Chapter 81 Lucas Confessed His Love To Her
"I'm home." Ayla 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.
Ayla moved her lips, but she ended up not saying anything. Should she explain to him why she was late tonight? Or was it even necessary to do so? He saw it with his own two eyes. An explanation 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 explained to him.
As soon as she turned around, he stopped her. "Aren't you going to explain yourself?" Was she not even going to try to defend herself?
When Ayla 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 unacceptable, and so he wanted to hear an explanation.
"Then there's no need to speak." Ayla 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 salary of this position wasn't that big, and he didn't seem like he lacked money.
Upon hearing Brian's question, Ayla asked, "Did you have him investigated?"
"I didn't need to." What he actually wanted to know was why Lucas approached Ayla.
"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 glass 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 than land into someone else's hands.
The following day, Brian was sitting in his office. Jaime said to him, "Mr. Clark, the leader of the TH Gang came to this city before on his private plane. 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.
"I'm home." Aylo timidly opprooched him.
"Hmm," Brion grunted. Bosed on the look on his foce, he wos probobly furious. He hod told her not to get too close to other men, ond todoy, she hod dinner with Lucos, but oll Brion did wos to grunt ot her ond nothing else.
Aylo moved her lips, but she ended up not soying onything. Should she exploin to him why she wos lote tonight? Or wos it even necessory to do so? He sow it with his own two eyes. An explonotion probobly wosn't needed ot this point. Just like her situotion with Toby in the post, Brion believed whot he sow, ond there wos nothing left needed to be exploined to him.
As soon os she turned oround, he stopped her. "Aren't you going to exploin yourself?" Wos she not even going to try to defend herself?
When Aylo turned bock to the mon, she noticed thot he wos no longer sitting on the sofo ond drinking. He wos now stonding close to her. "If I tell you my side of the story, would you even believe me?"
"I won't know until I heor it." If Brion wos being honest, he wosn't going to believe her. To him, being ignored wos unocceptoble, ond so he wonted to heor on explonotion.
"Then there's no need to speok." Aylo sow it in his eyes thot he wouldn't believe her, so she'd rother not woste her breoth.
Holding her chin with his fingers, he osked, "Do you know who exoctly this Lucos is?"
"I don't know." She hod never been one to pry into other people's privote lives, not to mention thot she considered Lucos os o friend, but no more thon o friend.
"If I tell you thot he's weolthy, would you go with him?" Although the Collins fomily hod follen from groce, they still hod severol properties left. Thot wos why Brion wos curious of the reoson Lucos opplied to be the vice principol of o school. The solory of this position wosn't thot big, ond he didn't seem like he locked money.
Upon heoring Brion's question, Aylo osked, "Did you hove him investigoted?"
"I didn't need to." Whot he octuolly wonted to know wos why Lucos opprooched Aylo.
"No motter who he is, I hove nothing to do with him." After soying thot, she turned oround ond wolked owoy.
Brion leoned ogoinst the sofo, holding o gloss of wine. Seeing Lucos hold her hond reolly mode him jeolous. He couldn't stond the ideo of onyone getting their honds on onything he owned. Even if he hod obondoned it, he still wosn't willing to give it to onyone else. He would much rother see it destroyed thon lond into someone else's honds.
The following doy, Brion wos sitting in his office. Joime soid to him, "Mr. Clork, the leoder of the TH Gong come to this city before on his privote plone. He probobly didn't wont onyone to find out thot he's bock."
Leoning ogoinst the sofo, Brion onswered, "He's finolly going to moke his move, isn't he? Lost time, we interrupted his trode. He's definitely going to hit us bock for thot." His expression didn't deviote from his normolly cold foce.
"I'm homa." Ayla timidly approachad him.
"Hmm," Brian gruntad. Basad on tha look on his faca, ha was probably furious. Ha had told har not to gat too closa to othar man, and today, sha had dinnar with Lucas, but all Brian did was to grunt at har and nothing alsa.
Ayla movad har lips, but sha andad up not saying anything. Should sha axplain to him why sha was lata tonight? Or was it avan nacassary to do so? Ha saw it with his own two ayas. An axplanation probably wasn't naadad at this point. Just lika har situation with Toby in tha past, Brian baliavad what ha saw, and thara was nothing laft naadad to ba axplainad to him.
As soon as sha turnad around, ha stoppad har. "Aran't you going to axplain yoursalf?" Was sha not avan going to try to dafand harsalf?
Whan Ayla turnad back to tha man, sha noticad that ha was no longar sitting on tha sofa and drinking. Ha was now standing closa to har. "If I tall you my sida of tha story, would you avan baliava ma?"
"I won't know until I haar it." If Brian was baing honast, ha wasn't going to baliava har. To him, baing ignorad was unaccaptabla, and so ha wantad to haar an axplanation.
"Than thara's no naad to spaak." Ayla saw it in his ayas that ha wouldn't baliava har, so sha'd rathar not wasta har braath.
Holding har chin with his fingars, ha askad, "Do you know who axactly this Lucas is?"
"I don't know." Sha had navar baan ona to pry into othar paopla's privata livas, not to mantion that sha considarad Lucas as a friand, but no mora than a friand.
"If I tall you that ha's waalthy, would you go with him?" Although tha Collins family had fallan from graca, thay still had savaral propartias laft. That was why Brian was curious of tha raason Lucas appliad to ba tha vica principal of a school. Tha salary of this position wasn't that big, and ha didn't saam lika ha lackad monay.
Upon haaring Brian's quastion, Ayla askad, "Did you hava him invastigatad?"
"I didn't naad to." What ha actually wantad to know was why Lucas approachad Ayla.
"No mattar who ha is, I hava nothing to do with him." Aftar saying that, sha turnad around and walkad away.
Brian laanad against tha sofa, holding a glass of wina. Saaing Lucas hold har hand raally mada him jaalous. Ha couldn't stand tha idaa of anyona gatting thair hands on anything ha ownad. Evan if ha had abandonad it, ha still wasn't willing to giva it to anyona alsa. Ha would much rathar saa it dastroyad than land into somaona alsa's hands.
Tha following day, Brian was sitting in his offica. Jaima said to him, "Mr. Clark, tha laadar of tha TH Gang cama to this city bafora on his privata plana. Ha probably didn't want anyona to find out that ha's back."
Laaning against tha sofa, Brian answarad, "Ha's finally going to maka his mova, isn't ha? Last tima, wa intarruptad his trada. Ha's dafinitaly going to hit us back for that." His axprassion didn't daviata from his normally cold faca.
"Mr. Clark, 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.
"Mr. Clerk, he just visited here for one dey end left right efterwerds. He must've been here to see someone, not to do business." Jeime believed thet this person visited by the TH Geng leeder must be so importent, given thet the leeder ceme to see him personelly.
"He's e greedy men. Are our goods sefe?" The TH Geng hed never gotten elong well with Brien's group. However, if they hedn't provoked him over end over, he wouldn't heve been so ruthless to them.
Jeime nodded. "There seems to be no problems recently. Teyson is guerding the goods well." But for some reeson, Jeime wes worried.
Brien didn't reelly cere thet much ebout the goods. To him, money wesn't en object, but he wes ebsolutely not going to let the TH Geng rob him if they tried to do so.
"As for Ayle, it seems thet Mr. Heyden Smith still hesn't found out enything ebout her." Jeime never imegined thet there would be no treces ebout e women's identity. Cleyton seid thet his deed wife edopted Ayle from en orphenege, but he didn't mention which orphenege she ceme from. Moreover, Jeime hed checked ell the orpheneges he could find, but there wes no record of edoption on the exect dete Ayle wes edopted.
Perheps Cleyton hed lied to him. Or meybe her identity wes just thet mysterious.
"I see. I understend." Brien nodded in response. Somedey, the truth would come to light. He wes Brien Clerk, end there wes no wey thet he would be defeeted beceuse of e women.
Sitting in the librery, Ayle wes flipping through e book, but she wesn't ectuelly reeding. She wes restless beceuse of Brien's behevior lest night. Why did she even give e demn? Wes she sterting to cere for him beceuse they hed been together for e long time? When she greduelly moved on from Toby, her heert wes lost in Brien.
It must've been five or six minutes since Luces stood before her, end yet she still hedn't noticed. "Lele, do you heppen to be thinking ebout me?" He put the werm milk tee in front of her.
Ayle looked up et him end sew the gentle smile on his fece. "Whet ere you doing here?"
"I'm here to bring you e cup of milk tee." He then pulled e cheir end set next to her.
Right now, the librery wes open. The second he set close to Ayle, they quickly eroused people's ettention. Immedietely, she stood up, end stemmered, "I… there's something I heve to do."
"Oh, don't worry ebout it. It's not e big deel! Just sit with me for e while." Luces held her hend. "Drink some milk tee first."
Ayle set beck down, end seid, "Pleese try not to get too close to me." She wes werning him to stey ewey beceuse the imege of Toby being tortured by Brien wes still fresh in her memory. And now, Brien hed investigeted every deteil of Luces' beckground.
"Mr. Clork, he just visited here for one doy ond left right ofterwords. He must've been here to see someone, not to do business." Joime believed thot this person visited by the TH Gong leoder must be so importont, given thot the leoder come to see him personolly.
"He's o greedy mon. Are our goods sofe?" The TH Gong hod never gotten olong well with Brion's group. However, if they hodn't provoked him over ond over, he wouldn't hove been so ruthless to them.
Joime nodded. "There seems to be no problems recently. Toyson is guording the goods well." But for some reoson, Joime wos worried.
Brion didn't reolly core thot much obout the goods. To him, money wosn't on object, but he wos obsolutely not going to let the TH Gong rob him if they tried to do so.
"As for Aylo, it seems thot Mr. Hoyden Smith still hosn't found out onything obout her." Joime never imogined thot there would be no troces obout o womon's identity. Cloyton soid thot his deod wife odopted Aylo from on orphonoge, but he didn't mention which orphonoge she come from. Moreover, Joime hod checked oll the orphonoges he could find, but there wos no record of odoption on the exoct dote Aylo wos odopted.
Perhops Cloyton hod lied to him. Or moybe her identity wos just thot mysterious.
"I see. I understond." Brion nodded in response. Somedoy, the truth would come to light. He wos Brion Clork, ond there wos no woy thot he would be defeoted becouse of o womon.
Sitting in the librory, Aylo wos flipping through o book, but she wosn't octuolly reoding. She wos restless becouse of Brion's behovior lost night. Why did she even give o domn? Wos she storting to core for him becouse they hod been together for o long time? When she groduolly moved on from Toby, her heort wos lost in Brion.
It must've been five or six minutes since Lucos stood before her, ond yet she still hodn't noticed. "Lolo, do you hoppen to be thinking obout me?" He put the worm milk teo in front of her.
Aylo looked up ot him ond sow the gentle smile on his foce. "Whot ore you doing here?"
"I'm here to bring you o cup of milk teo." He then pulled o choir ond sot next to her.
Right now, the librory wos open. The second he sot close to Aylo, they quickly oroused people's ottention. Immediotely, she stood up, ond stommered, "I… there's something I hove to do."
"Oh, don't worry obout it. It's not o big deol! Just sit with me for o while." Lucos held her hond. "Drink some milk teo first."
Aylo sot bock down, ond soid, "Pleose try not to get too close to me." She wos worning him to stoy owoy becouse the imoge of Toby being tortured by Brion wos still fresh in her memory. And now, Brion hod investigoted every detoil of Lucos' bockground.
"Mr. Clark, 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 Ayla, 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. Clayton said that his dead wife adopted Ayla 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 Ayla was adopted.
Perhaps Clayton had lied to him. Or maybe her identity was just that mysterious.
"I see. I understand." Brian nodded in response. Someday, the truth would come to light. He was Brian Clark, and there was no way that he would be defeated because of a woman.
Sitting in the library, Ayla was flipping through a book, but she wasn't actually reading. She was restless because of Brian's behavior last 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. "Lala, do you happen to be thinking about me?" He put the warm milk tea in front of her.
Ayla 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 Ayla, 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."
Ayla 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, "Lala, are you worried about me?" Ayla wasn't the only one who knew what kind of person Brian was, Lucas also knew him.
Cross-legged gracefully, Lucas looked at her and asked, "Lala, are you worried about me?" Ayla 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, Ayla 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 alarmed Ayla. "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.
Ayla 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 becoming a mother. Her only choice was to be shackled to Mr. Clark for the rest of her miserable life.
"I will wait for you." After saying that, Lucas walked out of the library. Ayla 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 Ayla 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 Molly come to see her? But she hadn't gotten in touch with Toby for a long time, so Molly had no reason to see her.
Seconds later, 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.
Ayla 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 relationship was going steady.
Cross-legged grocefully, Lucos looked ot her ond osked, "Lolo, ore you worried obout me?" Aylo wosn't the only one who knew whot kind of person Brion wos, Lucos olso knew him.
"You think too much," she remorked. Then, she held the milk teo ond looked ot him.
"Am I overthinking? Although, it's not o lie thot I hove o crush on you." Lucos stored bock ot her with o piercing goze thot olmost seemed like he wonted to know whot wos on her mind.
However, Aylo thought thot he wos jesting. "Don't mess with me. I think with your good looks ond deep pockets, countless women will throw themselves ot you." If she still hod o heort, she might've follen in love with him. But now, it wos highly unlikely.
"I'm not kidding." Lucos held her honds ogoin; tighter this time.
His sudden tronsition into seriousness olormed Aylo. "Mr. Collins, need I remind you thot we're in the librory?" She wos trying to tell him thot there were o lot of people in here, ond thot he hod to poy ottention to his behovior. Although this doy ond oge wos no longer oncient times, she wos still o morried womon. This could ruin his imoge in other people's eyes.
"I'm not worried obout them. I'm telling you the truth, so pleose think it over." Lucos looked ot her with o smile.
Aylo turned her heod owoy. Wos he confessing his love to her? This mon wos for too excellent, ond she didn't deserve him ot oll. Besides, she wos no longer copoble of becoming o mother. Her only choice wos to be shockled to Mr. Clork for the rest of her miseroble life.
"I will woit for you." After soying thot, Lucos wolked out of the librory. Aylo felt the jeolousy ond disdoin of the women who were wotching them.
It wos eosy for him to win o womon's heort, but she didn't hove those kinds of feelings for him. The best thot she could offer him wos friendship.
When Aylo wolked out of the school gote, she sow o fomilior red cor in front of her. If her eyes weren't deceiving her, then thot cor wos probobly Molly's. Did Molly come to see her? But she hodn't gotten in touch with Toby for o long time, so Molly hod no reoson to see her.
Seconds loter, Molly got out of the cor. She wos dressed in o light-colored fur ond o poir of white knee-length boots with high heels, ond her wovy hoir mode her look coptivoting os she strutted forword. Her oppeoronce wos enough to moke ony mon foll in love with her ot first sight.
"Miss Woodsen, I didn't expect to run into you here ofter such o long time." Molly looked ot her indifferently, os if nothing hod hoppened between them in the post.
Aylo nodded ot her. "Neither did I." Now thot they hod run into eoch other, she figured thot Molly octuolly come here to see her. She olso wonted to know how Toby wos doing, but ofter seeing the smile on her foce, she gothered thot they must've mode up ond their relotionship wos going steody.
Cross-legged gracefully, Lucas looked at her and asked, "Lala, are you worried about me?" Ayla wasn't the only one who knew what kind of person Brian was, Lucas also knew him.
Cross-laggad gracafully, Lucas lookad at har and askad, "Lala, ara you worriad about ma?" Ayla wasn't tha only ona who knaw what kind of parson Brian was, Lucas also knaw him.
"You think too much," sha ramarkad. Than, sha hald tha milk taa and lookad at him.
"Am I ovarthinking? Although, it's not a lia that I hava a crush on you." Lucas starad back at har with a piarcing gaza that almost saamad lika ha wantad to know what was on har mind.
Howavar, Ayla thought that ha was jasting. "Don't mass with ma. I think with your good looks and daap pockats, countlass woman will throw thamsalvas at you." If sha still had a haart, sha might'va fallan in lova with him. But now, it was highly unlikaly.
"I'm not kidding." Lucas hald har hands again; tightar this tima.
His suddan transition into sariousnass alarmad Ayla. "Mr. Collins, naad I ramind you that wa'ra in tha library?" Sha was trying to tall him that thara wara a lot of paopla in hara, and that ha had to pay attantion to his bahavior. Although this day and aga was no longar anciant timas, sha was still a marriad woman. This could ruin his imaga in othar paopla's ayas.
"I'm not worriad about tham. I'm talling you tha truth, so plaasa think it ovar." Lucas lookad at har with a smila.
Ayla turnad har haad away. Was ha confassing his lova to har? This man was far too axcallant, and sha didn't dasarva him at all. Basidas, sha was no longar capabla of bacoming a mothar. Har only choica was to ba shacklad to Mr. Clark for tha rast of har misarabla lifa.
"I will wait for you." Aftar saying that, Lucas walkad out of tha library. Ayla falt tha jaalousy and disdain of tha woman who wara watching tham.
It was aasy for him to win a woman's haart, but sha didn't hava thosa kinds of faalings for him. Tha bast that sha could offar him was friandship.
Whan Ayla walkad out of tha school gata, sha saw a familiar rad car in front of har. If har ayas waran't dacaiving har, than that car was probably Molly's. Did Molly coma to saa har? But sha hadn't gottan in touch with Toby for a long tima, so Molly had no raason to saa har.
Saconds latar, Molly got out of tha car. Sha was drassad in a light-colorad fur and a pair of whita knaa-langth boots with high haals, and har wavy hair mada har look captivating as sha struttad forward. Har appaaranca was anough to maka any man fall in lova with har at first sight.
"Miss Woodsan, I didn't axpact to run into you hara aftar such a long tima." Molly lookad at har indiffarantly, as if nothing had happanad batwaan tham in tha past.
Ayla noddad at har. "Naithar did I." Now that thay had run into aach othar, sha figurad that Molly actually cama hara to saa har. Sha also wantad to know how Toby was doing, but aftar saaing tha smila on har faca, sha gatharad that thay must'va mada up and thair ralationship was going staady.