show of looking at his wristwatch and said, "You arete today." Embarrassed, A lowered her eyes to the ground. "Why are you still standing there? Come on in!" He took her hand and led her into the school square where A noticed a crowd had gathered. She frowned.She hadn''t gotten any notice about a meeting.Heads turned and whispers broke out as they walked in, hand in hand.A withdrew her hand at once and sighed.She was afraid that she would be misunderstood again. However, she didn''t seem to hate Lucas holding her hand. Instead, she had felt the warmth of family.She stood among the crowd, dazed. Soon enough, the principal made the announcement that Lucas would be the new vice principal. A looked at the stage, shocked, trying to process what the principal was saying. When it did sink in, a sense of betrayal descended upon her. She felt cheated.Lucas saw A hurry out of the gathering without meeting his eyes.She seemed frightened. Sure enough, she avoided him for the next few days. Lucas finally caught up with her outside the library, where he had been waiting for her for three hours. She spotted him the moment she walked out of the library, and pursed her lips. "Are you still angry with me, A? I didn''t mean to lie to you," Lucas said desperately, stepping in her path to stop her from leaving. A looked up at him and said, "I should call you Principal Collins, shouldn''t I?" She had ignored him because she didn''t want him to be involved in any kind of gossip.She didn''t want her ssmates talking about him behind his back. But it seemed inevitable. Jealous women were horrible. They could make up random stories without any truth to them. They had spread the rumors that A was going to dump the old man who kept her his mistress, that she was hooking up with the new vice principal, and that the two stayed at schoolte, had dinner, and went back home together. A never exined anything to them, because she couldn''t stop them from talking. "I don''t mind if you call me Lucas," he said, shing her a charming smile. A looked at his joyful smile that lit up her world like a ray of sunshine. She was a woman who needed warmth and Brian was always cold and sneering to her. Lucas gently touched her face and said, "A, I don''t care what anyone says.Maybe I want what they say to be true." A stared at him, stunned.Was she hearing correctly? How could he think that? "How is that possible? I''m married." The big diamond ring glinted on A''s finger. Brian had forced her to wear it, saying that he didn''t want other men to get close to her. Shaking his head, Lucas took off the ring and said, "This ring is too loose for you.You are still a student.You shouldn''t be wearing such a monstrosity." He pocketed it and said, "Let''s go.I''ve been waiting for you for three hours.Would you like to have dinner with me?" He didn''t give A the chance to refuse. Before she could say anything, he had steered her into his luxury sports car and driven away from Melody Road. "I...I can''t eat outside.I want to go back." It took A a long time to utter these words. "No.You''ve been busy all day and it''s now eight at night.I know you didn''t eat much at noon.If you don''t eat now, your body will be weak" Lucas said, his eyes never leaving the road. Despite not being with her at all times, he seemed to know everything about ners. He not only knew that Brian had driven her to school these past couple of days, but also knew that she needed to go back on time. But today, he was making her break this rule. Lucas ordered a hearty meal and said, "Eat, A.You shouldn''t waste food." A sighed.She had no choice but to pick up her chopsticks and eat. Brian and Anna sat at a different booth in the same restaurant.Their seats were next to the window, overlooking the entrance.They had seen A walking in hand in hand with Lucas. "Brian, you shouldn''t keep such a woman by your side anymore," Anna said. She looked up at Brian, concerned, for his face had darkened with gloom and rage. One small action on A''s part had the power to change Brian''s mood, and this in turn scared Anna and filled her with unease. Brian picked up the ss in front of him and downed the drink in one gulp.He had seen that man at the school gates that day. Did he have a purpose for doing this? He knew Lucas, the only son of the once famous Collins family. But Brian heard nothing else about him in the past few years, except that Lucas shared a close bond with Hayden. It was also because of Hayden that he had be the vice principal of the school. However, was Lucas'' sudden appearance a coincidence or a deliberate arrangement that Hayden had orchestrated?Brian remained silent. Anna persisted in her questions. "Do you just let her do whatever she wants?" He had never let a woman do such things and this realization caused him to burst out, "Leave her alone!" Brian was stunned at the strange feeling suddenly taking over his heart. But he tried to remain indifferent and suppressed it, unwilling to talk.When A and Lucas walked out of the restaurant together, they came upon Brian holding Anna in his arms. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. This unexpectedly sent daggers into A''s heart. Brian didn''t say a word. Instead, he merely walked away, Anna stered to his side. Anna, however, turned to look at A, sneering disdainfully at her. Noticing A''s dazedness, Lucas asked, "What''s wrong, A? Do you know that man?" "No, I don''t," A said, shaking her head. It didn''t matter if she knew him or not. She should have known that Brian still maintained intimate rtionships with many women. How could she expect him to belong only to her? But the more important question was: why was she so heartbroken", A didn''t know how she went back to the vi. Lucas had dropped her but she couldn''t remember the drive back home.Maria hurried out as she spotted Aing in. "You''re back, A.Mr.rk is back too.He seemed to be very angry when he realized you hadn''t returned yet." A nodded. "I see.I''ll go in and see him." She had thought that he would spend the night with Anna and would return only tomorrow.Now that she knew he was in the vi, she didn''t know how to face him.But she couldn''t escape it either.Could she? Chapter 81: Lucas Confessed His Love To Her Chapter 81: Lucas Confessed His Love To Her Brian''s room was reeking of alcohol. Did he drink again? She didn''t smell the overpowering alcoholic odoring from him when they ran into each other at the restaurant earlier. "I''m home." A timidly approached him. "Hmm," Brian grunted. Based on the look on his face, he was probably furious. He had told her not to get too close to other men, and today, she had dinner with Lucas, but all Brian did was to grunt at her and nothing else. A moved her lips, but she ended up not saying anything. Should she exin to him why she waste tonight? Or was it even necessary to do so? He saw it with his own two eyes. An exnation probably wasn''t needed at this point. Just like her situation with Toby in the past, Brian believed what he saw, and there was nothing left needed to be exined to him.As soon as she turned around, he stopped her. "Aren''t you going to exin yourself?" Was she not even going to try to defend herself? When A turned back to the man, she noticed that he was no longer sitting on the sofa and drinking. He was now standing close to her. "If I tell you my side of the story, would you even believe me?" "I won''t know until I hear it." If Brian was being honest, he wasn''t going to believe her. To him, being ignored was uneptable, and so he wanted to hear an exnation. "Then there''s no need to speak." A saw it in his eyes that he wouldn''t believe her, so she''d rather not waste her breath. Holding her chin with his fingers, he asked, "Do you know who exactly this Lucas is?" "I don''t know." She had never been one to pry into other people''s private lives, not to mention that she considered Lucas as a friend, but no more than a friend. "If I tell you that he''s wealthy, would you go with him?" Although the Collins family had fallen from grace, they still had several properties left. That was why Brian was Curious of the reason Lucas applied to be the vice principal of a school. The sry of this position wasn''t that big, and he didn''t seem like hecked money. Upon hearing Brian''s question, A asked, "Did you have him investigated?" "I didn''t need to." What he actually wanted to know was why Lucas approached A. "No matter who he is, I have nothing to do with him." After saying that, she turned around and walked away. Brian leaned against the sofa, holding a ss of wine. Seeing Lucas hold her hand really made him jealous. He couldn''t stand the idea of anyone getting their hands on anything he owned. Even if he had abandoned it, he still wasn''t willing to give it to anyone else. He would much rather see it destroyed thannd into someone else''s hands.The following day, Brian was sitting in his office. Jaime said to him, "Mr.rk, the leader of the TH Gang came to this city before on his private ne.He probably didn''t want anyone to find out that he''s back.¡± Leaning against the sofa, Brian answered, "He''s finally going to make his move, isn''t he? Last time, we interrupted his trade.He''s definitely going to hit us back for that." His expression didn''t deviate from his normally cold face. "Mr.rk, he just visited here for one day and left right afterwards.He must''ve been here to see someone, not to do business." Jaime believed that this person visited by the TH Gang leader must be so important, given that the leader came to see him personally. "He''s a greedy man.Are our goods safe?" The TH Gang had never gotten along well with Brian''s group. However, if they hadn''t provoked him over and over, he wouldn''t have been so ruthless to them. Jaime nodded. "There seems to be no problems recently.Tayson is guarding the goods well." But for some reason, Jaime was worried. Brian didn''t really care that much about the goods. To him, money wasn''t an object, but he was absolutely not going to let the TH Gang rob him if they tried to do so. "As for A, it seems that Mr.Hayden Smith still hasn''t found out anything about her." Jaime never imagined that there would be no traces about a woman''s identity. yton said that his dead wife adopted A from an orphanage, but he didn''t mention which orphanage she came from. Moreover, Jaime had checked all the orphanages he could find, but there was no record of adoption on the exact date A was adopted. Perhaps yton had lied to him. Or maybe her identity was just that mysterious. "I see.I understand." Brian nodded in response. Someday, the truth woulde to light. He was Brian rk, and there was no way that he would be defeated because of a woman. Sitting in the library, A was flipping through a book, but she wasn''t actually reading. She was restless because of Brian''s behaviorst night. Why did she even give a damn? Was she starting to care for him because they had been together for a long time? When she gradually moved on from Toby, her heart was lost in Brian. It must''ve been five or six minutes since Lucas stood before her, and yet she still hadn''t noticed. "L, do you happen to be thinking about me?" He put the warm milk tea in front of her. A looked up at him and saw the gentle smile on his face. "What are you doing here?" "I''m here to bring you a cup of milk tea." He then pulled a chair and sat next to her. Right now, the library was open. The second he sat close to A, they quickly aroused people''s attention. Immediately, she stood up, and stammered, "I...there''s something I have to do." "Oh, don''t worry about it.It''s not a big deal! Just sit with me for a while." Lucas held her hand. "Drink some milk tea first." A sat back down, and said, "Please try not to get too close to me." She was warning him to stay away because the image of Toby being tortured by Brian was still fresh in her memory. And now, Brian had investigated every detail of Lucas'' background. Cross-legged gracefully, Lucas looked at her and asked, "L, are you worried about me?" A wasn''t the only one who knew what kind of person Brian was, Lucas also knew him. "You think too much,"she remarked. Then, she held the milk tea and looked at him. "Am I overthinking? Although, it''s not a lie that I have a crush on you." Lucas stared back at her with a piercing gaze that almost seemed like he wanted to know what was on her mind. However, A thought that he was jesting. "Don''t mess with me.I think with your good looks and deep pockets, countless women will throw themselves at you." If she still had a heart, she might''ve fallen in love with him. But now, it was highly unlikely. "I''m not kidding." Lucas held her hands again; tighter this time. His sudden transition into seriousness rmed A. "Mr.Collins, need I remind you that we''re in the library?" She was trying to tell him that there were a lot of people in here, and that he had to pay attention to his behavior. Although this day and age was no longer ancient times, she was still a married woman. This could ruin his image in other people''s eyes. "I''m not worried about them.I''m telling you the truth, so please think it over." Lucas looked at her with a smile. A turned her head away. Was he confessing his love to her? This man was far too excellent, and she didn''t deserve him at all. Besides, she was no longer capable of bing a mother. Her only choice was to be shackled to Mr.rk for the rest of her miserable fe. "I will wait for you." Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. After saying that, Lucas walked out of the library. A felt the jealousy and disdain of the women who were watching them. It was easy for him to win a woman''s heart, but she didn''t have those kinds of feelings for him. The best that she could offer him was friendship.When A walked out of the school gate, she saw a familiar red car in front of her. If her eyes weren''t deceiving her, then that car was probably Molly''s. Did Mollye to see her? But she hadn''t gotten in touch with Toby for a long time, so Molly had no reason to see her.Secondster, Molly got out of the car. She was dressed in a light-colored fur and a pair of white knee- length boots with high heels, and her wavy hair made her look captivating as she strutted forward. Her appearance was enough to make any man fall in love with her at first sight."Miss Woodsen, I didn''t expect to run into you here after such a long time." Molly looked at her indifferently, as if nothing had happened between them in the past. A nodded at her. "Neither did I." Now that they had run into each other, she figured that Molly actually came here to see her. She also wanted to know how Toby was doing, but after seeing the smile on her face, she gathered that they must''ve made up and their rtionship was going steady. Chapter 82: The Devil Incarnate Chapter 82: The Devil Incarnate When Lucas came out of the school, he saw the two girls chatting. "Molly," he called out. "Lucas!" Molly advanced towards him and hugged him affectionately. Thereafter, Lucas wrapped his arm around A''s waist I and said, "You two know each other? Come, let''s have dinner together." Molly was taken aback. "Lucas, do you know her?" ''This coquettish woman! First she seduced my husband and now she is trying to sink her ws into Lucas!''"No!" "No, thanks!" Both women blurted out simultaneously. Lucas smiled cunningly at A. "Do you want me to drag you into the car again?" He was reluctant to force her. "It''s already quitete.I should be heading back." She was in no mood for a fancy dinner with Molly. "It''s okay.I''ll drive you home.I don''t see your driver around." Lucas opened the car door and she seated herself. Noticing this, Molly griped, "Lucas, she is a vixen! She seduced Toby!" She reminded him.Lucas ignored her warning. He said with a smile, "If I marry her, Toby will be out of her life.Besides, I''ll take her abroad.Isn''t that great?" He patted her on her back.Stunned by his naivety, she said, "Don''t get caught up in her web.She is also intimately involved with Mr.rk." "Just forget it! Let''s go! Why don''t you drive in front of us and lead the way? You decide what we should eat." Lucas ran his fingers through Molly''s hair dotingly. A sat silently in his car. "L, I don''t care about your past.I just want to share a beautiful future with you," Lucas said sincerely. ¡®''The future...is all too distant.''¡¯ The happiness she sought was gone. So was the loving, affectionate family. She didn''t want to hurt Lucas and she knew that Brian would make their lives sheer hell. "Are you willing?" He systematically tried to break her defense. She shot him a sideward nce but said nothing. "Your silence means consent." He freed one hand to hold her hand. She was icy cold to the touch.The car stopped in front of a restaurant. He held her tightly. "Mr.Collins, let go of me!" She was not in love with him so the question of marriage didn''t arise. They wouldn''t have a future together. It was just toote. "I won''t ept defeat.Just call my name." He leaned closer to her. "Call me Lucas." A protested, "No!" Before she could utter another word, he caressed her and nted a gentle kiss on her rosy lips. His kiss oozed depths of pure love.She was overwhelmed as he continued to kiss her. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. He wasn''t like Brian, whose violent passionate kisses left her breathless. Lucas'' feather soft kiss touched her heart. "I won''t stop kissing you till you call my name." He grinned, shing his pearly white teeth.She was still at a loss because of his sudden kiss. It was not until he opened the door and carried her out, that she came back to her senses. "Put me down!" She kicked her legs furiously and he was forced to put her down. "L, believe me.I''m serious." He then led her into the restaurant, holding her hand tightly. As Molly gazed at the intimacy between them, she wasn''t sure whether she should be happy or concerned. Lucas fully assumed the role of her boyfriend at dinner. He lovingly helped her select vegetables, poured her a drink of water and wiped the corners of her mouth with a tissue. Brian could never treat her with such tenderness. Every woman secretly wanted to be pampered like this.Molly, observing his devotion to her, quipped, "Lucas, you seem to be quite smitten by Miss Woodsen." A looked at her and remarked, "I didn''t think that we would be able to have dinner together without any issues." Lucas was responsible for the truce between them. "I pray that we can finally get along with each other," Molly said. She was seeking peace at any cost. As long as she had Toby, nothing else mattered.But if A was relentlessly stringing Lucas along, she would not spare her. The trio bumped into Toby as they were leaving the restaurant. He was still dressed in his grey suit. When he saw A, his expression changed but he said nothing. Molly handed her car keys to the driver, instructing him to take the car back. She then got into Toby''s car. "Honey, aren''t you curious to know why I''m in A''spany today?" Molly took the initiative to broach the subject. She was happy that they had managed to maintain peace this long. "No questions.I''m faithfully keeping my promise to stay away from her.Aren''t I?" His heart was filled with mixed emotions but he dared not show it. Toby''s indifferent tone pleased her. She no longer feared any kind of entanglement between the two.Meanwhile, Lucas looked at the distracted A and asked, "Are you going back? It''s quitete now." She nodded. "Don''t trouble yourself to drop me off.I''ll take a taxi." If Brian saw them together, he would be driven into a frenzy. No amount of exnations would suffice.Lucas insisted on dropping her off. He was unafraid. Even if Brian confronted him, he would be prepared to take a bullet for her. Brian sat in the living room sofa, waiting for the fun loving woman to return. He resented the fact that A and Lucas were growing closer. A knew that Brian was waiting up for her because the lights in the vi were on.She went straight to the living room. "Oh, you''re at home?" she said timidly. "You seem to be very busy these days! Do you prefer Lucas to me?" He had treated her with such kindness recently, she had forgotten his callous side. "Do you?" He continued to interrogate her. Her silence angered him even more.She looked up at him and replied, "We only had dinner together." She told him the simple truth. "So you ignored my instructions, didn''t you?" Brian stood up and advanced towards her. He grabbed her by the chin. "No, I didn''t." They red at each other. She felt helpless under his control yet she was telling the truth. They were just good friends and she had no intention of developing a deeper rtionship with him. Brian roughly grabbed her around the waist and forced her to the room on the second floor. "You need to remember that you can only be mine!" He tortured her till she could no longer bear the pain. ''Why am I even alive?'' "I will kill you if you ever sleep with that man!" Standing by the bedside, he looked down upon her in a cold condescending manner. She bit her lips in anger. Blood poured forth. "You are the devil himself! You beastly devil!" She mustered enough strength to berate him. "Yes, I am a devil! You''d better not provoke me or I''ll kill Lucas!" His indifference pushed her further and further away from him. "You can''t touch him!" She stared into his murderous eyes. Chapter 83: Lucas Was Hurt For Ayla Chapter 83: Lucas Was Hurt For A "There''s nothing in this world that I want to do but can''t do." How dare this woman defend Lucas? He walked away without even casting her a nce. A propped herself up. ''What am I supposed to do?'' In school, running into Lucas was inevitable. The following day, A took the initiative to meet with him. "You rarely make an appointment with me.Does this mean you''re agreeing to be my girlfriend?" Lucas shed her a bright smile.His pleasant expression made it difficult for her to respond. After a long silence, A indifferently said, "We can''t see each other anymore." Lucas'' smile quickly disappeared. "Are you joking?" He stared at her intently. "I''m not," she answered sternly. The reason she did this was because she didn''t want anyone else to suffer what Toby went through because of her. And so, the best way to prevent that was to stop seeing each other. "Is it because Brian won''t allow you to hang out with me?" Lucas couldn''t imagine that A would be this obedient.Perhaps she was forced into doing this? "The reason doesn''t matter." She shook her head in dismissal. "But what if I refuse?" Lucas was persistent. "Mr.Collins, we can''t even be friends anymore," said A. Since Brian had said something like that, it only meant that he was going to do whatever he pleased. "I want to be more than just friends with you." The expression on Lucas'' face implied that he was determined to marry her. A looked him in the eye and thought, ''¡¯Lucas, you stubborn fool.¡± "I''m not as good a woman as you think I am.Ask Mrs.Brown, she should know that.I''m a vixen who entices men, and I''ve slept with many men.Knowing that, would you still want to marry a woman like me?" A degraded herself in front of him. She knew that she wasn''t a woman worthy of Lucas'' love. "And so what? I don''t care about any of that!" He held her hands as if he was never letting them go. A looked at him, and realized that he was more stubborn than she had initially thought. "No, you do.How can any man marry a woman like me?" Suddenly, she withdrew her hands, identally knocking down the hot teapot beside her. When the hot water spilled, Lucas managed to pull her away and cover her with his body. As a consequence, he was the one that got scalded. The hot water seeped into this thinyer of shirt and onto his back. A was too startled to scream. She didn''t even react until a waiter came in upon hearing the loud noise. "Mr.Collins." "I...I''m fine." Lucas'' forehead was sweating.He hadn''t removed his hand from A''s waist. "Let me look at your back." She was so frightened that she was having a hard time standing firmly.Her hands trembled as they covered his hands.The waiter immediately called an ambnce to send Lucas to the hospital. "Let me apany him." A stopped the doctor. She noticed that his shirt was covered in tea, and she figured that he must''ve suffered first degree burns.Loosening his grip on her, Lucas said, "I''m fine, L.Just wait for me outside." His voice was breaking, and his back was so painful. Teary-eyed, A shook her head. "Let me stay with you." It was all her fault. Upon seeing her tearful eyes, Lucas nodded. "L, you don''t have to cry."He hadn''t nned on using any gimmick to win her heart, but since this ident had already happened, he might be able to use it to his advantage. She might feel heartbroken if she saw his operation, and it could make her feel so guilty that she would no longer leave his side. Their conversation today led to no avail. Perhaps it would only throw her into another unwanted situation. In the operating room, A held Lucas'' hand tightly. After receiving anesthetic, he lost consciousness. She watched as the doctor cut off his shirt. The original skin on his back had been burnt away, and it turnedpletely red. Silently, she started crying again.She watched as the doctor dealt with his burns. The anesthetic''s effects hadn''t dissipated yet, and he was still unconscious. A had been sitting next to him in his ward, patiently waiting for him to wake up. As she looked at Lucas, who could only lie prone on the bed, she said, "I''m sorry.This is all my fault." Her insistence, stubbornness, and her concessions. No matter what she did, he would end up getting hurt. When Lucas opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was A crying beside his bed. "L." "You''re awake! Does it hurt?" she asked with concern, ignoring the fact that she was just crying. "I''d be lying if I said that it didn''t hurt.But your tears hurt me more." Lucas wiped away the tears on her face. A continued sobbing. "I''m sorry.If it weren''t for me, you wouldn''t have gotten injured and you wouldn''t be lying in a hospital bed." The heavy sense of guilt in her heart caused her to me herself. "No, no, this didn''t happen because of you.It''s because I love you, and I didn''t want you to get hurt." Lucas'' love for her left her dumbfounded. Never had she felt the feeling of being taken care of. But Lucas, someone she had only known for a short time, had already done so much for her, and it touched her heart. However, she would much rather see herself get hurt than let someone else suffer. On the other hand, he would rather lie bedridden in the hospital than see her get hurt. "Why are you still crying? I''m fine, aren''t I?" He hardly cared about his injuries. The Collins family''s downfall was much more painful than this. But if it hadn''t been so painful, he wouldn''t have been this numb today. A pressed her lips, preventing herself from bursting into tears again. "But the doctor said that you were seriously scalded." "I''m strong enough to take it.It''s not a big deal! I would be much more worried if you were the one who got burned." Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. He smiled weakly at her.A stared at him in a daze.Why wasn''t he taking his injuries seriously? "L, can you please stay with me today?" Lucas looked at her with pleading eyes. "Do you still have the heart to refuse me again? I''m a patient now." He was easily able to grasp her soft spot because based on A''s personality, she wasn''t going to leave him alone like this. ¡®''He wants me to stay with him? After a moment of hesitation, A nodded. "Fine. I''ll stay." Whatever he ate, she fed him herself. "What about during the night?" She couldn''t apany him at night. "Aren''t you gonna stay with me?" When Lucas saw the hesitation in A''s eyes, he believed that he could win her over this time. No matter who owned her heart right now, whether it was Toby or Brian, she would surely be his in the future. "I''lle back tomorrow." Although A was worried about Lucas, she was more worried that if Brian found out that they were together at night, he might inflict a far worse injury on Lucas. Atst, Lucas agreed to employ a nurse to take care of him. Lost in thought, A went back to the vi. To her surprise, Brian, Anna, and Jaime were all there. They had never talked about business within the premises of the vi before. Jaime stared at A. He was aware that she was with Lucas today, so he thought that she would feel guilty about it. However, he could only see the worries and anxiety in her eyes; she didn''t seem to have any nuances of guilt. Anna sat next to Brian, holding onto his arm.Upon seeing this, A quickly felt ufortable. Chapter 84: Its Not Going To Be That Easy To Die Chapter 84: It''s Not Going To Be That Easy To Die "A, don''t you think I''m too lenient to you?" Brian walked up to her, firmly gripping her neck with hisrge hands. A neither resisted nor showed any signs of struggling.She just stared daggers at him and said, "He got hurt because of me." She gave him a simple exnation. "Did I give you permission to see him? Huh?" Her words only served to infuriate Brian further. "I wanted to see him," she said indifferently. She wanted to see Lucas so that she could tell him that they couldn''t see each other anymore. However, the ident with the boiling pot of tea interrupted their conversation. Unfortunately, exining to Brian was a lost cause. Whatever she said, he wouldn''t listen to it. Anna''s presence served as a reminder that Mr.rk had no shortage of women in his life. She was expendable and he owned her life. "Do you want to kill me?" Slowly, a smile appeared on A''s lips. To him, she was always challenging his authority. "Do you have a death wish?" Brian asked. Looking at her, he thought, ''If you want to die, then I won''t give you that satisfaction.'' Gradually, his grip on her neck became tighter. A looked him in the eye, and saw the anger behind his dark eyes. Soon, it was getting harder and harder for her to breathe, and his face was bing more and more blurry by the second. Was she about to die? It was the most painful thing she had ever experienced. The feeling of having her life squeezed out of her neck little by little was overwhelming. And just when she was about to lose consciousness, Brian loosened his grip on her neck. "So you do want to die! It''s not gonna be that easy!" As he watched A catch her breath on her knees, he said, "You''re not allowed to die until I''m satisfied!" She supported herself up using her hands, unable to say a word. After that heated argument, Brian had someone lock her up and left. Meanwhile, as Lucas rested in his ward, he received a call, saying that Brian had locked A up. That didn''te as a Surprise to him at all. It only made him want to take her away from Brian even more. Secondster, Molly walked in and asked, "Lucas, how did you suffer those injuries?" She noticed that he could only lie prone on the bed. "How did you get scalded?" Lucas just smiled at her. "It doesn''t matter.It''s not a big deal anyway." "You''re seriously injured and you''re saying it''s not a big deal?" In all honesty, Lucas had no ns on telling Molly if she hadn''t called because he wanted to protect A. "Uncle Hayden doesn''t have any idea that I''m here in the hospital, does he? Don''t tell him." "Dad already knows.And you''re injured because of A, aren''t you?" Molly couldn''t understand why he had to protect that woman. If it weren''t for her, he wouldn''t have gotten hurt. "This isn''t her fault." At that time, Lucas willingly used himself to shield her from the boiling water. "It''s definitely because of her, Lucas! Why do you have to be so kind to her? That woman doesn''t deserve you.You got seriously injured because of her, and she didn''t even visit you to look after you.She''s probably with another man right now.Don''t be a fool." Molly grew up with Lucas, and she thought of him like a real brother. Although they had been separated for several years, their rtionship never wavered. Enduring the pain, Lucas propped himself up. "I''m fine.You don''t have to me her," he said. On Toby and Molly''s wedding, Lucas saw Brian''s cruelty and the way A avoided him. He believed it was only a matter of time until they got divorced. The more Brian imprisoned her, the sooner they''d get divorced. A was isted in the warehouse, shivering from the cold. Brian had been keeping her there for several days, leaving her with nothing but a thin nket. Every day, Maria brought her food, but she didn''t dare to turn on the heater, nor could she give A a better nket because there were always two bodyguards watching over her at the door. "L, why won''t you eat anything? Your body will copse if you don''t eat." Maria walked in, only to find that A still hadn''t eaten anything.Her face was as pale as a ghost. Shaking her head, she replied, "I don''t want to eat.Take those away from me." All she wanted to do was to leave this ce. She refused to die in a ce like this. Lucas was still in the hospital, and she wanted to know how he was doing. Maria held her cold, trembling hands. "A, you''re getting colder.You might get sick." ''Unfortunately, A is a stubborndy.She would''ve been fine if she just gave into Mr.rk''s demands, '''' Maria thought, sighing.Brian had been staying in the vi for the past two days, seemingly ignoring A''s existence. However, Maria knew that he still cared about her. Otherwise, he wouldn''t stand outside the warehouse in the middle of the night. "Leave me alone! I''m fine.Just take a break!" In truth, A was starving, but she didn''t have any appetite. When she saw the food, she felt nothing but nausea. Noticing that Maria came out with the food, Brian approached her, and asked, "Does she still not want to eat?" "Yes! Mr.rk, please just let Mrs.rk out! She can''t stand this any longer!" Maria replied. Without saying a word, Brian entered the warehouse. In the cold, gloomy warehouse, A was huddled in a corner. Her face was deathly pale, as if she no longer had any blood. "How long are you going to be this stubborn?" He was capable of cruelty against anyone except her. A stared daggers at him. "And how long are you going to keep me locked up in here? Do you want me to die?" "You just want to go out so you could visit that man, am I right?" That was the whole reason he wouldn''t let her go. He was willing to free her if she forgot all about Lucas. All he wanted was for her to promise that, but she would rather abstain from eating for three days than say a word. A didn''t deny the fact that she wanted to know how Lucas was doing. She didn''t care about anything else, but it seemed as though she had underestimated this man''s possessiveness. "Then you can stay locked up in here forever!" After saying that, he stormed out.Both of them were stubborn to their very core. If they carried on like this, they would be driven further and further away from each other, and lose each other in the end. The next day, when Maria brought food into the warehouse, she found that A had lost consciousness. With the help of the bodyguards, she was brought into the servants'' house. The family doctor came in to give her an IV drip and she was allowed to rest for a few days. When A opened her eyes, she realized that she was in her room. There was a slightly painful feeling on the back of her hand. She raised her hand and saw the needle. Immediately, the blood flowed back, and the infusion tube turned red. "L, don''t move." Maria came in, asking her to stay in bed. The doctor mentioned that if she had been found anyter, her life might''ve been endangered. "Why...why am I here? Did he allow me toe back?" asked A. Reluctantly, Maria answered, "L, just rest! We''ll talk about thatter." Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Brian had kept silent about this matter, but he hadn''t agreed to let A go. And so, this was all Maria could tell her. This matter should be resolved between the two of them after all. Bitterness and resentment were written all over A''s face. She shouldn''t be asking about his feelings. He never understood how she felt for him, and she didn''t really want to tell him. Their separation was inevitable, wasn''t it? What if she just told him? Would it change anything? Upon seeing the look on A''s face, Maria sighed helplessly and felt sorry for her.A didn''t look better until she ate some porridge. At night, Brian appeared before her, wearing a grim expression.Silently, the two of them stared at each other for a long time. Chapter 85: Lala Was Missing Chapter 85: L Was Missing A turned her face away. "I''ll return to the warehouseter." 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. A sat upright, and said, "I''ve promised to stay by your side, and yet you deprived me of everything I had.My mind says that I should just walk away and leave, but my heart tells me to stay."When he heard that, 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 to destruction, so I guess we can safely assume that my demise is inevitable.Does hearing that make you happy? A''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!" A 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 vi, Maria walked in and asked, "Did you make Mr.rk angry again?" "Maria, I''m fine.Help me pack my things.I''m leaving." In the days toe, A was going to live by herself. However, her heart now belonged to Brian, and it should always remain with him. "L, do you really have to leave? What are you going to do from now on?" Maria was worried about her. However, Brian said that A could leave if she wanted to.In the cold night, A dragged heavy steps out of the vi, 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''m permitted 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 ce at night. 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. "Atst, you finally let her go." "Yes.It was time for her to leave anyway." His voice sounded indifferent. A''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 A. Brian didn''t respond but kept drinking. Suddenly, his phone rang. "Hello?" he said. "Mr.rk, Miss Woodsen disappeared right after she left the vi." Brian had asked one of the bodyguards to follow her, and now, that bodyguard said that she was missing. "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, and so 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.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Quickly following him, Anna said, "Brian, don''t worry.She doesn''t have anywhere to go.Maybe she''s¡ª" "She has a lot of lovers.Howe she doesn''t have any ce to go?" The mere thought of someone picking A 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 welle with him. But in her heart, she was hoping that something terrible had happened to A. 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 selfish desires. 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 A. It was already dawn when she finally drove Brian back to his vi. "Maria, make Mr.rk 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 A leavest 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 few sets of clothes and then she left." She had also heard of A''s disappearance, so she was also worried about her. Afterwards, Anna walked out of the kitchen, carrying the cup of coffee. "I see.Mr.rk has been in a terrible mood for the past two days.Whatever you do, don''t mention A in front of him," she said to Maria. It would be better not to talk about A, 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 wasst night, he looked much calmer now. Jaime called him and he had searched all the hospitals he could reach. Unfortunately, he didn''t find any leads on A. 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 will surely be news about her." However, a week had passed since A''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 going there 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. asionally, the Smith family woulde to visit him. "Mr.rk, are you here to see me?" Lucas stared at the man who appeared in his ward out of the blue. Brian appeared to himter than he had expected. "Where did you take L?" Brian said as he stood by the bed. "L? Didn''t she go home? Why are you asking me? I''ve been in the hospital this whole time.How would 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 A and that he had always desired to take her away. ¡°Mr.rk, I''m afraid you have the wrong suspect." Lucas looked him directly in the eye. "Why are you ming me when you''re the one who failed to protect your woman?" Chapter 86: Ayla The Pawn Chapter 86: A The Pawn "Did you say that you didn''t take her away? You are a liar!" Brian firmly believed that Lucas had kidnapped A. "I couldn''t care less whether you believe me or not.I am detained in this hospital bed like a prisoner.Do whatever you want!" Lucas said to Brian as he struggled to sit up.Brian was aware of the fact that the chances of A being around here were remote even if Lucas was the one who took her away. He turned around to leave. Lucas was consumed with mixed emotions. As a parting shot he said, "Brian, you are doomed to lose her!" Brian had left no stone unturned in his quest to find her. A had simply vanished into thin air. Jaime followed Brian out of the ward. "Mr.rk, do you believe Lucas?" "Keep an eye on him!" How could he believe his words? She couldn''t have disappeared without reason. Someone had premeditated her kidnapping.Jaime nodded and instructed two bodyguards to keep watch. As Lucas watched Brian''s figure be smaller, he hid his emotions with downcast eyes.Meanwhile, A awoke in a luxurious but unfamiliar vi. The room was tastefully decorated. She sat up in surprise, wondering where on earth she was. Suddenly, the door opened and in walked a servant. "Where am I?" she demanded. The servant just stared at her but remained silent. As A proceeded to venture out of the room, the servant shook her head and stopped her. "Where on earth am I?" Why was she brought here? The servant remained silent. ''Did she not understand me or is she forbidden frommunicating with me?'' A wondered. With all the strength she could muster, she pushed the servant away and tried to make a hasty exit. But the two bodyguards posted at the door prevented her from leaving. "Miss Woodsen, you cannot leave," said one of the bodyguards in broken Chinese. "Where am I?" She suddenly felt all alone in a strange, foreignnd. Nothing at all seemed familiar. Although the bodyguards still wore ck suits, the environment felt alien. "Miss Woodsen, step back into your room!" the bodyguardmanded. She went back into the room and flung herself onto the sofa. Helplessly, she tried to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. "What happened after I left Brian''s vi?" Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Instinctively, she knew that she had been kidnapped and had no freedom.She stared out the window at the lush green grass. For two days, she had no visitors. The only sign of life was the change of bodyguards and a servant who served her three meals a day. The Chinese meals didn''t taste authentic. She stopped the servant and enquired, "Is this china? The servant looked at her quizzically and said nothing.In a fit of rage, A smashed the tes to smithereens.The shattering sound immediately alerted a bodyguard. "Miss Woodsen!" "Let me out of here!" A shouted at the bodyguard. "Miss Woodsen, you cannote out till our bosses back." The bodyguard then spoke to the servant and went out. A didn''t understand what they were talking about.She copsed in a heap on the floor. "Am I going to be trapped here?" Brian stood in front of the French window.He looked at the symbolic cloudy weather.He was getting increasingly uneasy as there was no news of A for days.Jaime came in bursting with news. "Mr.rk, TH Gang is taking action!" ''TH Gang?'' "Where is Tatum Green now?" "He came to Antawood a few days ago.He has since returned to Thand," he told Brian. "Now I''m sure that A has been kidnapped by TH Gang." ''Did he kidnap her in order to threaten me?'' Brian wondered. Well they were sadly mistaken because he was not so easily threatened. Jaime searched his face and asked, "What are you going to do, Mr.rk?" "Whatever needs to be done! We can''t let Tatum Green get his hands on that merchandise." A cold glint shed in his eyes. If Tatum kidnapped A only to threaten him, then she would be safe. He felt a small sense of relief. Tatum had no inclination towards women, so he would not hurt her. His only fear was that A''s unpredictable and stubborn nature could irk Tatum. "Mr.rk!" Actually, Jaime was still worried about Brian. Thetter had been restless since A''s disappearance.But if TH Gang''s threat was really serious, what would he do? "There is nothing to order.You may leave now." Brian lounged on the sofa. As he introspected, he realized that he had gradually driven A away from him. ''Damn it! How dare she provoke me? I wouldn''t have asked her to leave if she hadn''t said those words!'' he thought angrily. Lucas showed signs of healing so he was discharged from hospital. The scars from the scald remained, though. As he rxed in the apartment sofa, he made a telephonic call to his subordinate. "Aldo, How is she?" "Miss Woodsen is gravely ill.She has a high fever but refuses to take any medication.She is troubling to leave," replied Aldo, Lucas'' bodyguard, helplessly. "What happened? How did she fall ill? Didn''t I ask you to take good care of her?" Lucas shouted out of genuine concern when he heard that she had taken ill. "The doctor diagnosed ipatibility with the climate.Besides, she was sick before she came here.Mr.Collins, when will you be back?" Aldo had been anxious for the past two days. She was so sick that he dared not leave her side.Lucas frowned. "Ask a doctor to see her at once! If anything happens to her, I''ll kill all of you!" He had to think intelligently before making his next move as he was being monitored by Brian''s bodyguards. A''s illness pained him. He knew that she would get kicked out by Brian but he didn''t bank on her bing so sick. He desperately needed to visit her. Meanwhile, Ay quite still in bed. She didn''t have a drop of energy to move. "How can I escape? Who is holding me prisoner here? Why?" Of what use would she be to her captor? She had always been a pawn in the game of life. Couldn''t she escape her fate even after leaving Brian? ¡®''Brian, do you know that I''m being held prisoner here now? Will youe and save me? Or have you ended all rtions with me since I left the vi?''¡¯ Deep down, she still cared about him. After six months of togetherness, she became more affectionate towards him. Resistance had blossomed into tenderness. This gentleness was sincere. ¡®''Am I destined to be abandoned?''¡¯ She had confessed her love for him and he had rewarded her by throwing her out. She knew that falling in love with him would be devastating but she was willing to risk it. After all, she was a typical woman, blinded by love. The servant served her dinner at the table. The very sight of the food angered her. She flung the bowl onto the floor and screamed, "Take it away!" The sound of leather shoes pounding on the floor drew her attention. A turned to face a middle-aged man. "What''s wrong?" the man asked. "Mr.Green!" Everyone stepped aside to let him through. Tatum walked up to her and said, "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Woodsen.I didn''t expect you to be so beautiful...and stubborn.What seems to be the problem? Have I failed to entertain you?" He looked at her solemnly but she was not intimidated. "Who are you?" she asked him. Although she still felt ill, she spoke with optimism. He looked at her then burst intoughter. "Didn''t Mr.rk tell you?" ''Is she really the woman Brian rk cares about?'' Tatum thought to himself. ''Brian? Does he have anything to do with this?'' A no longer had anything to do with Brian and this man spelt trouble. Chapter 87: Another Predicament Chapter 87: Another Predicament A drew herself up to her full height and said, "I have nothing to do with him." Had this man brought her here on purpose? "So there is nothing between you two? How is that possible? Mr.rk is looking for you all over Antawood, but he doesn''t know that you are here," Tatum said, smiling. "Where am I now?" A asked, suspicious eyes darting around her. She knew she was right. The unintelligiblenguage and unfamiliar environment meant that she was far from her city. Tatum said from the sofa, "Miss Woodsen, you don''t have to know where we are.All you need to know is that I gave this vi to you.Do you like it?" "No! Let me go!" ¡®''Brian is looking for me? Would he really do that? Didn''t he drive me out of the vi the other day? Then why is he looking for me? Will I be locked in here forever if he doesn''t find me?''¡¯ A thought frantically. "I''m sorry but I can''t let you go now," Tatum said, a hint of apology in his voice. "It will let you go only when Mr.rk agrees to give me everything I want." It had been difficult to get A here. He wasn''t about to let her go so easily. Even if she were to die here, he had to get whatever he wanted from Brian. A sneered, "I didn''t think you were this naive.I''m just a woman he doesn''t want.How will you take advantage of me to achieve your goal? This is ridiculous.You won''t seed even if I die." She had barely finished speaking when a bodyguard pped her. "How dare you be so rude to our leader!" he growled. A was already weak. At this assault, she tumbled backwards and hit her forehead on the low cab. Tatum''s jaw twitched. He waved a hand and said, "Don''t do that.Miss Woodsen is our distinguished guest.We need to treat her well." "I don''t need your hypocrisy.Besides, you won''t seed," A bit out fiercely. She was dizzy from the fall but she wasn''t about to admit defeat."We shall see," Tatum said, getting to his feet. "Keep an eye on her.If anything happens to her, you know what will happen to you." All the men left with ast nce at her. A leaned against the wall, helpless. Why was she hearing all of this from someone else, now that she had left Brian? If she had known that Brian would look for her, she would have cried and begged him not to drive her away back then. But she had left and he was out there looking for her, desperately, if she were to believe Tatum.Her affection for him and the love that she had finally expressed, had disgusted him, resulting in her being kicked out of the vi. They couldn''t go back to what they were before. Brian was sitting in his office when Anna entered the room saying, "Brian.No information about her yet?" "She is no longer in Antawood." Brian knew that A''s disappearance was not an ident.Anna paused for a long second before saying, "You seem to have clues of her whereabouts.Why not go looking for her?" Over the past few days, Anna had realized the ce that A held in Brian''s heart. It had rattled her mind and had exceeded her imagination, but somehow, it seemed inevitable. Brian hadn''t slept well ever since A had disappeared. He was jumpy and nervous. He was now telling her, rather calmly, that A was no longer in Antawood. It was obvious that he knew something. "She will show up." He was waiting for the man who had kidnapped A. He knew that A''s sudden disappearance was rted to Lucas, but he had still let the bodyguards retreat. Fate would arrange everything. He didn''t need to look for her. She would appear on her own. Anna grabbed his arm and asked firmly, "Will you bring her back?" Brian didn''t say anything. He regretted driving A out of the vi. He was the one who had done that, but the moment she had disappeared, he became worried and nervous. ¡®''Bring her back? It depends on whether she is willing toe back to me,¡¯'' he thought. "Are you both inseparable?" Anna continued to ask. A was kind and softhearted. She was too humble to show her love, and would often find herself in tricky situations because of her tenderness. Anna didn''t care for A. What was happening to A showed Anna that Brian''s care and affection for her had changed. But to be fair, Brian was the one who had really hurt her. The cold-blooded, ruthless man who had gone and fallen in love with A. Brian remained silent. It didn''t matter if he and A were inseparable. She had shown him her affection and he hadn''t wanted to fall into another pickle. So he had let her leave, only to find himself in the depths of misery. He didn''t want to admit his love for her, nor did he want A to be his weakness. Little did he know that she was already there. If he as much as admitted it, he would fall into a different kind of pain. Jaime entered the room with a fax. "Mr.rk, Tatum wants to meet you." Brian looked at the fax that Jaime had brought in. Now that Tatum wanted to meet him, would he try to cut a deal or snatch whatever was presented before him? Whatever it was, he wouldn''t satisfy Tatum that easily. "Reply to him and ask him to decide the time and ce, " Brian said to Jaime. Their meeting was only a matter of time. Anna looked at Brian. "Is it something to do with A?" She had a feeling he knew everything about this. There was no reason for him not to. "Anna, go back and get some rest," Brian said, looking fixedly at Anna. She knew everything about him and there was no one he trusted more. But he didn''t want her to get involved this time. Jaime and Brian settled down on the sofa, sipping on their respective coffee. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. "What will you do if Tatum uses A to threaten you?" That woman would eventually hurt Brian, which was also what Jaime worried about. Brian hesitated before saying, "I will bring her back." Money and goods weren''t a problem for him. He would give some up if it meant they would bring her back. And he wanted this so badly, it hurt his heart. He would take what she had said that day seriously. But A had disappeared for no reason, and this made Brian testy. He had driven her away, sure, but he had the right to know where she was at all times. They were still a legal couple, no matter what was happening between them. "Mr.rk, please think it through.She will only hurt you.That woman doesn''t deserve you!" Jaime had grown up with Brian like a brother, love and respect between them. This was probably why he didn''t think A was the right woman for him. Brian, however, was in no mood to listen to Jaime. "I won''t let her leave me," he said fiercely. As a man who had been in power for so many years, his words silenced Jaime. "Since you''ve made up your mind, I''ll go back to work," Jaime said, left with no choice. He knew that if Tatum were to really threaten him with A, Brian wouldn''t hesitate topromise. Meanwhile, Lucas sat in his office, tense and edgy. All he could get was news of A.He couldn''t see her. Tatum, his adoptive father, didn''t allow him to return without closing the deal with Brian. But Lucas was still worried about A, whom Tatum was controlling at every level. In the beginning, he had approached her for the task that his adoptive father had assigned him. But he had gotten along with her so well that he had ended up falling in love with her. She was such a pure and innocent girl. Just a few words from him were enough to move her. And now, all he wanted was to have her in his life forever.A had been locked in the room for more than a week. She stood at the window every day, watching the sun rise and set. A week was not that long, but she felt as if she had been through a year in these few days.She realized that she missed Brian to no end.Her heart was full of him, and she didn''t think of Toby anymore.She hadn''t even known when this had happened.The domineering and ruthless man, the man who only cared about his own desires.She was now thousands of miles away from him, which made even thinking about him a painful extravagance.The door opened at noon, the servant bringing in trays of food. Because of Tatum, nobody had dared make things difficult for her since the first day. But she knew she was just a pawn in the game he was ying. She would rather die than surrender. All she wanted was to meet Brian again and say something to him, thus quelling the only regret in her heart. ¡®''Brian, do you still remember me? Will you look for me?¡¯'' she sighed. She looked out of the window, hope gleaming in her eyes and heart. Chapter 88: Make Her Have Hard Time Surviving Chapter 88: Make Her Have Hard Time Surviving A looked at the servant.She didn''t have an interlocutor here. So instead of going to the coffee table, she went to the door and said, "I want to go out for a walk." The two bodyguards guarding the door exchanged nces. Afterwards, one of them went downstairs. A few minutester, Aldo came up, and said, "Miss Woodsen, please!" A nced at the bodyguards behind her. As a matter of fact, she had no ns of running away, because she wasn''t capable of doing so. All she wanted to do was to go out for some fresh air and admire the scenery. Not long after, she sat in the garden. The afternoon sunshine''s warmth instilled her with a sense offort, and she enjoyed this feeling. The atmosphere in this area was far different from that of Antawood. The weather was so warm that it hardly seemed like it was winter. As such, she knew she was far away from Brian. Later, she found out why she had beenatose for several days. She had been injected with a drug that could make her lose consciousness for a long time. In her heart, she wanted to see Brian again, but her mind was saying otherwise. Because if they met again, both of them were fated to make a choice. It hadn''t been long since she had lived such a peaceful life, and she was already about to face what she feared the most. One day, before dawn, someone opened the door to her room. Tatum barged in apanied by several bodyguards. Their striking figures were quite terrifying in such a dark room. "What are you doing here?" Vigntly, A got up. Ever since she lived here, she hadn''t slept well. "Miss Woodsen, I''m here to take you to Mr.rk.Don''t you miss him after being away from him for so many days?" Tatum stood there, watching as she huddled in the corner. Even though she was horrified, she pretended to be calm. "I don''t want to see him! You can either let me go or just shut me down forever! No matter what, I never want to see him again!" Tatum''s motive was obvious. He wanted to use her to ckmail Brian into giving him what he wanted. However, she wasn''t going to let him seed. "It''s not up to you! Mr.rk has promised to see you, and if you don''t agree now, he will be disappointed," Tatum said with a smile. "He''s worried about a beautiful woman like you staying with me." His face was obscenely horrifying. Frightened, she shrank back, but she still shook her head. "You don''t have to.I''ve already said that I don''t want to see him, and I have nothing to do with him!" "Aren''t you supposed to be his legal wife? The almighty and dignified Mr.rk wouldn''t allow his wife to live all alone, would he? He''ll definitely want to take you back." Tatum gave his bodyguards some sort of signal, and then two of them pulled her up. Looking at her neat clothes, he said, "Don''t be afraid.Right now, you''re still useful to me, so I won''t let anyoney a hand on you." He had ways to deal with women, but he would never dare to rape a woman. Besides, he had no need of doing that. He didn''t want to ruin his familial affection with Lucas just because of a woman. ''Useful?'' All he wanted from her was her value, but she wouldn''t let him get what he wanted. While the bodyguards were looking away, she broke free and ran forward. When her forehead was about to hit the edge of the table, someone pulled her away. "Do you want to die? I won''t let you.If Brian disagrees with my conditions, you''ll have a hard time surviving." A failed in her efforts tomit suicide this time, and surely, she wasn''t going to get another chance. With a wave of his hand, a man came in, carrying a small iron te. There was a syringe on it, which contained a suspicious light blue fluid. "This is a newly produced drug.I''m sure you''ll love it." As Tatum spoke, one of the guards grabbed the syringe and walked up to her. A would know what was in that syringe even if she was a fool. There was no way she would get injected with that! "No! Don''t!" "So, are you going to do what I say now?" Tatum didn''t really want to hurt her, but he needed to control her. "I won''t go with you." Although she wasn''t sure whether Brian would agree to Tatum''s demands or not, she couldn''t allow herself to be used by him. "Then don''t me me for doing what I''m about to do!Inject her with the syringe!" Tatummanded. A didn''t even have the chance to struggle. All she felt was a chill on her arm and she immediately fell unconscious. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Boss, Mr.Collins will be furious if he finds out!" Aldo wanted to stop this from happening, but he failed. Tatum turned his head to look at him. "Don''t forget that I''m still in charge of the gang.She is just a woman! If weplete this negotiation sessfully, Lucas won''t have any problems with it." To him, women were nothing. What mattered more were riches and goods. The unconscious A was taken to a private ne. Tatum and Brian''s meeting ce was an uninhabited ind, which was more favorable to their conversation being undisturbed. Brian was wearing a ck windbreaker. He pressed his lips tightly, wearing a stern expression. Then, he put a small pistol in his pocket. Following him, Anna said, "Brian, take me with you." "No, it''s gonna be dangerous." Although it was agreed to be a peaceful negotiation, everyone knew that Tatum Green never lived up to his promises. "I''m not afraid! For you, even death doesn''t scare me!" Every skill that Anna learned, she learned from Brian, including self-defense. Although, the only reason she learned them was for him. After a brief silence, he said, "Anna, just wait for me here." He wasn''t going to let her risk her life. Meanwhile, Jaime was waiting at the door with five of Brian''s best men. Brian came out, nodded at Jaime, and walked towards the parked private ne. Powerless to do anything, Anna watched as they left. He was risking his life for A, but that woman brought him nothing but trouble. ''I''ll wait for your safe return¡± she shouted in her mind as she watched the private ne take off. As long as he was safe, she didn''t mind who he ended up with. By the time A woke up, she realized that she was in a ne. She looked out the window and saw the clouds. "Where are you taking me?" The strange ce and even stranger ambiance felt familiar to her. Perhaps, this was how she was taken out of Antawood that night. "You''ll know when we get there," a man said coldly. A struggled and found that her hands had been tied behind her back, and her feet had also been shackled. Then, she felt dizzy, uncertain if this was caused by the drug or not. But hopefully, it wasn''t. Sadly, her hope was destroyed right away. Not long after, she suffered a splitting headache. She broke into cold sweat, and an unprecedented pain swept throughout her body. The bodyguard responsible for keeping an eye on her also realized that something was wrong with her. "Mr.Green, the drug we injected her is taking effect." Tatum came over. He saw that she was sweating, her body was trembling, and her face was ghastly pale. Still, his eyes remained fierce. "I didn''t expect the drug to be this powerful." "You are so despicable!" A remarked, enduring her pain with great effort. "Despicable, you say? No, you''re wrong.The most despicable person in this world is Brian.He uses his power and influence to undermine me, spoil my deeds, and hinders me from making money time and time again!" Now, Tatum had abandoned everything. He was not backing down anymore. "There''s no way that he''d do that!" A was well aware of Brian''s cruelty. He only ever cared about the results but never the process. However, she refused to believe Tatum. Shaking his head, Tatum said, "So it seems that you don''t know him at all.But don''t worry, I''ll reveal his true self to you clearly." Secondster, A''s vision became blurred, and the throbbing pain was bing worse. Fortunately, she managed to bite her lip, preventing her from losing consciousness. No matter what, she wouldn''t surrender to Tatum''s will. "Does it hurt? Do you want more?" He took out a syringe and deliberately showed it to her. "It can relieve your pain." "No! I don''t want it!" A didn''t need it.She must bear the pain herself.Otherwise, it could ruin her life.She wasn''t going to let them inject her with another dose, but the pain was far too great that she eventually fainted. Chapter 89: She Didnt Want To Be His Weakness Chapter 89: She Didn''t Want To Be His Weakness Brian stood on the ind, the sea breeze blew across his back. He had been waiting for over an hour but Tatum still hadn''t shown himself. "Mr.rk, do you think he''s noting?" Jaime asked, walking up to him. Tatum didn''t mention to Brian that his bargaining chip was A. "He''lle.I''m sure of it," Brian said calmly. There were several cigarette butts at his feet, implying that he was a bit anxious. Since Tatum had asked to negotiate, it seemed like he had a bargaining chip that could force Brian into giving him whatever he wanted. Meanwhile, A had lost consciousness after the drug had been injected to her body. Tatum sat in front of her, waiting for her to wake up. When she finally opened her eyes, he asked, "Miss Woodsen, how do you feel now?" "Are you nning to control me with drugs?" She could feel that her body was ina terrible condition. Looking at her, Tatum said, "I just want you to live." Even though she managed to endure the drug addiction, she could still die. ring at him, A said, "I don''t need it.And you''re not helping me, you''re only helping yourself." If she died right now, all his efforts would go in vain. "If that''s what you think, it''s fine.Look, we''re almost there, and Mr.rk is waiting for you.Don''t you want to see him?" Tatum saw the hesitation in her eyes. He could tell that she had feelings for Brian. And the reason Brian was so willing to meet him was because he was hoping to see A. Brian watched as the nended and Tatum disembarked first. "Mr.rk, I''m sorry to have kept you waiting." "Mr.Green, it seems that you''re a busy man these days." Brian and Tatum stood one meter apart; there was a Strange tension on their faces. "No, no.I''m not that busy.I just brought a special gift for you, Mr.rk.I''m certain that you''ll like it." Tatum pped his hands, and immediately, two bodyguards took A out of the ne. Brian looked at her pale face. In such a short time, she had turned like this. Just as he had expected, Tatum had kidnapped her and was now using her to get what he wanted. A looked back at Brian.She noticed that he had lost some weight.Was he miserable because of what happened? "What do you think, Mr.rk? Do you like my gift? Miss Woodsen told me that she''s been dying to see you, so I brought her here." Tatum walked towards A, untying her shackles. "So, what do you think? Am I a good friend to you or not?" Brian nced at her and said to Tatum, "Mr.Green, if there''s something you want to say, just spit it out! Don''t you think it''s a bit underhanded to use a woman as a bargaining chip to negotiate with me?" He then turned to Tatum. No matter how careful he was, this bastard could take A away whenever he wished to "All I want is to achieve my goal.I hardly care about the process.Miss Woodsen had a good time at my vi, but she didn''t seem to be ustomed to the environment." The smile on Tatum''s face was infuriating. "What do you want?" Brian asked frankly. All he wanted to do right now was to take A away from here as soon as possible. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "It''s easy.As long as you give me the goods that I want, stoppeting with me in my _ business endeavors from now on, and sign an agreement, you can take her away and I won''t do anything to stop you, " said Tatum, dragging A towards Brian. Brian understood the gist of the agreement without even skimming through it. Tatum''s ambition was bing more apparent. Was Brian really going to give everything up for A? At once, she snatched away the contract, tearing it to shreds. "You can''t agree to his demands!" At this point, Tatum''s subordinate pressed his gun against A''s temple, and shouted, "Shut up!" A faint smile appeared on Brian''s lips. "Do you think I''ll agree to your demands for a woman?" He then turned to A. It was easy to tell that she must''ve suffered a lot during her stay with Tatum. "If you won''t agree, then forget it.Frankly, these things don''t seem to matter to you, Mr.rk.You have a sessful career, and you hardly care about those goods, yes?" As soon as Tatum heard that Brian wasn''t willing to agree, he felt a bit anxious. He was impulsive, contrary to Brian''s calm demeanor.For so many years, Lucas had been by his side, supporting him through everything. "Indeed, I don''t care about those goods.Do you still not understand what kind of person I am, Mr.Green?" Brian hated being threatened. If it weren''t for A, he wouldn''t havee here in the first ce. "Of course, I do.You don''t like receiving threats from anyone.However, this specific situation is unique, isn''t it? Your woman''s life is in the palm of my hands.Don''t you want to take her away from me?" Tatum noticed that A was backing away little by little. It was beyond his wildest imaginations that a woman like her would be this bold. She looked at Brian, shaking her head.She was silently telling him that she wasn''t worth giving everything up. Since he had already chosen to drive her out of the vi, there was no need for him to give in to Tatum''s demands now. "I''m afraid you''ll be disappointed, Mr.Green." It didn''t seem like he would agree to any of Tatum''s demands. When he came here, he had no intentions ofpromising, but he was determined to take A back.She wasn''t the least bit flustered, but she was surprised.She believed that he had a reason to say that. Never had she wanted to be Brian''s weakness. But now that she heard what he said, it kind of felt good. At this point, it didn''t matter what would happen to her. "Mr.rk, are you really cruel enough to let this woman die here?" Tatum pulled A back to him, took out a gun, and pressed it against her head. "Can you really kill me with that gun? Didn''t you drug me earlier? That changes nothing.In the end, I''ll die, and there''s nothing anyone can do to save me." With a faint smile, she looked at Brian and said, "I made you a promise, and I never broke that promise. But unfortunately, I won''t be able to keep that promise anymore." The following second, she pushed Tatum away. "No!" Brian saw that the back of her hand had been injected with a drug. As soon as he shouted, A had made her way towards the seaside. It didn''t take long before Tatum shot her from behind. After a ssh, she fell into the sea. When Brian ran to the seaside, all he saw was the blood dying the sea red. Just as he was about to jump into the sea, Tatum shot his arm. "Mr.rk!" Within mere seconds, the whole ind fell into chaos. Men from both sides fought against each other. Fortunately, Jaime managed to stop Brian. "Mr.rk, let''s go!" "She''s injured and she fell into the sea!" Blood gushed out of Brian''s arm. "Mr.rk, we can''t save her anymore." Jaime looked at the chaos unfolding before them. If they didn''t leave now, everyone''s lives would be in danger. He and two other bodyguards had to drag Brian away. On the other hand, Tatum didn''te out on top either. If A had cooperated and didn''t run away, he would''ve gotten what he wanted. "Jaime, let me go! I''m going to find her!" Despite the fact that his arm was bleeding, Brian still wanted to go back to save her. "Mr.rk, enough! Don''t even try to look for her.Didn''t you see the bruise on the back of her hand? Tatum drugged her." Jaime didn''t have to make it clear because Brian understood what that meant. It was a new kind of drug that could make people suffer. Once the drug was cut off, hardly anyone could survive it. A was injured and she had gotten injected with the drug, so her life was as good as forfeit. "Send someone to look for her at once.We must find her!" No matter what price he had to pay, Brian was determined to find her. Left with no choice but to obey, Jaime searched for A on the ind along with five other men, while their boss was sent back to Antawood. As soon as Anna saw that Brian was injured, she drove him to the hospital, apanying him throughout the journey. "Brian, you''re gonna be fine." Chapter 90: Was The God Playing Games With Her Chapter 90: Was The God ying Games With Her The bullet was removed and Brian would be just fine after a good rest.Hey in the hospital bed, carefully attended to by Anna. "Brian, would you like to tuck into some delicious fruit? Here, let me peel some for you." "No, thanks." Brian stared into the distance. Three days had passed and there was still no news of A. He was consumed by restlessness. "Brian, are you still concerned about her?" Anna was aware that Jaime had instructed his men to search for A. But it was all in vain. She secretly wished she could ask Brian to give up the search but she remained quiet.She was deeply saddened to see the pathetic state he was reduced to. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "There is still no news about her," Brian said calmly. Then he stood up and said to her, "Please help me with the discharge procedure." He wanted to confirm it personally. Anna could read his mind.She apanied him to the uninhabited ind. "Mr.rk, what are you doing here?" asked one of his subordinates. "Hmm." Brian acknowledged him with a nod and examined the surroundings. If only he had acted quicker then, she would not have been shot. The search and rescue team hadbed the length and breadth of the sea, but there was no trace of her. For five hours he waited with anxious patience. Darkness enveloped them. "Brian, if you continue to torture yourself like this, it will impact negatively on your health." Anna was genuinely worried about his wellbeing. "Anna, ask them to stop!¡± Ask them to stop the search! "Brian felt as helpless and as desperate as a penniless beggar.He cursed.If she was courageous enough to confess her love for him, couldn''t she also believe that he would save her? He would save her from Tatum even if he had to give up everything.Even if she had been forcibly injected with drugs, he would help her ovee her drug dependence. Jaime came over. "Mr.rk." Finally, all of them, as well as the rescue team, left without finding anything. Lucas looked at A who was still in aa. Thanks to Aldo for having secretly called him, otherwise he would have been deceived by Tatum for the rest of his life. He knew that Tatum would stop at nothing to get everything from Brian. Aldo knocked on the door and entered. "Mr.Collins, the doctor is here." The doctor followed him into the room and said, "Mr.Collins, let me examine Miss Woodsen." Although the bullet had been removed, she remained in aa for more than a week. She was on her deathbed when she was rescued at sea. After a thorough examination, the doctor dered, "Mr.Collins, Miss Woodsen is physically fine, but she has lost all will to live." "What do you mean by that? Do you mean that she willfully has no desire to wake up?" On hearing the doctor''s words, he violently grabbed the doctor by his cor and spat venom. "Imand you to find a way to wake her up now!" She had been in aa for so long. Although her vital signs were stable, there was no indication of her regaining consciousness any time soon. He needed some reassurance that she would awaken soon. "Mr.Collins, please calm down.Miss Woodsen was not seriously injured.But she was injected with very harmful drugs.As long as she is in aa, she will not have an attack.However, the minute she awakens, the attacks will recur.This can be life threatening," the doctor said to Lucas. He wanted him to be mentally prepared. "I understand," he said, letting go of his cor. He returned to the room. How he wished for A to awaken so that her pale cheeks would glow with roses again. No matter what happened, he would never leave her side. Finally, Tatum called, "Lucas!" "Father." Lucas proceeded to the study to answer the phone. "Father, what can I do for you?" "Where have you been? I heard that you didn''t go to work.Is that woman the reason?" After the head-on collision between Tatum and Brian on that day, he was suppressed and suffered in silence. After a short pause, Lucas thought, ''Apart from Aldo, no one else knows that I secretly saved A.Neither will Tatum know.'' "Father, I have no wish to go back to school.With things being the way they are, it''s pointless for me to go back." The only reason he went on to be the vice principal was so that he could get close to A.Now that she was by his side, there was no need to stay on. He never truly cared about managing the affairs of the gang in the past.Neither would he be interested in the future. "Okay! Thene back whenever you are free." Tatum needed Lucas'' help. He wanted to make Lucas a formidable right hand man by manipting the feud between him and Brian. Whilst standing in front of the window, Lucas said, "Father, I need to rest.I won''t go back so soon." He disobeyed Tatum. When his family came down in the world at his tender age of ten, Tatum had taken him in. Over the years, he had worked hard, but life brought him much suffering and hatred grew within him like a malignant tumor. But after meeting A, all the hatred dissolved. He discovered that he was capable of loving intensely. Tatum was obviously dissatisfied, but didn''t show it. He must not push Lucas too hard. If pushed too far, Lucas would not hesitate to leave. He had grown into an arrogant and independent man. Besides, he knew what Tatum had done to A, so he needed to tread carefully. It would be sensible to give Lucas some time and space. When Lucas was over that woman, he woulde back like a puppy looking for his master. Lucas went back to the room after hanging up the phone. Looking at A he pleaded softly, "You should wake up now.You''ve been sleeping for too long." How he longed for herpany in the future! Then, in the middle of the night, A slowly opened her heavy, droopy eyelids. As she gradually came to her senses, she tried to remember where she was. The room appeared strange amidst the dim light. ''Where am I?'' She turned to face a man. With outstretched hands, she stroked his hair. Sensing some movement, Lucas woke up. "L, you are awake! Are you all right?" She had finally woken up! He summoned Aldo and asked him to pick up the doctor. Now that she had regained consciousness, she needed a full examination. "Why are you here? And why am I here?" She awoke as from a deep trance. Was she alive? After confessing her love to Brian, she felt no regret even if she died.She felt greatly indebted to him and was prepared to sacrifice her life for him.But now she was alive! Was the God ying games with her? "Don''t worry about anything.Just rest.Does the wound still hurt?" Lucas asked the servant to prepare chicken porridge for her. Now that she had woken up, she needed to regain her strength by eating nutritious, wholesome meals. After examining A, the doctor nodded and proimed, "Miss Woodsen, you will be as good as new after a few more days of rest." Reassured by the doctor''s words, Lucas rxed. A, however, remained morose. She had to lie on her side. Over the past few days, the wound on her back had neither improved nor deteriorated. She had to take greater care of the wound. Lucas sat her up and fed her the porridge one bite at a time. "Please eat more so that you can recover sooner." However, A had no appetite.She only took a few spoonfuls. Lucas then fed her the medicine prescribed by the doctor and helped her lie back down on the bed to rest. A stared through the window at the cold moon. Her heart was filled with sadness. She would never be able to erase the memories of what had happened on the uninhabited ind on that fateful day. No matter how unfeeling Brian appeared to be, he always had a soft spot for her. But even when she had heard him shout, she didn''t turn around. Was it because she didn''t have the courage to or because she no longer wanted to be a burden to him? Chapter 91: She Paid Him Back With Her Life Chapter 91: She Paid Him Back With Her Life Brian had been sitting in the entertainment club, drinking as much as he could, but he was still sober.Anna came in and quickly took his ss away. "Brian, you must stop drinking." Because of A, he had been drinking here every single night, so the wound on his arm wasn''t getting any better.He didn''t take any medicine nor did he dress his wound. All he did was drink and smoke till he passed out. If he carried on like this, his body would eventually give up on him. Leaning against the sofa, Brian said, "What are you doing here? I''m not drunk." Right now, he just wanted to forget everything. Unfortunately, it didn''t seem like he could do it. "I know you''re not drunk, but you''ve drank so much, and that wound on your arm is serious.How long do you n to go on like this? When you gave up on looking for her that day, didn''t you convince yourself that she was dead?" Obviously, Anna could see the despair and dejection in his eyes. Even if A wasn''t there, she couldn''t seem to take her ce. No matter what she said, Brian wouldn''t listen to her.He didn''t say anything else. It was he who pushed A away. That woman had always been afraid of him, so she never dared to admit how she felt for him. He was the one who kept pushing her into desperate situations. When it was three in the morning, Anna finally drove him back to the vi. "Anna, you can go home! Jaime will pick me up tomorrow morning." Brian stood on the balcony of the second floor, looking at the backyard. It was her favorite ce to stay, and it was also the same ce for her to miss the baby he had killed. Now, he had truly lost everything. He had never cared about anything since he was a child, but now that he had lost her, he finally realized that he wanted to keep her by his side. Through Lucas'' care, A quickly recovered and her wound had healed. She was finally able to get out of her bed for a walk, but he still didn''t permit her to move around too much. "L, you''re awake." Lucas entered her room and noticed that she was standing in front of the window absentmindedly. "Well, the weather is good today," A said calmly as she turned to him. "In that case, Jet me take you out for a walk!" Lucas grabbed a coat and put it on her. Carefully, he helped her go downstairs and walked her towards the garden. There, she sat on a chair, basking in the sun. "Mr.Collins, thanks for saving my life." In all honesty, he wasn''t fond of her strange behavior these days, but he didn''t want to force her. He wanted to give her enough time to ept him. "When you thank me like that, it makes me feel like an outsider." A bitter smile appeared on Lucas'' face. He and A had met a littleter than Brian. Was that the reason she hadn''t developed any feelings for him? ''No! ''He was a man, willing to fight to the end to get what he wanted. "I didn''t expect that I''d survive," said A. Her despair was taking away her motivation to live. "You will always survive." Lucas felt it was lucky that his boat had sped up on time. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been certain of her survival. ''Could I? Could I really live a peaceful life after everything that has happened?'' A thought inwardly. Sadly, her heart now belonged to Brian, and it could no longer be redeemed. In silence, they sat together. A servant made two cups of tea and served it to them. "L, have some mild tea.Strong tea isn''t good for your wound." He was going to consider every aspect of herfort and recovery. A didn''t refuse.She reached for the cup, but the moment she held it, her hand suddenly lost its strength. The cup fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.She began to tremble, and her face turned pale. "L, are you okay?" Lucas could tell that her drug addiction was taking effect, so he held her tightly in his arms. "No! Don''t touch me! I might end up hurting you!" ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Gradually, A''s grip on her consciousness faded.She knew that it was because of the drug addiction. Even if she survived this endeavor, she would still suffer for the rest of her life because of this drug. Lucas picked her up. "You''ll be fine." Then, he took her back to her room. "Does it hurt?" "Ouch! It hurts!" A huddled up because of the pain, but Lucas kept holding onto her. "You''ll be fine.Just endure it." Even though he was the one who said those words, even he, himself, couldn''t believe them. The rpse caused by her drug addiction would just be more frequent and serious, but he couldn''t use any drug to relieve her pain. If she took any more of those drugs, it would only speed up her death.He wanted her to live for a long time. Momentster, A fainted due to the pain. Lucas embraced her.She was suffering because of him. This all happened because he trusted Tatum too much. Back then, no matter how she would''ve despised him, he should''ve appeared to save her from her fate. He helped A lie down on the bed and tucked her under the quilt, hoping that her pain would soon dissipate. He would rather bear all of that pain than see her suffering like this. It was already afternoon when she finally woke up. Noticing the anxiety in Lucas'' eyes, she said, "I''m fine." Although her voice was weak, she still tried to smile to ease his pain. "Yes, and you''ll still be fine in the future." Lucas stared into her eyes, nodding firmly. However, Only A, herself, knew that her body was nearing its end. Eventually, her life would be drained from her little by little as the rpse from the drug consumed her. Meanwhile, Brian and Jaime were sitting in a coffee shop. "Mr.rk, Tatum has hidden himself.We''ve already dealt a lot of damage to himst time.I''m sure he won''t do anything bad to us for now," said Jaime. Although, he believed that saying all of that was a little toote. If it weren''t for A, Brian wouldn''t have attacked Tatum so soon. "It''s toote," Brian said, sipping his coffee. He had tasted enough bitterness after losing the woman he loved. "Mr.rk, do you still miss her? I heard that you had let go of Arlene.Will you also let yton go?" Jaime was worried about Brian. Because of being a sessful businessman, he must be ruthless and mustn''t show any signs of hesitation nor weaknesses. Unfortunately, A became his greatest weakness. Jaime prayed that he wouldn''t have to face such a terrible predicament again. Brian put down his coffee and said, "She paid with her life." What he meant was that he no longer cared about his grudges against yton, and no hatred was more important than A''s death. His wretched hatred was paid with two lives. One was his unborn child''s, and the other was A''s. At this point, Jaime didn''t say anything else. Eventually, Brian would forget all about her, and he would be back to who he must be in the future. Later that day, dressed in ck, Anna came into Brian''s office while he was busy at his desk. "Brian," she greeted. "You''re here.Have a seat! I still need half an hour." He just raised his eyes to nce at her for a moment, then he went back to his work right away. "I''ll wait for you to finish." Anna came here because she received a call from him. He had asked her to apany him to the charity auction.He must''ve gotten over A! At the charity auction, Brian and Anna arrived, hand-in- hand. On such an asion, running into Hayden and his wife, Toby, and Molly was a norm. "Mr.rk, long time no see.Isn''t Mrs.rk with you today?"asked Hayden. There was a reason he asked that question. He had heard that something had happened to A before he could find out more about her origins. "No, she isn''t," Brian replied indifferently. Hayden paid far more attention to her than he did. He remembered when Jaime told him that Hayden was conducting a thorough investigation of A''s life. Chapter 92: Their Broken Promise Chapter 92: Their Broken Promise Brian held Anna close to his body as he looked at Hayden and his wife, then tuned to Toby and his wife. There was no more need for him to hide anything. Besides, he wanted to see how they would react. "Something bad happened to L." He didn''t have to explicitly say what happened to her. Those words were enough to verify the rumors that had been spreading recently. After all, Hayden was an experienced and well- informed man. It didn''t even faze him when he heard what Brian said. On the other hand, Toby was shocked. Something had actually happened to L. Thest time he saw her, she was with Lucas. But when he heard Brian confirm the news so calmly, it confused him. Looking at Toby, Molly asked, "Are you worried about her?" It had been a long time since they hadst seen each other. However, when Brian mentioned A out of the blue, it felt like a stone was weighing down her chest. Toby shook his head. "No, I''m not." He wanted to forget what must forget, but he was having a hard time doing that. After the brief conversation, Anna and Brian went to their seats to sit down. "Brian, it seems that Mr.Smith cares about Miss Woodsen a lot." It never urred to her that so many people cared about A. "Don''t mention her anymore." It wasn''t because Brian had moved on from her; it was because he didn''t want to hear her name anymore. A was the thorn in his heart that he could never remove. Anna nodded in response. Although she understood that it didn''t mean Brian had moved on from A, she would rather have his attention all to herself. If that woman was no longer there, she would be able to stay by his side forever. Soon, the charity auction started. Brian sat there, bidding for every item at a high price. Looking at him, Hayden noticed the strange changes in his behavior. Holding his hand, Anna said, "Brian, stop bidding." To her, it was obvious what he was thinking. He was buying all those things he didn''t even want for such a high price just so he could donate more money. Was this his way of atoning for his sins? It was absolutely unnecessary. However, she still felt bad for him. A had changed him so much. "That sapphire ne I just bought is for you." Brian had always been generous to Anna. After he bought the sapphire ne for nearly ten million, he gave it to her and wore it around her neck on the spot. At that time, Molly also wanted to have the ne. Sadly, Brian had taken it away. When he put the ne on Anna, all the media reporters aimed their cameras at them. "Honey, isn''t it terrible for a man to change his mind so easily?" Molly said this because she wanted to know whether Toby had changed his mind.She wanted to confirm whether he still loved A, or her, his own wife. Brian might have loved A, but he was still a man whom many women dreamed of having.It was only natural that he wasn''t so devoted to her. Now that A was gone, he still managed to show his affection to Anna, and even gave her such a valuable sapphire ne. "Molly, are you worried?" Toby looked at her intently. He owed this woman so much. Had his mind changed or not? A had disappeared, and there was no information from Brian after he scoured through the ind for several days. Anyone in Brian''s position would eventually give up the search and forget her, wouldn''t he? "I trust you," said Molly. She had loved him her whole life, so she tried her hardest to keep him by her side. Toby embraced her, but said nothing. Meanwhile, A was sitting on the balcony of the second floor. The vi she was staying in was located in the suburban district. It didn''t stand out that much, given that it was surrounded by several luxurious vis, but it was comfortable. Lucas was busy today. When she went downstairs by herself, she saw that the servant had ced a newspaper on the tea table. She casually took it and flipped through its pages. Secondster, she saw that the headline was about Brian. There was a photo of him and Anna, looking affectionately at each other. The ne around her neck was eye-catching. Without her in the picture, Brian and Anna would be happy. But she didn''t understand why he had agreed to meet Tatum back then. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. There was no need for them to meet again. It was good that he never got her back. Perhaps that was thest time they would ever see each other for the rest of their lives. A had been staring at the photo for a really long time. Eventually, Lucas came in and saw her staring at the newspaper absentmindedly. He deliberately told one of the maids to put it there, so that when she saw the headline, she would finally give up her love for Brian. And soon, her heart would belong to him. "L." Lucas walked towards her. "Why are you reading that? Just stop looking at it." A allowed him to take the newspaper from her hands. "I''m fine.I''ve already known that this is how things would end up." In reality, her heart was aching. She had believed that her love for Brian wasn''t this strong, but she never expected that she couldn''t forget him. Gazing into her eyes, Lucas said, "If you want to see him, I can drive you there.You can look at him from a distance." It was a difficult thing to forget someone. The more she remembered him, the more likely Lucas would fail to earn her love. For now, he had to take a few steps back in order to move forward. Over the past few days, the drugs that had been injected into her body took effect several times. "No, that''s not necessary." A shook her head.She didn''t want to see him anymore. In everyone''s eyes, she no longer existed. Lucas held her in his arms. "Are you disappointed, L? From now on, I''ll always stay by your side." He decided that he would never let her go because he wanted to be with her for a lifetime. "From now on? How long do you think I still have left to live?" A bitter smile appeared on A''s lips. "No matter how long it could be, I''ll stay right by your side," Lucas promised. However, if Tatum found out that she was with him, there was no way that he would let them go. And if she found out about his rtionship with Tatum Green, would she understand and forgive him? He had done everything to hide that fact from her because he didn''t want to lose her. Brian hadn''t gone home to his vi for several days. He had been staying at his office all this time. There were too many things in his home that reminded him of her. The flowers she had ced in the living room had now withered. He had told Maria to throw them away already. "Brian." Anna entered his office. "How about we have dinner together tonight?" Looking at her, he said, "Let''s go to the club together "Why don''t you get some rest tonight? I heard from Jaime that you haven''t slept for days." She didn''t want him to be stressed out because of being too miserable.If this was his way of forgetting A, how could she help him? "I''m fine," Brian said with a faint smile. At night, in the bustling entertainment club, Toby appeared. "Mr.rk, can we talk?" Momentster, he and Brian were sitting face to face in a private room. "Do you want to talk to me about A?" He was well aware that Toby was having a hard time forgetting her as well. "Is there really no news about her? Is she dead?" It took Toby a lot of guts to ask those questions. "I refuse to believe that she''s dead," Brian remarked. Until now, he still thought the same. "But she fell into the sea and there haven''t been any leads to her whereabouts, right?" Toby replied. Toby had done everything to inquire about her whereabouts. The thought that she was truly dead horrified him. Brian drank the entire contents of his ss in one gulp. "She did fall into the sea, but I never managed to find her body." "It''s all your fault! You should''ve let her go.If you had just released her, she wouldn''t have suffered like this, and we wouldn''t have lost her!" Toby hated Brian to the core. This ruthless, cruel man was the one who made A suffer the most. "Mr.Brown, please don''t forget that you''re the son-in-w of the Smith family now.There are certain things and people that you shouldn''t concern yourself with." It was true, Toby need not meddle with Brian and A''s affairs, let alone judge them.What she said to him was still vivid in Brian''s mind.The reason she dove into the sea was for him. "No matter what happens between me and L in the future, my love for her won''t change.You are a heartless man.There''s no way you''d understand the bond that we''ve shared since childhood.Back then, we hardly had anything.The only things we had were our sincere love, and our deepestmitments to each other," said Toby. He believed that the rtionship they had was the most meaningful of all. Chapter 93: He Gave His Love To Lala Chapter 93: He Gave His Love To L "You''re the one who didn''t stay true to your promise to L!" Brian eximed, while pointing usingly at Toby. Feeling the anger rolling off his body, he kept his steely gaze trained at Toby. Toby was rendered speechless as Brian''s words rang true in his ears. ''I did break my promise to A, '' he thought regrettably. However, it was undeniable that between the two of them, Brian hurt her the most. "There''s no excuse for what I did.I know that and I''m truly sorry for her.But you seem to forget that you caused her so much pain too," Toby managed to say. At that, Brian stared at him, his eyes a mirror of questions. "L loves you so much she couldn''t bear to leave you," he continued. Falling in love with someone wholeheartedly was no easy feat for a woman, but once she did, she would love that man deeply for as long as she could endure. Reminiscing the past, Toby could still remember how A decided to leave everything behind for the man she truly loved. Like the selfless woman she was, A made sure he would be fine despite her leaving. "You and Molly have my blessing, Toby.I''m letting you go so you can be happy with her," he recalled A saying. Toby''s words pierced through Brian''s heart like a double-edged sword. It dawned on him how much A chose to give up just to be with him. "You see, she chose you over me.She loved you so much and gave you all that she has, yet you did nothing but cause her pain.I will never forgive you for this! You missed your chance at having that one true love for wasting what she did for you.Now you lost her and you will pay the price," Toby vehemently said, as he left without a backward nce. At that moment, Brian began to realize A''s efforts and sacrifice to keep the baby back then. After he forced her to have an abortion, she demanded a ligation procedure out of sheer desperation.She gave up the hope to be a mother. A drunk and wasted Brian was sprawled on the lounge when Anna arrived at the private room. It was a first seeing him this way, since he knew how to control his drinking. ''Toby must have said something to make him drink this much, '' Anna thought disapprovingly. "Brian, you have drunk too much.Let me drive you home," she said calmly as she held Brian by his upper arms. Anna was trying to get him up the seat when his warm solid arms went around her slim waist and held her tightly. "I''m sorry.I''m so sorry!" Brian cried out. Being drunk didn''t help at all. Memories of his difficult conversation with Toby still weighed him down and he mistakenly thought of Anna as A. Anna knew he was thinking about A but she couldn''t find it in herself to refuse him.She was willing to be a substitute. When their lips met, she could taste a hint of spice from the wine he had been drinking. "Forgive me," he muttered while keeping his lips close to hers. Anna could only manage a slight nod as fresh tears wet her expressive eyes and streaked her supple cheeks. Knowing he was still in love with a dead woman hurt her. She had loved him for so long and she only wished he could love her back. "Brian," Anna replied softly, her voice a tad louder than a whisper. She would think of the consequencester, but on that night, she would be willing to do anything for him. The next morning, Brian woke up and found himself lying in the bed of the lounge with Anna closely beside him. He tried hard to remember what happenedst night but his drunkenness made everything a blur. Anna immediately attended to him, her voiceced with concern. "Brian, how are you feeling? Do you have a headache?" Brian shook his head and replied, "I''m sorry.I drank too muchst night." He let his eyes roam around Anna''s body and the bruises were evident on her delicate skin. He knew immediately that he lost control. "I''m perfectly fine.Don''t worry about these bruises," she assured him. Anna knew she could have refused and said no if she didn''t want it to happen, but she chose not to. Her love for him made her willing to do anything for him. Without a word, Brian gathered his clothes and started getting dressed. Anna didn''t want to waste this opportunity so she stood up and embraced him from behind. In a decisive voice she pleaded, "Brian, A is already dead.Let me be with you and make you happy.You deserve it! I''m willing to be her substitute." Brian stilled and thought of what she said. He hadn''t slept with any woman since A disappeared. Last night was an ident, fueled by strong emotions and heaps of liquor. Should he allow it to happen again? He knew he wouldn''t be capable of loving anyone else after what happened with Ayta. ¡®''Should I keep Anna and let her be with me for as long as possible?¡¯'' he pondered. He turned around and faced her. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Anna, you don''t have to tie yourself up with me.You can choose the life you want.One where you won''t have to settle for being second." Brian pushed her away to break free from her embrace. "You''ve always done so much for me and I don''t deserve it." "No, don''t shut me out! I''m willing to do this for you.Even if you won''t love me back, give me a chance to make you feel my love.I have always loved you," she dered passionately. Anna''s feelings for him grew stronger over the years.She wouldn''t dare give up over his words and risk not having a chance at being with him finally. Brian gazed at her fondly and insisted, "I have held you back for many years. It''s about time that you choose your own path and think about your future." Undeterred by his dismissal, she continued, "I don''t care about the future.I''ve only had eyes for you ever since we met.I couldn''t possibly want anyone else but you." For Anna, her world revolved around him. She owed him her life so living and dying for him didn''t sound so bad after all. A''s death devastated Brian and she witnessed how painful it was for him. Anna would rather fall into the sea instead of A, if it meant he wouldn''t have to feel that kind of pain again. That was how much she loved Brian. She would always put him first. With his resolve melting at Anna''s fervent words, Brian held her in his arms tightly again. "But I don''t have it in me to love you or anyone else anymore," he repeated. He never thought he''d fall in love before but that changed when he met A. He knew that this great love would also cause him the greatest pain. That was why he couldn''t bring himself to love again after what happened. Annapletely understood where he wasing from. "I don''t need you to reciprocate my feelings.Just give me a chance to love you the way you deserve to be loved." She said all this with utmost certainty. She''d never been surer of anything in her life than at that moment. ¡®''What if I destroy her eventually?''¡¯ Brian thought about this possibility too, but with her clear determined eyes looking up at him, he couldn''t deny her anymore and finally relented. A was sweating profusely as she curled up on her bed. The sharp tingling from her bones spread like wildfire all over her body. "It hurts too much!" she cried. She didn''t know if she could handle this agonizing pain any longer. For twice each day, she endured the painful torture that rendered her weak every time. Despite the pain, dying was thest thing on her mind. She still wanted to see Brian happy with his life. ¡®''Perhaps he and Anna would get married soon, '' she thought. But unless she was sure that he truly found happiness, she wouldn''t think of quitting just yet. Every time she went into rpse, her mind would be flooded with all things about Brian. She missed him terribly. He was sometimes tender with her while always ruthless to others. Although there were times when his dominance and indifference would surface, she was lucky enough to see his soft vulnerable side too. A had to roll out of bed and down to the floor.She couldn''t bear the pain at all. Hearing the noise from outside, Lucas rushed into the room and found her face twisted in agony. "L," he called. He helped her up carefully and leaned her against his broad chest. Willing her to rx, he patted her back repeatedly. "L, hold on.It''ll be over soon," he reassured her in a calm soothing voice. A kept crying, her tears cascading down her frail face. "It hurts, Lucas.What should I do to make it stop? It hurts too much." Full of sympathy for her, he replied, "I''m sorry you have to go through this.I''m right here with you.It will pass eventually." No amount of assurances could ease her pain right now. ''It''s all my fault.I should''ve protected her from this, '' he thought guiltily. "I don''t want to die.I really don''t want to die," she repeated, her voice etched with fear and helplessness. A clutched his sleeves tightly. She wanted to live on for much longer, as she wanted to see more of Brian even just from the magazines or TV. "You will be fine.I know you will be." It was clear to Lucas that although A had only been injected twice, the effect of the drugs had already spread to the bone marrow. As long as she tried her hardest to endure it, the pain would fade eventually. A couldn''t handle the pain anymore and fainted after nearly an hour of torture. In the past month, she lost weight drastically. If this went on further, he couldn''t guarantee that she''d be able to hold on until the drug addiction was cured. It was already noon when she woke up. Lucas positioned himself beside her on the bed and took her in his arms. "Lucas," she called softly. "Are you feeling better now?" he asked. He constantly feared that her condition would be fatal. Each time she woke up, he felt a great sense of relief, especially upon hearing her voice no matter how weak it was. "Yes, I''m fine." A smiled warmly at him, her radiant face much different from when she doubled over in pain hours ago. Looking out the window, she feltfortable when she saw the sun rays. It meant that another day passed and she was able to survive. ''Live one more day, '' she kept it as a mantra in her mind. With all that she''d been experiencing, this humble goal seemed like the greatest one she had to attain yet. "It''s better for you to lie down and take some rest," Lucas said to her. After helping her get settled on the bed, he went out of the room and fetched the food that the servant prepared. It was unclear how long she could keep going. Her body had grown even weaker each time her disease rpsed. Still, she didn''t want to disappoint Lucas for all that he had done for her. That was why she always managed to finish the food despite the struggle. Lucas gazed adoringly at A while she ate. With her being rxed like this, he believed everything would be fine in the future. Thefortable silence was interrupted by the sound of the phone ringing. It was Tatum on the other end. "I have to answer this call.Enjoy your meal," Lucas said. A simply nodded and he went out of the room to take the call. Alone with her thoughts, she knew Lucas had already done a lot for her. She could also see how she seemed to be dragging him down with her. ''Do we have to keep going like this?'' she asked herself. Chapter 94: It Was A Long Separation . Chapter 94: It Was A Long Separation . A got up from the bed and went to the study. Meanwhile, Lucas was standing in the study, talking on the phone. Little did he know that the door wasn''t firmly closed. "Dad, I''m not gonna go back right now.I''ll go when I want to go back.You don''t have to force me." Tatum had lost everything because Brian sessfully foiled every one of his ns, so he needed to ask for Lucas'' help. In truth, Lucas wasn''t opposed to the idea of going back, he was just concerned about A. If she weren''t suffering from the drug addiction right now, he might considering back. And considering the fact that Tatum was the one who made her suffer, Lucas bore a bit of grudge against him. No matter how much Tatum had helped him in the past, he was still the one who had hurt his beloved woman. "No matter how busy you may be, you can still find the time toe home, Lucas,"said Tatum. "I said I''m not going back.End of discussion," Lucas said, turning his head towards the window. "Besides, this is all your fault.I need some time to adjust." "It''s not my fault.I never wanted A to die.I just j wanted Brian to give into my demands!" Tatum I exined.However, Lucas refused to listen to him. "I''m gonna hang up now.I have some things to do." Hurriedly, he dropped the call because when he turned around, he saw that A was there. "Lucas, if you have things to do, you should go back.You don''t have to stay with me all the time.It''s no big deal!"she said with a smile. During the past month, Lucas stayed by her side almost every minute of every day, which made her feel guilty.She didn''t want to impose on him. "Lucas, I''ll take good care of myself.And when I get better, I''ll leave." "No!" He felt so bad when he saw the look on her face. There was no way he could allow A to leave on her own. She would just end up suffering even more. Besides, he had the capacity to provide the woman he loved with a life offort.A wasn''t sure whether she could survive or not, so she thought that Lucas should just leave and forget about her. She had something she wanted to do, and it was to see Brian''s face every now and then. This was good enough for her. As Lucas stared at her, he realized that she didn''t love him, but she was immensely grateful to him. Eventually she would want to leave him and return to Brian''s side. However, before that could happen, he must gain her I love No matter what might happen to A in the future, he wanted her to be his woman and his legal wife. At Lucas'' insistence, she decided to stay in the vi, and he chose not to go abroad at this time. One day, he would avenge his family, but now was not the time. For him, A''s safety and health was the most important thing. He had lived in the shadow of the past because of years of bearing hatred in his heart. And now, he had changed; all because of A. He wanted to feel this faint warmth; a warmth that only she could give. Molly walked into Toby''s office, wearing a disappointed look. "Honey." "What''s going on?" He was currently preupied with his work. He hadn''t forgotten about L, but he prayed that she was still alive somewhere in this world. "I went to the hospital today, but they said that I''m still not pregnant." Molly sat beside him.She had always dreamed of having a baby, but s, she couldn''t get pregnant. It was all because her menstrual cycle was in disarray, and every time she visited the hospital, she would just end up bing more disappointed. Toby stood up and walked to her side. "Molly, thinking about having a baby is putting you under a lot of stress.If you feel bored staying at home, perhaps you can go out to work." A baby? There was no way he would have a baby with Molly while L''s life was still in danger! Hearing what he said, Molly felt a bitforted. After all, he wasn''t disappointed in her. He was a man who adored children, and yet she couldn''t provide him with a child after so long. The doctor said that she couldn''t get pregnant because she was too stressed, so she needed to rx. "Okay.Then I want to be your assistant.Is that okay?" Molly majored in management, but she wasn''t fond of working. She had hoped to be apetent housewife, but she knew nothing. There were so many servants in their home, so she never really needed to learn house work. With a smile, Toby replied, "Sure.You can do anything you want." There were many secretaries in his office, so she wouldn''t be the only one. Perhaps she could stay with him, so that he could divert her attention from having a baby. After walking out of thepany, Brian sat in his car, while Anna was seated in the back seat. "Brian, I have prepared your luggage." "Thanks." He smiled at her. He was going on a business trip for a month, so he permitted her toe with him. In a ck car nearby, A was sitting in the back seat and watching them. Was he going somewhere? Did that mean she wouldn''t be able to see him for a long time? Because of that, she felt disheartened. When Brian''s car drove away, A turned her head. Tears started rolling down her cheeks. Although she wished Brian happiness, seeing them together was still breaking her heart. Never did she imagine that she would love him so deeply. A opened the door, got out of the car, and stood at the pavement. Meanwhile, Brian was looking out the window, but he didn''t see her at all. This time, they just passed each other by, but little did they know that this would be a long separation. "Will you be happy? You have to live a happy life!" She didn''t have the courage to approach him and say that she was still alive. Although Brian said that he didn''t need a child, he just didn''t want her to have a child, so that Anna could give him one. Stepping out of the car, Lucas looked at A, and said, "He''s far away now." He noticed that her heart was aching and that she was longing for Brian, so he wanted to take her away.A wiped away her tears. "In the future, I won''t cry anymore." Tears were a sign of weakness. After going through so much pain, she should be able to bear anything, so she wasn''t afraid anymore. Now, she had more than enough courage to withstand anything. After that, Lucas took her back to the car. "You''ve been out for a long time today.I''m worried your body might not be able to bear it." A had been waiting outside Brian''s office for over two hours, but she only saw him for a brief moment, watching as he entered his car with Anna and left with a smile on their faces "Okay, let''s go!" Now that she had seen Brian, it should be enough for A.She wouldn''t have any more regrets. From now on, she was going to live her own life. No matter how far she was away from him, she would still end up missing him.However, she might not even live that long. Back at the vi, A sat on the sofa. "Lucas, are you leaving?" Lucas was reluctant to leave because of her. Even if she kept telling him to leave, he always refused. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. She thought of him as a dear friend now, so she would stay by his side.She would follow him to anywhere he went for the rest of her short life. "Don''t you want to leave?" A''s question took him aback. Even if he wanted to leave, he wanted to bring her along with him. However, she was unwilling to go out for the past couple of months. The reason she said she wanted to see Brian today was because she wanted to leave this city. "Even though I''m unwilling to leave, I still don''t want my life to end here." A looked at him intently. "Will you help me?" It didn''t matter where she might end up in, all that mattered to her was leaving this ce. This ce was full of her painful memories, and she wasn''t going to let her life end in pain here. Nodding vigorously, Lucas said, "Of course! No matter where you wish to go, I''ll take you there!" Chapter 95: He Was Unforgettable To Her Chapter 95: He Was Unforgettable To Her A youngdy was walking along a busy street of Mn in Italy.She was over dressed a little due to the cold. She was in a green base shirt and a gray skirt, a pair of silky ck stockings that was underneath to protect her legs from the cold and a pair of high heeled boots to show off her style. To finish it off, she had a light beige coat and a purple scarf that covered her fair neck. The slight wind that was present brushed past her, blowing her long hair slightly with it.The slight smile on her face made her look more elegant when she walked through the streets. A few men had even catcalled her though she had ignored them all. The youngdy was none other than A. She sauntered into a coffee shop. It was time for her afternoon tea time and being a caffeine lover, she needed a cup of coffee apanied by that piece of tiramisu that she loved. She came here every day for an hour and looked out of the window at the people who came in the coffee shop and left it. She also looked up at the sky and watched the clouds shape into different shapes that she always tried to figure out while thinking of her future life after all that she had gone through in the past. In short, this was her new favorite spot. She hade to Mn two years ago to start a new life. For the first year here, she had been suffering from the rpses of the drug addiction, and she had thought that her body would never recover. Never in her wildest imagination did she expect that she could recover all of a sudden. She would never forget that stormy day.She had stayed indoors in the small apartment that she had rented out with the little money that she had been left with. Lucas had insisted on renting the apartment across from hers so that they could be neighbors. That day, her hourly employee had left. The pain in her body was less excruciating so there was no need to call Lucas. She recalled that, that day was special for Brian for it was his engagement party to Anna.She had never expected that the couple would take this long to finally get engaged but here the day was when she was finally going to witness the long awaited event. Brian was still that same handsome man with cold features, although he looked like he had lost a lot of weight. She looked at him on the screen and her gaze couldn''t avert away from his interlocked hands with Anna''s. Brian was a famous man but since she left Antawood, this was the first time to see him on media. ''Perhaps, my being here is the reason why I''ve not heard of news about him all these times?'' she thought to herself. But, he was Mr.rk, a world famous man.Even if she was in Italy, there should''ve been news about him.She could only tell herself that maybe no news was good news. Now that she finally see him again on TV, she only felt pain in her heart. The tightness in her chest made her feel ill. The air she took in felt like razor des cutting her insides. The ache in her heart made her wish for death as she read the news that had popped up on TV, the news of Brian''s engagement ceremony. While looking at the smile that had cracked up on his lips, she huddled up in her bed, bearing the pain that was bing more intense by the minute. She thought she could die without regrets after witnessing his happiness. When Lucas had dropped by her apartmentter that day, she had already fainted on the floor. She had bitten her lips with her teeth causing them to bleed out. The look on Lucas'' face showed that he was heartbroken. ''How much pain she must have endured before she fainted, '' he thought sadly. Lucas had rushed her to the hospital, and miraculously, she had suffered no more rpses since that time. She had changed; her body had filled up.She was no longer skinny! After a year, she had stopped working the part time fashion designer job she had found.She instead joined school so as to improve her skills and perfect them to topnotch which she seeded for one of the best andrgest fashion companies had offered her a job. She had changed her name too. Everyone called her by the name Wenny now. To most people, A was dead. Lucas was the only one who knew her real name. This particr afternoon was a warm one. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. The sun that was shining brightly made her feel warm all over and happy too. The light smile on her face was a result of this. Walking back to her apartment, she saw Lucas who was leaning on her door. He was in a ck suit and his features showed how exhausted he was. "When did you get back?" A smiled as she stood in front of him."I just got back and I wanted to see you," Lucas replied as he threw the cigarette butt away that he had been smoking. He had gone to Thand and had stayed there for a month. Even with the distance between them, he had been worried about her being all alone. "I''m fine," A replied, the smile on her face never faltering. "Come in and have a cup of coffee!" she offered. They were neighbors after all and it wasn''t new to her when Lucas had dropped by to check up on her. He had most of his meals and coffee in her house and she didn''t mind at all. They were just friends and they weren''t in a rtionship yet. Lucas didn''t want to force her; he wanted her to love him back willingly. The two sat on the lounge chair on the balcony. Lucas held a cup of fragrant coffee in his hands while A held a ss of clear water instead. "Have you been working recently? I called but no one answered." Lucas was aware of the fact that A didn''t like to use her cell phone, and she seldom took it with her when she went out, so he only called thendline number that was in her apartment. A nodded, "Yes.There will be a show next month.I have several clothes to prepare." It wasn''t her own fashion line but since she was a beginner, doing this was going to help her career a lot. "But don''t work too hard.You have lost some weight recently," Lucasmented. He felt sorry for her. But at the same time he was proud of the achievements she had aplished. Her progress was slow but still, she had done it without a doubt. A touched her cheek and stated, "I haven''t lost weight." "No matter how bad the situation is, I''ve not suffered as much aspared to the previous year," she mumbled. "L," Lucas whispered. He reached out and held her hand, with deep affection in his eyes. A withdrew her hand. She couldn''t ept the love Lucas offered her. In the past two years, she hadn''t pointed it out though in everything that Lucas had done for her, she saw how deeply the man had fallen for her. "You still can''t ept me? Why can''t you forget him?" he questioned, his voice barely a whisper. Lucas seldom mentioned Brian in front of her, but it had been so long, so she should have forgotten him. "I have nothing to do with him now," A replied though her tone wasn''t the same. Brian and Anna had been engaged, so she and Brian had no connections. Moreover, her rtionship with Brian had long been broken two years ago. Lucas walked up to her and held her in his arms. Looking at the scenery below the balcony, he whispered only for her ears to hear, "From now on, I''ll be with you and I''ll love you, okay?" He hoped to see her nod.He had been waiting for her in the past two years. "Why me?" she questioned. A broke off of the embrace and looked at him and uttered, "You know my past very well.So, I don''t want to¡­¡±She trailed off and looked away from him. He had been so good to her, but she didn''t deserve him. Women were always single-minded, she was no exception, for her body and heart had been given to Brian. Even if she could not be with Brian, she could not be with another man. Lucas leaned his forehead on hers.She could feel his breath fan her face. "No! I don''t care about what you have been through.The past is in the past.I love you, so much!" He confessed his feelings out to her. A shook her head to disagree with him. Her heart belonged to another and there was nothing that woulde out of this rtionship if she said "yes" to him. "I will only hurt you!" She always felt that she was an ominous woman, because wherever she went, the people around her would be unfortunate. That was also one of the few reasons why she had decided to not get too close to Lucas during the past two years. "I''m not afraid of that.You should know that my love for you has gradually grown during the past two years, " he muttered out; his heart yearned for her to say "yes" to him. He leaned forwards and ced his lips on hers. He gently kissed her as all of his insides screamed at him and at the same time he hoped that she would not push him away. He had been patient for long and finally, this was his chance to be with her. "L, don''t refuse me!" he whispered as he finally broke the kiss. He leaned forward and lifted her from the floor only to carry her in bridal style to her bedroom. "Lucas...Don''t do this..." she whispered. She did not want to go through this, not now and not with him A''s words made him stop. He looked at her, but she couldn''t tell the exact expression on his face. "L, I''m telling you the truth.We can get married right away.Isn''t it good for us to be a legitimate couple?" he inquired. If she needed reassurance, then, marriage was the best option at the moment. He set her back on the floor and leaned forward to kiss her.He rolled his tongue in her mouth to deepen the kiss. She knew that he hadn''t been with any woman in the past two years. This man was simply desperate and that was another reason why she couldn''t be with him. Chapter 96: Unconditional Love Chapter 96: Unconditional Love A''s protests were in vain as she was trapped in Lucas'' strong arms. "Lucas, please stop.We can''t do that! No!" she murmured. Subconsciously, she resisted his approach towards her. In the past two years, nothing had changed between them. She still couldn''t give him a ce in her heart. She didn''t love him and that was the bottom line. "L, you have to forget him, okay? You are a mere footnote in the history of his life.How can you still love him?" For two years he endeavored to make her forget Brian.He was bing impatient. Thest time he had met Brian, he saw that although he was still with Anna, their rtionship was more of a business partnership. Their engagement too was just a social spectacle. This was cause for concern. A was no longer some pauper.She could have anything her heart desired.She shook her head. Whether she chose to forget Brian or not was her personal matter. It did not concern Lucas.She simply couldn''t ept him. "L, talk to me!" A salty, astringent taste spread around his lips. "Lucas, if you want me to feel indebted to you for all that you did for me these past two years, then take my body! Objectify me to your heart''s content! If not, then leave me alone!" She could never repay him for all that he had done for her. If all he wanted was her body, then he could im it. She had lost so much that nothing mattered to her anymore.Her words echoed in his mind. Did he still have to end up forcing her after two years of pursuing her? This was not what he had bargained for! She pulled up her clothes and said, "Lucas, you are well aware of my checkered past.I am no angel.My health is deteriorating and I am unable to conceive.I can never be a mother.My being with you will only bring you more misery." He felt and understood her pain. She had shared everything with him. There were no secrets. What stunned Lucas most was her revtion that she could not have a baby. "Was it because of him?" He sank into stunned silence for a while. A stared at the vastness outside then rified, "No.It''s my choice." The loss of her baby had filled her with fear. Lucas gazed at her and said, "I don''t care.I love you more than life itself.It doesn''t matter if we don''t have children." Like Brian, he didn''t care. But that was the reason for their breakup, anyway. A shook her head sadly, "But I care." If she loved a man, all she hoped was to have aplete family with him. But since she couldn''t give birth now, she didn''t want to love anyone anymore. Lucas held her hand and said, "You are still so stubborn." He was acquainted with her stubborn disposition so he was unprepared to give up so easily. He had waited patiently for two years and didn''t mind waiting a little longer. Over the past two years, Brian had sprung back on his feet. He had achieved one sess after another and his businesses had entered the global market. With his diligence, he had made strides in his career and tested new areas of business. Because of what Tatum had done to A, Brian had lost interest in transaction of drugs. Jaime was the only person who could help him around it. Anna entered with a document. Over a year ago, she was promoted to special assistant to Brian. Managing the entertainment club was not her only job. Now she could work more closely with Brian. "Brian, here is the paraphernalia for this morning''s meeting.There is a meeting in the multi-functional hall on the third floor of the City Project Conference Center at 3 o''clock this afternoon." "Yes, I know." Brian had be an international icon in business. He was manipting the markets in most spheres.He now had his eye on acquiring the rights for the road development project of Antawood. Securing it would see him singing all the way to the bank. It didn''t bother him much. He was pretty confident of the oue. "Brian, I''ve heard from a very reliable source that the Smith Group has also ced a tender for this project," Anna informed him. Over the past two years, the Smith Group offered strongpetition to the rk Group. They purposefully tendered for the same projects. Both groups appeared to be equally pitted against each other. Brian knew that he would suffer no losses. Toby, on the other hand, was determined to challenge Brian at any cost. He was unconcerned.He knew that Toby was doing this for A. "It''s not unexpected that the Smith Group would tender for this project." The Smith Group had expanded its business as a result of thepetition offered by the rk Group. In spite of this, they were not developing as well as the rk Group. "Brian, if the Smith Group steals this project from right under our noses, will we spare them?" She didn''t want him to concede to Toby yet again. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Brian put down his pen and looked at her. "Don''t worry.They don''t have the power to execute that yet." She looked at his calm, over confident disposition.This very attitude was responsible for thepany scaling such great heights! "Oh, by the way, there is a fashion show being held by Starlight Fashion Hub, a fashion design company in Mn, Italy, next month.If you are free, it would be great if you could represent us." He had received the invitation earlier but did not confirm his attendance due tock of time. But it also did not seem right for him not to attend since they were always so co-operative. "Aren''t you going?" Anna only preferred going overseas if Brian apanied her. But the new productunch of the Starlight Fashion Hub in Mn was equally important to bolster the clothingpany of the rk Group. "I''m not sure.You go ahead and n your schedule." He had neglected to attend these high profile social events over the past two years. Mainly because his work was his priority. Anna nodded. "Okay.I''m leaving now." Brian looked at her apologetically. "I''m sorry that I have swamped you with a ton of work recently." A year ago, his engagement to Anna was a farce to give the gossip columnists something to rave about. In the end, he set Anna free to pursue her own happiness. However, she chose to remain faithful to him. Anna smiled. "I sleep peacefully every night. Shall we go back together this evening? I''ll ask Maria to prepare dinner." When the meeting ended at half past five, it only seemed appropriate to head straight home. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded in agreement. Maria was not at all surprised to see them return together. Anna lived alone in Brian''s big vi now. She would always call in advance and inform Maria when they wereing home together. They enjoyed a sumptuous dinner. The meal reminded Brian of A''s cooking. He detested her cooking and waved it away rudely in the past. Today, he savored the same dishes and his heart was filled with mixed feelings. "Mr.rk, these are all your favorite dishes." Maria noticed that his mind had wandered off. Since A''s ident he hadn''tughed at all. Neither had he lost his temper. "Okay." Brian nodded, "You may leave now." Anna tried to replenish his te. "Brian, have a little more! You have lost a lot of weight recently." It had been more than two years but he still couldn''t erase A from his mind and there was no space in his heart for Anna. Brian ate without presence of mind. After a few nibbles, he put down his chopsticks and drank some wine. Anna wanted to utter something but she resisted the temptation. Two years was just not enough for him to get over A. Chapter 97: She Didnt Want To See Him Now Chapter 97: She Didn''t Want To See Him Now A waspletely immersed in finishing her design draft.Once done, she eagerly presented it to Linda, thepany''s design department director. "Director Linda, I justpleted my design.I would love for you to take a look," she informed her as she handed the draft over. Linda reluctantly epted the design but didn''t bother to go over the drawings. "I''ll put it aside for now.Boss said she woulde and pick it up herself today," she said dismissively, her tone implying an utter dislike for the employee. Linda thought menacingly, ''You''re a pathetic undergraduate who has nothing to prove yet.'' A being hired with apetitive sry was merely because of their boss. What irked Linda the most was how this girl quickly climbed up thedder. Within a few months, her designs could alreadypete for high-caliber fashion shows while Linda painstakingly worked for it for over half a decade. "Alright, I see.I''ll go back to my workspace then.Let me know if there''s something I should improve on and I''d be d to revise it," A replied politely. She had no clue as to where Linda''s hostility wasing from. It was never A''s intention to threaten her in any way. She was only doing her job as a designer and no matter what happened, Linda would always be the 4 director. "Go ahead!" Linda almost shouted with annoyance. She wanted her out of the office immediately. There was I no sense letting her meet the boss. A stepped out of the office and proceeded to sort out some documents for work.She didn''t stay long though, since she still had afternoon sses to attend. As she alighted from the elevator, she came face to face with an elegant woman donning a sleek beige suit. Her queen-style handbag and tasteful makeup added to her alluring charm. One would not think she was over 40 as her lovely face radiated a youthful glow. "Boss," A managed to greet the woman, although she was still a bit intimidated by how fashionable she was. "Wenny, what''s with the rush? Why are you leaving early? Do you want to go upstairs and have a little chat?" Yareli Evans invited her warmly. The kind gesture made A smile but she had to decline, "I would love to but I still have a ss this afternoon.I only dropped by to give my draft to Linda." Yareli was of Chinese descent. Fifteen years ago, she founded the Starlight Fashion Hub in Italy. From her humble beginnings, she exerted hard work and dedication which made thepany grow significantly. Now, it was recognized as Mn''s most prestigious fashion and design house. "Oh, you have sses this afternoon? How about going out for lunch together? It''s still early and we can squeeze in some time," Yareli suggested. Her years in the business made her a good judge of character. She could sense something good in this designer, and that was why she wanted to get to know her better. A was actually not in a hurry but she didn''t want to interfere with her boss''s work. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. However, it also didn''t feel right to turn down her offer twice. "I just don''t want to take up too much of your time.Would it be okay?" she asked politely. "That''s nonsense," Yareli shook her head, an amused smile painted on her face. "I''ll go upstairs for a bit.You wait here," she instructed. A finally agreed and poised to wait by the elevator just as she was told. Once out of the building, Yareli drove to a nearby Italian restaurant together with A. She couldn''t help but be amazed when her boss ordered pasta while speaking in Italian. "Ms.Evans, do you prefer Italian food? Have you always known how to speak Italian?" she asked curiously. "Yes to both of your questions.I''ve been here for almost twenty years and I''ve gotten used to their way of life." Not wanting to alienate A, Yareli smiled fondly at her and considered, "If you prefer Chinese food, I can take you to a good Chinese restaurant next time." "No, it''s my turn to treat you for lunch next time!" A offered happily, a wide grin stretched across her face. The two women had a worthwhile lunch together. She was fascinated with her boss''s countless stories from back in her day. In the middle of their conversation, her phone rang and it was Lucas on the line. He was inviting her out for lunch to which she replied, "I''m already having lunch with my boss.Let''s have dinner tonight instead!" Apletely forgot that she was supposed to go out for lunch with Lucas today. She offered dinner to make amends. To her relief, Lucas agreed graciously, "Okay, I''ll pick you up after school." Despite the spoiled lunch date, he knew how much Yareli appreciated A, so he didn''t say anything against her. ''I hope A would have a bright future under her mentorship and guidance,"he thought. "Is he your boyfriend?" Yareli asked pointedly when A hung up the phone. "No," A shook her head. Everything about her future was uncertain. Repaying Lucas with love was out of the question. "I''d rather stay with the man who loves me than lose him all my life." Yareli spoke softly. A touch of mncholyced her voice and her expressive eyes turned misty. A chose to remain silent at that moment. She didn''t know much about Yareli yet, but the sudden change in her boss''s demeanor implied a deeper story. All she heard was that she was single and hadn''t been married.She worked hard in this foreign country alone. ''Perhaps our sense of familiarity could being from being both Chinese, '' A concluded. Looking back, A remembered when she and Yareli first met. She braved joining a designpetition then. Yareli was impressed with her skills and that was how their acquaintance began. With their lunch finished, A went to school to attend her ss. From a distance, Yareli stared at her retreating back as her eyes welled up with tears. It had been so long since she lost her beloved child. Despite her efforts, no reliable news surfaced. It pained her to think that maybe it was about time to ept that her child was dead. It was the day of the much-awaited design exhibition of Starlight Fashion Hub. Everything was going the way it was nned. Lucas wouldn''t miss the special event as he wanted to be there to support A. "L, how do you feel? Will you be nervous?" he asked, his voice full of concern. "I''m not nervous," she replied confidently. Although A only had three sets of design to present, she didn''t feel stressed because Yareli gave her consideration. With this, Linda became green with envy. She produced five sets of design yet A was the one gaining their boss''s favor. Meanwhile, Anna and Brian made a business trip to Mn together. "Brian, Mn is the center of fashion right now. Let''s stay here for a few more days!" Anna gushed with a voice full of excitement.She finally convinced Brian to join her. "Well, for the cooperation with Starlight Fashion Hub, the contract must bepletely signed," he stated with finality. Brian had a good rtionship with Yareli, and that was why she decided to entrust the rk Group with the sole agency. As efficient as ever, Anna confirmed, "No problem.I''ve called Ms.Evans and she already agreed." Anna chose to deal with these matters as much as she could. Brian was working hard enough and she figured doing these tasks for him would help keep some weight off his shoulders. The striking couple walked towards the fashion show together. Lucas spotted them almost immediately. To say he was stunned was an understatement. ''Why are they here? What will happen if they meet her?'' he worried. Lucas quickly returned and informed A, "L, Brian and Anna just arrived here.Do you want to hide?" His voice filled with urgency. He didn''t want A to see them, but it would be best if she knew what was happening. With that, A gasped in shock and shook her head repeatedly, "I don''t want to see them." There was no need for them to meet her. ¡®''I might cause them more sadness if they saw me, ''¡¯ she thought painfully. What confidence she had at the start of the event was dwindling already and she didn''t know if she could stay here any longer. "Then I''ll take you away." Lucas was like her knight in shining armor at that moment, ready to rescue her when she was in trouble. Together, they sped through the flurry of people around them and headed backstage before turning left towards the exit. Once he was sure that no one could see them, Lucas asked, "Will you regret it?" He turned around to get a good look on her face and see her reaction. Perhaps she was still harboring some feelings for Brian. A didn''t speak for a long time. She didn''t know how to answer him but she shook her head eventually. "I don''t want to see him now," was all she could say. She fled the country back then and settled here so she wouldn''t have to see Brian. What was the point of doing all that and building herself back up if she would subject herself to seeing him again? ¡®''All my hard work and sacrifice would be for nothing¡± she reminded herself. Shaking her out of her reverie, she heard Lucas Say, "Let''s go!" He held her securely in his arms and guided her towards the waiting car. "Yareli, I''m sorry I had to leave early.I wasn''t feeling well," she informed her boss through the call. "Wenny, it''s a pity that you can''t attend such an important event today," Yareli said regrettably. A lot of media and press were present at the event and it was the perfect asion to introduce Wenny to the public. Increased visibility would be good for her career in the future. A could hear regret in Yareli''s voice.She was also disappointed with how things turned out that night.She prepared for quite a long time for it and she wasn''t able to enjoy at all. "I''m sorry, Ms.Evans.How about next time? I would let you be for now.I''m sure a lot of people would want to talk to you.I''ll be fine eventually, "she assured her. After hanging up the phone, A breathed a sigh of relief knowing she got away on time without Brian seeing her. When A dropped the call, Yareli turned back to Brian apologetically. "It''s a shame that I wasn''t able to introduce you to Miss Wenny.She''s our newly-hired designer." "Ms.Evans, this designer that you''re talking about must be very talented," Brian inquired with an easy smile. His interest with women had long been gone now. "Of course, Wenny has three amazing sets of design tonight.If you like them, you can order more sets.Miss Anna, I believe they would fit you like a glove," Yareli said as she vouched for Wenny''s talents, her heart swelling with pride. "Ms.Evans, your taste has always been impable," Anna said with clear admiration for the woman. "And I must say you''re getting lovelier each time, Miss Anna.Let''s go! The fashion show is about to begin.You should get the best view so please sit in front," Yareli eagerly said as she led the couple to the exclusive VIP section. "If you want, you can order more sets of clothing," Brian told Anna once they were settled in their seats. She had only worn in suits in the past one year. He hadn''t bought her clothes for a long time, but he knew she deserved to be pampered. If she liked anything from the sets now, he would make sure that she knew she could have them. Touched by Brian''s generous gesture, Anna affectionately embraced his arms. "Brian, you know I could care less about the clothes as long as I have you," she said, her voice as soft as a petal. ''Your heart, that''s all I want, '' she thought as a wave of sadness coursed through her. Of course he couldn''t give her what she really wanted, but she was in no position to push him.For now, she''d just have to wait and be contented with what he could give. Chapter 98: Wait For Your Love Chapter 98: Wait For Your Love Brian didn''t say anything.If he couldn''t make her happy, he shouldn''t give her false hopes.However, he allowed Anna to hold onto a bit of hope in deference to her persistence. Two years had not erased his love for A, and neither was Anna''s love for him. Anna was wearing a light purple evening dress, and he was wearing a ck suit. At the dinner party after the fashion show, the two of them were the highlights of the evening. Yareli kept staring at them, and said, "Mr.rk, I''m so d that you coulde." There was a faint smile on her face. With the development of Brian''s major cross- industry venture across the world, the partnership of their twopanies would also develop further. Yareli had chosen A to be the domestic designer sent by Starlight Fashion Hub. "You''re wee, Ms.Evans.It''s my honor to attend such a high-caliber fashion show," Brian said with a polite smile. "By the way, Ms.Evans, thosest few sets are quite good.Are those your new designs?" asked Anna. Coincidentally, Linda came over. Anna''s words displeased her. Yareli had arranged A''s works to be the show''s finale to attach great importance to A herself. "Did you like them, Miss Anna? But those clothes were designed by our new intern designer.The style might be great, but the colors don''t match well." Based on Linda''s tone, she was obviously envious of A. "Is that so? Well, everyone has different tastes, right?" Anna rolled her eyes at Linda. Despite having met several times, they still hadn''t gotten close to each other. "You do have a unique taste, Miss Anna." Linda grabbed a ss of wine from the waiter''s tray. "Ms.Evans, has Wenny left already?" She was worried that Wenny might steal her thunder. A good fraction of the attendees were amazed by Wenny''s design, which made Linda feel bad. "Wenny''s not feeling well, so she wasn''t able to attend, " Yareli replied. "Anyway, please attend to Mr.rk." She didn''t have the time to look after so many guests. "Ms.Evans, carry on with your work," Anna said to her. She then looked at Brian and said, "Brian, why don''t we take a seat over there?" After they had seated themselves, he started drinking. "Brian, please don''t drink too much." Anna could tell that something was bothering Brian ever since they got here, and there was only one reason he could be this unhappy. Meanwhile, A was sitting in the car as Lucas drove her to the riverside. They stood by the river, letting the cold breeze of the night blow past them. She didn''t have to say anything for he understood how she felt. Brian''s presence had deeply upset her.She had chosen to avoid him because she still loved him, and she knew that she still hadn''t moved on from him. As she stared at the river, A crossed her arms.She had believed that after two long years, seeing Brian wouldn''t affect her so much, but s, her heart was racing.She felt uneasy, terrified, and her heart was in disarray because of him. Brian and Anna attended thepany''s fashion show. He only apanied her to take a look. Over the past two years, A hadn''t paid much attention to any news about him. Sadly, she still hadn''t forgotten him. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "L." Lucas took off his coat and put it on her. "You might catch a cold," he said. Brian''s abrupt appearance made A restless because she still loved and cared about him. She was truly a faithful woman. Back then, she was even willing to surrender her life for him. Even if he never said that he loved her, she was still fiercely loyal to him. "How is he, Lucas?" It took a lengthy silence before A finally mustered up the courage to ask Lucas about Brian. ''With Anna''s help, Brian is probably living a good life.'' "He''s still with Anna." This meant that they were on good terms. Although Lucas didn''t have to explicitly say it, his words still saddened A. "I see.Then he should be fine," she said casually. When she was in the rk family''s vi, Anna and Brian had a special rtionship. Anna even warned her not to hurt him if she didn''t love him. However, when A finally fell in love with him, they got separated, and their child got aborted. However, her love never wavered, so she wasn''t afraid. She was brave enough to love, and she boldly proimed it. She wanted to let Brian know how much she loved him, but in the end, her confession was what drove her further away from him. It was a lie when she said that she wasn''t hurt. When Tatum had locked her up in his vi, her freedom had been taken away and every day she suffered in pain.Despite all of that, she never felt desperate because her heart and her love for Brian kept her going. "You still love him, don''t you?" Lucas could tell by the tone of her voice that she still loved him, and it broke his heart. After all these years, she still hadn''t epted his love. "Lucas, did you know? Sometimes, I thought that if I had never been adopted by the Woodsen family, if my father never forced me to marry Brian, and if I had left with Toby, perhaps everything would''ve been different." A had been thinking about a lot of things.She was an abandoned child.She didn''t have any parents. Before she could even understand anything, her foster mother, Marlene Evans, died. All she could remember about her was that Marlene had been very good to her. That woman always carried her around and lulled her to sleep. Butter on, after Marlene died, she was thrown to the backyard and a servant looked after her. Other than being permitted to go to school, she was basically a servant and was tasked to do a lot of housework. She even had to wear Arlene''s old clothes. At school, even though she was the Woodsen family''s daughter, A only ate simple vegetables and stale bread, while Arlene enjoyed delectable meals. There was a major difference on how they were treated, but A never onceined. She always felt grateful and fortunate enough that she was alive. Looking at her, Lucas said, "L, no matter how painful the past is, it''s all over.In the future, I''m going to give you a good life.I promise.Do you trust me?" A smiled. "I''m lucky to have met you, and I believe that you''ll be happy someday.But...I can''t give you that happiness." Lucas was a good man, but she wasn''t a good woman. She felt that she didn''t deserve him. "But I think you''re the greatest happiness in my life.I can''t love any other woman besides you." He had even believed that he wasn''t capable of falling in love with another woman. In those painful years, he surrounded himself with so many women, but he never fell in love with any of them; A was the exception. She didn''t even care who he was, and she never wanted to be his woman nor his wife. She was vastly different from all the women he had ever met. Her loyalty to Toby in the past might''ve been caused by her desire to cling to her childhood, but it was different with Brian. It was the kind of love that only men and women shared. And on the other hand, the only thing she could give to Lucas was friendship and gratitude. A opened her arms and threw herself into his arms. "I''m afraid that I can''t," she said. She could never ¡ì forget Brian, nor could she forget her child that didn''t J even get the chance to live. And so, she couldn''t promise Lucas that she could love him. "I can wait, A.I''ll wait until you finally have room for me in your heart, okay?" He could never force her to do anything. Perhaps it was because he never forced her f that he could gradually touch her heart, and shift her love towards him and not on Brian. Under the dim streetlight, they embraced each other tightly.The light caused their shadows to stretch onto the t road. Chapter 99: It Was Her Chapter 99: It Was Her After the dinner party, Brian and Anna strolled along the street as people passed by. Holding his arm, she asked, "Brian, are you going back tomorrow?" In all honesty, she didn''t want him to leave yet. If thepany hadn''t called, he might''ve stayed to apany her to see the new designer before going back. However, he delegated her the responsibility of overseeing the cooperation. "What''s the matter? Don''t you think it would be great for you if you stayed here for a few more days? You should take some time to rx." Even though he felt nothing for her, he was still kind to her. Their rtionship remained the same throughout all these years. Anna didn''t say anything. Without him, no matter how beautiful the scenery was, it would still be empty. As they stood by the river, they weren''t that far away from A. But because the light was dim, they couldn''t recognize each other. For some reason, as Brian stood there, he felt an oddly familiar feeling. But when he looked around, he saw nothing. A leaned sideways then looked back at Lucas. "We should go!" She had received a call from Yareli, saying that today''s fashion show and dinner party were both sessful. She also told her that they would arrange a meeting with the person in charge of the domestic partner company. Lucas and A went to the car next to them. Brian noticed her familiar figure. "A?" he murmured as he ran towards them. Anna thought that she had just misheard him. Brian watched as the car drove away, fading from his sight.He didn''t even get to see the license te clearly. After chasing it for a long time, the car eventually took a turn and disappeared. "Brian, are you okay?" Anna caught up with him, panting in exhaustion. "I saw her," he responded, catching his breath as he stood on the street. She pulled his arm and shouted, "Brian, you''re mistaken.That can''t be A.She died two years ago!" Why couldn''t he just forget A after all this time? During the past two years, whenever he saw anyone that remotely reminded him of A on the road, he would try to chase them. But each time, he just ended up being disappointed. Leaning against amppost, Brian thought, ''Yes, A is dead.She died two years ago...'' Despite that fact, he refused to give up.He never saw her corpse. She was just missing. "Brian, enough! You''ve done too much for a dead woman." Anna had had enough of seeing him like this. She would rather be in pain than to keep watching him be this miserable all the time. As he looked at the direction where the car had disappeared to, Brian shook his head helplessly, and said, "Let''s go." ''Was I really just mistaken? How could A even be here?'' Standing in front of him, Anna remarked, "Brian, just forget her! Why can''t you just move on from someone who doesn''t even exist anymore! If you keep this up, you''ll never get any better!" Brian was having a hard time forgetting A. And even though she loved him, she still couldn''t forget about Toby. Anna believed that A didn''t deserve Brian''s love. He decided not to say a word and just keep on walking.He hadn''t gone to the backyard of his vi ever since she disappeared. The mound with the wooden sign also brought up old wounds for him. Back then, he was so cruel that he killed their child. He didn''t even dare to ept that woman because he was adamantly against falling in love with anyone. For the rest of the night, Anna wasn''t able to sleep. Brian was going to take the six AM ne. She wanted to send him off at the airport. Over the past two years, she stayed by his side, but he never learned to love her. Not once did she feel desperate or disappointed. The engagement ring on her finger was just as she had expected. Even though it was all an act, she took it seriously, so she wore this ring with pride all the time. Never had she once taken it off. Sitting in the back seat of the car, Brian stared at Anna''s tired face. "Anna, didn''t you sleep wellst night?" Judging by the dark circles under her eyes, she didn''t even get a minute of sleep. "How about you?" she asked in response. These past two years, Brian barely slept well. After he saw the woman who resembled Ast night, he would have more sleepless nights. Meanwhile, A was sitting on a sofa and reading a magazine. She didn''t have sses today, and her appointment with Yareli was in the afternoon, so she had a lot of spare time. Lucas knocked on her door. "L?" "Lucas, aren''t you going to thepany today?" Then,she asked him to enter. He had brought her some food. "I just went out for something, and I just happened to buy your favorite cake," Lucas said with a grin. He was in a chipper mood because he knew that Brian had returned to A City, leaving Anna to stay for a few more days.A took it from him. "Thank you." The two of them sat face to face on the balcony. Looking far away, she began to eat the cake and drink coffee. For some reason, she had grown to like pure coffee now. Perhaps it was due to the bitterness of her previous life, coffee was no longer as bitter inparison. Later, Yareli drove Anna to a coffee shop. "Miss Anna, these clothes are being marketed by ourpany this time.I think they suit you very well.I hope you won''t dislike them." She had prepared some clothes that were perfect for her size, and these clothes were the highlights of last night''s fashion show. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. "Thank you, Ms.Evans." Anna didn''t pretentiously refuse her, and just graciously epted her offer and thanked her for it. "You''re wee.Our new employee, Wenny, is brimming with potential.For this cooperation, I want her to work in yourpany.What do you think?" Yareli had arranged this to provide Wenny with a chance because she had high hopes for this new designer. Anna stared at the elegant and fashionable evening clothes in the bag. "They''re incredible.Now I really want to meet this Miss Wenny." If only she had known that Wenny was actually A, she might hope that their paths would never cross. Momentster, A entered the coffee shop, heading Straight into the private room. "Wenny, you''re finally here! Have a seat," said Yareli. "I''m so sorry, Ms.Evans.I got stuck in a traffic jam just now," A said apologetically. "It''s fine.Come on in.Let me introduce you to ourpany''s newest partner, Miss Anna of rk Group," she enthusiastically announced. When Anna turned her gaze towards A, the two of them were petrified.Her face turned pale in an instant. Perhaps the familiar figure that Brian sawst night was really A! "Do you know each other?" Yareli looked at them while they were in a daze. It was obvious that they had met before. A smile appeared on A''s face. "Yes, I''ve met her before.But I haven''t seen her for over two years." It not only surprised A, but also Anna. Anna had believed that A died two years ago. But now that she had appeared before her, it left her feeling helpless. If Brian found out that A was actually alive, all the efforts that Anna had exerted to gain his love would be in vain. She didn''t want to lose him that way. "That''s good then! If you know each other, then it''ll be easier for all of us to cooperate in the future," Yareli remarked. Both Anna and A were now against Yareli''s idea of cooperating. A didn''t want to have anything to do with Brian and the rk Group. On the other hand, Anna didn''t want her to return to Antawood, nor did she want Brian to know that this woman was still alive. "My name is Wenny." A introduced herself to Anna. "So, you''re the Wenny that Ms. Evans keeps praising all the time! I never imagined it would be you." Anna stared at her intently. Those two long years changed A so much. She now looked more mature, confident, and charming. However, Anna had been obsessing over Brian for the past two years, and in turn, the stress had deteriorated her beauty, both physically and mentally A shook her head. "I haven''t graduated yet.I''m sure Ms.Evans is just exaggerating.Ms.Evans, I don''t think I''m qualified to go to Antawood and be in charge of our cooperation with the rk Group," she said to Yareli. Chapter 100: Unexpected Meeting Chapter 100: Unexpected Meeting Yareli was taken aback by A''s request.She had thought that it would be more convenient for them to cooperate because they already knew each other.But now that she had refused, it only meant that she wasn''t willing to do this. "Wenny, can''t you reconsider?" Yareli believed that A would regret it if she didn''t seize this opportunity. "Ms.Evans, you do know that I''m still studying so I can''t go back to A City yet.I suggest you choose someone else.I''m afraid that I''m not capable of such a great responsibility on my own.I think Linda would be more suitable for this than I am." In reality, A didn''t need to go to school anymore.She was able to work full-time.She was just making up an excuse not to go back to A City. Yareli looked at her and persuaded her, "Wenny, please think twice about this.I think you''re the perfect candidate for this job!" If A wasn''t going to take this job, she''d rather not assign it to anyone else. Anna looked at Yareli, and said, "Ms.Evans, may I have a word with Miss Wenny alone?" "Of course." Yareli had arranged for them to meet, and considering the fact that the two of them had already known each other before, there was no need for her to stay. Perhaps things would turn out better after they had spoken. Once Yareli had left, only Anna and A were left in the room. "I never imagined that you''d be here.It''s so unexpected," said Anna. "To tell you the truth, I was also surprised." At that time, the only detail A knew about was that the partnerpany of Starlight Fashion Hub would develop a business in Antawood. It never crossed her mind that it would be the rk Group, and that Anna would be their representative. Perhaps this meant that there really were some people that were hard to avoid running into. Last night, Lucas took her away from them, but today, facing Anna was inevitable. "I think you''re already aware of my rtionship with Brian, right?"Anna nced at the ring on her finger. It was a beautiful and brimming diamond ring. Naturally, A also looked at it.She had initially thought that she wouldn''t care about it. A year ago, she was heartbroken when she found out about their engagement. But after a painful struggle with heartbreak, she eventually got over it. She had believed that it could no longer hurt her, but in the end, she still felt pain. "I do know, and I congratte you for it." A tried to conceal her pain with a faint smile. "Thank you.Without you in the picture, Brian and I have been so happy," Anna reluctantly remarked.She was a selfish woman.She had hoped that Brian would be hers for the rest of her life. As long as A didn''t show up again, her rtionship with him wouldn''t change. ncing at her, A replied, "That''s why I can''t go back to Antawood.Just consider me dead.I can''t go back, and I refuse to go back." Escaping might be the better option for her. There was no way she would go back there. "I didn''t mean for you to go back there.I won''t tell Brian that you''re alive, and I won''t tell him that you''re here in Mn.I think you understand why I''m doing that, right?" Anna said bluntly. A shouldn''t have returned to her and Brian''s life. "As long as you love him and the two of you are happy, that''s good enough for me.I have nothing more to do with you two.So please convince Ms.Evans that I can''t be in charge of this cooperation," A responded. If she went back to Antawood, eventually, she would run into Brian one way or another. Anna couldn''t see any nuances of emotion on A''s face. This woman had changed so much after two years. She was no longer the same powerless and submissive woman she once was. After leaving the coffee shop, A didn''t take a car. Instead, she slowly walked towards her apartment. Seeing Anna didn''t just leave her uneasy, it left her heartbroken. Upon seeing A walking along the street, Lucas honked the car horn to get her attention. "Hi, L!" "What are you doing here?" She looked at him in surprise. "I''m here to pick you up." Lucas was aware that she had a meeting with Yareli in the coffee shop today, so he came to pick her up. He knew that she didn''t like taking a bus or a taxi. After sitting in the car for a long time, A broke her silence. "I saw Anna just now." "Did she say anything to you?" As a matter of fact, he wasn''t worried that Brian would find out that A was still alive because Anna loved him. That woman probably wouldn''t tell him that she ran into A today. She would just pretend that it never happened. "She didn''t say anything noteworthy.I don''t want to go back to Antawood and I don''t want anything to do with the cooperation project with the rk Group." A turned her gaze towards the window. It turned out that Brian''s sudden appearance wasn''t just a coincidence. It was actually rted to the partnership between Starlight and the rk Group. Pulling over, Lucas said, "You don''t want to see him? But this is your chance.Are you really willing to give it up?" He didn''t want her to see Brian, but he also didn''t want her to ruin her future. "It doesn''t matter.I just don''t want to go back to that sad ce.It reminds me of too much of my painful past." A looked at him with a faint smile on her lips. "If you want to go back, I cane with you.You have to remember that you''re Wenny now, not A, right?" Over the past two years, Lucas ensured that she was safe and sound. And even if she returned to Antawood, he would still take care of everything for her.A shook her head. "I''m still A.Nothing has changed, and I''m still heartbroken." Meanwhile, Yareli refused Anna''s proposal to rece the designer. In her mind, A was the best designer for this project. And so, Anna was left with no other choice but to contact A for help again. "Miss Anna, what can I do for you?" A and Anna were sitting face to face in a coffee shop again. They had met each other so many times, but they still kept each other at arm''s length. "I''ve spoken to Ms.Evans, and she said that you''re the only designer she''d want to work on this project.As much as I hate for you to go back to Anita Wood and stop you from meeting Brian, I''d rather not hinder his career because of my selfishness.You have to ept this project and go back!" Anna''s attitude softened. It was true that Brian''s career needed to be established little by little, and she would do anything for it to happen. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Shaking her head, A responded, "You, of all people, should know that this isn''t the right time for me to appear in Antawood." Indeed, her reemergence in Antawood would cause problems, and she wasn''t willing to go anyway. "I am aware of that, but I''m fully responsible for this cooperation.I''m the only one you need to talk to and meet.You wouldn''t have to meet Brian at all!" It took Anna so much courage to make this decision. It was a big risk and she was trying her Juck. Still reluctant, A said, "I need some time to think about it." The truth was that she was still afraid that the worst could happen, so she was still hesitant to do it. Anna stirred her coffee. "I will give you three days to decide.After that, I have to go back to Antawood.If Ms.Evans speaks to Brian directly, I think by that time, even if both of us don''t want it to happen, you''re bound to meet with him." This was what worried Anna the most. No matter what happened, Yareli and Brian''s'' partnership would definitely proceed. Even though Brian hardly cared about this project, since he had already reached an agreement, he probably wouldn''t let it go that easily. ¡®''Three days?''¡¯ The only choice A had right now was to run away again. However, doing so would let Yareli down after she had given A her trust and mentored her for so long. Chapter 101: She Decided To Go Back Chapter 101: She Decided To Go Back A went to Starlight''s building.She had an appointment with Yareli because she wanted to know her boss''s thoughts.But when Linda saw her, it was obvious that she wasn''t happy about seeing her. "Director," A greeted. However, Linda just cast her a cold nce. "Ms.Evans isn''t here yet.You can wait in the meeting room!" Naturally, Linda knew why A was here. She had always wanted to work with the rk Group, and if that cooperation became sessful, she would gain everything that she could ever want, whether it be prestige or future prospects. A was chosen to go, and yet she refused over and over. Linda never thought highly of her because she was just a student who hadn''t even graduated yet! Linda had always been hostile to A. When they both participated in the school''s fashion designpetition, Yareli adored A''s work but not hers. Although A''s design hadn''t matured back then, Linda was aware that she had great potential and her skills would eventually improve after a period of training. "Wenny, you shouldn''t becent, and don''t think that you''re above me just because Ms.Evans appreciates your talent. I''ve been working for thispany for so many years, and you should know that no matter what happens, I''m still a director in thispany, and you are just a new designer." "Director, you need not worry about your status.I have no desire topete with you.Whether it''s the designs for the fashion show or any other designs I''ve made, those were all chosen by Ms.Evans.To tell you the truth, I personally think that your designs are exquisite.You shouldn''t worry that I would steal your position from you.You are thepany''s director, and you have a rich experience.All I want is to do what I have to do." In all honesty, A didn''t want to tell her this, but she wanted to make it clear to Linda that she wasn''t that ambitious. All she wanted was a stable job. She just needed a job to support herself with her own capabilities. That was her simple goal. She had never even dreamed of being a famous designer, nor had she wanted to be wealthy and famous. "You''d better keep your word! I hate it when someone goes against their own words.You''re only here because Ms.Evans helped you be a part of thispany.Do you think we''re not aware that you often eat, drink tea, and chat with Ms.Evans?" Linda had been trying so hard not to lower herself to A''s level because she believed it would be a stain on her reputation. However, Yareli had given the cooperation project of the rk Group to A, and she couldn''t stand it anymore. A just smiled at her. "Director, you''re thinking too much.I''m not the kind of person you think I am.I''m aware that my words mean nothing to you, but I''m telling you the truth." When Linda heard her, she almost lost her temper.She picked up a folder on her desk, wanting to throw it at her face. However, at this time, Yareli opened the door and came in. As soon as she entered, she noticed that something was off about the atmosphere. On top of that, there was a smile on A''s face. "Ms.Evans," Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. A greeted. "Oh, you came.Let''s talk in my office, shall we?" Yareli said to A. Afterwards, she led her to her office. They sat on the sofa in the office, each of them had a cup of coffee in front of them. "So, Wenny, have you made up your mind? Or are you still unwilling to go back to A City? But if you really don''t want to go there, I won''t force you anymore." Everyone had a past that they didn''t want to face.If A wasn''t willing to go back, it only meant that she had a good reason for it. As a matter of fact, A already knew that her boss wasn''t going to force her. However, she wasn''t willing to let her down after all her help. "Ms.Evans, I ept the project." It took A a while before she finally said yes.She had been thinking about it for two days. Even if Anna hadn''t talked to her in the past two days, she knew that she had to go back this time. Yareli was surprised to know that she was epting the project. "Wenny, if you''re sure about this, I''ll arrange everything for you.But if you ever have second thoughts about doing this project, I won''t force you." She didn''t want her to have any regrets. A shook her head. "I''ve already made up my mind.I won''t regret anything," she said firmly. Besides, Brian rk must''ve forgotten about her already. As long as the two of them didn''t see each other, nothing would change. "Great! Now that you''ve decided, I''ll arrange for your return to A City as soon as possible." Her words put Yareli''s mind at ease.She believed that A had a bright future ahead of her. Over the years, Yareli had gone through a lot in this industry, and allowed herself to go through each difficulty one at a time. She endured the pain in her heart. And that was the reason she hadn''t returned to her home country after so many years. The first time she saw Wenny''s design and her character, she felt something familiar, which made her grow fond of her. Momentster, A left the Starlight Fashion Hub and walked alone along the road. After a long walk, she sat on a park bench. She then took out a business card from her bag and dialed Anna''s number. "Miss Woodsen, have you made up your mind?" Anna asked directly. "Well, you''ve been waiting for my answer all this time, so I''m sure you''re aware of my decision, right, Miss Anna?" Although A still needed a bit of time to think about it, she knew that she must go back this time, and that she would never be able to escape her fate. Perhaps, she had been avoiding it all this time. Even if she had personally witnessed how happy Anna andBrian rk were, she didn''t have the right to feel heartbroken about it, and she should just let it go. His affection never belonged to her in the first ce. "You''ve decided to go back, haven''t you? But you should know that I still won''t let you meet Brian." Anna wasn''t willing topromise regarding this. A looked ahead. She wasn''t sure what her future held and what she was about to face, but she knew that she must move on. "I know that.Don''t worry, I don''t want to see him either.You''re Brian''s fiancee, and you''re the person in charge of this cooperation project.I am just a passerby, and I''ll be out of your lives sooner orter, so you don''t have to worry about anything.As long as you can keep him away from my office, we won''t have any problems," A responded. This was her only request.She hadn''t been back for more than two years, so it was probably time for her to return. After all, Italy wasn''t her home, and she must go back to her hometown. That ce also held many of her fondest memories, and she was willing to bear anything despite how painful it could be. Hearing her response, Anna smiled with relief. "Very well, I''ll take care of that.I booked us flight tickets two days from now, so pack up your things, too! Let''s go back together!" The only reason Anna stayed in Italy was because she wanted to bring A with her but she also wanted to ascertain that A had given up on Brian rk. But it shouldn''t matter if A could forget about him or not. She was already gone, and now, Anna was Brian rk ''s legitimate fiancee. A replied, "I see.I''ll get ready then." In truth, she didn''t need to prepare anything. Yareli had arranged an apartment for her in A City, and all she had to do was to go to work in the office building. As long as she handed over designs that would satisfy the rk Group''s standards, thepanies under the group would be able to produce and sell those designs. That was all she had to do.She didn''t even have to show up atall. Chapter 102: His Love And Hatred Chapter 102: His Love And Hatred Lucas knew about A''s decision and he had no ns to stop her. Sooner orter, she was bound to go back no matter what he might say, and he believed that she would eventuallye back to him. And once A saw how intimate Brian and Anna were, she would understand. "I''m sorry, Lucas.Have I disappointed you for doing this?" The two of them were sitting on the sofa in the living room, drinking beer. "L, no matter what decision you make, I will always be there to support you.Perhaps you should really go back to A City and see how things are going.It''s been over two years since you left the city.I''m sure that a lot of things have changed ever since." Lucas kept drinking. Nobody understood how he felt for A, but he never forced himself on her.He was still a man, and he also had sexual urges.Despite that fact, he had never done anything bad to her.Because he knew that he was all she had, and he never wanted to hurt her.And instead of harming her, he''d rather be with her. Even if he could only stare at her like this, it was enough for him. "Thank you so much, Lucas.With you by my side, I''ve never felt alone.I''ve never had any rtives since I was a child, and Toby was the only person I could rely on.But even so, he never really belonged to me." A drank so much that she had lost count of how many sses she had finished. At this point, she was probably intoxicated. The man she once loved deeply was now married to another woman. And the other man she fell in love with forced her to abort her child and drove her away, and even then, she didn''t regret anything. Perhaps, her love for Toby was based on dependence, and her love for Brian was something much more meaningful. And so, now that she was going back, she must face two kinds of mentalities, and she had two different feelings. "L, you''ve drank too much." Lucas wanted to take the ss away from her, but A refused. "I''m not drunk." She seldom drank beer or any type of alcohol. Whenever she wanted to drink, it only meant that she was in a terrible mood and under a lot of stress. After all, she had been abroad for two years, and now she must go back. Perhaps one day, she and Brian would run into each other on the street. "Come on, Lucas.Let''s get hammered!" A took his ss and refilled it with wine. "Fine, fine, but I''m worried that your body won''t be able to bear it." In fact, Lucas had worried about her health many times this year because he was afraid that she would suddenly suffer through a rpse again. Fortunately, nothing terrible had happened to her this year. A waved her hand in dismissal. "It''s not a big deal.I''m in good health now!" She shed him a smile. It wasn''t that much of a problem anymore. She had endured a greater kind of pain a year ago, and now, she had nothing left to fear. She had already had a near-death experience. Why would she be afraid of death anymore? During the past two years, A paid no attention to Brian, but she kept a close eye on Tatum Green''s every movement. That man was still conducting illegal transactions, and he was getting more and more rampant. One day, he would end up destroying himself.She inferred that maybe Brian had given up on this matter. If he wanted to do something, he would easily seed. And if he abhorred Tatum, he could quickly dispose of him. However, Tatum had been rtively safe over the past couple of years.But A wasn''t going to let him get away with his crimes.He was the cause of all her suffering. If he hadn''t kidnapped her, she wouldn''t have had to live like this. She despised him.She truly hated him with every fiber of her being. "Lucas, did you know? In the past two years, I have grown to despise Tatum Green, the man who almost destroyed me.Sadly, I''m unable to hurt him even a bit.Someday, I will kill him myself!" Perhaps A''s words were unintentional or maybe just brought about by her sadness, but Lucas'' face turned pale. Would she hate him if she knew about his ties to Tatum? Would she also kill him? During the time they spent together, Lucas never mentioned anything to A. But when he heard what she said just now, he felt uneasy. "L, do you really hate him that much? As you know, Brian is also a man who would do anything to achieve his goal." As a matter of fact, Brian and Tatum were the same kind of people. If it weren''t for Brian, his family wouldn''t have been destroyed. Before he could even understand anything, Tatum took him away and put him under harsh training, and he even did all the dirty work for him. If A found out about his ties with Tatum one day, she might think that he was also a bad person and she would be very disappointed. Perhaps it might drive her into despair. Lucas had thought of the worst case scenario, but he was so scared of losing her. "Yes, they''re the same kind of people, and they are both the reason that I became like this.I''m not even sure whether I should hate them or thank them?" A sneered. She had been living in darkness for more than a year, and wandered on the edge of life and death for another year. Hating them was the obvious choice. Holding her hand, Lucas said, "If you want to hate them, just do it!" Everyone bore a bit of hatred and resentment in their lives. A had a deep hatred in her heart, and so did he.And because of that, he didn''t force her to be a saint. Looking back at him, A nodded. "Yes, I do hate them.But whenever I think of that man, my heart just hurts so much that I can''t breathe." Brian had a striking impact on her. She wasn''t even sure why she fell in love with such a man.And yet she fell in love with him. He was a heartless man who could be so ruthless that he didn''t even want his own child. While drinking, Lucas felt a pang in his heart. If it weren''t for A, he would''ve destroyed Brian two years ago. One day, he was going to kill him with his own hands. The hatred in Lucas'' heart ran deep, but if he took revenge, it could cause him to lose A, the love of his life. "You won''t feel heartbroken anymore because from now on, I''ll be with you.Let''sugh, cry, and feel pain together.If you want to take revenge, let me help you kill him!" Lucas promised. A''s hand slipped and the ss she was holding fell to the floor. "Lucas, you''ll just end up regretting everything you''ve done for me." She was a woman whose heart had long died, so she hardly cared about anything.She still didn''t know if she was capable of loving another person again. Lucas looked at A as shey on the sofa, muttering to herself.He wanted to tell her that he could never regret anything if it was for her. The only thing he didn''t regret was falling in love with her. He regretted that his family was destroyed overnight, and that he had to live in hatred.He regretted that he knew who had destroyed his family, and that Tatum had adopted him. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Over the years, only hatred grew in his heart. But when A came to his life, his cold heart became warm. And he wanted to cherish this feeling forever. Lucas stood up, brought A back to her room and ced her on the bed. However, she suddenly covered her mouth and vomited all over herself, including him "What a silly girl you are, L! I told you, you shouldn''t have drank so much even though you''re sad." Everyone knew that drinking was bad for the health, and it induced sexual urges. Lucas was worried that he might not be able to control himself if he was intoxicated. Chapter 103: The Right To Love Chapter 103: The Right To Love When A woke up, she was having a hangover, and she had a splitting headache. "It hurts," she groaned and turned sideways. All of a sudden, she noticed that there was a handsome face in front of her. Beside her, a man was sleeping soundly. At this time, she realized that his arm was wrapped around her waist. "Ah!" A screamed, startled by how close they were. Her loud screaming woke Lucas up. "What''s going on? L?" He looked at her panicked face and then he realized that they were in bed together. "I''m sorry.Last night, I drank too much." A was petrified for a few seconds before she got ahold of herself. "Me too.I drank too muchst night." She frowned at how insane she was. How could she let herself drink so muchst night? Lucas grabbed a nightgown and handed it to her. "I''ll take responsibility for you, L," he said. No matter what might''ve happened between them, he was determined to take responsibility. Putting the nightgown on, A pursed her lips, and said, "Lucas,st night was an ident, okay? Let''s just forget that it ever happened." It took Lucas by surprise that she was still able to maintain herposure after something like that happened. "No, I''m not an irresponsible man.L, no matter what I did to you, I''ll take responsibility for it.I promise I''ll do anything you ask of me." He looked at her clear eyes with a trace of confusion. Was he mistaken? He believed that a faithful woman like A would also give her heart to him the moment she gave her body. Looking back at him, she said, "Something had already happened between us, and it was out of my willingness even if I was drunk.So, I''m not gonna let you ruin yourself because of me." In all honesty, A couldn''t remember what had happenedst night. Although she was hammered, she only felt a splitting headache, but no soreness in her body. She was puzzled but she believed that Lucas wouldn''t lie to her and joke about something this serious. He gazed into her eyes and asked, "What do you think of me?" Based on the look on his face, it was clear that he was a bit angry. He was mad because she didn''t seem to care about it at all.He was a man and he was more than willing to take responsibility for the woman he loved. Sadly, he was wrong.He was gravely mistaken. A wasn''t as weak and softhearted as he had led himself to believe. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. A watched as Lucas stormed out of her room wearing nothing but a night robe. Did she do something wrong? She just didn''t want what happenedst night to hinder him from anything. When A went to Lucas'' room, she noticed that he was standing by the window, smoking unhappily. "Lucas," she called out softly. However, Lucas didn''t even cast her a nce. "Do you really want to be responsible for me?" A asked in a low voice. If she was being honest, she was now feeling ufortable. She sped her hands together, subconsciously shaking them. Lucas just looked back at her, not saying anything, and proceeding with his cigarette. Taking a few steps forward, she said, "If you want to be responsible for me, then don''t be mad at me, okay? It''s all my fault.I shouldn''t have put you on the friend zone.I shouldn''t have failed to see how you felt for me." A''s words finally reached Lucas'' heart. He looked at her and listened, waiting for her to continue. "Lucas, I''m not aplete woman, so if someday, you meet a woman that deserves your love, you can tell me about her and I won''t have any objections," she said. In all honesty, she wasn''t sure if she could love him, let alone apany him for the rest of his life. Lucas flicked the cigarette butt away, looking at the uncertainty in her eyes. "Believe me, you''re the only woman I will ever love." If A was willing to ept him, it would only make him love her more. Although his way of doing things was a bit despicable, he really didn''t want to give up on her. A opened her arms, cing them around his waist, and buried her face in his chest. She was worried that he might regret it, and that she might regret it herself. But now, Lucas was the only one she could rely on! In that case, she must ept him as her support system for the rest of her life! Lucas kissed her forehead. "L, you should trust me and yourself.Besides, you have the right to love if you want to." As she sat on the balcony, A felt overwhelmed by the sudden change with her rtionship to Lucas. Wearing a light casual suit, he came in and said, "Let''s go, L! I''m taking you somewhere." He then took her hand and led her out. Not long after, A sat in his car and Lucas drove her to an unfamiliar street.Before she had the chance to react, he had already taken her into a jewelry store. "Lucas?" She looked up at him. They had only agreed to be a couple this morning, but he was already buying her a ring? "What do you think? Which one do you like the most?" Ignoring how surprised A was, Lucas dragged her to the diamond ring counter. "Are we really buying one of those?" She looked at the rows of rings; all of them looked expensive. In all honesty, she wasn''t prepared for any of this! "Of course, I brought enough money with me, so you can rest assured that we can afford even the most expensive one.I want to give you only the best.This is just one of the things I can give you, and I hope you''re willing to ept it." Lucas wanted to give A the best and most expensive diamond ring in the store.She looked around, but she didn''t pick any of them. So instead, he asked the sales clerk to take out their most exquisite ring avable. "L, what about this one? Do you like it?" Then, he put the ring on her finger.It was so beautiful on her hand that he didn''t want to remove it. "This is too expensive! And I don''t like wearing such a big diamond ring.I''m scared of being mugged." If she was being honest, A never liked luxurious things. Besides, she never liked wearing anything expensive because she didn''t think they were suitable for her. After that, Lucas allowed her to choose again. "Well, you can go ahead and choose whichever you like." A was the one who would be wearing the ring, so it was up to her. As long as she liked it, he wasn''t going to object. After a long time, she finally chose a in silver ring. "Are you saving money for me L?" Lucas thought that she shouldn''t have chosen such a cheap ring. He wanted her to wear only the best.He also hoped that she could be the happiest bride in the world, and that she could be his beloved wife. Raising her slender hand, A said, "It''s just the right size.Will you refuse the one I picked?" She noticed how surprised Lucas was, but she was satisfied with the ring. As long as they loved each other, they didn''t need such expensive material objects. Now that she had chosen a ring, he paid for it without any objection.After that, they walked out of the shop, hand-in-hand. Chapter 104: Lucky To Be Loved Chapter 104: Lucky To Be Loved Lucas held A''s hand as they strolled through the street together. Looking at him, she wondered, ''Is this how we''re going to be from now on?'' After more than two years, she knew how much he had done for her. Meanwhile, Anna was standing not far away, watching them.It turned out that A was now with another man. No wonder she managed to stay in Mn for two years without feeling hurt. "Miss Woodsen, you are so charming! This man is so smitten with you he even followed you to Italy.Outstanding!" Anna nced at their hands. For some reason, she felt a bit jealous. Wherever A went, she was happy. Meanwhile, Anna had been with Brian for two years, but he had never been intimate with her again other than the time he was drunkst time. He had kept her at arm''s length all this time. Looking at Anna, Lucas replied, "L is my fiancee.Please mind your manners." Naturally, he knew that the reason she said that was because of A''s past rtionship with Brian. "Fiancee?"Anna sneered. "So, are you aware that your fiancee ising back to A City?" "Of course, I do.If L wants to go back, I''ll go back with her.You don''t need to worry about such things." Lucas hadn''t mentioned to A that he wasing back with her. Anna looked at her and said, "I guess you really do have a new man now.Is this why you were so blunt with me? You just didn''t want your fiance to have any problems with Mr.rk?" "Indeed! I''m very happy now, so you don''t have to worry that I''ll do something to get Brian back." A held onto Lucas'' arm. "That''s great! You better keep your word.Well, now that you have someone to apany you on your way back, you can choose whether you want toe back with me or not." Anna said that because she didn''t want to see her acting sweet during the flight home. Looking at her, A replied, "I''ll go to Antawood on time.And when the matter is over, I''ll return to Italy." After all, every beginning had an end. She was on her own at the beginning, and she would be on her own until the end. Once Anna had left, A let go of Lucas'' arm and asked, "You''re going back, too? But what about your work?" "Don''t worry! I can deal with my work too when I am in A City." Lucas would be very worried if he wasn''t with her. As Brian sat in his office, he received a call from Anna. She mentioned that the new designer of Starlight was arriving one or two days after she came back. Fortunately, he didn''t ask to see Miss Wenny, so Anna was relieved. The truth was, A would being back on the same ne with her. "Brian, will you pick me up at the airport tomorrow?" What she really wanted was for A to see how intimate she was with Brian. "Okay.Send your flight schedule to my phone.I''ll be there on time tomorrow," Brian answered. In the past few days, the familiar woman that he saw on the streets of Mn that night repeatedly crossed his mind. Maybe Anna was right that A might really be dead. There had been no news regarding her for over two years. However, there was still a glimmer of hope residing in his heart, and he couldn''t bring himself to give up, nor forget about her. "Brian." For a moment, Anna hesitated to speak her mind. The man she loved deeply had another woman in his heart.How could she tell him that A was still alive? Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. "What''s the matter?" Upon noticing her hesitation, Brian wondered if something noteworthy had happened to her in Italy. "Anna, did something happen?" Taking a deep breath, she replied, "Nothing.Go to bed early! I''m hanging up." Anna pursed her lips, bearing an indescribable pain in her heart. Loving someone also meant that you had to get hurt. And being loved was a fortune. However, she was the one who loved. The flightsted for more than ten hours, but A never closed her eyes once.She felt both uneasy and hopeful. Lucas held her hand, feeling the cold ring on his palm. "Are you worried about meeting him?" She then turned to look at him and shook her head. "There''s nothing to worry about.Even if we do meet, it only means that it''s destiny." A wasn''t the same person she used to be two years ago. Her debt to Brian had been paid off two years ago.She didn''t need to make any concessions for the sake of the Woodsen family. "I''m d that''s how you see it," Lucas said,bing back her hair. "It will take several hours before we get there.Don''t you want to get some rest first?" Shaking her head, A said, "I''m afraid of getting airsick."" Two years ago, when he took her to Italy, she suffered a rpse of her illness while she was on the ne, and it scared him. A almost lost consciousness during the flight.And when she finally got off the ne, she vomited a lot. Neither of them said anything more.He just held her in his arms. As long as she was willing to ept him, he was willing to do anything to make her happy. By the time the nended in Antawood''s international airport, it was already eleven in the evening. Looking at A''s pale face, Lucas asked, "Are you feeling unwell?" "No, this is nothing." A waved her hand in dismissal, weakly leaning into his arms. Lucas embraced her before they got off the ne. A raised her head and looked not far away. Anna was running towards a man standing at the side. This certain man in ck always stood out from the crowd, just like he did two years ago. A stopped and watched as Brian took the small suitcase from Anna''s hand, and then the two of them walked out of the airport hall side by side. "Let''s go!" A said to Lucas after being lost in a trance for a while. Perhaps she only gathered enough courage to leave the airport after they had gone far away. Meanwhile, Anna got into Brian''s car and said, "Brian, let''s get something to eat first, shall we?" She didn''t want to eat the food on the ne. "Would you like to go to your favorite restaurant?" After saying that, he focused on driving. "Sure." Anna nodded. As long as she was with him, it didn''t matter what she would eat. On the other hand, A and Lucas hailed a taxi and went downtown together. Yareli got her an apartment near the office building so that it would be convenient for her. Lucas wouldn''t allow her to live alone, so he got an apartment right across hers. "So, now that you''re back, do you feel anything special?" he asked A, who had been looking out the window. A shook her head. "No matter where I go, I will always be alone.I don''t have any rtives.I guess I''ve gotten used to the life in Italy." Because she didn''t like spacious houses, Yareli didn''t get her a big one, but she had everything she needed. "Ms.Evans thinks highly of you, and that''s why you''re willing to go back to Italy, right?" When he saw that the apartment had everything she might need, Lucas felt relieved. "Ms.Evans has been very kind to me.Nobody would even consider assigning such an important cooperation project to a non-professional neer like me." Naturally, A was under a lot of pressure, but she wasn''t afraid.She tried her best to bear that burden alone. "You should have more confidence in yourself.You''ve spent all your time on learning how to design clothes in the past''two years." Lucas was capable of supporting A and providing her with afortable life, but she chose to be independent and she did whatever she wanted to. In the past two years, she had designed numerous clothes and shoes. Originally, it was just a hobby, but it eventually became her career. After Lucas helped her unpack her luggage, A leaned against the sofa to rest. He didn''t go back to his own apartment until she was asleep. As he stood in front of the French window, looking at the scenic night view, he felt a bit uneasy. There was a cigarette between his fingers.Tatum had probably found out that he had returned.What kind of predicament would he get himself into next? Chapter 105: Would You Still Love Her If She Came Back To You Chapter 105: Would You Still Love Her If She Came Back To You Lucas heard his phone ringing.It waste and there was only one person who would call him at this time.He answered the phone warily. "Father." "Have you returned to Antawood?" Tatum asked without preamble. He had asked Lucas to go to Thand but thetter had refused. This time, he wanted to get done with solving the Brian issue now that Lucas had returned. "Yes, I just arrived today." Lucas knew that he couldn''t hide this fact.He had tried his best to hide A from Tatum for two years. But maybe he couldn''t do it anymore. Lucas wondered what Tatum would do to A once he knew the truth. Tatum had used her once.He might do it again. "How long will you be in Antawood this time? I shouldn''t have to remind you of the issue each time.Do you want to insult the memory of your deceased parents by losing the Collins Group that rightfully belongs to you?" Tatum had been feeding Lucas such ideas since Lucas'' childhood. That was also why Lucas hated Brian. All Lucas had wanted was to get close to Brian by using A and kill him. But before that could happen, he had developed a huge crush on A.He hadn''t taken revenge for his family yet. And if A were to know why he had approached her, she might hate him. But he didn''t regret it. When he began trying to put a ring on her finger, he had considered everything that might happen in the future and had plotted his n out. "I know that, Father.I will never forget it," Lucas said, nodding. "Good.Brian''s men are watching me.So I hope you will handle this as soon as possible," Tatum reminded him. Tatum''s TH Gang had suffered a heavy blow because of Brian. If it hadn''t been for the fact that Brian had quitted the drug transactions over the past two years, Tatum wouldn''t have had the chance to get back into this business again. But Tatum was too eager for money. He had forgotten the simple fact that the higher he climbed, the heavier the fall would be. And Brian would not let him get away with this. Tatum had shot A, and Brian considered this unforgivable. "I see." Lucas hadn''t taken any action yet because of A. He knew that if he took Brian down, A would definitely leave him.And he couldn''t imagine his life without her. Over the past two years, Lucas had tried his best to do what Tatum had asked of him. He would get whatever Tatum wanted, no questions asked.He knew that these illegal transactions would put him in a soup, but he did not care. "I''m not forcing you, Lucas.You shouldn''t forget what you''ve been working towards all these years," Tatum said. But that was exactly what Tatum had done.He had forced Lucas into a corner, step by step. Lucas had been smoking the whole night. He looked out of the window, realizing with a wrench of his gut that Antawood, which was once his hometown, was now something he despised. But he couldn''t leave this ce. If his father hadn''t told him everything before he had passed away, he might not have suffered so much. Lucas had still been a helpless child at the time, being made to watch as several men raped his mother while his father, a heart patient, was admitted to the hospital. Before his father had died, he had asked Lucas to take revenge. The opportunity presented itself to him when Tatum had approached Lucas with a proposition for revenge. Lucas had been too young to understand what hatred meant to him.He had merely nodded his head in confusion. Tatum had then taken him to Thand and put him through a rigorous, harsh training routine. He had made Lucas stronger and taught him everything he needed to exact his revenge. Brian drove Anna back to the vi. "Where are you going?" Anna asked as she watched Brian turn around the moment they entered the living room. "I''m going out for a walk.You should go to bed early," Brian said. He just wanted to go to the backyard. As he stood by the wooden tombstone that A had built, Brian''s heart ached. He recalled that A had gone crazy living here and had tried tomit suicide, and that Brian had forcefully kept her alive.But she had disappeared in the end. He was the reason behind it all. Would he ever get the chance to make it up to her? Anna followed him out and saw him standing there, still as a statue. The only light in the dim corner of the backyard was the cigarette flickering between his fingers. "Are you still thinking about her?" she asked, walking up to him. Brian didn''t say anything.Instead, he took a drag from his cigarette. To him, it didn''t matter if he thought about A or not. "If she is still alive, will you still love her?" Anna had to know, although she didn''t really want to hear him say yes. She was the only one who knew that A had returned on the same flight tonight. "I won''t answer your hypothetical questions," Brian said, throwing her a withering look as he put out the cigarette. Brian and A''s marriage had only been signed on, but hadn''t been registered. But in his heart, A had be his legitimate wife. "I know.It has been two years.Even if A is alive, she might be with another man, or she might have forgotten everything that happened here," Anna said. She thought that the intimacy between A and Lucas was real. But if Brian knew that A was still alive, and he still loved her, he would put all his efforts in getting her back. He turned around and said, "We need to stop talking about her.Let''s go." He shook off all his thoughts as he strode furiously back to the house. Anna hurried after him, wrapping her arms around his waist from behind as she caught up to him. "Brian, please don''t think about her." If Brian made a conscious effort to not think about A, he would eventually forget about her. He turned his head to look at Anna and asked, "Why do you have to act like this, Anna?" He pulled away from her and went up to the room. Anna followed him in. "You go to the backyard frequently, don''t you?" She could tell that Brian had an inexplicable pull towards the backyard. He couldn''t forget A and the child they once had.So wouldn''t it be good for Anna to make up for the loss? "Go back to your room," Brian said shortly. He didn''t want to answer her question. All he wanted was to stop thinking about it. But in the past two years, he had always dreamed of a bloody, disheveled A appearing before him for just an instant before disappearing yet again. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. "Do you remember this ring, Brian?" Anna asked, walking up to him. She didn''t take off the ring from her hand, but Brian did. Because Anna _ took their rtionship seriously. "You know that, Anna.I let you go at the time," he said, looking pained. He knew that Anna wouldn''t be happy if she chose to be with him.She would never be happy. "But I didn''t agree.My happiness is all about you.A kiss from you is more important than everything that another man can offer," Anna said. Brian looked at her. "Anna, I..." He couldn''t do this.He couldn''t give her anything, not even a kiss. "Just give me one chance.You feel guilty for losing your child with A, don''t you?" she pressed again, carefully sitting down beside him. Child? Yes! He had abandoned his own child! And now, Anna had brought up a subject that seemed to close Brian up. "I don''t need a child!" Brian said coldly. "No! You do! Or you wouldn''t keep going to the backyard," she said simply. Anna knew Brian best, having worked for him all these years. "Anna! You don''t understand. You will never understand." Brian shook his head and looked at ner "I understand everything.I won''t force you to marry me.I just want to be with you and have a child.Is that too much to ask?" Anna was being truthful in this moment. She could give up everything just to be with .She had always known that Brian would not give her the love she desired. But she had still gone and fallen in love with him. Chapter 106: Lets Have A Baby Chapter 106: Let''s Have A Baby "Anna, stop kidding around.This is no fun," Brian chastised her. He looked intently at the woman beside him, wondering how it all came to be. But there were certain things in life that one couldn''t back out from once it happened. He couldn''t change the fact that he had a sexual rtionship with Anna in the past, nor could he change the fact that he fell in love with A. Brian''s silent thoughts were interrupted by Anna''s outright admission, "I''m not kidding.I want us to have a child.I''m begging you." No sign of shame could be seen from her demeanor. Setting her dignity and pride aside, her love for this incredible man made her braver and more vocal than she ever was. Brian looked at her incredulously and eximed, "You will regret it!" Before he could say anything more, she pulled him in for a deep slow kiss. ¡®''I wouldn''t regret carrying the child of the man I love the most, ¡®'' her heart spoke over her mind. Brian just let her kiss his lips with much intensity. Straddling his waist, her slender arms circled around his neck to deepen the kiss. She had to admit that her past job as a bartender made her knowledgeable when it came to pleasing a man.She had always been the one who took the initiative in her rtionship with Brian. He stopped in the middle of the kiss to caress her cheeks. "What a silly woman you are, Anna," he whispered. "I may be silly but I love you," she replied with a radiant smile on her face. At that moment, nothing could stop her from surrendering herself to the man who captured her heart. After their passionate lovemaking, Anna leaned against his broad chest as she evened out her breathing. "Brian, no matter what happens in the future, I will always love you," she said to him with utmost sincerity. If Brian knew that she had already seen A and she chose not to tell him, he would certainly hate her. Having a child with him was the key. With a child binding the two of them together as one family, she was hopeful that he would still be with her in the future. This n might sound like she was taking advantage of the baby to make him stay, but she didn''t want to take any chances at losing Brian. He remained quiet despite Anna''s heartfelt words. Instead, he held her tightly in his arms. This woman had done so much for him and he already owed her countless things for that reason. It was already dawn when A woke up. Slowly, she walked towards the window and watched as the first light of day illuminated the sky. Down the road, there was already a steady stream of carsing and going. After two long years, she finally came back. As she took in her surroundings, it urred to her that everything changed as much as she did. ''My love, my heart, my unborn child" She couldn''t help but think of how these things from her past almost drove her to the brink of hell. It took her a while to realize that everything was real. She would have to live here for a period of time until she finished the project. A''s work wouldn''t start until tomorrow so she had the rest of the day for herself. Across her apartment was an impressive skyscraper that housed her would- be office. Her musings were interrupted when the doorbell rang, signaling the presence of a visitor. As she peered into the peephole, she saw Lucas standing outside the door carrying a bag in his hands. "Lucas, what brought you here so early?" she asked curiously, as she opened the door to let him in. "I want to make sure you wouldn''t starve yourself.That''s why I brought you something to eat," he informed her pointedly. "You''d have stomachache if you won''t eat breakfast.If you''d start your new life here in poor health, what would be of you in the future?" Lucas continued on his tirade. As he set the food onto the table in front of her, A stared at him and she could see the concern etched on his face. He''d always looked after her and she would be thankful for that forever. "I know and thanks for reminding me.I will take good care of myself," A replied gently, an easy smile apparent on her face. She would cook for herself more if she wanted to stay healthy. "L, will you help me prepare the food? I really enjoy your cooking," Lucas grinned. He was excited to share breakfast with her. "Of course!" A agreed happily. She was touched that Lucas liked her food well enough to ask for it, although it was just simple home cooking.She remembered how Brian picked on everything she cooked, as if she couldn''t do anything right. ''Or maybe he just hated my presence so much he couldn''t stand it" she thought negatively. Shaking her head, she reminded herself not to dwell on such ugly thoughts. "L, I have some errands that I need to deal with today.Would you be fine with staying here alone?" Lucas asked her. She wouldn''t want to get in his way so she replied, "Sure, no problem." A stuffed her mouth with the delicious fried dumplings that Lucas brought.She nodded vigorously with her eyes closed as she relished every tasty bite. Once done, she gulped the refreshing soybean milk and eximed, "I haven''t eaten such a delicious breakfast in a long time!" "I''ll buy it for you every day," he assured her. It was a joy watching her eat heartily. "You know I''m not a picky eater.I''ll eat whatever you buy," A said as she wiped her mouth. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. She didn''t have much appetite that morning that was why she only ate a few dumplings.Despite that, she felt as if her stomach would burst already. "I will go to the supermarket to buy groceries today.I like the idea that we''d always have meals at home," A informed him as she took more sips of her soybean milk. Lucas stilled upon hearing the word "home" from her. That touched him immensely and he took it as a sign that she was beginning to ept his love. Not wanting to spoil the moment, he cleared his throat and offered, "I''ll drive you there." "No, that''s okay.The supermarket isn''t far from here.Don''t you have things to deal with?" A''s apartment was situated at the best location in the city. She''d have to thank Yareli for that.Ms.Evans had always treated her well and made sure she would be at ease. A tidied up the breakfast table after Lucas left for his errands. Once everything was spotless in the room, she grabbed her bag and headed downstairs. Much to her surprise, she came across Anna at the lobby. She was utterly speechless for a few seconds as she never imagined this would happen. "Miss Anna, what brings you here?" A managed to ask despite the shock she felt. Her keen eyes didn''t fail to notice how the woman looked at that moment. Knowing A would be sorely affected, Anna continued to pretend that she was pulling on her clothes and trying to put them back in ce. "Brian always acts like this.It''s embarrassing," she even stated for added effect. Hearing those words and understanding what they implied hurt her to the core. "Is that why you are here?" A asked to divert the topic. She decided to turn a blind eye to what she was seeing, although she was still heartbroken over Brian''s devotion to Anna. "I''m here because I wanted to check if you''re free today.I can take you to your office and give you a little tour," Anna informed her. A considered it for a moment. Since her office was far away from the rk Group''s building, there would be no chance for her to run into Brian unexpectedly. "Sure, I''m free today.We can go now," she agreed. "Alright, then. Let''s go!" Anna eagerly walked ahead while A trailed closely behind. "I''ll call you Wenny from now on.You''re no longer A, right?" Anna asked. She cocked her head and raised her left brow, as if daring A to disagree. Frankly, A didn''t care whether she was Wenny or A.She had been Wenny to others for two years, but Lucas still called her L. However, it would be wise to remain as Wenny from now on if she didn''t want Brian to discover her identity. "Yes, I''m just Wenny now," A simply said, not wanting to prolong the conversation. When they reached the building, the two women entered the elevator at the same time. The office was located at the eighth floor. Upon entering the room, A instantly liked her office. Despite being smali, it had all of the equipment and materials she needed. ''I couldn''t ask for more ¡®'' she sighed contentedly. "What do you think? Does it suit your liking? If there''s more I can help you with, don''t hesitate to call me," Anna assured her, while handing her a business card. It wasn''t necessary but she wanted to show off to A that she was the executive assistant to the CEO of the rk Group, the one who was closest to Brian. Not wanting toe off as rude, A epted the card and tucked it away. "I think this space is good enough for me," she said lightly. Anna nodded. "That''s good.You will work here starting tomorrow.Here''s the key card.I won''te here often so just send your design draft to my e-mail." As much as possible, she wanted to cut off all the chances for A and Brian to meet. "Don''t worry about me.You''re already his fiancee.What we had was in the past and I have no ns of getting in between you two," A finally addressed the elephant in the room. Still, Anna couldn''t shake off the uneasy feeling because she could already guess what would happen if they crossed paths. Sensing the rising tension between them, Anna decided to get up and leave the room. Meanwhile, A stayed behind, still relishing the good feeling she had in this office.She didn''t leave untilter that day.She took in the surroundings while walking down the pavement of this bustling metropolis. It was incredible to think of how the city developed rapidly. There were towering buildings left and right and the roads were packed with countless cars. As A headed towards the direction of the supermarket, a speeding car appeared out of nowhere and almost hit her by a hair. Shocked and terrified, her knees gave out and she fell to the ground. The shiny ck limousine stopped almost immediately. The driver rushed over to her, his face full of worry. "Miss, are you okay? Did you get hurt?" he asked frantically, while looking over to her for any possible injury. "What''s going on here?" a deep baritone voice reverberated in the background. At that moment, the city noise became muted and A could only focus on that familiar voice. She angled her head towards its direction and raised her eyes to see the man from the back seat. When their eyes met, an immediate shock registered on both of their faces. Chapter 107: All He Wanted Was A Home Chapter 107: All He Wanted Was A Home A stood up, her gaze not leaving the middle-aged man before her.She was stunned into speechlessness. "You''re A, aren''t you?" Hayden was excited, surprised, and disbelieving at the same time. "Yes, I am." A hadn''t expected to meet Hayden on the next day after she returned. "Hello, Mr.Smith," she said politely. Hayden hadn''t expected to see her again. It had been more than two years, and he had thought that something bad had happened to A. "So you are still alive," he said, his voice joyful. A nodded.She had only met Hayden a few times and they weren''t that familiar with each other.But the way Hayden looked at her confused her to no end. "Are you free now? Can I buy you a cup of tea?" he asked, looking at her with hopeful eyes. A looked at her watch before nodding and saying, "Okay." ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. She couldn''t refuse his polite invitation.To her, so far at least, Hayden was a good man. They got into the car and Hayden mentioned the address of a nearby tea bar to his driver.it wasn''t long before they were seated at a table. "What kind of tea do you want to drink?" he asked. "Green tea, please," she said mildly. Hayden turned to the waiter and said, "Two cups of green tea." Once the waiter had left, he turned to A, the question shooting out of him. "Where have you been these past two years? I was very worried when I heard that you had an ident." "I was in Italy, Mr.Smith.I had a good and peaceful life there," she said honestly. "That''s good." What could be better than her being alive? Hayden had never thought he would meet A again. "You look much older," A observed as she looked at him. In just two years, more than half of Hayden''s hair had turned white, which made him look older than his actual age. He nodded, "Yes.I''m getting old and I''m not in good health.So my hair turns white very quickly." Saying thus, he sighed. "Mr.Smith, you have a heart problem.You need to rest more," A said, mildly berating the man. A and her adoptive father, yton, didn''t get along well and almost never spoke to each other. However, A could carry a conversation with Hayden, even though they weren''t very familiar with each other either. "I''ll call you L from now on, okay? Don''t call me Mr.Smith.If you don''t mind, just call me Uncle Hayden," Hayden said to her earnestly. "Uncle Hayden," said A, awkwardly testing out the new title. Hayden nodded, smiling, "Okay, okay. That''s good enough for now." He was so excited, it was all he could do to control himself from bursting into tears. Hayden''s driver hurried over to them when they didn''t emerge for a long time. "Mr.Smith, the doctor called again and asked when you will be there." "Let them wait." Hayden had been making his way out to go to the hospital for a physical examination when he had met A.But now, everything else seemed trivial and unimportant. Looking at his pale face, A said, "Mr.Smith." "What?" Hayden said, pulling a long face at the reverted name. "Okay, Uncle Hayden.You''d better go to the hospital.We can talk another day," she said with a slightly amused smile. Hayden nodded. "Okay.Will you be staying in Antawood?" This was a question he was very concerned about the answer for. "I came back for work, but I may be here for a long time," A said. "That''s good.Where are you going now? Let me drive you there," he said, getting to his feet. A shook her head. "No, thanks.I just need to visit the supermarket across the street." They exited the tea bar together and A didn''t make her way across to the supermarket until Hayden''s car turned theer. When Lucas came home from work at noon, he saw A cooking busily in the kitchen in a pink apron. "Why did you cook so many dishes, L?" he asked, sniffing at the air full of the aroma of delicious food. "I haven''t cooked in a long time.I don''t have anything to do today, so I''m thinking I''ll prepare more.Especially since I''ll be busy from tomorrow," she said. She pulled out a pot of soup as she spoke. Lucas slid a hand around her waist as he said, "I''m so lucky to have you." He kissed her on the cheek and released her to pick up his chopsticks. "I smell of oil and smoke.You go sit at the table.I''ll freshen up and be out soon," she said, turning her head away from her as he made to kiss her again. Later, when they were seated across from each other at the table, Lucas said to her, "L, you should eat more.You didn''t eat anything the whole of yesterday." Thus berating her, he piled up some food for her on a te. A remained silent for a minute before asking, "Are you busy this afternoon, Lucas?" She looked at him intently. "I''m free.Where do you want to go?" he said. She shook her head. "I just want to go out and look around the city." There was a hint of sorrow in her voice. "Okay, I''ll drive you there.Wherever you want to go, I''ll be with you." Lucas knew that A''s feelings towards Antawood wereplicated. It didn''t matter if these feelings were good or bad. She would always harbor them. He finished eating ail the food, thinking appreciatively of A''s cooking skills.His memory of home had been distant. Only A had been able to make him feel what home was like.He wanted this feeling for the rest of his ie. After lunch, A did the dishes in the kitchen as Lucas prepared a fruit bowl. They worked around the kitchen in harmony, like a couple that had lived together for a long time. As they settled down onto the sofa, he handed her the bowl. She picked at the fruits before saying, "I want to go see the Woodsen family''s house this afternoon." "Okay.I''ll drive you there.But will you be okay if you go there?" When yton had sent A to Brian, the Woodsen family had lost everything, and yton had been forced to live on the streets for several years. The Woodsen family now had nothing but destion. A shook her head. "I just want to go there to look.You won''t understand the feeling of growing up in that ce alone." "Of course I do.How can I not understand? You know that I have been alone since I was a child." It was the first time Lucas had told her something like that. She had always thought that Lucas was from a rich family, because he always gave her the best. "Lucas," she whispered and then fell silent as she watched him. Long minutester, she finally asked the question she had been wanting to ask for a long time. "What''s your rtionship with Mr.Smith''s family?" "Uncle Hayden is a friend of my father, so we are on good terms." Lucas knew the rtionship that A and Toby shared, as well as the rtionship between the Smith family and her. "I see," she said, nodding. "Have you always lived with the Smith family? Ever since you were a child?" "I grew up in Thand," he said quietly. Those painful memories were now in the past. A took his hand but said nothing. It looked like they were more simr than she had expected. That was why Lucas was so kind to her. "I think we should go.Didn''t you say you wanted to have a look at the Woodsen family''s house? I''ll go with you," he said, standing up abruptly. Once A had changed into something better, they left the house together. Chapter 108: Deliberately Making Things Difficult For Her Chapter 108: Deliberately Making Things Difficult For Her A and Lucas looked around at the surroundings as they finally arrived in front of the gate of the Woodsen family''s vi.The door lock was already rusty and the beautiful garden had been surrounded by a lot of weeds, looking deste. "We can go inside if you like.Do you want toe?" Lucas looked at her and asked. "No.I can''t get in." She shook her head lightly and sighed. He held her hand and said, "Since you are here, why don''t wee inside and have a look? Besides, no one is here except us." A was about to react when she saw that Lucas already opened the rusty iron lock on the gate. "Lucas.¡± The man turned to her with a smile on his face. "Let''s go! Why? Don''t tell me you don''t want toe in and see what''s inside?" Lucas noticed the uncertainty in her eyes as she looked a little paler. So he added, "You don''t have to be afraid.I''m just here with you.Okay?" While holding their hands together, A started to walk slowly on the te road. This ce was so familiar to her. Three years had only passed, but this ce already changed a lot. While walking slowly, Lucas encircled his arms around her waist tightly.Then he asked, "What do you think, L? Did this ce feel familiar to you? If you want, I can buy this vi." This ce was like her home. Even though her surname was Woodsen, she was also aware that she was not a real member of the Woodsen family. So in the future, Lucas could make this ce her real home. But A shook her head as a sign of disapproval and said, "No, you don''t have to do that.Besides, it doesn''t belong to me.I won''t stay in Antawood forever.The day wille and I will leave this ce." "L, you have to remember that your home is where I am.I will give you aplete and happy family.Trust me." Lucas stared at her intently as he promised to her. He was willing to give her everything she wanted, as long as it would make her happy. A heaved a sigh and modded.She had no hope anymore.She used to live here before. However, this ce was no longer the home where she used to live three years ago. They just walked around the vi and satisfied themselves with the view before they decided to leave. In the car, Lucas looked at A discreetly and asked, "Are you tired?" "No, I''m good.Can we stop over here? Let''s go for a walk!" Tiredness always overpowered her whenever she was alone. However, her visit to the vi of the Woodsen family had made her feel eased and more rxed. A felt peaceful as she walked at the riverside. The cold breeze of the night wind touched her skin and made her feelfortable. She took a deep breath and asked, "Lucas, since you''re already back, have you thought about seeing Molly?" Now that he was here, he should go and visit her. Besides, he and the Smith family had always been on good terms. "How about you, L? Do you want to see them?" Probably, many people had thought that A had already died two years ago, so she didn''t have any n to see Molly.She just shook her head and spoke in a low voice. "I don''t want to see anyone." A didn''t even dare to visit Toby. She was afraid that Toby and Molly would feel bad for her sudden appearance.She didn''t have to show herself. Lucas heard her say that she didn''t want to see anyone, but he thought about telling her the situation of Toby and Molly if he would go and see them. Lucas also believed that A only treated Toby as her brother now. For Lucas, it didn''t matter to him now how much Toby loved A because he knew that A didn''t love Toby anymore. Though A and Toby grew up together, that was all. A started to work.She was alone as she sat inside the office. Anna hired an office clerk who was a fresh graduate as A''s assistant. It meant that the assistant couldn''t help A a lot but only in collecting documents and organizing materials. "From now on, Ellie, you will work here with Miss Wenny.You should do your best and follow whatever Miss Wenny asks you to do, understood?" Anna instructed the new employee, Ellie. "Okay, Miss Anna.No worries," Ellie said and nodded.Anna turned to A and asked, "What do you think, Wenny? If you can''t handle it and you need help, you can ask me to arrange a designer assistant for you?" Anna smiled as she pretended to be kind. Anna indeed never thought that it was improper to let Linda rece A to work in Antawood. That was why she intentionally distressed A and made things difficult for her. A didn''t bother herself about it at all. She was only working here temporarily anyway.She never intended to seek anyone''s help when she decided toe.She was always relying on herself. "No.it''s ok," she said indifferently. She had to work hard because twenty new arrivals would beunched in the next season.She knew that she had been running out of time alone. Anna just stared at her indifferent face. "Well, that''s good.Just don''t forget that you are the one who just said that you don''t need a designer assistant.I don''t want you to say anything about me being harsh on you to Ms.Evans when you return to Mn." "You don''t have to worry.I''m not that kind of person.If you don''t mind, Miss Anna.Do you have anything else to say? If none, I''ll start working." A always liked it when it was quiet here, so she asked Anna to leave her office. Although the room was a little small, it didn''t bother her at all because it was just enough for her to work here alone. Besides, no one would disturb her here. There was also a French window with a panoramic view. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. That was enough for her to feel happy and be inspired at the same time. A couldn''t just let her new assistant only stand by and do nothing. So, she asked her to arrange the documents in order while she started to work on the design draft. Lucas decided to meet Molly so he scheduled an appointment with her in a cafe. "Hi, Lucas." Molly walked inside the coffee shop while wearing a white business suit. "It''s been two years since I saw you.You look more mature now." Lucas looked at the woman in front of him. Molly used to be an unruly and willful daughter of the Smith family.But now, things had changed and she became a workce woman. It turned out that love could really change a person. "You''re getting more handsome day by day," Molly said with a smile. Then they ordered their coffee. "Molly, haven''t you been thinking about having a baby? Within the past two years, all you did was working." Lucas had assumed that after more than two years, Molly was already a mother and had her own baby. Molly''s face darkened when she heard Lucas'' question. "I want a baby, but I never got pregnant." "Have you already gone to a doctor and have a check- up?" Hayden had his only daughter, Molly.He would certainly want a grandson by now.He needed an heir to inherit everything in the family in the future. Molly nodded and looked at Lucas. "Yes, I did it.Only to find out that I didn''t have a conception problem.I can only let the nature take its course," she said. She really wanted to have her own baby, but Toby seemed not in a hurry. In the past two years, all his time and energy were only spent on work. He had also the time for the confrontation with Brian. Even though Toby wasn''t saying anything about it, Molly knew that he was doing all of these for A. Molly always thought that A was already dead, so she didn''t care if there was another woman in her man''s heart. What mattered now was, Toby only had her as his woman and his wife. "So, how''s Toby now? Is he doing well?" Lucas looked at Molly as he asked those questions for A. "I think some things never change.What can I do? He still loves A.What? I would pretend that I don''t know?" Molly had never opened up and talked about Toby to anyone else except her parents. And now, she had told it to the third person, which was Lucas. She was a proud woman and wanted strangers to think that she and Toby had always been a perfect couple. However, she used to keep the things in her heart that she didn''t want to talk about. Not only could she not say them out loud, she also had no one to talk to. Chapter 109: Dissatisfaction With Wenny Chapter 109: Dissatisfaction With Wenny Lucas stirred his coffee as he looked at Molly. "If you want to live in peace, you need to overwhelm Toby with love. Do you understand?" Loving someone constituted more than just being nice to each other. It involved sacrifices andmitments that wouldst a lifetime. "Lucas, do you still think about A? Are you still in love with her?" She knew that Lucas had fallen in love with A two years ago. When A had disappeared, he had also mysteriously disappeared. He only reappeared recently. Lucas nodded, "Yes! Very much so!" His tone betrayed helplessness. He would never stop loving her. "Lucas, have you been searching for her over the past two years?" She couldn''tprehend how he could possibly love someone who always gave him a cold shoulder. "Let''s change the topic.When you are free, let''s invite Toby to join us for dinner," Lucas said, sipping his coffee. "Okay, I''ll get back to you on that," Molly said with a smile. "I''m attending a dinner party with him this evening." After leaving the cafe, Lucas headed for the office building where A was working. Brian had neglected the drug business in the past two years and this gave Tatum a chance to revive his business. It was obvious that Brian''s only objective now was to defeat Tatum. Lucas had warned Tatum many a time not to be reckless, but he was ruled by his greed and risked everything. Seated in her office, A was concentrating so deeply on her painting that she lost track of time. Ellie, who was a responsible assistant, just waited in silence for instruction from her. Lucas entered with some coffee and tiramisu he had bought from the bakery. He noticed Ellie sitting at her own desk with a helpless, aggrieved expression on her face. Meanwhile, A, who was so engrossed in her work of art, was oblivious of the presence of both Ellie and Lucas. Ellie livened up at the sight of her savior. "Good evening, sir.What can I do for you?" It was only when Ellie addressed Lucas that A raised her head and greeted him. "Lucas." She looked at her watch. It was already seven o'' clock in the evening. "Ellie, you may leave now! You can leave at the end of your shift.You don''t need my permission." A felt a little embarrassed. Ellie nodded, took her bag and bid them goodbye as she left. sping her hand in his, Lucas sat on the sofa and remarked, "You''re so busy with your masterpiece that you forgot howte it is, didn''t you?" He should have thought of this. A nodded with embarrassment. "You know I have a deadline to meet." It was only when she saw the tiramisu in front of her that she realized how hungry she was. "Snack on a slice of cake first then I''ll take you out for a sumptuous dinner." Seeing A take a big bite of the tiramisu, Lucas smiled. "Eat it slowly.No one is going to grab it from you!" Lucas wiped her mouth with a tissue and asked, "Did you skip lunch?" A hesitated then said, "I have eaten." She had only nibbled. "Why do I find it so hard to believe you?" He handed her a cup as he sipped on his coffee. "Don''t stay up toote tonight!" "I won''t." When something was bothering her, she would not be able to sleep. At other times, she dozed off so easily. A packed away all the design drafts into the drawer.Then she left the office with Lucas.He draped his coat over her. "It''s a little chilly outdoors.What do you fancy for dinner?" "Let''s go home," she said. For her, Antawood was too small and she didn''t want to risk running into Brian. "Okay, let''s go home then." Hand in hand they walked towards the apartment building across the street.It was a real advantage to live close to one''s work ce. Besides, A liked to reach home in good time to cook. After leaving thepany, Brian drove back to the vi.Anna had gone home ahead of him to prepare dinner. Ever since she had made her desire to have a baby with him known to him, she had always gone home early and helped with dinner preparations. She wanted to prove to him that she could be the perfect Mrs.rk. "Brian, you''re home! Dinner is ready.Let''s tuck in." She took his briefcase and helped him with his coat. They enjoyed a quiet dinner. "Brian, have you been working overtime?" "Hmmm." Brian nodded. He was extremely busy these days, strategizing on how to destroy Tatum.He swore he would make Tatum rot in hell for what he had done to A. "Anna, is everything ready for the new designer, Wenny?" Brain asked after a long pause. Anna was taken aback. "Brian, why are you so concerned about Wenny?" She felt ill at ease. "What''s wrong? You seem to be dissatisfied with her." Brian looked her in the eye. She was always generous and supported women in business. "No, not at all! Wenny is a very capable person." Anna smiled faintly and uneasily.She was hostile to Wenny, because she was afraid of A taking Brian away. A was her biggest threat. "Really? Then why don''t you invite her out for dinner sometime?" Brian said casually. But his words jarred her and she dropped her chopsticks. Anna hurriedly picked them up and apologized, "I''m sorry.My hand just slipped." "What''s wrong? Is something bothering you?" Brian''s eyes tore into Anna. Anna shook her head. "No, it''s just that Wenny is so busy these days.I''ll ask her at a more convenient time." Why did he broach the topic of wanting to see Wenny? Was he getting suspicious? "Then forget it.If she is busy, we will contact her at ater date.I would imagine that she must be pretty busy with the next season''s fashion show." Brian continued to relish his meal. She was filled with a great sense of relief. Anna made coffee and took it to his study. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "Brian, a delicious cup of coffee for you." "Just put it there," he motioned, without raising his head. He was busy analyzing the information sent by Jaime. If he wanted topletely destroy Tatum then he needed to usurp all Tatum''s power globally.He must come up with a foolproof n. "Brian, why don''t you go to bed? It''ste now." Although they lived together, they rarely met or spoke.She wondered if it was the same case when A was there. Brian replied, "You can go ahead to bed.I still have some urgent work toplete." The truth was, over the past two years, he hadn''t totally given up on the drug business. He just observed Tatum''''scency.At the earliest opportunity, he would make him pay for the prices. Chapter 110: You Should Have Died Two Years Ago Chapter 110: You Should Have Died Two Years Ago Anna had no choice but to leave the study.She stood for a moment outside, leaning against the wall, taking deep breaths to center herself. Brian''s increasingly indifferent attitude towards her was making her more uneasy with each passing day. Brian never asked about the work that she was responsible for, but tonight he had offered to meet Wenny. If this happened, he would find out that Wenny was A, who he had waited and looked for two years. And if Brian as much as saw A, there would be no ce for Anna in his life. Only if Anna became pregnant with Brian''s child would she have the chance to be with him. Brian leaned back against the leather seat. Anna had acted strange tonight, which caused him to wonder if something had happened.She had always allowed him to dominate her, and had never raised an objection, no matter what he did. But ever since she had returned from Italy, her behavior had changed. He trusted her, which was why he didn''t restrain her too much.But he didn''t like women who would cross the line. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. A prepared soup and four dishes and called for Lucas. "It''s time for dinner.You must be hungry.Aren''t you?" "I''ll eat any number of dishes you cook," Lucas said, sitting down at the table. "I can have only one meal every day if I eat the food you cook every night!" "Okay, then you should eat all of this.We can''t waste food," A said, putting down a bowl of rice before him. "I don''t want to waste them," Lucas said, and practically inhaled the food. As she watched him eat with gusto, A remembered cooking for Brian, only for him to pick at the food. He hadn''t liked her cooking at all. And when things hade to a head, she couldn''t cook dinner for him anymore. Maybe that was a good thing. "L, why aren''t you eating? The food won''t taste as good when it gets cold," Lucas said, looking up as he realized that she wasn''t eating with him. She nodded. A ate slowly, but she didn''t find the food delicious, because she recalled what Anna had said to her in the studio today. A knew that she shouldn''t care, and that she should not pay so much heed to Anna''s words. Because even if she harbored all these feelings and thoughts and nursed a broken heart, she couldn''t speak about these things to anyone. The next day, Lucas received a call from Tatum, asking him to go to Thand. He couldn''t refuse because he knew that if he didn''t go, Tatum woulde to him.He would thene face to face with A, something that Lucas couldn''t imagine the consequences of. "I need to go out of town for a week. Are you okay with being alone?" Lucas said to A, worry etched on his face. "Don''t worry.I''m not a kid anymore.Besides, I''ll be busy with my work.Nothing will happen to me,"she said reassuringly. But Lucas didn''t believe her.He knew that once she began working, she would forget everything else, including eating. A dropped him off at the airport and went back to her office only after Lucas'' ne had taken off. She found Anna waiting at her office when she got there. "You don''t have toe to check on me every day, Miss Anna," she said shortly. "Really? If I hadn''te, I wouldn''t have found out that you were nning to skip work today," Anna retorted.She had found the flimsiest excuse and started to rip into A. A walked to her desk and sat down before looking Anna dead in the eye and saying, "You don''t have to remind me.I will finish my work on time." "That''s good," the other woman said and made her way out. But before she left, she turned around and asked, "You won''t meet Brian without telling me, will you?" "Why do you ask me this?" A asked, cocking her head to the side. She wanted to tell Anna that she didn''t have to remind her to stay away from Brian every single day.She was as far away from Brian as she could be.Wasn''t Anna satisfied to have A hiding here? "Because Brian suddenly proposed to invite you to dinnerst night." Brian had given up on the idea eventually, but Anna wasn''t sure if he wouldn''t bring it up again. A was surprised too. Although Brian liked to take control of everything, he would never offer to see a woman voluntarily, no matter what the situation was. Moreover, she had found an excuse to avoid meeting Brian in Mn. So even if he really wanted to see her this time, she could choose not to. "Don''t worry.I won''t go," A said. She pulled out a design draft, looked at it for a long second, before continuing, "You don''t have toe here every day if you don''t have anything important to tell me.You can speak with Ellie.I''m afraid your frequent visits will affect my work." She was sure she had made herself clear that she needed to be alone and in a quiet environment. She didn''t want to see anyone, so Anna didn''t need to worry. Moreover, Anna''s appearances would only ruin her mood. Anna looked at A with obvious distaste as she said, "I don''t want to see you either.If you weren''t the designer that Ms.Evans had personally arranged for, I''d rather not have seen you for the rest of my life.I''d rather you were dead! You should have died two years ago!" "I''m not dead.And it looks like I let you down.But you know what? I also wish I had never met you.I had hoped to live my life in Mn.But you were the one to force me.You don''t want Brian to see me, so you are making me hide here.I have to sacrifice my freedom for one of the rk Group''s cooperation cases.And I''ve promised you over and over that I won''t see Brian.But you don''t believe me.So why don''t you go to Ms.Evans and ask her to rece me with Linda instead? Wouldn''t it be so much better? Then you wouldn''t have to worry all the time." A was sad.She couldn''t love the man she wanted to love.Her only choice had been to escape, but Anna kept forcing her to do things she didn''t want to do. A had chosen to quit, which made Anna''s worry unnecessary. But that didn''t seem to register in Anna''s mind. "You don''t have to be so arrogant just because you are a good designer.All you have done is rely on men to be what you are today!" Anna said acidly before turning around and storming off, giving A no chance to retort. A stood before the French windows. The scenery took her back two years, engulfing her with a sense of deja vu. But her feelings were different.She was different. After that day, Anna didn''te to the studio again. Every time she had any questions, she went to Ellie. And since A''s off-duty time wasn''t fixed, she''d ask Ellie to take off when the day ended, staying there herself long after the office time ended. Lucas had gone to Thand but he still called her every day to ask whether she was doing well, whether she had meals on time, and whether she often stayed upte, unmindful of the time. And Aughed at him every time, telling him that he was like a housekeeper. But she knew that some men gave all their love to just one woman. Lucas was one such man, and A knew she had to ept him. She felt a sharp pain in her neck, as a result of not moving from her chair for the whole day.Her neck throbbed as she lifted her head to look at the clock, shocked to find that it was already ten o''clock in the evening.She thought of Lucas'' words and put away the design drafts, preparing to go back home. Chapter 111: You Look Like Her Chapter 111: You Look Like Her The second A went downstairs, her phone started ringing in her bag.She looked at the caller ID and wondered that something urgent must''ve happened for Hayden to call her at this hour. "Uncle Hayden." She was standing in front of the office building when she answered the phone. "L, you haven''t gone to bed yet, have you? I want to have ate snack with you." Hayden hadn''t contacted A because he wasn''t feeling well a few days ago.The reason he asked her out this time was because he was feeling better. Naturally, she didn''t refuse. "Sure.I just got off work.Where are you? I''ll hail a cab to get to you." "I''ll ask my driver to pick you up." Hayden told the driver, Robin, to pick A up after he got the address. After stepping into the car, A said, "Uncle Hayden, you''re not in good health right now.You should''ve just gone to sleep early." "A, the older I be, the harder it is to fall asleep.I''m worried that once I fall into slumber, I might never wake up again." The regret residing in his heart was so heavy that he knew that he wouldn''t be able to rest in peace if he died.But with A''s help that regret no longer burdened him. "Howe? Uncle Hayden, maybe you should go out for a walk during daytime instead.It''s dangerous to go out at night." Although A was quite busy during the day, if Hayden asked her to have dinner with him, she would come with him. "Okay, then I''ll go out for a walk with you from now on.Would you like toe with me?" Hayden asked as he looked at her. A nodded. "Of course!" Momentster, they finally arrived at the restaurant. "L, you can order whatever you want." Hayden handed her a menu. After looking through the menu for a long time, she still hadn''t chosen anything. "L, do you like crabs?" Hayden asked, raising his head to look at her. Shaking her head, A replied, "I''m allergic to crabs." Back when she was still living in the Woodsen family''s vi, the servant felt pity for A, so she secretly hid some crabs for her to eat. But after A ate it, she developed rashes all over her body and got sent to the hospital. That was when she found out she was allergic to crabs. When that happened, the servantmented that A wasn''t fated to have a good life. However, she loved to eat, and got sent to the hospital because of her allergies. "So, you''re allergic to crabs, too." Hayden seemed like he had discovered something strange. "Uncle Hayden, are you allergic to crabs as well?" Atst, A chose to order some light dishes. Neither of them was going to eat that much anyway. "I''m not." Hayden looked at her and said, "She''s an old friend of mine, and the two of you have an uncanny resemnce.She also happens to be allergic to crabs." A understood what he was implying, but she didn''t ask anything more. If he didn''t take the initiative to say anything else, it was probably better not to ask anything else. "L, you should eat more.You''re looking a lot thinnertely." Having ate snack with her was a rare asion for Hayden.He wanted her to take good care of herself. "Uncle Hayden, you should also eat more.If it''s possible, you shoulde to my house and I''ll prepare a good meal for you." Although A had gone through several conflicts with Molly in the past, she never bore a grudge against her. Moreover, what happened between her and Molly had nothing to do with Hayden. He was a good old man, and she respected him as her elder. Smiling kindly at her, he replied, "That sounds great." After they finished theirte snack, they finally came out. Hayden told the driver to drive A home first. "L, don''t forget what you told me tonight." "Of course, not, Uncle Hayden! As long as you don''t mind, I''ll keep my promise," A said with a smile. Perhaps Hayden was the closest person to her in Antawood. When she returned to her apartment, she received a call from Lucas. "Haven''t you gone to bed yet? Are you still working in your office?" "No, I just went to have a night snack with Uncle Hayden." Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. A sat on the sofa and poured herself a ss of water. "Uncle Hayden? Are you talking about Hayden Smith?" Lucas was taken aback. Two years ago, Hayden had treated A unusually well. He didn''t expect that they would meet again after two years and even have a meal together. "Yes, it''s him! Why are you calling me sote? Aren''t you supposed to be busy?" A only received calls from Lucas during noon and evening. "Yes, I''m quite busy.I just finished a meeting.But no matter how busy I am, I''ll still call you! I miss you so much! Don''t you miss me, too?" Hearing her voice and knowing that she was safe put his mind at ease. A wasn''t a sly woman, so she always showed her emotions on her face and in the tone of her voice. Taking a sip of water, she said, "Aren''t you tired of asking me the same question every day?" She was too shy to tell Lucas that she missed him.And even if she did miss him, she couldn''t bring herself to say it out loud. "I ask you every day, but you only have to answer me once." Never had he heard her say anything sweet to him.He didn''t care whether she was too shy to Say it or she was unwilling to do so. "Well, stop.It''s gettingte.Let''s go to sleep as soon as possible.I also have to work tomorrow." A was a perfectionist, so she wasn''t satisfied with the drafts that she had made these days. "L, don''t push yourself too hard.You just need to do your best.If I find out that you''ve been staying overtime in the office, I''ll get mad at you!" Lucas called her apartment every single day to make sure that she came home ontime. They didn''t drop the call until A finally agreed.She leaned against the sofa, and her mind was filled with drawings. For the next fashion season, they needed to continuouslyunch arge number of new clothes, and for the first time, they required twenty sets. Her schedule was already tight, and even if she rushed to make a design every day, she wouldn''t be able to guarantee that she couldplete it sessfully. During the whole night, A just leaned against the sofa, and closed her eyes to rest. She had been back for more than a week now, and Yareli still called her to ask her about her situation. If Yareli weren''t preupied in Mn, she woulde to see her. When Hayden returned to the vi, he saw that Miley was still waiting for him in the living room. "Why are you still awake?" "You went out sote at night.I''m worried about you!" Miley felt like something had been going on with him recently.He had been hiding in the study all the time, and he wasn''t letting anyone in. "What''s there to worry about? I''m home, aren''t I?" Hayden said indifferently. He knew that Miley didn''t really care about his safety, but was worried that he was going out to meet other women. "What''s the matter with you? Here I am waiting for you toe home sote, and you''re giving me the cold shoulder? Tell me the truth.Are you having an affair?" Miley had endured Hayden for a long time, and their rtionship was mostly fake. There had always been another woman in his heart, but that woman had been long dead. She died twenty years ago! Chapter 112: A Familiar Feeling Chapter 112: A Familiar Feeling Hayden heaved a sigh and looked at her. Then after a while, he said, "What are you talking about? I''m already old so why would ! still think about women? If our children heard such inappropriate words from us, they wouldugh at us." "Are you saying that what I am talking about is nonsense? Haven''t you noticed that you''re not being in your normal self these days? You do know that your health is not good yet you still choose to stay inside your study until midnight almost every day.If you''re not thinking about women, then who''s running in your mind? Don''t tell me that you''re still thinking about that bitch? She already died more than twenty years ago.In a car ident remember?" While she was talking, Miley looked straight at Hayden''s eyes. Back then, she just couldn''t stand that her husband was with another woman.So what if that woman was her husband''s first love? It was not that hard for Miley to kill a woman.So even the woman was with a baby in her belly, she still let her die in a car ident. "Enough! Don''t you dare mention it anymore!" Hayden shouted. If it was not because of that car ident, he wouldn''t have lost the woman he dearly loved and their child. Hayden promised her that he would divorce his wife first before he gave her a wedding. He had her nned to be his wife but he never expected that in just a snap, he would lose everything. The only thing that sank into his mind was the fact that the woman he loved together with their unborn child had died in a car ident. Within all the past years, Hayden had tried hard and done his best just to maintain this marriage. Even though he had devoted all his time and feelings to his family and work, he still failed in the end. Miley couldn''t just feel at ease because of her many doubts. They were always arguing and fighting each other because she couldn''t believe Hayden easily. Molly and Toby walked down the stairs together when they heard the noise downstairs. "Dad? Mom? It''s alreadyte.Could you please stop fighting?" "Go to your bed, Molly, and sleep!" Hayden never intended for his daughter and son-inw to hear about their quarrels, but they had heard it many times already. "Dad, you should go to bed early.You know that your health is not getting good right?" Toby walked to Hayden and pulled him to another side, while Molly decided to take Miley to the second floor. Toby sat beside Hayden inside the study room. "Dad, are you okay?" "I''m okay.Just go to your bed.You still have work for tomorrow." Hayden wanted to cheer himself up so he went to see A. Besides, A reminded him of that girl because she looked so much like his first love. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. He even started questioning himself that what if A might be his daughter? But two years ago, something happened to A before he could find out more information about her.She had disappeared for two years. Now that Hayden had finally seen A again, he didn''t care whether she was his daughter or not. What he wanted was to be with her in hisst life because A looked so much like the girl he loved. Hayden was getting older and older.He couldn''t do anything as his heart disease had been getting worse each day. Maybe his life was already short and he wouldn''t be able to live longer. "Dad, you know that Mom is just being stubborn again.Eventually, her anger will just subsideter because she already let it out." Toby had been always like this,promising to Molly all the time. He understood that he was responsible for taking care of Molly, but he never really loved her. "Toby, there''s nothing else that I would say to you.I just want you to treat Molly well when I die, okay?" Molly was the only daughter of Hayden.So he would do anything just to satisfy all the whims and give whatever his daughter wanted. After Hayden said it, Toby nodded to him and left him in the study. While sitting alone in the study, he opened a locked drawer and took out an old photo from it. It was the only photo of the girl he loved that had left to him.He had kept it for twenty years. Molly was already waiting for Toby while sitting on the sofa when he came back to their room. "Honey, how is Dad?" "Nothing to think about.They will be fine and besides, they have been married for so many years.Don''t worry and stop thinking anything.Go to bed and sleep early.We have to be prepared for an early meeting for tomorrow," Toby said to her.Molly hugged Toby from behind with her arms surrounded his waist. She said, "Honey, from now on, let''s get along well.Okay?" ''Toby will forget A.I''ll make sure he definitely will!" Molly swore to herself. Toby nodded at her and said, "Okay." After that, he hugged her back and didn''t say anything more. Although it was veryte, Brian was still busy working in the office. Suddenly, he saw a piece of paper on his desk. It had the information that was saying about the next season''s fashion clothes. Anna would still show the documents to Brian even though she had the full authority over this cooperation case. She probably put the document on his desk when he went out in the afternoon. Brian still hadn''t seen the design drafts that Wenny submitted.She was an employee from Starlight. Anna already arranged everything well, including the arrangements of the venue for the quarterly exhibitions and the guests that would be present. What he only needed to do was to give the final approval. After he left thepany, Brian drove in another direction after he passed an intersection.He parked his luxury limo in front of another office building. Brian saw that the light on the third floor was still on. ''It is alreadyte at night but Wenny is still in the office alone?'' he wondered. Brian took out his phone and dialed a number that he had never called before. He had a sharp memory. Even if Anna had only said it once to him, he would still remember it. The sudden ringing of her phone on the desk had made A startled. She paused for a few seconds and took a breath before she answered the phone. "Hello?" She could feel that her voice was trembling. "Is this Wenny?" Brian had felt that Wenny''s voice was somewhat familiar to him. It sounded like the woman he knew, but a little different. The moment A heard his voice, she had almost dropped the phone in her hand. Was he really Brian? Where did he get her phone number? And why did he suddenly call her? A took a deep breath andposed herself. "Yes, I am.Who are you?" she said calmly. At this moment, A only knew that her palms were already sweating. "This is Brian rk," he said. Brian wanted to go upstairs to meet Wenny, who had a very simr tone to A''s voice. But he didn''t do it and just stayed in his car.Then the woman on the other line spoke, "Hello, Mr.rk." A didn''t know anything to say except to greet him. "It''s sote.Are you still working?" he asked. Brian looked up at the third floor as he leaned against the car seat. "Yes," A said. Her answer was simply too short. What mattered to her now was as long as Brian wouldn''te to her office or he didn''t recognize her voice, everything would be fine for her. Then Brian said, "Thene downstairs.I''m on downstairs.Let''s go and get something to eat." Brian didn''t know why he said those to her. Maybe because he just thought that Wenny was a woman alone in a foreign country and she didn''t know anyone else but only her work. However, Brian knew himself too well that he was not the kind of person who would care about other women casually. A was surprised for a moment and said, "No, thank you, Mr.rk.I just ate earlier.I''ll go home after I''m done with my work." A would never go out with Brian. Why would she? She would definitely not do that unless she was out of her mind. "Miss Wenny, if you don''t mind my asking.But, aren''t you an Italian?" A''s fluent Chinese did not really sound like an Italian at all. She took a deep breath and calmed herself before she said, "No, I''m not." A questioned herself if Brian had called her just to investigate her family background. Also, Brian noticed that Wenny was somehow hesitant. Maybe she just didn''t want to talk to him anymore. "Well, just don''t forget to go back early," Brian said lightly before he hung up his phone. After the call ended, A let out a shaky breath.She just couldn''t take it being called and asked by him repeatedly. Chapter 113: She Had No Other Wishes Chapter 113: She Had No Other Wishes The moment Brian returned to his vi, he saw that Anna was sleeping on the sofa.Was she waiting for him toe home? He walked towards the sofa. "Anna," he called out softly. "Brian, you''re home." Anna opened her eyes and saw him standing in front of her. "Why are you sleeping here? If you''re sleepy, go upstairs and sleep on a bed.In the future, I''ll be a lot busier, and I''m not sure when I''ll be able to get home," he said. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Shaking her head, Anna replied, "It''s fine.Are you hungry? Let me prepare some food for you." "No, I''m not hungry." Brian sat on the sofa. "Anna, who is this Wenny of Starlight?" Anna was currently pouring a ss of water when her hand froze because of what he said. "Brian, why are you suddenly asking about her?" "Am I not allowed to ask this question? I should''ve personally met this designer, but I haven''t had much Spare time on my handstely." Brian turned his gaze towards Anna.He knew that she was hiding something important from her. "Miss Wenny is from Antawood." She couldn''t tell him that Wenny was actually A. However, since he had asked about her, she knew that she shouldn''t hide too many things from him. "I see.It''s gettingte.You should go to bed." After saying that, Brian went upstairs. While he was in his study, he sat at the desk, trying to recall the phone call earlier.He wondered why Wenny was avoiding him and not talking to him too much. Meanwhile, Anna went back to her room. She was tossing and turning, having a hard time falling asleep. When she had finally had enough of her restlessness, she got up and dialed A''s number. At the same time, A just happened to be standing in front of her window, remembering what Brian had said to her tonight. She was a bit worried.She hoped Brian didn''t recognize her voice. That phone call from him made her feel restless. "Anna?" A was surprised to know that someone had called her again. "A, have you met with Brian recently?" Anna asked bluntly. When she heard what Brian said earlier, she felt that he had developed suspicions already.He was a very perceptive individual, so Anna was worried that he might''ve figured something out. Whenever she was in front of him, she didn''t dare to have any other ideas.Only when it came to A did she make decisions by herself. "What did he say to you?" A asked with worry. Her heart had been uneasy ever since the phone call. "He asked me about you," said Anna. Based on A''s tone, she was unnerved, which only meant that they must''ve contacted each other. "Have you told him the truth? I didn''t say anything to him.Brian just called me.Perhaps he''s just a bit curious about me," A replied calmly. Hearing her reply, Anna just hung up the phone, gaining peace of mind. A also breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Brian had no idea, everything would be fine. In all honesty, even if they ran into each other, she wouldn''t have anything to do with him, so she wasn''t that worried.It was just that he had always been a predator. A had already sent twenty sets of designs to the rk Group''s head office. Today was her day off, and Lucas hadn''te back yet. He had been away for a much longer time than she had expected. She walked alone on the street and bought a lot of food from the supermarket.She remembered that she had to invite Hayden to have a meal at home, so she called him. "Uncle Hayden, it''s A." "Oh, L, it''s you!" Hayden was currently trimming the flowers and nts in the garden by himself.He was either drinking tea and reading the newspaper or pruning nts and flowers every day. Receiving a call from A was a breath of fresh air to him. "I promised to invite you over for a meal, remember? How about this noon?" A nced at her watch.It was only ten in the morning. She still had enough time to prepare lunch. "dly!" Hayden replied at once. "I''ve been waiting for your invitation for days!" he remarked with a smile. He didn''t contact A himself because he was worried that Miley would misunderstand him and make a fuss about it. Today, she went out with her richdy friends for a beauty makeover, and he felt bored being alone. A prepared the dishes, which were all ordinary home-cooked meals. As he sat at the table, Hayden said, "You''re a good cook, aren''t you? Whenever there''s a chance, I''ll come here often." "Of course! You cane here whenever you want, Uncle Hayden.If you like the food, please eat more of it." A had searched for recipes on the Inte and specially prepared medicinal dishes that aided in recovery from heart diseases. When Hayden looked at the dishes, he said, "You''re so thoughtful, L." "Uncle Hayden, I don''t have any other rtives.I only returned to A City for work, but you''ve been really good to me.And since you''re willing to let me call you ''uncle'', then I''ll treat you as my family." A also felt close to Hayden. "Good.You''re a good girl." Once he had eaten, he thought that it was the best lunch he had ever had. A had also prepared some fruits and brought them to the living room. "Uncle Hayden, help yourself with some fruits.They''re good for your health." Hayden nced at her and nodded. "Sure.By the way, do you live here on your own?" She hesitated for a moment before she nodded. Lucas told her that he didn''t want anyone else to know about their rtionship for the time being, so she didn''t tell anyone. "This apartment''s security is good enough, so it''s safe to live alone." Hayden looked at her intently.This apartment was situated in Antawood''s prime location.Each apartment cost millions. After lunch, A took him for a walk along the garden of themunity. "Did you live in the Woodsen family''s vi when you were a child?¡± he asked. "Yes, the Woodsen family adopted me when I was still a child." Whenever she spoke of her past, A was surprisingly calm. "They didn''t treat you well, did they?" Hayden had conducted a thorough investigation of her past, but he never found out why she even got adopted by the Woodsen family. Did it have something to do with the woman he loved? Smiling faintly, A shook her head. "The past is already over.The important thing is that I''m fine now." "L, haven''t you ever thought of your biological parents?" Hayden asked out of curiosity. "I have no idea where to find them.Maybe they''ve already passed away." A didn''t hope to find them anymore.She felt that it was good enough that she was doing well now. There was a man who loved her deeply, and she enjoyed her job.She had no other wishes. When Hayden heard what she said, he felt a pain in his heart. He didn''t know where to find his child and his lover.He didn''t even cling to any sort of hope. When he saw therge pool of blood on the scene of the car ident, he only saw her lying there with bandages covering her head. There was no hope left in his heart at all.He didn''t even have the chance to bury her himself because of Miley. Upon his arrival at the hospital, all he saw was an empty ward. Then, he only found her tombstone. Chapter 114: Wasnt He Satisfied Chapter 114: Wasn''t He Satisfied After Hayden left, A sat alone in her room.What he said reminded her of the scar in her heart.She no longer held any hope that she''d ever find her parents again. However, she used to have a child herself. Even though her child was never born, she still loved her baby with every fiber of her being. And now, she really wanted to go to the rk family vi''s backyard. A walked out of the apartment to stroll along the street. The street was noisy today. She entered and then walked out of one store after another with no intention to purchase anything. All of a sudden, a woman who was carrying several shopping bags bumped into her. "What the hell? Are you blind or something?" The shrill voice startled A, but it sounded familiar to her. "Molly, are you okay?"Toby held Molly up by pulling her arm. Since she said that she wanted to go shopping tonight, he apanied her. By this point, A wished that she hadn''t gone out on her own. She had no idea that she''d run into them by ident today. "I''m sorry." Lowering her head, A quickly turned around and was about to leave.However, Molly grabbed her arm to stop her. "Do you think a simple apology is enough?" "Mrs.Brown, I''ve already apologized.What do you want?" A replied. She then turned to look at them. In all honesty, she didn''t want them to see her for fear of being recognized. However, it wasn''t her fault. Molly was the one who insisted on pulling her arm. The moment she saw her, Molly let go of her hand. Thinking that she had seen a ghost, she almost screamed on the busy street. "L?" Toby was also surprised to see her. This woman before them was indeed the same woman he had been thinking of for two years. "Sorry, I have something else to do.I must go now." After saying that, A was about to walk away.However, Toby stopped her from leaving. "You''re alive! I''m so d that you''re alive." "Yes, I''m still alive and well,"she said tly. "Toby, just forget that you saw me today!" "How could I forget seeing you? Don''t you know that I''ve been looking for you for two years? I''ve always believed that you weren''t dead, and I was right.This is great!" Toby held her hand tightly, refusing to let her go. "Toby, I knew you''ve been thinking about A.You bitch! Didn''t you disappear two years ago? Why did you evene back? Tell me!"When Molly regained herposure, she scolded A.It was clear that how much she hated her. "Mrs.Brown, there''s a reason I returned to A City, and it''s not Toby!" A shook off Toby''s hand and stormed away.He wanted to chase her, but Molly prevented him. "Don''t you dare run after her!" They were happily shopping earlier, but when they bumped into A, they went back to the vi with displeasure written all over their faces. On the other hand, A didn''t ruin her own mood because of them.She had already cut them off from her life, due to the fact that her presence would only cause problems to their rtionship. The following day, when A went to work, she received a call from Anna. "Miss Anna, I''ve already told Ellie to send the designs you asked for,"she said. "I know.I''ve seen them.But the drafts you sent aren''t at your level!" Based on Anna''s words, it seemed that she wasn''t satisfied with her designs. "Is it not to your liking? Miss Anna, what do you think is wrong with them?"asked A. "I''ll drop by your officeter!"Anna dropped the call in anger. Meanwhile, A just sat at her desk in silence. Just as she had expected, Anna was going to make things difficult for her. Less than ten minutester, Anna came to her office. As soon as she entered, she mmed all of A''s twenty drawings on her desk. "Wenny, is this all you can do? Look at these designs! There''s no creativity and finesse to them at all!" "Miss Anna, if you think I''m not capable enough, then you can design clothes yourself.You don''t really need me anymore, do you?" A refused to back down. She believed that she had done her best, but Anna just threw away her designs without respect. It was natural that she''d be angry about it. "What''s the matter with you? Don''t forget that you''re just a designer sent by the Starlight.You have to heed my every word!" Anna red at A and wondered, ¡®Who does she think she is? How dare she talk back to me?¡¯ Getting up from her chair, A picked up her drawings on the desk and the floor one by one. "Miss Anna, are you the only one who has seen these designs? Did he see them? Isn''t he satisfied with them?" "Humph! I knew it.You still want to meet and be with Brian, don''t you?" Anna became even angrier when A mentioned Brian. "No, I don''t want to see him.If I really wanted to do so, then I wouldn''t be holed up in here, and I would''ve worked in the rk Group''s head office instead." No matter whatpromise A made, Anna was still giving her a hard time. Did she still need to make more concessions?) "Don''t think that you can do what you want just because Yareli is protecting you," Anna remarked. "This has nothing to do with Ms.Evans." A fiercely looked back at her. "Miss Anna, you''re wee to tell me each and every one of your dissatisfactions.If you''re that displeased with my performance, then maybe it''s time to ask Ms.Evans to have me reced by someone else.What do you think?" "Don''t think I won''t dare to do that!" Anna wasn''t backing down either.She admitted that she was using these drawings to make things difficult for her.She just didn''t want A to pass so easily. And so, she didn''t show even one of them to Brian. Instead of doing that, she sent them all back. "Well, you''re wee to do whatever you want.If you''re not satisfied, then I''ll revise them.Although, Miss Anna, can you tell me what you think is wrong with my designs?" Naturally, A knew that Anna was just doing this to give her a hard time. And sure enough, Anna was unable to say anything. All she said was that she needed the revised drawings tomorrow and then she left. ¡®Tomorrow? How is that possible?¡¯ A didn''t protest and just allowed her to walk away. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Momentster, Ellie walked in. "Wenny, are you okay? Is there something I can do to help you?" She was also frightened by Anna''s outburst just now.As a woman, she knew that Anna was deliberately provoking A.Her outburst had nothing to do with the designs. They looked like two rivals in love who were arguing. Shaking her head, A replied, "It''s fine.You can carry on with your work.I can do these myself." She had mentally prepared herself for the worst. After that, Ellie went back to her desk. As soon as Anna returned to thepany, she was called to Brian''s office through her phone. "Brian, what can I do for you?" "Hasn''t Wenny submitted her designs yet?" Yesterday, someone told him that Wenny''s drafts had already been sent here. However, Anna never showed the drawings to him. Chapter 115: It Wasnt A Coincidence Chapter 115: It Wasn''t A Coincidence Anna was stunned for a bit. He had never asked about Wenny''s designs. This was the first time he had taken the initiative to ask about Wenny after such a long time. ¡®¡®No, he asked after he called Wennyst time, so this is the second time" "What''s up? If she doesn''t hand in the designs, it''ll be toote." Brian''s tone was rtively calm, as if it was just a gentle reminder. Hesitating for a few seconds, Anna said, "I''ll notify her about it today." "Well, you can set the deadline yourself anyway." Brian shifted his focus back to the pile of documents on his desk. Afterwards, Anna left his office and went back to her own.She just had an altercation with A, and now he was asking her to talk to that woman again. It was only natural that she''d feel ufortable about it. "Damn it, A.You shouldn''t have returned! You shouldn''t have survived in the first ce!" Anna shouted as she sat at her desk. A wasn''t in any hurry nor was she annoyed. She was just sitting in her office, carefully redesigning the sketches in her head. Perhaps she was really talented in this aspect, and there were a lot more ideas came into her mind than before. Despite the fact that she had given Anna twenty sets of designs, she was still capable of drafting more. As she looked at A, Ellie said, "Miss Wenny, what would you like to have for lunch? I''ll go and buy it for you." "I''ll eat anything." Whenever A was preupied, she would have no time to eat, so she''d rather eat anything that Ellie gave her.Meanwhile, Brian was in his office and looking at the documents that Jaime had sent him. "Jaime, is Tatum nning to ept that batch of goods? Has he decided on the time and ce?"Jaime nodded. "Yes, boss.What''s the n? We''ve been letting him off the hook for two years.This time, we''ll be able to overturn his business and destroy it for good." "Do as I''ve told you.By the way, is there anyone hanging around Tatum right now?" Brian knew that Tatum had a close confidant and assistant, but he had managed to hide him very well. Nobody had ever seen this assistant. Nodding, Jaime answered, "Yes.A few days ago, I saw him talking to someone.And that person is none other than the vice principal of Miss Woodsen''s school, who also happens to be the same person that hung out with her all the time two years ago." Brian frowned. "Him? Did you manage to get a picture of them together? Send me one and confirm his whereabouts and travel history for the past two years Jaime immediately sent a few pictures to Brian. "Mr.rk, just call me if you need anything else.This time, I won''t let that wretched Tatum go!" "Good.I know.But be careful.Find out any information you can about Lucas." Remembering that A had been hanging out with Lucas a lot two years ago, Brian felt displeased. And he realized that back then, Lucas approached her on purpose, in order to make him misunderstand her and drive her out.That was why she disappeared as soon as she left the rk family''s vi. Everything that had happened had been carefully nned by Tatum and Lucas. Brian examined the pictures that Jaime had sent him. That man was definitely Lucas. Although, in most of these photos, he was always on his phone. Moreover, based on the happy smile on his face, he didn''t seem like he was talking about business, but he seemed to be talking with the one he loved. It only took Jaime three hours to find out that Lucas had been living in Mn, Italy for the past two years. ¡®Mn, Italy? What a coincidence" A month ago, Brian also went to that city, but he never ran into Lucas.However, he did happen to see a woman that had an uncanny resemnce to A. As soon as it was time to get off work, Anna went into Brian''s office. "Brian, do you have to work overtime tonight?" "Yes.What''s up? Do you need something?" He had carefullyid out a n all these years. And after waiting for such a long time, there was no way that he''d give Tatum the chance to escape. "I see.Then I''ll stay with you, okay?" Anna didn''t want to wait in the vi by herself every day. However, Brian had been indifferent to her recently.ncing at her, he said, "No, thanks.You should go home early." Anna still wanted to voice out her concerns, but upon thinking of A''s designs, she decided to say nothing. And so, she left his office and went back to the vi.Meanwhile, A was still in her office. It was getting dark, but she didn''t seem to notice it yet. Every time Ellie had to go, she would lock the door. Lucas had given her this order to ensure A''s safety. A still hadn''t eaten dinner either. It took a striking pain from her growling stomach to make her put down her pen. When she nced at her watch, she found that it was already ten in the evening. However, Lucas hadn''t called her yet, which only meant that he was really busy. After looking at her designs one more time, she got up and went into the tea room to pour herself a cup of warm water. She opened the cab, only to find that there was nothing to eat, not even a biscuit. It seemed that her only choice was to endure the hunger. She drank a ss of water, but it didn''t help to alleviate the difort in her stomach. After leaving thepany, Brian suddenly remembered that both Lucas and Wenny had been staying in Mn. Upon gathering that realization, he pulled the car around and rushed to the building where Wenny was working. Once he had stopped in front of the office, he nced at the lights on the third floor. He had already been here several times, and each time, he found that those lights were on. Wenny probably knew how to work properly, so it was strange that she hadn''t submitted her designs until now. He then took out his phone and called her office. As she sat in the tea room, A heard thendline phone in her office ringing. It was probably Lucas, but she didn''t have enough strength to answer her phone. Even standing was a herculean task to her right now, due to the terrible stomach ache she was feeling. Brian glowered. He had been calling several times, but still, nobody was picking up. And so, he turned off his car''s engine, stepped outside, and stood beside his car. He didn''t drop the call until he heard the busy tone from the other line. Afterwards, he went into the building. Meanwhile, A lifted the ss, but she suddenly loosened her grip, causing it to shatter into a million pieces as she bent over on the table in the tea room. Her stomach hadn''t been this painful in a long time. Lucas must''ve taken good care of her. No matter what it might be, he would always ensure that every food, drink, and necessities she needed were of the best quality. If she was with him right now, she wouldn''t have had troubles because of her irregr eating habits. It seemed that Lucas had indeed done so much for her all these years. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Without even asking, he could tell what she wanted and would prepare it right away. Why hadn''t she appreciated his help enough? The pain was enough to make A''s face turn pale. Her body was sweating all over, and she was about to lose consciousness. But at this time, the doorbell rang. Brian incessantly rang the doorbell. The light was on, and so was theputer. There was a woman''s handbag and a beige coat in the office. He was certain that someone was there, but where had she gone? Chapter 116: Even If You Change, You Will Still Be My Woman, My Wife Chapter 116: Even If You Change, You Will Still Be My Woman, My Wife A struggled to leave the tea room, but when she saw the man on the other side of the door, she was petrified. Brian was shocked to see her. "Open the door!" A saw the anger on his face. He kept shouting at her to open the door, but she couldn''t bring herself to open it. She had long known that an all-ss office like theirs wouldn''t be able to hide secrets. Only a ss door separated the two of them. A was covering her aching stomach with her hands, while Brian kept banging the door in anger.She had thought of so many scenarios where she ran into him, but how did it turn out? Out of all the possible scenarios, this was what happened. The two of them were facing each other, one was calm, and the other was infuriated. If she wasn''t going to open the door, it seemed that he would break it down. Stepping forward, A unlocked the door. "Mr.rk, what are you doing here?" The second he stepped inside, he held her arm tightly and asked, "Why am ! here? What do you think? If I didn''te here, are you just gonna hide from me for the rest of your life?" He was holding her arm so tight that it almost broke, but A didn''t struggle. "So, you''re Wenny? Were you nning to hide from me for the rest of your life by using another name?" N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. A looked up at his ring eyes and said, "I never meant to hide from you.I''m just here to work.This has nothing to do with seeing you." "A Woodsen!" Brian yelled. This woman wasn''t dead, and she had evene back to Antawood. However, it turned out that she was hiding from him and refused to see him. No wonder he felt something was amiss when he called the other day. "Mr.rk, please calm down." As a matter of fact, A had imagined that he would be furious if he ever found out that she was alive but hiding from him. "Calm down? Do you think I''ll be able to calm down just like that? You''ve been missing for two years, and you''ve changed a lot.It seems that you''ve grown bolder," Brian remarked coldly. A twisted her arm because it was getting painful. "Everyone is bound to change, and so have you, haven''t you?" ''No! In reality, he is still the same bossy and unreasonable man he used to be.He still does whatever he wants, '' she thought to herself. "Even if you change, you will still be my woman, my wife!" Atst, Brian let her go.He noticed that something was wrong with her. But the second he let her go, she copsed to the floor, and she lost consciousness. Despite how mad he was, his anger dissipated at once.He quickly bent down to pick her up. "I guess your trick hasn''t changed,"he said helplessly, and then brought her to the hospital. Not long after, A was lying in the ward with a needle tubing stuck to the back of her hand. "What happened to her?" "Mr.rk, Miss Woodsen has a weak stomach.She passed out because of gastric spasm.This might be caused by irregr diet," the doctor said in a trembling voice. It was evident that Brian was troubled by what happened. He went to the emergency room at midnight, carrying a woman in his arms. The doctor was afraid that if something bad happened to her, Brian would kill him. "When will she wake up?" Brian''s tone softened a bit. ¡®She looks like she had lived a good life all this time.How could she be suffering from gastrointestinal pain?¡¯ He and A had been apart for two years, and when they met again, he had no idea that things would end up like this. The person he had been looking for turned out to be Wenny, the new designer sent by the Starlight. Anna had already known that Wenny was actually A, but she never told him the truth. She had hidden it from him for so long.Was she nning to hide this fact from him for the rest of her life? "Mr.rk, Miss Woodsen will wake up soon.But I suggest that she should stay in the hospital for observation," said the doctor. "I see.You can leave now." As he looked at A''s pale face, Brian asked, "Were you really going to hide from me forever? Even when you came back, you kept using the false name.You didn''t even take the initiative to see me." A''s indifference towards him made him feel conflicted. They had been apart for more than two years, and she was now more mature and charming than before. He felt fortunate that she was still alive. No matter what had happened in the past two years and who she was with, he didn''t care. But every day that followed, she must return to him and be his Mrs.rk again.) Brian was sitting on a chair beside her bed and holding her hand. Suddenly, he felt a ring on her finger. He nced at it and realized that no matter how inexpensive it was, it meant that she was engaged. The following second, he took the ring off and held it in his hand. Nobody else had the right to put a ring on her finger besides him. By the time A woke up, it was already the break of dawn. The bright light outside the window shone into the room. She turned around and saw the man at her bedside. ''Why is he still here?¡¯ Last night, while she was gradually losing consciousness, she knew that Brian had taken her to the hospital. "You''re awake." Brian shouldn''t have believed that doctor''s nonsense. It must''ve been over six or seven hours since the doctor told him that she was about to wake up. A nodded and propped herself up using her arms. "Mr.rk, thank you for bringing me to the hospitalst night." "That''s it?" There were so many things he wanted to hear from her, and thest thing he wanted to hear from her was "thank you." "Then what do you want to hear, Mr.rk?" A leaned against the bed. An entire night had passed. Although she was still feeling a bit of pain, she could bear it. No matter how much pain she felt, it was no longer a big deal for her. "You..." Brian felt infuriated. This woman was the only person capable of angering him so easily. Standing up, A said, "If you''re not gonna tell me anything, then just forget it. I''ll pay you back for the medical expensesst night." She looked at the hospital gown she was wearing, and noticed that her own clothes weren''t in the room. "Where are my clothes?" "You''re not allowed to leave the hospital yet." Brian knew that she''d want to run away whenever she was faced with the people she didn''t want to see. She would hide if she didn''t want to see anyone, but he wasn''t going to let her hide. "Mr.rk, I know my body better than anyone." A had gotten ustomed to the pain. It wasn''t that big of a deal to her anymore. She still had so much work to do. Besides, since they saw each otherst night, she knew that Anna was going to give her a hard time for it. As he sat on the sofa, Brian said, "The doctor said you''re not allowed to leave the hospital." "Did the doctor say that or did you? Anyway, I have to leave the hospital.If you don''t give back my clothes, I''ll leave the hospital wearing this." A had to leave the hospital. Even if she was wearing a hospital gown, she was going to leave the hospital. A few secondster, she put on a pair of slippers and was about to walk out. "Oh, by the way, can you take care of my medical expenses for now? Just send me the bill and I''ll transfer it to your ount." The moment her hand touched the door knob, Brian stopped her. "Don''t you want your ring back?" He waved the ring in front of her. As soon as she saw it, she stopped and shouted, "Give me back my ring!" Chapter 117: Who Gave You The Ring Chapter 117: Who Gave You The Ring Brian raised an eyebrow. "Is this yours? What kind of ring is it? Is it a wedding ring? Need I remind you that you''re still Mrs.rk?" "No, that''s not true.Mrs.rk died two years ago." A was no longer the same person she used to be, nor was she his wife anymore. "But I never stopped believing that you were still alive." Brian held up the ring from his hand, and asked, "Who gave this to you?" "It''s none of your business! Just give it back to me!" A turned around and stomped her way towards him, trying to nab the ring away from him. Unfortunately he wouldn''t let her take it. When she was about to take it from him, he raised his hand and made her miss. As he held the ring up high, Brian said, "If you won''t tell me who gave it to you, I''m going to throw this ring away!" He was a man of his word. Once he had said something, he would definitely do it! However, A still refused to tell him. Brian was a despicable man. To protect Lucas, she wasn''t going to tell him anything. She was already standing on tiptoe, but she still couldn''t reach it. All she wanted to do was to take back her ring, but little did she know that their bodies were so close to each other right now. Wearing only a thinyer of hospital gown, she pressed against his muscr chest. It was only when she felt the tension from his body that she finally realized how close they were as of the moment. Quickly backing away, she said, "Why won''t you give me back my ring?" A stared at him intently. This man¡¯s presence in her life was bound to bring chaos into her peaceful life. Had she been too careless yesterday? Why did she let Brian see her in the office by ident? It seemed that some things just couldn''t be avoided. "This one doesn''t suit you." As Brian stared at the unremarkable ring, he asked, "So...can''t that man afford you a better ring?" "Well, I like it! Not everyone is the same as you!" A turned around. She would rather give up the ring than spend another second with him. Seeing that she was about to leave, Brian dragged her back. "A, were you even listening to me?" "Is it really necessary for me to listen to you? Do we still have something to do with each other?" A was still weak, so she couldn''t stand another second of quarreling with him. Before she could take another step, he stopped her from moving. "Why are you so disobedient?" Brian pushed her back to the bed. "You can''t leave without my permission." Once he was done talking, his phone started ringing. Meanwhile, A justy in silence. "Anna," he answered. "Brian, where are you? Didn''t youe homest night?" Anna had fallen asleep on the sofa in the living room.She didn''t wake up until Maria came in to prepare breakfast. Brian didn''te home for a whole night, so she immediately called him. "I had something to do." He was a person who didn''t exin himself when it wasn''t necessary. "Are you in thepany right now? Do you need me to bring you breakfast?" Anna heard how indifferent he was and felt very uneasy about it. "No, thanks.I have to hang up now.I''m not in thepany.I''ll go home after I finish what I''m doing." After that, Brian dropped the call and walked up to A. "What would you like for breakfast? I''ll ask someone to get it for you." He then stared at the woman who had been quarreling with him a few moments ago.But now, she was lying there weakly.He felt sorry for her.But no matter how much he felt sorry for her, he wasn''t going to give her ring back. "I don''t need it!" A shook her head in dismissal. "I just need you to leave.I don''t need anything else." Brian took out his phone and dialed a number. "Bring a serving of every dish you have in your restaurant.I want freshly prepared ones." "Right away, Mr.rk," said the person on the other end of the line. "Mr.rk, your fiance has called you.You should probably leave before you cause any trouble.I have to go back to work.I''m afraid that I won''t be able to afford it if yourpany cannot release new designs before the next fashion quarter," A said indifferently. She made it clear that their rtionship was now purely professional. He was the boss, and she was nothing but his subordinate. Brian raised an eyebrow. "You think too much.I''ll have you know that I''m still single." He didn¡¯t have an engagement ring yet, so she wasn''t allowed to have one either. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "Mr.rk, you don''t have to tell me that.And I don''t want to hear it either." All A wanted right now was some peace and quiet.She didn''t want to stay in the hospital any longer. Within less than a half hour, the food that Brian ordered was delivered to the ward by two people. Looking at the various desserts on the tea table, A asked, "Are you nning to open a restaurant here?" "You can eat whatever you like." Brian looked at her. "Fill up your stomach first." He didn''t care whether she was angry or not because he had to be patient with her. A rolled her eyes at him. "Mr.rk, do you think I''ll be able to eat these?" "Then what can you eat?" He had already put the tastiest food in front of her. At this time, the doctor and nurse came in and saw the desserts on the tea table. "Mr.rk, Miss Woodsen has a stomachache.She''s not allowed to eat any of these for the time being.She should have millet porridge to nourish her stomach," the doctor kindly reminded him. However, the look in Brian''s eyes frightened him to death! "Mr.rk, I''m telling the truth," he said to Brian. "Why are you talking so much? Just give her a physical examination already." Brian also realized how thoughtless he was being.He understood that the best wasn''t necessarily the right one. "Yes, yes.I''ll do that right away!" After the doctor gave A a physical examination, he said, "Mr.rk, Miss Woodsen is doing much better now.She just needs to take her medication on time." "Very well, doctor, arrange for me to be discharged from the hospital right away," said A. What she wanted to hear the most was what the doctor said. "Okay." The doctor nodded. As soon as he turned around, Brian interrupted him. "Did I agree to that?" They had turned a blind eye to him and he was quite annoyed about it. "Mr.rk, it''s not up to you now.The doctor said that I''m allowed to leave the hospital.If you want to stay here, I can''t apany you anymore." After saying that, A got out of bed and looked at her hospital gown. "Doctor, I''ll leave wearing the hospital gown.I''ll pay for the expensester." "No, you don''t need to pay." ¡®What a joke! Mr.rk is still standing here.Do I really have the guts to take money from his woman? the doctor thought to himself.¡± A nodded. "Fine.If Mr.rk pays for the bill, I''ll pay him back!" After she said that, she walked out of the hospital without looking back. Chapter 118: How Long Were You Planning To Hide It From Me Chapter 118: How Long Were You nning To Hide It From Me While sitting in the taxi, A noticed a sapphire blue Lamborghini closely tailing the vehicle. ¡®He really doesn''t want to give up, does he?¡¯ she mused, while shaking her head. "Miss, is the car behind us after you?" the driver inquired curiously while looking at her from the rearview mirror. "Sir, please ignore that.Just drive," she replied dismissively. A didn''t care whatever Brian did. He could follow her around the city for as long as he pleased. She didn''t have time for his nonsense antics.She got out of the taxi the moment it arrived in front of her apartment building.She borrowed some cash from the security guard at the gate to pay the fare. Handing it to the driver, she said, "Thank you, sir." "You''re wee," the driver took the money from her and sped away. Brian stepped out of his car just in time to see her entering the apartment building. The proximity of the ce to where she worked didn''t escape his keen eyes. ¡®So this is where she lives, quite convenient for work and for hiding from me, '' he observed. Instead of following her upstairs, he decided to stay by his car and wait for her there. After changing her clothes, A came down the apartment lobby a few minutester. She returned the money she borrowed from the security guard and exited the building gracefully. "Brian, I''m sure you have more important things to spend your time on than following me.We both have work to do," she reminded him as she saw him still leaning against the car. If only he would pay attention to her tone, he would know that she was trying to get rid of him. Brian just humorlesslyughed, "Have you forgotten that this is a tie-up between our twopanies? Am I not allowed to look around here?" "Of course, you''re allowed but I think now isn''t the right time.It''s better if you''de with your fiancee," A said as an excuse. In truth, she just didn''t want to keep on facing him. "What I do with my time is none of your business," Brian replied rather brusquely. He strode across the pavement, acting as if he owned the entire ce. A couldn''t bear his difficult attitude anymore. "Go ahead if you want! I feel sick today and I need to rest, so I won''t apany you." Meanwhile in the office at the third floor, Anna looked around inquisitively.She noticed that the computer was still on and A''s bag and coat were still in ce. From the looks of it, the woman left hurriedlyst night. "Ellie, hasn''t Miss Wennye in yet?" she asked one of the employees. Anna had been waiting in the office for over an hour already and there was still no sign of A. She was growing more impatient as time passed. "I don''t know.Miss Wenny didn''t tell me anything about missing work today and we know she is always punctual.I wonder if she''s sick." Ellie wasn''t exactly sure what was going on, but the shattered ss pieces in the tea room were a telling sign that Miss Wenny could be experiencing some health problems. "Are you certain she''s sick? I think she left because she didn''t manage to finish her designs on time, right?" Annamented while skimming through the iplete design drafts on the desk.She deliberately made things difficult for A because she deserved it. With A''s suspicious disappearance and Brian missicy all night, it didn''t take long for Anna to put two and two together ande up with a premature conclusion in her mind. She was starting to feel antsy over what possibly happened. Downstairs, A was still hesitating. Brian''s presence made her really want to turn around and leave to rest at home, but she was also a dedicated employee who made sure her work was impable. So instead, she marched ahead to get to the third floor, while Brian followed her. As soon as A reached the office, an ill-tempered Anna weed her. "Miss Wenny, you''re finally here after a long time.Is this what you call work ethic?" she demanded. "Miss Anna, it looks like you have a lot of time on your hands for you toe here every day.Yesterday, you said my design drafts were so bad that they could not be used in the fashion season.Are you here to ask me for new design drafts today? I''m sorry, but I''m not a robot that can produce designs in a snap.I can''t deliver this all at once," she countered bravely. A was proud of herself for finally standing up to Anna at that moment.She couldn''t allow this woman to boss her around anymore and make her do tasks that were beyond her capacity. Meanwhile, Brian was following closely behind. Overhearing Anna''s demanding voice and cruel words made him stop cold in his tracks. "Wenny, if you don''t have the ability to work under pressure, then you''re free to pack your things and leave.If you keep on doing a lousy job, you''re going to put the reputation of rk Group on the line," Anna raised her voice, leaving no room for A to exin herself. Not wanting to prolong the conflict anymore, she relented and calmly assured the woman, "Miss Anna, don''t worry.I know what to do.I will try my best to keep up and finish the drafts." A walked towards her desk and sat down while arranging the files. "Miss Anna, I think you''d better show Mr.rk the design drafts I submitted yesterday to avoid any dys," she suggested. "I said no! Who do you think you are? I have the final say here.I''m not even interested to look at your damn design drafts," Anna yelled, her voice so heated and confrontational. As much as she''d like to remain calm and polite, A''s patience was wearing thin with how Anna was treating her. "Then, Miss Anna, it''s best if you leave my office! Can''t you see I have work to do? As you said, I''m already behind so I wouldn''t mind working overnight to finish the design drafts you want," she said through gritted teeth. "You? Miss Wenny, it''s not that I underestimate you.I''m just being honest.Your amateur design skills have no ce here.I think you should go back to school and study hard again." Anna red at her with zing eyes full of utter disdain. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Standing by the door, Brian didn''t walk in until he was able to hear the whole conversation between the two. Clearing his throat, he fixed a cold look at Anna and uttered, "I didn''t expect you could be so disrespectful." Now it was bing clear why A was so bent evading and hiding from him. Anna must have made her miserable these past few days. Anna''s dark eyes looked back and forth between A and Brian. "You two met yesterday, didn''t you?" she asked usingly. Her gut feelings didn''t fail her. Brian didn''te backst night because he, indeed, saw A. In the past two years they were together, he didn''t missing home to the vi every night. A was the reason that he didn''te homest night. Shifting the tide, Brian threw a question back to Anna. "You already knew Wenny and A were the same person.Why didn''t you tell me about this? How long were you nning to hide it from me?" Brian''s words were marked with his controlled anger, his temper simmering to a boil. What would happen if he didn''te herest night? "Brian, believe me, I didn''t mean to hide it from you.I only kept it as a secret because of A.She said she didn''t want to see you and asked me for help to make sure you won''t find her," clutching Brian''s hand, Anna''s voice was quivering as she exined to him. Despite her pleading eyes, Brian could see right through her act.He didn''t even believe a word she said. "Yes, she''s telling the truth," A interjected resolutely. "I asked her not to tell you because I didn''t want to see you.You don''t have to me her.You two should solve your personal matters privately.I need to work on my designs, so take your business elsewhere and not here in my office." She was determined for them to leave. It would be best if they were out of her sight and never set foot in here again. All she wanted was peace and quiet. However, Brian decided to stay and sat on the sofa ratherfortably. With the flick of his hand, he ordered, "Bring me the design sketches from yesterday." "Brian, her designs were extremely unappealing.It''s worthless to look at them.Let''s go now! She also said she''s working on a new design, so let''s leave her be," Anna pulled on Brian¡¯s hand as she persuaded him to get up and leave. There was no way she would allow him to set his eyes on those designs. One look at them and it would be obvious that she was deliberately making things difficult for A. After taking a long hard look at her, Brian said, "Anna, it''s none of your business." His face darkened and his voice was so devoid of warmth that she was caught off-guard.Her grip on his hand loosened and she knew at that moment that she was cornered. "Brian," Anna spoke softly, gone was her crass attitude from a while ago. She looked back and forth between him and A.She knew that A wouldn''te to her rescue because of how badly she mistreated ner Chapter 119: The Man With Her Was Lucas Chapter 119: The Man With Her Was Lucas A ruffled through the folders from the drawer until she found what she was looking for. "This is for Mr.rk." Her smile was confident as she handed her documents to Ellie. She was sure her design drafts fully showcased her abilities which she knew were rather considerable. Ellie quickly received A''s papers and handed them to Brian. "These documents require your attention, Mr.rk." She felt her heartbeat anxiously speed up as Brian took the folder from her hands.She had heard so much about him even before she entered thepany, and it was the first time she saw him in person.She found him quite intimidating. "Hmmm," Brian murmured as he carefully perused A''s designs, leafing through each draft one by one. Anna, who was standing beside Brian, sullenly watched him as he calmly examined A''s work.Her fists clenched into tight balls. She knew that Brian would abandon her because of A''s appearance.She would not allow it! Done with his scrutiny, Brian closed A''s folder. "Anna, tell me, what''s wrong with these design drafts?" N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. His tone of voice was strictly professional when he spoke, cold and devoid of any hint of tenderness. Unable toe up with a suitable response, Anna could only press her lips tightly together and sulk in silence. "You have nothing to say, right?" Brian''s eyes narrowed in warning. "Anna." He had always allowed Anna to do whatever she wanted, even when she challenged his decisions time and time again. He tolerated her simply because of all that she had done for him in many years. When it came to A, however, it was time he drew a bottom line. Ignoring the tension in the room, A stood up and put away the design drafts. "So, what do you think, Mr.rk?" She chattered nonchntly as she fixed the papers in their folder. "If you think there is no problem with these design drafts, you can use them to make sample clothes.But there is not much time left.If you find them unsatisfactory, you can return them to me and I will make the necessary modifications." Brian just looked at her, and said, "There''s no need for that.I will deal with the rest.You can rest today." "Miss Anna, you heard Mr.rk.You won''t count it as an absence if I took my leave now, will you?" Having said thus, A blithely picked up her handbag and left the office. With A out of the room, Brian turned to Anna, his expression forbidding. "You''re going back to thepany with me." A returned to her apartment, fully intending to rest even without Brian''s permission. But it suddenly came to her mind that she had forgotten to take the doctor- prescribed medication when she left the hospital in a hurry. After ten minutes of resting on the sofa, she heard the doorbell ring. She went to open the door, not bothering to peek through the peephole. There was only one person who the security guard allowed ess to her room any time of day, with no need for preamble. Brian rk. Only it wasn''t him this time. "Who are you?" A regarded the strange man at her doorstep warily. "Mrs.rk, I am..." A''s eyebrows rose at the way the man addressed her. "You''re mistaken, I''m not Mrs.rk.My family name is Woodsen," A curtly corrected the man. What was this? Why did Brian make the man call her that? Must he continue to hurt her so? She hadn''t truly been Mrs.rk. Not two years ago, let alone two years after.It was an empty title, devoid of substance. She might be his wife in name, but not where it mattered. Unaware of the anguish he''d awakened in A''s heart, the man continued to speak. "Mrs.rk, Mr.rk asked me to bring this to you." A felt annoyed by the man''s stubbornness, but she could not fault the guy for not daring to disobey his employer''s order. Reluctantly, she epted the food and medicine he delivered. "Fine.You can go back now." As the man began walking away, A called out in a huff, "And please don''t call me Mrs.rk next time." A closed the door as soon as the man left.She ced his delivery on the dining table andid out its contents. Among them was a container filled with hot millet porridge. ''Was he ever so thoughtful?¡¯ She never expected that man to have a caring side. A scoffed at the thought. It must be a deliberate ploy of his to get back in her good graces. Even so, she disliked wasting food, and she needed a full stomach to be able to take her medicine. At thepany''s head office, Anna gloomily watched as Brian personally arranged for A''s designs to be made into sample clothes. "Anna, prepare a studio for A here in the head office..." Brian gruffly ordered as he finalized his preparations. "Brian, do you have to treat me like this as soon as she came back? What did she do to enthrall you so? Don''t you know that she has been with Lucas?" Anna smiled as a stricken look came upon Brian''s face.She didn''t wish to hurt him, but he must know. A was with Lucas now, so she didn''t deserve Brian. "What did you just say?" Brian sped Anna''s arms and squeezed tightly. "Who did you say is with L?" ¡®Did I hear correctly? Lucas? How could it be?¡¯ "Brian, you''re hurting me!" Anna shouted. She was just telling the truth, so why was he so angry at her? "Who is it? Say his name again! " Brian growled, shaking Anna furiously. "It''s Lucas Collins," Anna replied softly, too scared to raise her voice. Brian released Anna''s arms as if scalded.He pointed to the door and roared. "Get out!" She immediatelyplied and almost ran out of his office. Alone, Brian slumped into his chair and buried his face in his hands. Dire thoughts flooded his mind. ¡®¡®Is she aware of the rtionship between Tatum and Lucas? In the past two years they''d been together, what had happened between them? Is she in love with that guy now?¡¯¡¯ If he hadn''t found out about the rtionship between A and Lucas, he would have taken his sweet time and slowly wooed her back to him. But things had changed. If A continued staying with Lucas, she would be used as a pawn by those two men. He didn''t care if he had to trade everything of his for her safety.He was more afraid she would end up being hurt. Brian decided to give Jaime a call. The man answered almost immediately. "Can I be of assistance, Mr.rk?" "Jaime, can you check if Lucas is still in Thand? Brian fervently wished Lucas would nevere back. It was the only way to keep A from being harmed. "Mr.rk, I''m sorry to report that Lucas had boarded a ne leaving Thand an hour ago.He might arrive soon." Brian felt his blood run cold when he heard Jaime¡¯s words. "I see.Keep your eyes on Tatum." As soon as he hung up his phone, Brian drove straight to A''s apartment. A was napping on the sofa when the doorbell rang again, and with an annoyed sigh, she went to answer it. She had barely cracked open the door when it was suddenly pushed forward, revealing that her unwanted visitor this time around to be Brian. "Mr.rk, you are trespassing," A said sternly as Brian strode in uninvited. She regarded him with irritation that grew by the minute. How dare he casually barge into her ce as if he owned it? This was her residence, not his vi.How could he juste and go as he pleased? "I''m trespassing? Really?" He cocked his head arrogantly. "Then, sue me." Brian walked towards the living room, and negligently sat down on the sofa.He pulled out a thin nket from where he was sitting and wondered if she had fallen asleep on the couch just Chapter 120: Live In Her House Chapter 120: Live In Her House There was a deep feeling of uneasiness creeping into her system, yet A still managed to force a smile. "Mr.rk, you own a lot of vis and apartments.I think it''s not good for you to squeeze here in my small apartment.Besides, a hotel is more preferable than this.For sure they''ll even give you a warm wee there." In all honesty, she did not want to stay in the same room as this man. After all, her apartment only had one bedroom and a single bed. If he were to stay here, where would he sleep? Brian shook his head and insisted, "No.Your apartment is fine." He had already made up his mind that he would stay here with her, whether she liked it or not.He would stay here for as long as he wanted. Even though A had changed a lot, he could tell that her softheartedness did not.A stared at his cold face in exasperation. How she wished she could kick him out! But Brian did not seem to care about what she felt. Leaning against the sofa, he squinted his eyes and said tiredly, "I need to rest now.I didn''t sleep well last night." Then, he pulled the thin nket that she had covered on herself and prepped himself for sleep. Once he wasfortable on the sofa, he closed his eyes not long after. A shook her head helplessly and stared at him.She wondered if he could really sleep on the sofa and live here just as he had said. Albeit annoyed, there was nothing else she could do, so she decided to go to her room. As a precaution, she closed the door and locked it.The instant Brian heard the sound of a door closing, his eyes fluttered open. He looked at the closed frosted ss door, and his lips curled into a frown. ¡®¡®A, you''re still naive as before.Do you really think you can escape? It''s useless, even if you lock the door.¡± Inside the room, A was pacing back and forth with fear and anxiety in her heart. This was different than the time she protested against Brian.She must admit, she only pretended to be strong and calm at that time.She looked outside the window. It was sunny, but for some reason, the sky seemed overcast for her.She wanted to make a call to Lucas, but she remembered that she left her phone in the living room. The only choice she had was to use thendline at the bedside. However, a sinking feeling in her chest emerged when she found out that Lucas¡¯ phone was off. She walked back and forth a few more times in apprehension. Unable to hold it any longer, she stormed out and walked over to where Brian was. "Brian rk, what did you do to Lucas?! Tell me!" Brian opened his eyes at once and stared at A, who was fuming with anger.He found it amusing that this woman was getting bolder. Only a few people in the world dared to call his full name without respect. "What''s with the angry face? Why are you so mad? Are you okay now? Have you recovered already?" he asked one after another. Looking at her, she seemed pretty healthy and strong, unlike in the morning when she seemed so weak. "Don''t change the topic.What did you do to Lucas?" she asked with a scowl. The truth was, she was scared out of her wits. She knew that Brian was wicked and cunning. Since he was currently staying in her apartment, he probably did something to Lucas. No wonder Lucas still had not returned from abroad. Something must have happened to him there. "Tell me, A.How much do you know about Lucas?" Brian replied indifferently. He understood that she really wanted to protect Lucas. However, she had no idea about Lucas¡¯ rtionship with Tatum. If she learned about it, she definitely would not protect that man like this again. In Lucas¡¯ and Tatum''s eyes, A was only a pawn. They only saw her as a tool necessary to get everything they wanted. Brian might have been cruel to her in the past, but he still had feelings for her until now. This was the reason why they decided to use het. "Of course, I know him! He''s a good man, unlike you, who''s ruthless and evil.I''m telling you that it was Lucas who gave me that ring.It was his engagement ring for me.Do you understand now?" A said those words in hopes that Brian would finally let her go and leave her alone. Yes, they had a past, but two years had already passed since then. Everything between them was over. Also, her name was Wenny now. Brian shook his head and answered, "No, I don''t.You have no idea who he really is." Despite what A had said, he remained calm and unfazed. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. "Guess what? I don''t need your opinion whether I really know Lucas or not.Just tell me what you''ve done to him!" A demanded while ring at him.He must have done something to Lucas! "Rx.I didn''t do anything to him.As the owner of therk Group, I have no reason to harm anyone, even in secret." If there was one thing that Brian took pride in, it was him being honest and straightforward. He was unlike Tatum and Lucas, who were despicable and shameless by all means. His words made A scoff in disgust. "You''re telling me that you''ve never harmed anyone, even in secret? What a hypocrite! Tell me, why did you force yourself on me before? What about the things you did to my adoptive father? Don''t forget what you forced Arlene to do! How about what you did to my child? Which one of those is right? How dare you call yourself upright when you slowly pushed me into desperation! You did those things.Stop being a hypocrite!" Brian just watched her while she threw a fit. Once she was done, he remarked, "Your memory is impressive.Since you still remember everything, don''t you want to take revenge on me? Perhaps the reason why you''re with Lucas is that you actually n on doing so?" "Nice try.Sadly, I''m not as vengeful as you are.I don''t even have feelings for you, so how am I supposed to hate you? You''re just overthinking, Mr.rk.I just want to know if you have done anything to Lucas." For A, it did not matter whether or not she had forgotten the past. After all, she believed that she would be able to forget all those bad memories sooner orter. However, she could not allow anything to happen to Lucas. She doubted that she would be able to sleep at night if she found out that something had indeed happened to him.All of a sudden, Brian pulled her, causing her to fall into his arms, and whispered, "It''s true that I can do whatever I want.But, A, believe me when I said that I didn''t do anything." She then looked straight into his deep eyes and saw that he was, in fact, telling the truth. If he did not lie, then why did Lucas turn off his phone? What happened to him? "Don''t you get it? Will you believe me if I tell you that he''s on the ne to Antawood?" Brian decided to tell her the truth, despite what she would feel.He would also let her know Lucas¡¯ real identity sooner orter. After hearing what he had said, A finally calmed down. Then, she took a deep breath and thought, ¡®I could leave with Lucas and return to Italy.That way, I won''t have to see Brian anymore.Yareli_ will understand, right?¡¯ "A, what are you thinking about? Are you thinking of leaving me?" Brian had guessed what was on her mind just by looking at her. "Do you really think that you can escape from me?" he added. Meanwhile, A felt angry again that she suddenly pushed him hard on his chest. "Why do you care? Whether I''ll leave or not, it''s none of your business!" Now that she was free from his arms, she stood up and smoothed her clothes. "A, it''s not for you to decide," he cautioned while looking at her stubbornly. She had no idea how much he wanted her for himself. "Brian, I know that you want to stay here because you want Lucas to misunderstand our rtionship.Isn''t that right? Let me tell you¡ªhe''s different from you.Lucas won''t believe you nor this stupid scheme of yours," A said firmly. Chapter 121: Do You Still Want To Believe The Lies In Your Head Chapter 121: Do You Still Want To Believe The Lies In Your Head "I don''t care whether he will believe it or not.I''m only telling you the truth," Brian said with a stern voice. At that moment, he decided to show A the truth about Lucas¡¯ character, even if A would hate him as a result. Since he never cared about others'' opinions, he could stay calm while talking to her. For him, he could always get what he wanted. As for the things he didn''t like, it was easy for him to get rid of them. With a confused expression, A stared at him. "What are you telling me to do?" "I already told you everything I wanted to say." After adjusting his sitting posture on the sofa, Brian took a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. "Fine! I''ll leave this ce.Stay here until you die!" After picking up her coat, A stormed out of her apartment. Alone, she walked out of the apartment with nowhere to go. As misery became apparent in her eyes, her feet led her to her office. When A walked into her office, Ellie, who was sitting inside, became surprised at her return. "Miss Wenny, did you forget something? Why are you here again? Are you okay? You seem tired." "Forget it.I have nothing better to do anyway." At that moment, talking to Brian was a difficult thing for A. As such, she would rather work despite her exhaustion. While sitting on her office chair, A had no motivation to draw the design. The trouble in her heart kept her from working. All she could think about was Brian''s words. His words seemed to imply that Lucas wasn''t as simple as she thought. As such, she doubted if she knew everything about Lucas. At that moment, she concluded that everything she knew about Lucas seemed shallow. She didn''t have the heart to ask about his past. Everything she knew about him came from his own words. These included his past and his family background. Nheless, A still believed in everything he said. After all, he saved her and loved her unconditionally.He even doted on her. As such, she had to give him the benefit of the doubt. From the start, she believed that Lucas was a kind- hearted man. Two years ago, they went to Mn, Italy, to restart their lives. All she wanted was to forget Brian and her past. However, her recent talk with Brian messed with her emotions.Finally, she stood up and headed downstairs. To her surprise, Brian was waiting for her there. "Where are you nning to go?" he asked upon seeing her. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Since he knew her so well, he already predicted her to leave the office and visit Lucas. "It has nothing to do with you, Mr.rk." Actually, A should have realized that Brian was trying to control her life again. That man had always been a control freak. "Let me drive for you," Brian offered as he opened the passenger door. A sly smile shed across his face. Meanwhile, A was lost in her thought as she held her handbag. ¡®Even if I want to refuse, this guy will just find a way to make me agree.I might as well ept his offer.¡¯ "Thank you for your offer, Mr.rk.I''ll dly let you drive for me." A faked a smile as she took out two hundred dors from her wallet and handed it to him. "This should be more than enough to cover the fare.Keep the change as my treat for you." Then, she sat in the back seat instead of the passenger seat. With furrowed eyebrows, Brian red at the cash she shoved in his hand. The woman dared to treat him as a chauffeur. Furious, he opened the backseat door and growled, "Get out of there! Transfer to the passenger seat in front!" "What? I thought Mr.rk wants to be my driver? It¡¯s only natural for me to sit in the back seat." When she noticed how angry Brian was, A couldn''t help but feel good about what she did. After getting out of the car, A sarcastically added, "Since Mr.rk doesn''t want to be my driver, I''ll leave you alone.I better take a cab instead." Enraged, Brian grabbed her arm. "Quit being arrogant.Although I will drive for you, you have to sit in the front seat!" Then, he shoved her into the passenger seat before sitting in the driver''s seat. After ring at her onest time, he started the engine and drove away. "Do you have any idea where I n to go?" Although A never gave any directions, she realized that they were heading towards the airport. "I thought you''re heading for the airport? Is my assumption wrong? In that case, maybe I should turn around." After ncing at her, Brian thought, ¡®Lucas must have sheltered this woman in the past two years. That''s why she still can''t distinguish between good people and bad people. She doesn¡¯t even know the truth about Lucas. Suddenly, A replied, "No, don¡¯t turn around.I am heading for the airport." "Although you are eager to see him, does he feel the same about you? That man didn''t even call you beforeing back." Nheless, he was telling the truth. Moreover, he was aware that Lucas wasn''t alone this time. Since the TH Gang wanted to attack Brian, Lucas must have brought someone with him. After hearing his words, A could only purse her lips. Brian was right as Lucas never told her anything rted to work. "What''s wrong? Are you nervous? If you change your mind, I''m always willing to take you back," Brian mocked after realizing how anxious she was. "No.I have faith in him." A confident expression painted her face as she stared at Brian. His maniptive words did not affect her trust in Lucas. She remained loyal to thetter as they had experienced a lot of things together. Since Lucas knew about her past, he wouldn''t dare harm her. Additionally, she always thought that he wouldn''t gain anything from using her. "Seems like you won''t change your mind until you see it yourself." After ncing at his watch, Brian realized that Lucas would be arriving soon. In that case, he better let A determine if what he said was true. As they arrived at the international airport of Antawood, Brian parked his car just outside the airport''s lobby. However, he kept the doors locked, leaving A unable to get out. "What are you waiting for? Unlock the door.Let me out of here!" A growled at him as she pounded the car window. "Shut up! I''ll decide when you will get off." There was no way he would let her out of the car. The whole point of driving her here was to let her see the truth. Suddenly, Lucas walked into their view.He was carrying a suitcase in one hand while a woman hugged his other arm. They seemed very intimate with each other.The woman beside him had such an alluring smile. For a moment, A wished that she was just looking at another man, not Lucas. "Look at that.Are you aware that Lucas has a mistress? It seems like, all this time, your fiance had been cheating on you.The ring he gave you is useless," Brian mocked with a sly smile. "Shut up! Lucas is not like that.He wouldn''t be so cruel." Although she didn¡¯t want to believe it, A couldn''t deny that Lucas was the man in front of them. His intimacy with the woman embracing his arm could only mean that he was cheating. "You should already realize by now what kind of man he is.Despite the evidence in front of you, do you still want to believe the lies in your head?" Brian calmly asked while staring at her. Although she had always believed in Lucas, A didn''t have the heart to get out of the car and confront him. Finally, Lucas and the woman arrived at a nearby car. He pulled away from the woman''s embrace and told her, "Get in the car." "What? You''re noting with me, Lucas?" A pout shed across the woman''s lips when she realized that he wasn''t going to join her inside. "There''s something else I have to do.Don''t worry.The driver will send you directly to the hotel." However, even before the door closed, the woman got out of the car and clung to him. "Well, tell me where you are going.I''ll apany you." Chapter 122: Will You Really Live Here Chapter 122: Will You Really Live Here Left with no other choice, Lucas went into the car with the woman. "To the hotel," he said to the driver. He would never let A and this woman see each other because he couldn''t take the risk. "Lucas, are you hiding something from me? Or is my dad right? Do you have another woman here?" This woman was Haley Green, Tatum''s only daughter. This time, the reason Tatum asked her to go with Lucas was because he didn''t want him to ruin his n. Tatum had long been suspicious of Lucas because of what he had been doing for the past two years. If it weren''t for the fact that he had protected A well, Tatum might''ve already found out that she was still alive. Lucas just agreed to bring Haley with him because he didn''t want Tatum to know that he was with A now. "No, you''re overthinking things," Lucas denied. "Is that so? Then why didn''t you feel happy when you heard that I was going back to Antawood with you? You look like you have a lot on your mind." Haley looked at his face. When the car slowly passed by the side of Brian''s car, coincidentally, she was leaning closer to Lucas. From A''s point of view, it looked like they were kissing passionately.Her hands dropped feebly and she lowered her gaze as she felt an indescribable pain choking her throat. Turning to look at her, Brian asked, "Shall we go back now?" "Okay!" A replied lightly, pretending to be calm. She had long hoped that Lucas could find a woman more suitable for him, but when she saw that he was being intimate with another woman, it broke her heart. Brian didn''t say anything more as he slowly drove downtown. "I want to go back to my apartment," said A. "Sure." He nced at her. "You''re really hardheaded, you know that?" "It''s none of your business.Are you happy now? That''s what you''ve always wanted, right? But I won''t get mad.I still trust him." A turned her gaze towards the window. ''If Lucas has really found his true love, then I''m willing to let him go, '' she told herself. Brian and A entered the apartment building together. As she stood in front of her apartment, she nced at the room across hers.It was still locked.It seemed that he hadn''te home yet. ''He''s probably still with that woman¡± she assumed. In the past, every time Lucas came home from a business trip, he would eagerly await her in front of her door and bring her delicious food. However, she clearly saw who he was with today, and she felt hollow in her heart. "Why aren''t you going in?" Brian looked at her with disdain. Had she really fallen in love with Lucas? There was no way he''d allow it! "Do you really want to stay here?" A was perplexed. Didn''t he already show her what he wanted her to see? In that case, he should just go back to his own ces "What do you think? I never go back on my word." Brian took the key from her hand and opened the door himself. Then, he dragged A into the apartment. "You''ve had a rough day.You should get some rest." He carried her to her room, and threw her on the bed withoutpassion. "Brian, leave me alone! I just want to be left alone right now." A fell to the bed hard. Fortunately, the bed was soft enough. Otherwise, she might suffer a serious injury. ncing at her, he said, "You stubborn woman!" After that, he stormed out of the room. However, he didn''t leave yet. Instead, he sat on the sofa and started smoking. Meanwhile, Anna was sitting alone in the office. Once again, Brian was nowhere to be found.He must''ve gone to see A again. She was certain of this. However, she still bore resentment towards A.She wasn''t going to let her get back together with him so easily. Anna had loved Brian for so many years, but for some reason, she always paled inparison to A in his heart. It was the first time that he ever yelled at her and told her she was disrespectful. It was also the first time that he had ignored her, and the very first time that he showed her no compassion. On top of that, Anna suffered all kinds of humiliation because of A''s return.She wasn''t going to let this pass. But she had long known that A was the only woman that had a hold in Brian''s heart. Anna knew that it was a pipe dream that her love for him would eventually be reciprocated.It was never going to happen. Despite that fact, she still loved him no matter what.Anna walked out of thepany and went into her car.She soon arrived at A''s office building before she realized that she had gone there. It took her a few moments of hesitation before she finally went upstairs, only to find that Ellie was the only person in the office. A and Brian were nowhere to be found. "Miss Anna, you''re here." Ellie immediately approached her. "Where''s Wenny? Didn''t shee back here today?" Anna turned her gaze towards A''s office. Shaking her head, Ellie replied, "Miss Wenny dropped by earlier, but she left right away." "What about Mr.rk?" In reality, she only wanted to know where Brian was.Where had he gone? Was he with A right now? "Mr.rk hasn''t dropped by ever since he left.I''m not sure where he is right now," Ellie answered. She was a neer, so she didn''t dare to offend the managers.And because of that, she told Anna everything she knew. "I see.Don''t tell them I went here." After saying that, Anna turned around and was about to leave. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Unbeknownst to her, there was an apartment across the building where a pair of eyes had spotted her, and her car. Brian turned around and threw away the cigarette butt in his hand. Anna must''ve been giving A a hard time. It was no wonder that this woman was adamantly avoiding him. A didn''t expect that she''d fall asleep so soon, and she had even forgotten the fact that there was a man in her house, who also happened to be someone she was afraid of. After a while, she woke up and stood at the door, looking at Brian. "Mr.rk, why haven''t you left?" It wasn''t her fault that she was so eager to drive him away.It was just that she really didn''t have the heart to face him right now and stay under the same roof with him. "When did I ever say that I''ll leave?" He turned his head to look back at her. She was asking him to leave, but he wasn''t going to give her the satisfaction of doing SO. "Fine! You can stay if you want!" A knew that he wasn''t going to leave, but she had to go eat dinner now, and there was no more food in the fridge.She wasn''t going to starve herself, and she could hardly care if Brian starved to death. If he did starve, it was his fault and he deserved it.He didn''t ask her where she was going, nor did he offer to drive her to her destination. But she wouldn''t need it anyway because she wasn''t going anywhere far. After A left the apartment, she went to a small restaurant nearby.She ordered some food that could fill her stomach. Later on, she went to the supermarket and spent nearly an hour there, buying several items before she went home. Meanwhile, Lucas had just finished having dinner with Haley, and persuaded her to stay in the hotel for the time being. Then, he went back to his apartment.However, he didn''t go home right away.Instead, he rang the doorbell of A''s apartment. Chapter 123: You Are The One Supposed To Leave Chapter 123: You Are The One Supposed To Leave After standing up from the sofa, Brian approached the door and peeked at the peephole.A smile shed across his lips when he saw who was waiting outside. He opened the door and greeted, "Mr.Collins, how are you? It''s been a long time since west saw each other." "Mr.rk? What are you doing here? Where is A?" The moment Brian opened the door for him, Lucas immediately sensed some danger.Since the man before him was in A''s house, all he could think about was her safety. "Why are you asking such stupid questions, Mr.Collins? After all, I''m A''s husband.I''m more curious as to why you''re so caring towards her." In that instance, Brian was blocking the entrance with his body so that Lucas couldn''t enter. ''Maybe it''s fortunate that Lucas and A aren''t living in the same apartment, '' he thought. However, Lucas shoved Brian out of the way and forced his way inside. "L, where are you?" Despite looking at every nook and cranny of the apartment, Lucas couldn''t find A. "Brian, where is she? What did you do to A?" Enraged, Lucas marched towards Brian and grabbed him by the cor. "Where is she? Have you had enough of torturing her?" "What are you talking about? I haven''t done anything to her.Moreover, you ought to realize your position and mine." Then, Brian shoved away Lucas'' hand. ''How dare you take advantage of her? I won''t allow you toy a finger on her" "You dare mention your position? I don''t care that everyone is afraid of you, Brian.What are you to her? Nheless, stay away from her.Your presence will only cause her sorrow." If he had known that this would happen, Lucas would have stayed beside A. In that way, Brian wouldn''t be able to approach her. Unfortunately, Brian found her. As such, A had to live under the shadow he cast upon her. "I will cause her sorrow? That''s riching from you.If you want to me someone, look at yourself first.Just now, A was at the airport.You should already realize what she saw there.So before making a decision, carefully think about if you can truly give her the happiness she deserves." Brian could only re at Lucas at the moment.He couldn''t do anything yet, as Tatum was a cruel man.He needed to be careful about his ns. Stunned, Lucas widened his eyes. "This is all your fault! You deliberately took her there as part of your scheme.How dare you put suspicions in her head?" "My intentions are not what''s important here.The fact is, you''re cheating on A!" Brian already realized Tatum''s scheme. Aside from keeping an eye on Lucas, Tatum also let his daughter apany Lucas back to A City, so that she could figure out the woman who made him stay in Italy in the past two years. "That''s not true! Nothing happened between that woman and me.If I exin everything to A, she will surely believe me." For two years, Lucas and A had shared a wonderful rtionship.As such, they could easily fix such a misunderstanding.With a re, Brian retorted, "Don''t try to drown the truth by raising your voice. Moreover, A has changed and is different from what she was two years ago. The same goes for me.This time, I will not hurt her. However, as long as you''re with her, she''s just another target for Tatum. Have you forgotten what happened two years ago?" Back then, when A''s life was in danger, Lucas'' subordinate, Aldo, secretly informed him, so he was able to save her. However, he didn''t dare test his fortune this time. "I know that you want to get back at me.However, leave her out of it," Brian told Lucas in a proud voice. For A''s sake, he even stopped his illegal businesses for more than two years.He was nning to turn over a new leaf. "I suggest you leave already and think things through," Brian added with a stern expression. Lucas should do what was best for A if he truly loved her. As he left the apartment, Lucas took the elevator directly to the underground parking lot. Meanwhile, A was waiting in front of the elevator in the lobby, holding arge bag of groceries.As such, the two didn''t cross paths. The moment A arrived upstairs, she noticed that the front door remained open. Meanwhile, Brian was smoking a cigarette in front of an open window. With a confused look, she asked, "Why is the door open? Someone might break in.Aren''t you afraid?" "You came back.I was afraid that you''d never return." After putting out his cigarette, he approached her, wondering what to say. However, all he could do was stare at her and take the bags from her hand. Earlier, she wanted to drive him out. However, she still went to the grocery store and bought a lot of things. "What are you saying? I own this ce.If someone''s supposed to leave, it''s you." She took the fresh vegetables and fruits she bought to the kitchen. After putting them in the fridge, she remembered how Lucas used to prepare such things for her. Nheless, A was determined to rely only on herself from now on. Meanwhile, Brian skimmed through the remaining groceries and found arge bag of instant noodles. With a worried expression, he asked, "Are you going to eat these?" However, A only red at him. "It doesn''t concern you.I don''t need your opinion, Mr.rk." "I usually don''t stick my nose in someone else''s business.The high amount of preservative won''t be enough to kill me.Nheless, if you''re nning to eat those by yourself, I''ll throw them away right now." Brian grabbed a packet of instant noodles and tossed it into the garbage bin. "What are you doing?" Furious, A stomped her foot on his foot.Unfortunately, she was wearing slippers. Although she kicked his legs a few times with more force, he didn''t feel pain at all. "Stop it! You''ve been throwing a fit ever since you left the hospital this morning.Don''t you get tired of your temper tantrums?" A sigh escaped Brian''s breath as he gave her a helpless look. In his head, he figured that she was acting like that because she had learned to live independently in the past two years. Moreover, Lucas might have let her have everything she wanted, turning her into a spoiled brat. Meanwhile, A just sneered at him as she continued to unpack the groceries.She diligently arranged them into the fridge before closing the fridge door. When she turned around, A noticed that Brian was still at the kitchen door. At that moment, she realized aside from not having dinner yet, he must have also missed lunch. In her head, she wondered if she should let him Starve. However, she decided to steal her heart and ignore his hunger. After all, he might leave if he became too hungry. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. There was no need for her to care about him. Brian remained quiet as A went to her room. After a sigh, he sat down on the sofa and turned on the television. After flipping through the channels, he found himself watching the financial news. Meanwhile, A remained restless as she sat in her room. The faint sound from the television still echoed through her walls. Although she was holding her phone, she couldn''t dial Lucas'' number.She was afraid of not being able to let him go. Nheless, if he wanted to be with the gorgeousdy at the airport, it was something she couldn''t control. On the other hand, Lucas was standing in his hotel room. Although he didn''t mean to, he was afraid that he had hurt A again. He had no idea if he could still protect her like what happened two years ago. Suddenly, Haley approached him with a seductive charm. "Lucas, why are you drinking alone? I''m also craving alcohol.Allow me to join you." After getting a ss of wine, she walked up to him and looked into his eyes. Earlier that afternoon, Lucas left in a hurry.It was alreadyte when he returned to the hotel. There was no need for Haley to ask what happened to him.Her woman''s intuition already figured out that his problem had something to do with ady. Chapter 124: I Dont Want An Apology Chapter 124: I Don''t Want An Apology After taking the ss from her hand, Lucas asked, "Why are you here in my room?" They were staying in different hotel rooms. "I''ve figured out a way toe in whenever I want.Do you think I''ve been wasting my time following my dad all these years?" said Haley. "Okay, I shouldn''t have asked.But it''s alreadyte.Why don''t you go to sleep? Aren''t you exhausted from your flight?" Lucas remarked. ncing at him, Haley gulped down the wine in her ss. "Lucas, you should know how much I love yous ¡° "Haley, what are you talking about? We grew up together.We''re basically siblings already! There''s nothing more than that between us." Lucas was right.He knew that even though Tatum was his adoptive father, that man had always wanted him to marry Haley, so that he couldpletely control him. That was the whole reason Lucas wanted to get away from Tatum. "Lucas, don''t say that! I know that you have another woman now, but I don''t give a damn.I love you, and as long as you have a ce for me in your heart, nothing else matters." Haley poured another ss of wine. "Come on, let''s drink!" Unfortunately, Lucas had never imagined that she would drug him, so he carelessly drank the wine. Momentster, she took off her coat and revealed her sexy gauze nightgown. "Let''s enjoy this night together, shall we?" she said. "Haley, don''t do this." His reason made him push her away.He wasn''t going to let himself get caught in that kind of dilemma. "Why can''t we do this? Do you think that I''m not good enough for you? What''s so good about that woman? Do you really love her that much? So much that you''d refuse me without hesitation? I''m not a child anymore.I''m all grown up." She held his hand, leaning closer towards him.Realizing his desires for her touch, Lucas asked in disbelief, "Haley, what did you put in my drink?" "You''re gonna like me, Lucas.I promise." After saying that, Haley wrapped her arms around him and pressed her supple red lips against his. Indeed, she had drugged him because she was determined to win him over, no matter what method she had to use.She desired to be his woman and his wife. In his mind, Lucas wanted to push her away, but his body wasn''t listening to him. Contrary to what he wanted, he held her tighter. Back when they were in Thand, Haley had seduced him more than once, but he refused her advances every single time. However, this time, he hadpletely lost control of himself because of the drug''s effect. Haley gazed into the eyes of the man she loved and said, "I love you, Lucas.I love you so much.You''ll be responsible for me once you''ve had me, won''t you?" Lucas picked her up and brought her to the bed. Meanwhile, A woke up in the middle of the night.When she pushed the door open, she found that Brian was still awake in the living room. "Why are you still up at such ate hour?" "I can''t fall asleep on the sofa," he said. As soon as she heard this, she felt nervous. "What are you nning to do? Don''t push your luck!" He imed that he couldn''t fall asleep on the sofa.It only meant that he wanted to sleep on her bed. In his dreams! Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. "I''m not pushing my luck.You think too much." Brian raised an eyebrow. "Did I even ask you for anything?" Pursing her lips, A replied, "Fine, maybe I was thinking too much.Whether you fall asleep or not, it''s your business." The second she turned around, Brian pulled her back. "Are you really just going to let me starve to death?" "You can leave whenever you want to! I''m not obligated to prepare dinner for you, am I?" In reality, A wasn''t this heartless, but she knew that if she gave in even once, she would sumb to him forever "Fine, fine. You can go to sleep now," Brian responded, letting go of her hand. His meek tone made A feel a bit guilty. After about five minutes since she returned to her room, she came out again. "What do you want to eats "l¡¯ll eat whatever you make." Brian had always been a picky eater, but it was a different story if A was the one who prepared the food. She nced at the instant noodles that he had thrown into the trash can. The only reason she bought it was because she didn''t want to spend too much time on cooking. But wasn''t it too stingy to serve him instant noodles only? She kept staring nkly at the instant noodles at the table. Secondster, Brian walked in. "What''s the matter? Is it that difficult to decide what to cook because you bought so much ingredients earlier?" "Why are youining? You know what, if you''re going toin, you can cook by yourself." A had nned to cook something good for him, but she changed her mind because of his attitude. "You should be thanking me for even deciding to cook for you.But this is the first andst time that I''ll do it.What? Are you expecting me to prepare a feast for you? I''m sorry, but I only have instant noodles." After saying that, A took out a pack of instant noodles, turned the stove on, and put the noodles into the pot. Momentster, Brian looked at the bowl of noodles which had ayer of spicy oil floating on the surface. "You''re so cruel to me," he said. But after that, he didn''t say anything else.He finished the bowl of noodles despite hisints. A poured him a ss of water.She realized that she might''ve gone a little too far this time. "I''ll go to the kitchen to clean it up." As he drank water, Brian watched as she hurried into the kitchen. A must''ve been feeling helpless because she couldn''t avoid him. After dawdling in the kitchen for a long time, she went back to the living room and found that Brian had fallen asleep on the sofa. Although, it was highly unlikely that he had fallen asleep so quickly. ''He''s probably just resting his mind with his eyes closed, '' she thought. A hesitated for a while before she went back to her room.If he really wanted to stay the night, then she was just going to let him be.He would probably go home once he had had enough of this ce. The moment Lucas woke up, he found Haley beside him. He touched his forehead, helpless.He must''ve drank so much wine, and she drugged him. Not long after, Haley also woke up. She looked at him, and said, "You''re awake.You hurt mest night." Lucas noticed the bruises on her body, which he might''ve dealt on herst night. "Haley, I''m sorry." "I don''t want to hear your apology.You know what I want to hear." She then leaned closer to him. "I can''t give you what you want, Haley." He pushed her away and got up from the bed. But when he saw the blood stain on the bed sheet, he froze. It wasmon knowledge to him that Haley had so many pursuers, but he never imagined that she was still a virgin. How could he make such a mistake? Or maybe this was Haley''s trick to make him believe that she was a virgin? Unfortunately, he couldn''t remember everything that happened after he was drugged. Haley pulled his arm and said, "I won''t force you to do anything, but please don''t leave me alone.Don''t leave me, okay?" Lucas stared at her delicate figure, and he was aroused once more.However, his good sense urged him to push her away. "Haley, enough! Just forget what happened between usst night, okay?" Chapter 125: Chalk And Cheese Chapter 125: Chalk And Cheese Haley sneered, "Are you pretending as if nothing has happened? How cruel can you be to say this? How dare you insinuate that nothing has happened? Then what is this?" she asked, pointing at the bruises punctuated all over her body by the previous night''s frenzied sex. ''How could he ask me to forget what has happened?'' she thought bitterly. "Lucas, how could you be so cruel to me for the sake of that wretched woman? Can she love you as much as I do? Can she drive you to such levels of ecstasy and passion as I do? She hasn''t let you touch her, has she?" She had done everything in her power to get what she wanted and was determined to win this battle. "Haley, don''t you understand? I always regard you as my sister." What he meant was that she could only be a sister to him. Chances of her ever bing a lover or a wife were nil. The only woman in his heart was A. It didn''t matter that he could not get her body, but his heart belonged only to her. "Am I right?" Haley looked at him andmented, "If a woman doesn''t surrender her body to you then it''s a clear indication that she doesn''t love you!" "What nonsense! The two of you are like chalk and cheese!" He liked A''s innocence and kindness as much as he disliked Haley''s scheming character. A could shower him with an abundance of warmth that made him long for a home with her. Haley couldn''t offer him anything close to this in a thousand years. Although Haley had helped him in countless ways when he was suffering in Thand, that was not the kind of love he sought. Haley stared at him and said, "I won''t force you; but I don''t want you to meet that woman now, okay? Please can you stay and apany me today?" His heart melted like butter when he saw tears streaming down her cheeks. She didn''t usually break down so easily. "Are you still hesitant? This is my only condition.I do not expect you to take responsibility for me or to marry me.All I request is that you should spend just one day with me, please." Haley had no choice but to settle for second best.She would need more time to n how to worm her way into his heart. He nodded in agreement. A smile of victory spread across her face.She knew exactly what she wanted from this very complicated rtionship: a child from Lucas. Brian took A to the rk Group office building. The sample dresses she had designed were ready for inspection.The rk Group was indeed super- efficient.The dresses were presented to her in a steady flow. "Well, what do you think? Do they meet up to your expectations?" She draped the dresses on the mannequins and examined them carefully. He stood aside and watched in awe as she seriously examined the dresses.He had never imagined that A, who majored in secretarial profession, would blossom into a professional designer in a span of two years. As soon as Anna arrived at thepany, she heard that Brian had brought a beautiful woman here.She didn''t need to guess twice that that woman was A. Was it worth his while to spoil her so much? A and Lucas had grown close over the past two years.She was a very seductive woman so it was impossible that she and Lucas hadn''t had sex. As Anna walked into the office, she spotted Brian on the sofa, observing A as she checked the sample dresses on the mannequins. He was too good to her. Within two days, all the dresses were ready. Did he not object to any of her designs? Had anyone else designed the dresses, he would have found a thousand ws in them. Anna couldn''t help but me herself now. If she had handed A''s designs over to him earlier, then there would have been no need for him to go over to her studio. She had deliberately created difficulties between them to keep them apart, but it seemed to have backfired. This time around, she would not allow A to ruin her rtionship with Brian. When A raised her head, she noticed Anna. The distraction caused her to identally prick her finger with the needle she was working with. The sudden pain made her drop the workbox. Brian followed her gaze and said, "Come on int" His voice was as cold as steel. "Brian, are you really going to do this?" Anna asked. Did he really have to be so ruthless? In the past two years that they had been ''together'', he had not reciprocated her love. She tolerated the fact that he still nurtured a space in his heart for A. Whenever he saw a woman who resembled A on the street, he would run after her. Anna was helpless against this infatuation and would even help him investigate those women who looked like A. However, she knew that deep in her heart, he would never touch those women. He would just admire their resemnce to A from afar all night. She hoped and prayed that he would gradually forget her. But that was a dream short lived. For before he could forget A, she mysteriously reappeared, ruining the peace they had shared for two years. "Come and have a look.What''s your opinion? Do you find anything wrong?" Brian asked with curiosity. ''I deliberately made things difficult for A.Is he ying the same game with me now?'' Anna wondered. "Brian, I don''t think there is anything seriously wrong with them.But if I do express an honest opinion, you will not see it as constructive criticism because A designed it.Am I right?" Anna red at A and asked, "Miss Woodsen, am I right?" A picked up the workbox from the floor and said, "Miss Anna, feel free to do whatever you must.I think you have a keen eye for good quality.After all, did you not consider my previous designs as trash?" Anna''s face turned pale at A''s harsh usation. This woman was intentionally trying to embarrass her in front of Brian. How despicable! Not only was she spoiling for an argument, but she dared to berate her in front of Bra "Oh, sorry for my bad taste.How can Ipare with your ssiness?" Anna decided to let A win this round. However, A retorted, "But you were right.These dresses are substandard." The very next second, she grabbed the scissors and cut open the garment in front of her. Brian was as stunned as Anna. He least expected her to destroy the design that she had spent so much of time and effort on. "L!" Brian stood up and took the scissors from her hand. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "Stop this nonsense!" "I''m being serious.I also think these designs are not good enough." A looked at Brian, and then turned to look at Anna. "Miss Anna, are you satisfied now?" Anna looked at A and yelled, "You are a crazy woman!" How could she do such a thing? She actually ripped up her hard work as if she was shredding a piece of rag. Much about her had changed in thest two years. "I never do crazy things!" A said indifferently. She then walked up to Brian and said, "Mr.rk, I''m leaving now.Oh, and in future, please address me as Wenny." Chapter 126: Deeply Troubled Chapter 126: Deeply Troubled Once she finished speaking, A left the office.She would be lying if she said that it didn''t pain her to cut off the clothes that she designed herself. However, she wanted to show them how serious she was that she was willing to let go of anything that she didn''t want to keep anymore. Looking at Brian, Anna said, "Look at what that woman did.Are you still not willing to forget her?" ¡°How can he be so patient towards A, and yet he shows me nopassion at all?¡¯'' she screamed in her head. "You probably know what''s on my mind already.I owe her a huge debt of gratitude, and I have to pay her back." No matter how ridiculous it could get, he was going to give A whatever she wanted and indulge her in every possible way because he was capable of doing it, and A had the right to enjoy those privileges. "You owe her so much and you''re paying her back for it.But what about me? What about my love for you? And all the things I''ve done to make you love me back? Why are you trampling on my love so heartlessly? Are you really not capable of loving me back? Don''t you feel indebted to me at all?" Never had Anna imagined that Brian would say something like that.So what was she to him? She had loved him so much. It was fine if he didn''t want her love, but how could he just trample on it like it was nothing? "Anna, I''ve made this clear to you before.You should''ve mentally prepared yourself for this.But now, you''re telling me that I owe you?" Despite being with her for so many years, Brian never had feelings for her.Tears started rolling down Anna''s cheeks. "Fine! You don''t owe me anything.I made a fool of myself.I hate you, Brian! And I hate myself for falling in love with you! She resented her love for him, but she didn''t regret it.She had never regretted falling in love with this man, and she would never regret it.Brian watched as Anna ran out of the office. Everything was so chaotic right now, but he couldn''t force himself to want anyone other than A. Meanwhile, A was wandering the streets all alone. She realized that it was immature of her to skip work, but she didn''t do it on purpose. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. She was just afraid of giving in to Brian''s whims all the time. As she kept on walking, she didn''t pay attention to the passing cars along the road. The world was so small that she eventually saw the person that she had hoped never to see again. Haley had been talking to Lucas along the way.She wasn''t paying attention to the road. On top of that, she hadn''t renewed her driver''s license that she had been using abroad, and yet she insisted on driving. Unfortunately, she didn''t notice that she would identally knock down A. When A noticed the car, it was all toote. Taking a step back, she staggered to the ground. "Haley, drive slowly." Lucas had been sitting in the passenger seat, and he didn''t notice what had happened just now. When he turned his head, he saw that the person on the other side of the car had been knocked down, but he didn''t see that it was actually A. "It''s just a stupid woman who couldn''t bother to look at the road before crossing the street!" Haley looked at the woman through the window and thought that this woman looked familiar.However, she couldn''t remember where she had seen her before. As soon as A raised her head, she saw Haley. And the man sitting in the passenger seat was none other than Lucas. He was already back in Antawood, and yet he didn''t look for her. Instead, he had been staying with another woman. Suddenly, her heart felt like it was being incessantly stabbed by a_ knife, causing her to suffocate. Through the rearview mirror, Haley saw that the woman was still dazed. Without a second thought, she quickly drove away. A walked into a cafe and sat by the window alone, carrying a cup of cappino. "L," said a familiar voice, which caught A''s attention. "Toby," she greeted back. "You''re alone?" Toby looked at her and sat across her. "I am.What are you doing here?" They hadn''t seen each other for more than two years, and thest time they ran into each other was on the busy street. That was a rather unpleasant encounter. "I have some business to attend to at the street across this one.I just happened to notice you, so I came in to take a look." After ordering a cup of coffee for himself, Toby asked her, "How have you been doing,A?" He noticed that she was looking a bit unwell.Perhaps something had happened to her. "I''m fine.I''m not busy today, so I came out for a walk," A replied tly. She had decided to let go of the past and move on. Now that she was speaking to Toby again, she wasposed, but he clearly was not. He then reached out to hold her hand. "L, where have you been these past two years? If you''re alive, then why didn''t youe back sooner? Don''t you have any idea that so many people were worried about you?" "Toby, don''t be like this.It won''t be good if other people see us." A tried to take back her hand, but Toby just held it tighter. In reality, it wasn''t because she didn''t want toe back; it was actually because she couldn''t. Nobody in this ce cared about her. Besides, even if he did care about her, he wouldn''t be able to do anything for her. Her appearance would only upset Molly. "Do you actually care? Had you listened to me and left Brian right away, you wouldn''t have suffered so much!" In the past two years, Toby had spent his every waking moment worrying about her. And now, she was actually here, but she was so indifferent to him. Those two years that passed changed her so much. Perhaps the changes happened when he and Molly got married. "Actually, I didn''t suffer that much.Look at me.I''m fine now, aren''t I? I have a job and a sizeable ie.I can rely on myself to live a carefree andfortable life.Compared to most people, I''m doing great," A said with a smile. After that, she took back her hand, and took a sip of her coffee. "L, I know you all too well.You''re a woman who always keeps all the pain to herself.But you can''t hide it from me." Toby stared at her intently. Although she was pretending that everything was fine, he didn''t believe her. A shook her head. "No, you''re wrong.I''m fine.Is Mrs.Brown okay after what happenedst time?" Thest time they ran into each other on the street, Molly kept screaming at her.She probably bore a grudge against her. "She''s fine.She was just throwing a tantrum," Toby replied calmly. Since Molly hadn''t gotten pregnant over the years, no matter how angry she was with him, she wouldn''t make a fuss about it. "You should treat her well, Toby.Molly really loves you." In her heart, A hoped that he could be happy. Her happiness was still distant, while Toby had a good career and a happy family now. This was the best oue she could''ve hoped for. "Toby, I''ve always thought of you as my elder brother.I hope that one day, Mrs.Brown will let me call her sister-inw." A didn''t want to get on anyone''s bad side, but she wasn''t going to allow anyone to bully her. She would never attack anyone first, but she wouldn''t allow others to trample on her.She was no longer the same meek woman she used to be. In just two years, she had changed so much. After suffering so much pain, she had transformed, but her heart seemed to be unchanged. Bit by bit, Brian was taking down her walls. The only thing she could do was to get as far away from him as possible.She wanted to run away, but a part of her wanted to stay, and it deeply troubled her heart. Chapter 127: Drive Her Back To Italy Chapter 127: Drive Her Back To Italy A deep sigh came out from Toby as he looked at A. "L, are you still thinking about that man? So you haven''t forgotten him yet," he said. This was also the thing that Toby worried about the most. As long as that man was still in her heart, she would just keep on suffering. A sighed and shook her head. "It''s all over now.I think I''ll leave here after a few days," she said. She thought about the big mess she had made today. They might drive her back to Italy soon. A realized that she felt more rxed now instead of having any burden in her mind. "Are you sure you''ll leave? Then where are you going?" Toby was surprised by what A had said. When he heard that A would leave this ce, he took her hand again and held it firmly. A smiled sadly and shook her head. "I just feel like I don''t belong here." She didn''t have a home here, so she had nned on leaving this ce. Toby frowned and said, "No! You belong here, L.There''s a question that I want to ask you right now.Do you still love me?" He was hoping for a positive answer from her. But to his disappointment, he only saw how A shook her head. "So you havepletely forgotten me, haven''t you?" A had fallen in love with Brian. Toby knew that he had no ce in her heart anymore. "Toby, you should stop asking me this question.You do know that my answer will always be the same no matter how many times you''d ask." A couldn''t describe the love she had buried deep in her heart.She had once been brave, but her bravery had only made her suffer. Toby stared at the stubborn woman in front of him.He shook his head and said, "Why are you so stubborn? You do know that Brian won''t let you go, right?" Maybe it was A''s boldness that made her think this decision.Or perhaps she didn''t know Brian well. Toby had been using the Smith Group to hinder Brian''spany. Although the Smith Group had been in the trough, he would still choose to lose a business than let Brian seed. However, it was clear for Toby that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t do anything to the rk Group on just his own. But no matter what happened, he wouldn''t regret anything because it was all for L''s sake. Hayden was aware of Toby''s intention, but he didn''t stop Toby. Perhaps it was a kind of approval. Toby couldn''tprehend why Hayden did this. The older man seemed to have a special feeling for A, but Toby didn''t think that Hayden and A were familiar with each other. She took a small bite of the cake and put it into her mouth. The taste was so sweet that she loved it so much. Maybe because she had been through many bitter things, and all she wanted now was to feel some sweetness. A smiled and said, "You don''t have to bother yourself too much, Toby.I have nothing to do with him anymore." A bright smile was stered on her face even though the bitterness was still in her heart. How could she escape a domineering man like Brian so easily? There was some kind of rtionship she just couldn''t break up with. When A suddenly looked up, she saw a tall and strong man walking towards her.She pulled her hand, and it hit the cup of coffee in front of her. The coffee spilled onto her clothes. "L," Toby uttered. He walked up to her and was about to touch her again when another arm suddenly pulled her up. "Mr.Brown, I can see that you''re so free that you evene here to have a coffee with my wife.I guess I''m right? I remember not too long ago, that the Smith Group snatched a big project from the rk Group.Didn''t it? It''s indeed a big project.So why do you have time to sit here and drink coffee with my wife instead of managing your own business?" Brian pulled A back and surrounded his arms to her. He saw how the coffee stains tainted her creamy white clothes. He looked at her and said, "L, you just made a scene in mypany, and now you''re here having a coffee? Do you think that I won''t do anything to you after what you did?" Even though Brian''s voice was almost like a whisper, it just made Toby more worried. "What will you do to L, Brian?" Toby asked and walked up but halted on his step when he saw that L shook her head. A looked at Brian and said, "Mr.rk, what are you going to do? Are you going to fire me? Or perhaps, you might want me to go back to Italy?" A was hoping so hard as she spoke.She would do anything so that Brian would finally let her go. But Brian knew what exactly A was thinking. Even if she wanted to deliberately mess around and then leave, he would not let it happen, and she couldn''t escape easily from him. "Tell me, L.What do you want me to do?" Brian was secretly pleased as he looked at A. He could see the fear and sadness hidden in the depth of her eyes. A grimaced and said, "Let me go back to Italy! It''s so obvious that Linda''s design style and experience are far better than mine.What do you think, Mr.rk?" She rolled her eyes and pushed Brian away.She took a tissue and wiped the coffee stains on her clothes. Brian grabbed her hand and stared at her. "Let me think about it," he said. Toby was just watching their quarrel.He could see the firm look on Brian''s face and the evasive look on L''s face. It seemed like they were destined to be entangled with each other. But at any cost, Toby was going to make sure that L wouldn''t get hurt. Amazement had shed in Toby''s eyes when Brian walked out with his arms around A. "There are things that cannot be changed." Brian also meant to say it to A, who was his wife.He was sure that A would be his only wife and not anyone else''s. It had all depended on him, not on what she thought. A just let him take her to the car and didn''t struggle. After a few minutes, they were in front of the door of a luxuriously decorated fashion store. "Go on and change your clothes," Brian said to her. Although this woman ignored him, he didn''t get mad at her. Anyway, he just felt that A had been more attractive than before. The moment A saw the style of the dresses in this store, she had guessed that the rk Group owned this fashion shop. "Mr.rk, I didn''t bring much money today.The clothes in this shop are pretty expensive." A turned to Brian and said those on purpose. Honestly, she really didn''t care how expensive the clothes were, but what yed in his mind right now. "Ha-ha." Brian burst intoughter. He was just watching the woman scan the price tags of the clothes one by one. There was a pitiful look on her face.It meant that she could not afford these clothes. That was why the only thing she could do was to look at them. However, Brian knew that very well. Ms.Evans in Starlight of Mn offered a great deal of money for A''s every design.So it was not that she didn''t have money, but she just only pretended she didn''t have. Brian smiled at her and said, "You are my wife.Why would I let you pay? Pick anything you like.I got you." He winked at her and walked to the sofa.He sat down as the manager came over at once. "Mr.rk, what a pleasure to see you here." N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "Well, help her pick a few more sets of clothes," he said. Brian rxed in his seat and took the coffee.He sipped at it while watching A, who was picking the clothes casually. If she wanted to waste some time, he would dly apany her. If she wanted to ask Linda toe, should he make her wishe true? However, Brian knew that Linda was not that simple a figure. Even if he had already met her a few times before, he just didn''t like her that much. It didn''t matter to him how good the woman''s design was. Brian always put more importance on a person''s personality. If her personality was not good, he would not hire her for sure. Chapter 128: Inexplicably Guilty Chapter 128: Inexplicably Guilty Brian had already drank two cups of coffee, and yet A still hadn''t decided what clothes to buy.Because of that, he stood up and approached her. "What is it? Miss Woodsen, are you not satisfied with the clothes here?" he said. A smirked. "No, I''m worried that I can''t afford such expensive clothes.Mr.rk, since you have such good taste, why don''t you pick one out for me?" Lucas was the one who gave her the creamy white dress she was wearing, so she was reluctant to part with it. That was probably the reason why she didn''t want to choose a dress here.ncing quickly at the clothes, Brian picked ake blue chiffon dress. "Take this one.Try it on." Without any objection, A went into the fitting room and put the dress on. "I''ve never thought of you as a conservative man.I''ve always thought you were more into seductive women," she said, deliberately putting a hand on his chest. "Am I right, Mr.rk?" Regardless of where she was right now, A took the initiative to show her interest towards Brian. It attracted the attention of all the shop assistants, and naturally, they whispered amongst themselves. Upon hearing the whispers, Brian red at the shop assistants. Noticing that he was staring daggers at them, the ones who had gathered quickly dispersed and went on with their work. "Please help me pack this dress up," A told one of the shop assistants. She had now returned to her usual calm demeanor. Seeing that she carefully put away the coffee stained dress, Brian asked, "Why do you insist on keeping that damn dress?" "It''s none of your business." After saying that, she walked out of the fashion store, carrying a bag.When he walked out, he found that instead of going to his car, A was heading towards her apartment. As he sat in his car, driving, Brian slowly followed her. This woman''s stubbornness wouldn''t change anytime soon. The second she went to her apartment, she found Lucas standing at the door. "Lucas, you''re back!" For a moment, her eyes brimmed with joy. But when she remembered that he was with another woman, she felt a pang in her heart. "I''m sorry I didn''te home sooner, L." Lucas held her in his arms. Haley had pestered him day after day, so as soon as he sent her back to the hotel, he quickly went here during the afternoon. However, A wasn''t home, and she wasn''t in the studio either. Instead of pushing him away, A allowed him to hold her. There was a strong scent of a woman''s perfume that lingered on his skin. "It''s good that you''re back," she said with a smile. He was home, but what about his heart? "L, what''s the matter? Did something happen while I was away?" Lucas wanted to know why A wasn''t telling him that Brian already found out that she was alive. Was she keeping a secret from him? Then, he remembered what Brian had said to him, but despite that, he would still do his best to protect A. "Nothing.Come in and have a seat." A didn''t want to tell Lucas about Brian because she wanted to deal with this matter herself this time. And she didn''t want them to have a conflict because it wouldn''t be good for either of them.It didn''t surprise Brian to see Lucas'' car. He would be more surprised if Lucas didn''te at all.He knew that Lucas wasn''t a simpleton, and his feelings for A wouldn''t be so fickle. Two years ago, Lucas saved L without letting Tatum know. But this time, he was powerless. Tatum was already suspicious of him. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have told Haley toe with him. A made some tea and desserts. "Come on, Lucas, it''s your favorite tea." "Did you go to the supermarket to buy all of these alone?" During the long period of time that Lucas was away, in order to prevent Tatum from finding anything out, he didn''t talk to A on the phone in thest few days. "I had nothing better to do at home, so I went shopping.Are you going to have dinner here tonight?" A was amazed by how calm she was in front of him. Despite the fact that her ring was no longer with her, she didn''t want anything to change between them. Sadly, Brian would never return her ring.Holding her hand, Lucas asked, "L, did anything happen to you recently?" N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "No, nothing eventful happened," A denied with a guilty conscience. As he pulled her hand, he noticed that her ring was missing. She probably didn''t put it away herself, so the only logical exnation was that Brian had taken it away. A then prepared some home cooked dishes. "Lucas, you must be exhausted from your lengthy business trip.You should eat more." After taking a big bite, he replied, "Okay! I can never get used to the food abroad.I never imagined that I''d be a picky eater because of your cooking after all these years." "Lucas, all I can cook are ordinary dishes," she responded. That was all she could prepare.She had never learned how to make delicacies. For the entire night, A didn''t eat anything, and Lucas left as soon as he received a call.He didn''t eat that much either. Their dinner onlysted for a few minutes. She didn''t have to ask anything to know that the reason he had to leave was because of that woman. Even though he seemed tired of the woman calling him, he still left. Standing in front of the window, A watched as the silver limo drove away. "What''s the matter? Are you thinking about that man? He''s going to see another woman." For some reason, Brian always appeared at the right time.He entered A''s apartment as if he owned it. "So what? You came to me without telling your fiancee.How are you any different from him?" A was telling the truth, and she didn''t feel anything wrong with doing so. Looking at her, Brian said, "Of course, it''s different! Your ring is gone, and so is mine.It''s like I''ve never had a fiancee and you''ve never had a fiance." ''Would A mind Anna''s presence?'' Anna had been with Brian for more than ten years. They had gone through so many things together. Moreover, their rtionship began because he was set up. He knew everything that she had done for him over the years, but he could never reciprocate her feelings.He would rather hurt her for A''s sake. Looking back at Brian, A said, "You''re truly the most heartless man alive.I think Anna regrets the fact that she fell in love with a man like you." Just like Anna, she loved Brian without hesitation two years ago. Even if he kept hurting her in every possible way, she would never hate him. "If you have the time to worry about Anna, then you should worry more about yourself." Brian had his own ns for Anna, so he didn''t need A to say anything else.But what about her? Was she going to continue her rtionship with Lucas? Chapter 129: He Was Disgusted With Her Filth Chapter 129: He Was Disgusted With Her Filth A sauntered towards the sofa and sat down gently. Turning to the man, she asked, "Mr.rk, do you still n on spending the night here?" He had been using her sofa as his bed for days now and it seemed like he was in no rush to leave her alone. As expected, she hadn''t been getting enough sleep knowing he was in the same house as her. She was acutely aware of his strong presence and it was making her uneasy, so she''d do her best to drive him away. "Do you want me to sleep on this sofa or on your bed?" Brian teased, a yful smirk forming on his full lips. The sofa was too small for him but he didn''t mind cramming his body into it. He didn''t even push to sleep beside her, as much as he wanted to. Was she still thinking of throwing him out of her apartment? A''s answer to his question was to shoot daggers at him.She turned on her heel and stomped back to her bedroom. He could hear the faint click of the lock once the door mmed shut. Brian knowingly smiled and just shook his head at her response. It was typical of A to react that way, so it didn''te as a surprise to him. ¡®She will feelfortable around me eventually and by then, maybe she''d be the same as she was before, '' he thought.Brian knew how she''d grown close to Lucas over the years but his dark secrets were bound to be revealed at some point. Even if it would hurt A, she deserved to know what kind of person Lucas was. Meanwhile, Lucas hurriedly came back to the hotel after Haley called him. "What''s wrong, Haley? Why did you get sick so suddenly?" he asked while trying to control his rising irritation. Although Lucas was reluctant to go out of his way for her, his heart softened when he saw Haley lying on the bed. It was evident on her face that she was not feeling well. Her cheeks were unusually warm to the touch, a clear indication of having fever. "I don''t know what''s wrong with me.Maybe this fever was caused by something I''ve eaten.Don''t worry yourself too much though.I''ve already taken some medicine," she reasoned out in her small soft voice. In truth, Haley purposely ate something she was allergic to. She didn''t want Lucas to be with another woman and this was her way of making him stay with her. Although she didn''t know who the woman was, Haley was confident that she was better than her. Lucasid a gentle hand on her forehead to check on her temperature again. "I''d better take you to the hospital for good measure,"he said. Not wanting to lose this moment with him, Haley shook her head and disagreed, "No, thanks.I''d rather stay here and rest.Can you hold me? I''m feeling a bit cold." She pulled on his sleeve with her frail hand, willing him to get on the bed with her.Lucas felt like he wanted to bolt out of that room but he ended up nodding to her request instead, "Okay." He circled his strong arms around Haley''s petite frame, but he couldn''t get A out of his mind. He had been abroad for so many days and he hadn''t had a chance to spend more time with her yet. ''What would she feel about my rtionship with Haley? What about my promise to her?¡¯ he pondered.Haley was trying to hide her smile while enveloped in Lucas'' embrace. She was secretly d that her n worked out perfectly.She wouldn''t let that woman steal her beloved man away, no matter how beautiful she was. Anna was patiently waiting for Brian in the living room of the vi. After what happened, she knew he wouldn''te back to her anymore, but a part of her was still hopeful that he would return. She tried catching up with him at work, but he was always upied with business meetings. ¡®It''s also possible that he was with that bitch A, '' she sneered.Anna left it at that and didn''t bother talking to Brian. They had a terrible fight the other day and it was unclear who started it. Maybe she was the only one who got angry because she actually had feelings, while Brian could care less about her. Upon seeing that the lights were still on in the main vi, Maria came over and said, "Miss Anna, it''s gettingte now.Mr.rk may not being back tonight." "It''s none of your business, Maria! You''re nothing but a servant here.Stop meddling in our rtionship.You know nothing!" Anna''s pain and anger were fueled by the amount of liquor she had drunk. With no one to share her problems with, she kept on cursing and poured her frustrations over to Maria.Despite Anna''s drunken tirade, Maria still cared enough to remind her about what she was doing. "Miss Anna, I''m doing this for your own good.Drinking too much is bad for your health." Maria also knew that the woman had always desired to have a baby, but she was never blessed to conceive one each time. Her drinking habit surely must have taken a toll on her reproductive health. ¡®No wonder she''s having a hard time getting pregnant!¡¯ Maria shook her head disapprovingly. "How many times do I have to tell you that it''s none of your business?!" Anna shouted and sent the ss flying across the room.It shattered into countless tiny pieces. "You keep on bothering me.Why can''t you leave me alone here? I''m waiting for him toe back.I was the one who stood by him all these years and now that A came back, he suddenly abandoned me like I''m nothing!" Anna sobbed helplessly, her tears rushing down her face like a waterfall. "Maria, is it because I had had sex with other men in the past that Brian can''t fully ept me? But that bitch, A, isn''t pure either! She has a parade of men around her.She would seduce them for her own gain and pleasure, while I''m with other men for Brian''s sake.Everything I do is to help him achieve his goals.But now, he can''t be bothered to return here because he''s disgusted with me! Do you think I''m dirty, Maria?" she rambled on and on. Not caring to drink from a ss, Anna grabbed the wine bottle by its neck and chugged the deep red liquor. Maria moved closer and snatched the bottle away from her grip, causing some of the wine to spill on her clothes. "Miss Anna, you''ve had too much to drink.You should stop now.If you really love Mr.rk, you should understand him from his point of view," she stated, trying to pacify the drunk woman. Anna humorlesslyughed at what the maid said. "Understand him? He never once tried to understand me.Why should I do that for him now?" she asked incredulously. Anna tried to stand up but copsed on the sofa instead, her drunkenness taking the better part of her. Ever since, her love had always been humble and giving, but now she was done being selfless. It only caused her too much pain and suffering and she didn''t want to go through that anymore. However, Anna clearly knew that she would eventually eat her own words. If Brian came back and stood in front of her, she would still ept him and give up her pride and dignity just to be with him. After taking a good look at her, Maria was certain that Anna was totally wasted. She assisted the woman going up the second floor andid her down on the bed. Maria knew that Anna had always been in love with Mr.rk, but he only had eyes for A and no one else.She also heard that A had alreadye back, although she didn''t drop by the vi. Maybe she didn''t want to remember the memories she had in this ce. The next morning, A got up early to prepare breakfast. When she saw Brian lying on the couch in the living room, she immediately thought, ¡®Why did he have to cram himself in the small sofa in my room?¡¯ No matter what kindness or good attitude he showed, she couldn''t find it in her heart to forgive him for what he did before.Her heart was hurt badly a lot of times already.It was no easy feat to recover from that kind of heartbreak. It would take a long time for her to learn how to fall in love again. She had been hurt by her past love, whether it was Toby or Brian. As for Lucas, if it was necessary to do so, she would also have to let him go. Staring at A while she busied herself in the kitchen, Brian rubbed his sore and swollen forehead. It was quite ufortable for a man who stood at 1.9 meters to sleep on a three-seater couch. However, this woman was quite heartless for turning a blind eye to his predicament. Aware that Brian was already awake, A didn''t offer him breakfast. She leisurely ate her meal, although she did prepare a cup of coffee for him to kick start his day. "I''m going to work," A informed him after taking a few bites of food. Brian simply nodded without anyint since her studio was only across her apartment building.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. As soon as A left the apartment for work, Brian''s phone rang. He was a bit hesitant to answer the call when he saw the number but decided to get on with it eventually. "Mr.rk, this is Maria.There has been an emergency.Miss Anna drank too muchst night and fainted after vomiting blood this morning!" Maria ryed what happened frantically.She felt sympathy towards Anna because she knew her love for Brian made her be this way. "Ask the driver to send her to the hospital right away," Brian replied with a frown forming on his face. After dropping the call, he wasted no time and left the apartment to drive to the hospital. When Maria arrived at the hospital, Brian was already there. "Mr.rk," she called silently. "Doctor, please." Brian had already arranged what needed to be done. Things were not looking good at all. Anna was in aa and she needed immediate medical attention. With her unconscious form lying on the stretcher, she was wheeled away to get her to the operating room. Chapter 130: Be Hospitalized Chapter 130: Be Hospitalized "Maria, what happened? Why didn''t you stop Anna from drinking too much?" Brian felt bad when he saw Anna''s pale face. "Mr.rk, Miss Anna had been drinking until midnight for several days now.She had been waiting for you toe home, but you never did.She''d been drinking all this time, but no matter how hard I tried to stop her, she wouldn''t listen to me," Maria answered with embarrassment. Nodding, he said, "I see.You can go back now.I''ll stay here.Go back to get some food and bring it here." Maria nodded before she left. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. It seemed that Mr.rk also cared about Miss Anna, but it didn''t seem like he loved her. As he stood outside the operating room, he stared at the red light and realized that he truly was neglecting Annately. Due to A''s return and the matter about Tatum, Brian had ignored Anna''s feelings for him. If it weren''t for her falling sick this time, he might''ve never understood her pain. When Anna woke up, she saw him standing at her bedside. "Brian," she greeted. "Ah, you''re awake.How are you? Are you feeling better now?" He looked at her with concern. "I''m fine." As soon as she spoke, she felt a paining from her stomach and her forehead, causing her to cough. "You''re not fine! How much wine did you drink to end up with a gastrointestinal bleeding? No matter how dissatisfied and angry you are with me, you shouldn''t do anything that could harm yourself," Brian rebuked her. Closing her eyes, Anna replied, "Brian, I''m heartbroken.I''m not asking you to love me as much as you love A, but please don''t dislike me.I know I''ve slept with other men, so my body isn''t pure anymore, but my heart is.You''re the only man I''ve ever loved, and I''ll sacrifice anything to love you." "Anna, you should stop bringing that up.I''ve never disliked you, and I know everything you''ve done for me." Brian had been working hard for a long time, and Anna had been supporting him the entire time. It was only right not to let her suffer any longer. But could he really reciprocate her love? Then what about A?Looking at him, Anna said, "Brian, I know the limits of my own body.You don''t have to think that you owe me anything.I''m tired.I want to rest." "I see.Then get some rest.I''ll be right here with you," said Brian. As he sat at her bedside, he couldn''t bring himself to leave Anna all alone in the ward. She closed her eyes, but she couldn''t fall asleep. Brian constantly ran through her mind. She had been awaiting his return for so many days. Momentster, he touched Anna''s face and contemted on how much he had made her suffer. For his sake, she forced herself to sleep with different men in the nightclub. And because of that, he owed her so much. However, he had never been able to reciprocate her feelings, because he couldn''t bring himself to love ner Anna could feel that he was there. He seemed to be as gentle as he used to be. If A didn''t show up, she would''ve been the happiest woman in the world. Even if she was never given a proper standing, or she was just another one of his women, she was still willing to be with him. Tears started dripping down her eyes. She had never shed tears so easily, but today, she did. "Anna, don''t do anything like this ever again.""Brian, I''ve never regretted everything I did for you." Atst, Anna opened her eyes. In the past, no matter how much pain she felt, not once did she shed a tear. But right now, she was vulnerable. Wiping away the tears from her face, Brian said, "Well, you''re just recovering from your surgery.Don''t overthink.Let''s talk about it when you''re feeling a little better, alright?" "Okay.I understand." Anna nodded. Not long after, Maria entered the ward. "Mr.rk, Miss Anna, you''re awake.I made some porridge.Please have some!" Anna shook her head. "I don''t want to eat.I just want to rest." Helping her sit upright, Brian said, "You should eat.I won''t feel at ease until you''ve had some porridge and have gotten enough rest." After taking a quick look at them, Maria didn''t say anything more and left the ward.With Mr.rk taking care of Miss Anna, she would probably get much better soon.It was only when Anna finally fell asleep that Brian left the hospital and drove to A''s studio. However, he didn''t go upstairs. About half an hourter, he drove back to hispany. The moment A returned to her apartment, it surprised her to see that Brian wasn''t there. A few days ago, he would either pick her up at her studio or stay in her apartment ahead of time. But today, he didn''t show up at all, and she found it weird.Perhaps he had grown tired of such days. Or maybe he realized that it was meaningless for him to stay here. Or perhaps he had grown exhausted of trying to win her over, so he lost interest and vowed never to come back. A felt torn. On one hand, she hoped that Brian would still be there, but on the other hand, she didn¡¯t want him to disturb her life again. Not long after, she cooked and ate alone, but there were two portions of food on the table. After that, she sat on the sofa by herself, watching TV wearily. But no matter how long she waited, he never showed up again, and neither did Lucas. Everyone had their own home to go back to, but none of them belonged to her. A was fated to be alone forever. When Brian entered the ward, he found Anna standing in front of the window. "Are you feeling better now? Why don''t you just stay on the bed?" He ced the porridge cooked by Maria on the bedside table. "Yes, I am. The doctor said that I can leave the hospital whenever I want," Anna said to him, smiling as she approached him. Brian made her sit down on the sofa and said, "Have this bowl of porridge first.I''ll ask the doctor about your discharge from the hospital." Anna ate slowly.If her life was about to end, and he showed this much concern for her, she wouldn''t regret anything.Maybe she had been too demanding, and that drained all of her energy. These days, Brian had been staying with her.He couldn''t have any peace of mind until she had fully recovered.He thought of how happy A must be now that he wasn''t barging in on her life. After all, she had been thinking of going back to Italy some time ago. She had always wanted to leave him, but he just wouldn''t allow her to do so."Brian, honestly, you don''t have to visit me every day.I''m feeling a lot better now.I know how busy you are with thepany''s affairs.You don¡¯t have to wear yourself out because of me." Back when Anna was in the entertainment club, she never realized how busy and exhausting Brian''s work would be. Butter on, she understood all the efforts that he had exerted to build apany. Chapter 131: Misunderstood Chapter 131: Misunderstood After leaving the hospital, Brian went to A''s studio.The night had fallen, but the lights in the studio were still on. When he went upstairs, he found that she was immersed in drafting her designs.She didn''t even notice him. Brian gleaned that Lucas hadn''te to see her again. With Haley by his side, he would certainly be unable to sneak out to visit A. Because Lucas knew that in order to protect her, he mustn''te to see her. Neither Tatum nor Haley would tolerate A''s existence. Stepping into her office, Brian said, "Don''t you have any ns on going home anytime soon?" His abrupt appearance made A raise her head in panic. But within a few seconds, she managed to regain herposure. "Oh, it''s you.What are you doing here at such ate hour, Mr.rk?" She stood up to approach him.He then went to the sofa and stared at her. "What? Are you going to lose your temper again?" "It''s sote.You''re not here to discuss work with me, are you?" A wasn''t sure what to feel when she saw him again. "No, it''s not about work.I just want to have dinner with you.Would you give me the honor of doing so?" They hadn''t seen each other for a few days, so he assumed that she hadn''t eaten well in the past few days. At first, A wanted to refuse, but she decided to ept it instead. "Sure! It would be mighty ungrateful of me to decline Mr.rk''s invitation."Brian took her hand and remarked, "You''re a_ glib- tongued woman." If this would make her happy, then he would dly allow it. The past few days had been feeling empty without her bickering with him.Together, they walked to a restaurant. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Brian had already prepared everything. At a table by the window, one could have a clear view of the dazzling night cityscape. There were also candles and flowers that adorned the table. Turning her gaze towards him, A remarked, "I''ve never realized that you can be romantic.I''m impressed! " She went to her seat and sat down. Sitting across her, Brian asked, "Is that so?" It was hard for her to believe that this was the Brian she used to know. In the end, she just decided to enjoy everything that he had prepared. "It looks like you''ve had a lot of spare time on your hands, considering you were able to prepare all this." When she saw him elegantly drinking wine from a goblet, her heart skipped a beat, but she just shed him a grin. "In the future, I might not have the time to enjoy a leisurely dinner," he said tly. A paused while she was holding a fork. What did he mean by that? Was he saying that he was giving uppletely? Would he never see her again? Brian noticed her reaction, but he didn''tment on it because there were some words that shouldn''t be said right now.An overwhelming sense of loss arose in A''s heart. "I see.I guess I should thank you for inviting me to this great dinner." ¡®Is this thest dinner we''ll have? Is this why he disappeared for so many days?¡¯ she wondered. Looking at the smile on her face, Brian knew that it was insincere. All he said was that he wouldn''t have the time to have a leisurely dinner in the future.Did she misunderstand him? "What? Do you want to have dinner with me every day?" he said, trying to figure out what was on her mind. They had been away from each other for two years, but so what? A wasn''t the kind of person who could easily let go of the past and move on. She had always been soft hearted. Perhaps this was why yton took advantage of her, and unscrupulously sold her in his biological daughter''s stead to pay for his debt. Using the fork, A rolled up the spaghetti, and said, "Mr.rk, you think too much." Everyone knew that he and Anna were engaged. She knew how much Anna had done for him, and she didn''t want to make things difficult for her. Both of them had a mountain of things on their minds.It was supposed to be a romantic dinner, but in reality, the atmosphere was awkward. When their awkward dinner was done, Brian drove her home. "Thanks for sending me back," A said after they arrived at her apartment."Go upstairs," Brian remarked.He had no intention of getting out of the car. Turning to look at him, she asked, "By the way, did something happen to Anna?" She could tell that if it weren''t for Anna, he wouldn''t have given up so easily. Brian lit up a cigarette. "She''s in the hospital right now. "Is her condition serious?" Suddenly, A realized that the reason her days had been so peaceful was because of Anna''s hospitalization. However, she was worried about her. "She''s fine.She''ll be discharged in a couple of days." He looked quite calm as he took a drag of his cigarette. His face was as still as ake, showing no signs of whaty beneath the surface. A nodded. "I see.That''s good then.I''ll be heading home now.You should go back and take care of her right away." She then got out of the car and walked into the apartmentplex. After she left, Brian got out of his car and leaned against it.He didn''t leave until she disappeared from his sight. Meanwhile, Toby was sitting in his study.He had been restless ever since he met A that day. Brian''s appearance also made him worry about her.Not long after, Molly came in, carrying a cup of coffee. "Honey, it''ste.Here''s your coffee.Do you really have to stay upte tonight?" She had been working in thepany for two years now. During that time, she saw how Toby bid for many losing businesses in order to vent his anger of losing A. Molly wondered if he knew that signing those contracts meant that he wouldn''t be able to make any profits. "Yes, there''s something wrong with the municipal government''s project that we signedst time." Back then, Toby knew how determined Brian was to acquire that project, but he managed to win the contract with the lowest bidding price. But now, there was a problem with thepany¡¯s turnover, and the project was halted; it was inevitable, considering the low budget. "Honey, if we can''t do it anymore, we can subcontract the project to anotherpany to solve our company''s current problem," Molly suggested as she sat across him. Toby shook his head. "I don''t want to do that." Once he openly subcontracted the project, Brian would get it in the end.And if that happened, all of his previous efforts would be in vain. "You did it for that woman, didn''t you?" Molly couldn''t understand why she loved him wholeheartedly and let him do whatever he wanted for the past two years. Perhaps he had never loved her in the first ce, and used her to rece someone in his heart.He didn''t love her, but for the position of Deputy CEO of the Smith Group, he married her and got his current position. Maybe that was all he wanted? All that he wanted were the privileges he enjoyed now. He didn''t marry her for love.In fact, the marriage might be worthless to him. "Molly, let''s not talk about her, okay?" Toby had kept A in his heart all this time, but he just wanted to think of her secretly. "No! That''s because she¡¯s back!" If only A died two years ago, Molly would''ve lived her life happily as Mrs.Brown without any worries. But now, that woman had returned so morously.Molly felt uneasy that A could take him away from her at any moment. Chapter 132: Love Needs Fairness Chapter 132: Love Needs Fairness As he sipped his coffee, Toby looked at Molly and said, "So, what if she''s back?" Everything had changed. Even if he was still in love with L, she didn¡¯t need him anymore. "Do you mean that you don''t love her anymore?" Molly refused to believe him, because if she was deeply in love with someone, she wouldn''t get over them so easily. Just as she loved Toby, she knew that he had someone else in his heart.She was also aware of the fact that their marriage only served to fulfill his goals. Molly''s rtionship with him was nothing more than this. Despite being married for nearly three years, they never had children.He had never asked to have one because he didn''t wish to have a child with her. "Molly, enough.Can we please stop fighting about L?" Toby had grown tired of it.He didn''t want to talk to Molly about L anymore because talking about her only hurt him. "I''m not messing around.Have you ever loved me all these years?" Molly stared at him intently. Although she knew that his answer was no and that it would hurt her to hear it again, she still wanted to ascertain it. "Molly, you''re my wife.Aren''t you bored of asking me such questions?" Toby got up to hold her arms with his hands. Looking up at him, she said, "Bored? Is that all I am to you? A boredom? If you don''t love me at all, then you shouldn''t have married me in the first ce!" "Molly!" When Hayden went upstairs, he heard that Toby was arguing with his daughter. "Are you done fighting?" "Dad? What are you doing here?" Knowing that he was in poor health, Molly couldn''t bring herself to tell him what she was thinking. "I heard you two arguing again.Am I not allowed to see what''s going on? It''s sote already.Why are you even fighting?" Hayden knew that his daughter felt wronged because of Toby, and he also knew Toby''s past with A, but it was all over now. If they kept on quarreling about it, it would never end. He had been married for more than twenty years.He knew how to maintain a marriage. No matter how tolerant he was, as long as Miley had no patience, they could never be happy together. ncing at Toby, Molly said, "Dad, nothing happened between me and Toby.Let me escort you back to your room.Isn''t Mom home yet?" "No, she''s out ying cards with Mrs.Hicks.I doubt she''sing home anytime soon," Hayden said helplessly. Whenever he came homete, Miley would make a fuss about it. But whenever he came home early, she was out ying cards, and she wouldn''te back until midnight. Toby sat alone in his study. What Molly said to him had moved his heart. He wasn''t sure how to repay his debts of gratitude, but maybe he should start by letting go of his past and begin anew with Molly. A also cared about Toby''s happiness and whether he had aplete family or not. But would he be able to grant Molly aplete and happy family? Walking out of the study, he went back to the bedroom. "Molly, you have to trust me.I''ll always be with you in the future." Turning to look at him, Molly answered, "That''s good enough for me." Indeed, it was enough. Someday, he would truly fall in love with her. A woke up early. Although her room was small, she still felt empty somehow.She stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, crossing her arms. The weather was good today, but her mood wasn''t. Meanwhile, Anna was lying in her bed, while Brian sat on the sofa.She had almost recovered, so she wanted to leave the hospital.She wanted to go back with him and help him manage thepany. This was what she was willing to do for him. "Brian, don''t you have a meeting this morning? You should go to thepany.Maria will bring me breakfastter.You don''t have to worry about me," Anna said to him as she sat upright. Brian nced at his watch and put away hisptop. "Okay, then I''ll go now.Have a good rest.I''lle back once I''m done with work." As soon as his car drove out of the hospital, it brushed past a taxi. A heard that Anna had been suffering from gastrointestinal pain, so she cooked some millet porridge for her. She knew that when someone was having a stomachache, it could cause them tremendous suffering to the point that it could kill them. A knocked on the door. Thinking that it was Maria, Anna said, "Come in!" When she raised her head, she found that it was A who came in carrying a thermos bottle. "It''s you.What are you doing here? Have youe here tough at me?" Anna didn''t want A to see her so haggard. "I heard that you were hospitalized, so I came to visit you.I bear no ill intentions." Standing by the bed, A filled a small bowl with porridge and gave it to Anna. "Have some porridge.I made it myself." Anna looked at the steaming millet porridge and said, "So he told you that I was in the hospital, huh? You two seem to be on really good terms now." She sounded a bit sarcastic when she said that. Even though Brian had been with hertely, she still believed that it was all an illusion, but she was willing to immerse herself in that illusion. "I''m the one who asked him.He didn''t take the initiative to tell me." Anna didn''t take the bowl from her.She just looked at her indifferently. "I''m afraid you might''ve poisoned that porridge." "I''m not a fool, Anna.I have no need to kill you just because of a heartless man." After saying that, A put the bowl in Anna''s hand. "Eat it.It''s not poisoned." "Why did youe to see me?" Anna picked up the spoon and ate slowly. "Your cooking skills have improved." Standing up, A replied, "I only have myself to depend on.If I didn''t treat myself well, I wouldn''t have been able to survive all these years." "I honestly never imagined that you were still alive.Back then, everyone believed that you drowned in the sea." Anna remembered that at that time, Brian had gotten shot and was bleeding so much, and yet he kept looking for A. If he hadn''t fainted from blood loss and been sent to the hospital, he might''ve died on that ind. "Right! I thought I would die too!" When Tatum injected that drug into her body, A believed that she was bound to die.If she weren''t useful to him, she might''ve gotten killed at once. Anna looked at her nkly.She realized that A must''ve gone through a lot all these years. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have such mixed feelings about what happened years ago. "But it''s okay.It¡¯s all in the past.Just get some rest! It''s time for me to get back.I''m afraid of earning your displeasure if I don''t go to work on time." A picked up her handbag and was about to leave. "Thanks for the porridge." N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Anna was also a woman who had suffered through so much. When she saw A, she didn''t want to treat her as an enemy even if they couldn''t be friends. Perhaps love needed fairness and mutual affection. Chapter 133: Everything Is Predestined Chapter 133: Everything Is Predestined A left the ward smiling.She and Anna were in the same emotional boat. It was indeed sad and unfortunate that both of them were in love with the same ruthless man.She returned to her studio. Noticing Hayden downstairs, she enquired, "Uncle Hayden, what brings you here?" "I went upstairs to your studio but you weren''t at your office," Hayden said with a soft smile. He hadn''t seen her in a while but after witnessing the disturbing quarrel between Toby and Molly the night before, he was driven to have a word with her. They went to a cafe and ordered coffee. "Uncle Hayden, is something disturbing your peace of mind?" A was deeply concerned because Hayden looked far more haggard than he did at their previous meeting. "It involves family matters," he said ndly. "Uncle Hayden, just rx.There¡¯s no need to stress.Everything will improve.Let''s please change the topic." She could read him like a book. Something was amiss. Hayden gazed at her and reminisced about his first love. The woman''s figure was etched in his mind.However, years had psed and much had changed.Maybe it was time he let go of the past and forgot about her. "Good idea.You have always been so sensible." Unfortunately he didn''t get an opportunity to broach the subject he wanted to with her. After leaving the cafe, A returned to her studio. Soon aftermencing work, she received a call from Italy. "Wenny, how are you?" "Miss Evans, I''m fine, thank you.I have handed the first season''s design drafts to Mr.rk.He seems to be perfectly satisfied with them.He has even started making the formal sample clothing," A reported to Yareli. "Well that''s certainly good news.But are you burning the midnight oil and neglecting yourself?" Yareli asked, somewhat concerned. Not only had she called to enquire about her but she also nned to go to A City. "How could I do that? I''m absolutely fine!" A''s passion for her work kept her vibrant and uplifted her spirits. "Okay, great! I will be going to Antawood with Linda tomorrow," Yareli told her. She was content that rtions between herpany and the rk Group were proceeding smoothly. Brian was prepared to expand the cooperation with Starlight at a very reasonable price.It would work to her advantage.She had focused on developing her business in Italy because she was determined not to return to A City. But with the new developments, it was necessary to make aeback. Even if it meant bumping into someone she would rather not see, this was a risk she had to take. It had been so many years, and perhaps that man had already forgotten about her and moved on. Secretly, she nurtured the desire to go back to Antawocd to see that man whom she cared about but had abandoned. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. The moment she heard Yareli say that she was going to Antawood with Linda, A knew that Brian was behind this move. Whatever his intention in doing this, she had to prepare to face it. The first thing that Brian noticed when he entered the ward was the presence of an unfamiliar thermos bottle alongside Anna''s thermos bottle. "Who visited you?" he asked. "A," Anna said tly. "What was she doing here?" He reclined on the sofa.He wasn''t at all surprised that she had visited. "She brought me some porridge." Anna looked at Brian. She detected the slight change in his eyes when he talked about A. "Well," Brian replied indifferently. Anna got out of bed and said, "Maria brought me a change of clothing.Please would you help me with the hospital discharge?" Even if Brian only had A in his heart and no space for her, she wouldn''t let A take him so easily.She would make it an uphill battle for her. Brian drove her back to the vi. "You can rest here for a few days.It''s such a relief that Maria is here to manage everything.If you drink again, be fully aware of the consequences!" Seeing that Brian was about to leave, Anna held his hand and asked, "Do you care about me? It''s not that I want to give up on myself...It''s just that I''d rather drown my sorrows in alcohol and forget the heartbreak.Can you understand that?" Perhaps he didn''t understand, or maybe he had never understood what heartbreak was. But Anna understood fully the impact of a broken heart.She had experienced both love and heartbreak. But she didn''t want any more emotional turmoil that would shatter her fragile heart into tiny pieces. "Anna, you need to realize that I saved your life.Don''t do anything without my permission." He had saved her life back then.He wasn''t going to let her harm herself like this. Besides, when he had been striving for his business, Anna had traded her body to help him achieve his goals. Anna looked at him and hugged him around his waist. "Thank you for saving me.Maybe everything is predestined." She was helplessly in love with him.She would bear the brunt of his torture as part of her destiny and fate. "Anna, have a good rest.We shall chat further when Ie back," he said, freeing himself from her embrace. "Are you going to see A?" She red at him. It was alreadyte.He went out to see A on the pretext of business. She knew he wanted to see A to find out more why she had visited Anna in the hospital. Wasn''t that true? He didn''t reply. She knew that she had guessed right. "Go ahead!" Anna flung her arms up in the air. If he wanted to go to his precious A, he was wee! Even if she was sessful in keeping them apart, she couldn''t erase A from his heart. He left without a backward nce. She was deeply hurt that he did not turn around to acknowledge her.She had never upied even a tiny fragment of his heart. But Anna was still hopeful that someday he would appreciate her intense love for him.She wanted nothing more out of life save the day when he would reciprocate her love. A was still busy working on the design drafts. There must be a very important reason why Yareli wasing to Antawood. Brian and Yareli would both have their own agendas. Brian reached A''s studio. "A." "You are here." She put down her brush and looked at him.She knew that Anna would have told him about her visit to the hospital. That was the reason he hade to meet her. "Did you know that I wasing?" Brian walked to the sofa and sat down. "I didn''t Know.I just had a hunch," she said indifferently. Whether he came or not made no difference to her. "Your hunch was right." Gently puffing away on his cigarette, he told her, "Miss Evans called me.She is concerned that you might be overburdened by the workload.In order for the fashion show to run smoothly, I also asked Linda toe and assist you¡± They eventually ended up discussing work-rted matters.They hadn''t talked shop this pleasantly since they met again. Chapter 134: If You Dont Love Me, Then You Hate Me Chapter 134: If You Don''t Love Me, Then You Hate Me A fanned away the smoke before her face, and said, "Mr.rk, thank you for being so considerate.Should I be happy that I have boss like you?" "No, because your workload hasn''t been reduced.I''ve reached a verbal agreement with Ms.Evans, so there will be a lot more work for the fashion season," said Brian. "Then I guess I must congratte you, Mr.rk," she remarked. "You''re gonna be a lot busier in the following days.Try not toe by.If you have any concerns regarding my work, please contact my assistant during working hours." Brian put out his cigarette on the ashtray. "You''re really talking to me in a professional tone now, huh?" "Our rtionship is strictly professional now, isn''t it?" A kept a safe distance of one meter from him. "In that case, shall we talk about more private matters?" he replied. Everything that happened between them was something that neither of them could pretend like it was something that never happened, even if she kept refusing to admit it. A smirked. "Mr.rk, you should keep in mind that my name is Wenny now, not Arlene." She was fortunate that she yed Arlene''s substitute perfectly back then. Later, he found out that her real name was actually A. "I refuse to believe that, so you''re not who you im to be." Brian saw right through her. She wanted to break away from him, but he wasn''t going to allow that to happen. "What do you want?" said A. "Isn''t it better if you just stay with Anna? Why are you so insistent in getting me involved? I don''t love you anymore.Do you not understand that?" Hearing that made Brian stand up and pull her into his arms. "Who the hell told you that I want to be with Anna? Are you trying to be a matchmaker or something? I don''t want her.I never have, and I never will." "I just told you that it''s none of my business, so keep me out of it.Is it so hard to understand that? It''s impossible for us to have a rtionship now.Two years ago, when I became Mrs.rk, I was nothing but a substitute.It was all fake!" A eximed. However, he still held her tightly in his arms. "And I''ve told you that you''re my wife, and you always will be.Oh, by the way, Ms.Evans doesn''t know about our previous rtionship, does she? Perhaps I should tell her.What do you think about that? Do you think she''ll agree if I ask her to let me keep you as an official employee of the rk Group? She''ll definitely agree, won''t she?" A smirk appeared on his lips.It was just a faint smile, but it was enough to send shivers down her spine.She didn''t want anyone else to know of her former rtionship with Brian. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "You can''t tell her." "Why not? Huh? I''m allowed to do whatever I want.It''s not up to you." He was done ying with her. This time, he was determined to get her back. "You''re the devil.Is there anything else you can do besides threatening me?" A didn''t want to appear so weak or powerless against him. "ckmailing you is the best way to deal with you.Or do you want me to force myself on you?" Once more, he embraced her as tightly as he could. A pushed him away and pped him across his face. "Don''t touch me! You''re not allowed to touch me! " Lucas is with another woman now, and he has abandoned you. Why do you insist on being chaste for him? Did you ever do the same for me in the past two years? Even if I owed you and hurt you before, you should know that I don''t like women who are flirtatious and sleep with one man after another. Brian was out of ideas.He didn''t know how to convince her toe ¡ì back to him. "Fine.If you refuse to listen to me, then I''ll do everything in my power to have you!" Upon hearing this, A tightened her clothes. "Brian rk, what do I have to do to make you let me go?" As he stood in front of her, Brian''s eyes were filled with malice. It was hard to see through him and figure out what he was thinking. His eyes were so frightening. By this point, she could no longer keep pretending to be fearless. Her courageous facade crumbled before him. Why was Brian doing this? Why would he keep forcing her like this? Was he determined to drive her insane? "Come back to me, back to where you belong." He had never intended to let her go. Even if everyone believed that she died in the sea two years ago, he never had any intention of being with another woman, let alone had another wife. "Mr.rk, was there ever a ce for me? Did you ever have a ce for me in your heart? No! You never did!" A had been trying so hard to earn his love, but she never seeded. When she disappeared, it symbolized herplete separation from him. "A, do you have to consider yourself always right?" When did he say that he didn¡¯t have a ce for her? When did he not give her a chance to have his heart? Ge) He had given her his heart, but she disappeared. For two long years, she was gone, and he kept looking for her, waiting and hoping that she was still alive! But she didn''t want to have anything to do with him anymore, not even a bit. "I''m not considering myself always right.I just have a clear estimation of who I am." A leaned against him and said weakly, "Don''t tell Ms.Evans about our past.Please." "Why don''t you want others to know of our past? Are you embarrassed about it?" Anger and resentment resided in his heart.He was in love with this woman, but he just couldn''t say it out loud so easily. Or maybe he wouldn''t be able to say those words in his whole life. The only thing he could do was to use his actions to get everything that he ever wanted. "Yes.It was the worst part of my life.I sacrificed everything I had, but what did I get in return? Nothing but pain and suffering! It even cost me my life!" A''s biggest mistake was falling in love with this man, but she was still not firm enough. Brian held her again, and said, "If you''re so embarrassed by it, then so be it! If you don¡¯t love me, then I''ll make you hate me! That way, you''ll remember me for the rest of your life, carrying your hatred for me to your grave." After saying that, he kissed her overbearingly.She tried to move away, but she was toote. "Do you really have to do this?" A should''ve pushed him away.She shouldn''t have allowed him to touch her body like this. "You forced my hand! If you''ll be able to remember me forever because of your grudge against me, I don''t mind if you hate me!" Brian tore off her chiffon dress and pressed her against the sofa. "No, stop! Don''t do it.I won''t hate you! You''ll only make me want to kill you!" But no matter what A said, it was useless.She couldn''t defend herself from Brian. While he was indulging himself, he noticed the scar on her back.He knew that this scar was due to Tatum shooting her two years ago. After such a long time, the scar still continued to exist. Gently, he stroked it. "Does it still hurt?" he asked. His deep and caring voice made her tremble.Did it hurt? Perhaps it did hurt when she got shot. However,pared to the drug that Tatum injected into her, that wound was nothing.But she wasn''t going to tell him about it because it wasn''t necessary! Chapter 135: I Could Promise Anything Else, Except This One Chapter 135: I Could Promise Anything Else, Except This One A''s body was pressed firmly on the couch making it difficult for her to ignore Brian''s probing eyes.She looked away instead to evade his questions. "Why don''t you answer me? Does it hurt?" Brian asked as he searched her eyes for answers that her mouth wasn''t willing to give. Bending his head down, he gently kissed A''s scar.His lips left a trail of moisture that was impossible to ignore. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. That scar would remain etched on her skin for a lifetime and it was a Clear representation of what he owed her. "It hurt," A nodded. No matter how painful the physical wounds were, they all belonged in the past now. What kept her hurting was the emotional trauma he put her through. "I''m sorry." Brian spoke softly. He remembered how she got that scar and no amount of apologies could turn back time and erase it. Still, he wouldn''t give up easily trying to win her heart.Biting her lower lip, A pleaded, "Why can''t you set me free? Why?" Tears welled up in her eyes, a mixture of pain and anger that she couldn''t quite release. "I can promise anything else, except this one," Brian said with finality. A gasped in horror and eximed, "You devil!" "So don''t ever try to escape from me.Now that you''re here, I will never let you go again.If ever you try to leave, I wille find you, understand?" he repeated as he gazed at her pointedly. There was no sense arguing with him at this point. A broke free from his grasp and plucked the torn dress from the floor to cover her body. Brian draped his suit jacket on her shoulders and said, "I''ll ask someone to bring clothes for you here." "No, thanks.There''s no way for me to afford it," she countered to decline the offer. A didn''t want to be regarded as a sexual partner. She tried her hardest to recover from her bitter past and bing like this would only waste her sacrifices. "Well, if you hate me that much, it means that I''ll be always in your heart." Brian grinned at her. At the back of his mind, he thought, ''You can hate me.It is better to hate me than to forget me" A turned to him with zing eyes. "No way! You don''t have a space in my heart or in my mind.I don''t love you and I don''t hate you either.I feel nothing for you at all.Should I be grateful that you agreed to let me have that operation? Need I remind you that no matter how many times we have sex, I won''t bear another child ever again and that''s because of you," she stated as a matter of fact with poison in her words. His coercion would only make her feel more indifferent.If he would keep her shackled to him, she could very well give him a taste of his own medicine. "You..." Brian was at a loss for words as he stared at her unbelievably.He thought A just wanted to stir up trouble and provoke him.Wasn''t she afraid that he would shoot her? "Mr.rk, I''ve already finished what needed to be done.You should go back now," she said dismissively. A shrugged the ck suit jacket off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor.She didn''t need it or anything from him at all! "Are you sure you''re going out dressed like that?" he asked incredulously. Brian really wanted to teach her a lesson because of how stubborn she was being, but he chose otherwise when he saw the fresh bruises on her body. A let go of her torn clothes and threw back a question. "Then what do you want me to do?" Brian took her in his arms and reminded her possessively, "I''m the only one who can see your body.Do you understand that?" No other man would ever touch her, much lessy a finger on her! A chose to keep her mouth shut, not wanting to argue anymore. She plopped down on the couch and not long after, Brian came back carrying a new set of clothes. "Get dressed.I''ll take you to dinner," he ordered. A shook her head in reply. "No, thanks.I prefer to eat instant noodles." She would lose her appetite if she had dinner with him. Brian had already changed his clothes for dinner as well, but for now, he would give in to her wishes. As soon as she put on the new clothes, he said, "Okay, fine! Instant noodles, then.Let''s not wait any longer.I''m getting hungry." Before she could say anything, he pulled her out of the studio and went to her apartment. As they slurped on the noodles, the awkward silence in the room was too unbearable for one''sfort. A only had a few bites and Brian went on his way shortly after finishing the food. Her tense nerves finally rxed the moment he left. It was like a huge boulder was lifted off her chest and she could finally breathe again. Not wanting to waste any second, she headed to the bathroom and stripped off the designer dress that Brian gave her. She tossed it into the trash can where it rightfully belonged. Then shey in the bathtub, hoping the water and soap would cleanse whatever he left on her body. She didn''t want to keep on feeling this way anymore. But what could she do if he really wanted to continue with this? ¡®Isn''t there anything I can do for him to give uppletely?¡¯ she thought hard with her eyes closed. Brian hated flirtatious women who would sleep with many men the most. Did she have to resort in doing that to make herself the kind of woman he hated, so he could finally let her go? If so, how far was she willing to go to do it? This n was to set herself free from him completely. ¡®Would this be worth it in the end?¡¯ A asked herself over and over. It all depended on whether her heart was ready to endure it all. Meanwhile, Lucas drove to A''s apartment.He was a bit hesitant to go at first, since he wasn''t sure if he should pay her a visit.He actually missed her so much, but he couldn''te see her constantly anymore.He could only drive to her ce at midnight. As he reached the building, he craned his neck upwards to look at her apartment. ''How are you doing, L? Will you hold on like you did before? Or will youe back to Brian without hesitation and throw yourself into his arms the moment he shows up?¡¯ he murmured to himself. In the past few years, Lucas had been with A every day.He should have faith in her. Knowing how badly Brian hurt her, she wouldn''t turn around easily. But what faith he had slowly dissolved when Lucas saw that Brian''s car had just driven away from the apartment. ¡®Why did L allow him to stay thatte?¡¯ he asked himself in pure disbelief. After taking a few calming breaths, Lucas decided to call A but there was no answer.He also tried reaching her throughndline to no avail. Stepping out of the car, Lucas strode towards A''s apartment and pounded on the door. In the distant quiet of the bathroom, A was too tired and sleepy to hear the knocks and doorbell ringing outside. Perhaps she was tired both physically and mentally, so she fell asleep unknowingly. Atst, Lucas found a tool to open the door.He searched the entire apartment and finally found her in the bathroom. "L, there you are." Looking at the subsiding steam on the bathroom mirror, it was clear that the water had already cooled down. He carried her out of the bathtub immediately, and when he saw the hickeys and bruises all over her body, he knew what Brian had done to L again. Lucas clenched his jaw and willed himself to keep his rising anger at bay. A was stirred awake by the chill she felt. With her eyes fluttering open, it took a second for her to recognize him. "Lucas, is it really you?" She must be dreaming, right? "Why did you fall asleep in the bathtub? You will get sick again if you catch a cold." As always, Lucas worried about her health.He picked up the bathrobe and draped it on her. A tightened the robe and asked, "Why are you here?" "If I didn''te, you would have been sleeping in the bathtub all night.Then you''ll get sick and it would take days for you to recover again." Lucas led her out of the bathroom and motioned her to sit on the sofa. Then he took the hair dryer and aimed it at her long wet hair to dry it faster. A kept quiet because she didn''t know what to say. Should she tell Lucas that she was forced to have sex with Brian again tonight? Perhaps, in the future, would she allow Brian to have her body for as long as he needed? And should she even take the initiative to seduce him so that she could be the kind of woman he hated one day? "L, have you met Brian?" Lucas finally asked to break the long silence.He had already seen the evidence and there should be no way for her to lie about it. A nodded without meeting his eyes, "Yes, I met him." They did meet, although it had an underlying meaning. They were involved in each other again and it wouldst for who knew how long. This time, it looked like Brian wouldn''t let A go and he would do everything in his power so she couldn''t get away.All she could do was face him. Chapter 136: How Could She Forget Chapter 136: How Could She Forget Lucas saw the look on her face. "He raped you again, didn''t he?" A turned her gaze away from him.She couldn''t do anything when Brian threatened her and forced her to have sex with him. "You shouldn''t have given him the chance to rape you again! It has been more than two years.Haven''t you forgotten how he hurt you?" Lucas helped her dry her hair as he gazed into her eyes. Why couldn''t she forget about Brian? Were all the things he did for her during the past two years meaningless to her? Did she forget everything between them the second Brian reappeared in her life? And was she nning to get back together with him? A got up and looked back at Lucas. "I''ve never forgotten about it.How could I forget it? How could I cast aside the most painful experience I''ve ever gone through?" She loathed Brian. And she hated him for raping her without considering how she would feel. In doing so, he made her disgusted with the idea ofing back to him, and prevented her from ever giving her heart to him. "L, just stay away from him.We should go back to Italy.What do you think?" All Lucas wanted to do right now was to get her as far away from this ce as possible.He didn''t want her to have anything to do with Brian ever again. Although he knew that they were bound to meet in Antawood, he didn''t expect that things would spiral out of control so soon after they saw each other. A looked back at Lucas. ¡®Leave?¡¯ What would happen to that woman if they left? Would he really just give up on her? If she made him give up on someone again because of her, then what did that make her? She didn''t want to burden him. During the past two years, she had lived by one principle.She had worked hard to make herself independent, but she knew how much she was indebted to him. Back when she had a rpse every single day and was unable to live on her own, Lucas stood by her side without hesitation and helped her through many painful nights. Lucas told her that she was his happiness, so she epted his proposal. But before she could even learn to love him back, Brian barged into her life again and forced himself on her, regardless if she wanted it or not. "Don''t you want to leave, L? Let''s leave and go back to Italy together, alright? Or if you want to go to another country, I''ll go with you.We can also go to a ce where nobody knows us.It will be just the two of us, together." Lucas held her hand. He was trying to tell her that she should just forget about Brian, the man who put her through so much suffering. If the two of them left, he''d also forget about Tatum. For A¡¯s sake, he could forego his hatred and revenge. All he wanted to do right now was to protect her. With hopeful eyes, she gazed back at him. She wasn''t sure if she could just run away. Two years ago, it was only because everyone had believed that she was dead that she enjoyed a carefree life. If she disappeared and "died" again, would Brian believe it? No, definitely nots "It''s gettingte.You should go back.Ms.Evans wille to Antawood tomorrow.I have to pick her up at the airport." A couldn''t let him stay the night, and she knew he had to leave to apany another woman. Lucas nodded. "I''ll leave after you fall asleep." It had been a long time since he spent time with her. He had promised her that he would apany her and love her for the rest of his life, and he hoped that he could keep this promise. Momentster, Ay on her bed. However, after what happened tonight, she was having a hard time falling asleep. "You know what? I was so happy during these past two years.With you by my side, I lived a good life.I felt like there was still hope for me to continue living." She recalled every detail of her life in the past two years. If Lucas weren''t there, she might''ve given up long ago. And yet she survived, and Lucas had given her everything that she now had. "Silly girl, what are you talking about?" Lucas was lying beside her. "Are you filling up your head with foolish notions just because you can''t fall asleep?" A shook her head. "No, it''s just that I''m so lucky that I met you." As for the things that she was never fortunate enough to have and the things she had lost, she didn''t want to care about them anymore. For the rest of the night until she finally fell asleep, Lucas listened to everything she wanted to say about the past two years. He didn''t leave her until it was almost the break of dawn. Even though he didn''t want to, he had to leave her to keep her safe.He couldn''t let Haley find out about A. Tatum wanted to intercept Brian''s goods once again. Although Jaime was the one who handled it all the time and not once in the past two years had Brian dealt with those deals personally, maybe this time would be different. It was already surprising that Brian had tolerated Tatum''s antics for two years, but Lucas could see that the man was just waiting for the perfect opportunity to get rid of Tatum once and for all. Lucas didn''t approve that Tatum was still doing shady business, but he owed him so much, and he also had to avenge his family. The moment he came back to the hotel, he saw that Haley was sleeping on the sofa. "Haley." Lucas tried to wake her up. Whether he was here or not, she would probably stay in his room. "Lucas, you''re back.Where have you been? I was worried about you all night." After saying that, she threw herself into his arms. Pulling her away from him, he responded, "Haley, stop it.Go back to your own room.I need to sleep." "Sleep? Who did you fool around withst night?" Haley noticed the dark circles around his eyes.Was he up all night? "Haley, stay out of my business." Then, Lucas pushed her out of his room and closed the door. If she hadn''te to Antawood with him, he wouldn''t have allowed Brian to take advantage of A. When Haley returned to her room, she took out her phone to call someone. "What did you find? Have you found out the mysterious woman that Lucas had been seeingtely?" "Miss Green, Mr.Collins has been going to an apartment on a regr basis, but outsiders aren''t allowed in that apartmentplex, so we can''t figure out who the woman is," said one of the bodyguards that Haley sent to follow Lucas around. "Just keep an eye on him.I don¡¯t believe that woman can elude my spies.If I find out who that bitch is, I''ll make her life a living hell!" Haley swore menacingly. "Yes, Miss Green.I''ll continue following Mr.Collins." "Good.You do that.Follow him until you find out who that woman is." She refused to believe that that woman had captured Lucas¡¯ heart. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. No matter what rtionship that woman had with him, she was going to destroy her. She was going to make sure that she would be the only woman in his life, and nobody would be able to take him away from her. In the past, she had disobeyed her own father so many times because of Lucas. Now, she had to prove that her efforts led to something instead of getting nothing in return. No matter what happened, she was determined to get all that she wanted to have. Chapter 137: Wait And See Chapter 137: Wait And See The next morning, A was done packing up and was about to go out when the doorbell suddenly rang.She opened the door and found out that it was Brian.She thought maybe it was the most polite he had ever been. "Mr.rk? So you do know how to use the doorbell.I thought it was not you," A said indifferently. Her clothes made her look more slender and taller. She was wearing a high-necked shirt with ckce, slim ck trousers, and light-colored high heels. Brian stared at her for a moment and said, "Shall we go out now?" "I''m so sorry if you have to pick me up, Mr.rk.Though I can go to the airport by myself," A said. She smiled indifferently as if nothing had happened yesterday. Last night, Brian sent her back and left after. But this morning, he could see how she smiled leisurely. Had she forgotten what happened yesterday, or was she just trying to turn a blind eye to him? He wanted her to hate him and remember him, but she would not let his wishe true, would she? Or if it was not hatred, then it must be love. A looked out the window while sitting in the passenger seat.The car was speeding on the road. No one spoke while on the way. Brian was not the type of man who would initiate talking or saying sorry even though he had forced A to have sex with himst night. As for A, to avoid everything that might happen, all she could do was act as if nothing had happened. The car finally stopped at the gate of the airport. A saw that Yareli and Linda were already waiting there. "Wenny." Yareli looked deep into A''s eyes and said, "Thank you for all your hard work these days." This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Ms.Evans, that''s what I should do." A shook her head and smiled. "You''re so awesome, Wenny.You''ve just been in Antawood for a month, and only by the twenty design drafts you already won the favor of Mr.rk.You are not that simple a figure!" Even with the presence of Yareli, Linda teased A anyway. A was about to say something when Brian came over and said, "Miss Linda, your design is also excellent.With you and Ms.Evans here this time, I''m sure that our rk Group''s fashion season will be more sessful." After Linda heard what Brian said, there was a wave of joy that crossed her heart.She thought that if Mr.rk would like her, she would not need to work hard as a designer anymore. "Mr.rk, since you said so, I will make sure to do my best.I just hope I won''t disappoint you." Linda said those with a smile on her face. She walked up to Brian but didn''t hug him. The woman just stretched out her one hand. Brian also stretched out his and firmly shook hands with Linda. He thought that this woman was not that simple, though she was capable in work.He had known her a little since they had a talk with each other in Starlight several times. Brian appreciated such capable women. While A was watching the two talking, her intuition told her that Linda had a crush on Brian.She thought it was good for Brian if there was another woman who would apany him. After all, he was also a man who liked a novelty. A realized that if Linda was here, maybe she could finally leave then. In the car, Linda sat in the passenger seat voluntarily without asking anyone. A was just rxed and didn''t feel angry at all. Yareli also noticed what was happening. She could see that Wenny was so indifferent about the situation, so Yareli didn''t speak and just remained silent. Besides, when she was in Italy, she knew that Wenny already had a boyfriend. However, Yareli also noticed how Brian looked at A affectionately. To see such an eager look on Brian''s cold face had made her a little surprised. A saw the surprise in Yareli''s face, so she said, "Ms.Evans, please have a rest! It was such a long flight.You must be very tired." She also noticed Brian''s gaze at her.She could feel how unhappy he was right now, but she still pretended not to know anything. "I''m fine, Wenny." Yareli looked at A and added, "I used to travel around by ne.So for me, there is no jetg at all." Brian drove the car and stopped over to the hotel.He said, "Ms.Evans, you can stay here for these days.Come and have a look.See if you are satisfied with it." Yareli looked around at the cozy presidential suite and said, "Mr.rk''s arrangement is always so considerate.You always make me feel at home whenever Ie here." "I''m d to know that you''re satisfied with it.You can take a good rest now.The meeting is scheduled for tomorrow morning.Is that okay with you? What do you think?" Brian smiled and said to Yareli. She nodded and said, "Of course, no problem.You can go and take a rest too, Linda!" "It''s my first time here in Antawood, Ms.Evans.I want to go out for a walk, but I''m not sure if Mr.rk is willing to go with me, so I will get familiar with the environment here." Linda shed Brian a sweet smile. "Mr.rk, are you willing to have a walk with me?" she asked. However, Brian turned and looked at A. Then A said, "Mr.rk, since Linda has said that, I think you should go for a walk with her to help her get familiar with the environment.It will be helpful when you are working together in the future." After hearing what A said, Brian spoke with a calm smile. "Okay.You cane with us then, Wenny.Remember when you first came here? I was too busy with my work at that time to apany you to get familiar with the environment here.Since I''m free today, I''ll take you out for a ride." Brian was aware that A was just trying to push him into someone else''s arms. Well, she had to stop because he wouldn''t let her get her own way. Also, it was just a tour around Antawood. Then why not go with them? But Brian saw how A shook her head and refused. "I''m sorry, Mr.rk.I''m afraid I''ll turn you down for now because I''m not free for today," she said. He hesitated for a moment and said after, "Since you''re not free today then Miss Linda, let''s just go for another day.Is that okay with you?" Linda gritted her teeth and red at A, thinking that this woman would only hinder her ns. But when Linda faced Brian, she just smiled and said, "It''s okay, Mr.rk.Since you have said so, then I''m not going to force you." A shook her head as she turned around and walked out of the room.She just wanted Linda to get along well with Brian. But he had caused trouble to A.She knew that her unintentional words had only made Linda hate her even more. It looked like Brian was trying to give A a pretty hard time. Well...They would wait and see what would happen. Brian sincerely smiled when he saw that A was walking quickly towards the elevator. He followed her. She couldn''t escape from him at all. No matter how many tricks she had, he wouldn''t let her seed and do what she wanted. While standing in the long corridor, Linda watched the two stride into the elevator. It hadn''t been that long since Wenny came here, yet she had already wrapped Mr.rk around her fingers. Linda felt like the other woman had just given her such a considerable embarrassment. However, Linda was not weak and easy to be bullied. It was better for Wenny if she wouldn''t dare topete with Linda because Wenny was not qualified at all! Yareli came out and looked at her. "Linda, is there something wrong?" she asked. Linda just shook her head and said, "Oh, nothing.I have to go now, Ms.Evans.I still need to prepare for the meeting tomorrow." Yareli knew what could be running on Linda''s mind right now.However, she just didn''t say anything because she didn''t want her official business to be affected. So she just nodded and said, "Right, I know.You should go ahead." Linda turned around and started to walk back to her room. Chapter 138: I Dont Want To Be Mistaken For A Whore Chapter 138: I Don''t Want To Be Mistaken For A Whore As soon as A went downstairs, Brian caught up with her and grabbed her arm. "What''s the matter with you? Were you trying to set me up with Linda? Do you really not care?" "Mr.rk, I think it¡¯s inappropriate of you to hold me like this in public." A red at him. Was he aware of what he was doing right now? This was the hotel''s lobby. Numerous people wereing and going, and she didn''t want them to mistake her for a whore. "Is that so? I don''t care about other people''s opinions.Don''t you know who owns this ce?" Brian proudly stood at the center of the lobby, showing no intention of letting her go. As of this moment, A was powerless. So what if he owned this ce? Yes, she cared about what other people thought of her, and she didn''t want to be seen with him.But was this reason enough to stop him? Why couldn''t he just listen to her? "Let me drive you back to your office." After saying that, he carried her to the car parked outside and drove her to work.A sat in the office for the entire day, but she practically did nothing. What Lucas said to herst night was still clouding her mind. She was still debating whether to leave or not.She had two choices: she could either leave or cater to Brian''s whims. However, she was aware of the fact that leaving wouldn''t be easy. And even if she did try to leave, Brian might be able to catch her and drag her back. When night fell, A received a call from Yareli. They were supposed to have dinner together. "Wenny, we haven''t seen each other for over a month.It looks like you''ve lost some weight.You must''ve been having difficulties working on your own," said Yareli. "It''s fine.I''m used to it.I was born in Antawood.I am not a stranger to this ce, and I''ve gotten ustomed to it," A replied casually. "Actually, Wenny, I have something to ask you.It''s fine if you don''t want to answer me," Yareli asked after hesitating for a long time. Brian had made a name for himself, and she knew what kind of person this man was. Wherever he went, he was capable of getting everything he desired.Wenny was a simple and kindhearted girl.It would be harmful for her to stay around Brian. "Ms.Evans, it''s fine.Ask away." There was nothing she couldn''t tell her. Perhaps many people had noticed that something was going on with her and Brian. Taking a sip of water, Yareli said, "Wenny, are you familiar with Mr.rk?" "I guess so.I''ve had contact with him before I left Antawood to live in Italy," A replied tly. "But it¡¯s all in the past now.All I have with him now is a professional rtionship." Yareli nodded. "That''s good to know." Business was business, and it must not have any emotional attachments. By the time A returned to her apartment, it was already quitete.But then she noticed that Brian was waiting for her outside the building. "Mr.rk, what are you doing here?" "Am I not allowed to drop by? Did you go out with Ms.Evans?" It seemed that he was always aware of her whereabouts. "Yes, Ms.Evans asked me to have dinner with her.I''m sorry to have kept you out here in the cold, Mr.rk." A smirked. Why didn''t he just go into her apartment this time? Slowly, he approached her to hold her in his arms. "For you, waiting out here is worth it." As Brian embraced her, she didn''t try to resist.He then stared into the distance. Over the past few days, he noticed that there were two people who had been watching anyone that came in and out of the apartment building. If he hadn''t warned the security team in advance, those people might''ve been able to sneak in already. Who could''ve been investigating L? Perhaps it was Haley. She was not a simple woman. Whether she was just investigating whom Lucas was dating or helping Tatum gather information, he wasn''t going to let A get hurt again.It was only when the suspicious car left that he finally let her go. "There''s a meeting tomorrow morning.Don''t forget to attend." Afterwards, he went back to his car. Seeing that A was still shocked beside his car, he said, "You should try to avoid meeting with Lucas for the time being." After watching his car leave, she finally went back to her apartment. ¡®What did he mean by that? Was he aware that Lucas is visiting me every now and then?¡¯ Haley looked at each of the pictures that her men had taken, but she couldn''t gather anything useful. That woman looked familiar.She remembered that this woman was the same person that she identally knocked down along the roadst time. This woman was indeed beautiful.She thought that she must''ve seen her somewhere before.Otherwise, why would she think that she looked familiar? "Is this woman really meeting this man these past few days? Didn''t you say that you spotted Lucas there?" Haley had a hunch that this woman had something to do with Lucas. "Miss Green, the woman and this man have been caught on camera being intimate for the past few days.They don''t appear to be just friends." "I see.Continue keeping an eye on Lucas.I have to know who that woman is." While Haley was staring at the photos, her doorbell rang. Stashing the pictures away, she went to open the door. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. "Lucas? Why are you here?" "Didn''t you just say that you''re hungry? I went downstairs to get you some food." Lucas noticed that she was a little flustered.She was either hiding something from him or doing something that she couldn''t let him know. "Thank you.Let''s go to the canteen to eat, okay? I also want to have some drinks." Haley couldn''t let him in her room right now.She wasn''t going to let him see the photos in her room nor the two men hiding there. Lucas had no objections. "Sounds great.Let''s go!" The two of them went downstairs to the canteen for a midnight snack. When he went back to his room, he remembered how flustered she was earlier. Right now, he was so worried about A. And so, he dialed her number and it didn''t take long before the line connected. "L." "Lucas, it''s you!" In all honesty, A was surprised to hear from him.She thought that he wouldn''t have the time to call her. "Yes, it''s me.Haven''t you gone to bed yet?" Lucas could tell based on her voice that she was anxious.Perhaps she had gotten apprehensive due to Brian pestering her. "I can''t fall asleep." A had a lot on her mind. It was only natural that she was restless. "L, how have you beentely? Have you noticed anyone following you around?" Lucas was afraid that Haley had sent people to stalk her.If Tatum found out about her, the consequences would be dire. "No.What''s going on? Why would you say that?" His questions were strange. And so was Brian''s warning earlier.She thought that it wasn''t a coincidence, and that she might''ve been targeted by someone.But to her memory, she hadn''t offended anyone here.She was just a simple designer, and she had never formed any enmity with anyone. If there was really someone targeting her, there could only be one cause, and it was Brian. Maybe it would only bring her trouble to be entangled with him? However, Brian told her not to meet with Lucas for the time being, which only meant that this matter also had something to do with him. Chapter 139: Provocation Chapter 139: Provocation Looking out of the window, Lucas said, "I see.You should be careful whenever you go outside.Once I''m done with work, I''lle to see you." He wanted to ensure A''s safety! "Okay." She had promised him that above all, she would cherish her own life. There was a time when she almost lost her life, but now, she would never discard her life so easily. "L, if you really want to leave this ce and go back to Italy, or maybe anywhere else, as long as you desire it, I''ll make it happen.Everything will be fine," said Lucas. He had long wanted to take A away, and at present, it seemed to be his only choice. If Tatum were toe back, or if Haley found out that A was here, there would be no more turning back forLucas. A was hesitant to do it. This time, she didn''t promise him anything. "Lucas, do you really think we can just run away like that? Do you think Brian will let us go so easily? Of all people, you should know that the only reason I was able to go to Italy without any problems was because Brian thought I was dead.But this time, do you think I''ll be fortunate enough to escape?" It was her fate that she couldn''t avoid some people, and some things were destined to happen. If she were able to escape from her fate, then she shouldn''t have returned again, and she shouldn''t have been found out by Brian. Therefore, her best bet was to convince him to let go of her, so that she could finally have some peace of mind and avoid getting Lucas into trouble.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. A''s words had left Lucas stunned. Indeed, it would not be as easy as he had thought.She had escaped once, but doing it a second time was indeed difficult. "Lucas, let''s go to bed.I''ll take care of it.Do you trust me?" A wanted Lucas to believe her, but could she believe him too? "Yes.L, you have to trust me too.You''re the only woman I love, and nothing can change that." He knew that she was aware of his rtionship with Haley, but he couldn''t exin it to her for the time being, so these words were all he could say to her. If two people loved each other, didn''t it mean that they must trust one another? No matter what? Taking a deep breath, A said, "Lucas, I''ll believe whatever you say." She had faith in Lucas. After being with him for two years, he was the only person she could truly trust.The morning meeting was held in the rk Group''srgest meeting room. Yareli and Linda arrived at thepany together. Brian was the one who sent someone to pick them up, and he personally picked A up. He also noticed that there were two people spying on her from across the apartment. "Let''s go!" Brian ignored the spies and continued to stay close with her. "Actually, it''s not a big deal if you don''te to pick me up.I already know where the rk Group is." A stepped into the car. She noticed that there was a car parked across the apartment, and it seemed that this same car had been there for many days. Was it because of this that Lucas and Brian told her to be careful whenever she had to go out? She knew Brian well, and he would never treat her like this. There was no need for him to be so secretive, just like what he was doing now. For the rest of the drive, he didn''t say a word. But when they arrived at thepany, A broke the silence. "Do you really want us to go back to the old days?" Brian just looked at her. She wasn''t the type of person that wouldpromise easily.It was obvious that she just wanted to know his thoughts, but he hoped that she could see through him herself.Because she probably wouldn''t believe anything that came out of his mouth. "It''s fine if you don''t want to tell me.Just forget it." With that, A got out of the car.¡®What a stubborn woman! But no matter how stubborn she could be, she is still softhearted, '' Brian thought. In the meeting room, all of the senior executives of the rk Group were there. Naturally, Anna was also there. Upon seeing that she had gotten out of the hospital, A smiled at her briefly. Over the past few years, Anna had helped Brian so much. They were a good match, and they should be together. A knew what Anna was thinking right now, and she didn''t want topete with her for anything.After the meeting, A and Linda stayed to finish the preparation of the fashion show together. Offering her hand, Linda said, "Mr.rk, I''m hoping that ourpanies will have a fruitful partnership." Brian looked back at her. "Linda, with your help, I think this fashion season will go splendidly!" Anna was displeased that Linda was flirting with him without hesitation because she knew that Linda was ambitious andpletely different from A. No matter how A felt for Brian, she wouldn''t show it in front of so many people. Anna knew that the reason Yareli asked Linda to be here was to lessen A''s workload. After taking a nce at A, Brian turned to Yareli and said, "Well, Ms.Evans, let''s take a look at the new studio, shall we?" He was determined to get A back. No matter what happened, as long as she was in the rk Group''s building, he would be able to rest assured.A didn''t have any choice but to follow him. If it were possible, she''d rather not be in the same building as him. But it didn''t seem like she had any choice. Compared to A''s current studio, the spacious office she was in right now was far better. It was luxurious and elegant, and nobody could say that this was just a simple office. Smiling faintly, Linda said, "Mr.rk, it seems that you spared no expense to prepare all of this!" The moment Brian found out that Wenny was actually A, he had intended to keep her by his side.And no matter what she wanted to do, he would allow her to do it. "I''m d you like it, Miss Linda." There was a faint smile on his face that could barely be seen. Walking over, Anna held Brian''s arm intimately. "Miss Linda, I''m in charge of this project.If you run into any problems or you have any concerns in the future, I''d like to let you know that you cane to me anytime." Linda wasn''t afraid of her at all. Anna had been engaged to Brian for a year, and yet other women could still stay close to him, which only meant that he didn''t give a damn about his fiancee!Men were fickle creatures. What they desired more was a sense of novelty, and Linda was the kind of woman that men dreamed of having. "Miss Anna, it may be true that you''re in charge of this project, but Mr.rk is still the boss of rk Group.Besides, he still has the final say in everything.Don''t you think so, too, Mr.rk?" Brian had no interest in the quarrel between women, not to mention that the woman he cared about wasn''t involved in the fight. "You..." Anna was pissed off. In the rk Group, nobody dared to do this to her other than Brian. Linda was so full of herself. Did she dare to challenge her authority just because she was pretty? Wasn''t she afraid that Anna would make her life miserable? Chapter 140: He Pushed Her Into Trouble Chapter 140: He Pushed Her Into Trouble "Did I say something wrong? It''s not that I don''t believe you, Miss Anna.I''m afraid you will deliberately make things difficult for me.I think Mr.rk is more trustworthy than you." Linda was always the one to take initiative and she never trusted Anna. Moreover, she was not A.She wouldn''t allow others to bully her. A silently looked at Anna and Linda.Having these two women around him was probably enough for Brian.He wouldn''t have the time to pay attention to her. Yareli stopped Linda and said, "This is the rk Group, Linda.You should know what to do." Yareli wouldn''t bring Linda here if she thought she couldn''t help A. Linda was always capable, be it in thepany or outside it, and Yareli had chosen her because of her confidence. But as a designer, she would have to be careful not to be overconfident.Brian looked at A. Although she remained expressionless, he could tell that she was gloating from within. But he wasn''t going to let her be an onlooker and stay out of all this. A knew something was afoot when she felt Brian''s eyes on her. ''What does he want to do?¡¯ she thought. "Are you afraid?" Brian said, walking up to A. She took a subconscious step backwards. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "Mr.rk, please behave yourself!" A hissed, her voice low. She had done nothing and didn''t want to be enemies with Anna and Linda. But Brian could effortlessly push her into trouble.She suspected that all he wanted was for her not to have any foothold here. Ever. Their voices were mere whispers and their movements were discreet.But Anna and Linda noticed. They, however, remained tactful and didn''t say anything. Only A knew the hard time that she was in for. Lucas was now at A''s studio. He waited outside for a long time, hesitating, before he mustered the courage to walk up the stairs to the door, only to find the studio closed. A sense of foreboding overtook him. ¡®Where is L?'' he thought worriedly. A hadn''t said anything about leaving her studio to Lucas on the phonest night. Had she left voluntarily? Or had Brian forced her? Lucas made his way to the rk Group''s office as a last resort, trying to find out if A was alright. He had just arrived at the gates when Brian emerged, followed by Yareli, Anna, and Linda. Momentster, A emerged as well, filling Lucas with relief. Brian frowned as he spotted Lucas and walked up to him. "Mr.Collins, what are you doing here?" "I''m here to see L.Am I not allowed to do that?" he said. Lucas didn''t like how Brian always got in his way, stopping him from seeing A. "Absolutely not," Brian replied, his tone venomous and indifferent at the same time. Lucas threw him a dry look. "Don''t think that you can control everything.You can''t be with L!¡± "You don''t have to tell me about my rtionship with her.Besides, are you underestimating Miss Green?" Brian had noticed the same car that had been parked opposite A¡¯s apartment building before. He was sure that the two men had followed Lucas all the way here. And he knew without checking that Haley had sent the men who had been spying on Lucas and A. "What do you mean?" Lucas looked back and forth between A and Brian. "You''re being followed, so you''d better not let A speak to you.If you want to see her, you''d better shake off your pursuers first." Brian''s reminder was not out of kindness. But if Lucas came to A, it might bring harm to her.As he watched A make her way over to them, Lucas fixed Brian with a hard stare before saying, "You''d better take good care of L, or I will skin you alive." "Don''t worry.You can''t help her even if I wanted to do something to her.Besides, you are the one who is bringing trouble to her, not me!" Brian was determined to make A his woman and Lucas couldn''t do anything to stop him. "You''d better keep your word!" Lucas gritted out before hurrying away.A looked at Lucas¡¯ retreating back and asked Brian, "What did you say to him?" Lucas hade to see her, not Brian.But Brian had barely said a few words to him and had managed to drive him away.What had made him scurry away like this? "Why do you care about him so much? You know he has another woman.But you are still willing to let him y around with two women at the same time! Why?"Brian said to A, his eyes glinting coldly. A was stunned.Even if Brian knew something, he had no right to meddle in her business. "I know my business.You''d better not talk all this nonsense in front of Lucas.""I''m telling the truth," he said, shrugging. Brian knew what A was worried about and decided to let her follow her train of thought. He would make A understand him one day. "I don''t want to talk all this with you.And you''d better not stick to me in front of Anna and Linda.If you do, don''t me me for being rude," A warned him before turning around and walking towards Yareli. As Yareli watched Brian and A, she understood that Wenny didn''t want to have anything to do with Mr.rk, who, on the contrary, seemed to disagree.But given the situation, it didn''t look like Wenny had a chance of escape. The next day, Linda left the office early after work. She was unlike A and needed to get familiar with A City.But the moment she walked out of the office, she came face to face with Brian. "Mr.rk," she said, stering a smile to her face. "Miss Linda, are you off duty?" Brian asked distractedly, his entire attention on A, who he could see through the ss window.He was staring at her as she concentrated on drawing up the designs. She probably hadn''t realized the time. "Yes.Is Mr.rk off work too? How about having dinner together?" Linda offered. She wouldn''t give up easily and continued to approach him over and over again. Brian hesitated for a few seconds before nodding. "Sounds great," he said. "You''ve been in Antawood for a couple of days.I know I should do my best to be a good host.I''ll take you to taste the specialties of this city.Shall we?" They talked as they made their way out. Linda wasn''t about to refuse his offer because for her, what mattered was not what she ate, but with whom she ate.She knew that Mr.rk not refusing her was a rare event and that she should seize this opportunity with both hands. Chapter 141: Youll Be Mine As Long As I Want You Chapter 141: You''ll Be Mine As Long As I Want You As the elevator doors opened, Brian and Linda stepped out. All of a sudden, she identally sprained herself while wearing her high-heeled shoes. Luckily, he caught her before she hit the ground.Since he was already holding her, she decided to snuggle in his embrace. "It''s so painful! Ouch." "Please be careful, Miss Linda." Although he wanted to let go of her, Linda clung even more tightly to his sleeve.At that moment, her feet couldn''t support her. "Mr.rk, it seems that I sprained my ankle.I''m so sorry." With widened eyes, Brian looked down and noticed her swollen ankle. "We should hurry to the hospital." Immediately, they walked out of thepany building as he supported her. "Well, Mr.rk, I already reduced the swelling of Miss Linda''s sprain.As long as she doesn''t push herself too much and applies her medicine, she''ll recover in a few days," the doctor told Brian. "I understand." After nodding, Brian assisted Linda as they left the hospital. "Thank you, Mr.rk," she said with a smile. "It''s no big deal.Let me drive you back to your hotel." When they got to the car, he helped her get to the passenger seat. Then, he sat in the driver''s seat and started the engine. Soon enough, they arrived at the hotel. "Mr.rk, I''m sorry to trouble you.However, since you''re already here, why don''t you apany me for a while.You still haven''t eaten dinner.The restaurant downstairs can prepare something for you if you ask them," she told him as she sat on the couch. With a nce, Brian gave an indifferent reply, "No, it''s fine.You better go to sleep early.Since you''re injured, you can take a few days off to rest.You can get back to work when you recover." "Is there something wrong, Mr.rk? Do I scare you? Despite my enthusiastic character, I don''t casually flirt with any man.Moreover, I injured my feet.Even if I''m nning to do something, I won''t be able to do it, right?" Linda immediately stopped Brian when he was about to leave. He seemed reluctant to enter her room.Nheless, she wouldn''t give up so easily. Finally, she seeded in convincing him. Hesitantly, he walked to the couch and took a seat beside her. Aftering back from work, Yareli noticed that Linda''s door was open. When she passed by, she recognized Brian''s voice in the room. She didn''t expect that Linda would make a move so soon and immediately show him her affection. After knocking on the door, Yareli called, "Linda." When she stepped inside the room, she confirmed that Brian was also there. "Hello, Mr.rk.Am I bothering you guys?" At that moment, she noticed how Linda anxiously clung onto Brian. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "Hello, Ms.Evans.Miss Linda identally sprained her ankle earlier.As such, I apanied her back here." Immediately, Brian pushed Linda''s hand away from him and stood up from the couch. "Linda, you should take better care of yourself.Be careful, okay? It''s only a few days since you started working." However, Yareli already realized that Linda''s injury was on purpose. Thetter just wanted to spend more time with Brian.Linda slowly nodded. "Thank you for your concern, Ms.Evans.I''ll be more careful next time." Then, Yareli''s eyes shifted to Brian. "Mr.rk, may I talk to you outside? I have something private to discuss with you." "Okay." It seemed that Brian was kind enough to apany Linda. Otherwise, he would''ve already left her alone in her room. After all, it was a cooperation between two parties. Since both sides would gain from the case, Brian didn''t want to make the situation more awkward. Soon, Yareli arrived in the cafe with Brian. After taking their seats, she said, "Mr.rk, our partnership will proceed rather smoothly.However, I hope you can forgive Linda''s behavior." He met her gaze and answered, "I understand, Ms.Evans.Don''t worry.I''ll take care of it.Are you going to stay here for a few more days?" "Unfortunately, I can''t stay for long.I have an urgent business in mypany." Yareli had dealt with some personal matters in the past two days. However, she had to return to Italy due to somepany affairs. "Well, you should prioritize the business." Brian grabbed his cup of coffee and took a sip. The cooperation between them started two years ago. The truth was, he always felt that there was some resemnce between Yareli and that woman. When they finished their coffee, Brian stood up and left. When he arrived at thepany building, it was already ten o''clock in the evening. As he rode the elevator, a thought came to his mind all of a sudden. Brian pressed the button on the tenth floor. Soon enough, the elevator stopped, and he stepped out. Meanwhile, A was in her office.She was putting away her design drafts when she noticed that Brian was Standing at the door. Startled, she took a deep breath. "What are you doing there? You scared me." "I had no idea.I''ve been here for a while.Unfortunately, you didn''t notice me." She didn''t realize that he had been standing there for some time.It seemed that she had no eyes for him. But he was determined to make her unable to ignore him. After picking up her purse, she gave him an awkward smile. "I''m sorry.Well, I just finished my work." "I understand.Let me drive you home." Brian was willing to be her personal driver. "It''s alright, Mr.rk.I can go home by myself.I think you''ll enjoy Miss Anna''s or Miss Linda''spany better." She wasn''t interested in his affairs. However, she overheard a group of women gossiping in the tea room when she went to get a cup of water. It seemed that he went out with Linda and the two seemed rtively close.A didn''t want to pay attention to such rumors.However, she still felt sad when she heard them. "Is there anything wrong? Did you hear something about me?" Brian furrowed his eyebrows when he heard A''s remark. It seemed that the employees didn''t focus on their work but instead had time to gossip.He thought that he should discipline them soon. "What I heard doesn''t matter.You can do whatever you like." After turning off the lights, A stepped out of her office. Brian also followed her. "What do you think I like? Do you have any idea who captured my eyes? I thought you already know who she is." Suddenly, he embraced her in the dark hallway.His strong arms wrapped around her slender waist. A loud sound echoed as A''s purse dropped. She growled, "Unhand me!" "No! You''re the one I like! Do you understand how I feel now that I said it out loud?" Then, he swiftly pressed his lips against hers. "Hmmm..." Despite trying to break free, Ayia couldn''t step away from his tips. Soon enough, her red lips felt his breath.His solid body remained unmoved against her continuous pummeling. "You''re mine, A, forever," he said while passionately stroking her back. "No! Get away from me! I don''t belong to you! You never owned me.You forced me into doing those things!" She tried to turn around and walk away. However, he was holding her so tight that she couldn''t break free. "I don''t care if you ept it or not.You''ll be mine as long as I want you." Then, he kissed her lips again.All she could do was hug tightly on his shoulder.He was so passionate in his kiss that she almost suffocated. Chapter 142: She Was Powerless Against Him Chapter 142: She Was Powerless Against Him Brian''s kiss took away A''s self-control.After his lips left hers, he then moved to kiss her cheeks. Gasping for air, she asked, "What on earth do you want?" Right now, she was in hispany, his territory, and there was nothing she could do. "I want you to willinglye back to me." That was exactly what Brian wanted.He wanted to get back together with her, just like the old days.He had never gotten tired of her, and he still desired both her body and her heart. "Brian, need I remind you that you were the one who drove me away back then? I''m not a clingy woman, so I obeyed yourmand and left!" A recalled the time that he heartlessly drove her out of the rk family''s vi.What happened to her after that became the most miserable part of her life. "So after all these years, you still hate me, don¡¯t you?" Brian was hoping that she would hate him, so that she would never forget him and eventually,e back to him. "I just want to live my life in peace! You and I are from totally different worlds.You''ll neverck a woman beside you, but my heart can only be given to one person." A wanted to make it clear to him that she couldn''t afford to get hurt, but it seemed as though he was heartless. "Do you love Lucas?" He wasn''t convinced that she had actually fallen in love with Lucas. Brian continued to embrace her tightly.She remained silent. Whomever she loved had nothing to do with him. "Why don''t you answer me?" Brian''s patience was running out. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "You''re always so hardheaded.Whether you like it or not, I want you!" A was petrified. "I never have the right to say no, do I?" She didn''t like the feeling of being with him. Brian had too many women, and that wasn''t something that she could tolerate. "No!" Brian said in a sultry voice. The following moment, he picked A up and brought her to the lounge.She wrapped her arms around his neck.It turned out that this lounge was for his own convenience. "L, I don''t like it when you rebel against me.I want you to be able to follow your heart.Don''t suppress your feelings." After all these years, his love for her never changed, and neither did many other things in his heart. But A still didn''t want to give him what he wanted, despite the fact that she failed to resist it.She didn''t want to stoop so low, and she didn''t want to lose everything. In the event that she fell in love with him again, it would only make her miserable. Seeing that A wasn''t responding to his advances, Brian felt infuriated. "Are you nning to act like a dead fish all night?" "If that displeases you, then let me go." She calmly looked at the man before her. A was well aware of the fact that Brian wouldn''t let her go, and that she wouldn''t have a chance to escape unscathed. Pulling her arms away, he said, "Don''t think that I won''t dare toy a hand on you.Don''t you get it? The more you y hard to get, the more I want you.It doesn''t matter if you say no to me!" ¡®Is there nothing I can do? Then what on earth can I decide on?¡¯ she thought bitterly. Brian''s overbearing possessiveness was getting on A''s nerves.She just bit her lower lip, refusing to say anything. The salty taste of blood filled her mouth, but she endured it because she wanted to feel the pain. Reminding herself of pain was the best way to stop herself from loving him again. Under the dim light, Brian saw her bleeding lips, causing his heart to soften.He had indeed lost control of himself just now. He had no desire to be so ruthless towards her, but whenever she was trying to resist him, he could no longer control himself. Perhaps Brian would never be able to understand A''s suffering, but he could see how she tried to endure the pain caused by his rudeness. However, as a man, his self-esteem and pride wouldn''t allow him to be so softhearted. "Put on your clothes," Brian said to her. He had always known how stubborn she was. She would never change her mind no matter how much he forced her. He was just having a hard time suppressing himself. A huddled herself up on the edge of the bed, closing her eyes and refusing to look at him.Her body was trembling all over."What? Do you want me to help you put it on?" After tidying up his clothes, Brian noticed that she still wasn''t moving, so it pricked his heart. "No," A replied in a hoarse voice. After that, she urged her aching body to move.This lounge was built for rest after work. However, they had only been working in this office for less than three days and they already had sex in this room. A smiled bitterly at herself. Right now, all she wanted to do was to leave and get as far away from Brian as possible. When she was about to hail a taxi, he pulled her into his car. Without resistance, she leaned against the car window and said nothing more. Brian had made up his mind. No matter what, he wanted to be entangled with A. Even when she was returning to her apartment, he still followed her. The second she stepped foot in her home, she hid herself in the bathroom. Tears streamed down her face as she stood under the shower head. What was she supposed to do now? Why couldn''t she just live her life in peace? Were the past two years she had lived a gift from God? Now that Brian had stormed into her life, would it return to square one? Perhaps A still hadn''t figured out how she felt for him, but she was still powerless against him. Even after two years, he hadn''t changed. Meanwhile, Brian was smoking out of frustration. Every time that A appeared before him, he would lose his mind. Normally, he wasn''t the kind of person that would lose his cool, but ever since he met her, he had been having a hard time being rational, and wanted to seize every fiber of her being. The French window was open, causing the cold night breeze to sober him up. Brian threw away his cigarette butt and heard the sound of running watering from the bathroom. A had hidden herself in there the moment she came back.She had taken a shower for more than an hour already. Did she take this opportunity to escape from him? Or was it because she was so disgusted of him? Was he disgusting? For A, Brian seldom slept with other women in the past two years. But what about her? Wasn''t she with Lucas all this time? Not long after, he stood in front of the bathroom, knocking at the frosted ss door incessantly. "L, open up!" The sound of his voice left A stunned for a few moments. The bathroom was the only ce she could hide from him. "Open this door! Do you not hear me? If you don''t open up right now, I''ll kick it open!" Brian could still hear the sound of running water, but he couldn''t hear A, making him worried all of a sudden. Chapter 143: No Matter Who It Was, He Wouldnt Let Them Go Chapter 143: No Matter Who It Was, He Wouldn''t Let Them Go Brian continued knocking at the door and shouting, but A still ignored him.She hadn''t finished showering yet. Once she was clean, she would definitelye out. Why was he being so noisy? Why couldn''t he just leave her alone for a while? Soon, Brian stopped knocking. Just when he was about to kick it down, the frost ss door opened and A appeared in front of him, naked. Her body and hair were still dripping, and her face was red and strangely warm.A smirked briefly. "You''re so noisy.It''s annoying." Her remark displeased Brian. Before he could respond, she copsed and lost consciousness. "L? L!" He quickly picked A up and wiped her body with a bath towel. As he stared at her body, he noticed that there were several abrasions. It seemed that she wanted to erase the marks he left on her body, as if erasing his existence, but it was impossible! Brian wanted to stand before A, be with her, and hopefully be in her heart. Not long after, he found her another set of clean clothes, put it on her, and left with her in his arms. Whether someone was watching her or not, living here was no longer good for her. A was having a high fever and she seemed to be in a trance because she kept talking in her sleep. As Brian sat at her bedside, he stared at her closely. The doctor had given her an injection and some medication, but she still looked like she was in pain. He then held her hand, gently holding it in the palm of his hand. Her wrists were so slender and fragile. He had never imagined her to be so delicate. Was he overestimating her? The only characteristics Brian saw in A were her stubbornness and overwhelming strength of character. He had never seen her this vulnerable. She was always putting on a strong facade, and all the fragility and powerlessness she felt were hidden behind her toughness. "L, what if you gave into me once?" he said to her, but she probably couldn''t hear him. No words that came out of his mouth reached her ear. "When you''re with Lucas you can rely on him.With Toby, you can cry and vent your frustrations.So why can''t you do the same when you''re with me?" In Brian''s heart of hearts, he was so envious of both Lucas and Toby. Maybe they never got A''s body, but they did earn her love. Even if Brian forced her into having sex with him, he could never gain her love nor her heart. "Ouch! Lucas.It hurts! Help me!" In A''s dream, she was back in Lucas¡¯ vi. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. And the only thing she felt was pain, coursing through her body and causing agony in her internal organs. Brian put his hand on her forehead. She was clearly suffering from a high fever, but why was her body cold and sweating all over? He sat on the bed, took off A''s soaked pajamas and embraced her. Afterwards, he picked up his phone and dialed a number. "Kenzo, take Dr.Lloyd to Skiyton.Why did she suddenly be this ill? "Lucas, it hurts! What should I do? Am I going to die?" A held Brian''s hand tightly, her long nails digging into the back and the palm of his hand.But he didn¡¯t even flinch. As long as it alleviated a bit of her pain, he didn''t care anymore. Ten minutester, Kenzo arrived at the Skiyton with Dr.Lloyd, and then they waited in the living room.Brian put a clean night gown on A before letting the doctor in. "Dr.Lloyd, how is she?" He stayed with her the entire time. Dr.Lloyd stood up. "Mr.rk, Miss Woodsen has a high fever.On top of that, she''s too weak to intake high doses of medicine." "Nonsense! Find a way to help her recover!" Brian didn''t want to hear any excuses from the doctor.What did he even mean by saying that she was too weak to receive medication? A was suffering from a high fever.Couldn''t the doctor do anything to cure her? "Mr.rk, I think it''s better to send Miss Woodsen to the hospital for a thorough examination.It seems that she hasn''t been well nourished for the past years." Dr.Lloyd gleaned that A was very feeble right now. With his years of experience, he gathered that she had taken medicine that she wasn''t supposed to. "Then send her to the hospital!" When Brian was about to carry A in his arms, Dr.Lloyd stopped him. "Hold on, Mr.rk, I have something to say but I''m not sure if I should say it now." Dr.Lloyd was hesitant to speak. He had found something based on a hunch, but there was no evidence to support it. "Just spit it out.Don''t hem and haw," shouted Brian. ncing at A, Dr.Lloyd said, "Mr.rk, I believe that there''s some kind of rare poison in Miss Woodsen''s body.It''s a kind of injection drug that surfaced two years ago.It only takes one injection containing a few milliliters to make a person addicted to it." What he said made Brian petrified. "Are you telling me that she might''ve taken drugs before?" Dr.Lloyd looked at him seriously. "I''m just basing this all on a hunch, Mr.rk.But that drug has a drastic effect on the body.It''s very easy to get addicted, and it''s incredibly difficult to get rid of it.But its most problematic side effect is that it causes pain to spread from the internal organs to the whole body." Brian raised his hand to stop the doctor. "Stop.Don''t say another word.I know what that drug is.You can''t tell anyone about it.Never mention this to anyone else.Dr.Lloyd nodded. "Don''t worry, Mr.rk.I won''t." Brian drove A to the hospital, but her condition hadn''t subsided yet.She still kept talking in her sleep. "Can''t you do anything to help her?" he roared at the doctors, scaring the dean and the doctors into silence. "Get out! Get the hell out!" Brian drove everyone out of the VIP ward and sat down at A¡®s bedside.She had been having nightmares the whole night, and he didn''t get a wink of sleep. He had been contemting on Dr.Lloyd''s words. Had she been forced into taking the drug when Tatum caught her? Then how did she manage to get by all these years? Or maybe Lucas injected A with the drug to keep her by his side? ¡®Damn it! Brian cursed in his mind.'' No matter who drugged A, I won''t let them go!¡¯ Because he didn''t attend the morning meeting, he received a call from Anna. "Brian, where are you? It''s time for the morning meeting." Anna nced at the attendees in the meeting room. Linda had also arrived, but A was nowhere to be found.Was Brian with her right now? "I see.I''m in the hospital because A has gotten hospitalized.You can begin the meeting.Just bring the meeting report to the hospitalter, and bring some porridge and soup as well," said Brian. Anna wanted to say something more, but he had already dropped the call. Linda noticed the change in her expression. "Will Mr.rk be able to attend this meeting? If he won''t, then we can''t have an early meeting this time, right?" She didn''t want to stay in the hotel room.For her, the injury on her leg wasn''t that big of a deal.So, she came to work as usual. Chapter 144: Landlord And Lodger Chapter 144: Landlord And Lodger Anna cast a cold nce at Linda as she said, "Don''t worry, Miss Linda.Let''s continue the meeting." Linda was embarrassed. Anna thought that she shared a special rtionship with Brian, which probably gave her the courage to humiliate Linda in front of so many people. But Linda wasn''t going to take this lying down.She would make Anna pay the price of this humiliation. The meeting ended in half an hour. Anna took alli her notes and material for the morning meeting with her.She then bought the abalone porridge and some desserts, along with some of Brian''s favorite dishes. Brian had remained with A, but she showed no signs of waking up from hera. The doctor seemed to have tried everything in his arsenal but hade up short. He looked helpless as he shrugged, indicating that maybe all they could do was wait for her to wake up on her own. Anna spotted Brian sitting by A''s bedside as she entered the ward. "What''s wrong with her?" Anna asked him as she nced at A, concerned. Brian shook his head. "Nothing serious.Give me the minutes of the morning meeting and you can leave." "You didn''t get any restst night.You should go get some sleep.I''ll stay with her for a while," Anna said, handing him the food and coffee she had bought. "No, thanks.You can go back to office.I''ll stay here with her." Brian was worried about A. He couldn''t leave her side in this condition. Anna knew that Brian was a man who, once he made up his mind to do something, would do it, no matter what. There was nothing she could do to convince him otherwise. And now that A''s condition seemed serious, she had no hope whatsoever. "Brian, is she okay? She looks seriously ill!" A had seemed fine yesterday, but was now unconscious and unresponsive, causing concern to seep into Anna''s words. "She will be fine," he said, looking up at A''s unconscious form. Nothing could happen to her. He wouldn''t allow it! So what if she had overdosed? She had once suffered from drug addiction but she was fine now, wasn''t sng A had been fine when Brian had first seen her in her studio. She hadn''t looked like a drug addict, despite the fact that she had used them for two years. Anna didn''t say anything. Instead, she turned around and walked out of the ward, but didn''t leave immediately. She thought A''s condition was unusual, and that Brian was keeping something from her. Later that morning, when Anna returned to the office, she came face to face with Linda. "Miss Anna, you are fast! Did you leave as soon as the meeting was over to go see Mr.rk? Why did youe back so soon? Didn''t you keep himpany? No intention of serving him well?" Linda sneered at Anna.She was itching to retaliate against the embarrassment that Anna had handed her that morning. In Italy, Linda had been the director of apany and everyone had been obliged to listen to her. But now, Anna made sure to walk over her at every step, leaving Linda seething.She would not let anyone bully her. "Ms.Evans hasn''t left yet.If you keep wandering around the office without working, know that the rk Group doesn''t pay people for doing nothing," Anna shot back. Anna didn''t like Linda''s smirk. Anyone could tell that Linda was here only for Brian and not for the fashion season. Linda merely smiled, as if the other woman was just a child''s joke. "Don''t worry about me, Miss Anna.I believe in myself and my abilities.It''s just a few design drafts.Nothing difficult for me." Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Saying thus, Linda turned around and left. As Anna looked at her retreating back, she muttered furiously, "What overconfidence! Doesn''t she realize this is my ce?" When A woke up, it was already afternoon.She had been in aa for more than 10 hours.She opened her eyes, feeling the weight of her drooping eyelids and the weakness guing her body.She squinted into the strange white wall in front of her, andst night''s events gradually came back to her. "You''re finally awake," Brian said, relieved. A looked at him, confused. "Why am I here?" "You had a high feverst night," he said, sitting down by her side and stretching out a hand to touch her forehead. Her fever had finally broken. He had been afraid that she would never wake up and that her fever would drag on for ages. "I see," A said. "I''m fine now." She had seemed to run fevers with increasing frequency over the past few months.Her health was getting worse with each passing day. "You are fine? Did you know you had such a high fever you were in aa? Even the doctor was unable to do anything to bring you back," Brian barked, irritated with A''scency. A sat up gingerly and looked at him, "Why are you so angry? This is normal.Anyone can get a fever." She had taken herself to the hospital because of the constant high temperatures she had been running.But the doctors hadn''t found anything wrong with her I body. "You! How did you survive all these years? Is it because of Lucas that you wanted to live on? And now that I''m with you, you''re indifferent to your own health? Is that it?" If it weren''t for the fact that her body was riddled with weakness, Brian would have punished her now. A looked askance at him and said, "I''m sorry to trouble you again, Mr.rk." "Don''t talk about trouble!" Brian gritted out angrily. It felt like A was made to annoy him! "But I still need to thank you, Mr.rk," she said, ncing at the box of food at her bedside. "I''m a little hungry.Did you buy that for me?" Before she could reach for it, Brian had pulled out another thermal container. "You''ve just recovered.Have some porridge first!" A took the bowl and said, "The abalone porridge smells good." She didn''t want to needle Brian even further.She was just recovering from a bout of fever, which meant that anything she ate felt tasteless to her. Brian looked knowingly at A.He knew that she meant the exact opposite of what she had said. After a quick examination, the doctor pronounced her recovery and told them that she could be discharged and could go home. But Brian insisted that A stay at the hospital. "Mr.rk, you are just my boss.You shouldn''t care so much for me.Whether to stay here or not is my decision," A said tiredly. She didn''t have the strength to quarrel with Brian, but she also didn''t want to stay in the hospital. He agreed, but on the condition that A should stay with him in his apartment. "How can I stay in your apartment?" she eximed. "I''m afraid it will cause unnecessary talk and misunderstanding." If she went to live with him, she would be in his trap, in surroundings that would be under his control. "A misunderstanding is just a wrong perception.It''s not real.But some are facts that can''t be changed." Two years had passed and a lot of people knew about the rtionship that Brian and A shared. It would be stupid of her to want to hide it. A nodded hesitantly but said, "You are kind, but you must regard it as a rented arrangement for me." Brian had made the decision, irrespective of whether or not she would ept it.Her condition made sure that Brian was thendlord, and A, the lodger. The lodger had the right to prevent thendlord from entering her room to disturb her life. But A was forgetting one small fact: Brian always did what he wanted. Chapter 145: Move To His Apartment Chapter 145: Move To His Apartment A looked at the luxurious apartment in front of her. Never had it urred to her to underestimate the ce that Brian had chosen. Luckily, it was close to the rk Group, so she could stay here for the time being.He had also asked someone to bring all her luggage here. "From now on, you''ll be staying here." "Thanks for letting me stay at such a luxurious apartment.But where''s the key?" A didn''t want Brian to keep a copy of the key because she didn''t want him to pick her up every day. Hearing that, he gave the room card to her. "Anyway, you should get some rest!" Brian stood up and left the room. Sitting on the sofa, A dialed Yareli¡¯s number.They agreed to meet at the cafe. "Ms.Evans." A had been waiting for her at the cafe. The second she saw her, she stood up. "L, did you need something from me?" Yareli knew that A was always focused on her work. But now, she had taken the initiative to ask her out.She must''ve had something important to tell her. A had told her everything about her past since Yareli had already talked to her about Brian. Since then, Yareli had been calling her by her nickname. In all honesty, A wasn''t sure what to say.If she requested to go back to Italy, she was certain that Yareli would be disappointed in her. "L, we''ve known each other for a long time.If there''s anything you need, you can tell me." Yareli took a sip of her coffee. The strong aroma and mellow taste of the coffee was simr to what she often drank in the past few years. "Ms.Evans, will you be disappointed in me if I ask you to send me back to Italy?" After a long time of hesitation, A finally put her request forward.It didn''t seem to surprise Yareli at all. After knowing what had happened between A and Brian two years ago, she had expected that she woulde up with this idea. "Actually, it doesn''t matter if you agree or not." A just didn''t want to make things difficult for her boss. Yareli shook her head. "L, there are certain reasons I sent you to Antawood.I didn''t send you here just to be responsible for the fashion show, I also want a lot more people to know you through your designs." "Ms.Evans." As a matter of fact, A hadn''t thought about this. The reason she agreed to work in Yareli''spany was because she wanted to have a job and she didn''t want to be a burden to Lucas anymore. "L, you need to remember the most important thing for a designer.Without prestige, it only means that your design hasn''t been recognized.I became a designer through hard work when I was young, so I know how difficult it would be for a designer to be famous.My wish is for your designs to be recognized all over the world." This was what Yareli had always dreamed of achieving for herself.She had worked so hard for more than ten years to gain her status and own apany. Only she knew how hard she had worked to achieve everything she had. A nodded. "I understand, Ms.Evans.I sincerely thank you for your appreciation.I promise that I''ll work hard to achieve that goal." There was no way she would give up no matter if she had to face Brian or had difficulties in her work in the future. "It''s good that you understand.If you run into any difficulties at work, you can call me whenever you want." Yareli smiled at her.She had faith that A could make it.She had never doubted her own hunches. "Oh, by the way, Ms.Evans.Have you booked a flight ticket? When will you go back? I''ll see you off." It took A a long time to muster the courage to say all these things to Yareli, but the other woman''s words made her give up the n of returning to Italy now. "No, you don''t have to do that.I heard that you weren''t in good healthtely, so you should just get some rest and avoid getting tired from work." She looked at her intently. A''s health had nothing to do with work.It was actually caused by what happened two years ago. From time to time, she would have a fever, but she never told anyone; not even Lucas. A just suffered everything silently by herself.She had to stay strong. Brian had just gotten off work and went back to the apartment, only to find that she wasn''t home. ¡®Where on earth is she now? She still hasn''t recovered properly, and yet she won''t stay put at home? Where did she go?¡¯He should''ve known that she wouldn''t peacefully stay at home. After leaving thepany, A went to the apartment across the original studio. However, Lucas wasn''t answering his phone. In truth, she just wanted to tell him that she had moved into another ce. He was with Haley right now, so he couldn''t answer his phone no matter how many times it rang. Brian drove the car around, searching for her whereabouts. As expected, he saw her downstairs of her former apartment. The night wind blew past her hair, and her frail body looked vulnerable and helpless. Stepping forward, he put his coat on her. "What''s the matter? Are you still reluctant to leave this ce? Or is it because you don''t want to leave Lucas?" A turned her gaze towards him. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "What are you even doing here?" "Am I not allowed to be here? Why didn''t you just stay at home? Do you want to be hospitalized again?" The thought that A came here for Lucas brought displeasure to Brian. "Don''t worry, I''m feeling better now." She nced at the ck screen of her phone.It was out of battery, and she had no idea when Lucas would call her back. Momentster, Brian forcibly dragged her into the car. "Go home and get some rest.And don''t you dare go out again." When A returned to the new apartment, she saw that there was someone else in it. That person was a servant hired by Brian to take care of her. "Mr.rk, why do you always decide things without consulting me? I don''t need servants." A couldn''t stand him anymore.He didn''t seem to be listening to her protests. Instead, he just read a newspaper leisurely. In a fit of rage, she went back to her room and mmed the door behind her. Upon entering the room, she found that the servant had cleaned it up, and it now had a darker theme. ¡®Since when did the room change? Moreover, this is the style that Brian prefers... No! Perhaps he was the one who made all these changes! However, A had no choice but to ignore it. After all, it was his apartment and he could do whatever he wanted. But upon opening the wardrobe, she found that half of the clothes were hers, and the other half were almost all ck suits. ¡®He.." She stormed out of the room in anger. "Brian rk, you broke your promise!" she shouted. "What''s wrong again?" He put down the newspaper, looking up at her. "Who made you upset again?" A red at him and she knew that he knew the answer. Did he even need her to tell him what he had done? "Tell me, what do these changes in the room mean?" A scoffed. "I want to move out." Brian got up and approached her. "Don''t be silly, L. Just get some rest and look after yourself." Chapter 146: An Embarrassing Situation Chapter 146: An Embarrassing Situation When A looked at Brian, she could see the satisfaction on his face.He kept on acting like he didn''t know what had happened, then so be it.But she wasn''t going to y along with him. A wanted to say something. But before she could speak, Brian suddenly pulled her into his arms. "L, stop being naughty," he said. He kissed her cheek, and then his lips moved to her mouth.He gently licked her lips and said, "Don''t lose your temper again." A pushed him away and grimaced. "I didn''t lose my temper! It''s just I''m still not done talking yet," she said. However, Brian didn''t give A the chance to speak whatever she wanted to say again.He knew that all she would say was just about her going to leave.And he wouldn''t let her leave him. It hadn''t been easy for him to get A and bring her back to his side. So why would he let her go so easily? Would Brian be kind enough to let A go back to Lucas? There was no way! She''d better stop thinking about it! Brian held A''s arms and pulled her again into his arms. "You should stay here until you fully recover," he said. A shivered when Brian''s lips touched her lips again. "Hmm..." His lips covered hers, not giving her any chance to refuse.He was domineering again, and he was not giving her the authority to leave. "Mr.rk." Suddenly a voice came from nowhere. The two who were kissing passionately in the living room quickly distanced their face from each other. A came back to her senses and realized how she was intoxicated in Brian''s kiss just now.She couldn''t deny how his kiss, lips, and tongue were so charming that they had deeply attracted her. This man''s superb kissing skill had made her senses fly away unconsciously. Brian turned his head at the servant, who was quite ignorant. "The dinner is ready, Mr.rk." Looking at the two in a daze, the servant realized that she just did something wrong. Maybe she shouldn''t have disturbed them.She should have gone back to the kitchen and just ignored them. While holding A in his arms, Brian stood up and said, "Let''s eat our dinner first!" Surely, the things they wanted to talk about could wait after dinner. Besides, whether A would have her chance to speak it out was also a question. A looked down as she felt her face heated.She was so embarrassed that the servant had seen them kissing just now. It started to bother her that she might be ill at ease in this house. Though, suddenly, A stopped thinking about the things that might happen in the future. Why would she think about the future? Would there be a future? She nned to leave here and finally separate ways with Brian after the dinner. A didn''t want anything that would be concerned with him anymore, or their entanglement would never end. Brian and A walked to the table and sat in their seats. The dinner that the new servant prepared looked so rich and delicious. Brian had let Kenzo make the arrangements for him this time. When Jaime was around before, he was the one who ran these errands for Brian. A just kept on eating the rice in her bowl and didn''t give any attention to the food from the serving dishes.She was acting like this to protest against Brian. However, Brian just let her and didn''t mind her at all.He just watched her eat the rice in a big gulp. So this was what she meant by a protest? She just kept on doing things that would make her suffer. Brian shook his head and said, "Are you hungry? You can fill the bowl with more rice if you want." Brian''s voice was not loud nor low.But when A heard it, she turned so mad that she was even choked on the rice and kept on coughing. The servant immediately approached her and handed her a ss of water. "Miss Woodsen, here.Please drink some water." A took the ss and sipped some water.Her breathing had finally turned to normal. "L, what''s wrong? Are you okay? Drink more water." Brian asked as he walked to A and sat beside her.He patted her back gently. ¡®What a hypocrite!¡¯ A was not dumb to not realize that Brian was just pretending to be nice. If only he hadn''t kissed her like that in the living room, or if he hadn''t spoken to her, then maybe she wouldn''t have choked. Even a scoop of rice could also choke a person to death! Not to mention that it was a big gulp. When A looked down, she saw that the rice grains were scattered on the clean floor.She flushed when a deep embarrassment hit her.She felt ashamed of herself. "Of course I''m fine.It was just a gulp of rice.I''m not choked to death.Don¡¯t you know that you shouldn''t talk while eating?" Now that A had lost her face, she couldn''t let him be happy. But Brian just looked at her and didn''t get mad at all.Then, he immediately nodded and apologized, "Okay, I''m sorry.It''s all my fault.I should have kept silent while you were eating.But I''m really worried about you.You just ate such a big gulp of rice.I hope you won''t get a stomachache." Brian cared about her. However, in her eyes, he just did it on purpose.He wasn''t angry at all. Also, he thought that her angry face was way cuter than her in expression. A was left speechless. Why did she feel that it was her fault again? She could never win an argument over him, could she? ?) Brian took some food and put it into her bowl. He looked at her and said, "You can take your time, L.No one will take away your food from you." A rolled her eyes when his words rang in her ears. Why did it sound like she was a hungry ghost? Even though it was hard for A to submit, she just didn''t talk back to Brian and remained silent. She knew that she would only give him an advantage by talking back, but she wouldn''t get any benefit for herself. Brian was pleased when he saw that A was now eating slowly.She didn''t need his help to pick up some food for her. He could really make herpromise. For Brian, he was sure that A would never have her chance to escape from him. While she was busy eating her rice, he took a small bowl of chicken soup and put it in front of her. "L, take this bowl of chicken soup." N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. She just took it without saying anything. Anyway, she should at least have the strength if she would dare topete with him. After they finished dinner, they decided to go back to the living room. Brian sat on the left side of the sofa, while A sat on the far right side. It looked like a big negotiation would happen between the two of them. The servant brought the fruit te and immediately went back to the kitchen. As an outsider, the servant had felt a different atmosphere that surrounded the living room. So, how could Brian not feel it? However, he just pretended like there was nothing unusual in the atmosphere. He crossed his legs naturally while elegantly holding the newspaper that he hadn''t finished in his hand. A looked at Brian, who was casually reading the newspaper. She took a deep breath and said, "Mr.rk, I want to move out." She came straight to the point and didn''t sugarcoat her words. But Brian just hummed slightly and didn''t even nce at her. No one could understand what he meant. Did he agree or not? However, it didn''t matter to A anymore. She had already told him what she wanted, and she had been polite enough. "Have you forgotten when you said that you would pay the rent?" Brian put down the newspaper and turned his gaze to A when he saw her stand up. Was she so naive to think that he would agree to let her move out just because she said so? A was stunned for a moment.Then she finally asked, "What do you mean?" She did have said that.But it was only on the premise that she would live alone, not with Brian. "Since you will pay the rent, then what are you afraid of?" Brian stared at her deeply and spoke calmly. She shook her head and said, "I''m not afraid of anything.I just don''t want to live with someone or with anyone." She just thought that she didn''t have to exin herself at all.Did Brian not get it, or did he not have a clear self-awareness? Chapter 147: Was She Forcing Him Chapter 147: Was She Forcing Him Brian looked up at A. "You''re not allowed to leave right now." ¡®Was she nning to go back to her apartment?¡¯ "What? Are you going to force me again?" She looked back at him, thinking that he couldn''t do whatever he wanted. There were several rooms in this apartment, which were much better than her previous apartment.But this man was much too dangerous, so she couldn''t afford to stay here.He embraced her. "I don''t want to force you, but if you keep forcing my hand, I''ll do the same to you." Was he trying to twist the story? What did he mean by saying that he didn''t force her, and that A was the one who actually forced him? Was she even capable of doing so? What a joke! "Did you not understand me?" Staring into her confused eyes, Brian grinned and kissed her lips. A quickly pushed him away. "You _ bastard!" Afterwards, she rushed towards the bedroom, but before she could close the door, Brian had already come in. "L, are you really going to be like this all the time? Honestly, it doesn''t matter to me, but do you want the servant to mock us all the time?" Brian thought of how ashamed A was while she was in the living room and the dining room just now. That was what she feared the most.She was a bashful person. Looking back at him, she said, "I don''t have the energy to argue with you right now.Do whatever you want." Brian walked to the bedside and sat down. "I don''t n on doing anything.Anyway, just take your medicine." ncing at the white pill in his hand, she refused, "I don''t need any medicine." N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. There was a reason why she refused to ask the doctor to prescribe her anything. Every medicine had its own side effect.She knew her body well. No matter how high the dosage of medicine was, it wouldn''t take effect. "You..." Brian saw that A was firm on her decision. If she wasn''t going to take medicine, did she want to copse again? "I can take the medicine, but on one condition: you''re not allowed to touch me tonight!" she said. "Fine." Brian did want to have sex with her again. But he refrained himself from doing that for the time being. After what had happenedst night, he intended to keep his desires at bay until she recovered.He kept A by his side because he wanted to know if she was still dependent on those drugs. And if she were, he was the only one who could help her get rid of it. But if not, he would nurse her back to health. This was what he wanted to do for her.He was only keeping her around for her own good. A took the medicine obediently to prevent him from having sex with her tonight. When Briany on the bed, wearing only a night robe, he held her in his arms.She thought that he was breaking his words again. "Don''t worry, I won''t do anything bad to you.I just want to hug you." Seeing how nervous A was, he added, "It''s gettingte.Will you be able to sleep well if you keep your guard up? Don''t you have to go to work tomorrow?" She took a deep breath.It was true that she needed to get some good rest. Yareli was scheduled to go back to Italy tomorrow afternoon, so she wanted to see her off.It was only when A had fallen asleep that Brian finally got out of bed. Afterwards, he went into the study beside the bedroom. Jaime had been waiting for his call. "Boss." "Have you found any leads regarding the matter I asked you to investigate? Was Tatum Green the culprit?" Brian wanted to know if Tatum had gotten ahold of that kind of drug two years ago. Back then, Lucas was staying in Antawood. However, Brian wasn''t sure if Lucas had injected that drug into A during the past two years.But it was highly unlikely that he''d do it. Brian inferred that A was just too naive or stupid. If Lucas had drugged her, she probably was oblivious to it, "Boss, there has been a numerous supply of this drug in the TH Gang, and it''s true that they''ve gotten ahold of this drug two years ago.Moreover, Tatum had been making a huge profit from selling this drug." Jaime found out that this drug was very rare, and there was nothing like it in China. Although, it was found in many different bars abroad, and the one who held the most supply was Tatum. Looking out the window, Brian said, "I see.Get me a dose of that drug." He needed to know just how powerful this drug was. Although he was also involved in this kind of business, he didn''t want A to be roped into it. "Boss, why do you want to have one of those drugs? It can kill people." Jaime was bothered by his order. "Don''t worry.I''m not nning to take the medicine myself." Brian had never indulged in such things. Jaime was relieved to hear him say that. How many doses of that drug had A taken? When she was trapped in Tatum¡¯s residence, just how badly did he torture her? On top of that, she jumped into the sea after getting shot. Was it because she couldn''t bear that kind of torture anymore? Perhaps the drug was much more painful than any other wound. Brian sat at her bedside, looking at A''s peaceful sleeping face and listening to her steady breathing. Atst, she had gotten some well-deserved rest today. When A woke up and was about to turn over, she found that her waist felt heavy. Upon turning her head, she saw that Brian was sleeping soundly beside her. Naturally, she wanted to remove his arm from her waist.But by doing so, it would be difficult not to wake him up. The slightest movement from A caused Brian to wake up. He had always been a light sleeper, not to mention she was incredibly foolish to push his arm away. Unfortunately, she didn''t even get to remove his arm. Instead, he embraced her even tighter. "You''re finally awake," he said nonchntly, not even bothering to open his eyes. "Yep.Good morning, Mr.rk!" A still couldn''t get away from him. Brian just gave her a faint grunt. Seeing that he had no ns of letting her go, she blurted out, "Mr.rk, can you please let go? I have to get up!" "Isn''t it still early?" He was still feeling a bit sleepy.He then pulled A into his arms, restricting her movement further. She kept kicking him away, but it didn''t help. "L, you''d better behave yourself during the morning.If you dare to move again, I don''t know what I''ll do to you." Brian couldn''t bear A''s shenanigans anymore. And if it continued, she''d probably be unhappy, wouldn''t she? She didn''t dare to move again, but she really had to get up now. Otherwise, they''d both bete for work. Besides, she had no ns of going to thepany together with Brian in the first ce.If she went with him, it would only arouse people''s suspicions. Moreover, she didn''t want to cause greater trouble for herself at work. She might earn displeasure from both Anna and Linda. Having prepared breakfast, the servant knocked at their bedroom door. "Mr.rk, Miss Woodsen, breakfast is ready." "Are you hungry?" Brian whispered. "What do you think?" His questions were so nonsensical. Moreover, whether she was hungry or not, the best way to make him stop was to say "yes." Atst, Brian got up. "Alright! Get ready.Eat breakfast and then we''ll go to thepany.If you don''t want to go, you can stay here and get some more rest.You''re still not in good health.Don''t even think about going outside!" It was obvious that he meant something else. Chapter 148: She Enjoyed Independence And Financial Chapter 148: She Enjoyed Independence And Financial A crawled out of bed and draped a night robe. "Mr.rk, you have nothing to worry about.I get paid to work so I will fulfill my obligations." What did he think of her? She was an independent woman who earned her own living! "That''s fine," Brian nodded. Leaving her alone at home to her own devices could spell trouble.She might as well apany him to the office. After freshening herself up, she sat alone at the dining table for breakfast.Brian was sipping on some strong coffee. "I''ve decided to go to the airport and send Ms.Evans off this afternoon," she said softly. She believed it was necessary to inform him in advance of her decision so that he would be aware. There was then no need to inform Anna. Taking a sip of his coffee, Brian told her, "Wait for me in the office.I''ll go along with you." Since Yareli was returning to Italy, Brian needed to see her off. A almost choked on her milk when she heard those words.Had she said something wrong? Why didn''t it ur to her that he would want to see Yareli off? "Is something wrong? Are you unhappy?" Her surprised expression did not escape him. Were his words so frightening? She seemed to be avoiding him more these days. A took a bite of her sandwich and said, "Not at all.I can''t refuse your order anyway." He would definitely go and see Yareli off, irrespective of what she said. Linda was patiently waiting at thepany gate for a while. Although she had only spent a few days at rk Group, she had observed that Brian''s car was always parked at thepany gate, never in the underground parking lot. However, she was surprised to see the car pass the gate and head straight for the underground parking lot, with A seated in it! "It''s her!" Linda whispered. She was well informed about everything. Word got around that before she and Yareli had arrived, A had been given a private studio in another building and now she had transferred to the rk Group''s head office. Wenny was actually A and she had returned from Italy to her hometown. Perhaps she was in a veryplicated rtionship with Brian. But it didn''t matter whether she called herself "Wenny" or "A", Linda would ensure she didn''t seed that easily. Mr.rk belonged to her only! As soon as Linda turned around, she saw Anna. "Oh, Miss Anna, what are you doing down here?" "What? Can''t I?" Anna red at Linda. She only came downstairs because of Linda''s strange behavior. "Of course you can! I just thought you might witness something disturbing but all seems to be in order.I''ll go upstairs now.If you wish to stay, then by all means! " Linda turned around, walked into the hallway and headed for the elevator. As soon as the car stopped, A alighted and said, "Thank you for bringing me here, Mr.rk.I''ll go upstairs now." She had no choice but to travel with him in his car. But now she could take the elevator without him, couldn''t she? Brian was fully aware that she was deliberately trying to avoid him. But she couldn''t avoid him for much longer. As he rushed towards the elevator, he was toote to join her as she had already touched the "close" button. As the elevator doors closed, he only managed to catch her victory smile.She stepped out of the elevator.She had had two days of solid rest and was feeling much better now.As she entered the office, she was weed by Linda''s fierce gaze.She calmly ignored her, walked to her desk and sat down on her chair. Anna walked in and saw A.She was not the least bit surprised because she knew that A was a very dedicated worker. Linda could certainly notpete with her in this regard. However, she was still upset about the fact that Brian had spent almost two days with A. Anna had waited like a pet puppy the whole night for him to return to the vi, but he had chosen to be with another woman! Anna addressed A, "Miss Woodsen, you are back at your desk! If you are still feeling unwell, please feel free to take off a few more days to rest." "How do you know that I''m ill?" she questioned Anna. "Did you go to the hospital to visit me?" Anna nodded. "Yes, you were seriously ill. And your symptoms were a little unusual." When Anna asked the doctor about A¡¯s medical condition, he exined that A ran a high fever and that there was no cure for it. In the time that Anna had spent in the entertainment club, bars and other rowdy ces, she learnt a little about what these symptoms meant. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. A''s hand froze for a second as she reached for the ss of water. "Miss Anna, thank you for your concern but rest assured that I''m as fit as a fiddle and ready to commence with my work." Anna had been in the society long enough. Surely she could be more discerning? A questioned her random bouts of severe fever. Very often she would just feel feverish without cause and no medicine could break her fever. Even a general checkup could not diagnose her problem. As a result, she didn''t dwell on it. Anyway, her fever would subside by nightfall. She didn''t mind anymore because it was not as painful as it was a year ago. Anna sneered and retorted, "All right then.Now that you are in good health, let''s get back to work! I''m looking forward to seeing your new designs." "I''ll certainly live up to your expectations this time." A nodded. Yareli had clearly spelled out her future to her.She walked into the tea room with a pill in her hand. Brian had given it to her before they had left in the morning. She was indifferent to consuming it. It was her decision whether to take it or not. From outside the tea room, Linda spied on A throwing the white pill into the trash can. She then poured a cup of hot water and walked out. "Wenny! Or should I call you A? I didn''t know you came from Antawood.How resourceful you are! You are so conniving that Mr.rk bows to you!" She pretended as if she were justing out of the office and identally bumped into A. "Linda, you are so wrong.You havepletely misconstrued the rtionship between Mr.rk and me." A knew that Linda would misunderstand her. It was senseless even trying to exin it to her. "Oh! I hope so.Let me not bother you then." Linda turned around and went into the tea room. Peeping into the trash can, she noticed the white pill and immediately assumed it was a contraceptive pill. She stood in front of the window and pondered, ¡®Is A staying with Brian just to have his child? How naive is she! Is she trying to uplift her status by getting pregnant with his child? It seems this is her strategy to always keep Brian by her side" Chapter 149: Shes Not Here, Neither Is She Planning To Come Chapter 149: She''s Not Here, Neither Is She nning To Come As soon as it was lunch break, the secretary took A to the ground floor. "Mr.Gates, what''s going on?" Mr.Gates shook his head. "Mr.rk told me to escort you downstairs.He said that you had to wait here for a while." A waited in thepany hall with Mr.Gates by her side. About five minutester, Brian came in and strode towards her. "Let''s go! Ms.Evans is waiting for us in the car.Let''s have lunch and then go to the airport together." Worried that A would refuse him, he took the liberty to bring Yareli with him, so that he could have lunch with her. When she heard that Yareli would have lunch with them, she didn''t object at all. "Mr.rk, please take good care of L," said Yareli. She had faith in both A and Brian. He nodded in response. "Don''t worry, Ms.Evans.I also attach great importance to thising fashion season.I hope you can come by when the timees. "Certainly." Yareli clinked her ss with Brian''s, and exchanged smiles with him. After nearly an hour''s drive, the car finally stopped at the airport''s gate.They waited in the cafe together. He had already asked someone to deal with the necessary formalities for Yareli. All she had to do now was wait for the time to board the ne. A hugged her and watched as she walked to the departure gate. Meanwhile, Hayden was also in the airport to send his daughter off abroad.When he turned around, he saw a familiar face. Even though he only saw a portion of the face, he was shocked and certain that he knew the person. "Hayden, what''s on your mind? Our daughter is about to board the ne." Miley looked at him, wondering why he was staring nkly into the distance. Hayden finally came to his senses and answered, "Nothing." When A turned her head, she noticed that Hayden and Miley were there.He also noticed that she was looking at them. "L? Are you here to see someone off? Or are you perhaps departing?" Actually, what he wanted to hear was the former one and not thetter.But since she didn''t seem to have a suitcase with her, she was probably not leaving. "Uncle Hayden, I''m here to send someone off." A smiled at Hayden. On the other hand, Miley didn''t seem friendly. "When did you two be so close?" Miley wasn''t deaf. She found it ridiculous that A was calling her husband "Uncle Hayden"! "Hello, Aunt Miley,"she greeted. She knew that Miley had never been fond of her, but that was her business.She was younger than her, so she must respect the elders. "Miss Woodsen, I''m afraid we''re not that close.You better call me Mrs.Smith instead." Miley wasn''t going to stand for it. Brian had only stepped away for a few minutes to take a phone call but A had already gone off to bother the Smith family. "What''s going on, Mrs.Smith? Did A do something to displease you?" As soon as he appeared, Miley''s face became friendlier. "Mr.rk! No, Miss Woodsen didn''t do anything.We''re not that close anyway.I just thought it was weird that I ran into her here." "Is that so? There are numerous peopleing and going into this airport every day.It''s not strange to see someone familiar." Brian looked at them and wrapped his arm around A''s waist. Hayden nodded and interjected, "Anyway, L, I have to leave." Since Miley was there with him, no matter what the topic might be, she would still cause an unwarranted awkwardness. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Nodding back in response, A called out, "Uncle Hayden." When he turned to look at her, she continued, "Take good care of yourself." Hayden smiled at her before he walked away. As they strode forward, Miley turned around to stare daggers at A.A pulled Brian''s arm away and said, "It''s time for me to go back to work." "You used me just now, and now you don''t need me and push me away.How heartless you are.I stood up for you just now," he said to A as they walked side by side. "I didn''t ask for your help.Besides, your words won''t be able to solve the misunderstanding between Mrs.Smith and I.Didn''t you see the resentment in her eyes when she looked at me?" She had gotten used to their cold confrontations. "You''re so stubborn." Brian nced at A. When it came to Hayden, she showed so much care andpassion, but when it came to him, she was so indifferent.She always wanted to be as far away from him as possible.She waspletely different from who she was two years ago. In the past, she never dared to hide nor go against him.She was submissive to him in every way After returning to thepany, A went back to her office. Just as she sat down at her desk, the assistants began to whisper amongst themselves, save for Linda. Since Brian had dragged her away in the hall on the ground floor openly, it was only natural that she would be the center of gossip in thepany again. Previously, she was in another studio with Ellie.But she suddenly got transferred here. In addition, Linda was the kind of person who drew people over to her side. And so, with the exception of Ellie, everyone else had a bad impression of A. They probably hated her now.But she couldn''t care less.She didn''t give a damn about their attitudes. The only thing that mattered to her was thepletion of her work. However, little did she realize that in such a bigpany, despite the fact that she didn''t care, others would still try to cause trouble to her. When Lucas arrived at A''s apartment, he found that she was no longer there. In addition, the security guard of the apartmentplex told him that she had moved away. Where could she have gone? Did she go back to the rk family''s vi? Lucas drove his car to the gates of the rk family''s vi. He waited for Brian the whole afternoon.He wanted to know whether L was with him or not. Moreover, he knew that there was something that she still couldn''t let go. A had once mentioned that she might go back to the vi for the sake of their unborn child. Unfortunately, Lucas didn''t see any car going into the vi even when the sun began to set.He then stepped out of his car to smoke a cigarette. Anna drove towards the vi.She knew that Brian had no ns ofing home to the vi. Kenzo mentioned that he had moved into Skiyton, so maybe A was staying there, too. From a distance, Anna noticed that Lucas was leaning against his car. She pulled her car over next to his, and asked, "Lucas, what are you doing here?" "I''m here for L." He didn''t beat around the bush regarding his rtionship with L, because Anna had long known about it when she was in Italy.She shook her head. "You''ll be disappointed to know that she¡¯s not here, and neither is she nning toe by.This ce brings her nothing but sadness.Even if she was left with no other choice, she wouldn''te back here.But perhaps she might be willing to reconsider if she had forgiven Brian." Chapter 150: Clipping Her Wings Chapter 150: Clipping Her Wings Lucas was anxious as he asked Anna, "Do you know where L is?" He understood what Anna was saying. The more hurt A was, the more afraid ofing back to this vi she would be.And she would feel the heartache multifold if she returned here. Anna shook her head. "I can''t tell you where she is because I don''t know either." She couldn''t tell him.If Brian came to know that she had told Lucas, he would hate her for the rest of eternity.She was still the same as before, always turning a blind eye to the women around Brian. What else could she do when she knew Brian so well?Lucas grasped Anna''s hand. "Are you lying to me?" he said angrily. "Are you helping Brian? Do you want Brian to be with L? In that case, you won''t get what you want either." Lucas also understood Anna. If a woman loved a man, she wouldn''t let other womeny im to him. A might be a special case, but she didn''t belong to Brian in the first ce. Anna shook off Lucas¡¯ hand. "I think you will find her if you put your heart to it.You don''t need me for that." That was all she could say and do. Brian hardly paid attention to the love she felt for him, ignoring it as if it was something cheap.But she couldn''t give up so easily! Lucas watched Anna get in the car and drive into the vi gates. This was, perhaps, no longer the ce that Brian wanted to live in. Lucas got in his car and drove back downtown, stopping only at the gates of the rk Group''s offices.He waited for evening toe and for the lights toe on. A continued to stay in office in order to avoid going home and being in the same room as Brian. Moreover, she wanted to finish the designs in advance. Suddenly, thendline phone on her desk rang. "Hello, this is the Design Department." "Is that Miss Woodsen? This is the guard downstairs.Aman called Lucas Collins is looking for you.Can youe down? Mr.rk doesn''t allow outsiders to enter thepany after office hours." The security guard seemed willing to help Lucas. A shot out of her chair the moment she heard that Lucas was waiting for her and made her way downstairs. "L!" Lucas eximed the moment he spotted her and rushed forward, taking her into his arms and gripping her tightly.His relief at her being safe and sound was palpable as he looked her over and hugged her again. "Lucas, I can''t breathe!" A said, gently pulling away from him. Lucas¡¯ hands were still on her shoulders as he asked worriedly, "Where have you moved to now, L? Are you with Brian?" His questions seemed to have no end, but A didn''t know how to answer him. Although she had indeed moved to Brian''s apartment, she had nned to live on her own at the beginning. However now, how could she tell Lucas that Brian also lived there and that they even shared a bed? If A told him, he would be worried and sad, and might whisk her away again.But the situation was such that she couldn''t leave. "Why don''t you say something, L?" Lucas urged her. "He forced you again, didn''t he? You don''t have to be afraid of him.I can get you out of here!" Lucas would go to any lengths to protect her. A shook her head and said, "No, I work here now.And don''t worry.I''ve moved to an apartment nearby." Lucas didn''t believe her. "Are you punishing me, L? You are punishing me for ignoring you.Am I right?" If Lucas and A had still been in Italy, they would have been together and everything wouldn''t have turned out like this. A put a finger up against Lucas¡¯ lips. "Don''t talk nonsense.I have never med you," she said softly. "I''m very happy with my current job and have promised Ms.Evans that I will stay until this cooperation project ispleted.We can leave once it is done," she told him. She believed that she would leave this ce one day.She felt she didn''t belong here. Lucas looked mollified as he nodded. "Okay, I believe you.Let''s go have dinner," he said, took A''s hand, and turned to leave. When she didn''t budge, he turned to look expectantly at her. It took A a long pause to decide and shake herself out of her thoughts. She finally said, "Okay." A didn''t ask him about the woman he was with these days.He would tell her the truth when he wanted to. They had just stepped out of the lobby when they came face to face with Brian, who looked down at their tightly grasped hands. "Where are you two going?" Brian''s tone was calm, but Lucas and A knew that he was fuming from within. "I''m taking my fiancee out to dinner.Do you have a problem with that, Mr.rk?" Lucas said, tightening his grip on A''s hand.He wanted Brian to know that he was the only one that A liked, not Brian. Brian looked searchingly at A. When she remained stoic, he said, "Of course not.I have no objection to it." He gritted his teeth as he said it, making it obvious that he did object to it. A was a little frightened. Brian was turning into someone horrible, more than he was before.But she decided to go ahead and have dinner with Lucas.She figured that she was just an employee of the rk Group and didn''t want to lose her freedom. Whether she made friends or fell in love with someone, it had nothing to do with Brian. Lucas and A walked out of thepany hand in hand. They got into the car and drove away. Brian watched the car turn a corner before going back to his office.He settled down on the sofa, legs crossed. As he looked at the design draft that A hadst handed to him, he had to admit that it was gorgeous, elegant, and unique. She obviously had great talent in design. But Brian didn¡¯t like this fact.Her talent in design was like a pair of wings that would help her move away from him. If he wanted to ensure that a woman stayed by his side, he had to cut off her wings so that she could not fly high, no matter how much she struggled.She would always live under his protection.Maybe his thoughts were veering towards bing hateful. His method of bringing harm to somebody through the hands of another was also despicable. But he wouldn''t hesitate to use sneaky tactics if that meant A would remain by his side. Brian lit a cigarette and took a long drag, but he couldn''t get rid of his restlessness. The thought of any intimacy between Lucas and A seemed to dump a mountain on his heart, robbing him of his breath. Meanwhile, Lucas took A to a high-end western restaurant where they sat in a private room, listening to the melodious violin music floating in the air. He smiled softly and said, "It''s been so long since we had a good meal together, don''t you think, L?" N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Haley hovering over him every single day meant that Lucas couldn''t take a single step without her pestering him. He didn''t eat well, and had been worried about A.Now, seeing her sitting opposite him, safe and sound, finally filled Lucas with relief. Chapter 151: He Wanted Her Body And Her Heart Chapter 151: He Wanted Her Body And Her Heart As she looked at Lucas, A asked, "Why did youe to see me all of a sudden? Did something happen?" "I''m just worried about you.You moved to another ce out of the blue, so I went to the rk family vi to see if you were there.I''m aware that you wouldn''t want to go back there, but you''ll be with Brian, won''t you?" This was what worried him the most. Besides, he could tell from Brian''s eyes that no matter what happened, the only man who could stand at A''s side was Brian. It could never be him. A shook her head. "Lucas, you don''t understand.There are some things that I have to do by myself." "What are you nning to do? Are you getting back together with him?" Was it because what he had done for her paled inparison to Brian''s efforts? "Lucas, you misunderstand me.I don''t want anything to do with him.Didn''t you say that you''d trust me?" A knew that Lucas might have some misunderstandings due to the fact that she was with Brian right now. But she still hoped that he could understand her.When she was with Brian, there was an indescribable feeling in her heart.She couldn''t figure out what it was. But now that she was an employee of the rk Group, everything was beyond her control. He would know whatever A was thinking, so what she needed to do right now was to finish what she must do as soon as possible, and then leave Brian. Upon seeing her resolute determination, Lucas believed that she must have a n. As long as she was fine, nothing else mattered. Besides, it was better if she stayed with Brian for now. If either Tatum or Haley found A, he wouldn''t be able to do anything to save her. Just like what happened in the past, Tatum found out A¡¯s whereabouts through Lucas. After Tatum received the news, he took her abroad and imprisoned her in his vi. Although she was given enough food, he still forcibly injected her with drugs without even telling Lucas.Tatum had no ns of sending her back to Antawood from the start. After he got what he needed from her, there was no way he would spare her life. And even if he didn''t kill her, she would be doomed to rely on taking drugs for the rest of her life.It was already nine in the evening when Lucas and A finished their dinner. She insisted on going back to thepany in order to avoid running into Brian. And so, Lucas drove her to thepany. "A, give me the address of your new apartment.I''ll visit you whenever I''m free." She wrote down her address on a piece of paper and gave it to him. "HM Garden? It''s in the golden district of the city.Brian does treat you well." Lucas put away the note, and added, "It''s gettingte.You promised me that you''re not going to stay up late.Get some rest as soon as you get home, alright?" How he wished he could stay by her side, but s! It was impossible. Even if he cast aside his hatred and took her far away, he didn''t want to rob her of her realizing her dreams.A nodded in response. "Don''t worry, I will.I''ll take better care of myself from now on." After saying that, she walked towards the office. Lucas stood beside his car as he watched her walk away. Once he saw her safely go inside, he got in his car and drove away. When A entered the office, she smelled the putrid odor of smoke before she turned the light on. With her hand still beside the door, she was deciding whether to turn the light on or not. While she was hesitating, Brian flipped the switch. "Oh, you''re back from your date? Why don''t youe inside?" A entered the room. "Mr.rk, why are you sitting in the dark?" "I''ve been waiting for you." N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Brian knew that she would go back to thepany to avoid seeing him. She would rather stay in the office than in the apartment. The second she saw him, A regretted going back to thepany. She shouldn''t have returned.She should''ve just gone to the apartment directly and made him wait all night. "I just left something in my office.I''m going home soon." A went to her desk to grab a document. But before she could make her way outside, Brian halted her. "L, you should know what I want to ask." He saw how differently she treated himpared to Lucas. A shook her head, looking at his hand holding her wrist. "Mr.rk, I honestly don''t know what to tell you.I have nothing about work to talk to you now.And my personal life has nothing to do with you." "Is official business the only thing we can talk about? We slept on the same bedst night, remember?" Brian embraced her.He hated how intimate she was with Lucas.Even though A was enclosed in his arms, she still felt so far from his grasp. She looked at him dead in the eye, and asked, "What else do you want? Haven''t you had enough?" Brian had kept her by his side, but no matter how hard he tried, she wouldn''t give her heart to him. "It''s not enough! What I want is this!" He reached out, clutching her chest.He wanted her body and her heart, both. "Mr.rk, don''t be so greedy." A was still calm despite his sudden reaction. He was overestimating himself.Why on earth would she give her heart to him again? Two years ago, she suffered through so much pain.She even got wounded and almost died. Falling in love with anyone again was probably difficult for her now. Brian leaned closer to hear ear, and whispered, "Yes, I am greedy! Never have I failed to get what I want, and you''re no exception." A nestled in his arms. "Let''s wait and see if you''re right." She evoked a charming smile. "Anyway, I''ll head home first.I won''t disturb you anymore, Mr.rk." She stood on tiptoe and gently kissed his cheek, leaving a light pink lip print, and then she left. Brian watched as she walked out of the office. How could he not understand that she was still avoiding him? If he hadn''t waited for her in her office, she might''ve stayed here until midnight. It was good that she went back. He didn''t want her to copse again because of overworking. Brian made himself busy in his office for almost an hour before he went back to the apartment.He figured that A might''ve gone to bed at this time, but he was wrong. She was still in the living room. "Why haven''t you gone to bed? Were you waiting for me?" Brian dropped his briefcase, took off his jacket and threw it on the sofa. When he embraced A, she didn''t move away from him.She was too focused on the fashion magazine in her hand.Brian took it away from her and said, "Why aren''t you responding?" He hated it when people weren''t answering him. A cast him a nce and asked, "Mr.rk, what do you want me to tell you? Do you want me to say ¡®wee back¡¯? You know that I don''t like to lie, right?" "Okay, then tell me the truth," he replied with a chuckle. "I don''t want to." A turned her gaze towards him. All she had to do was to do her job well. And as for everything else, she just let him do whatever he liked.Why did he have to force her? Chapter 152: Will You Marry Me Chapter 152: Will You Marry Me As soon as Brian came back, the servant brought him a cup of coffee.And when she was about to leave, he stopped her. "Wilma, get a cup of milk for L." However, A shook her head in refusal. "No, thanks.I don''t want one." "Have a ss of milk before you go to bed.Go to sleep early.You have work tomorrow." Brian was implying that she was almostte for work today, so she should be earlier tomorrow. However, she wasn''t sleepy yet.If she were sleepy, she would''ve locked the door and gone to sleep.Her mind was a mess as she thought about Lucas¡¯ matter.She thought that she might''ve made the wrong decision. If she hadn''t returned that time, things wouldn''t have turned out like this. "What are you thinking about? Are you thinking about Lucas?"Brian asked calmly, noticing that she was staring nkly into space again. ¡®What on earth is on her mind?¡¯ ncing back at him, A asked, "How can I miss him? Now that you''re here with me, do I really need to think of another man?" Brian fixed his gaze at her bare face. Even with such fair skin, free from embellishments, she was still so beautiful and charming that it caused him to gradually fall for her. "Whether it''s true or not, I like it." Wearing a smile, he picked A up and carried her to the bedroom.She wrapped her arms around his neck. What was about to happen was unavoidable, and she didn''t want to escape anyway. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. As he stood beside the sofa with a ss of wine in his hand, Lucas contemted on how he could help A. Not only did he want to take her away from Brian, he also hoped that she wouldn''t be taken advantage by anyone anymore. Back then, he had used her for his own interests as well, but now, he wanted to make up for his sins with all his might. However, Tatum had been putting pressure on Lucas. Recently, there was even a batch of goods that had been confiscated by Jaime. Tatum lost his temper, so he asked Lucas to take actions against Brian at once. Lucas knew that he shouldn''t follow that order for A''s sake, but he didn''t have much time to dy what he had nned to do. Suddenly, Haley knocked on the door. "Lucas, may Ie in?" "Of course." He turned to look at her. "Didn''t you mention that you were feeling unwell? Why don''t you get some rest?" Haley walked towards him, taking the goblet from his hand. "I''m fine." "Is that so? If you''re not feeling well, you can go to the hospital.Don''t pretend that you''re fine.I know that you haven''t been eating welltely." Lucas stared at her face and found that it was still pale. Haley made him sit on the sofa, and asked, "Lucas, will you marry me?" She then ced his hand on her pelly Startled, he asked, "What are you trying to say?" "Why would you ask that, Lucas? Don''t you get it? I''m pregnant!" Haley held his hand tightly. "You don''t want to admit it''s yours, do you? You are the only man I''ve ever had sex with.And now I''m pregnant.If you don''t marry me, my dignity will be ruined." Haley had already gathered that Lucas might not take responsibility, but she had some tricks up her sleeves.She had been with him for so many years, so she knew him well. Otherwise, she wouldn''t havee up with this idea. It was so easy for her to make him impregnate her. As long as she willed it, she could have a child. "Haley, you do know that what happened between us was an ident, don''t you? I never wanted any of that to happen." If Lucas had to take responsibility for Haley, then what would happen to A? What should she do? On top of it all, he didn¡¯t harbor any feelings for Haley. A marriage born out of responsibility and without love would only lead to unhappiness.It was not what he wanted. "But you can''t let me raise this child alone just because you don¡¯t want to take responsibility! What if the child asks me about his father in the future? What should I tell him? Should I say that his dad didn''t want us?" Haley stared into Lucas'' eyes. "The baby is already a month old.No matter what you say, I''m not going to get an abortion!" Lucas still hadn''t figured out how to help A, but another problem with Haley had arisen.He had no more strength left to deal with all these problems. "Haley, listen to me." He tried to persuade Haley to reconsider having this child. "No! I don''t want to hear it! I won''t abort this child.Even if you don''t want me to do so, I will give birth to my baby!" Once she had her heart set on something, Haley''s mind wouldn''t change anymore. Because if she easily changed her mind, she wouldn''t have gone through so much trouble to get pregnant in order to be with Lucas. Why would she give up just because he didn''t want to marry her? He could tell that she was adamant on her decision, but that wasn''t what he wanted. "Haley, let''s talk about thister, alright? You can''t have this baby." Haley got up from the sofa, walking out in silence. She was upset. Lucas wanted to hold her hand, but it slipped, causing her to fall to the floor. "It hurts!" Haley covered her belly with her hands. Her face was pale, and she was breaking into cold sweat. "Lucas, take me to the hospital!" Lucas quickly picked her up. "Haley, listen to me.You''re gonna be fine." Haley prayed that nothing would happen to her and her baby. All she wanted was Lucas. It was only when A heard the steady breathing beside her ear could she feel a fleeting moment of peace. However, she still wasn''t ready to sleep. She pulled the white robe beside her, put it on and stood in front of the French window, staring at the moonlight through the thin curtains. When A opened the curtains and the window, the cold wind helped her clear her mind. Ever since she came back to A City, she had been facing everything alone. She lost her body to Brian again, and perhaps, she was also about to lose her heart. After a while, she looked at the man lying on the bed. She hated him with every fiber of her being, so much that she wanted to kill him and erase everything from her past. However, she could no longer erase it from her heart. Was Brian nice to her because he wanted to make it up to her? Or was he actually in love with her? Even though she was always giving him the cold shoulder, he never got angry. Although in bed, he was still in control. A sat on the bedside, staring at his handsome face. It was only when he was sleeping that he looked so harmless. And only during this time would she be willing to get a bit closer to him. In all honesty, they shouldn''t have been together in the first ce. They were from two different worlds, but they ended up crossing paths with each other. And then she fell in love with him. That was when her life became miserable. And now that two years had passed, he was still lingering in her heart.A had thought that she''d be able to forget all about Brian. Unfortunately, she met him again by chance. Clearly, she rejected each of his advances, but she still surrendered to him in the end because he remained in her heart. If he was no longer in her heart, then she would rather die than let him touch her.Brian was not a good man, and yet she had feelings for him. If he knew how she felt for him, how would he react? Would he drive her away just like what happened two years ago? Would it just end up like how it did back then? Would she still feel pain? Chapter 153: She Didnt Give A Damn, But Other People Did Chapter 153: She Didn''t Give A Damn, But Other People Did When Haley woke up, she saw Lucas standing outside the ward through the ss window.Perhaps it was because he knew that she was pregnant, he opted to smoke outside.She touched her belly and propped herself up. At the same time, a nurse on duty entered the room. "Haley Green, you''re not allowed to move yet.You just had an ident, almost causing a miscarriage, so you need to rest." "I''m doing fine." Haley turned her gaze towards the window, causing the nurse to look as well. "I''ll tell your husband toe in." Lucas happened to notice that she had woken up, so before the nurse could tell him to go inside, he had already thrown away his cigarette and walked in. "Haley, are you feeling better now?" He looked at her with worried eyes. Haley nodded. "I''m okay.I just want to rest some more.I think I''ll get better after a few more days of rest.Fortunately, nothing bad happened to the baby." Upon seeing how hopeful and excited she was when talking about the baby, Lucas swallowed his words back. Asking her to have an abortion would be too cruel. That baby in Haley''s womb was a living thing.He refused to be like Brian. That man doubted that the baby in A''s womb was not his, so he forced her to abort it. Losing a baby was a pain that could not ever be erased. And so, Lucas didn''t want Haley to suffer through that kind of pain.And as a result, he was caught in a dilemma. Lucas had been too careless when it happened.He didn''t think about what he was doing, so he ended up in this situation. Haley held his hand, and said, "Lucas, I won''t force you to be with me, but even if you don''t want this child, I will keep it.It''s our baby.I love you, so I will love him just the same." For a long time, Lucas was just muttering to himself, and then he said, "Sorry." "Don''t apologize because I don''t want to hear it." Haley shook her head. "Lucas, I''m a bit hungry.Can you get me something to eat?" "Sure.Stay put and focus on resting." When he walked out of the ward, she smiled. "Be a good boy, dear.It all depends on you whether Mommy can be with Daddy." Although Lucas had been working for Tatum for as long as he could remember, he could never be ruthless. Perhaps it was possible for him to harm strangers, but he couldn''t do anything to Haley, not to mention A. Meanwhile, as A opened her eyes, she realized that she was inches away from Brian. She was resting her head on his arm, and his other arm was wrapped around her waist. However, she didn''t remember what time exactly she fell asleepst night, but she recalled that she had chosen to sleep on the side of the bed far away from him. Secondster, Brian opened his eyes. "Good morning." Last night, A was having a hard time sleeping.He couldn''t figure out what she was thinking. She went to bed veryte and kept her distance from him. Naturally, it made him unhappy.And so, he pulled her back into his arms while she was asleep. That was the reason she woke up to such an intimate position with him. A was still dazed. When she heard his voice, she immediately got up. "I..st night..." Did she move closer towards him on purpose? It was so humiliating "What happenedst night?" Brian also sat upright, leaning against the headboard, and then lit up a cigarette to smoke. A shook her head. "Nothing happened." Quickly, she got out of bed and rushed towards the bathroom. Month''s end was approaching, and so was the fashion season. The first and second batch of clothes for the fashion show had already been finalized. For the third batch, Brian had asked Linda and A to each turn in fifteen sets in order to catch up with the fashion season next month. Few of the second batch of clothes were designed by Linda, because she had put all of her attention on Brian. In truth, she seemed more interested in him than the fashion season. As he sat in his office, Brian looked at the designs for the first two batches of clothes. Linda''s style waspletely different from A''s. A''s design was simple yet elegant, while Linda''s was enchanting. Momentster, Anna walked in. "Brian, did you put these together?" Brian took out some of Linda''s designs. "Linda only turned in three sets of designs, and they were all designed in Italy.Although, I personally think they''re not that bad." N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Upon hearing him praise Linda, Anna felt a bit jealous.She didn''t mention to him that Lucas went to the vi looking for A, and Brian pretended to be oblivious. Besides, there were some things that he thought were unnecessary for him to know. "Brian, you seem quite taken by Miss Linda''s designs." Anna used to be very picky about A''s design. And now, she had a lot more things to say about Linda''s. It wasn''t that she meant to deliberately make things difficult for Linda like what she had nned before; it was just that Linda''s designs weren''t that good in truth. "Anna, there are two sides to every story, so don''t be so prejudiced when you''re looking at things.After all, Miss Evans is a partner we can trust." Brian could tell what she was thinking, even though Anna wasn''t expecting him to go home with her to apany her, nor would she ask him of his whereaboutstely.She knew what he meant. He was reminding her of what she had done to A before.It was she who had prevented him from seeing her designs.In reality, Brian had his own thoughts. No matter what it was about, he would do whatever he had set his heart on. While A was preupied with work, he received a call from Hayden. He was asking her to have lunch with him, so she agreed.He sent a driver to pick her up. Coincidentally, Linda saw her getting into a car. ¡®If she''s capable of getting into such a luxury limo, she probably has a powerful background in Antawood.Does sh¨¦ have another man besides Brian?¡¯ Instead of following A, Linda went back to the office.She stayed there alone, looking at the design drafts that A hadn''t put away. Afterwards, she took out her phone and took photos of all of A¡¯s designs. "A, I am going to destroy your life!" Linda didn''t care about her designs because she didn''t like A''s style. However, that didn''t mean that others wouldn''t like so If all of A''s designs would be unusable, then all of the clothes during the fashion season would be Linda''s designs! In that case, not only would she be able to discredit A, she could also improve her own reputation! On top of that, she could leave a striking impression on Brian. It was just a simple n, but she could hit two birds with one stone. While swiping across her screen, she saw an eye-catching design.A smile appeared on the corner of her red lips. Chapter 154: Rumors Chapter 154: Rumors The moment A arrived at the restaurant, she noticed that Hayden was already waiting for her. "Uncle Hayden, have you been waiting for a long time?" "It''s fine.I don''t have anything better to do today.I suddenly thought of you, so I decided to give you a call.Did I interrupt your work?" He smiled at her and poured her a ss of water. "Not really." A shook her head. In all honesty, she actually needed to rx.She had almost finished her design, so she didn''t have to worry about it that much. "I heard that the rk Group will hold a fashion show next month.You''re their designer, right? Then you must be very busy!" Although Hayden barely cared about thepany''s dealings, he was still keen on what was happening around him. Moreover, the rk Group had invited numerous celebrities anddies to the fashion show. Even Miley and Molly received an invitation.It wasn''t surprising that he knew about it. A took a sip of water. "Actually, I''m not that busy.I just need to submit my design drafts, and the others will do the rest." There were several assistant designers and interns, including an overall assistant for the Design Department. In reality, she didn''t have that much to do. "Oh, I see.Then I''ll have to see that fashion show," said Hayden. "That''s great! I''ll be d if you can attend!" A grinned. She was worried that she might be too busy to inform him of the fashion show. As Hayden picked up some food for her, he said, "A, you need to eat more to replenish your strength." He kept his eyes on her as he happily put food on her te. A looked so much like that woman at the airport. The familiar figure he had seen at the airport that day might be the woman he had missed so much. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t try to ascertain the truth.He regretted the fact that he didn''t do it. When Brian went into the office of the Design Department, he tried to look for A, but he couldn''t find her.He nced at the design drafts on her desk and said nothing.He also noticed that Linda was working hard. It was already lunch break, and everyone else had taken a break.It was strange that she was all alone here. As soon as Linda raised her head, she noticed that Brian was there. "Mr.rk, what are you doing here? Are you looking for A? She just went out.I overheard her talking on the phone, and then saw her going into a luxurious limo," she remarked casually. Just as that one saying said, even if the speaker had no particr intention in saying something, the listener might read into it on his own. That was what she hoped would happen. Brian just gave her a faint hum in response and was about to leave the office without saying anything else. "Mr.rk, would you like to have a cup of coffee with me if you''re not too busy?" Linda got up from her desk and approached him. However, he just stared at her without giving a response. "Or would you like me to make you a cup of coffee instead?" Linda added. "Sounds great! It would be my honor to taste the coffee made by one such as yourself, Miss Linda." With a faint smile on his lips, they went into the tea room together. There were good coffee beans and a coffee machine in the room. Not ten minutester, Linda managed to prepare two cups of fragrant coffee and ced them on the round table. "It smells nice.It''s a cup of good coffee," he said to Linda while stirring the coffee with a small spoon. As she grabbed the milk and sugar, she asked, "Mr.rk, you prefer drinking ck coffee, right?" After saying that, she put milk and sugar into her coffee. Brian nodded. "Miss Linda, you seem to know my preferences well." "It''s not that I know your tastes well.It''s just that your temperament shows that you prefer strong and pure coffee.Although it''s bitter, it gives a long and fragrant aftertaste." Linda sipped her coffee. "Is that so?" Brian also took a sip of his. "This coffee is really good.You''re not just a talented designer, you''re also great at brewing coffee!" "I''m ttered, Mr.rk.It''s also because the coffee beans I used are of premium quality.They''re the purest first-ss coffee beans from Jamaica." Linda also liked to drink coffee, so she knew a little bit about to Brian smirked in response. As they sat in the tea room, they made small talk and spoke about irrelevant matters.Linda was a sensible person.She knew that the more anxious she was, the faster she would lose something. While they were busy chatting in the tea room, it was inevitable that someone might see them. And this matter would quickly spread around the office. People in this building started talking about them in just one afternoon. The attitudes towards this matter varied from person to person. Some had good things to say, while others expressed their disapproval. Only A ignored such issues. Some people had said that Linda was attracted to Brian because of his good looks and wealth, while others said that he had grown tired of the women around him, so he wanted something new. And so, he decided to be with a beautiful foreign woman. In reality, it wasn''t that A didn¡¯t give a damn. It was just that she had expected that Brian and Linda might get into a rtionship. That woman had always been actively dating people.She had always been this way, even in Italy. After she finished working, A put away her drafts, grabbed her handbag, and went out. As soon as she arrived at the first floor, she saw Brian and Annaing over.He was wearing a ck suit, and on the other hand, Anna was wearing a bright red luxurious evening dress. They probably had a dinner party to attend tonight. A was happy to see them together. This way, Brian wouldn''t bug her tonight. Just as she stepped out of thepany''s building, Brian pulled her arm. "Mr.rk, what''s the matter? I''m off duty now." A pointed at her watch. She didn''t want to dy him, and she didn''t want him to cause trouble for her either. Brian gestured to a man to call him over. This man looked a bit familiar.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. A didn''t know his name, but she was certain that he was one of Brian''s underlings. "Hank, drive A back to the apartment," he said. He couldn''t take her home by himself, so he arranged a driver for her instead. Anna saw this scene, but she didn''t know how to react. Brian watched A get into Hank''s car. After the car drove away, he took the key from Anna. "Brian, have you heard the rumors circting in thepany this afternoon?" Anna asked as she sat in the passenger seat. "No, what is it?" Brian asked indifferently. He didn''t seem to be interested in such trivial matters. Anna leaned against the seat of the car and said, "The employees are talking about you and Linda." Although she didn''t go into that much detail, he understood what it meant. "Really? And do you believe any of it?" Brian responded with a question. He knew that Anna never indulged in gossip, but if the rumors had circted, people were bound to believe it, weren''t they? "Are you really nning to be with Linda?" She didn''t actually believe it. Even if something happened between Brian and Linda, that woman would probably be the one who initiated it Chapter 155: Maybe It Would Be Good News Chapter 155: Maybe It Would Be Good News Brian didn''t respond.He didn''t give a damn about what people thought of him and Linda.He was the only person who had a say in his personal matters. "Brian, you should know that Linda is a woman who do things with a clear purpose.Besides..." Anna paused. She abhorred the idea of seeing Brian so mesmerized by Linda and listening to her words. "Anna, I thought you knew me well," he said lightly. When he was with A in the past, Anna always remembered her ce and knew how to behave. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. But now, she intervened in his decisions and listened to rumors and hearsays. Hearing his response put her mind at ease. If she really knew him well, she should know what kind of person he was by now. And even if he wanted a woman, he''d be able to handle it well. He would never let himself be the topic of rumors. Just like it was in A''s case, he was indifferent to her within the premises of thepany. However, he allowed her to live in his apartment just so he could keep her by his side. At the dinner party, Brian and Anna walked into the venue, arm-in-arm. As soon as they entered, they ran into Toby and Molly. It wasn''t surprising, considering that they all lived in the same city. Momentster, Molly found the chance to speak to Brian. "Mr.rk, what a coincidence! Oh, so Miss Anna''s with you today instead? I thought it would be Miss Woodsen!" Molly approached Brian and then turned her gaze towards Anna who was at the other side of the hall. "You seem to know a lot about me, Mrs.Brown," he sneered. It seemed that they had already found out that A had returned, but that didn''t surprise him. Last time, she saw A talking to Hayden at the airport, so it wasn''t strange that she had met with Toby upon her return. "Besides knowing that A is back, I know nothing else.Mr.rk, you should go out with her! Even though two years had passed, Miss Woodsen is still your wife, isn''t she?" She didn''t want to see A driven away by Brian again and that she could have the chance to be with Toby. As he took a sip of his wine, Brian said, "Thanks for your concern, Mrs.Brown, but I''ll handle my personal business on my own." Anna came over and noticed that Molly was talking to him. "Brian," she called out. "I see.Then I won''t take up any more of your time." Molly smiled at him then went back to Toby. "What did she talk to you about? It¡¯s not about business, isn''t it?" Anna nced at her. She knew that Molly had worked in her family''spany for two years now. Although she was the Secretary General, it was nothing more than a glorified title.She wasn''t capable of doing anything. Considering that fact, she probably wouldn''t talk business with Brian. Perhaps it was about A; she was the only link that those two had. "You''re right.She didn''te to talk business with me.Our rk Group and their Smith Group are now rivals, not partners," he sneered. Should he be happy that so many people cared about A? Anna was about to say something more, but several bosses suddenly approached Brian. "Mr.rk! How have you been doing? I heard that you have a new development program.Do you have any intention of looking for a partner?" "Of course, Mr.Moore.As long as you''re willing, we''ll consider a cooperation between ourpanies." Brian seldom went out for social engagements. If it weren''t for the fact that it was difficult to turn down invitations, he wouldn''t have attended any of them. Anna had told him that he should go out and socialize for the sake of next month''s fashion show.She said that it would be highly beneficial for their work. Sessive batches ofpany leaders came to greet them after the first ones. Toby and Molly were standing nearby. "Honey, Mr.rk appears to be charismatic.Wherever he goes, he manages to steal your thunder," she said. Molly was lost in thought. She was already in love with Toby, but if she had met Brian first, would she have fallen in love with him instead? Perhaps she would. Any woman would lose their mind upon seeing such an excellent and charming man.But the more incredible a man was, the more hearts he would break. In the past, A disappeared for two years because of him. Anna had been with him for so long, and she still hadn''t received a proper title.But those two women weren''t the only ones around him. "What''s wrong? Are you upset?" Toby smiled faintly. Naturally, he knew what kind of person Brian was."No, I''m not.You''re the only man in my heart." She held onto his arm. "Honey, I''m feeling a little unwell today.Let''s go home early!" "Why are you feeling ufortable again? I think you''ve been eating lesstely.I''ll take you to the hospital tomorrow." Toby arranged her shawl for her, and then they said goodbye to the host of the banquet and left. Touching her belly, Molly said, "Okay, let''s go to the hospital together tomorrow." ¡®Maybe it would be good news, '' she thought. Brian saw the way Toby looked at him before he left. Perhaps he still hated him because of A.He already had Molly and the Smith Group. Wasn''t that enough for him? If he continued being this greedy, it could cause him to lose everything. "Brian, it seems that Mr.Brown still has feelings for A.Don''t you think so, too?" Anna looked at him as she stood next to him. How charming A was for being able to make three men fall head over heels for her. Even Brian was doing all he could to keep her by his side. "Mr.Brown has a wife already.What else is there to think about? Is it even necessary to think of this matter?" Brian smirked. He had never been afraid ofpetition between him and Toby when it came to work, but he didn''t want to be at odds with him. Besides, Hayden hadn''t done anything to offend Brian. "I hope that¡¯s what you''re really thinking." Anna picked up a ss of wine and drank it all down.She was able to deduce the true meaning of his words. ¡®Some people are meant to be together.So, the only woman he wants right now is still A" As that thought crossed her mind, she clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. ''I still can''t win his heart, can I?'' They had been together for over ten years, and she had gone through hell and back for him, but she still hadn''t gotten anything in return. It was true that she did all out of her own volition, but it still pained her heart. After leaving the party, Brian told the driver to send Anna to the vi. "Brian, are you still not going toe home?" "Anna." He stared into her eyes. "Listen to me.You''re drunk.The driver will take you home." Anna knew what he meant.He was implying that he was going back to A. "I see.I guess I''ll head home." After saying that, she sat in the car and told the driver to get going. As he sat in his car, Brian didn''t leave right away until he received a call from Jaime. "Jaime, how''s it going?" "Mr.rk, Tatum wants to negotiate with us." Jaime had been in Thand for several months, fighting against Tatum for various businesses. And because Brian had more power and influence, he was able topletely control the shipping rights, causing Tatum to be agitated.If he wanted to continue making any money, he must talk to Brian. Chapter 156: She Slapped Him Chapter 156: She pped Him "I need some time to think about it." N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Brian knew that Tatum only wanted to benefit from his supply and distribution channels.But he wasn''t going to negotiate with him until he was certain of what happened to A. Surely, Lucas had to be present during the negotiation, which was the only way to make her understand the whole matter.She shouldn''t me him for his ploys because he was doing it all for her sake. Two years ago, no matter what kind of suffering Tatum put A through, Brian would inflict twice the pain on him. He had had no connection to Tatum for a long time. This time, perhaps, he could make an exception. Jaime nodded. "I see.Boss, I''ve had the drug delivered to you.You''ll get the package within two days." That drug was developed two years ago. But for a weak woman like A, she must''ve gone through so much hell to be who she was today. "Got it.You can take a break now.Call me if anything notable happens." After the phone call, Brian drove to the apartment. As soon as he arrived, he noticed that the lights weren''t on.He looked at the closed door of the bedroom. A must''ve found out that he had a social activity tonight, so she came home early to get some rest. He had drunk some wine and now felt a little tipsy.He decided that he wouldn''t let her just sleep so comfortably. The truth was, it was impossible for A to fall asleep so early, so when she heard someone enter the apartment, she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. She knew that it was pointless to lock the door. He could go in and out freely in her original apartment, let alone his own. Just as the door opened, A heard his footsteps drawing closer and closer towards her, and the smell of alcohol wafted into her nose. Ever since she stayed with Brian, she knew that she would never return to who she was. This man had the capability to make her surrender to him bit by bit. He sat on the bedside, touching her face.He noticed that her long, curly eyshes were fluttering lightly. A smirk appeared on Brian''s lips. He had initially thought that A had gone to sleep, but it turned out that she was just pretending. However, he wasn''t going to wake her up. Naturally, he had a way to wake her up. Brian bent over, pressing his lips against her cherry pink lips. As he indulged himself in the sweetness of her lips, he found himself unable to stop. For the past years, he had been missing everything about A. He thought that she had died in the sea, but now she had returned. Now, he wanted to make sure to do everything in his power to return things the way they were. A realized that it was useless and foolish to pretend to be asleep. To be honest, whether she was asleep or not, Brian would do whatever the hell he wanted. ¡®But isn''t he going too far?¡¯ Kissing her was tolerable, but how could he begin to undress her now? It was unbearable! As soon as A opened her eyes, she pped Brian''s face. "You bastard!" To alleviate the pain, he stroked his cheek. "You pped me.Why would you do that?" A curled up on the bed. "Oh, Mr.rk? I had no idea it was you.I thought it was just some random rogue." She wasn''t going to admit that she did it on purpose. Besides, he deserved to be pped for taking advantage of her while she was asleep! "Oh? Is there anyone who would dare sneak into my apartment?" Brian wasn''t angry that she pped him. A had pretended to be asleep to prevent him from having sex with her, so he had to pay the price for doing so. That price was a p across the face. But now that he had received a p from her withoutint, Brian thought that he had to make it more worthwhile. "Well, now I''m here.I don''t think anyone will be bold enough toy a finger on you." Brian wrapped his arms around A''s waist, pulling her into his arms. With her face against his chest, she heard his strong heartbeat and smelled the odor of alcohol exuded by his body. What he said just now was an excuse to hug her. What a shameless man! A didn''t dare to yell at him.It was enough to curse him in her mind. Brian held her chin with his fingers, raised her head slightly, and looked into her eyes. "What were you thinking of just now?" "Nothing." As she shook her head, her eyes brimmed with dishonesty. Brian indulged her duplicity. "Good." Those words didn''t mean that they were going to stop. On the contrary, it marked the beginning of what they were about to do.He started kissing her all over her face, slowly making his way to her lips. "Now do you see who it is?" he asked while she was catching her breath. His kiss felt so tender that she could barely resist. Her chest heaved up and down as she took deep breaths. "L." Brian kissed her again. A was so irresistible to him, making him addicted to her like a drug. The moonlight shone through the thin gauze curtain, adding to the romantic atmosphere. After they were done, A was so tired that she fell asleep. And by the time she woke up, the sun had already shone outside. She nced at clock and found that it was already ten in the morning! As soon as she got up, she felt the soreness of her body, and she noticed that Brian was already gone. She fumbled across the bed to feel his heat, but the other side of the bed was already cold. ''He probably left early, didn''t he?¡¯ Exhausted, A went into the bathroom to relieve her pain with hot water. An hourter, she finished her bath and put on her clothes. Upon seeing here out of the bathroom, the servant approached her and said, "Miss Woodsen, you''re awake.I''ve prepared something for you.You can go to the dining table to eat." A nodded. "Thank you." As she sat alone in the dining room, looking at the dishes on the table, she thought that it was too extravagant. "When did Mr.rk leave?" she asked the servant. "He went out around eight o''clock.He mentioned you were tired and needed to rest, and asked me not to wake you up." The servant stood aside, pouring a ss of water for A. A was rendered speechless. ¡®Brian, you shameless man!¡¯ How could he say something like that to the servant? The servant wasn''t a fool. She probably understood what he meant! If she kept staying by his side, her image would be ruined. Two days ago, when the servant saw them kissing in the living room, she was almost choked by rice. Today, he did something stupid again. It might give the servant the wrong idea! If A didn''t go to thepany for a long time without a proper reason, rumors would circte about her in the design department! Chapter 157: It Needed Mutual Feelings Chapter 157: It Needed Mutual Feelings When A entered the office, she immediately felt the strange atmosphere, and she knew that those unfriendly gazes were cast upon her. Had she identally offended them again? Linda came over to her side, and said, "A, don''t think you cane to work only when you want just because of your rtionship with Mr.rk." Displeasure was evident in her tone. A was shocked. How could Linda say something like that? It was like she was trying to use A of being Brian''s mistress. All the rumors in the office yesterday were about Linda, but A didn''t want to get involved. "Don''t look at me like you''re innocent.At the morning meeting, Mr.rk mentioned it himself.He said you wouldn''t be able toe to thepany today.I think only an idiot wouldn''t figure out what he meant.Don''t even think of telling me that you didn''t sleep with himst night!" Linda''s tant words humiliated A. What was more, she said it to her in front of everyone in the office. A now realized that it was Brian who prevented her from having a foothold in the rk Group.But she wasn''t going to let him have his way. "Miss Linda, you need to have evidence to prove your ims.Yesterday, all our colleagues were talking about you and Mr.rk, and now, you''re telling me that I was having an affair with him? Who are you trying to shame, me or you?" A smirked at Linda. "You...Whatever!" Linda walked away and went back to her desk. ¡®Don''t look down on me just because you''re a talented designer.As long as I''m here, I''ll make sure you won''t have a good future!¡¯ A hardly cared about the whispers in the office, but she was going to talk about this with Brian. If he kept acting like this, she would have no choice but to leave. The Smith family vi was busy at the moment. Toby apanied Molly to the hospital for a checkup. It turned out that she had been pregnant for a month. Naturally, Hayden was the happiest person upon hearing that news. A lifelong marriage could not be sealed without a child. Back then, because Molly couldn''t get pregnant, they had even considered adoption. But now, she was pregnant atst! This was truly a joyous event for the Smith family. As soon as Molly stood up, Toby grabbed her arm and asked, "What are you going to do? You should be careful.Tell me what you need and I''ll get it for yours Perhaps knowing that Molly was pregnant made Toby feel differently about her.A while back, he didn''t want her to get pregnant at all. But now that she was, it actually made him really happy. "I''m fine.Don''t be so paranoid." Molly knew that her period had been dyed for a long time now, and she was always exhausted. She figured that she might be pregnant, so she went to the pharmacy to get a pregnancy test, only to find out that she was pregnant. And in order to verify it, she asked Toby to take her to the hospital. Since she was now pregnant with a child, she believed that Toby would care more about her. During these past few years, their rtionship only appeared to be great on the surface. In reality, they were hiding the fact that they were both unhappy, but they never said it out loud. Molly did love Toby. Even if she had to use her child to bind him for a lifetime, she was willing to do so. She didn''t want him to be with any other woman, because she believed that she was the only one who could be his wife. "Molly, from now on, you should stay at home and conserve your energy.Don''t go to work anymore.The important thing is to keep your child healthy," Miley remarked. Molly nodded and said, "Yes, I think so, too.The doctor told me to be careful for the first trimester and avoid getting tired.For the sake of my baby, I''ll stay at home and take good care of myself." She touched her belly. Finally, she was going to be a mother. Certainly, Toby agreed with her. After he decided not to give her any water with contraceptive pills, he had made up his mind that A might not be his future nor his happiness. But despite that fact, he still wanted her to be happy. When A''s shift was over, the only people that remained in the office were Linda and her. Linda said that she had to stay in the office for the design draft, but in reality, she was actually waiting for Brian. She knew that A was going to meet him under the guise of working overtime, so she stayed here until he would arrive.And just as she had expected, about an hour after her shift was done, Brian arrived at the design department. "Aren''t you finished with your work yet?" he asked as he fixed his eyes on A. Brian had initially thought that she wouldn''t be able to go to thepany today.Perhaps he had underestimated her stubbornness. "I''m about to leave." A picked up her handbag, walked to the door, and stood face to face with Brian. "Mr.rk, you should stop spouting nonsense in front of everyone.I don''t want to be the subject of other people''s gossips," she whispered to him as she red at him with a threatening gaze. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Upon hearing that, a smirk appeared on Brian''s lips. "That''s because others like to jump to conclusions, not to mention what I said was true." He noticed the anger in A''s eyes. She was a really short-tempered individual. What happenedst night wasn''t something he could''ve done on his own. What a man and woman needed tomit the act of love were mutual feelings.Was she trying to pin all the me on him? "I''m done talking to you." After she walked a few steps, Brian grabbed her hand. "A." "What? Let me go!" she growled. ''Is he crazy? Or is he just determined to ruin my peaceful life?¡¯ But this was not the right time for an argument. Although she was done with her designs, there were still a lot of things that needed her attention. Unfortunately, Brian always kept her at her toes. "A, you can''t escape me.And I know for a fact that you don''t care about other people''s opinions." Brian knew her all too well. She was just making up an excuse to distance herself from him, but that wasn''t possible. "Mr.rk, I don''t want any more trouble.You''ve already forced me into living at HM Garden.So could you at least ignore me in thepany and pretend that I''m just another one of your employees? Just leave me alone, okay?" A had long known about all the women in thepany that had regarded Brian as the man of their dreams, so she didn''t want to be the target of public criticism, and neither did she want to be subjected to their poisonous res. The most terrible thing about women was that they''d do anything to get their hands on what they wanted. Perhaps A wasn''t an_ exception to that characteristic.But at least now, she wasn''t one of them yet. "That depends on your performance tonight." Brian I leered at A. Meanwhile, on the other side of the corridor, Linda had been watching them the whole time.She didn''t say anything, but Brian was a perceptive individual. He was capable of detecting the presence of people and things around him. "Maybe you''ll be more satisfied with Miss Linda," A replied. ¡®My performance tonight? Do I really have to discuss this kind of thing with him?¡¯ Anything that a man said while in bed was unreliable, and A had never nned to believe it. With that, she turned around and made her way to the elevator. There were too many people who would bend over backwards for Brian, so she thought that she was disposable. Wouldn''t he just get tired of her in the long.However, the day when he would get tired of her seemed to be a bit far away. Chapter 158: She Couldnt Afford Another Heartbreak Chapter 158: She Couldn''t Afford Another Heartbreak As soon as A left, Linda came over, and asked, "Mr.rk, what''s going on? Did you need to discuss something with Miss Woodsen?" She then wrapped her arms around one of his arms. "Not really.I was just passing by," said Brian, ncing at Linda indifferently. "Well, do you have time to invite me to dinner tonight?" She raised her head, gazing at him with seductive eyes, But Brian withdrew his arm, and said, "Miss Linda, don''t you have to work overtime tonight?" Linda backed away from him, humiliated. She had tried her best to seduce him, but he didn''t seem to be charmed at all.She had believed that she was an attractive and enchanting woman. As long as she gave someone the slightest hints of invitation, many men would fall before her feet. Was Brian immune to her wiles? ¡®That''s impossible" In her eyes, all men were the same.She was determined to capture his heart. "Well, maybe we can have dinner some other time instead," Linda said awkwardly after Brian rejected her. She felt ashamed of herself after that blunder. Hearing that put a smile on his lips. "Got it.Then I won''t take up any more of your time." He wasn''t in the mood to waste his time on her right now.He couldn''t figure out what A was thinking. Yesterday, all kinds of rumors arose about him and Linda, saying that they were having an affair in the company. A didn''t even bat an eysh, nor did she ask him about it. And after what happened today, she reminded him to ignore her while they were inside thepany. But why would he subject himself to hermands? Momentster, he drove back to his apartment. When he arrived, he saw A sitting at the dining table alone. The servant was surprised to see him. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "Mr.rk, you''re back." "That''s right." Brian took a seat at the table, nced at A, and asked, "Aren''t you going to ask me anything?" Looking back at him, she said, "Mr.rk, I''ve already made it clear to you while we were in the company earlier.I hope you can just listen to me." It was possible for him to be in a rtionship with another woman, but she honestly didn¡¯t want it to happen. There was no way she could stand to see it happen! But even if she was unhappy about it, she wasn''t going to let him know how she really felt. Indeed, she was also a woman. Seeing Brian with other women made her feel like her heart wasden with a heavy burden.She felt that she should''ve justpletely cut her ties with him two years ago. Brian stared at her intently. "So you are generous enough to let me be with another woman, aren''t you? Don''t you want to be the only one?" All he wanted was her.He had begun to abstain from other women, all because of her. Was she really so cruel that she didn''t give a damn about his feelings at all? As A held her chopsticks, her hand froze. "Mr.rk, a heart that has been shattered can no longer be restored to how it used to be." Back then, she loved him so much that she gave him all the love she could possibly give, but he took it for granted and cast it aside. Now, she no longer wanted to give it to him. If she was destined to get hurt because of love, then the pain she had suffered in the past should be enough tost her a lifetime. She wasn''t sure if her heart could take another beating. Noticing that she had put down her chopsticks and was about to leave, Brian asked, "How could you possibly know that if you won''t even try?" He was no ordinary man.He was Mr.rk, and he owned every inch of her being.He was the only man who could tell her to die if he wanted.He didn''t want to take extreme measures by forcing her with vile methods, but she was always forcing his hand. ¡®Give it a try?¡¯ She couldn''t afford another heartbreak again. In her mind, she believed that she couldn''t fall in love with anyone for the rest of her life anymore.She even believed that she was destined to be alone forever, but Lucas had given her everything she had right now.She should have faith in him, shouldn''t she? That night, Brian and Ay on the same bed, but thought of different things. He was determined to take her back. A shifted her gaze towards the window, tears welling up in her eyes. She thought that she had already grown numb to the pain, but why was she shedding tears? During that year, Brian was the only person she ever thought of. It didn''t matter whether she was in pain or not. But now that he was right in front of her and begging her toe back, she couldn''t bring herself to agree. When he woke up in the morning, he sat on the sofa in the living room. "Here, keep it.If you change your mind, you cane back to me anytime.But no matter what your decision is, you can no longer go back to Lucas," he said to A. Atst, she got her ring back. She thought that he had already thrown it away, but it turned out that he had kept it. Perhaps he wasn''t as heartless as she believed him to be. "You didn''t throw it away?" She had finally gotten her ring back, but she was no longer worthy to wear it. Dazed, she stared at the ring. This was Lucas¡¯ promise to her and she epted it as a way to reciprocate the love he had given her all these years. However, did she still need it now? Brian stood up. "It''s just a ring.Why are you so moved?" Naturally, he knew that she was cryingst night. Was it really that painful to stay by his side? For so long, he knew that she was not as strong as she portrayed herself to be. She just didn''t want to be vulnerable in front of him. And because of that, he decided to let her make her own decision. If she still wanted to be with Lucas, he would give her that chance. Whether she could make that happen or not all depended on her and Lucas. Tightly grasping the ring, A said, "There are some things that you''ll never understand." Just as he couldn''t understand love, all he cared about were his own desires. If he wanted someone, he would take them by hook or by crook. He didn''t care whether the other party even agreed to it or not. He wasn''t the kind of man who could utter the words "I love you." On the other hand, she was just a simple girl who wanted a quiet and simple life. Even if it was just an ordinary life that allowed her to work in the office every day, she would still enjoy it. She wasn''t even sure if Brian could give her everything that she wanted, and neither could Lucas. "Fine.I don''t understand.But tell me, what''s so good about Lucas? If you investigate his real identity, you''ll find that he''s not who he ims to be." Perhaps Lucas was moreplicated than he thought. The Collins family was once very prosperous. However, it fell from grace overnight, and Lucas was the only survivor.He had a veryplicated background. Brian, on the other hand, used his own hands and capabilities to gain everything that he had. When A watched him turn around, her heart skipped a beat, causing her to stride forward and wrap her arms around his waist. She pressed her face against his back. ''Why can''t I just let him go? Howe he always has a hold in my heart?¡¯ Brian held her hands. "He''s staying at the Hyatt Hotel.You can go to him if you want.I won''t stop you.But I suggest you don''t go.You should know that there''s another woman with him." Despite knowing that she might not listen to him, still, he decided to warn her for her own good. Someday, she would understand. A still hadn''t removed her arms from his waist. "L, if you don''t let go of me, I''ll have to make you," he said helplessly. He had already given her back her ring and given her absolute freedom, but it wasn''t of his own volition. She shouldn''t make him change his mind and make him regret his decision. Chapter 159: Fianc茅e Chapter 159: Fianc¨¦e Brian had just turned around when he felt soft lips pressing down on his. This was the first time A had taken the initiative to kiss him. He didn''t want her to kiss him just because he had returned the ring to her.He didn¡¯t want her to go running into another man''s arms once they were done. A''s kiss was inexperienced.But she put her soul into it, turning her into a seductress, making Brian helpless and unable to refuse her. "Did you kiss me just to repay me, L?"he said softly. As his gaze found hers, Brian felt his stomach drop away. He was bing more and more weak- kneed before A with each passing day. The kiss she had given him didn''t even qualify as one, but it filled him with satisfaction and relief. A didn''t say anything but merely looked at him, because it was not a reward. She had never thought of repaying him in this way.She had just been ovee with the sudden urge to do it. That was all. She knew Brian wouldn''t care, but she had still done it. Brian shed her a charming smile, one that she had never seen before. A didn''t go to see Lucas once she left the apartment. Instead, she went to office. She knew Brian wasn''t lying when he said that Lucas and that woman were in a rtionship. And she didn''t want to ruin their rtionship by appearing suddenly before them. Lucas had done a lot for A these past two years. All she wanted was for him to be happy. After the morning meeting, A and her assistant, Ellie, went to JJ Department Store to re the site. The fashion show would be held there one weekter. A wasn''t supposed to be there, but Anna and Brian were having a meeting in thepany and so they had asked her to do the task instead. The first batch of this season''s clothes were in the mall''s underground warehouse and she needed to check on them. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. A and Ellie walked up to the first floor of the mall where the clothes were being brought out. Their first thought was that the space was cluttered and congested, nowhere near airy as the outside. Anna had made this n. Brian had raised an objection when he hade to see the venue. This small space couldn''t hold many people. But in order to make sure that the clothes made it to the high end, he had reluctantly given the nod. After all, the JJ Department Store was thergest mall in Antawood. Themodities there were all luxurious and pricey, and ordinary people could not afford them. A was greeted by the manager of the shopping mall. Since the mall was also a subsidiary of the rk Group, Brian had called the manager in advance, instructing him to receive and treat the designer well. The manager dared not defy Brian. "Hello, Miss Woodsen.I am the manager of this shopping mall.My name is Zayn Cohen,"the middle- aged manager said as way of introduction and handed A a business card. A took the business card and said with a slight smile, "Mr.Cohen, please call me A." Zayn looked mildly horrified before recovering. "Please let me take you to the office upstairs first.We can go to the underground warehouseter," he said. A nodded. She followed Zayn into the ss- enclosed elevator from where they could see the mall from every angle. He pointed to the second floor where women''s wear lined the walls. "This whole floor is for women''s wear, Miss Woodsen.In the future, Mr.rk will set up an exclusive shop on this floor for our brand," Zayn said. He was proud of the soaring sales that the shopping mall was turning out every month. A looked at the people milling about. It was not a weekend, but there were still quite a few people here. The women here were all from rich families. However, to A''s surprise, she ran into a couple in a corner of the third floor. Haley was holding on to Lucas¡¯ arm, and he was carrying several shopping bags full of baby products and clothes. A knew that Lucas was with another woman, but she had never expected to meet them like this. The air between them became strained. Haley recognized A at once, having met her before. Lucas pulled away from Haley the moment he saw A.It didn''t matter to him in that moment that Haley was pregnant. Haley was not a fool. She knew that he was behaving like this because of this woman''s presence.She also knew that her intuition had been right, that perhaps this woman in front of them was exactly the woman who had been pestering Lucas all this time. "Why are you here, L?" Lucas asked, a little anxiously. He had wanted to hide his rtionship with Haley, but hadn''t been able to. Haley had hounded Lucas over and over again, asking him to go shopping for the baby with her.He had agreed because he was worried about her, about her pregnancy.He hadn''t, in his wildest dreams, expected to meet A here. A looked steadfastly at Lucas and said, "I have business here."Her voice was calm. She hadn''t expected to meet him like this either.She looked down at the baby products that Lucas was carrying. Maybe Brian had known all of this. Maybe that was why he had asked her not to go looking for Lucas. Maybe he just didn''t want her to be sad. "Lucas, who is this beautifuldy? Why don''t you introduce us?" Haley said sweetly. She was obviously marking her territory because she was clear on the fact that the baby in her belly was important to her.She wouldn''t allow anyone to take this happiness away from her. A didn''t ignore Haley''s subtle movement. She just looked at her curiously as she thought, ¡®She is pregnant, and I''m guessing that Lucas is the father" "Hello, I''m Haley Green.Lucas'' fiancee," Haley said. She knew that Lucas would never tell A about their rtionship, so she had to take the initiative to introduce herself like this. She was always the one to take the first step in her rtionship with Lucas. ¡®Fianee?¡¯ A thought, her heart aching, but she didn''t show it. "Hello, Miss Green.I''m A Woodsen, a friend of Lucas." She didn''t want anything more to do with Lucas.But she still had the ring that Brian had given back to her that morning. Things had probably changed with time, but she didn''t know for sure. "Lucas, should we invite Miss Woodsen to dinner or at least have a cup of tea together? I¡¯m a little tired after the day''s shopping.And a little hungry.The baby is protesting," Haley said, a whine in her voice. It was clear that her words were directed at A. A, on the other hand, understood what Haley meant. She shook her head. "No, thanks.I have other business to attend to." "L," Lucas said, making to stop A as she turned to leave. He wanted to tell her that it was not what she was thinking.But he couldn''t say it. "Lucas," Haley called as she took his hand and pulled on it. "I''m tired.Let''s go back." As she spoke to Lucas, Haley red at A, venom in her eyes. Now that she finally found the woman with Lucas, she wasn''t in a hurry to make a move yet. Lucas had no choice but to leave with Haley. They had just entered the elevator when a tall figure made its way over to A. Chapter 160: Two Of A Kind Chapter 160: Two Of A Kind A lowered her head, her gaze fastened to the shiny, ck shoes before her.Her sight traveled upwards and met with the eyes of the man that owned them. "Why are you here?" Brian didn''t n to go there, but the thought of A all alone changed his mind. However, he did not expect the scene that greeted him. Lucas hadn''t exined himself probably for A''s own good. Perhaps he too, wanted to protect A. The disappointment on her face didn''t go unnoticed by Brian. ¡®Does A really care about Lucas?¡¯ Brian carefully kept his roiling emotions from showing on his face. "Can''t I be here?" Despite her unhappiness, A forced a smile. Seeing this, Brian was irritated almost immediately. Why did she pretend to be strong in front of him? A looked at Brain and shook her head. "I didn''t mean that." She didn''t want to let Brian see her embarrassment. She had always told him that she would rather be with Lucas, but how could she keep up the pretense when Haley introduced herself as Lucas¡¯ legitimate fiancee? "Shall we get going? Didn''t you have something else to do?" Brian wrapped his arm around A''s slender waist and gently led her towards the elevator. She reluctantly followed, as Zayn, who had been apanying her, had left earlier. "You were aware of everything that was happening, weren''t you?" A asked. Their bodies almost made contact in the constricted confines of the elevator. A felt disconcerted as Brian''s hot breath touched her skin. "Yeah," Brian replied quietly. He didn''t bother lying to A.He was certain he knew more about Lucas and Haley than she did. "You''ve always known, haven''t you?" A regarded him thoughtfully. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Did he do all of this for her sake? Was she being too stubborn? She suddenly felt a twinge of tenderness in her heart. Brian enveloped A tightly in his strong arms, and rested his chin atop her head. His voice was soft when he spoke. "Come back to me, okay?" It was a gentle question, not a coercive statement. A blinked at Brian''s cajoling tone. Didn''t his attitude change a bit too fast? She could hardly believe it. When A didn''t answer, Brian didn''t force her. The elevator announced their arrival to the underground warehouse, and both silently got off. What weed them was a small room with a row of racks that bore twenty suits of clothes. "So, what do you think? Are you satisfied with it?" Brian swept his arm to showcase the first batch of clothes, and waited for A''s reaction. His trust in A was so profound that he didn''t question any aspect of her work. A delicately touched the clothes'' material and relished in its good quality. Drafting the designs wasn''t her only assignment. She was also supposed to sew the samples herself. A hated to admit it, but Brian having handled the rest helped her a lot. She felt herself rx. As the tension melted away from A''s shoulders, Brian smiled. "Good, I''ll consider your reaction a yes.The fashion show will start next week.I can assure you there will be no problems." Brian watched as A checked the clothes for the umpteenth time. He crossed his arms and regarded her with a frown. "You''re just busying yourself needlessly.Why don''t you rest instead?" His frown deepened as he observed the dark circles under her eyes and the fatigue in her movements. Besides, after seeing Lucas with Haley just now, she needed time to adjust her mood. A threw a disbelieving look over her shoulder to Brian. "You must have underestimated me, right? I don''t need to rest." A returned her attention to the clothes.She wasn''t so fragile that she couldn''t handle her duties herself. Brian eyed her warily. She was acting normally; perhaps she didn''t love Lucas that deeply, after all? "I couldn''t tell if you are a cruel woman or a heartless one." Brian rummaged in his coat pocket and took out a pack of cigarettes. As he pulled out a stick, it was immediately snatched from his fingers. "You can''t smoke here.Cigarette odor will stick to the clothes.Worse, you''ll burn the entire collection down." A looked at the man in front of her with annoyance. If she was a cruel and heartless woman, didn''t she be the same as him? No words were spoken between the two as they left the warehouse, leaving Ellie to tidy up the clothes by herself. Brian opened the door to the passenger''s seat and A reluctantly got in. Instead of heading to thepany, however, the car stopped in front of a cafe. A shot Brian a suspicious look. "What are you doing?" "Having some coffee," Brian blithely replied, an innocent look on his face.He opened the door and got out of the car. "But we should be going back to thepany right now," A said in confusion, gawking at Brian''s back. She had never considered him to be such an idle man. As Brian disappeared inside the cafe, A had no choice but to get out of the car and follow him. When she walked in, she saw that he was already seated. "Have a seat.I have already ordered a ss of orange juice for you." Brian looked at A thoughtfully and marveled at her ability to conceal her feelings.She seemed to have improved at it, for her face bore no traces of her emotions. It was better that way,pared to other women who resorted to crying and throwing a tantrum. A didn''t refuse the orange juice and tiramisu that wereid before her, but she didn''t hesitate in voicing out her opinion about his choice of beverage. "Thank you for taking me here, but I prefer drinking coffee." For Brian to order orange juice for her...Did he just treat her like a child? It was an act of kindness on his part, so A decided to let it go. After dining, they went back to thepany together. A whileter, as she was seated at her desk, A took out a ring from her bag and looked at it thoughtfully. ¡®Should I keep this ring?¡¯ It was a promise between her and Lucas at that time. The time hade to end it. Linda observed A from afar. ¡®A went out for a while and came back with a strange look on her face.Whatever could have happened?¡¯ Curiously, she heard that Mr.rk had gone out too. His destination was Prario, the same as A. Linda stood up from her desk and brought her empty water ss with her.As she passed by A''s desk, she saw that she was pensively staring at a simple ring. "A, when you came back from your errand, all you did was gaze at that ring.Did someone propose to you or something?" Linda sneered. ¡®It is just a in ring.Of course, it couldn''t possibly be from Brian.Such a modest ring wouldn''t be from him" A ignored the nasty look on Linda''s face as she put away the ring. She kept her voice even when she spoke. "I didn''t know that you have such a vivid imagination, Miss Linda." it was none of her business. Linda didn''t talk loudly, but it had enough volume to be heard by everyone in the Design Department. All of their attention focused on A. A said nothing.She just let them think whatever they thought of her.Her exnation would only be regarded as excuses, anyway. When A got off work, she received a call from Lucas. "L, I''m outside yourpany building.Shall we go out and have a talk?" Lucas wanted to exin to A that she was mistaken. Haley imed to be his fiancee, but he never agreed to it. Even if Haley gave birth to their child, he was determined not to marry her. Without hesitation, A replied, "Okay, wait for me.I''ll be there in a few minutes." The time hade to talk. It didn''t matter whether they had met or not, too many things had already happened which made their rtionship quiteplicated. She had gotten along with Lucas for two years. No matter what was in store in the future, A would still consider him as a friend. A hung up the phone and got ready to leave. Seeing this, Linda packed her handbag and followed A downstairs. Lucas was waiting for A outside thepany while leaning against his car. How could Brian be unaware that Lucas was just outside rk Group? Without their knowledge, he already knew that A would be meeting with Lucas. Chapter 161: She Returned The Ring And Broke Up With Him Chapter 161: She Returned The Ring And Broke Up With Him A went downstairs and got into Lucas¡¯ car, hurriedly leaving thepany.He drove her back to her original apartment. "L." Lucas had prepared two cups of tea, cing them on the table. They had been sitting on the sofa for over ten minutes but neither of them had uttered a word. A had no clue what he wanted to talk to her about. Was it about their past or their future together? She just couldn''t wrap her head around it. Lucas put down his teacup and sat next to her. "What happened today was nothing but an unfortunate misunderstanding," he remarked and put his hand on hers. She looked up at him. He said that she had misunderstood the incident earlier today. But who on earth would''ve been mistaken? Haley was certainly pregnant, and Lucas was definitely the father. And he still insisted that it was a mistake? Was it just her imagination or was she really wrong? ¡®No, that''s impossible" A could tell from Haley''s eyes just how much she loved Lucas. That woman probably loved him so much that she was willing to do anything for him, including giving birth to their child, even if they didn''t end up together. "Lucas, you''ve been with her for a long time, haven''t you?" A withdrew her hand and ced it on herp. She might''ve slept with Lucas for once after she was drunk, but that didn''t necessarily mean they''d be together forever, but Haley''s case was different. For a moment, he was reluctant to speak. ''Maybe I have known her for a long time?¡¯ Lucas nodded. "I''ve known her for more than ten years." He and Haley grew up together. Back when he was under Tatum''s wing, he had an inhuman life. At that time, he barely had anything to eat, he didn''t have enough clothes to wear, and he couldn''t have enough sleep. The only person that stuck by him through it all was Haley. Lucas had lost his parents and his family. From the heir of the Collins family, he turned into an orphan living under someone else''s roof. Every misfortune he endured was caused by Brian, so he wanted to take vengeance upon him.He wanted him to give back everything that belonged to him. "You never even mentioned Haley''s name to me once." A had never asked him about his past. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. From time to time, he would tell her about his childhood and youth, but he never mentioned anything about Haley. "That''s because I don''t want you to misunderstand me.I''ve always known that Haley liked me, but I never liked her back.I''ve always thought of her as my sister," Lucas exined in a hurry. He knew that A must''ve misunderstood him. Besides, it was obvious that Haley wanted to make her think that she had a rtionship with Lucas. On top of that, he knew that Haley had sent spies to keep an eye on him. But he couldn''t do anything to stop her. Tatum was the man who raised him, and Haley was his closest confidante. However, that didn''t mean she was the one he loved the most. Lucas had thought that he would live in hatred for the rest of his life. When he heard that Brian had gotten married, he sent people to investigate it. He paid special attention to what had happened in Molly and Toby''s wedding. A happened to be there, and theirter frequent interactions made Lucas fall in love with her. Because of her, he had a change of heart. He decided that after he had gotten his revenge, he would leave everything behind for A. But before he could seed with his ns for revenge, she almost lost her life because of Tatum. It was also because of this very reason that Lucas decided to cast aside his hatred and take her far away from everyone that could hurt her. A stared at him intently. "Have you ever considered that you lied to me, not because you were afraid that I would misunderstand you, but because you couldn''t understand yourself?" She told Lucas the naked truth. How much love was there actually between them? During the first year in Italy, she had a miserable life, fighting against the drug addiction, and then when she recovered, all of her attention was focused on designing. Their bond wasn''t that strong. And they got engaged just because they had slept with each other after she got so drunk that night. Was it fair for her to make him take responsibility for her own blunder? She wasn''t that kind of person. And so, ending it now would be the better course of action. "No! I don''t love her! I just think of her as my sister," Lucas blurted out. A took out the ring from her bag, putting it on the tea table. "Do you remember what I said when we bought this ring together? If one day, you find a more suitable lover, you can tell me, and I would set you free." "L, I''m telling you, it''s impossible for me to fall in love with Haley!" Lucas knew that she wanted to get out of their rtionship, but he hadn''t given up yet.Why would she do that? Did she really not love him? Or had she decided to get back together with Brian? "Miss Green is pregnant," A remarked. It was a fact, and they all knew that. "But I won''t take responsibility for it.She was the one who set me up that night.And then I mistook her as you, so I had sex with her.I never imagined she''d get pregnant." It was something that was beyond Lucas¡¯ wildest imagination. A let out a sigh. "Even if it was just a mistake or an ident, she''s still pregnant with your child.Will you really just let her do this alone? Do you know how much a woman needs someone by her side when she''s pregnant?" She had gone through the same kind of loneliness. Back then, in order to protect her child, she chose to run away, but in the end, more people got involved and ended up getting hurt. And at the end of all that misery, she lost her child.She lost it. Tears streamed down A''s cheeks. Lucas didn''t think it all through.He never saw it from Haley''s point of view. All he wanted was to make A happy, and she was the only one he wanted to marry. But when she said those words as tears fell from her eyes, Lucas felt less of a man. It was terrible of him to consider not taking responsibility. ¡®ls a mistake supposed to make me suffer for a lifetime? I don''t want that to happen!¡¯ "But I don''t love her.You''re the only one I love." Lucas pulled A into his arms, holding her so tight that it almost looked like he wanted to shackle her to his body.He truly hoped that they could never be separated again. Sadly, it was a misguided hope. A picked up the ring, cing it onto his palm. "Don¡¯t hurt Miss Green anymore." With that, she stood up.Now that she had made herself clear, it was time for her to leave. Lucas embraced her again. "Please give me some time.I''ll solve this problem." "You''re going to solve it, you say? What are you nning to do? Are you going to ask her to get an abortion? Are you really willing to let an innocent life suffer because of your mistake? Don''t be heartless! Besides, I don''t deserve your love anymore because I''ve decided to be with Brian." In the end, she was left with no other choice but to mention Brian as an excuse. She thought that it was the right thing to do. Chapter 162: Forget The Pain After Getting Drunk Chapter 162: Forget The Pain After Getting Drunk "No! You''re lying! You told me that you hate him! How could you go back to him? I don''t believe it! I refuse to believe it!" Lucas shouted at A.She said that she was going back to Brian''s side, and that from now on, she would be with him. ¡®It''s a lie! They''re nothing but all lies!¡± Lucas refused to believe any of her words. For such a long time, he had believed that the bond he made with A over the past two years was enough to make her move on from her few months of marriage with Brian. Besides, in those short-lived months, she was miserable. "I''m not lying to you.I still love him.I can''t bring myself to forget about him, so I''ve decided that I want to start over with him," she said sternly. ¡®Perhaps this is enough to make him believe me! ¡°she thought. Lucas held A''s hand, refusing to let her go.He pressed his lips against hers.He wanted her, all of her.He had thought that he could keep her by his side by making her believe that they had sex that night in Italy. But the moment Brian reappeared in her life, she turned her back on Lucas. The kiss felt painful to A. It wasn''t a kiss born out of love, but of hatred.He hated her for wanting to leave him and for not reciprocating his love. Then so be it! If hatred could eventually make him happy, it was a sacrifice she was willing to make.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Lucas leaned closer to A''s ear, and whispered, "L, you''re mine.You can only be mine!" If he would let her go after he enjoyed her body onest time, A decided that she would just let him do it. However, before he could proceed, the doorbell rang. "Lucas, that might be Miss Green." A pushed Lucas away.She didn''t want to cause an even greater rift between him and Haley. Remorsefully, Lucas ruffled his messy hair as he went to open the door. However, the person at the door wasn''t Haley, it was Brian! "What are you doing here?" Lucas blocked the entryway of the door, preventing him from entering.His tone was unfriendly, because there was no need to be affable towards him. They were rivals in love after all. "I''m here for L." Brian seemed to know A very well. The moment Haley told her that she was Lucas¡¯ fiance and hinted that she was pregnant, A had probably decided to leave Lucas. "She''s not here.You''vee to the wrong ce." Still, Lucas wouldn''t allow Brian toe in.His arrival would only ruin everything. Upon hearing Brian''s voice, A decided to use him to her advantage this time.She went to the door, and said. "Don''t stop him.I asked him tae pick me up." It was obviously a lie. But the anger and resentment that had been built up in Lucas¡¯ heart made him unable to see through her lie. Before he took A to this apartment, he didn''t even tell her where they were going. Besides, ever since they got here, he never saw her contact Brian once. "L, are you done talking to him? If you''re finished here,e home with me." Brian noticed that A¡¯s lips were swollen, making him furious. ¡®¡®Wasn''t she here to break up with him? Or did she actuallye here to reconcile with him instead?¡¯¡¯ A nodded. "Well, Lucas, as you can see, I was telling you the truth." If she was actually telling that truth, then Lucas should stop seeing her. A¡¯s presence would only bring unhappiness to him and Haley. And perhaps, A had no future in the first ce. Lucas wanted to stop her, but Brian had already escorted her to the elevator. And as the doors of the elevator close, Lucas cried out in anger. A didn''t utter a word until the car was far away from the apartment. "I want to drink," she said. Brian nced at her.He had been wondering why she appeared so calm. But it seemed that she was not that calm after all.He had no objections to her request, so he drove her to a bar. By nine in the evening, there were not many people in the bar. But under the sound of heavy metal music and the glistening lights, A drank one ss after another. The strong liquor stimted both her stomach and her heart. Everything was over. After she got drunk, she could just forget everything that ever happened! Brian stayed by A¡¯s side and didn''t stop her from drinking. If she wanted to get hammered, then he would let her do whatever the hell her heart desired. Whether she still had feelings for Lucas or not, she had decided to give up on him. And now, the only thing she could do was toe back to Brian obediently.A poured a ss of wine for Brian. "Brian,e on! Drink with me." "You''ve already drunk so much." Brian had thought that she was a light drinker, but she was actually capable of drinking therge bottle of wine herself. "I know.I just want to get drunk right now.Did you know? People say that you''ll forget all the pain you''re feeling after getting drunk.That''s why I want to get drunk.You won''t be so mean as to not buy me a drink, would you?" A struggled to keep her eyes open, and saw the man before her clearly. "If I don''t pay for it, and leave you here, the boss of the bar will be more than happy." Nobody would refuse such a beautiful woman. "You men are all terrible people!" said A. As she iled her body around, she identally knocked ever the wine ss and spilled it all over Brian. But she didn''t seem to realize what she had done. Her body was so close to him. "All men are trash." Brian took the ss from her hand. "Okay, I get it.You''re in a foul mood today, so I''ll let you say whatever the hell you want.I don''t me you." ¡®Doesn''t she know that she might make mistakes if she''s this hammered? She is only inviting trouble to herself" Brian never thought of himself as a gentleman, nor did he think of himself as a man of decency. This woman indeedcked a sense of awareness to danger. Perhaps it was because he was the one with her right now, so she wasn''t that worried that something might happen to her. A leaned into his arms. "Mr.rk,e on.Why are you letting me drink by myself?" Sometimes, bing inebriated was another form of relief and escapism from reality. There were so many things going on in her head that she probably couldn''t let go. Was this foolish woman trying to drown her sorrows in alcohol? Brian looked at A and sighed. He always cared about her more than anything else. And now that they were back in each other''s lives, they were bound to cherish one another, wouldn''t they? "L, that''s enough.I''m taking you home, so stop drinking." Brian pulled her up from her seat. If she kept this up, there would be no end to this farce. "No! I want to keep drinking.I want to get so drunk that I''ll forget everything that brings me pain! I feel so miserable in here!" A pointed at her heart. Did it hurt that much? Perhaps it did. But maybe, she just felt lost right now. ¡®Maybe I won''t feel any more pain if I get hammered" Chapter 163: Brians Manipulation Chapter 163: Brian''s Maniption Upon seeing that A was about to reach for the ss again, Brian thought that she was nning to drink herself to death.It was already generous of him to allow her to drink this much, and yet she still wanted to keep drinking. Although, how could he expect a drunk woman to be aware of her actions? Before A could firmly grasp the ss, Brian snatched it away from her hand and drank it himself. "My wine..." A was drunk. The looming fear she always had whenever Brian was around, had been cast aside by her mind. Despite the strange nces they were getting, he picked her up and brought her outside the bar. A gust of cold wind blew past them, causing A to shiver involuntarily.She snuggled up to him, and called out Lucas¡¯ name subconsciously. "A!" Brian had been trying to make up for all the suffering he had put her through, and he had been gentle to her all this time. But despite all of his efforts, she still couldn''t move on from Lucas.He then opened the car door and threw her into the back seat, causing her head to idently hit the door. "Ouch!" As she rubbed her aching forehead, sobriety gradually came to her. "Why are you being so crass against me?" A rolled her eyes at Brian. "You did that on purpose, didn''t you?" "A! Don''t push your luck just because I''ve been treating you welltely!" He sped her neck tightly with his hand. Had heckedpassion for her, he would''ve strangled her without uttering a single word. However, Brian couldn''t bring himself to hurt A.He knew that she had used him as an excuse to escape Lucas this afternoon, but Brian was willing to do it for her.He had gone the extra mile by letting her know about Lucas and Haley''s rtionship. Brian even returned A''s ring to her as apromise because he knew that if he kept forcing her to do his bidding, it would only push her further away from him. And so, the only viable course of action was to back away for now. Just as he had expected, his n seeded. Aye confronted Lucas, and returned the ring to him. They finally ended their rtionship, which had never been clear in the first ce. On top of that, Brian appeared at the perfect time to ask A to leave Lucas. However, despite everything that had happened, she still couldn''t forget about that man. She even called out Lucas¡¯ name when she was drunk. No matter how generous Brian could be, he couldn''t tolerate it when the woman of his dreams cared about another man. A felt that it was getting harder and harder to breathe, and she was about to lose consciousness. Women were always unpredictable, but Brian was much more capricious than them. He was so kind to A this morning, but now, he was ready to squeeze the life out of her neck. Being with him was like apanying a tiger. For a moment, Brian couldn''t mollify his anger. But a few momentster, he decided to loosen his grip on her neck and m the car door on her side.Then, he went to the driver''s seat and finally drove the car. As of this moment, A was still inebriated.She turned her gaze towards the passing scenery. Right now, her heart was filled with sadness.She had told Lucas that they could never be lovers, and that they could only be friends. Those cold, unfeeling eyes on Brian''s face showed that he was furious when he saw the absent- minded woman. He stepped on the gas, speeding along the street. Brian was doing it on purpose. ¡®She''s bold, isn''t she?¡¯ he thought. He wanted to let A know that whenever she was by his side, she should carefully think about her actions. She gripped the door''s safety handle tightly. Earlier, she had had too much to drink, and now she had an upset stomach. If Brian kept driving at this speed, no matter how much she endured or how badly she wanted to avoid sullying his car, she would still throw up. With his foot on the brake, the car was halted in front of the apartment building. The car slid across the street before it steadily came to a stop. Unfortunately, the ten million dors¡¯ worth car was now damaged. A opened the door, struggling to get out. As soon as she got out, she immediately started vomiting. Brian stood next to her, handing her a box of tissues. "Are you going to drink this much again?" He wanted her to know that there was no benefit in infuriating him. N?velDrama.Org owns this. It took A a long time before she could recover from it. While she was squatting on the pavement, she red at Brian. "It''s none of your business!" He was driving so fast that nobody could bear it, not to mention that she was drunk. And to make it worse, he deliberately did that to make her suffer. ¡®Is this what he wanted to happen?¡¯ she said in her mind. Brian helped A up. "Do you think you can take advantage of me just like that? You''d better forget about that man!" ¡®Is he jealous or something? I don''t even think it''s necessary for him to get jealous.Brian can have any woman he wants.Why should he get jealous because of a woman he had once abandoned?¡¯ A thought. Besides, she had been in a rtionship with Lucas. Even if she took it upon herself to end their rtionship, she still couldn''t forget him. Whether she could forget Lucas or not was her own business.It had absolutely nothing to do with Brian. "What? Are you not convinced? Do you need me to tell Lucas that you still love him and that you just broke up with him for his sake and Miss Green''s?" Brian carried A to the elevator, as if he was carrying a child.His words silenced her. Indeed, she used him to her advantage today, but it was he who came of his own volition. Brian took A into the apartment and dragged her to the bathroom. "Make sure to wash yourself before you go out!" She was aware that she was aplete mess right now, and she could smell that she was reeking of alcohol.She couldn''t stand it, not to mention that fastidious man, Brian. Perhaps, she was the only person that Brian could be this tolerant of. In her eyes, he was always trying to control her and everything around her. That was why she had always thought that he didn¡¯t treat her well. However, she had only seen him be merciless towards other people. Soon, she finished washing herself. As soon as she stepped out of the bathroom, she was enclosed in such strong arms. "You..." "Do you think I''ll let you off the hook?" Since she had used him earlier, she must pay the price until he had satisfied his lust. "I''ve never thought about it that way." Certainly, A knew that. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been so kind- hearted to help her escape Lucas. When she said that she wanted to drink, he immediately brought her to a bar. And she did have a few drinks, but wasted the rest. The wine was definitely expensive, but Brian was never short on cash anyway! Due to her foul mood, she wanted to get hammered. Sadly, she paid a high price for it. Brian picked A up, went into the bedroom, threw her onto the bed, and got on top of her. She stared into his eyes, and said, "Mr.rk, you nned all of this, didn''t you? When you returned my ring, you knew that even if I went to see Lucas, I wouldn''t havee back to him, right?" Everything that happened earlier was not a coincidence. Brian had manipted all of it. And now that he had weaved a web to trap her, she had no other choice but to obey his desires. Chapter 164: He Cared About This Fashion Show As Much As She Did Chapter 164: He Cared About This Fashion Show As Much As She Did Ever since that night, A didn''t bring up everything that happened anymore, and Brian never bothered her whenever they were in thepany. Besides, if she didn''t contact him on her own, they would hardly ever see each other. She was happy with this kind of setup. At the moment, Brian was sitting in his office. It had been over two days since he got the drug from Jaime, and a medical test report came along with it. From the report, he learned just how powerful the drug was. The reason A had a high fever from time to time was because of this drug''s side effects. While he was deep in thought, he heard a knock on the door. He stashed the drug into the drawer of his desk, and said, "Come in." It was Anna. She had brought a document. "Brian." "Take a seat." Brian took the document from her and carefully read it. "Tomorrow is the first day of the fashion season.Make sure that nothing goes wrong." Sitting across him, Anna asked, "Brian, are you worried about A?" "Why would you think that? If something happened on the very first day of the fashion season, our company will suffer the consequences," Brian remarked. In the past two days, even if he didn¡¯t do or say anything, Anna could tell what was going on in his mind. She poured a cup of tea and ced it in front of him. "Brian, with me around, everything will go smoothly." Anna knew that theing event was vital to the rk Group''s future. Therefore, for the sake of thepany, she must not let anything go wrong during the event. ncing back at her, Brian said, "Alright.You can go back to work now." He had already left this matter into Anna''s hands, so he didn''t n on interfering. Not long after, she left his office. But instead of going back to her own office, she decided to drop by the Design Department. Anna approached A, and said, "You and Linda have to go to the venue of the event in advance tomorrow.Would that be fine with you?" If she was being honest, Linda was unwilling to go because the event had nothing to do with her. Moreover, she didn''t want to see A''s triumphant look there. Linda walked up to Anna. "Miss Anna, going there in advance isn''t a problem for me, but I can''t say the same for A." Based on her tone, she was obviously envious. She absolutely loathed A, but she had to go there tomorrow, and it was unavoidable to see her smug face once the event had taken off. Linda knew that Brian was doing everything in his power to help A. And ording to his n, she would be a popr designer from tomorrow on. A stared at Linda.It seemed that they were fated to be enemies. This woman had never liked her. She did this while they were still in Italy, and she was doing it again now that they were in Antawood. Anna turned to Linda. "Miss Linda, what are you implying?" "Nothing." Linda decided to go back to her seat. The following day, A arrived at the department store Prario early in the morning. But not long after, Brian also appeared. They shared a bed, so sneaking out without him noticing her was impossible. However, he didn''t let her notice him. In reality, he also cared about this fashion season event, just as much as she did. It was already nine o''clock, and the ce was full of people. So many people attended because it was a big event hosted by the rk Group. Even though the venue was small, all of the attendees had a good background. The dressing room was bustling. All the stylists were busy doing hair and makeup for the ten models, and even Linda was there to help them. A came out of the dressing room. She had checked the outfits yesterday, making sure that there were twenty in total. But now, she found that one of them was missing. ¡®What on earth happened?¡± A quickly went to the underground warehouse, and Linda followed suit. She kept searching around the warehouse.She was certain that she had put everything in ce yesterday, but one of them went missing out of the blue. How could she not get agitated? Meanwhile, Brian was busy keeping the guests entertained. Many of them attended the event for him and the rk Group. Naturally, they were also curious about the group''s mysterious new designer. N?velDrama.Org owns this. The rk Group was a novice in the fashion industry, but it quickly rose through the ranks due to its partnership with one of the biggest brands in Italy, Starlight Fashion Hub. "Mr.rk, I''ve heard that your new designer is talented.We''ve seen the leaflet, and we think her works are incredible!" A middle-aged man approached Brian. He was the editor-in-chief of a fashion magazine, and he also happened to be the boss. Obviously, he wanted to partner up with the rk Group. If their magazine could publish an issue about the rk Group''s fashion trend, their revenue would certainly grow exponentially! "Really? You have good taste.Perhaps you can provide us with a bit of adviceter," Brian remarked with a smile. While the two of them were chatting, Anna came over. "Brian, it''s about time to start." He shifted his gaze towards her and nodded. He noticed that Hayden, Miley, Toby, and Molly had attended the event. Actually, he wasn''t surprised to see them here. If Hayden was here, his wife would definitelye with him. After all, during such an asion, many enchanting women were present. As for Toby, Brian knew that he came for A. And since he wasing, Molly would definitely be there to keep an eye on him. Brian decided to approach Hayden and Toby. "Mr.Smith, Mr.Brown, I''m honored that you graced this event with your presence!" Hayden shook hands with him. "How could I decline your gracious invitation?" Before long, the group of people seated themselves in the front seats. Brian gave Anna a look, indicating that she could begin the show. As soon as she entered the dressing room, she couldn''t find A anywhere. "Ellie, where''s Miss Woodsen?" she asked. ¡®What on earth is she doing at a time like this?¡¯ "I have no idea.I just saw her moments ago.Maybe she went to the bathroom?" Ellie was also busy, so she didn''t notice where A might''ve gone. "Never mind.Let''s just begin." Anna didn''t want to keep the guests waiting. During this time, Linda came over, and said, "Doesn''t A know how important this event is? Where could she have gone on such an important day? How could she disappear right when the event is about to begin?" Anna nced at Linda, and asked, "You didn''t see her either?" "I was busy.I can''t keep an eye on her all the time.Today is a big day for her.Maybe she''s somewhere putting on makeup?" After saying that, Linda walked away. Anna didn''t think too much about it anymore. Maybe when it was time for her to show up, she would naturally appear. Brian went into the lounge, followed by Hank. "Mr.rk." "Tell Anna toe here." As he sat in the lounge, lighting up a cigarette, he felt that something was amiss. A should be with him right now instead of managing things backstage. Even if he was avoiding him, now was not the right time. She wasn''t the kind of person who would act unprofessional in the workce. Chapter 165: Who Did This To Her Chapter 165: Who Did This To Her Anna hurried to the lounge and saw Brian there. "Brian!" "What''s going on?" His intuition told him that something had happened to A. Anna went to the sofa and sat down. "Brian, A¡¯s missing.I can''t find her anywhere.On top of that, there are only neen dresses in the dressing room.One of them is missing." "How on earth did that happen? A came here to do an inventory check to make sure that everything was alright, didn''t she? One dress went missing, and A is nowhere to be found.Have you searched for her already?" Uneasiness spread throughout Brian''s heart. "I''ve already searched every nook and cranny of the venue, but I didn''t see A anywhere." Even Anna was getting anxious now.If one of the dresses went missing, the fashion show wouldn''t be able to proceed smoothly. Those twenty dresses that A designed weren''t the only ones to be disyed today; other brands from this shopping mall will be shown as well. If A didn''t show up, the media reporters would stir up rumors about this. This ordeal would definitely stain her image. "I''m going to look for A.You deal with the other affairs," Brian said to Anna as he put out his cigarette. "Brian, I..." She knew that he was worried about A, be since there were so many quests at the venue, it would be so much worse if he wasn''t there with them, wouldn''t it? "I know what I''m doing." Brian knew how worried Anna was about him, but he was also worried about A''s safety. If he had known this would happen, he wouldn''t have asked A to help with backstage affairs.He would''ve told her to stay by his side the entire time. Brian walked along the corridor, step by step. His eagle- like eyes gazed at every corner, hoping to find A. While walking, he kept calling her number. But no matter how many times he called her, nobody was picking up. He walked towards the exit and made his way into the underground warehouse. A faint sound reached his ears, so he pressed on to look for its source. At this time, A was currently locked in the warehouse. The door was locked from outside.She had been knocked unconscious with a hard object, and her phone fell to the other side where she couldn''t reach it. A only woke up because her phone kept ringing. Brian stood at the door of the warehouse and heard the phone buzzing. "L? L!" He knocked on the door, continuously calling out A''s name, but he didn''t hear a response.Then, he noticed the small lock on the door. This door was originally intact, and there was no need to install a lock from outside. Clearly, someone had done this on purpose. Brian couldn''t waste any more time. Whether A was in the warehouse or not, at least he was sure that her phone was there. With his strong legs, he kicked the door repeatedly. Sadly, his efforts were in vain. The door was firmly locked. The sound of his kicks attracted the security guard of the warehouse. "Mr.rk? Is that you? How can I help you?" "Call someone to help me break this door down! Now!" If A was truly inside, he would worry about what might''ve happened to her. "Yes, Mr.rk."N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. The security guard immediately ran to follow hismand. After a while, the guard returned with a bunch of keys and a hammer. Using the hammer, he broke off the small lock and finally opened the door. This warehouse used to be tidy, but it was now in shambles. There were clothes and hangers scattered all over the floor. However, Brian still didn''t see A. All he found was her phone, lying on top of a pile of clothes. Atst, he found her in a corner amongst a different pile of clothes. There was blood dripping down her forehead.She must''ve gotten hit by something heavy, and lost consciousness. "L, L!" Brian picked her up and took her out of the warehouse. "Get the car and drive it to the gate." "Yes, Mr,-rk." One of the guards took the car key from him and was about to run to the underground parking. Brian stopped him for a moment, and said, "For the time being, don''t tell anyone about this.We have to keep this a secret." He didn''t want to cause a big scandal due to A''s injury.He believed that one of thepany''s employees was the culprit. As for that person''s identity, he was ready to investigate. After putting A in the back seat of his car, he drove as fast as he could to the hospital.He brought her to the emergency room and sat on the bench outside the door. Her blood was all over his clothes, and his eyes wereden with worry. ¡®Who dared to hurt L during such an important day?¡¯ Brian took out his phone and dialed Hank''s number. "Hank, I''m in the hospital right now.L got injured.Keep an eye on what¡¯s going on at the venue.I think there won''t be any more problems as long as you work with Anna.As for me and L, make up an excuse and don''t let the media know that she''s injured." If those reporters found out about this, it would not only affect them, but also thepany. "Understood, Mr.rk.I''ll take care of it." After hanging up the phone, Hank went back to work. About half an hourter, A¡¯s wound had been treated, and she was sent out of the operating room. "Doctor, how is she?" "Mr.rk, Miss Woodsen only suffered minor injuries.The reason she was unconscious for a long time was because she was locked up for too long.The person who hurt her probably didn''t want to kill her." The doctor examined A''s wound and gleaned it was caused by a hard object, possibly an ashtray or something of the same material. Brian only felt relieved when he heard that she was fine.He thought that she was capable of handling everything, but he didn''t expect that someone was plotting against her.He had no clue how many people this stubborn woman had offended. Perhaps he was the reason this happened? He sat at her bedside, watching the live broadcast of the fashion show on TV. It was more sessful than he thought. By the time she woke up, the show was already over. "What am I doing here?" A touched the bandages on her head, wondering what had happened to her. ''Why does my head hurt so much? Brian stood by the bed, looking at her. "You''re finally awake.Do you not remember what happened?" He thought that she might have an idea who had done this to her. A shook her head. "I don''t remember anything." "Then what do you remember?" Brian looked into her eyes. "Do you remember when you got hit? What was thest thing you were doing before it happened?" Bit by bit, her memories came back to her. "I remember that I went backstage to check the dresses and realized that one of them was missing.I thought I must''ve left it at the warehouse, so I went ahead and looked for it.But after searching for a long time, I couldn''t find it.After that, my head started to hurt, and I can''t remember what happened next." A believed that someone must''ve hit her head with something hard, but she didn''t say it. Chapter 166: One Step Ahead Of Him Chapter 166: One Step Ahead Of Him Brian knew that A only said half the truth. Was she hiding something from him? Or maybe, she really didn''t know who it was, so she didn''t want to jump to any conclusions. "Is that all?" he asked in a cold voice. A nodded. "What else is there to say? What do you think happened?" She knew that Brian might not believe her, but she really had no clue who followed her into the warehouse and knocked her unconscious. Even if she had her suspicions, she still had no evidence to prove it. Brian could tell that A didn''t want to say anything else, so he decided not to probe further. Besides, she could do what she wanted. Even if he wanted to interfere, she probably wouldn''t let him. "Fine.Just get some rest!" When Brian was about to leave the ward, A stopped her. "Mr.rk, how''s the fashion show?" He stopped in his tracks, and said, "How are you still in the mood to care about the event?" Based on the tone of his voice, he was definitely unhappy about it, possibly angry. "I..." If A hadn''t gone to find the missing dress because she cared so much about the fashion show, this might not have happened. "Well, the fashion show is over.You don''t have to think about it anymore.Just focus on your recovery! Let''s talk about it when you''re feeling better." With that, Brian left A alone in the ward. She got up, turned her gaze towards the window and then nced at the time.It was already afternoon. The fashion show was over. She recalled everything that happened in the dressing room. The dress did go missing. Perhaps someone did it on purpose because she had already double-checked everything in the morning. But after she left the room for a while, one of the dresses went missing. This only proved her suspicion that someone had deliberately done this to assault her. A didn''t want to randomly draw out scenarios. There were a lot of people who could''ve entered the backstage dressing room. She couldn''t suspect everyone, could she? ¡®Maybe it''s Linda?¡¯ she wondered. ¡®But did she really have a motive to do it? She wouldn''t benefit anything from it if she screwed up the fashion show. Instead of going back to thepany, Brian went to the department store Prario. Anna and Hank were still waiting there, but the other staff had already left. "How''s it going? Have you checked what I asked you to?" As he stood at the door of the underground warehouse, Brian looked at the mess. Someone had deliberately messed things up. A wasn''t a fool. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Even if she was looking for the missing dress, there would be no need to remove all those clothes from their packing bags. "Mr.rk, we haven''t found anything.The surveince equipment had just gotten reced a few days ago and it hasn''t been properly installed, so it didn''t record anything," said Hank. In that case, it meant that nobody would be able to figure out the identity of the culprit. Brian walked inside the warehouse, picking up the clothes on the floor one by one. "I see.If you haven''t found anything, then you can go.Don''t let the public know about this." "Understood, Mr.rk." Hank nodded in response. Anna walked to Brian''s side, and said, "Brian, you have a suspect in mind, don''t you?" Although he wasn''t saying anything, he had some suspicions of his own.He nced at her. "You heard me, right? Just go back first.And don''t forget to ask someone to fix the surveince equipment here.I don''t want a simr incident to happen again." After saying that, Brian walked away. He went back to the hospital and found Ain a trance.He could tell that she was contemting. The fashion show went on as nned, albeit with some minor alterations to the program, but she wasn''t able to attend it. On top of it all, she never found the missing dress. It was only natural for her to have doubts. However, there were only a limited number of things that she was able to pay attention to. Before Brian could cut off her "wings" to stop her from flying away, someone did it before him. A heard a knock on the door. "Mr.rk," she greeted. "Are you here for me?" Raising his eyebrow, Brian thought that he wasn''t the one she was waiting for. "I want to leave the hospital." A had asked the doctor to discharge her already. She didn''t suffer any major injuries, so there was no need to stay here any longer. Besides, she had a mountain of work to finish. Staying here would only dy her work.Walking to the bedside and ncing at the bandages on her forehead, Brian asked, "Do you really want to go back to work with a gauze on your forehead?" "But I don''t want to stay here!" She disyed her stubbornness again. "I won''t allow you to go back to thepany like this.It will affect the others¡¯ productivity." Brian looked at her and thought, ''Can''t she just get some rest for a day?¡¯ A looked back at him. "Can I at least go back to the apartment?" Staying at the hospital wasn''t something she wanted. Being here would only make her feel weak. In the end, Brian agreed to her request.If he didn''t agree, A would probably leave by herself in secret. At least she was willing to ask for his permission this time. Not long after, he drove her back to the apartment. "Stay at home and rest.You should keep in mind the consequences of sneaking out," Brian warned. A actually wanted to go back to Prario''s warehouse to have a look. She didn''t want to do anything other than that, but Brian could see right through her ns. "Answer me! Why aren''t you saying anything?" Brian held her chin, trying to make her speak, but A didn''t seem to be listening.She probably wouldn''t listen if he wasn''t going to get angry. "I got it," she replied. She then shook off his hand from her chin.She had no choice but to reluctantly agree to his request. "Good.Don''t forget your promise!" Brian remarked. He wanted to stop her from doing what she might be nning. Her head was still injured. What on earth was she nning to do? After watching him leave, A breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against the sofa.She had heard what Brian said to the servant in the living room before he left. Going out today might be too difficult for her. Once he was done dealing with A, Brian went back to thepany. But instead of going to his office, he visited the Design Department. And as expected, this department was the busiest of all. Even Anna was there to help out. When he appeared, Linda quickly approached him. "Mr.rk, today''s event was incredibly important.It''s a pity that you missed it." "Is that so? Linda, you seem quite delighted.Don''t you think that something''s wrong since Miss Woodsen isn''t here today?" Brian went to the sofa and sat down.His sharp gaze swept across everyone in the department.His words silenced everyone. Nobody dared to utter a word. "Do you have any idea where she might be?" Brian said to Linda. A faint smile appeared on her lips. "Mr.rk, why are you looking at me like that? I was busy backstage.I didn''t see Miss Woodsen at all." Brian waved his hand in dismissal. "I see.Anyway, that''s all I wanted to ask.You can carry on with your work now.Anna,e to my office." Chapter 167: Tell The Truth Chapter 167: Tell The Truth Brian and Anna left the Design Department together, and when they left, the department returned to its lively state. "Linda, you''re no match for A and Anna.Mr.rk obviously came to see A, and the one he took with him is Miss Anna." The person speaking was obviously shaming Linda, and it definitely didn''t make her happy.She scoffed and returned to her desk. ''Who does A think she is? There''s no way I''ll ever lose to her!¡¯ Upon their arrival at Brian''s office, Brian and Anna sat facing each other. "Brian, is A okay?" "So you already know?" He figured that it was highly likely that she had asked Hank about it.Since Jaime wasn''t here, Brian''s go-to guy in handling things was Hank. "I asked Hank." Anna stared directly into Brian''s eyes, and said, "Don''t get mad at Hank.It''s my fault that things went down like this." She had been in the entertainment club for so many years. And through that experience, she had seen many things that made her think this wasn''t an ident. Turning his gaze towards the window indifferently, Brian said, "I see.You can go back to work now.Tomorrow, you''ll get even busier.I don''t want something like this to happen again next week." Anna wasn''t the only one he was addressing, he was also speaking to himself. Fortunately, A didn''t get injured seriously this time.But next time she might not be so lucky. ¡®No! It definitely won''t happen again! ¡° As she sat alone in the apartment, A started to feel bored. The second she left her room, the servant called out to her, "Miss Woodsen, would you like something to eat or drink? I''ll fetch it for you." A sat on the sofa. "No, it''s fine.I just wanted to go out for a walk." "But, Miss Woodsen, you''re still injured.You should probably stay in bed to recuperate," the servant said as she approached her. It took A a while before she decided to go back to her bedroom without saying a word. Not long after she returned, her phone started buzzing. Brian must''ve been the one who ced her phone on the tea table. Upon seeing the caller ID, she knew that she never saved this unfamiliar number. After hesitating for a moment, she decided to answer it. "Hello?" "L, it''s me," said Toby. It turned out he was the one calling her.He was probably worried about her. "Toby? How did you find out my new number?" It had been quite a while since A changed her number. Brian was actually the one who reced it for her, and she honestly didn''t care that much.He could do whatever he wanted to do, couldn''t he? "You don''t have to know how I got your number.That''s not important.Anyway, are you okay? You''re supposed to show up on the first day of the fashion season, but you didn''t.What happened?" Toby was looking forward to seeing A during the event, so he attended, but unfortunately, he never saw her there. Moreover, Brian suddenly left with a grim expression on his face. And because of that, Toby thought that something terrible must''ve happened to A. Upon hearing his voice, A wondered if he found out what had happened to her. The fact that she didn''t show up at the event must''ve caused a lot of trouble. That was probably why Brian didn''t allow her to go out. "I''m fine, Toby.I just went home early because I was not feeling well," A said tly. She didn''t want Toby to find out about her injury. And now that she treated him like a brother, she didn''t want him to worry too much. No matter who the culprit was, A wanted to figure it out herself. Toby wasn''t convinced by her words. However, judging by the sound of her voice, she might be okay. "Good.It''s a good thing you''re fine." N?velDrama.Org owns this. He was currently sitting in his office, and heaving a sigh of relief. It was great that nothing bad happened to her. They hadn''t seen each other for a while, and he thought that he could at least see her from a distance. Sadly, he didn''t get to see her at all, so he was worried about her. "Toby, if you''re free some other day, you can bring your wife along with you and have dinner with me¡ª but only if it''s convenient." A didn''t want to cut off her ties with Toby.She regarded him like her own brother and family, so she considered Molly as her sister-inw. He hesitated to give an answer for a moment. Although he wasn''t sure what to tell A right now, he feltpelled to tell her the truth. "Molly is pregnant.She''s been staying at hometely and reserving her strength.She may not have time to go out," he said indifferently. The joy of Molly''s pregnancy had faded. It turned out that he still couldn''t move on from A. "Really? That''s great news! You should spend more time with her." A was sincere when she said those words, and she had finally cast her feelings for Toby aside. When she fell in love with Brian, she realized that her love for Toby wasn''t that of romance; it was more of family affection. Just when he was about to respond, Molly opened the door to his office. "Molly, aren''t you supposed to be resting at home?" Molly nced at the phone in Toby''s hand and saw how startled he was.She realized that she shouldn''t havee here.She also figured why he went to Prario today. He probably just wanted to see A. And since he didn''t get to see her, he wasn''t satisfied. He didn''t even have themon decency to drive Molly home, so he told the driver to take her home instead. But what did he do? Toby couldn''t wait to call A as soon as he returned to his office. Molly was pregnant with his child, but all he could think of was that bitch, A. Meanwhile, A heard Toby call out Molly''s name from the other end of the line, so she decided to drop the call without saying anything. "Honey, who are you talking to? Did I disturb your conversation?" Molly rubbed her stil-t belly and looked at Toby. He put away his phone, and said, "No, actually, I''m already finished with the phone call." He didn''t want her to think too much. Molly was still in the early stages of her pregnancy, and the fetus wasn''t in a stable condition. The doctor advised her that she should reserve her strength and stay in bed. Molly didn''t ask further. If Toby really was keeping in touch with A, what on earth should she do to stop it? Was she going to divorce him while she was pregnant? ¡®No way! I''m not going to do that!¡¯ Momentster, after A''s phone call with Toby, Brian came home. Upon seeing that she was holding a phone, he showed no interest in who she might''ve talked to.It didn''t matter. As long as she obediently stayed home, he had no objections. "You''re back." When she saw Brian in the room, A approached him. "Aren''t you the least bit happy that I''m home?" He looked at her and gently touched the bandage on her head. "Does it still hurt?" A shook her head. "Not anymore." Upon hearing that she was okay now, Brian carefully examined her expression. Whether she had been seriously injured or not, she probably wouldn''t make anypromises, nor would she cry out in pain. Perhaps she had suffered so much pain that such meager pain no longer made her bellow? "L, tell me the truth, what kind of pain can you honestly say would actually hurt you?" Brian kept staring at A as if he would melt her. When would she tell him the truth? Didn''t she have any ns of telling him what she had gone through during those two years? Chapter 168: I Havent Fully Recovered Chapter 168: I Haven''t Fully Recovered The truth? Was there even one between them? And was it necessary to speak of it? Brian wanted to understand A¡¯s pain, but did she still feel pain like an average person? The pain she had suffered during that one year was more than she had in her whole life. For so many times, she had been suffering so terrible that she thought she might die. But in the end, she suffered through one great pain after another. "L, tm the only one who''ll stand by your side no matter what, understand? I''m the only person you can say whatever you want to," Brian said to her. A looked up at the man before her. ''Would he be willing to be my only one?¡¯ The person who could''ve been the one for her didn''t end up apanying her for a lifetime. She was truly scared of her fate. A neither agreed nor refused.She just didn''t know how to react right now. During their conversation, the servant knocked on the door and said, "Mr.rk, the chicken soup is ready." "Go and have some chicken soup." Brian nced at A.She had neverpromised on anything. On the other hand, because he excelled in the field of business, never had he made concessions for anyone he had ever met. But when he met A, he allowed her to do whatever she desired. A sat at the table, staring at the delicious soup.She then took a sip, and felt disheartened. Brian looked at A from across the table and he wondered if he could get this woman back or not. Even if he forced her to stay by his side, she would never offer him her heart. They lived under the same roof and slept on the same bed, and yet they treated each other so awkwardly. That night, A was sleeping with her back turned against Brian. On the other hand, he leaned against the headboard, reading a financial magazine leisurely. A hadn''t said a word to Brian for the whole night. After ncing at her, he went into the study and looked for the drug in the drawer. It seemed as if there was nothing he could do for her other than to avenge her. A got up, pacing back and forth in the room. Feeling dizzy, she touched the back of her head and cried out in pain. ''l won''t be able to go to work tomorrow, will I?¡¯ Going to work might be difficult because of how much pain she felt.Then, A left the bedroom.She noticed that the light in the study was still on. ¡®Is he angry at me? He''s not such a stingy man, is he?¡¯ She was well aware that Brian did all of this for her, so she went to the study to express her gratitude. Upon seeing her, he asked, "What''s up?" It was alreadyte.Why hadn''t she gone to bed? Did shee here to say good night? "Actually, it''s nothing important." Noticing that Brian quickly closed his drawer, A figured that she might''ve interrupted something. ¡®I think it would be better if I don''t say anything" "Well, since you''re already here,e in!" Nobody was allowed to enter Brian''s study, and even A hardly ever went here. As she stood at the door, she was surprised for a moment before she managed to walk in. "What''s the matter? Did you wake up because you missed having me by your side?" How shameless he was! Before she could move back, Brian embraced A. "Mr.rk, I''m just here to say thank you." She was held so tightly that she could hardly breathe. "Thank me? I don''t wanna hear that.I prefer something more practical." Brian shed a devilish grin. A didn''t even think of struggling.If she did that, it would only worsen her migraine. "Mr.rk, need I remind you that I still haven''t fully recovered?" "Since you''re aware of that, perhaps you should go back to bed and get some rest? It''s gettingte." When Brian told her that, her heart softened. "How can I go to bed if you won''t let go of me?" said A. Judging by his words, she could tell that he wanted the opposite of what he said. Secondster, Brian carried A out of the study and into the bedroom. After resting for three days, she went to the hospital for a follow-up examination. Once she confirmed that there was no more problems with her body, she went back to thepany. Her presence surprised everyone in the Design Department. Ellie went to her desk, and asked, "Miss Woodsen, are you feeling better now?" A nodded with a smile. "I am, thanks for asking." Meanwhile, Linda also smiled upon seeing her. "A, don''t think that you cane to thepany only when you want to, just because you have a connection to Mr.rk." ncing back at her, A said, "Miss Linda, don''t you think you care so much about what I do with my life? I didn''te here to work, and I''ve asked for a sick leave.I don''t think I need your permission for that.After all, you''re neither the manager of this department, nor the design director anymore." Her words served to enrage Linda, but she knew that she couldn''t do anything about it. What A said was correct. Linda didn''t hold either of those positions of power. The reason Brian kept this position vacant was because he didn''t want to create a conflict regarding who would be in charge of the Design Department, considering that it had only been created a few months ago. Technically, Anna was in charge of this whole department.It made things a lot easier to deal with. Moreover, through this fashion season, the most talented designer would be chosen as the design director. Brian and Anna stood at the door, listening to the office conversation. Hearing A¡¯s words did not anger him at all.It only made him smirk. He loved the way that she refused to admit defeat in the face of adversity. Anna noticed the smile on his face. She thought that Brian was indulging A too much. "Brian, you''re so taken with A.Do you think she''ll even care about your feelings for her? Are you sure she loves you?" Anna said, feeling a bit angry. "It''s none of your business." No matter what A did, as long as she stayed by his side, Brian cared about nothing else. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Momentster, he and Anna entered the office. When A saw the two of them, she thought that they might''ve heard the conversation she had just now.But she didn''t say anything.She just nced at them and went back to her desk. Brian cast A a nce. Yesterday, she received permission to work from the doctor. This morning, she left the apartment without even saying anything to him, and went to thepany. Perhaps she was afraid that he wouldn''t allow her to go back to work right away, so she quickly went to thepany before he could wake up. "Why are you so eager to go back to work?" Brian asked, leaning against the desk with his hands. A looked up at him, and said, "The doctor said I can go back to work." "I know.I''m not deaf." Brian was starting to feel pissed off with her nonpliant attitude. "Then why bother asking?" A picked up a brush, and said, "Anyway, Mr.rk, I suggest you go back to your own work.There''s no need to concern yourself with me." "Never said I was concerned about you," Brian answered with a cold nce. He was just trying to show some concern, but she tantly rejected him. In that case, there was no more need for him to care about her. Suddenly, A stood up. "I hope so." She picked up her handbag and started walking away. Chapter 169: A Kiss In Return Chapter 169: A Kiss In Return "Where are you going?" Before A could walk away, Brian grabbed her arm.She didn''t try to struggle at all. "Mr.rk, pulling my arm like this when we''re in the office is inappropriate. I suggest you let me go.Don''t forget what you promised mest time." A had gotten adept at threatening Brian. But he didn''t mind.He would let her do what she wanted to do for now. During daytime, he submitted to her rules, but at night, it was the other way around. As he let go of her hand, he said, "Do you need me to drive for you?" "That''s not necessary." With that, A walked out of the office without even ncing back at him. Brian knew her well. Even if she didn''t say a word, it didn''t necessarily mean that she wasn''t going to do anything about what happened in the warehouse. Once A had gotten out, she hailed a cab to Prario and went straight to the underground warehouse. When she told the guard her name, he opened the door for her. If it weren''t for the fact that Brian had informed the guard ahead of time, maybe she wouldn''t have been able to get in. As she stood at the door of the warehouse, she saw the messy pile of clothes on the floor. ''Was there a thief here?¡¯ "What the hell happened here?" she asked the security guard. "Miss Woodsen, this happened on the day you had an ident.Mr.rk told us not to move anything, and I wait for you to examine the situation," said the guard honestly. It turned out that Brian had deliberately let the mess be. The scattered clothes all over the warehouse were f caused by the same person who assaulted A. Perhaps Brian already had an idea who the culprit might be, but he just didn''t have enough evidence. "Oh, I see.It''s alright then.Carry on with your work.I''ll clean this up." Even if A had no clue who did this, she still needed to clean it all up. Maybe she might find the missing dress here. She then squatted down, folding each of the clothes one by one, and arranged them by their original order. Around ten minutester, Brian also arrived at the warehouse. He probably followed her here because he knew that she would definitelye here, whether it was for the missing dress or finding clues that might lead to the identity of her assant. "What are you doing here?" Just as A tried to pick up the clothes, a familiar hand reached out for the same one she was reaching for. And as she expected, it was Brian. "I''m here for the same reason as you have," he said tly. Then, he helped her pick up the clothes one by one. It took them an hour and a half to finish cleaning up the warehouse. Seeing as they had gotten everything in order, A felt disappointed. "The missing dress isn''t here." "You don''t have to worry about that anymore.I''ve already asked the factory to make another one." Brian didn''t think that it was that big of a deal that the dress was missing. Besides, it was definitely not an ident that the dress suddenly went missing. Someone had certainly done it on purpose. When A raised her head to look at him, he didn''t seem to be that interested in what was happening. Did he really not care about anything? If he didn''t care, then there was no need for him to assist her. And yet, he still lent her a helping hand without a word. "Is helping me worth it to you?" A didn''t like how this felt.She felt like she was almost drowning in his love. This feeling was what she feared the most.Was it possible that Brian would manage to steal her heart again? "Of course, it is.But I don''t offer my assistance for free." Brian held her waist, pulling her closer to him. He leaned over, passionately kissing her to the point that she almost suffocated.Her refusal offered no resistance to his aggressive kiss.His lips and tongue had an irresistible charm that rendered her unable to refuse. It even made her want to continue. She never felt the same way from Lucas¡¯ soft and delicate kiss. Brian''s was much too wild and domineering, tearing down her defenses like it was nothing. That was why he was the winner. No matter what the subject might be, he would beat her. In all aspects, he was much more powerful than her. Brian enjoyed seeing her so intoxicated by lust. Whenever she was being like this, he would have the confidence that he could keep her by his side forever. "How does it feel? Did you like it?" Brian''s deep and charming voice pulled A back to reality. ¡®Did I lose control just now? Was one kiss from this heartless man enough to make her lose her mind? "You''re blushing, so I''m going to assume that you enjoyed it," he saidcently. Suddenly, he saw something twinkling in his peripheral vision.He decided to let her go, and then he walked towards the wall to pick up an earring. What Brian held in his hand was a crystal earring. Despite its simple shape, it still looked elegant. It was definitely not cheap, and ordinary folk wouldn''t be able to afford an earring of this quality. Not long after, A also took a look at the earring. It was Linda''s! Moreover, this same earring was thetest series of a well-known brand in Italy this year. Only a limited number of it was distributed worldwide. Back then, Linda had pulled some strings and managed to reserve a pair of the earrings. A didn''t expect to see this earring here. "You know whose earring this is, don''t you?" Judging by the horrified look in her eyes, he could tell that she knew who owned it. ncing back at Brian, A said, "It''s none of your business.Although, do you mind giving me that earring?" She wanted to sort this problem out herself. Unfortunately, he shook his head in refusal. N?velDrama.Org owns this. "What are you nning to do with it? Don''t tell me that you''re the one who dropped it?" said Brian. He was only trying to protect this woman, but she was so stubborn.It was just an earring; it probably didn''t mean anything significant. "That''s not mine." It was true. A didn''t have an earring like that,.and she had no reason to lie to Brian. "Then you know who owns it.If you tell me who the owner is, I''ll consider giving it to you.Otherwise, I won''t." He knew that the only way to get an answer out of her was to force it out of her.He was only doing this to keep her out of danger. This kind of thing had already happened once, and he wasn''t going to let it happen again. But A¡¯s radar for danger was terrible. All she could do was to pretend to be unafraid in front of him.He had to stop her from endangering herself. A faint smile appeared on her face. "Is that so? Then what if I manage to take it myself?" If A told Brian that Linda owned this earring, this problem might escte into a catastrophe.She didn''t want Yareli to suffer just because of Linda''s antics. That was why A wanted to solve this on her own. "If you manage to pry it from my hands, it¡¯s all yours." Brian folded his palm, firmly hiding the earring in his hand. A looked at him and lost her confidence upon seeing the devilish grin on his face. Chapter 170: Please Him Chapter 170: Please Him A didn''t want to y hardball with Brian.If he had no intention of giving the earring to her, she probably wouldn''t be able to take it from him. "What? What''s on your mind? Hmm?" Noticing that A was absent minded, Brian leaned closer to her ear, whispering with a devilish grin on his dashing face. ¡®What do I have in mind? There''s no way I can keep anything from him, can I?'' A wasn''t in a rush to solve this problem. Besides, sooner orter, she''d be able to get the earring from him. "Since there''s nothing else notable to do here, I''m leaving." She grabbed her handbag and left the warehouse. On the other hand, Brian just stood there, watching A walk away. His stern face was incredibly hard to read. On her way to leave the warehouse, she deliberately slowed down. ¡®Didn''t he follow me? Why didn''t he stop me?¡¯ Normally, he would''ve continued pestering her. Did he get mad at her because she wouldn''t tell him the identity of the owner of the earring? After counting three seconds, she turned around, and said, "Mr.rk, aren''t you going back? Or are you nning to guard this warehouse?" She had a bright and charming smile on her face. Chuckling, Brian replied, "Of course, I will go back.But if you want to go back in my car, you have to go upstairs with me first." In reality, he didn''t have anything else to do here. But in order to save face and stop her from acting so proud, he was going to pretend to be here for an inspection of the shopping mall. In truth, he wanted her to follow him, so that he could keep an eye on her. In her ten-centimeter-high stilettos, A followed Brian closely. Although she was reluctant to do it, she tried to force a smile. Brian turned sideways, casting A a nce. Seeing that she was rubbing her ankle and having trouble catching up to him, he stopped. "Are you tired?" he asked. "No.Why would I be tired?" She immediately stood in attention and smiled again. "Really? You''re not?" Brian just wanted her to stop pretending to be strong in front of him, but she was too stubborn to admit that she needed a break. "Of course, Mr.rk.You don''t seem to be the least bit exhausted.How can Iin that I''m tired? Right?" Looking back at him, A straightened herself, refusing to admit defeat. Even if she knew that Brian did this on purpose, she didn''t say anything about it. After hearing her response, he continued looking around the shopping mall.He even stopped for lunch at the staff canteen.He didn''t take A back until they got off work. And even then, they didn''t go back to thepany. He took her back to their apartment directly. As soon as they arrived, Brian went to his study. On the other hand, A went back to her bedroom, sitting on the sofa cross-legged, and massaging her sore ankles. It was so cruel of him to make her walk all day long. The long hours of tidying up the warehouse had already drained her, and then she had to walk around the shopping mall for more than half a day. She felt like she almost lost a fraction of her life just because of that damned earring. At this point, she wasn''t even sure that it was worth all that effort. Up until now, A hadn''t gotten the earring yet. When she opened the drawer of the bedside table, she found two pills inside. These were the sleeping pills that the doctor prescribed her for her insomnia a few days ago. As soon as Brian came in, he noticed that she was Staring at the drawer. "What''s up? What made you so upset?" A rolled her eyes at him. How could she not be upset about this? If there was a reason to be happy, she would be. But there wasn''t any. "A!" Brian shouted. ¡®This woman is so unpredictable, '' he thought. Earlier this day, she was happily following him around to please him.She probably did that because she wanted ] to get the earring from him. Brian wasn''t a fool. He already knew the identity of the earring''s owner. However, he had his own way of dealing with things. "What is it, Mr.rk?" Quickly closing the drawer, A looked at him .it seemed that she really couldn''t hide her thoughts from him. "Time for dinner," said Brian. Every time she acted this stubborn, it made him so angry. Nobody had ever been capable of easily making him angry. After their dinner, Brian went back to his study. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Meanwhile, A sat in the living room, feeling quite anxious. About five minutester, she went back to the bedroom.And after hesitating for a long time, she went into the kitchen with the two pills in her hand. Meanwhile, Brian was on a video call with Jaime using hisptop. All of a sudden, A knocked on the door, carrying a cup of aromatic coffee. "What''s up?" He raised his head to look at her. His voice was as cold as it always was. "I don''t have anything better to do, so I made you a cup of coffee." A smiled, putting the cup on his desk. "Did I disturb you?" "What do you think?" Brian nced at her with a knowing look.He figured that she was probably trying to y a trick on him. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have been so kind as to make him a cup of coffee. He wasn''t a fool, so he could read her like an open book. "I''ll leave now, so you can enjoy your coffee in peace." After saying that, A left the study and closed the door behind her.She pressed her ear against the door, carefully listening to the soundsing from inside. "Boss, did Miss Woodsen have a change of heart or something? Why would she make you a cup of coffee?" lt turned out that Jaime had heard their conversation because he didn''t end the video call. Brian picked up the cup, breathing in the aroma of the coffee. "She won''t be so kind to me." He then turned around, pouring out the contents of the coffee. Momentster, the video call ended and Brian closed hisptop. A wanted to solve this problem herself, but he wouldn''t.allow her to do so. He took out the earring from the desk drawer and stared at it. When Linda sprained her anklest time, he noticed her wearing this same earring.Her habit of tucking her hair behind her ear was actually the reason he managed to see it. Since no sound wasing from inside the study, A pushed the door open and came in.She found Brian fast asleep on his desk. But little did she know that he wasn''t actually asleep.He was just resting his eyes, and waiting for her to come in. A opened the drawer and found the crystal earring inside. She then picked it up and held it in her hand. ¡®What does Linda want from me? Doesn''t she have enough already?¡¯ she thought. Why was Linda doing this to A? How would she benefit from this crime? Afterwards, A set the earring down on the desk to open another drawer. Upon opening it, she was frozen in shock. What she found in this drawer was far too familiar to her. There was no way that she could ever forget what it was. But why did Brian have one of these? A knew that Brian was involved in this kind of business, but she couldn''t figure out why he would keep one of these things around at home. With trembling hands, she bit her lower lip, carefully picking up the syringe.She had thought that she would never see this wretched thing again in her life. Underneath the syringe, there was a medical report. When Brian opened his eyes, he saw her pale face. He was sure that she knew about this sort of drug. Moreover, judging by the horrified look on her face, she was terrified of that thing. "What are you doing?" Brian said to her all of a sudden. A''s hand slipped, causing her to drop the document. Chapter 171: The Truth About The Past Two Years Chapter 171: The Truth About The Past Two Years A stared at Brian in shock. "You, you..." "What? Did I ever let youe into my study as you please?" ncing back at her, he picked up the medical test report from the floor. A stared at the empty coffee cup. ''How could I expect him to fall into my trap?¡¯ She had put two sleeping pills into the coffee, but her n had failed. "What the hell are you doing here?" Brian asked. All he wanted from her was an honest response. "Why do you have this?" A asked back as she showed him the drug. Brian just looked at her indifferently. "Are you not aware of my business dealings yet? Why bother asking such an idiotic question?" Of course, she knew. But he had never taken drugs himself, had he? This specific drug could make people addicted to it even with a milliliter of dosage. "You should never try this." A kept the syringe away from him, and added, "Throw this wretched thing away!" He then stood up to take the syringe from her hand "L, tell me, how do you know about this drug? Have you taken it before?" She repeatedly shook her head. "No! I''ve never taken it in my life!" She was panicking. There was no way she would tell him about her connection to this drug.This was the one thing that she hoped he would never find out. "Tell me the truth!" Brian sped her tightly in his arms. If Tatum had injected her with this drug back then, was that the reason she was willing to jump into the sea without a second thought? All he wanted was to know the truth. What kind of hellish life had this woman lived in the past two years? Tears started to well up in A''s eyes. "Don''t force me talk about it! I don''t want to." Indeed, she didn''t want to recall the most harrowing and miserable experience in her life. it would be best if she never had to mention it again in her life. And to do that, she must pretend as if she had never had that sort of experience in the first ce. "Tatum forcibly injected you with this drug, didn''t he?" Brian wanted to force the truth out of her.He had given no importance about what happened to her in the past two years. All that mattered to him was that she came back alive. However, if this drug had made her life a living hell, then it would be a different story. Tears rolled down her cheeks. "How did you figure that out?" She thought that he would never find out if she didn''t utter a word remotely rted to that traumatic past. "You had a feverst time, remember?" He didn''t want to hide anything from her anymore. If it weren''t for that inexplicable fever she had, he never would have known, and she might''ve quietly disappeared from his life again. "My fever has nothing to do with this.Don''t bring this xs anymore.Just drop it, okay?" A said that as if she was pleading. "No way!" Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Brian shook his head in refusal. "From now on, you''ll always be with me.You''re not allowed to go anywhere without my permission.Do you understand? Also, I forbid you from seeing Lucas again.If you do, you''ll regret it." This was the second time he had said those words to her. Whether she would listen to him or not, he just wanted to warn her of what might happen. A rested weakly in his arms. Right now, she didn''t have the energy to figure out whether Brian did this on purpose or not.She was weak and fragile at this moment, so she needed him by her side. Brian held her in his arms, and the two of them went back to the bedroom.He wiped the tears streaming down her face. "Did it hurt?" Even though he hadn''t experienced it himself, he had seen the drug''s effect on people.He was so d that she managed to stay safe and sound. A nodded slightly. "Yes.It was the most painful thing I''ve ever felt." Using his lips, he wiped away the tears on her face. This time, he was so gentle. When A felt his gentle kiss, she knew that it was pointless to struggle. There really was nothing she could do in front of him. This night was a restless one for the couple. A was nestling in Brian''s arms. There was a subtle change in their rtionship, due to the fact that he had seen through her. Or maybe it was because she was willing to open her heart to him now. She felt so conflicted about everything that had been happeningtely. Although his eyes were closed, he could tell what was going on her mind all the time. He pressed her closer against his body, thinking that he must make up for everything she had lost in the past. Over the next few days, A didn¡¯t mention anything about the earring anymore. Moreover, she personally made the clothes for the second fashion show.She had been working overtime for several days and she almost fainted from overworking in the office. Linda walked in, twisting her slender waist. "A, I really don''t get you.Why do you push yourself so hard? You could''ve just taken advantage of your rtionship with Mr.rk, and do nothing." "It''s none of your business." A nced back at her. During the past few days, they barely saw each other, due to their own busy schedules. However, Linda was always badmouthing her in the office.She knew about A''s rtionship with Brian, so she was so jealous of her to the point of hatred. Yareli had called to ask about the ident during the fashion showst time. And so, A worked really hard this time to ensure that nothing of the sort would happen again. Later, Brian came to pick her up.He had told her that she must stay by his side all the time. Seeing that he had arrived, A stopped working because she knew easily he became impatient. She''d rather not get on his bad side after all. Then, they walked out of the office together and Linda saw them. Their closeness made her even angrier. The couple went downstairs and got into the car together, and Lucas, who came there to meet A, saw everything clearly. He had thought that she was just lying to him when she said that she chose to be with Brian.He figured it might be a trick to make him give up and choose Haley instead. But now, when he saw A walking by Brian''s side, his heart sank. It felt so painful that he felt a chill run throughout his body. Had his one true love finally decided to go back to Brian''s arms? When A turned her head, she noticed a familiar car and a familiar face staring at her. At once, she turned away and pretended like she didn''t see anything. Brian nced at her. "Are you nning to talk to him?" He was sure that A would soon forget Lucas, or even hate him. Lately, Lucas had been trying to sabotage the rk Group''s activities, but Brian hardly cared. However, it was necessary for him to know what made Lucas resent him so much, to the point that Lucas was willing to do a lot of evil things for Tatum, including harming A. If he was beingpletely honest, Brian knew that he had a myriad of enemies, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t figure out what might''ve made Lucas regard him as an enemy. Chapter 172: Deep Hatred Chapter 172: Deep Hatred A nodded. "Would you mind letting me talk to him for a bit?" In all honesty, sometimes, she had no idea how to face her problems. "Be my guest," Brian replied as he opened the door for her. Upon seeing A approach him, Lucas threw away his cigarette. "L," he greeted. "Lucas, what are you doing here?" She tried to force a smile, which ended up looking unnatural. "I was worried about you, so I dropped by." Lucas had been worrying about A for so many days.He wondered what Brian might''ve done to harm her. ¡®Would he actually do anything to make her cry and feel wronged?¡¯ Lucas thought. But based on what he saw, he figured that he was mistaken with his assumption.The woman he was so worried about was now intimate with another man. Perhaps Lucas never had a ce in A''s heart to begin with.He was just a burden to her. Everything that he gave her, she reluctantly epted. Maybe she had only thought of him as a friend and not a lover all these years. No matter how long it had been, she still hadn''t forgotten about Brian. Despite how despicable he was, he easily won over A''s heart. "I''m fine." It was true that she was fine.She didn''t even need to think too muchtely. Over the past few days, Brian had only forced her once. It was only once, but he had taken everything he could from her. In his presence, A had a hard time being calm. Every fiber of her being, other than her strong facade, he could easily tear down. And because of that, her heart softened.She realized that her love for him had never changed. No longer did she stubbornly resist and obstinately hold on. If she kept on being hard headed, it would only exhaust her. "Everything''s going to be fine as long as you''re happy." The sound of Lucas¡¯ voice was so hoarse and showed hints of exhaustion. Lately, Haley had been grinding him to the point of insanity.She coerced him to give in using their baby, and forced him to marry her. Perhaps all she really wanted was a marriage. But did she actually love him? Maybe Haley wasn''t a person capable of love.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "Lucas, how is Miss Green?" A didn''t want to bring it up, but she knew she had to face it. With a bitter smile, Lucas nodded. In reality, he didn''t care whether Haley was fine or not. The only person he actually gave a damn about was A. But unfortunately, she was now in Brian''s arms, so she didn''t need Lucas anymore. It took two years to build a foundation for their rtionship, but in the end, it was ruined overnight. Maybe this was for the best? At the very least, once A found out the truth about his identity, she wouldn''t be hurt that much. On top of that, he must have his revenge. If losing the woman he loved the most was inevitable, then he must destroy Brian, the man capable of controlling everything. "I see.I''ll be on my way then." With that, A turned around and walked away. It seemed that the distance between her and Lucas was now too great for her to see his heart. In the past, she did her best to love him back, to give him everything, and to ept what fate had in store for them. Sadly, she just went back to square one. The man who stood beside her now, was the same heartless man, Brian. Despite that fact, she was still so willing to be with him. Whenever she was around him, she couldn''t resist him. All she could do was give into his wiles, and feel everything that he was giving her. This wrong love of hers was now bound tost a lifetime, and the final oue was a burden that she must bear alone. Her only sin was that she loved and got hurt. And after everything that happened, she found that nothing had changed. A hadn''t gotten that far yet when Lucas chased her to hold her in his arms. "L, I miss you so much! Pleasee back to me!" he pleaded humbly. His heart was so fragile that it couldn''t be strong enough to withstand adversity.But it didn''t matter to him if he got hurt over and over, as long as she came back to him. A shook her head. "You''ll be much happier without me," she said. Two years was enough for her to prove that her only choice was to go back to the starting point, and act as if nothing had changed. "You''re wrong! I can''t be happy¡ªnot without you! As long as you''re not by my side, I''ll never be happy!" Didn''t A have a shred of understanding what could make Lucas happy? Over the past few years, she never seemed to understand him. It was as if she never learned to love him at all. Lucas felt so pathetic right now. Brian only agreed to let A speak to Lucas for a few minutes, but he never allowed any intimate contact between them, let alone a hug. And so, he got out of the car and pulled A into his arms. "Mr.Collins, I''m warning you.Stay away from my woman, or I''m going to teach you a lesson you''ll never forget." "You''re going to teach me a lesson? Brian, when have you ever been civil? You''ve killed so many people, and your hands are stained in so much blood! Never have you been kind to anyone.There''s no way you can make L happy! You''ve hurt her so much, so you have to pay the price." Lucas wanted to remind Brian that a bloodthirsty demon like him would someday receive divine punishment.He didn¡¯t want A to get hurt because of this demon. "Mr.Collins, thanks for the kind reminder.I know what I have to do, what I''ve done, and what I haven''t.I know it all too well," Brian sneered. Lucas red at him. ¡®How could Brian be this cold- blooded? Does he really think that none of it was his fault? Does he want to pretend like nothing happened?¡¯ Lucas hated Brian so much. This wretched man was the reason he lost his family, and even took away the love of his life. No matter how anyone looked at it, they were destined to be at daggers drawn. Shifting his gaze towards A, Lucas said, "L, you should find out what kind of person Brian really is.It''s best that you stay away from him.He can never make you happy!" If someday, Brian would die by his hands, then she would be all alone. So, if A fell in love with him again, she would still be unfortunate and miserable. Soon, she watched Lucas drive away. There was nothing she could do to stop him.She then turned to Brian, and asked, "Do you have a grudge against Lucas or something?" "No," he said tly. To his knowledge, there had never been an enmity between them. And it had nothing to do with A. Two years ago, what Lucas did to her was all done to spite Brian. That man knew him well, so he manipted her into getting kicked out of the house. But in the end, A ended up getting caught by Tatum. Taking a deep breath, she said, "But it seems that Lucas loathes you. Whether you believe it or not, there''s probably something that caused that hatred." Chapter 173: Her Inescapable Heart Chapter 173: Her Inescapable Heart Brian smirked. "Are you worried about me?" "Why should I worry about you? There are already far too many people concerned about your well- being.I''m not the only one, you know? To be honest, I''m more worried about Lucas." In A''s mind, Lucas could never win against Brian. "The more you worry about him, the more miserable he''ll be!" he warned. He didn''t know whether she was bluffing or just doing this on purpose.A cast a sidelong nce at Brian. She didn''t give a damn about his threat because she had nothing to fear. But in reality, the person she worried about the most was Brian, not Lucas.Brian just cast her an indifferent nce, and drove back to the apartment. Meanwhile, Anna was sitting alone in a bar.She had emptied the entire bottle of liquor she ordered, and yet she was still very sober. For some reason, no matter how much she drank, it could never erase the pain she was feeling. After everything that happened, and despite the fact that Brian kept turning a blind eye to her affection, she still loved him so much. Her heart was still reluctant to let go. Brian and A had been getting along well, more and more each day, but Anna was all alone. A hadpletely taken her ce. It was understandable that Anna hated how things turned out, wasn''t it? "Anna, have you been drinking all by yourself here?" Linda showed up, wearing an enchanting ck dress. Anna caught her eye as soon as she got here. Judging by that look on Anna''s face, Linda was sure that the woman''s foul mood was caused by A. "What are you doing here?" Anna nced back at Linda. She had never been sympathetic towards this woman because she knew that Linda had ulterior motives for Brian.She just never said a word about it. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Linda sat across Anna. "I''m here to drink of course! Just like you," she said with a smile. Anna had been with Brian for so many years. Perhaps she was the only person willing to lose everything for him in exchange for nothing.But A managed to take everything away from her. "Don''t tell me you''re here because of me." Anna poured herself another ss of wine, and drank it all down. Linda leaned against the leather sofa, not saying anything.She poured herself three sses in a row before she decided to break her silence. "I wasn''t looking for you on purpose.Earlier, I saw you looking so depressed, so I decided to apany you.You and I are both women who can''t get the man we love." "Love? Do you even deserve to say that word?" Anna sneered. "All you want is prestige and status.I don''t think you want love." Brian possessed all those things. "I never imagined you to read me so well." Linda smirk. "Honestly, I''m not that greedy.Back when I was in Italy, I was a design director.But when I arrived here in Antawood, I became the same as A, just another designer.To top it off, she got more than I did.How could I be reconciled with that?" She was a proud and arrogant woman. No matter what happened, she had never gotten hurt. Perhaps her only mistake was to underestimate A. Back when she was still in Italy, A was just a school girl who went to school and took up a part-time job.But upon her arrival at Antawood, Brian gave her everything. "You can fight with all you have and use up all of your time, effort, and resources, but it''s useless to come to me for aid." Anna was implying that Linda got the wrong person. No matter how capable she was, she wouldn''t be able to help her. Moreover, Anna knew Brian''s capabilities all too well, so she wouldn''t want to go against him. "Don''t say that! You''re Anna, the woman who has been by Brian''s side through thick and thin for the longest time.You''re far more capable than A ever will be," Linda said with a smile. More than anyone else, Anna was the only person who could im to love Brian deeply. A bitter smile appeared on Anna''s lips. "You''re exaggerating." Indeed, she had been by Brian''s side for so many years, but it was because she had never crossed the line. Anna was well aware of what she could get, and what she couldn''t. Nobody could ever understand her pain, especially not Linda. "Whatever the hell you''re nning to do, don''t ever do something that will harm the rk Group.If something had happened once, it won''t be allowed to happen again." Anna didn''t have to say it directly.She just wanted to remind Linda of what she had done. If Anna was capable of figuring out that Linda was A''s assant, then Brian had probably known it by now. He was an incredibly perceptive man. Just because he wasn''t saying anything about it, that didn¡¯t mean he didn''t care. But if something of the same nature were to happen again, perhaps it would prove to be fatal for Linda this time.Once Anna was done speaking, Linda left her seat. ''Was she implying that she knew that I assaulted A?Well, lucky for me, I''m sure Anna doesn''t have any evidence to prove it! ¡° she thought. Linda sat on a different booth alone, continuing to drink.Meanwhile, A was sitting alone in the living room and looking at the design drafts in her hand. There was no way she would let any ident happen on the fashion show again. But unfortunately, there were some things that she couldn''t control. Yareli came to Antawood again. When she arrived, she called A. "Ms.Evans, what brings you to Antawood?" A answered the call, surprised. "I actually just arrived.The second fashion show will be held the day after tomorrow.I heard you suffered a minor injuryst time.I was so worried about you that I had toe here," said Yareli. The reason she came back this time was to monitor the fashion season. Upon hearing her response, A could tell how worried she was. After all, rumors and gossips were fatal in the design industry, not to mention A''sck of experience. As soon as Brian walked out of the study, he heard ayite phone call with Yareli.He didn''t say anything and just sat beside her. It was only until she was finished with the call did he finally speak. "Has Ms.Evans returned?" "Indeed, she said that she''ll drop by thepany tomorrow." A said, turning towards him. ¡®Isn''t this an official business?¡¯ she thought. Whenever they were in the apartment, they didn''t talk that much about thepany''s affairs. Normally, they were busy doing their own things. The only thing they did together was sex. Besides, once Brian had asked for it, A had no right to refuse it. The only thing that could stop him was her period.Brian ced his arms around her waist. "Are you happy that Ms.Evans is here?" When did A ever smile like this around him? Perhaps in her mind, he was trying to please her and making up for his mistakes because he had an ulterior motive. "I just don''t want to disappoint Ms.Evans." If it weren''t for Yareli''s words, A would''ve kept her distance from Brian. But now, she was under his control with no chance to escape. Although, did she really want to leave him again? She had no choice but to leave him two years ago. Now did she still have to make that choice? Maybe, A had never lost what had been engraved in her heart.And perhaps, from the very beginning, what she couldn''t escape was actually her own heart. Chapter 174: Subtle Changes Chapter 174: Subtle Changes The second fashion show went smoother than the first one. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. A honestly didn''t need to worry about anything else.She just stayed with Brian the whole time, and let her assistants and stylists handle what needed to be done. As she sat beneath the stage, Yareli nced at A, and said, "You''ve made astounding progress lately! Keep up the good work, L!" If thepany''s fashion season events continued to seed, A would make leaps and bounds in her career as a designer. Yareli lived on her own and she didn''t have any children. It took her the majority of her life to build herpany from the ground up, so she didn''t want Starlight to be passed down to someone unworthy. Out of all the people she had met, the only person worthy of inheriting her legacy was A. That was why she asked her to go back to A City and work with the rk Group. Meanwhile, Brian hadn''t said a word since the beginning of the show. His stern silence was stressing A out. This man''s mind was too strange to understand. Moreover, the more she tried to read him, the less she understood what he might be thinking. Linda walked out of the backstage. Upon seeing Yareli with Brian and A, she immediately figured out what was happening.Yareli neither had children nor kin she could trust enough to pass down herpany. Apany as big as hers needed someone capable at the helm once she retired. And as of this moment, the most suitable person in her mind to lead thepany was A. Linda wondered what trick that woman had yed to fool everyone into liking her, especially Yareli and Brian. "Miss Linda, what are you looking at? Do you wish speak to Ms.Evans?" her assistant asked. "What are you talking about? Get back to work! If anything goes wrong, you''re fired!" Linda was seething with anger. The assistant had chosen a terrible time to talk to her. Immediately, the assistant turned around and went back to work. Linda noticed that A was wearing an exquisite and expensive dress, surrounded by many reporters and guests.She was as morous as a twinkling star. Brian treasured her like a gem.He helped A get everything that Linda had ever wanted. But what could that woman even give him in return? Perhaps all men were like this? They kept wanting whatever they couldn''t get, and turned a blind eye to those who were willing to give themselves out of their own volition. Maybe that was why Brian was so uninterested in Linda? Because she kept throwing herself into his arms? On the other hand, A was always ying hard to get, and he fell head over heels for her. As he looked at the woman beside him, Brian felt relieved. When the fashion show concluded, a party was held at the banquet hall on the Hyatt Hotel''s third floor. A had never been one for such asions. Usually, she would just hide somewhere as far as she could. But s, this was one event she couldn''t avoid.She was the star of this party. Last time, due to her ident, they had to cancel both the party and the press conference. And so, this time, they wanted to make up for that blunder by holding a grand banquet. A''s tolerance to alcohol wasn''t that high. If she had one too many toasts from all these guests, she would probably get hammered. "I can see that you''re tipsy already.That''s enough alcohol for you today." Brian took the ss from her hand. ¡®Is she not even aware of how much she drank?¡¯ She couldn''t hold her liquor well, and what made it worse was her habit of non-refusal to anyone who wanted to toast with her. Besides, she might get so drunk that she could cause a scene.He just didn''t want her to humiliate herself in front of all these people. It was fine if she did something outrageous in front of him alone, but there were numerous reporters and guests at this party, so he decided to stop her before it could happen. "Mr.rk, just step aside and give me back my ss." A nced at him. She actually didn''t want to drink that much, either! However, people kept asking her to drink with them. How could she refuse them? It would be rude not to! "What? You don''t want me to step in when I know something terrible might happen? Give me one good reason not to stop you from doing that." Brian stared at her intently, wondering why this woman was so ungrateful. As she looked back at his stern face, A figured out what she must do. Just for today, she would listen to him. "Fine, you''re right.I do think that I''ve had one too many drinks.I''m done drinking." Since he wanted to swoop in and save her from drinking too much, she was happy to oblige. "Good.You should''ve listened to me from the beginning." Brian reced her wine with a ss of juice. "If you''re tired, get some rest at the lounge." Upon hearing his suggestion, A¡¯s eyes lit up. "Wait, what? Did you just say I can get some rest?" He nodded slightly in response. He had noticed how stiff her face had be because she had to keep smiling for the guests.Other than letting her get some rest, what else could he do? "Sounds great.Get rid of this juice, I don''t want it." A transferred the ss into his hand, and made her way to the lounge. With a ss of wine on one hand and orange juice on the other, Brian shook his head helplessly. Naturally, Yareli saw this scene unfold.She noticed that this time, they were much more in sync than thest time she saw them. "Mr.rk, it seems that the two of you have been getting along quite well," Yareli said to him as she walked over. "You''re joking, right, Ms.Evans?" Brian replied with a chuckle. ''She and I are getting along? Yeah, right! Maybe that''ll happen a hundred years from now! He honestly wanted to get back together with her, but due to A''s stubborn character, the odds of that happening were slim to none. "I''m not kidding.Anyway, I''m going to talk to her for a bit." With that, Yareli followed A into the lounge. Meanwhile, A had taken off her high heels and sat on the sofa. The soothing sound of a silent room was her ideal way to rx. After knocking twice, Yareli entered the room. "Ms.Evans!" A greeted. As soon as she saw Yareli, she got up from the sofa. "Please sit down!" Yareli replied to her greeting. She had to say that because A was standing barefoot on the Carpet. "Are you tired?" asked Yareli. "Not that much." A shook her head. "Ms.Evans, what''s going on? Why are you here?" "I came here to see you.You''ve been really busytely, haven''t you? I heard about what happened to you during thest fashion show.Thankfully, this event today was a huge sess," Yareli remarked. Momentster, a waiter brought them two sses of honey water. "Hello,dies.Mr.rk told me to bring these over." "Mr.rk has been very considerate to you.Haven''t you changed your mind yet?" Yareli was aware of the fact that they used to be in a rtionship, but now, their ation was something ineffable.Although Brian was said to be a ruthless man, his feelings for A were sincere. He treated her so much better than everyone else. Perhaps it was true that those who were too closely involved in something couldn''t see as clearly as those who were not. It was clear to Yareli that A was also stubborn. "Why would you ask something like that, Ms.Evans?" A looked at the other woman in confusion. It seemed as though Yareli was pertaining to her rtionship with Brian. Perhaps there had been some changes in their rtionship, but she just didn''t want to admit it. Maybe she was too scared to face that fact.Yareli handed her a ss of water. "I''m sure you know why I''m asking you this question." She could see how happy A was whenever she was with Brian.Even if she didn''t explicitly say it nor disy the fact, Yareli could see it in her eyes. Chapter 175: The Man In The Past Chapter 175: The Man In The Past A took a sip of the honey water and smiled. "Ms.Evans, I''m afraid that I can''t go back to how things were in the past." Even if she wanted to go back, she didn''t have the courage to do so, because she would just end up being miserable again. "But you need to remember that some things out there are worth fighting for, L." Yareli was right. Many years ago, she lost something, and she couldn''t get it back anymore. "Ms.Evans, you have no idea how much getting your heart broken can drive you towards despair." A knew that she was no longer strong enough to allow herself to experience heartbreak. "Oh, this is too depressing to talk about.Never mind.Just let nature take its course.Don''t force yourself to do anything that you don''t want to.I''m only telling you this for your own good.Do you understand? Sometimes, when you let go of someone you love, they might nevere back," Yareli remarked. A nodded. "I know that all too well, Ms.Evans." She already knew that, but she just didn''t want to do it. Perhaps because she was too afraid of the oue. They kept chatting until the party almost reached its conclusion. The only reason they stopped was because Brian came in and asked them to conclude the party together. As soon as the party ended, he asked the chauffeur to drive Yareli and A home. "Ms.Evans, are you going to stay in A City for a bit longer this time?" Actually, A was being mentored by Yareli in many different aspects. Even though they didn''t talk over the phone every day, they still sent e-mails to each other every two or three days. "Yes.I was actually nning to stay for fifteen days.There''s something I have to do." This time around, Yareli was here to deal with both official business and personal matters.She was hoping to find her daughter. And although the chances were slim to none, she didn''t want to give up. "Sounds like a good n.I was afraid all this traveling by ne will take a toll on your body." A noticed that she wasn''t looking very well. "I agree! I''m getting old, and my body isn''t as strong as it used to be." Indeed, Yareli had been feeling a little feebletely.She really was getting old. As a matter of fact, it might''ve been a good idea that she returned to Antawood. A looked at the other woman intently, and said, "How could you say that, Ms.Evans? You''re still young!" If Yareli didn''t mention that she was fifty years old already, everyone would think that she was much younger than she actually was. "You''re a smooth talker!" A''s words made Yareli feel ttered. "Anyway, L, I don''t have anything to doter.Would you like to have tea with me?" "I would love to! I know a good teahouse around here. They serve your favorite tea." Every time she was with Yareli, she felt so happy that the void in her heart felt like it didn''t exist. Even though they didn''t have that much time to chat all the time, they were still so close to each other. Their rtionship was a bitplex; it was simr to a familial affection.Once A told the chauffeur the teahouse¡¯s address, he brought them there quickly. Meanwhile, Hayden was seated at a table on the first floor of Chatime Teahouse.An old man of simr age was sitting across him. N?velDrama.Org owns this. It seemed that they were old friends. "Hayden, you''ve been dealing with thepany¡¯s affairs all these years.We hardly see each other,"said his friend. "Yes.Now, I''ve gotten old, and my health isn''t how it used to be.It''s boring to stay at home all day.Since you''re retired already, how about we go fishing together when we''re both free?" It was true that Hayden had grown tired of staying at home all day long. He had been quarreling with his wife for so many years, and the same thing had been happening to his daughter, and son-in-w. That kind of scene was something he didn''t want to see anymore. As the saying went, "Out of sight, out of mind." This way, he could live a few years longer. "No problem." While they were happily chatting, A and Yareli walked into the teahouse. "This way, please," said the waiter. He then led them to a private room, and they passed by Hayden. Upon seeing the familiar figure, Hayden thought that he must be seeing things again. But then he saw that A was there. And so, he gestured to his friend that he wanted to follow the woman. "L?" Hayden went to see her at the room next to the one he was in. "Uncle Hayden? Are you here to have tea as well?" A hadn''t spoken to him for a long time.She figured that since Molly was pregnant, all the members of the Smith family needed to be there for her. "I am.I''m actually here with an old friend of mine.I''m sorry I didn''te to your fashion show today." After saying that, Hayden looked at the woman sitting across A.Initially, Yareli thought that her ears were imagining the familiar voice. But when she stared back at him, the teacup in her hand fell to the floor.Upon seeing how shocked the two of them were, A asked, "Uncle Hayden, Ms. Evans, do you two know each other?"Hayden nodded slowly. "Yes.In fact, we''ve known each other for many years." "I see! Why don''t you take a seat with us, Uncle Hayden?" A moved to another seat to make way for him, but he refused to sit there. "It''s fine.I have to get back to my friend.He''s still in the other room."He didn''t say that because he didn''t want to see Yareli.It was actually because he needed some time to process what was happening.It had been a long, long time since he separated with Yareli.it was only natural that Hayden was surprised to see her. ncing at Yareli, A asked, "Ms.Evans, are you close to Uncle Hayden?" "I guess you could say that.We haven''t seen each other in along time." Yareli had never imagined that she would bump into Hayden this time.It was so unexpected. For many years, she had forgotten all about him. It was as if she pretended like they never even met.Hayden was the man she loved and hated.A didn''t mention it again. As they drank tea, Yareli seemed like her mind was wandering, which made A realize something. After receiving a call from Brian, she decided to head back. He said that there was something important that must be dealt with, but she knew that he would never come to her for anything important. Meanwhile, Yareli walked out of the teahouse, and stood at the entrance, waiting for the driver to pick her up. "Yareli," Hayden greeted. It turned out that he hadn''t left.it seemed that he had been waiting for her. "It really is you! Let''s go find somewhere we could talk!" he said. Then, Hayden led her to a ck limo and opened the door for her. Yareli didn''t refuse his invitation, and decided to go in and sit next to him. Not long after, they arrived at a restaurant in the suburb. "Yareli, how have you been all these years?" asked Hayden. "Seriously? You''re only asking that now? Don''t you think it''s a bit toote for that?" For twenty long years, she went through hell and back just to build everything that she had achieved today.Nobody in this world could ever understand how Yareli felt, especially not Hayden. He was the owner of the Smith Group, and his wife was the heiress of the Jones family. Their marriage served to strengthen hispany further. No matter how hard he tried, Hayden could never understand Yareli''s pain.She had suffered a lot when she was all alone during her pregnancy. Back then, to prevent her daughter from suffering the same fate, Yareli didn''t keep her daughter by her side. But unfortunately, she couldn''t find her daughter anymore. Chapter 176: She Refused To Face Him Chapter 176: She Refused To Face Him Hayden heaved a sigh. "Yareli, I know you''re mad at me for what happened, but I had no choice! I had to leave you back then." "Yes, that''s right.You had no choice.It''s been twenty years, Hayden! And now, you dare ask me how I''ve been doing? Is it really necessary? Just pretend we didn''t see each other today, okay?" Yareli stared at his face. They had grown old, far away from each other, so there was no more need to associate herself with him.She was already living a good life now, unlike her hellish past. Back then, she had absolutely nothing! No decent education, diploma, nor job, and on top of that, she was a single mother. She was forced to go abroad and started working as a waitress. There was no way that he could ever understand her struggles, and he could never make up for it either. "It''s been so long since west saw each other.Now that you''re here, I can''t just pretend that I didn''t see you.Look, all I want is to know where our child is." Hayden didn''t like beating around the bush when it came to her. He was aware of the fact that she was pregnant when he left her, and that she definitely gave birth to their child. If it weren''t for the pressure he received from his family, he never would''ve married Miley and sent Yareli to another ce while she was pregnant. He knew his mistakes. But he didn''t know that when he chose to send her away, he had lost the chance to be with her ever again because she disappeared. She had left the small house he arranged for her, leaving him no clue of where she might''ve gone. He didn''t know what happened to his child either. The moment he met A, he did a background check on her, but he didn''t find anything suspicious. But now, he wanted to ask Yareli about the child.Did she even give birth to it? "The baby is dead," Yareli said coldly. "Did you really expect me to give birth to that baby? Did you think you could get married and live a happy life after you sent me away? Did you really think I''d wait around for you until you decide to offer me some scraps of your affection?" She had loved him just as much as she loved her own life, so much so that she gave him everything she had. But in the end, he hurt her so much that she could no longer face her own emotions.She never imagined that the man she once loved would choose another woman and abandon her. "Did you have an abortion?" The tiny spark of hope that resided in Hayden''s heart was extinguished. All this time, he believed that somewhere out there, he still had another child. Perhaps it was a son, but now, Yareli told him that their child was dead. More than twenty years ago, that child died. "Yes, that baby''s dead.So, from now on, you and I will never see each other again.Just forget everything that ever happened between us!" Yareli endured so much heartbreak. Her child had gone missing. If he hadn''t abandoned her in the past, they might''ve been a happy family right now. Sadly, he destroyed her chance of happiness with his own hands. Unable to bear it any longer, she decided to leave.She didn''t even say a word to him.She thought that it was better that they just pretended like they didn''t see each other today, and that nothing notable happened. They both had their own lives now, so they would never cross paths again in the future.He had his family, and she had her career. Meanwhile, as A sat in Brian''s car, she asked, "Where are you taking me?" This road didn''t lead back to his apartment. "We''re going to have dinner," he replied. "Is this the important thing you mentioned over the phone?" If she had known this was his intention, she would''ve just stayed with Yareli. "What''s the matter? Don''t you think eating is important?" Brian did this on purpose. He just wanted to celebrate the sessfulunch of her fashion show today, but this woman didn''t seem to give a damn about it. "You''re right.It is important." Whenever she saw his stern, handsome face, all she could do was nod. Obviously, no matter how much she objected, everything would go ording to his n. Upon seeing her agree, Brian felt satisfied, and continued to drive towards the luxurious restaurant halfway up the mountain in the suburbs. In that restaurant, people could enjoy a picturesque night view. A smile appeared on A''s face when she saw the ce, and then she followed him into the restaurant. However, she noticed that there didn''t seem to be any other guests. This restaurant was probably prestigious enough. One might even need to ce a reservation before they could get a table at this ce. How could there be no other patrons besides them? There was only one possibility why this was happening. He must''ve booked the entire restaurant. "Are you sure that the food in this restaurant is good? Nobody seems to be around besides us," A asked with a knowing look. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. "You''ll know when you try the dishes yourself.The food doesn''t have anything to do with how many customers dine here, does it?" Right now, he really wanted to p her. The reason he did this was to create a tranquil atmosphere for her.How ungrateful could she be? "You''re right." As A flipped through the menu, she noticed that the prices were unaffordable for ordinary people. One meal cost more than ten thousand dors. Noticing her hesitant look as she flipped through the menu, Brian decided to order in her stead.He didn''t even need to nce at the menu. It turned out that he knew the specialty of this restaurant. Through the floor-to-ceiling window, A saw the cityscape at the foot of the mountain. Under the moonlight, the city looked so bright and colorful. From atop, it was a morous sight. Being here made her feel so far away from the hustle and bustle of the city; away from the disturbance of her urban life. "So, what do you think? Do you like it here?" Although it was halfway up the mountain, the scenery was nothing short of magical. That was the reason this restaurant was so popr.And of course, the restaurant''s specialty also made it iparable to an ordinary restaurant. "Honestly, it''s incredible.If it''s possible, this ce might even be a good ce to live," A admitted. She had had to face so many people and so many things every single day of her life downtown.She was always busy with her work in thepany. Sometimes, even if she was so exhausted, she still had to push through. cing his arms around her waist, Brian replied, "L, I know that there are some things in your life that you don''t like, but you still have to face them.But out of all the things you don''t want to face, why do you refuse to face me?" All he wanted was for her to confront him honestly. Even if she wanted to say that she hated him, or something even worse, he would ept it. But unfortunately, she kept all her feelings buried at the back of her mind.She kept refusing to face him, to understand him, and to feel his emotions.She just kept pushing him away. What on earth could she get out of doing so? Brian had never been considerate of anyone, but for A''s sake, he made drastic changes in himself.He dropped his pride in order to get her back, but she just kept refusing him over and over. "Mr.rk, are you kidding again? Aren''t we facing each other right now?" A deliberately took the literal meaning of his words. It was true that she could face anything, but she didn''t dare to face Brian because she didn''t trust her own heart.She knew that it wasn''t strong enough to suffer the pain of heartbreak one more time. And because of that, she kept running away from nim. Chapter 177: She Didnt Want Him To Understand Her Feelings Chapter 177: She Didn''t Want Him To Understand Her Feelings She was right. It was true that they were standing next to each other right now, but her heart and soul were distant.It was as if they were thousands of miles apart. Brian didn''t like how it felt. Normally, he could control anything, but for some reason, he could never control her.She was the only person who refused to be controlled."A, I really want to see what''s in your heart," Brian said as he looked into her eyes. A just smirked at him. "You wouldn''t want to know what lies beneath the darkness of this heart, Mr.rk." If he had understood how she felt two years ago, things wouldn''t have ended up this way.There was no way he could understand her heart. And knowing that her heart was once again giving into him, she didn''t want him to understand. "You are not me.How the heck would you know whether I want to or not?" ''This woman is so self-righteous.When did she learn to be this way?"Because I know you well," she said. A raised her head to look at his face. Indeed, she knew him well. If he ever found out that he had finally seeded in winning over her heart again, would he once again drive her away like what he did two years ago? She would rather stay with him, arguing every single day with each other, than be worlds away from him.Brian heard those wordse out of her mouth. It might be true that she knew him all too well, but she didn''t dare to fall in love with him. And even if she had fallen in love with him again, she would rather keep those feelings suppressed "Should I be satisfied with what we have now? '''' he thought. Being subjected to his deep gaze made A feel a bit ufortable, so she stared at the floor and his shiny ck shoes instead. "Why did you suddenly stop talking? Weren''t you showing me how eloquent you''ve be?" He had thought that she had learned to be witty, but it turned out that she was still the same as she used to be. Then, he eyed her from head to toe.She looked so gorgeous in her deep V-neck dress, but he didn''t want her wearing something like this. Because he wanted to enjoy her beauty alone. He wanted to have every fiber of her being to himself. Today, her beauty was ethereal. When he saw a group of men staring at her, he got upset. Taking a step back, A said, "I want to go." "But we haven''t had dinner yet.Where do you want to go? Why? You can''t wait to go back and have a good time with me, can you?" Brian remarked. "Isn''t there anything else that goes on in that head of yours? You shouldn''t assume that everyone is like that, alright?" As A looked at him, she felt helpless. "Like what?" He was pretending to be ignorant.He was a man, and she was a woman. On top of that, they were living under the same roof. If nothing were to happen between them, he would doubt his own masculinity. A sat on the leather sofa. "I have no idea!""Is that so?" A smile appeared at the corners of his lips as he sat next to her, pulling her into his arms. Passionately, he pressed his lips against hers. All of a sudden, they heard a knocking from the door of the private room before it was pushed open. Before she could push him away, the waiter came in with their order. "Mr.rk." The waiter ced the dishes on the table one by one. "Thank you.You can leave now" Brian said those words, still holding onto A. ¡®Couldn''t they pick a better time te in?"Yes, sir." At once, the waiter left the room.Nobody would dare to get on Brian''s bad side. If someone were to do so, they would definitely lose their job. A pushed him away. "Mr.rk, I''m hungry." "Then let''s eat!" He then stood up and sat at the opposite side of the table.In reality, she wasn¡¯t that hungry yet.She just wanted him to get off her. To be honest, she didn''t have any appetite anymore, especially because of the fact that he was staring at her so intently. When the two of them finished dinner, they weren''t in a hurry to leave. A stood in front of the window, and Brian stood beside her. The overlooking of the entire city was truly a sight to behold.It was only during times like this could she feel a bit of peace. "Aren''t you nning to go home yet?" Brian looked at her. "Do you n to spend the night here? That''s fine. They have guest rooms upstairs." Hearing that, A turned to him, and replied, "Let''s head back!" She was worried that if she stayed the night here, she wouldn''t be able to sleep well. Going back to the apartment was the better choice.Meanwhile, Yareli was standing in front of the window of her hotel room, thinking of her encounter with Hayden today. Before, she didn''t want to go to Antawood because she was afraid of running into him. Unfortunately, she still ended up meeting him. Back then, she loved this man so much that she sacrificed a great deal of things for him. Sadly, he abandoned her without a second thought. She admitted that part of the reason she abandoned her daughter was due to her hatred of Hayden.However, when she finally calmed down, she went back to look for her daughter, but the child was nowhere to be found. For so many years, she didn''t hear any news about her daughter.She had spent years trying to look for the child, but it was all in vain.And now, Hayden had asked her about their child. But did it even matter anymore? The child had been missing for decades. Didn''t he already have a daughter? He also had a wife! Wasn''t he satisfied with what he had? ¡®But what about me?¡¯ thought Yareli.She was all alone. All she wanted to do was to find her daughter before she could leave this world. Whether it was good or bad news, she wanted to know about it.Yareli gulped down the wine in her ss. Maybe it was due to her sore eyes, or perhaps the alcohol was too strong that it made her eyes well up with tears. Silently, tears rolled down her cheeks. For more than twenty years, ever since she got pregnant and separated from Hayden, she had never once shed a tear. That was because she vowed that she would never again shed a single tear for any man. But right now, she was feeling so heartbroken. In the business world, she was one of the strongest women. But that didn''t matter in the end, because she had nothing.It was only now that she realized what really mattered in her life. As long as she could be with her daughter, her career and des could disappear. Even if she was still just a waitress, she would be the happiest woman in the world.Sadly, it was too late.She wouldn''t be able to change anything now. All of a sudden, her phone rang. ncing at the caller ID, she answered it right away. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Hello." "Ms.Evans, I''m from the detective agency.You told me to investigate the whereabouts of your daughter before, remember? We found someone who matches the description.Would you like to see her?" The man''s voice was familiar to her. Although the detective had never brought her to the right person, she still held on to a tiny spark of hope. "How about tomorrow?" Yareli decided that she wanted to see the girl. Besides, she had nned to stay here for a few more days.It would be good to see her, even if the chances of the girl being her daughter were slim. "Great! I''ll arrange the time and ce.Shall we meet around three in the afternoon at the Dandelion Cafe? Would that be fine?" the detective asked. "Alright, I''ll see you tomorrow," Yareli agreed. Meanwhile, A had just gotten back to the apartment. As soon as she entered the room, she slumped onto the sofa. Brian threw away his coat, and asked, "What? Are you tired already? You haven''t pleasured me yet." "Can''t I just sit here and get a little bit of rest?" A closed her eyes. There was no rule in this house that she had to serve him like he was her master the second she had gotten home. Chapter 178: He Was Mesmerized Chapter 178: He Was Mesmerized Brian sat beside her. "You can do whatever you want, as long as I don''t object to it." After saying that, he carried her into the bedroom.Then, he gently put her down beside the bed. A was standing barefoot.She stepped on the hemline of her dress and tipped over. Slowly, she fell onto the bed behind her.Her arms were still dangling around his neck, so when she fell, she dragged him down with her. "You can''t wait to sleep with me any longer, can you? I never expected to see this side of you." Since she had pulled him closer towards her, Brian wasn''t nning to go easy on her anymore. "I can''t wait? What are you talking about? It''s the dress.It''s too long, so I identally stepped on it." With that, A felt no need to exin her side. Right now, they were entangled in an awkward position, so it wasn''t the perfect time to talk about something as trivial as a dress.A few minutes ago, she was wearing high heels and a full-length gown.It was understandable that she would step on the hemline of her dress and trip over it now that she was barefoot. "That''s a terrible excuse! It''s uneptable." Brian had long known that this woman wouldn''t take the initiative when it came to sex "I''ve already given you an exnation.Whether you ept it or not, it''s up to you.Now, get away from me! You''re too heavy." A''s delicate body felt sore after bearing the full weight of his body.Brian did as he was told, and the two of them got even closer to each other, rendering her unable to move an inch. "What on earth do you want?" A felt his warmth as their skins came into contact. "What do you think I want?" He stared at her body with lust evident in his eyes. Following his gaze, A quickly covered her chest with her hands. "You pervert!" "Come on! This wouldn''t be the first time that I''d see your body!" Upon seeing her reaction, Brian chuckled.He was mesmerized by how shy she looked just now. Afterwards, he kissed her passionately.He was a good kisser.His wild kisses made it seem like he couldn''t get enough of it.Once they were done doing it, A fell asleep. Brian gently ran his fingers along her cheeks, realizing that he couldn''t keep his urges at bay whenever he was around her.He leaned against the headboard, still wide awake. ¡®What am I supposed to do with her?¡¯ he thought. If it weren''t for the fact that he was worried she would get exhausted, he wouldn''t have gone easy on her.The following day, as soon as A entered the office, she saw the newspapers on her desk. It was all about her! On the headline, she saw "the fashion show of the rk Group''s new designer, A Woodsen, was a huge sess". N?velDrama.Org owns this. "A, take a look at all these reports! They''re all about you.All of a sudden, you''re now the most sought-after designer of every fashion magazine," Ellie said to her as she came over with a smile.A flipped through the newspaper casually. Upon reading the highlights, she felt that they were all being exaggerated.She hardly cared about it. No matter how much they were praising her, she didn''t feel anything at all. Without saying a word, she put the newspaper away. "A, aren''t you happy about it? You''re the headline of the newspaper! You''re a celebrity." Ellie was surprised to see her socalm. "I''m pretty sure this news will be forgotten in a day or two.Don''t feel envious about it.Perhaps one day, you, too, will be on the front page." To be perfectly honest, that was not what A wanted.As long as her efforts paid off, she would be happy. Ellie felt shy. "How is that going to happen? I''m not capable of achieving something like this yet!" She was just an ordinary assistant, and she wasn''t even a professional in this industry. As soon as Ellie reached the end of her sentence, Linda came over, and said, "Ellie, you''ve been shadowing A for a long time now.Aren''t you aware of her tricks yet?" "What do you mean?" Ellie was perplexed. "She''s beautiful and charming.The type of woman that men could only dream of having.As long as she satisfies Mr.rk in bed, she''ll get everything she wants.Don''t you get it? That''s what you should learn from her!" Linda¡¯s words wereden with malice, implying that the only reason A gained everything that she had was because she sold her body. But A chose to ignore that remark. Besides, Linda had never liked her since the very beginning.She had no intention of changing Linda''s opinion. If it were any other woman that Linda was bashing like this, they would''ve started a war. Everyone in the office already knew how special A was to Brian. However, Linda still openly ndered her in front of so many people in the office. Surprisingly, A didn''t seem bothered by it.Meanwhile, Brian was casually reading the newspaper in his office.He was satisfied with how the reports turned out. Normally, such reports should''ve appeared after the first fashion show was held. Unfortunately, something terrible happened that day, so the event wasn''t that sessful. "Are you satisfied?" Anna came in and saw Brian reading the news. Such reports were to be expected. After all, they invested a lot of time, money, and effort into it. Both the grand fashion show and grand banquet yesterday cost them a fortune. "Why are you here?" Brian put down the newspaper and shifted his gaze towards Anna. "I was nning to show you the newspaper, but it doesn''t seem necessary now, does it?" Anna never knew when she started to be so tolerant. Brian and A brought out the best in each other now. Naturally, she wasn''t happy about it, and yet she still helped him get everything that he desired. "You''re not happy about it?" ncing at her, he added, "You worked really hard yesterday.Let me take you out to lunch." "Aren''t you going to apany her?" A bitter smile appeared on Anna¡¯s lips. What was she to him? Should she pretend to be happy that she had a chance to be a third wheel between them?Brian leaned back against the chair. "She probably doesn''t want to see me right now." Last night, everything was fine between them. But earlier this morning, she sneaked out before he could wake up.lt was obvious that she was avoiding him. He thought that she wouldn''t be able to get up today, but when he got up, the servant told him that she had already left ten minutes before he could wake up. "Brian, are you still letting her have her own way? Haven''t you ever thought of how she has lived her life in the past two years, and how you''ve lived yours?" Anna felt sorry for him. Was A really worth all the kindness, consideration, and love that he offered? To Anna, he was the only man that she could ever love. But what about him? He just kept turning a blind eye to her, and even asked her to do everything in her power to help A.No matter how unhappy she became, she would do anything just to make Brian happy. There was nothing else in this world that she wanted.But she couldn''t bear to watch as A acted so cold towards Brian. It didn''t seem like she cared about him at all. From Anna''s point of view, A was just using him to get what she wanted.If it weren''t for Brian, she wouldn''t even be standing in the rk Group''s Design Department in the first ce. Chapter 179: No Matter What Her Purpose Was, He Didnt Care Chapter 179: No Matter What Her Purpose Was, He Didn''t Care Brian just kept his mouth shut. Even if he allowed A to do as she pleased, he had one condition: that she had to stay by his side, and she couldn''t leave without permission. "Brian, you know that she''s just using you right? Don''t you get it?" Anna kindly reminded him.He wasn''t an idiot. All A wanted was a stable job and career growth. When she became part of the rk Group''s Design Department and took charge of the whole fashion season''s designs, she was no longer an ordinary employee. "Anna, there are some things that I don''t need to know, and you don''t have to tell me." He had always been decisive. Whether it involved Lucas or Toby, he wouldn''t give either of them an opportunity no matter what. He wanted to make sure that A would be by his side. Sternly, Anna stood before him, and said, "Brian, we''ve been working so hard all these years to get where we are today.You can''t let all of our efforts go in vain just for A!" A was neither a woman worthy of his love, nor a person who could contribute to the rk Group''s growth. The reason why Anna and Brian had gone to Italy and entered into a partnership with Yareli was to help theirpany slowly transform.She just didn''t want him to continue proceeding down a dangerous path. It was clear to her that he wanted to transform the rk Group into a fully legal business for A''s sake, but she honestly didn''t care about that fact. Anna just wanted Brian to stay safe and sound.She loved him so much that she always prayed that nothing bad would happen to him. "Anna, you already know my n." Brian had always been a man of his word. Once he had made a decision, nobody could change his mind. Just to keep A around, he didn''t hesitate to damage the rk Group''s reputation."Brian, why do you even have to do this? There are too many men in A''s life! How are you so sure that she''ll get back together with you again? Don''t forget what happened two years ago.Back then, you made her life miserable.You forced her to get an abortion, drove her out of the vi, and she got kidnapped by Tatum.To make matters worse, she got shot and dove straight into the sea.Have you forgotten all of that? Perhaps she''s back to have her revenge, or maybe she''s trying to use you to get everything she wants.But whatever her reason may be, I''m certain that she will destroy you!" Anna warned him. Back when she witnessed what happened between A and Brian, she wasn''t directly involved in it, so she saw things that neither of them could see. Anna was aware of the fact that her rtionship with him would end badly, and that no matter what she did for him, he would never love her back. But that didn''t stop her from loving him. "Two years ago, I owed her my life.So, I don''t care what purpose she has.All I care about is that she¡¯s back!" The moment Brian met A, he knew that he was doomed to be defeated by her. "This decision will ruin your life." Anna had long known that he was a stubborn man, so there was nothing she could do that would change his mind. But there was no way that she would let A hurt Brian!Momentster, he lit a cigarette. As a matter of fact, he hardly cared if it could ruin him or not.He had even imagined the worst that could happen.Meanwhile, Yareli showed up at the cafe on time. The detective had already been waiting for her there. As soon as he saw her arrive, he immediately waved at her. "Ms.Evans, here''s the report that you asked for.he already brought the girl here.She''s in the private room upstairs.If you want to see her, allow me to show you the way." She had always been generous every time she asked the detective to look for her daughter. Even if the detective found the wrong person, she would still give him the reward she promised. This was also the reason why he contacted Yareli every time he received news about her daughter.As she sat on the sofa, Yareli said, "I want to see what you''ve found first." Then, she took the document from him, looking over each page carefully. "Have you told her about me?¡¯"I have.I''ve told her everything about you," said the detective. While she looked at the photos, Yareli didn''t feel familiar to the girl. Although the person did grow up in the same orphanage, and had the same birth date, something felt off about her. it wasn''t a secret that Yareli was looking for her daughter, and this news might''ve reached every orphanage within the city. Rumor had it that her daughter would inherit the Starlight in Mn. Although thepany wasn''t that well-known, its assets and annual revenue were a considerable amount of money. N?velDrama.Org owns this. "Then show me the way." Despite having a hunch that the girl in the file wasn''t her daughter, she decided to meet her anyway.She was already here, so there was no reason to leave right away. Meanwhile, in the room on the second floor, a girl wearing a white dress instantly stood up the second she saw Yareli. The two of them just stared at each other in silence. Then, Yareli took a seat and studied the girl carefully. "I''ve read your profile.So, you majored in design.How many years have you been studying?" The fact that the girl also majored in design made Yareli even more suspicious. "I studied for three years," the girl replied in a soft voice. "Three years, huh? Where do you work? And what have you designed so far?" Yareli asked frankly. She had nned to pass down herpany to her daughter, but if her daughter turned out to be conniving and incapable, she would rather stay in charge. The girl was stupefied by the barrage of questions she received. Uncertain of how to respond to all those questions, she chose to keep her mouth shut. "Okay, how about this? This is my business card.It has my email address.Perhaps you can send me the designs you''ve drafted.Oh, by the way, even though your profile matches my daughter''s, I''m still going to need a strand of your hair." What she was implying was obvious.She wanted to do a DNA test. Although the girl felt reluctant to do so, she decided to pull a strand of her hair and hand it to Yareli anyway. "Well, now that that''s out of the way, you can enjoy your coffee! This is my treat." Yareli took out a Ziploc bag and stored the strand of hair inside it.She didn''t stay there any longer. After putting the Ziploc bag into her bag, she went downstairs, and ran into A. It turned out that she was also there to have afternoon tea. Chapter 180: Looking For Her Daughter Chapter 180: Looking For Her Daughter "Hi, Ms.Evans.Are you also here to have coffee?" A approached Yareli. "I''m just here to deal with some private affairs.But now that I have time, shall we have a cup of coffee together?" She had already nned to go to the rk Group''s office to find A.It was good that they ran into each other here at the coffee shop. A nodded. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. "Sounds lovely." Afterwards, they ordered a cup of coffee and sat at a table by the window. "So, Ms.Evans, have you dealt with the private affairs you mentioned earlier?" A nced at the portfolio that Yareli had put aside. "No, not really." Yareli was certain that the girl she met earlier was not her daughter. Puzzled, A looked at her, and said, "So, does that mean you''re not done with it yet?" "Actually, I''ve been looking for my daughter who has been missing for twenty years already." There was no need for Yareli to hide that fact from her. As a matter of fact, she already thought of A as her own daughter. "Your daughter? I thought you never got married?" they wasn''t expecting that someone perpetually single like Yareli actually had a daughter. It seemed that she still had difficulties of her own. A bitter smile appeared on Yareli¡¯s lips. "That''s right.I believed that I would live alone for the rest of my life.And so, after I gave birth to my child, I left her at the door of an orphanage.I''ve been wanting to get her back, but I never saw her again." During the past two decades, she had suffered every night she remembered her daughter. The thought of losing her daughter pushed her to work harder. And if sometime in the future, she could find her daughter, she would tell her how sorry she was. She owed her daughter a lifetime of apology. If she could ever find her again, she would give her a good life, and never would she live a life of suffering again. When A saw tears rolling down Yareli¡¯s cheeks, she grabbed a tissue and wiped them away. "I''m sure that if your daughter is still alive somewhere, she definitely wants to see you, too." She felt the same way.If someday, her biological parents showed up, she would definitely be the happiest person on earth. But for some reason, she felt that that day might be too far away.She even doubted if it would ever come. "You think so? But I abandoned her.No matter how hard my situation was, I shouldn''t have left her." Yareli resented herself for what she did. It didn''t matter how wealthy she had be, because it could never fill the void of losing her daughter. "She''ll understand why you did it.Every parent has their own reason for giving up their children," said A. That was the same thing she told herself.Her parents probably must''ve been left with no other choice but to abandon her.Her words offort made Yareli feel at ease. "You''re a good girl." Oh, how she hoped that A could be her daughter! She had taken a liking to her ever since the first day she saw her. If by some ungodly reason, she couldn''t find her real daughter, she would adopt A instead.They kept chatting for about two hours before Yareli drove back to thepany. "L, I heard you''re in charge of half the designs for the third show.And the third show is a bigger project.Both you and Linda must be well-prepared!" Although Yareli had been in Italy, she had known everything that had I been happening to A while she was working for the rk Group in Antawood. "That''s right.I''ll work hard to make it a sess.I''ve already finished my designs for the third fashion show.Actually, I was hoping if you could take a look at them and give me some pointers for improvement," said A. "No problem," Yareli agreed, and then the two of them went into the office together. As soon as Linda saw Yareli, she got up and approached her. "Ms.Evans, you''re here! Would you like something to drink? I''ll get it for you.Which do you prefer? Coffee or tea?" "No, thanks. I''ve already had coffee with L earlier.I just came here to see how things are going." As she sat on the sofa, Yareli nodded at A and asked her to show the designs. At once, A brought her a portfolio of all her drafts for the third fashion show. Carefully, Yareli examined them one by one.After a while, she got up and said, "L,e with me." Once the two of them were in the meeting room, she said to A, "Tell me more about the style you used, and the features of each dress." A''s answers impressed Yareli very much. "I''m surprised at the progress you''ve made, L! It''s only been a few months, and you''re already this good." She closed the folder, and said, "There''s still time before the next fashion show.If you have some spare time on your hands, you should design a few shoes to match these dresses, L." A designer must bear in mind that she should keep her designsprehensive. Despite the fact the designers had different strengths, it was better to be good in all aspects. Moreover, Yareli had been wanting tounch a series of shoes. If A could design shoes as well, she would be the most capable designer in herpany! Perplexed, A looked back at Yareli. "Ms.Evans, I''m afraid that I wouldn''t be able to do it well." "You''ll know once you try.I''m certain that you''ve already learned how to do it." Yareli gave her a pat on the shoulder to encourage her. "I have some references that could help you with designing shoes.I''ll send them to youter, so you can study it.If you have any questions or concerns, you cane to my hotel roomter." "Okay." A nodded in agreement. There was no way she would give up that easily. Knowing that Yareli was rooting for her only served to embolden her. Even if she encountered all sorts of difficulties during the drafting process, as long as she didn''t give up, she would push through no matter how difficult it could get. When Brian found out that Yareli and A were in te meeting room, he walked in, and said, "Ms.Evans, why didn''t youe to my office?" "I''m having a chat with L.Mr.rk,e, take a look.What do you think about these designs? I told L to try designing the shoes, too," said Yareli. Brian took the drawings, carefully looking through them one by one. Indeed, A¡¯s designs were bing more and more incredible. He believed that Yareli made the right call. "I agree.These are perfect.Ms.Evans, I believe we''re going to have a sessful cooperation this time." For some reason, he felt something strange.Yareli seemed to think too highly of A, and it made him feel uneasy. Chapter 181: Did He Arrange All Of These Chapter 181: Did He Arrange All Of These One day, A was sitting in her office, continuously revising her designs.This week, she was really too busy to do anything else. She had sewn dozens of clothes herself.She only had a few hours of rest every day. The only good thing was that Brian had gone on a business trip, so she could at least have some free time. Linda walked in and saw the clothes on the mannequins. "A, are you an idiot or something? Mr.rk isn''t here to look at what you''ve done! You don''t have to do any of that to please him."https://novelebook/ Putting down the needle, A said, "Linda, if you''ve got nothing better to do, just go away and stop bothering me.Whatever I want to do, let alone who I want to please, it''s none of your business." Wasn''t it better if they just ignored each other? There was no need for Linda toe here just to mock her. "Don''t pretend to be oblivious of your own deviousness The only reason you have what you have now is because you climbed onto Mr.rk''s bed, didn''t you? Do you think a neer like you, who hasn''t even graduated, can be on an equal footing with someone like me?" Linda walked to the sofa and made herselffortable.She had been wanting to talk to A to let her know her ce in thispany. "I have no intention ofpeting with you, and I don''t want anything to do with you, either.Whether Mr.rk is the reason I have what I have today or not, I don''t give a damn." A had never wanted any of these, nor did she want to stand in the limelight. All she wanted was for people to admire the clothes she designed. "So, you''re aware of it.The fashion show, the cocktail party, and the media reports were all Mr.rk''s arrangement, and he did it all for you.Don''t forget who you really are.Listen to me, you''re just a nobody!" Linda sneered before she walked out of the room.As she stared at the clothes in front of her, A suddenly felt lost. If it weren''t for that woman''s remark, she would''ve been quite confident in her own abilities. And even though she didn''t care about the reports, was true that the fashion show had positive responses. But if Brian was the one behind all of it, what did he want? For what purpose did he do all of that? A sat on the sofa, contemting for a long time. By the time she stood up, it was already dark outside.She didn''t turn the lights on, so she couldn''t see anything. When she got up, she identally bumped into the table, leaving a bruise on her knee. However, she didn''t feel any pain from it.She grabbed her handbag and went downstairs. As soon as she reached the first floor, she ran into Hank. "Miss Woodsen, it''s alreadyte.Why haven''t you gone home yet? Would you like me to drive you home?" Before Brian left on his trip, he told Hank to watch over A. However, she had been too busy at the office, and she hadn''t gone to see any other man recently.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. For a while, she just stared at him in a daze, before she asked, "Mr.Cooper, can I talk to you about something?" Her words surprised Hank. "Miss Woodsen, if there''s anything you need, just let me know." The two of them went to the coffee shop across thepany. As soon as A sat down, she asked, "Mr.Cooper, tell me, did Mr.rk arrange the media reports for thest fashion show?" "Miss Woodsen, why would you suddenly ask such a question?" Hank was surprised to hear that from her. Only a handful of people were aware of what Brian had done for A. Even she, herself, didn''t know.Who on earth told her about it? "Just tell me.Did he do that for me?" A wanted to know the answer. If it was true that Brian arranged everything behind her back, then she would give up on her career. Hank kept his mouth shut. This question was difficult to answer. He didn''t want to lie to A, nor did he want to go against Brian''s order. "I assume that your silence means Brian did it, didn''t he?" All of a sudden, desperation arose in A''s heart. Why did Brian do it? What good would it bring him? and how would she benefit from it? "Miss Woodsen, you''re mistaken." Hank shook his head in denial.He didn''t want to cause a rift between A and Brian due to something so trivial. It was true that Brian had personally talked to those reporters and invited them to the fashion show, but it was no big deal. However, nobody knew about this. How did A find out? If she got mad at Brian because of this matter, it would be difficult for Hank to exin this problem to Brian upon his return.A didn''t believe Hank. Judging by how hesitant he was, it was true that Brian had gotten in touch with the media in advance. Perhaps in other people''s point of view, it wasn''t that big of a deal. But to her, it was. Just as Hank was about to say something, A got up and walked away. He was surprised to know that she also had a bad temper! ¡®I better tell Mr.rk about this as soon as possible, ¡® he thought. Instead of going back to her apartment, A went to a bar nearby.She sat alone at the bar counter, ordering a ss of whiskey. The strong liquor burned her throat, causing tears to fall from her eyes. It turned out that she was still capable of shedding tears. The whiskey tasted salty and bitter in her mouth, so she decided to order another ss on the rocks. ¡®I can''t understand what Brian is thinking.Does he really want to keep me or not?¡± Meanwhile, Lucas entered the bar and saw a familiar figure sitting in front of the counter. He initially thought he was mistaken, but upon a closer look, he realized he was right. "L," he greeted. The sound of his voice made A turn her head and look at Lucas. They had previously set up a meeting, but they didn''t get to see each other. To her surprise, they identally met each other at this bar. "Lucas, it''s you! What a coincidence! Are you here alone?" said A. "I am! I actually just wanted to have a drink.By the way, what are you doing here on your own? Did Brian do something to you?" Lucas took the ss from her hand. "A ss of fruit wine, please," he said to the bartender. "This whiskey is too strong for you, L.You shouldn''t be drinking this.You''re going to get hammered." After saying that, he gave her the ss of fruit wine, and drank the whiskey for her. A smile appeared on A''s lips. "Aren''t you supposed to be with Miss Green right now, Lucas? She''s pregnant.You should be taking care of her!" "So, you still remember all of that, huh? Are you still mad at me?" Lucas smiled bitterly. Even Tatum was now aware that Haley was pregnant, and because of that, abortion wasn''t an option anymore. He couldn''t shirk his responsibility. But what would happen to L? How could he let her face Brian on her own? If that man was taking advantage of her, there would be no one around to protect her. And since she came here to drink alone, something terrible must''ve happened to her! Otherwise, she would nevere here alone just to drink. Chapter 182: Her Happiness Was Lost Two Years Ago Chapter 182: Her Happiness Was Lost Two Years Ago A stared back at him. "I''m not mad at you.Why would I get mad at you? Lucas, did you know? For so long, I''ve felt like I owed you so much for everything you''ve done for me.And it''s good that things turned out the way they did." A bitter smile appeared on his lips. Her words implied that she wanted to move on from him and start a new life with Brian. Lucas kept drinking a shot of whiskey one after another. "L, do you feel happy when you''re with Brian?" If she said that she was happy, would he just give up on her? And if she said that she loved being with Brian, should he just smile at her and wish her all the best?However, A just chuckled. "Happy, you say? Lucas, don''t you know? I used to think that I could someday live a happy and fulfilling life, but ever since that day two years ago, that happiness was lost.No matter how hard I kept trying to search for this so-called happiness, I could never find it.I''m not happy at all; not one bit." The smile on her face faded, and was reced with tears. Lucas put down his ss and embraced her. "L, happiness can easily be gained as long as you want to have it.Why can''t you just face how you truly feel? Can''t you just follow that voice inside your heart?" It seemed that during these past two years, she never once felt happy. If she hadn''t gotten drunk, she never would''ve told him how she truly felt. "Are you going to start anew with Brian? To find your happiness?" Was she nning to take back what she had lost from Brian? But that man could never give her the happiness she desired! How could she be so stubborn about this? A drank another ss of wine. "Is it even possible for me to be with him?" That mancked morality. He was willing to do whatever it took to gain what he desired. If so, what did Brian want from her? Did he want her body? Or her heart? And after he had gotten what he wanted, would he just hurt her again? Upon seeing that A was so drunk, Lucas helped her out of the bar. "L, you''re drunk.Let¡¯s go," he suggested. "I''m not drunk, Lucas.I''m not!" she murmured repeatedly. Was she drunk? If she was, then why did she still feel so heartbroken? And if she was indeed drunk, why was that man still in her mind? She was so foolish. She had known beforehand that she would just get hurt, and yet she loved him anyway. As he walked her to the side of the road, Lucas said, "Why are you so stubborn, L? If you had chosen to leave this ce with me, things would''ve been different!" He was willing to take her away, but she didn''t want 2 go.She would rather stay with Brian and get hurt. How could he feel at ease as he watched her make her life miserable? The love of his life wanted to be with another man, and all he could do was watch as things unfurled before his eyes. "Lucas, some things are inevitable." A ced her hands on Lucas¡¯ shoulders. Her legs had grown weak because of the liquor, but she was still sober. ncing back at her, he said, "Okay, you need to rest now.Let me drive you home." He then opened the door of his car and let her in. But all of a sudden, A held his hand. "Lucas, I don''t want to go back there.Don''t take me back to that ce." She wanted to be away from that apartment just for one night. That ce only reminded her of that heartless man. Lucas sighed. "You''re exhausted, aren''t you? I understand.I won''t send you back." Instead of the apartment, he drove her to a hotel. On their way to the hotel, A fell asleep on the passenger seat. After pulling his car over, Lucas decided not to wake her up. Instead, he gently picked her up. Meanwhile, Haley had been waiting in Lucas¡¯ room.She had been pregnant for three months, but he still felt indifferent towards her. His attitude made her upset, but at least he wasn''t meeting up with A. Unfortunately, he would always go out to drink every night. Was he really so ufortable around her? She was pregnant with his child! Didn''t he feel anything about that? Just as she was about to leave, she noticed Lucas heading towards the room, carrying a woman in his arms. She recognized that it was A. "Lucas, what are you doing? Didn''t you just see her not long ago? Why did you bring her here? Are you trying to piss me off on purpose? You really want me to lose this baby, don''t you?" N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Haley scolded Lucas. Without even casting her a nce, he went into the room, cing A on the bed. Haley followed him in. Before she could start the argument again, Lucas pulled her away. "Haley, just go back to sleep.Let''s talk about this in the morning, okay?" He knew that A was tired, so he just wanted her to get a good night''s sleep. Reluctantly, Haley chose to go back to her room and mmed the door shut. ¡®I knew it! That tramp, A, got drunk on purpose because she wants to be with Lucas! Meanwhile, Lucas was sitting on the edge of the bed, watching as A drifted into slumber. Her eyes had dark circles around them. She probably hadn''t rested well for a long time. Her life with Brian must be horrible. So, why did she keep choosing to be with him? By the time A woke up, it was already noon. When she turned around, she saw Lucas beside her on the bed. Gradually, she came to her senses, and remembered that she had gotten drunkst night. Carefully, she ced the nket over his body. But despite how quietly she moved, Lucas still woke up.He reached out to grab A¡¯s hand. "L, are you awake? How do you feel? Did you sleep wellst night? She withdrew her hand, and said, "I''m sorry for causing trouble for youst night, Lucas.I drank way too much." He then got up to look her in the eye. "Don¡¯t drink alone again like you didst night.If you''re having a terrible day, give me a call.And if Brian is mistreating you again,e find me, and I''ll help you as best as I can.". He didn¡¯t want her to feel deste. But other than to take her away from Antawood, he couldn''t do anything to help her. As a matter of fact, his presence around her would only get her in trouble.A nodded. "Okay, I will.I''m just really busy with work recently, but I''m fine." It was true that she had been working long hours to finish her designs. But if all the des she gained only happened because of Brian''s maniption, was there still a point in continuing to work on her craft? Lucas held her in his arms. "I know that I''ve hurt you, L, but can you still treat me as your friend? You shouldn''t bear all these burdens alone." A pressed her cheek against his chest. She had lost this sense of relief for so long. During the years she was with him, whenever she was in great pain, she would always press herself close to his body like this. Perhaps this was thest time she would ever do it again. Chapter 183: A Slap In The Face Chapter 183: A p In The Face A smiled at him. "Lucas, I''m fine.Anyway, I need to go.I have to go back to work now." She couldn''t afford to stay here for too long.More importantly, she didn''t want to cause an even bigger misunderstanding. "L, is he really worth all this effort?" Lucas just couldn''t understand her. This woman had been with him for more than two years, and still, he couldn''t figure out what she was thinking most of the time. Perhaps he never could. A took a deep breath. "Lucas, you need to know that I''m doing this for myself, not for Brian.Your question makes no sense." It was true.She did it all for herself, and she wouldn''t change any of it for Brian''s sake.If everything was predetermined to happen, then she would start from square one. "In that case, don''t push yourself too hard.And don''t let anyone bully you, you hear?" Lucas had already known her decision, but he still couldn''t change her mind.He had no other choice but to let her do whatever she wanted. A nodded firmly. "l know, Lucas.Please don''t go against Mr.rk.I doubt you can defeat him.And don''t worry! He won''t do anything to me." "L, what are you going to do if he dies?" If Lucas were to enact his revenge, he wanted to make sure that she wouldn''t suffer in the process. And if she were happy with Brian, he might even toss out the idea of vengeance.His words left A stunned. "What do you mean by that, Lucas? Why do you think he''ll die? Are you nning to do something to him?" The sound of her anxious voice and sight of concern in her eyes were like daggers to Lucas¡¯ heart.It was just a hypothetical question, and she had already gotten so anxious about it. Then, she was probably lying if she said that she didn''t love Brian anymore. Lucas forced a smile. "I''m just kidding, L." It might be true.He was probably just joking, but she took it seriously. Upon hearing that he was jesting, A breathed a sigh of relief. "I need to go, Lucas." He wasn''t nning to dy her any longer because he knew that she was too busy with worktely. The newspapers were full of reports about her designs, and the grand fashion show. Those were probably the results of her efforts. As soon as A opened the door, someone pped her face before she could even react.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Haley hit her so hard that she staggered back several steps. Fortunately, Lucas was there to keep her from falling. Although Haley didn''t make a scenest night, she had been waiting outside the room for the entire night. She wasn''t gracious enough to let her man stay in the same room as another woman.A could taste blood on her lips. That p made her feel like her face was burning, but she didn''t feel angry about it.She just looked at Haley and saw how haggard and pale this woman was. Perhaps she felt restless due to the fact that A was sleeping in the same room as Lucasst night."Haley, why the hell did you p her?" Lucas shouted at Haley as he held Ain his arms. "Why can''t I? That bitch deserves it!" Haley frowned, covering her belly with one hand. "You..." Lucas wanted to p her back, but his hand froze in midair."If you want to hit me for the sake of that bitch, then do it!" Haley growled. "If you have the balls to do it, then hit me so hard that I''ll have a miscarriage.And when that happens, you can finally live a happy life with your bitch!" she added. Her snide remarks angered him so much that he carried out the p. With nothing to support her, Haley fell to the floor. "Lucas! You didn''t have to do that.I''m okay." A never expected that he would actually hit Haley. "L, you shouldn''t let people trample on you like that.She hit you for no reason.I won''t let anyone harm you from right under my nose, because I love you so much, and I''m willing to do anything for you." Lucas held A.He just witnessed her getting pped by Haley. How could he just stand there and do nothing?As A wiped the blood from her lips using the back of her hand, she said, "I''m fine." After speaking, she wanted to help Haley up. But then, she noticed that her face was ghastly pale, and there was blood flowing between her legs. "Lucas, Miss Green, she''s..." A was horrified by what she saw. "Take her to the hospital at once!" she urged Lucas. Quickly, he picked Haley up and ran downstairs as fast as he could.Upon their arrival at the hospital, Haley was brought to the emergency room, while Lucas and A waited outside. "Lucas, do you think she''ll be okay?" Feeling helpless, he rubbed his temples.He was conflicted about how he should feel right now.He wasn''t even sure whether he wanted to keep that baby or not. A looked at him, and apologized, "I''m sorry, Lucas This is all my fault. If it weren''t for me, things wouldn''t have turned out like this. If harm befalls that child in her womb, I will resent myself for the rest of my life." "Stop it, L.It''s not your fault." Lucas caressed her swollen cheek. Haley''s palm print was still apparent on I her face, so he felt sorry for her. A also touched her face and smiled faintly. At the same time, the corners of her mouth twitched due to the pain.The operationsted around two hours, and they waited outside until the red light turned off. "Doctor, how is she?" Lucas asked as he held the doctor''s hand. "I''m sorry, Mr.Collins.We couldn''t save the baby." Regret was evident on the doctor''s face as he shook his head. Upon hearing that the baby didn''t survive, A wee taken aback. "L." Lucas held her arm. "L, are you okay?"¡®I''m fine." Of course, she was fine.But she just witnessed the loss of a life, and it reminded her of her own child. "Stay here with Miss Green.I''m going to buy some food," said A. "L, I''lljust ask someone else to do it.You also need to rest.I''ll ask one of the nurses to give you a cold compress for your face." Her face was so swollen, so she shouldn''t go outside right now "No, I''m really fine.I''ll be back soon.Don''t worry." In all honesty, A didn''t feel any paining from her face now. She then went out of the hospital and bought some chicken porridge; one for Haley, and the other one was for Lucas. "This one is for you, Lucas.When Miss Green wakes up, tell her to have some of this porridge.She needs to replenish the nutrients in her body and get plenty of rest.Also, you need to talk to her properly, and don''t do anything to make her upset!" she advised. She was well aware of the fact that any woman would be heartbroken at the loss of her child. Without saying anything, Lucas nodded. A didn''t say much after that.Momentster, she left the ward. Chapter 184: I Have Nothing To Say Chapter 184: I Have Nothing To Say A left the ward and dragged her exhausted body into the hospital garden.She really could not figure out how things turned out like this.She then sat on a bench and gazed at people who came and went. There were also pregnant women who passed by in front of her with their bulged belly. N?velDrama.Org owns this. ¡®What the hell did I do wrong this time? Why does nothing good evere out of everything I''ve done?¡¯ she mused.All of a sudden, two familiar figures came into her sight ¡ªToby and Molly. She wanted to walk over to them and say "hello" but decided not to. A memory of what had happened to Haley suddenly crossed her mind, so she immediately stood up and hid behind a big tree. Careful not to be seen, she watched as Toby helped Molly walk into the building.It was not until they walked in that A came out from behind the tree. Not long after, she left the hospital and hailed a cab. "rk Group building, please," she said to the taxi driver. "Okay," the driver responded with a nod. "No, wait. Go to the HM Garden instead," A hurriedly said as she changed her mind.She figured that it was not right to go to thepany like this, so she had better go back to Brian''s apartment first. Once she arrived at the door of the apartment, she took out the key from her purse and opened the door. She was expecting that the apartment was empty. However, the instant she opened the door, she smelled a strong stench of tobo, making her choke and cough uncontrobly. She turned to look at the sofa and saw that Brian was there, smoking. ¡®What is he doing here?¡¯ she wondered in disbelief.Something suddenly urred to her. At the thought of it, she smoothed her hair and pulled it down to cover her left cheek that was bruised and swollen, hoping that he would not notice it. Now that she was all set, she casually walked to the sofa and said indifferently, "You''re back." "What''s with that look? Aren''t you happy to see me back?" Brian asked with a sneer as he stubbed the cigarette out. "Don''t you want to know when I came back?" Although his voice was calm and expressionless, A could tell that he was unhappy.She cast a nce at the ashtray and found that it was full. ''Did hee backst night?¡¯ "Mr.rk, I''m sorry.I..." Should she exin it to him? If she did, would her exnation even work? "Where have you been?" Brian asked as he lifted his gaze on her. Although some of her hair was covering half of her face, the wound on her cheek did not escape his scrutinizing gaze. Also, he caught a whiff of alcohol on her. He could imagine what this woman didst night. Yesterday, Hank called him and told him everything. As soon as he hung up the call, he left everything behind and took the earliest flight home. He waited for her the whole night, but she did note home until now. ¡®What does this woman want? Was she trying to piss me off?¡¯ he mused. "I...I just drank some wine yesterday, so I didn''te home," A nervously answered, not wanting to make Brian angry. "Just some wine? How much exactly did you drink? Smell yourself! You smell like you bathed in ajar of wine! Don''t make a fool out of me!" Brian eximed. Then, he stood up, walked over to her, and lifted her chin with his thumb and index finger. "What happened to your face? You''d better tell me the truth, or you''d regret it," he warned. When he spoke, his voice was icy cold that almost made A tremble in fear. "I have nothing to say," she answered through gritted teeth. As she stared at his angry face, she knew that he would not believe her regardless of what she said. He would only distort her exnation, even if it was the truth. "A, what do you take me for? Answer me! That Lucas...what''s so good about him? Did he force Haley to have an abortion just to get you? Perhaps you two did something that you shouldn''t have done, so you could anger Haley and make her have a miscarriage?" Brian had the means to know whatever he wanted right away. As a matter of fact, he already knew what had happenedst night and this morning to A. He was waiting for her to give him an exnation until the morning, only to hear that she had nothing to say .¡®Could it be that the exnation was useless after what had happened between her and Lucas? Does she still have no feelings for me? As Brian looked at the red handprint on A''s face, he could not help but wonder how stupid she was.He did not have the heart to tell her what Lucas and Tatum''s rtionship was because he did not want her to be sad.However, what she had done felt like a knife in his heart, piercing through him.A scoffed and retorted, "You already knew about it.Why bother to ask?" Since he had already known everything, why did he have to ask about her exnation? "It''s because I wanted to hear it from you, but you did not even give me the chance,"Brian said with a sneer.If only she told him the truth, he would have just let it go.Sadly, she did not. "Even if I''m living here, I''m free to do everything I want.Whoever I am seeing is none of your business! It has nothing to do with you," A fired back. Brian wanted to be in control of her. She knew about this, so there was no need for her to ask him if he had done all those things for her regarding the fashion show.The more he wanted to control her, the less she wanted to satisfy him. All of a sudden, Brian pulled her and threw her onto the sofa. Although shended on the cushion, A still got hurt by the impact. "What''s so good about Lucas? Tell me! What can he do that I can''t? Argh!" he bellowed as he ripped A¡¯s chiffon skirt in rage. "No! Stop!" A shrank away from him and tried with all her strength to keep him away. "Unfortunately, it''s not up to you," Brian responded frighteningly. How could he let her go anyway? In the end, A passed out in pain. Brian lost control yet again. Could he me himself? This woman was driving him crazy! Once he was done with his evil deed, he went to the bathroom and let the cold water run down every inch of his skin.He quickly took a shower, changed his clothes, and left the apartment, leaving the ce in a mess and A alone. A''s body hurt so much that she could not even turn over, much less stand up. When she opened her eyes, her vision was blurred, and her body was trembling in pain. It took her a while to see everything clearly. Only thee did she realize that her body was covered with bruises that were left by his violence. ¡®He must be very angry with me, so he did this, right?¡¯ she asked herself inwardly. Although Brian seemed to be doing everything to get back with her, he only pushed her farther and farther away.Sometimes, A felt that her happiness seemed to be right in front of her eyes. However, as she reached for it, it seemed even farther than she had thought. Everything that had happened made her sure of one thing¡ªshe and Brian were impossible to be together again. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!