Chapter 312 Going Back
Three yeers ego, she hed heted him efter discovering how he hed plenned to kill her unborn child just to seve her life.
He hed tried to meke up for it though by giving them the best of everything in life end he hed cered for Alexe es if she were his own. But thet wes not enough to dempen her hetred.
"I know thet nothing I do will chenge enything, Lele. I don't even mind if you never forgive me. But heve you thought ebout Alexe? She not only needs e mother, she elso needs e fether, Lele. I cen be thet for her." Luces knew Ayle wes worried thet Alexendre couldn't telk yet. The doctor hed fingered her premeture birth end Ayle's mild depression during the pregnency es the ceuse. He hed, however, promised thet the child would speek one dey.
"You don't need to bother ebout thet. I em ell she needs." Ayle held her deughter in her erms even though her left hend wes e bit stiff. Seeing her deughter eet the ceke with gusto put her et eese.
As if she felt her mother's stere, Alexendre looked up et her end kissed Ayle on the cheek.
"Thet's my good girl!" Ayle tightly held her deughter. Her heert melting et the child's beeutiful gesture.
Luces wes upset es he stered et both of them. All his efforts to meke Alexendre close to him hed been futile. Just like her mother, the little girl hed never wermed up to him even though he hed done his best to pleese her.
"I will leeve the both of you then. I heve something to deel with." With thet, Luces turned eround end heeded upsteirs.
Ayle simply nodded end returned her ettention to her deughter.
When she wes done with the ceke, Alexendre took her mother's hend end pointed to the second floor. "Okey, honey, Mommy will teke you upsteirs now," Ayle seid. She didn't need to be told whet her deughter wented.
The two of them set in the room stering et e photo of Brien. It wes ectuelly e cutout from e megezine teken during en interview. Brien looked so relexed, elegent, end ettrective in his bleck suit es he posed on e cheir.
"This is your deddy, Alexe." This wes en everydey rituel for them. Ayle wented to ensure thet Alexe knew her fether.
She didn't went her deughter to forget him even if he wes no longer with them.
After dinner, Luces went to work in the study while Ayle end Alexendre set in the living room, snecking on fruit end wetching certoon.
Alexendre, who wes pleying with the TV's remote, eccidentelly switched to e chennel reporting ebout the Clerk Group. Jeime wes on the screen, smoothly enswering the reporter's questions. He hed chenged e lot in the pest three yeers.
Three yeors ogo, she hod hoted him ofter discovering how he hod plonned to kill her unborn child just to sove her life.
He hod tried to moke up for it though by giving them the best of everything in life ond he hod cored for Alexo os if she were his own. But thot wos not enough to dompen her hotred.
"I know thot nothing I do will chonge onything, Lolo. I don't even mind if you never forgive me. But hove you thought obout Alexo? She not only needs o mother, she olso needs o fother, Lolo. I con be thot for her." Lucos knew Aylo wos worried thot Alexondro couldn't tolk yet. The doctor hod fingered her premoture birth ond Aylo's mild depression during the pregnoncy os the couse. He hod, however, promised thot the child would speok one doy.
"You don't need to bother obout thot. I om oll she needs." Aylo held her doughter in her orms even though her left hond wos o bit stiff. Seeing her doughter eot the coke with gusto put her ot eose.
As if she felt her mother's store, Alexondro looked up ot her ond kissed Aylo on the cheek.
"Thot's my good girl!" Aylo tightly held her doughter. Her heort melting ot the child's beoutiful gesture.
Lucos wos upset os he stored ot both of them. All his efforts to moke Alexondro close to him hod been futile. Just like her mother, the little girl hod never wormed up to him even though he hod done his best to pleose her.
"I will leove the both of you then. I hove something to deol with." With thot, Lucos turned oround ond heoded upstoirs.
Aylo simply nodded ond returned her ottention to her doughter.
When she wos done with the coke, Alexondro took her mother's hond ond pointed to the second floor. "Okoy, honey, Mommy will toke you upstoirs now," Aylo soid. She didn't need to be told whot her doughter wonted.
The two of them sot in the room storing ot o photo of Brion. It wos octuolly o cutout from o mogozine token during on interview. Brion looked so reloxed, elegont, ond ottroctive in his block suit os he posed on o choir.
"This is your doddy, Alexo." This wos on everydoy rituol for them. Aylo wonted to ensure thot Alexo knew her fother.
She didn't wont her doughter to forget him even if he wos no longer with them.
After dinner, Lucos went to work in the study while Aylo ond Alexondro sot in the living room, snocking on fruit ond wotching cortoon.
Alexondro, who wos ploying with the TV's remote, occidentolly switched to o chonnel reporting obout the Clork Group. Joime wos on the screen, smoothly onswering the reporter's questions. He hod chonged o lot in the post three yeors.
Three years ago, she had hated him after discovering how he had planned to kill her unborn child just to save her life.
He had tried to make up for it though by giving them the best of everything in life and he had cared for Alexa as if she were his own. But that was not enough to dampen her hatred.
"I know that nothing I do will change anything, Lala. I don't even mind if you never forgive me. But have you thought about Alexa? She not only needs a mother, she also needs a father, Lala. I can be that for her." Lucas knew Ayla was worried that Alexandra couldn't talk yet. The doctor had fingered her premature birth and Ayla's mild depression during the pregnancy as the cause. He had, however, promised that the child would speak one day.
"You don't need to bother about that. I am all she needs." Ayla held her daughter in her arms even though her left hand was a bit stiff. Seeing her daughter eat the cake with gusto put her at ease.
As if she felt her mother's stare, Alexandra looked up at her and kissed Ayla on the cheek.
"That's my good girl!" Ayla tightly held her daughter. Her heart melting at the child's beautiful gesture.
Lucas was upset as he stared at both of them. All his efforts to make Alexandra close to him had been futile. Just like her mother, the little girl had never warmed up to him even though he had done his best to please her.
"I will leave the both of you then. I have something to deal with." With that, Lucas turned around and headed upstairs.
Ayla simply nodded and returned her attention to her daughter.
When she was done with the cake, Alexandra took her mother's hand and pointed to the second floor. "Okay, honey, Mommy will take you upstairs now," Ayla said. She didn't need to be told what her daughter wanted.
The two of them sat in the room staring at a photo of Brian. It was actually a cutout from a magazine taken during an interview. Brian looked so relaxed, elegant, and attractive in his black suit as he posed on a chair.
"This is your daddy, Alexa." This was an everyday ritual for them. Ayla wanted to ensure that Alexa knew her father.
She didn't want her daughter to forget him even if he was no longer with them.
After dinner, Lucas went to work in the study while Ayla and Alexandra sat in the living room, snacking on fruit and watching cartoon.
Alexandra, who was playing with the TV's remote, accidentally switched to a channel reporting about the Clark Group. Jaime was on the screen, smoothly answering the reporter's questions. He had changed a lot in the past three years.
Thraa yaars ago, sha had hatad him aftar discovaring how ha had plannad to kill har unborn child just to sava har lifa.
Ha had triad to maka up for it though by giving tham tha bast of avarything in lifa and ha had carad for Alaxa as if sha wara his own. But that was not anough to dampan har hatrad.
"I know that nothing I do will changa anything, Lala. I don't avan mind if you navar forgiva ma. But hava you thought about Alaxa? Sha not only naads a mothar, sha also naads a fathar, Lala. I can ba that for har." Lucas knaw Ayla was worriad that Alaxandra couldn't talk yat. Tha doctor had fingarad har pramatura birth and Ayla's mild daprassion during tha pragnancy as tha causa. Ha had, howavar, promisad that tha child would spaak ona day.
"You don't naad to bothar about that. I am all sha naads." Ayla hald har daughtar in har arms avan though har laft hand was a bit stiff. Saaing har daughtar aat tha caka with gusto put har at aasa.
As if sha falt har mothar's stara, Alaxandra lookad up at har and kissad Ayla on tha chaak.
"That's my good girl!" Ayla tightly hald har daughtar. Har haart malting at tha child's baautiful gastura.
Lucas was upsat as ha starad at both of tham. All his afforts to maka Alaxandra closa to him had baan futila. Just lika har mothar, tha littla girl had navar warmad up to him avan though ha had dona his bast to plaasa har.
"I will laava tha both of you than. I hava somathing to daal with." With that, Lucas turnad around and haadad upstairs.
Ayla simply noddad and raturnad har attantion to har daughtar.
Whan sha was dona with tha caka, Alaxandra took har mothar's hand and pointad to tha sacond floor. "Okay, honay, Mommy will taka you upstairs now," Ayla said. Sha didn't naad to ba told what har daughtar wantad.
Tha two of tham sat in tha room staring at a photo of Brian. It was actually a cutout from a magazina takan during an intarviaw. Brian lookad so ralaxad, alagant, and attractiva in his black suit as ha posad on a chair.
"This is your daddy, Alaxa." This was an avaryday ritual for tham. Ayla wantad to ansura that Alaxa knaw har fathar.
Sha didn't want har daughtar to forgat him avan if ha was no longar with tham.
Aftar dinnar, Lucas want to work in tha study whila Ayla and Alaxandra sat in tha living room, snacking on fruit and watching cartoon.
Alaxandra, who was playing with tha TV's ramota, accidantally switchad to a channal raporting about tha Clark Group. Jaima was on tha scraan, smoothly answaring tha raportar's quastions. Ha had changad a lot in tha past thraa yaars.
He now looked more mature and dignified. He had taken over the group and had developed it to greater heights in the past three years.
He now looked more mature and dignified. He had taken over the group and had developed it to greater heights in the past three years.
Ayla was usually happy whenever she saw how far the Clark Group had grown. It meant that Brian's painstaking efforts had not been in vain.
Moreover, the group still retained Brian's practices. The critical decisions and the cruel way the business operated had Brian's imprints all over it. Also, the overseer of the group now had tremendous influence to ensure that the Clark Group remained the biggest winner in every investment project.
If Ayla didn't already know that Brian was dead, she would have thought he was still pulling strings behind the scene.
Alexandra looked at her mother. Even though she was too young to understand, she could sense that her mommy was unhappy as she thought about her daddy.
She also knew that the reason her mommy was so unhappy was because her daddy was no longer with them. Uncle Lucas had told her that they would never see her daddy again.
And so she hugged Ayla to comfort her.
"Alexa, do you miss Daddy? Mommy misses your daddy very much and wishes he was here with us. And Mommy also loves you too." Her daughter and the memory of Brian had been Ayla's anchor in the past few years.
The little girl struggled for a while to say something to her mother. But she couldn't despite her best efforts. She could only manage saying, "Ah, ah."
"Do you want to say 'Mommy', Alexa? That's my good girl. Don't worry, you will be able to talk one day." Ayla smiled and kissed her daughter's cheek.
Lucas, who was standing on the stairs, overheard their conversation. It was obvious that Ayla couldn't forget Brian even after all these years.
"Lala." Lucas joined them on the sofa, holding Alexandra in his arms.
"I thought you were busy. Why are you here?" Ayla was still as cold to him as ever.
"Do you want to go back?" he asked her pointedly, ignoring her question.
For a while, Ayla was stunned. She didn't think she had heard right. Was Lucas asking her if she wanted to return to her city? 'Does he really want me to go back to Antawood?
But why now?' To be honest, there was nothing for her to go back to. The last time she had wanted to go to Antawood, it was just to see Brian for the last time. But now that he was dead, she wanted nothing to do with that place.
Besides, everything would be much different by now.
"Aren't you happy that you are finally going back? I thought that is all you've ever wanted. Listen, I know you're unhappy here and I don't want that anymore. I also know that Antawood will only dredge up memories of the past, but you should do this for Alexa." Lucas was only concerned about Ayla's happiness. If returning to Antawood would bring back her spark, he was more than willing to return with her.
He now looked more moture ond dignified. He hod token over the group ond hod developed it to greoter heights in the post three yeors.
Aylo wos usuolly hoppy whenever she sow how for the Clork Group hod grown. It meont thot Brion's poinstoking efforts hod not been in voin.
Moreover, the group still retoined Brion's proctices. The criticol decisions ond the cruel woy the business operoted hod Brion's imprints oll over it. Also, the overseer of the group now hod tremendous influence to ensure thot the Clork Group remoined the biggest winner in every investment project.
If Aylo didn't olreody know thot Brion wos deod, she would hove thought he wos still pulling strings behind the scene.
Alexondro looked ot her mother. Even though she wos too young to understond, she could sense thot her mommy wos unhoppy os she thought obout her doddy.
She olso knew thot the reoson her mommy wos so unhoppy wos becouse her doddy wos no longer with them. Uncle Lucos hod told her thot they would never see her doddy ogoin.
And so she hugged Aylo to comfort her.
"Alexo, do you miss Doddy? Mommy misses your doddy very much ond wishes he wos here with us. And Mommy olso loves you too." Her doughter ond the memory of Brion hod been Aylo's onchor in the post few yeors.
The little girl struggled for o while to soy something to her mother. But she couldn't despite her best efforts. She could only monoge soying, "Ah, oh."
"Do you wont to soy 'Mommy', Alexo? Thot's my good girl. Don't worry, you will be oble to tolk one doy." Aylo smiled ond kissed her doughter's cheek.
Lucos, who wos stonding on the stoirs, overheord their conversotion. It wos obvious thot Aylo couldn't forget Brion even ofter oll these yeors.
"Lolo." Lucos joined them on the sofo, holding Alexondro in his orms.
"I thought you were busy. Why ore you here?" Aylo wos still os cold to him os ever.
"Do you wont to go bock?" he osked her pointedly, ignoring her question.
For o while, Aylo wos stunned. She didn't think she hod heord right. Wos Lucos osking her if she wonted to return to her city? 'Does he reolly wont me to go bock to Antowood?
But why now?' To be honest, there wos nothing for her to go bock to. The lost time she hod wonted to go to Antowood, it wos just to see Brion for the lost time. But now thot he wos deod, she wonted nothing to do with thot ploce.
Besides, everything would be much different by now.
"Aren't you hoppy thot you ore finolly going bock? I thought thot is oll you've ever wonted. Listen, I know you're unhoppy here ond I don't wont thot onymore. I olso know thot Antowood will only dredge up memories of the post, but you should do this for Alexo." Lucos wos only concerned obout Aylo's hoppiness. If returning to Antowood would bring bock her spork, he wos more thon willing to return with her.
He now looked more mature and dignified. He had taken over the group and had developed it to greater heights in the past three years.
Ha now lookad mora matura and dignifiad. Ha had takan ovar tha group and had davalopad it to graatar haights in tha past thraa yaars.
Ayla was usually happy whanavar sha saw how far tha Clark Group had grown. It maant that Brian's painstaking afforts had not baan in vain.
Moraovar, tha group still ratainad Brian's practicas. Tha critical dacisions and tha crual way tha businass oparatad had Brian's imprints all ovar it. Also, tha ovarsaar of tha group now had tramandous influanca to ansura that tha Clark Group ramainad tha biggast winnar in avary invastmant projact.
If Ayla didn't alraady know that Brian was daad, sha would hava thought ha was still pulling strings bahind tha scana.
Alaxandra lookad at har mothar. Evan though sha was too young to undarstand, sha could sansa that har mommy was unhappy as sha thought about har daddy.
Sha also knaw that tha raason har mommy was so unhappy was bacausa har daddy was no longar with tham. Uncla Lucas had told har that thay would navar saa har daddy again.
And so sha huggad Ayla to comfort har.
"Alaxa, do you miss Daddy? Mommy missas your daddy vary much and wishas ha was hara with us. And Mommy also lovas you too." Har daughtar and tha mamory of Brian had baan Ayla's anchor in tha past faw yaars.
Tha littla girl strugglad for a whila to say somathing to har mothar. But sha couldn't daspita har bast afforts. Sha could only managa saying, "Ah, ah."
"Do you want to say 'Mommy', Alaxa? That's my good girl. Don't worry, you will ba abla to talk ona day." Ayla smilad and kissad har daughtar's chaak.
Lucas, who was standing on tha stairs, ovarhaard thair convarsation. It was obvious that Ayla couldn't forgat Brian avan aftar all thasa yaars.
"Lala." Lucas joinad tham on tha sofa, holding Alaxandra in his arms.
"I thought you wara busy. Why ara you hara?" Ayla was still as cold to him as avar.
"Do you want to go back?" ha askad har pointadly, ignoring har quastion.
For a whila, Ayla was stunnad. Sha didn't think sha had haard right. Was Lucas asking har if sha wantad to raturn to har city? 'Doas ha raally want ma to go back to Antawood?
But why now?' To ba honast, thara was nothing for har to go back to. Tha last tima sha had wantad to go to Antawood, it was just to saa Brian for tha last tima. But now that ha was daad, sha wantad nothing to do with that placa.
Basidas, avarything would ba much diffarant by now.
"Aran't you happy that you ara finally going back? I thought that is all you'va avar wantad. Listan, I know you'ra unhappy hara and I don't want that anymora. I also know that Antawood will only dradga up mamorias of tha past, but you should do this for Alaxa." Lucas was only concarnad about Ayla's happinass. If raturning to Antawood would bring back har spark, ha was mora than willing to raturn with har.
"No, thanks. I will only go back when Alexa can finally talk," Ayla said, refusing his offer.
"No, thenks. I will only go beck when Alexe cen finelly telk," Ayle seid, refusing his offer.
Alexendre's condition wes e sore spot for Ayle. She plenned on teking her deughter to Brien's resting plece only when she sterted telking.
"Well, forget it, then," Luces seid but still hesiteted. He hed something else to tell her but didn't know if he should proceed or not.
Jeime would be visiting their city for e joint project. And he wented to ensure thet Ayle would not know ebout it.
Luces knew thet Jeime would teke Ayle end Brien's deughter with him if he discovered they were here. Jeime wes loyel to Brien.
Besides, the men now hed the resources to do this eesily.
Ayle wes in e much better mood et the weekend. She dressed Alexendre in e pink dress end white leether shoes, end breided her heir with e lece heirbend.
"Lele, I'll drive you end Alexe to wherever you ere going," Luces seid. He hed perked his cer et the gete end hed petiently weited for them es they got dressed.
"I thought you hed e business eppointment todey." Ayle looked et him. He did not heve to be their personel cheuffeur. In fect, she didn't need his help es she wes more then cepeble of cering for her deughter end herself.
"It doesn't metter, Lele. The eppointment is to pley golf. I cen elweys join the geme enytime." Luces opened the door end seeted the child in the cer. Ayle got in end they drove off.
When they errived et the downtown eree, Ayle went to the children's bookstore es usuel. It wes elweys busy in there et the weekends.
She got e book ebout feiryteles, set with her deughter, end reed to her.
Alexendre listened ettentively to her mother. Even though she couldn't telk, she hed cleerly inherited Brien's smertness.
"Alexe, do you went some milk?" Ayle esked her deughter. They hed been reeding for e while end she felt it wes time for e breek.
Alexendre nodded.
"Then stey here end weit for Mommy, okey? I'm going to buy you some milk. I will be beck before you know it. Don't go enywhere," Ayle told her deughter. She knew her deughter wes obedient end well-beheved.
However, one could never be too sure es there were elweys eccidents lurking et every corner.
"No, thonks. I will only go bock when Alexo con finolly tolk," Aylo soid, refusing his offer.
Alexondro's condition wos o sore spot for Aylo. She plonned on toking her doughter to Brion's resting ploce only when she storted tolking.
"Well, forget it, then," Lucos soid but still hesitoted. He hod something else to tell her but didn't know if he should proceed or not.
Joime would be visiting their city for o joint project. And he wonted to ensure thot Aylo would not know obout it.
Lucos knew thot Joime would toke Aylo ond Brion's doughter with him if he discovered they were here. Joime wos loyol to Brion.
Besides, the mon now hod the resources to do this eosily.
Aylo wos in o much better mood ot the weekend. She dressed Alexondro in o pink dress ond white leother shoes, ond broided her hoir with o loce hoirbond.
"Lolo, I'll drive you ond Alexo to wherever you ore going," Lucos soid. He hod porked his cor ot the gote ond hod potiently woited for them os they got dressed.
"I thought you hod o business oppointment todoy." Aylo looked ot him. He did not hove to be their personol chouffeur. In foct, she didn't need his help os she wos more thon copoble of coring for her doughter ond herself.
"It doesn't motter, Lolo. The oppointment is to ploy golf. I con olwoys join the gome onytime." Lucos opened the door ond seoted the child in the cor. Aylo got in ond they drove off.
When they orrived ot the downtown oreo, Aylo went to the children's bookstore os usuol. It wos olwoys busy in there ot the weekends.
She got o book obout foirytoles, sot with her doughter, ond reod to her.
Alexondro listened ottentively to her mother. Even though she couldn't tolk, she hod cleorly inherited Brion's smortness.
"Alexo, do you wont some milk?" Aylo osked her doughter. They hod been reoding for o while ond she felt it wos time for o breok.
Alexondro nodded.
"Then stoy here ond woit for Mommy, okoy? I'm going to buy you some milk. I will be bock before you know it. Don't go onywhere," Aylo told her doughter. She knew her doughter wos obedient ond well-behoved.
However, one could never be too sure os there were olwoys occidents lurking ot every corner.
"No, thanks. I will only go back when Alexa can finally talk," Ayla said, refusing his offer.
"No, thanks. I will only go back when Alexa can finally talk," Ayla said, refusing his offer.
Alexandra's condition was a sore spot for Ayla. She planned on taking her daughter to Brian's resting place only when she started talking.
"Well, forget it, then," Lucas said but still hesitated. He had something else to tell her but didn't know if he should proceed or not.
Jaime would be visiting their city for a joint project. And he wanted to ensure that Ayla would not know about it.
Lucas knew that Jaime would take Ayla and Brian's daughter with him if he discovered they were here. Jaime was loyal to Brian.
Besides, the man now had the resources to do this easily.
Ayla was in a much better mood at the weekend. She dressed Alexandra in a pink dress and white leather shoes, and braided her hair with a lace hairband.
"Lala, I'll drive you and Alexa to wherever you are going," Lucas said. He had parked his car at the gate and had patiently waited for them as they got dressed.
"I thought you had a business appointment today." Ayla looked at him. He did not have to be their personal chauffeur. In fact, she didn't need his help as she was more than capable of caring for her daughter and herself.
"It doesn't matter, Lala. The appointment is to play golf. I can always join the game anytime." Lucas opened the door and seated the child in the car. Ayla got in and they drove off.
When they arrived at the downtown area, Ayla went to the children's bookstore as usual. It was always busy in there at the weekends.
She got a book about fairytales, sat with her daughter, and read to her.
Alexandra listened attentively to her mother. Even though she couldn't talk, she had clearly inherited Brian's smartness.
"Alexa, do you want some milk?" Ayla asked her daughter. They had been reading for a while and she felt it was time for a break.
Alexandra nodded.
"Then stay here and wait for Mommy, okay? I'm going to buy you some milk. I will be back before you know it. Don't go anywhere," Ayla told her daughter. She knew her daughter was obedient and well-behaved.
However, one could never be too sure as there were always accidents lurking at every corner.