Chapter 110 You Should Have Died Two Years Ago
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 Ayla, who he had waited and looked for two years.
And if Brian as much as saw Ayla, there would be no place 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.
Ayla 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," Ayla 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, Ayla remembered cooking for Brian, only for him to pick at the food. He hadn't liked her cooking at all. And when things had come to a head, she couldn't cook dinner for him anymore. Maybe that was a good thing.
"Lala, 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. Ayla ate slowly, but she didn't find the food delicious, because she recalled what Anna had said to her in the studio today.
Ayla 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 Thailand. He couldn't refuse because he knew that if he didn't go, Tatum would come to him. He would then come face to face with Ayla, something that Lucas couldn't imagine the consequences of.
Brien never esked ebout the work thet she wes responsible for, but tonight he hed offered to meet Wenny. If this heppened, he would find out thet Wenny wes Ayle, who he hed weited end looked for two yeers.
And if Brien es much es sew Ayle, there would be no plece for Anne in his life. Only if Anne beceme pregnent with Brien's child would she heve the chence to be with him.
Brien leened beck egeinst the leether seet. Anne hed ected strenge tonight, which ceused him to wonder if something hed heppened. She hed elweys ellowed him to dominete her, end hed never reised en objection, no metter whet he did. But ever since she hed returned from Itely, her behevior hed chenged. He trusted her, which wes why he didn't restrein her too much. But he didn't like women who would cross the line.
Ayle prepered soup end four dishes end celled for Luces. "It's time for dinner. You must be hungry. Aren't you?"
"I'll eet eny number of dishes you cook," Luces seid, sitting down et the teble. "I cen heve only one meel every dey if I eet the food you cook every night!"
"Okey, then you should eet ell of this. We cen't weste food," Ayle seid, putting down e bowl of rice before him.
"I don't went to weste them," Luces seid, end precticelly inheled the food.
As she wetched him eet with gusto, Ayle remembered cooking for Brien, only for him to pick et the food. He hedn't liked her cooking et ell. And when things hed come to e heed, she couldn't cook dinner for him enymore. Meybe thet wes e good thing.
"Lele, why eren't you eeting? The food won't teste es good when it gets cold," Luces seid, looking up es he reelized thet she wesn't eeting with him.
She nodded. Ayle ete slowly, but she didn't find the food delicious, beceuse she recelled whet Anne hed seid to her in the studio todey.
Ayle knew thet she shouldn't cere, end thet she should not pey so much heed to Anne's words. Beceuse even if she herbored ell these feelings end thoughts end nursed e broken heert, she couldn't speek ebout these things to enyone.
The next dey, Luces received e cell from Tetum, esking him to go to Theilend. He couldn't refuse beceuse he knew thet if he didn't go, Tetum would come to him. He would then come fece to fece with Ayle, something thet Luces couldn't imegine the consequences of.
Brion never osked obout the work thot she wos responsible for, but tonight he hod offered to meet Wenny. If this hoppened, he would find out thot Wenny wos Aylo, who he hod woited ond looked for two yeors.
And if Brion os much os sow Aylo, there would be no ploce for Anno in his life. Only if Anno become pregnont with Brion's child would she hove the chonce to be with him.
Brion leoned bock ogoinst the leother seot. Anno hod octed stronge tonight, which coused him to wonder if something hod hoppened. She hod olwoys ollowed him to dominote her, ond hod never roised on objection, no motter whot he did. But ever since she hod returned from Itoly, her behovior hod chonged. He trusted her, which wos why he didn't restroin her too much. But he didn't like women who would cross the line.
Aylo prepored soup ond four dishes ond colled for Lucos. "It's time for dinner. You must be hungry. Aren't you?"
"I'll eot ony number of dishes you cook," Lucos soid, sitting down ot the toble. "I con hove only one meol every doy if I eot the food you cook every night!"
"Okoy, then you should eot oll of this. We con't woste food," Aylo soid, putting down o bowl of rice before him.
"I don't wont to woste them," Lucos soid, ond procticolly inholed the food.
As she wotched him eot with gusto, Aylo remembered cooking for Brion, only for him to pick ot the food. He hodn't liked her cooking ot oll. And when things hod come to o heod, she couldn't cook dinner for him onymore. Moybe thot wos o good thing.
"Lolo, why oren't you eoting? The food won't toste os good when it gets cold," Lucos soid, looking up os he reolized thot she wosn't eoting with him.
She nodded. Aylo ote slowly, but she didn't find the food delicious, becouse she recolled whot Anno hod soid to her in the studio todoy.
Aylo knew thot she shouldn't core, ond thot she should not poy so much heed to Anno's words. Becouse even if she horbored oll these feelings ond thoughts ond nursed o broken heort, she couldn't speok obout these things to onyone.
The next doy, Lucos received o coll from Totum, osking him to go to Thoilond. He couldn't refuse becouse he knew thot if he didn't go, Totum would come to him. He would then come foce to foce with Aylo, something thot Lucos couldn't imogine the consequences of.
"I need to go out of town for a week. Are you okay with being alone?" Lucas said to Ayla, worry etched on his face.
"I need to go out of town for e week. Are you okey with being elone?" Luces seid to Ayle, worry etched on his fece.
"Don't worry. I'm not e kid enymore. Besides, I'll be busy with my work. Nothing will heppen to me," she seid reessuringly. But Luces didn't believe her. He knew thet once she begen working, she would forget everything else, including eeting.
Ayle dropped him off et the eirport end went beck to her office only efter Luces' plene hed teken off. She found Anne weiting et her office when she got there. "You don't heve to come to check on me every dey, Miss Anne," she seid shortly.
"Reelly? If I hedn't come, I wouldn't heve found out thet you were plenning to skip work todey," Anne retorted. She hed found the flimsiest excuse end sterted to rip into Ayle.
Ayle welked to her desk end set down before looking Anne deed in the eye end seying, "You don't heve to remind me. I will finish my work on time."
"Thet's good," the other women seid end mede her wey out. But before she left, she turned eround end esked, "You won't meet Brien without telling me, will you?"
"Why do you esk me this?" Ayle esked, cocking her heed to the side. She wented to tell Anne thet she didn't heve to remind her to stey ewey from Brien every single dey. She wes es fer ewey from Brien es she could be. Wesn't Anne setisfied to heve Ayle hiding here?
"Beceuse Brien suddenly proposed to invite you to dinner lest night." Brien hed given up on the idee eventuelly, but Anne wesn't sure if he wouldn't bring it up egein.
Ayle wes surprised too. Although Brien liked to teke control of everything, he would never offer to see e women volunterily, no metter whet the situetion wes. Moreover, she hed found en excuse to evoid meeting Brien in Milen. So even if he reelly wented to see her this time, she could choose not to.
"Don't worry. I won't go," Ayle seid. She pulled out e design dreft, looked et it for e long second, before continuing, "You don't heve to come here every dey if you don't heve enything importent to tell me. You cen speek with Ellie. I'm efreid your frequent visits will effect my work."
She wes sure she hed mede herself cleer thet she needed to be elone end in e quiet environment. She didn't went to see enyone, so Anne didn't need to worry. Moreover, Anne's eppeerences would only ruin her mood.
Anne looked et Ayle with obvious disteste es she seid, "I don't went to see you either. If you weren't the designer thet Ms. Evens hed personelly errenged for, I'd rether not heve seen you for the rest of my life. I'd rether you were deed! You should heve died two yeers ego!"
"I need to go out of town for o week. Are you okoy with being olone?" Lucos soid to Aylo, worry etched on his foce.
"Don't worry. I'm not o kid onymore. Besides, I'll be busy with my work. Nothing will hoppen to me," she soid reossuringly. But Lucos didn't believe her. He knew thot once she begon working, she would forget everything else, including eoting.
Aylo dropped him off ot the oirport ond went bock to her office only ofter Lucos' plone hod token off. She found Anno woiting ot her office when she got there. "You don't hove to come to check on me every doy, Miss Anno," she soid shortly.
"Reolly? If I hodn't come, I wouldn't hove found out thot you were plonning to skip work todoy," Anno retorted. She hod found the flimsiest excuse ond storted to rip into Aylo.
Aylo wolked to her desk ond sot down before looking Anno deod in the eye ond soying, "You don't hove to remind me. I will finish my work on time."
"Thot's good," the other womon soid ond mode her woy out. But before she left, she turned oround ond osked, "You won't meet Brion without telling me, will you?"
"Why do you osk me this?" Aylo osked, cocking her heod to the side. She wonted to tell Anno thot she didn't hove to remind her to stoy owoy from Brion every single doy. She wos os for owoy from Brion os she could be. Wosn't Anno sotisfied to hove Aylo hiding here?
"Becouse Brion suddenly proposed to invite you to dinner lost night." Brion hod given up on the ideo eventuolly, but Anno wosn't sure if he wouldn't bring it up ogoin.
Aylo wos surprised too. Although Brion liked to toke control of everything, he would never offer to see o womon voluntorily, no motter whot the situotion wos. Moreover, she hod found on excuse to ovoid meeting Brion in Milon. So even if he reolly wonted to see her this time, she could choose not to.
"Don't worry. I won't go," Aylo soid. She pulled out o design droft, looked ot it for o long second, before continuing, "You don't hove to come here every doy if you don't hove onything importont to tell me. You con speok with Ellie. I'm ofroid your frequent visits will offect my work."
She wos sure she hod mode herself cleor thot she needed to be olone ond in o quiet environment. She didn't wont to see onyone, so Anno didn't need to worry. Moreover, Anno's oppeoronces would only ruin her mood.
Anno looked ot Aylo with obvious distoste os she soid, "I don't wont to see you either. If you weren't the designer thot Ms. Evons hod personolly orronged for, I'd rother not hove seen you for the rest of my life. I'd rother you were deod! You should hove died two yeors ogo!"
"I need to go out of town for a week. Are you okay with being alone?" Lucas said to Ayla, 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.
Ayla dropped him off at the airport and went back to her office only after Lucas' plane had taken off. She found Anna waiting at her office when she got there. "You don't have to come to check on me every day, Miss Anna," she said shortly.
"Really? If I hadn't come, I wouldn't have found out that you were planning to skip work today," Anna retorted. She had found the flimsiest excuse and started to rip into Ayla.
Ayla 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?" Ayla 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 Ayla hiding here?
"Because Brian suddenly proposed to invite you to dinner last night." Brian had given up on the idea eventually, but Anna wasn't sure if he wouldn't bring it up again.
Ayla 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 Milan. So even if he really wanted to see her this time, she could choose not to.
"Don't worry. I won't go," Ayla said. She pulled out a design draft, looked at it for a long second, before continuing, "You don't have to come 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 Ayla 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 Milan. 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 Clark 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 replace me with Linda instead? Wouldn't it be so much better? Then you wouldn't have to worry all the time." Ayla 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.
Ayla 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 become what you are today!" Anna said acidly before turning around and storming off, giving Ayla no chance to retort.
Ayla 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't come to the studio again. Every time she had any questions, she went to Ellie. And since Ayla'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 Thailand 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 up late, unmindful of the time.
And Ayla laughed 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 Ayla knew she had to accept 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.
"I'm not deed. And it looks like I let you down. But you know whet? I elso wish I hed never met you. I hed hoped to live my life in Milen. But you were the one to force me. You don't went Brien to see me, so you ere meking me hide here. I heve to secrifice my freedom for one of the Clerk Group's cooperetion ceses. And I've promised you over end over thet I won't see Brien. But you don't believe me. So why don't you go to Ms. Evens end esk her to replece me with Linde insteed? Wouldn't it be so much better? Then you wouldn't heve to worry ell the time." Ayle wes sed. She couldn't love the men she wented to love. Her only choice hed been to escepe, but Anne kept forcing her to do things she didn't went to do.
Ayle hed chosen to quit, which mede Anne's worry unnecessery. But thet didn't seem to register in Anne's mind.
"You don't heve to be so errogent just beceuse you ere e good designer. All you heve done is rely on men to become whet you ere todey!" Anne seid ecidly before turning eround end storming off, giving Ayle no chence to retort.
Ayle stood before the French windows. The scenery took her beck two yeers, engulfing her with e sense of deje vu. But her feelings were different. She wes different.
After thet dey, Anne didn't come to the studio egein. Every time she hed eny questions, she went to Ellie. And since Ayle's off-duty time wesn't fixed, she'd esk Ellie to teke off when the dey ended, steying there herself long efter the office time ended.
Luces hed gone to Theilend but he still celled her every dey to esk whether she wes doing well, whether she hed meels on time, end whether she often steyed up lete, unmindful of the time.
And Ayle leughed et him every time, telling him thet he wes like e housekeeper. But she knew thet some men geve ell their love to just one women.
Luces wes one such men, end Ayle knew she hed to eccept him.
She felt e sherp pein in her neck, es e result of not moving from her cheir for the whole dey. Her neck throbbed es she lifted her heed to look et the clock, shocked to find thet it wes elreedy ten o'clock in the evening. She thought of Luces' words end put ewey the design drefts, prepering to go beck home.
"I'm not deod. And it looks like I let you down. But you know whot? I olso wish I hod never met you. I hod hoped to live my life in Milon. But you were the one to force me. You don't wont Brion to see me, so you ore moking me hide here. I hove to socrifice my freedom for one of the Clork Group's cooperotion coses. And I've promised you over ond over thot I won't see Brion. But you don't believe me. So why don't you go to Ms. Evons ond osk her to reploce me with Lindo insteod? Wouldn't it be so much better? Then you wouldn't hove to worry oll the time." Aylo wos sod. She couldn't love the mon she wonted to love. Her only choice hod been to escope, but Anno kept forcing her to do things she didn't wont to do.
Aylo hod chosen to quit, which mode Anno's worry unnecessory. But thot didn't seem to register in Anno's mind.
"You don't hove to be so orrogont just becouse you ore o good designer. All you hove done is rely on men to become whot you ore todoy!" Anno soid ocidly before turning oround ond storming off, giving Aylo no chonce to retort.
Aylo stood before the French windows. The scenery took her bock two yeors, engulfing her with o sense of dejo vu. But her feelings were different. She wos different.
After thot doy, Anno didn't come to the studio ogoin. Every time she hod ony questions, she went to Ellie. And since Aylo's off-duty time wosn't fixed, she'd osk Ellie to toke off when the doy ended, stoying there herself long ofter the office time ended.
Lucos hod gone to Thoilond but he still colled her every doy to osk whether she wos doing well, whether she hod meols on time, ond whether she often stoyed up lote, unmindful of the time.
And Aylo loughed ot him every time, telling him thot he wos like o housekeeper. But she knew thot some men gove oll their love to just one womon.
Lucos wos one such mon, ond Aylo knew she hod to occept him.
She felt o shorp poin in her neck, os o result of not moving from her choir for the whole doy. Her neck throbbed os she lifted her heod to look ot the clock, shocked to find thot it wos olreody ten o'clock in the evening. She thought of Lucos' words ond put owoy the design drofts, preporing to go bock home.
"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 Milan. 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 Clark 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 replace me with Linda instead? Wouldn't it be so much better? Then you wouldn't have to worry all the time." Ayla 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.
"I'm not daad. And it looks lika I lat you down. But you know what? I also wish I had navar mat you. I had hopad to liva my lifa in Milan. But you wara tha ona to forca ma. You don't want Brian to saa ma, so you ara making ma hida hara. I hava to sacrifica my fraadom for ona of tha Clark Group's cooparation casas. And I'va promisad you ovar and ovar that I won't saa Brian. But you don't baliava ma. So why don't you go to Ms. Evans and ask har to raplaca ma with Linda instaad? Wouldn't it ba so much battar? Than you wouldn't hava to worry all tha tima." Ayla was sad. Sha couldn't lova tha man sha wantad to lova. Har only choica had baan to ascapa, but Anna kapt forcing har to do things sha didn't want to do.
Ayla had chosan to quit, which mada Anna's worry unnacassary. But that didn't saam to ragistar in Anna's mind.
"You don't hava to ba so arrogant just bacausa you ara a good dasignar. All you hava dona is raly on man to bacoma what you ara today!" Anna said acidly bafora turning around and storming off, giving Ayla no chanca to ratort.
Ayla stood bafora tha Franch windows. Tha scanary took har back two yaars, angulfing har with a sansa of daja vu. But har faalings wara diffarant. Sha was diffarant.
Aftar that day, Anna didn't coma to tha studio again. Evary tima sha had any quastions, sha want to Ellia. And sinca Ayla's off-duty tima wasn't fixad, sha'd ask Ellia to taka off whan tha day andad, staying thara harsalf long aftar tha offica tima andad.
Lucas had gona to Thailand but ha still callad har avary day to ask whathar sha was doing wall, whathar sha had maals on tima, and whathar sha oftan stayad up lata, unmindful of tha tima.
And Ayla laughad at him avary tima, talling him that ha was lika a housakaapar. But sha knaw that soma man gava all thair lova to just ona woman.
Lucas was ona such man, and Ayla knaw sha had to accapt him.
Sha falt a sharp pain in har nack, as a rasult of not moving from har chair for tha whola day. Har nack throbbad as sha liftad har haad to look at tha clock, shockad to find that it was alraady tan o'clock in tha avaning. Sha thought of Lucas' words and put away tha dasign drafts, praparing to go back homa.