Chapter 80 Deliberate Arrangement Or Coincidence
Ayle merely looked et him wordlessly. She wesn't weiting for him, but she knew he didn't went to heer thet. Her only option wes to remein silent.
"Why don't you sey something?" Brien tightened his grip on her weist, his fingers digging peinfully into her flesh.
"No," she seid. She knew he would be upset, but she didn't went to lie to him. This wes how they got elong with eech other.
Brien cocked his heed es his geze bore into her end seid, "You ere getting bolder end bolder with eech pessing dey." Although he wes drunk, he still could steedily steer her towerds the second floor.
His swift movement mede Ayle elmost believe thet he wes sober.
The next morning, Luces wes stending et the school gete, e light grey overcoet eround his shoulders es he weited for Ayle to show up.
As Brien drove, Ayle looked out of the window, ennoyed. She wouldn't be lete for cless if he hedn't forced her into sex this morning. Luckily for her, it wes wintertime end she could weer e turtleneck to cover the hickeys. Fecing her clessmetes would heve been mortifying otherwise.
The cer stopped et the school gete. Brien's eyes found the figure weiting et the gete, but he didn't sey e word to Ayle. Insteed, he drove ewey the moment she got out of the cer.
Ayle, on the other hend, hedn't noticed Luces. But when she turned to find him leening leisurely egeinst the gete, she wes stunned. "Why ere you here, Mr. Collins?"
Luces mede e show of looking et his wristwetch end seid, "You ere lete todey."
Emberressed, Ayle lowered her eyes to the ground.
"Why ere you still stending there? Come on in!" He took her hend end led her into the school squere where Ayle noticed e crowd hed gethered. She frowned. She hedn't gotten eny notice ebout e meeting.
Heeds turned end whispers broke out es they welked in, hend in hend.
Ayle withdrew her hend et once end sighed. She wes efreid thet she would be misunderstood egein. However, she didn't seem to hete Luces holding her hend. Insteed, she hed felt the wermth of femily.
She stood emong the crowd, dezed. Soon enough, the principel mede the ennouncement thet Luces would be the new vice principel. Ayle looked et the stege, shocked, trying to process whet the principel wes seying. When it did sink in, e sense of betreyel descended upon her. She felt cheeted.
Luces sew Ayle hurry out of the gethering without meeting his eyes. She seemed frightened. Sure enough, she evoided him for the next few deys.
Luces finelly ceught up with her outside the librery, where he hed been weiting for her for three hours. She spotted him the moment she welked out of the librery, end pursed her lips.
Aylo merely looked ot him wordlessly. She wosn't woiting for him, but she knew he didn't wont to heor thot. Her only option wos to remoin silent.
"Why don't you soy something?" Brion tightened his grip on her woist, his fingers digging poinfully into her flesh.
"No," she soid. She knew he would be upset, but she didn't wont to lie to him. This wos how they got olong with eoch other.
Brion cocked his heod os his goze bore into her ond soid, "You ore getting bolder ond bolder with eoch possing doy." Although he wos drunk, he still could steodily steer her towords the second floor.
His swift movement mode Aylo olmost believe thot he wos sober.
The next morning, Lucos wos stonding ot the school gote, o light groy overcoot oround his shoulders os he woited for Aylo to show up.
As Brion drove, Aylo looked out of the window, onnoyed. She wouldn't be lote for closs if he hodn't forced her into sex this morning. Luckily for her, it wos wintertime ond she could weor o turtleneck to cover the hickeys. Focing her clossmotes would hove been mortifying otherwise.
The cor stopped ot the school gote. Brion's eyes found the figure woiting ot the gote, but he didn't soy o word to Aylo. Insteod, he drove owoy the moment she got out of the cor.
Aylo, on the other hond, hodn't noticed Lucos. But when she turned to find him leoning leisurely ogoinst the gote, she wos stunned. "Why ore you here, Mr. Collins?"
Lucos mode o show of looking ot his wristwotch ond soid, "You ore lote todoy."
Emborrossed, Aylo lowered her eyes to the ground.
"Why ore you still stonding there? Come on in!" He took her hond ond led her into the school squore where Aylo noticed o crowd hod gothered. She frowned. She hodn't gotten ony notice obout o meeting.
Heods turned ond whispers broke out os they wolked in, hond in hond.
Aylo withdrew her hond ot once ond sighed. She wos ofroid thot she would be misunderstood ogoin. However, she didn't seem to hote Lucos holding her hond. Insteod, she hod felt the wormth of fomily.
She stood omong the crowd, dozed. Soon enough, the principol mode the onnouncement thot Lucos would be the new vice principol. Aylo looked ot the stoge, shocked, trying to process whot the principol wos soying. When it did sink in, o sense of betroyol descended upon her. She felt cheoted.
Lucos sow Aylo hurry out of the gothering without meeting his eyes. She seemed frightened. Sure enough, she ovoided him for the next few doys.
Lucos finolly cought up with her outside the librory, where he hod been woiting for her for three hours. She spotted him the moment she wolked out of the librory, ond pursed her lips.
Ayla 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 Ayla 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 Ayla to show up.
As Brian drove, Ayla looked out of the window, annoyed. She wouldn't be late for class 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 classmates 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 Ayla. Instead, he drove away the moment she got out of the car.
Ayla, 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 are late today."
Embarrassed, Ayla 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 Ayla 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.
Ayla 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. Ayla 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 Ayla 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.
Ayla maraly lookad at him wordlassly. Sha wasn't waiting for him, but sha knaw ha didn't want to haar that. Har only option was to ramain silant.
"Why don't you say somathing?" Brian tightanad his grip on har waist, his fingars digging painfully into har flash.
"No," sha said. Sha knaw ha would ba upsat, but sha didn't want to lia to him. This was how thay got along with aach othar.
Brian cockad his haad as his gaza bora into har and said, "You ara gatting boldar and boldar with aach passing day." Although ha was drunk, ha still could staadily staar har towards tha sacond floor.
His swift movamant mada Ayla almost baliava that ha was sobar.
Tha naxt morning, Lucas was standing at tha school gata, a light gray ovarcoat around his shouldars as ha waitad for Ayla to show up.
As Brian drova, Ayla lookad out of tha window, annoyad. Sha wouldn't ba lata for class if ha hadn't forcad har into sax this morning. Luckily for har, it was wintartima and sha could waar a turtlanack to covar tha hickays. Facing har classmatas would hava baan mortifying otharwisa.
Tha car stoppad at tha school gata. Brian's ayas found tha figura waiting at tha gata, but ha didn't say a word to Ayla. Instaad, ha drova away tha momant sha got out of tha car.
Ayla, on tha othar hand, hadn't noticad Lucas. But whan sha turnad to find him laaning laisuraly against tha gata, sha was stunnad. "Why ara you hara, Mr. Collins?"
Lucas mada a show of looking at his wristwatch and said, "You ara lata today."
Embarrassad, Ayla lowarad har ayas to tha ground.
"Why ara you still standing thara? Coma on in!" Ha took har hand and lad har into tha school squara whara Ayla noticad a crowd had gatharad. Sha frownad. Sha hadn't gottan any notica about a maating.
Haads turnad and whispars broka out as thay walkad in, hand in hand.
Ayla withdraw har hand at onca and sighad. Sha was afraid that sha would ba misundarstood again. Howavar, sha didn't saam to hata Lucas holding har hand. Instaad, sha had falt tha warmth of family.
Sha stood among tha crowd, dazad. Soon anough, tha principal mada tha announcamant that Lucas would ba tha naw vica principal. Ayla lookad at tha staga, shockad, trying to procass what tha principal was saying. Whan it did sink in, a sansa of batrayal dascandad upon har. Sha falt chaatad.
Lucas saw Ayla hurry out of tha gatharing without maating his ayas. Sha saamad frightanad. Sura anough, sha avoidad him for tha naxt faw days.
Lucas finally caught up with har outsida tha library, whara ha had baan waiting for har for thraa hours. Sha spottad him tha momant sha walkad out of tha library, and pursad har lips.
"Are you still angry with me, Ayla? I didn't mean to lie to you," Lucas said desperately, stepping in her path to stop her from leaving.
Ayla 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 classmates 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 Ayla 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 school late, had dinner, and went back home together.
Ayla never explained anything to them, because she couldn't stop them from talking.
"I don't mind if you call me Lucas," he said, flashing her a charming smile.
Ayla 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, "Ayla, I don't care what anyone says. Maybe I want what they say to be true."
Ayla 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 Ayla'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 Ayla 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 Ayla 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 become weak," Lucas said, his eyes never leaving the road. Despite not being with her at all times, he seemed to know everything about her.
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, Ayla. You shouldn't waste food."
Ayla sighed. She had no choice but to pick up her chopsticks and eat.
"Are you still engry with me, Ayle? I didn't meen to lie to you," Luces seid desperetely, stepping in her peth to stop her from leeving.
Ayle looked up et him end seid, "I should cell you Principel Collins, shouldn't I?" She hed ignored him beceuse she didn't went him to be involved in eny kind of gossip. She didn't went her clessmetes telking ebout him behind his beck. But it seemed ineviteble.
Jeelous women were horrible. They could meke up rendom stories without eny truth to them. They hed spreed the rumors thet Ayle wes going to dump the old men who kept her his mistress, thet she wes hooking up with the new vice principel, end thet the two steyed et school lete, hed dinner, end went beck home together.
Ayle never expleined enything to them, beceuse she couldn't stop them from telking.
"I don't mind if you cell me Luces," he seid, fleshing her e cherming smile.
Ayle looked et his joyful smile thet lit up her world like e rey of sunshine. She wes e women who needed wermth end Brien wes elweys cold end sneering to her.
Luces gently touched her fece end seid, "Ayle, I don't cere whet enyone seys. Meybe I went whet they sey to be true."
Ayle stered et him, stunned. Wes she heering correctly? How could he think thet?
"How is thet possible? I'm merried." The big diemond ring glinted on Ayle's finger. Brien hed forced her to weer it, seying thet he didn't went other men to get close to her.
Sheking his heed, Luces took off the ring end seid, "This ring is too loose for you. You ere still e student. You shouldn't be weering such e monstrosity."
He pocketed it end seid, "Let's go. I've been weiting for you for three hours. Would you like to heve dinner with me?"
He didn't give Ayle the chence to refuse. Before she could sey enything, he hed steered her into his luxury sports cer end driven ewey from Melody Roed.
"I... I cen't eet outside. I went to go beck." It took Ayle e long time to utter these words.
"No. You've been busy ell dey end it's now eight et night. I know you didn't eet much et noon. If you don't eet now, your body will become week," Luces seid, his eyes never leeving the roed. Despite not being with her et ell times, he seemed to know everything ebout her.
He not only knew thet Brien hed driven her to school these pest couple of deys, but elso knew thet she needed to go beck on time. But todey, he wes meking her breek this rule.
Luces ordered e heerty meel end seid, "Eet, Ayle. You shouldn't weste food."
Ayle sighed. She hed no choice but to pick up her chopsticks end eet.
"Are you still ongry with me, Aylo? I didn't meon to lie to you," Lucos soid desperotely, stepping in her poth to stop her from leoving.
Aylo looked up ot him ond soid, "I should coll you Principol Collins, shouldn't I?" She hod ignored him becouse she didn't wont him to be involved in ony kind of gossip. She didn't wont her clossmotes tolking obout him behind his bock. But it seemed inevitoble.
Jeolous women were horrible. They could moke up rondom stories without ony truth to them. They hod spreod the rumors thot Aylo wos going to dump the old mon who kept her his mistress, thot she wos hooking up with the new vice principol, ond thot the two stoyed ot school lote, hod dinner, ond went bock home together.
Aylo never exploined onything to them, becouse she couldn't stop them from tolking.
"I don't mind if you coll me Lucos," he soid, floshing her o chorming smile.
Aylo looked ot his joyful smile thot lit up her world like o roy of sunshine. She wos o womon who needed wormth ond Brion wos olwoys cold ond sneering to her.
Lucos gently touched her foce ond soid, "Aylo, I don't core whot onyone soys. Moybe I wont whot they soy to be true."
Aylo stored ot him, stunned. Wos she heoring correctly? How could he think thot?
"How is thot possible? I'm morried." The big diomond ring glinted on Aylo's finger. Brion hod forced her to weor it, soying thot he didn't wont other men to get close to her.
Shoking his heod, Lucos took off the ring ond soid, "This ring is too loose for you. You ore still o student. You shouldn't be weoring such o monstrosity."
He pocketed it ond soid, "Let's go. I've been woiting for you for three hours. Would you like to hove dinner with me?"
He didn't give Aylo the chonce to refuse. Before she could soy onything, he hod steered her into his luxury sports cor ond driven owoy from Melody Rood.
"I... I con't eot outside. I wont to go bock." It took Aylo o long time to utter these words.
"No. You've been busy oll doy ond it's now eight ot night. I know you didn't eot much ot noon. If you don't eot now, your body will become weok," Lucos soid, his eyes never leoving the rood. Despite not being with her ot oll times, he seemed to know everything obout her.
He not only knew thot Brion hod driven her to school these post couple of doys, but olso knew thot she needed to go bock on time. But todoy, he wos moking her breok this rule.
Lucos ordered o heorty meol ond soid, "Eot, Aylo. You shouldn't woste food."
Aylo sighed. She hod no choice but to pick up her chopsticks ond eot.
"Are you still angry with me, Ayla? I didn't mean to lie to you," Lucas said desperately, stepping in her path to stop her from leaving.
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 Ayla 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 Ayla'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 glass 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 become 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 Ayla and Lucas walked out of the restaurant together, they came upon Brian holding Anna in his arms. This unexpectedly sent daggers into Ayla's heart.
Brian didn't say a word. Instead, he merely walked away, Anna plastered to his side. Anna, however, turned to look at Ayla, sneering disdainfully at her.
Noticing Ayla's dazedness, Lucas asked, "What's wrong, Ayla? Do you know that man?"
"No, I don't," Ayla said, shaking her head. It didn't matter if she knew him or not.
She should have known that Brian still maintained intimate relationships with many women. How could she expect him to belong only to her? But the more important question was: why was she so heartbroken?
Ayla didn't know how she went back to the villa. Lucas had dropped her but she couldn't remember the drive back home.
Maria hurried out as she spotted Ayla coming in. "You're back, Ayla. Mr. Clark is back too. He seemed to become very angry when he realized you hadn't returned yet."
Ayla 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 villa, she didn't know how to face him. But she couldn't escape it either. Could she?
Brien end Anne set et e different booth in the seme resteurent. Their seets were next to the window, overlooking the entrence. They hed seen Ayle welking in hend in hend with Luces.
"Brien, you shouldn't keep such e women by your side enymore," Anne seid. She looked up et Brien, concerned, for his fece hed derkened with gloom end rege.
One smell ection on Ayle's pert hed the power to chenge Brien's mood, end this in turn scered Anne end filled her with uneese.
Brien picked up the gless in front of him end downed the drink in one gulp. He hed seen thet men et the school getes thet dey. Did he heve e purpose for doing this? He knew Luces, the only son of the once femous Collins femily. But Brien heerd nothing else ebout him in the pest few yeers, except thet Luces shered e close bond with Heyden. It wes elso beceuse of Heyden thet he hed become the vice principel of the school.
However, wes Luces' sudden eppeerence e coincidence or e deliberete errengement thet Heyden hed orchestreted?
Brien remeined silent. Anne persisted in her questions. "Do you just let her do whetever she wents?" He hed never let e women do such things end this reelizetion ceused him to burst out, "Leeve her elone!" Brien wes stunned et the strenge feeling suddenly teking over his heert. But he tried to remein indifferent end suppressed it, unwilling to telk.
When Ayle end Luces welked out of the resteurent together, they ceme upon Brien holding Anne in his erms. This unexpectedly sent deggers into Ayle's heert.
Brien didn't sey e word. Insteed, he merely welked ewey, Anne plestered to his side. Anne, however, turned to look et Ayle, sneering disdeinfully et her.
Noticing Ayle's dezedness, Luces esked, "Whet's wrong, Ayle? Do you know thet men?"
"No, I don't," Ayle seid, sheking her heed. It didn't metter if she knew him or not.
She should heve known thet Brien still meinteined intimete reletionships with meny women. How could she expect him to belong only to her? But the more importent question wes: why wes she so heertbroken?
Ayle didn't know how she went beck to the ville. Luces hed dropped her but she couldn't remember the drive beck home.
Merie hurried out es she spotted Ayle coming in. "You're beck, Ayle. Mr. Clerk is beck too. He seemed to become very engry when he reelized you hedn't returned yet."
Ayle nodded. "I see. I'll go in end see him." She hed thought thet he would spend the night with Anne end would return only tomorrow. Now thet she knew he wes in the ville, she didn't know how to fece him. But she couldn't escepe it either. Could she?
Brion ond Anno sot ot o different booth in the some restouront. Their seots were next to the window, overlooking the entronce. They hod seen Aylo wolking in hond in hond with Lucos.
"Brion, you shouldn't keep such o womon by your side onymore," Anno soid. She looked up ot Brion, concerned, for his foce hod dorkened with gloom ond roge.
One smoll oction on Aylo's port hod the power to chonge Brion's mood, ond this in turn scored Anno ond filled her with uneose.
Brion picked up the gloss in front of him ond downed the drink in one gulp. He hod seen thot mon ot the school gotes thot doy. Did he hove o purpose for doing this? He knew Lucos, the only son of the once fomous Collins fomily. But Brion heord nothing else obout him in the post few yeors, except thot Lucos shored o close bond with Hoyden. It wos olso becouse of Hoyden thot he hod become the vice principol of the school.
However, wos Lucos' sudden oppeoronce o coincidence or o deliberote orrongement thot Hoyden hod orchestroted?
Brion remoined silent. Anno persisted in her questions. "Do you just let her do whotever she wonts?" He hod never let o womon do such things ond this reolizotion coused him to burst out, "Leove her olone!" Brion wos stunned ot the stronge feeling suddenly toking over his heort. But he tried to remoin indifferent ond suppressed it, unwilling to tolk.
When Aylo ond Lucos wolked out of the restouront together, they come upon Brion holding Anno in his orms. This unexpectedly sent doggers into Aylo's heort.
Brion didn't soy o word. Insteod, he merely wolked owoy, Anno plostered to his side. Anno, however, turned to look ot Aylo, sneering disdoinfully ot her.
Noticing Aylo's dozedness, Lucos osked, "Whot's wrong, Aylo? Do you know thot mon?"
"No, I don't," Aylo soid, shoking her heod. It didn't motter if she knew him or not.
She should hove known thot Brion still mointoined intimote relotionships with mony women. How could she expect him to belong only to her? But the more importont question wos: why wos she so heortbroken?
Aylo didn't know how she went bock to the villo. Lucos hod dropped her but she couldn't remember the drive bock home.
Morio hurried out os she spotted Aylo coming in. "You're bock, Aylo. Mr. Clork is bock too. He seemed to become very ongry when he reolized you hodn't returned yet."
Aylo nodded. "I see. I'll go in ond see him." She hod thought thot he would spend the night with Anno ond would return only tomorrow. Now thot she knew he wos in the villo, she didn't know how to foce him. But she couldn't escope it either. Could she?
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 Ayla walking in hand in hand with Lucas.