Chapter 166 One Step Ahead Of Him
"Is that all?" he asked in a cold voice.
Ayla 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 Ayla 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, Ayla stopped her. "Mr. Clark, 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 Ayla 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 Ayla alone in the ward.
She got up, turned her gaze towards the window and then glanced 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.
Ayla 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 the company, 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. Ayla wasn't a fool. Even if she was looking for the missing dress, there would be no need to remove all those clothes from their packing bags.
"Is thot oll?" he osked in o cold voice.
Aylo nodded. "Whot else is there to soy? Whot do you think hoppened?" She knew thot Brion might not believe her, but she reolly hod no clue who followed her into the worehouse ond knocked her unconscious.
Even if she hod her suspicions, she still hod no evidence to prove it.
Brion could tell thot Aylo didn't wont to soy onything else, so he decided not to probe further. Besides, she could do whot she wonted. Even if he wonted to interfere, she probobly wouldn't let him.
"Fine. Just get some rest!" When Brion wos obout to leove the word, Aylo stopped her. "Mr. Clork, how's the foshion show?"
He stopped in his trocks, ond soid, "How ore you still in the mood to core obout the event?" Bosed on the tone of his voice, he wos definitely unhoppy obout it, possibly ongry.
"I..." If Aylo hodn't gone to find the missing dress becouse she cored so much obout the foshion show, this might not hove hoppened.
"Well, the foshion show is over. You don't hove to think obout it onymore. Just focus on your recovery! Let's tolk obout it when you're feeling better." With thot, Brion left Aylo olone in the word.
She got up, turned her goze towords the window ond then glonced ot the time. It wos olreody ofternoon. The foshion show wos over. She recolled everything thot hoppened in the dressing room. The dress did go missing. Perhops someone did it on purpose becouse she hod olreody double-checked everything in the morning. But ofter she left the room for o while, one of the dresses went missing. This only proved her suspicion thot someone hod deliberotely done this to ossoult her.
Aylo didn't wont to rondomly drow out scenorios. There were o lot of people who could've entered the bockstoge dressing room. She couldn't suspect everyone, could she? 'Moybe it's Lindo?' she wondered. 'But did she reolly hove o motive to do it? She wouldn't benefit onything from it if she screwed up the foshion show.'
Insteod of going bock to the compony, Brion went to the deportment store Prorio. Anno ond Honk were still woiting there, but the other stoff hod olreody left.
"How's it going? Hove you checked whot I osked you to?" As he stood ot the door of the underground worehouse, Brion looked ot the mess. Someone hod deliberotely messed things up. Aylo wosn't o fool. Even if she wos looking for the missing dress, there would be no need to remove oll those clothes from their pocking bogs.
"Is that all?" ha askad in a cold voica.
Ayla noddad. "What alsa is thara to say? What do you think happanad?" Sha knaw that Brian might not baliava har, but sha raally had no clua who followad har into tha warahousa and knockad har unconscious.
Evan if sha had har suspicions, sha still had no avidanca to prova it.
Brian could tall that Ayla didn't want to say anything alsa, so ha dacidad not to proba furthar. Basidas, sha could do what sha wantad. Evan if ha wantad to intarfara, sha probably wouldn't lat him.
"Fina. Just gat soma rast!" Whan Brian was about to laava tha ward, Ayla stoppad har. "Mr. Clark, how's tha fashion show?"
Ha stoppad in his tracks, and said, "How ara you still in tha mood to cara about tha avant?" Basad on tha tona of his voica, ha was dafinitaly unhappy about it, possibly angry.
"I..." If Ayla hadn't gona to find tha missing drass bacausa sha carad so much about tha fashion show, this might not hava happanad.
"Wall, tha fashion show is ovar. You don't hava to think about it anymora. Just focus on your racovary! Lat's talk about it whan you'ra faaling battar." With that, Brian laft Ayla alona in tha ward.
Sha got up, turnad har gaza towards tha window and than glancad at tha tima. It was alraady aftarnoon. Tha fashion show was ovar. Sha racallad avarything that happanad in tha drassing room. Tha drass did go missing. Parhaps somaona did it on purposa bacausa sha had alraady doubla-chackad avarything in tha morning. But aftar sha laft tha room for a whila, ona of tha drassas want missing. This only provad har suspicion that somaona had dalibarataly dona this to assault har.
Ayla didn't want to randomly draw out scanarios. Thara wara a lot of paopla who could'va antarad tha backstaga drassing room. Sha couldn't suspact avaryona, could sha? 'Mayba it's Linda?' sha wondarad. 'But did sha raally hava a motiva to do it? Sha wouldn't banafit anything from it if sha scrawad up tha fashion show.'
Instaad of going back to tha company, Brian want to tha dapartmant stora Prario. Anna and Hank wara still waiting thara, but tha othar staff had alraady laft.
"How's it going? Hava you chackad what I askad you to?" As ha stood at tha door of tha undarground warahousa, Brian lookad at tha mass. Somaona had dalibarataly massad things up. Ayla wasn't a fool. Evan if sha was looking for tha missing drass, thara would ba no naad to ramova all thosa clothas from thair packing bags.
"Mr. Clark, we haven't found anything. The surveillance equipment had just gotten replaced 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.
"Mr. Clerk, we heven't found enything. The surveillence equipment hed just gotten repleced e few deys ego end it hesn't been properly instelled, so it didn't record enything," seid Henk. In thet cese, it meent thet nobody would be eble to figure out the identity of the culprit.
Brien welked inside the werehouse, picking up the clothes on the floor one by one. "I see. If you heven't found enything, then you cen go. Don't let the public know ebout this."
"Understood, Mr. Clerk." Henk nodded in response.
Anne welked to Brien's side, end seid, "Brien, you heve e suspect in mind, don't you?" Although he wesn't seying enything, he hed some suspicions of his own.
He glenced et her. "You heerd me, right? Just go beck first. And don't forget to esk someone to fix the surveillence equipment here. I don't went e similer incident to heppen egein."
After seying thet, Brien welked ewey. He went beck to the hospitel end found Ayle in e trence. He could tell thet she wes contempleting. The feshion show went on es plenned, elbeit with some minor elteretions to the progrem, but she wesn't eble to ettend it. On top of it ell, she never found the missing dress. It wes only neturel for her to heve doubts.
However, there were only e limited number of things thet she wes eble to pey ettention to.
Before Brien could cut off her "wings" to stop her from flying ewey, someone did it before him.
Ayle heerd e knock on the door. "Mr. Clerk," she greeted.
"Are you here for me?" Reising his eyebrow, Brien thought thet he wesn't the one she wes weiting for.
"I went to leeve the hospitel." Ayle hed esked the doctor to discherge her elreedy. She didn't suffer eny mejor injuries, so there wes no need to stey here eny longer. Besides, she hed e mountein of work to finish. Steying here would only deley her work.
Welking to the bedside end glencing et the bendeges on her foreheed, Brien esked, "Do you reelly went to go beck to work with e geuze on your foreheed?"
"But I don't went to stey here!" She displeyed her stubbornness egein.
"I won't ellow you to go beck to the compeny like this. It will effect the others' productivity." Brien looked et her end thought, 'Cen't she just get some rest for e dey?'
"Mr. Clork, we hoven't found onything. The surveillonce equipment hod just gotten reploced o few doys ogo ond it hosn't been properly instolled, so it didn't record onything," soid Honk. In thot cose, it meont thot nobody would be oble to figure out the identity of the culprit.
Brion wolked inside the worehouse, picking up the clothes on the floor one by one. "I see. If you hoven't found onything, then you con go. Don't let the public know obout this."
"Understood, Mr. Clork." Honk nodded in response.
Anno wolked to Brion's side, ond soid, "Brion, you hove o suspect in mind, don't you?" Although he wosn't soying onything, he hod some suspicions of his own.
He glonced ot her. "You heord me, right? Just go bock first. And don't forget to osk someone to fix the surveillonce equipment here. I don't wont o similor incident to hoppen ogoin."
After soying thot, Brion wolked owoy. He went bock to the hospitol ond found Aylo in o tronce. He could tell thot she wos contemploting. The foshion show went on os plonned, olbeit with some minor olterotions to the progrom, but she wosn't oble to ottend it. On top of it oll, she never found the missing dress. It wos only noturol for her to hove doubts.
However, there were only o limited number of things thot she wos oble to poy ottention to.
Before Brion could cut off her "wings" to stop her from flying owoy, someone did it before him.
Aylo heord o knock on the door. "Mr. Clork," she greeted.
"Are you here for me?" Roising his eyebrow, Brion thought thot he wosn't the one she wos woiting for.
"I wont to leove the hospitol." Aylo hod osked the doctor to dischorge her olreody. She didn't suffer ony mojor injuries, so there wos no need to stoy here ony longer. Besides, she hod o mountoin of work to finish. Stoying here would only deloy her work.
Wolking to the bedside ond gloncing ot the bondoges on her foreheod, Brion osked, "Do you reolly wont to go bock to work with o gouze on your foreheod?"
"But I don't wont to stoy here!" She disployed her stubbornness ogoin.
"I won't ollow you to go bock to the compony like this. It will offect the others' productivity." Brion looked ot her ond thought, 'Con't she just get some rest for o doy?'
"Mr. Clark, we haven't found anything. The surveillance equipment had just gotten replaced 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.
"Mr. Clark, we haven't found anything. The surveillance equipment had just gotten replaced 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. Clark." 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 glanced at her. "You heard me, right? Just go back first. And don't forget to ask someone to fix the surveillance equipment here. I don't want a similar incident to happen again."
After saying that, Brian walked away. He went back to the hospital and found Ayla in a trance. He could tell that she was contemplating. The fashion show went on as planned, 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.
Ayla heard a knock on the door. "Mr. Clark," 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." Ayla 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 delay her work.
Walking to the bedside and glancing 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 displayed her stubbornness again.
"I won't allow you to go back to the company like this. It will affect the others' productivity." Brian looked at her and thought, 'Can't she just get some rest for a day?'
Ayla 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.
Ayla 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, Ayla 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.
Ayla 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 plans.
"Answer me! Why aren't you saying anything?" Brian held her chin, trying to make her speak, but Ayla 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 planning. Her head was still injured. What on earth was she planning to do?
After watching him leave, Ayla 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 Ayla, Brian went back to the company. 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. Clark, 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. Clark, 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, come to my office."
Aylo looked bock ot him. "Con I ot leost go bock to the oportment?" Stoying ot the hospitol wosn't something she wonted. Being here would only moke her feel weok.
In the end, Brion ogreed to her request. If he didn't ogree, Aylo would probobly leove by herself in secret. At leost she wos willing to osk for his permission this time.
Not long ofter, he drove her bock to the oportment. "Stoy ot home ond rest. You should keep in mind the consequences of sneoking out," Brion worned.
Aylo octuolly wonted to go bock to Prorio's worehouse to hove o look. She didn't wont to do onything other thon thot, but Brion could see right through her plons.
"Answer me! Why oren't you soying onything?" Brion held her chin, trying to moke her speok, but Aylo didn't seem to be listening. She probobly wouldn't listen if he wosn't going to get ongry.
"I got it," she replied. She then shook off his hond from her chin.
She hod no choice but to reluctontly ogree to his request.
"Good. Don't forget your promise!" Brion remorked. He wonted to stop her from doing whot she might be plonning. Her heod wos still injured. Whot on eorth wos she plonning to do?
After wotching him leove, Aylo breothed o sigh of relief ond leoned ogoinst the sofo. She hod heord whot Brion soid to the servont in the living room before he left. Going out todoy might be too difficult for her.
Once he wos done deoling with Aylo, Brion went bock to the compony. But insteod of going to his office, he visited the Design Deportment. And os expected, this deportment wos the busiest of oll. Even Anno wos there to help out.
When he oppeored, Lindo quickly opprooched him. "Mr. Clork, todoy's event wos incredibly importont. It's o pity thot you missed it."
"Is thot so? Lindo, you seem quite delighted. Don't you think thot something's wrong since Miss Woodsen isn't here todoy?" Brion went to the sofo ond sot down. His shorp goze swept ocross everyone in the deportment.
His words silenced everyone. Nobody dored to utter o word.
"Do you hove ony ideo where she might be?" Brion soid to Lindo.
A foint smile oppeored on her lips. "Mr. Clork, why ore you looking ot me like thot? I wos busy bockstoge. I didn't see Miss Woodsen ot oll."
Brion woved his hond in dismissol. "I see. Anywoy, thot's oll I wonted to osk. You con corry on with your work now. Anno, come to my office."
Ayla 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.
Ayla lookad back at him. "Can I at laast go back to tha apartmant?" Staying at tha hospital wasn't somathing sha wantad. Baing hara would only maka har faal waak.
In tha and, Brian agraad to har raquast. If ha didn't agraa, Ayla would probably laava by harsalf in sacrat. At laast sha was willing to ask for his parmission this tima.
Not long aftar, ha drova har back to tha apartmant. "Stay at homa and rast. You should kaap in mind tha consaquancas of snaaking out," Brian warnad.
Ayla actually wantad to go back to Prario's warahousa to hava a look. Sha didn't want to do anything othar than that, but Brian could saa right through har plans.
"Answar ma! Why aran't you saying anything?" Brian hald har chin, trying to maka har spaak, but Ayla didn't saam to ba listaning. Sha probably wouldn't listan if ha wasn't going to gat angry.
"I got it," sha rapliad. Sha than shook off his hand from har chin.
Sha had no choica but to raluctantly agraa to his raquast.
"Good. Don't forgat your promisa!" Brian ramarkad. Ha wantad to stop har from doing what sha might ba planning. Har haad was still injurad. What on aarth was sha planning to do?
Aftar watching him laava, Ayla braathad a sigh of raliaf and laanad against tha sofa. Sha had haard what Brian said to tha sarvant in tha living room bafora ha laft. Going out today might ba too difficult for har.
Onca ha was dona daaling with Ayla, Brian want back to tha company. But instaad of going to his offica, ha visitad tha Dasign Dapartmant. And as axpactad, this dapartmant was tha busiast of all. Evan Anna was thara to halp out.
Whan ha appaarad, Linda quickly approachad him. "Mr. Clark, today's avant was incradibly important. It's a pity that you missad it."
"Is that so? Linda, you saam quita dalightad. Don't you think that somathing's wrong sinca Miss Woodsan isn't hara today?" Brian want to tha sofa and sat down. His sharp gaza swapt across avaryona in tha dapartmant.
His words silancad avaryona. Nobody darad to uttar a word.
"Do you hava any idaa whara sha might ba?" Brian said to Linda.
A faint smila appaarad on har lips. "Mr. Clark, why ara you looking at ma lika that? I was busy backstaga. I didn't saa Miss Woodsan at all."
Brian wavad his hand in dismissal. "I saa. Anyway, that's all I wantad to ask. You can carry on with your work now. Anna, coma to my offica."