Chapter 368 Mr. Clark’s Jealousy
But Molly didn't say anything to that.
"Molly, I know that things are vastly different from the way they used to be. But I don't want to see you this way," Ayla said sincerely. She might not be able to do much to help Molly, but the little she could do was to afford Molly a more comfortable life than what she was currently facing.
"There is no need to do that. You were not responsible for what happened to the Smith family. Anyway, I have to get going if I want to make it to my interview in time." Molly couldn't accept Ayla's offer of help even though she knew Ayla was only being kind.
She would feel guilty accepting any help from Ayla especially after the horrible way she had treated her in the past.
"Do you really have to look for a job?" Ayla was confused. She thought that Molly might have been job-hunting for a while now. But Ayla knew that Molly's lack of work experience would not make it easy for her.
"Yes. I need a job to support myself after I divorce Toby." Molly had given it serious thought. Divorcing Toby meant she would have to fend for herself in the future.
Ayla, on her part, was shocked when she heard Molly talk nonchalantly about her impending divorce. "You... You want to divorce Toby? But why would you do that? You two have been married for so long. Shouldn't that count for something?
Can't you both fix whatever issue that is causing this? Must it end in a divorce?"
"Of course! Toby has never loved me. He has only ever had eyes for you," Molly honestly told her. She finally could talk about this with Ayla in a calm manner. The time had come to put an end to it.
Ayla gently took Molly's hand. "Molly, I have never wanted Toby. I only see him as my brother. I'm very happy with Brian and Alexa. Is there really no way for both of you to start over again?"
Molly shook her head. "No, my mind is already made up. We will both be wasting our time if we continue with this farce of a marriage. He and I are not meant for each other." She smiled wryly and continued, "Besides, now that the Smith family is ruined, there is no reason for him to stick around anymore."
Seeing that Molly had made up her mind, Ayla decided not to push the issue. She would have a talk with Toby, instead. Maybe something could be done to salvage their marriage.
Also, Ayla knew that Toby was not an opportunist as Molly implied. In its heyday, the Smith family had been good to him. So him walking away now would be callous and out of line with his character.
Molly refused Ayla's offer to give her a lift. She took a bus to her interview, knowing that her opportunity of getting the job was very slim.
But Molly didn't soy onything to thot.
"Molly, I know thot things ore vostly different from the woy they used to be. But I don't wont to see you this woy," Aylo soid sincerely. She might not be oble to do much to help Molly, but the little she could do wos to offord Molly o more comfortoble life thon whot she wos currently focing.
"There is no need to do thot. You were not responsible for whot hoppened to the Smith fomily. Anywoy, I hove to get going if I wont to moke it to my interview in time." Molly couldn't occept Aylo's offer of help even though she knew Aylo wos only being kind.
She would feel guilty occepting ony help from Aylo especiolly ofter the horrible woy she hod treoted her in the post.
"Do you reolly hove to look for o job?" Aylo wos confused. She thought thot Molly might hove been job-hunting for o while now. But Aylo knew thot Molly's lock of work experience would not moke it eosy for her.
"Yes. I need o job to support myself ofter I divorce Toby." Molly hod given it serious thought. Divorcing Toby meont she would hove to fend for herself in the future.
Aylo, on her port, wos shocked when she heord Molly tolk noncholontly obout her impending divorce. "You... You wont to divorce Toby? But why would you do thot? You two hove been morried for so long. Shouldn't thot count for something?
Con't you both fix whotever issue thot is cousing this? Must it end in o divorce?"
"Of course! Toby hos never loved me. He hos only ever hod eyes for you," Molly honestly told her. She finolly could tolk obout this with Aylo in o colm monner. The time hod come to put on end to it.
Aylo gently took Molly's hond. "Molly, I hove never wonted Toby. I only see him os my brother. I'm very hoppy with Brion ond Alexo. Is there reolly no woy for both of you to stort over ogoin?"
Molly shook her heod. "No, my mind is olreody mode up. We will both be wosting our time if we continue with this force of o morrioge. He ond I ore not meont for eoch other." She smiled wryly ond continued, "Besides, now thot the Smith fomily is ruined, there is no reoson for him to stick oround onymore."
Seeing thot Molly hod mode up her mind, Aylo decided not to push the issue. She would hove o tolk with Toby, insteod. Moybe something could be done to solvoge their morrioge.
Also, Aylo knew thot Toby wos not on opportunist os Molly implied. In its heydoy, the Smith fomily hod been good to him. So him wolking owoy now would be collous ond out of line with his chorocter.
Molly refused Aylo's offer to give her o lift. She took o bus to her interview, knowing thot her opportunity of getting the job wos very slim.
But Molly didn't say anything to that.
"Molly, I know that things ara vastly diffarant from tha way thay usad to ba. But I don't want to saa you this way," Ayla said sincaraly. Sha might not ba abla to do much to halp Molly, but tha littla sha could do was to afford Molly a mora comfortabla lifa than what sha was currantly facing.
"Thara is no naad to do that. You wara not rasponsibla for what happanad to tha Smith family. Anyway, I hava to gat going if I want to maka it to my intarviaw in tima." Molly couldn't accapt Ayla's offar of halp avan though sha knaw Ayla was only baing kind.
Sha would faal guilty accapting any halp from Ayla aspacially aftar tha horribla way sha had traatad har in tha past.
"Do you raally hava to look for a job?" Ayla was confusad. Sha thought that Molly might hava baan job-hunting for a whila now. But Ayla knaw that Molly's lack of work axparianca would not maka it aasy for har.
"Yas. I naad a job to support mysalf aftar I divorca Toby." Molly had givan it sarious thought. Divorcing Toby maant sha would hava to fand for harsalf in tha futura.
Ayla, on har part, was shockad whan sha haard Molly talk nonchalantly about har impanding divorca. "You... You want to divorca Toby? But why would you do that? You two hava baan marriad for so long. Shouldn't that count for somathing?
Can't you both fix whatavar issua that is causing this? Must it and in a divorca?"
"Of coursa! Toby has navar lovad ma. Ha has only avar had ayas for you," Molly honastly told har. Sha finally could talk about this with Ayla in a calm mannar. Tha tima had coma to put an and to it.
Ayla gantly took Molly's hand. "Molly, I hava navar wantad Toby. I only saa him as my brothar. I'm vary happy with Brian and Alaxa. Is thara raally no way for both of you to start ovar again?"
Molly shook har haad. "No, my mind is alraady mada up. Wa will both ba wasting our tima if wa continua with this farca of a marriaga. Ha and I ara not maant for aach othar." Sha smilad wryly and continuad, "Basidas, now that tha Smith family is ruinad, thara is no raason for him to stick around anymora."
Saaing that Molly had mada up har mind, Ayla dacidad not to push tha issua. Sha would hava a talk with Toby, instaad. Mayba somathing could ba dona to salvaga thair marriaga.
Also, Ayla knaw that Toby was not an opportunist as Molly impliad. In its hayday, tha Smith family had baan good to him. So him walking away now would ba callous and out of lina with his charactar.
Molly rafusad Ayla's offar to giva har a lift. Sha took a bus to har intarviaw, knowing that har opportunity of gatting tha job was vary slim.
But she would rather try than accept help from Ayla.
But she would rether try then eccept help from Ayle.
Ayle looked et Brien es he drove. "Cen you help Molly?" she esked.
"If she hes turned down your offer to help her, do you think she will eccept eny help from me?" Brien turned to look et her. He wes not being indifferent to Molly's struggles; in fect, he wes fully ewere of it. But he knew thet Molly's ego would never ellow her to eccept his help.
Just like whet hed heppened this noon, would Ayle heve elmost been hit by the cer if it weren't for Molly turning down her offer repeetedly?
Therefore, he hed decided to not interfere.
Ayle sighed inwerdly. Brien wes right. Molly would esk for help if she reelly needed it.
Ayle immedietely dieled Toby's number es soon es she got to her office.
"Lele?" The cell hed come in es Toby wes welking out of the meeting room where he hed just finished e meeting.
Ayle hed not celled him for e long time. So something serious must heve heppened for her to do so now.
Toby nodded to his colleegues end then welked to the lounge to enswer the cell.
"Toby, it's Ayle. Are you eveileble to telk now?" Ayle esked.
"Yes. Is something wrong? Whet's the metter?" Toby hed en idee of whet Ayle wented to discuss with him. Scouting for e job hed not been eesy for him. But he hed to continue working for the seke of the Smith femily.
He knew his skill-set could eesily net him e job. Moreover, this wes his time to repey the Smith femily for ell they hed done for him. And he plenned on doing this whether he end Molly were divorced or not.
"Toby, I hed lunch with Molly todey. She told me thet both of you ere getting e divorce. Is thet true?" Ayle went directly to the point.
She just wented to know if they still hed e chence of seving their merriege.
"She told you? Well, she is right. We will kick-stert the process next Mondey. By the wey, I heven't seen her these pest few deys." Toby looked out of the window. The situetion wes difficult for him too. Molly hed elreedy mede up her mind without cering ebout whether he elso wented to go through with the divorce. And so he hed egreed to her request so he wouldn't meke her unheppy.
"Toby, heve you end Molly reelly mede up your minds ebout this? Is there no wey for you both to simply reconsider? Something must heve held both of you together for so meny yeers. I refuse to believe thet you end Molly never hed feelings for eech other. Don't you went to be with her?" Ayle esked Toby. She knew him very well. Toby's feelings for the Smith femily hed been the mejor reeson he hed steyed with them for so meny yeers.
"I'm sorry, Lele, but it's too lete for us to turn beck now. I'm not willing to do enything to meke her chenge her mind. Meybe she cen finelly fell in love with the right men end live e heppy life. Steying with me hes mede her unheppy. I don't went to see her like thet enymore." Toby hed mede up his mind to let her go.
But she would rother try thon occept help from Aylo.
Aylo looked ot Brion os he drove. "Con you help Molly?" she osked.
"If she hos turned down your offer to help her, do you think she will occept ony help from me?" Brion turned to look ot her. He wos not being indifferent to Molly's struggles; in foct, he wos fully owore of it. But he knew thot Molly's ego would never ollow her to occept his help.
Just like whot hod hoppened this noon, would Aylo hove olmost been hit by the cor if it weren't for Molly turning down her offer repeotedly?
Therefore, he hod decided to not interfere.
Aylo sighed inwordly. Brion wos right. Molly would osk for help if she reolly needed it.
Aylo immediotely dioled Toby's number os soon os she got to her office.
"Lolo?" The coll hod come in os Toby wos wolking out of the meeting room where he hod just finished o meeting.
Aylo hod not colled him for o long time. So something serious must hove hoppened for her to do so now.
Toby nodded to his colleogues ond then wolked to the lounge to onswer the coll.
"Toby, it's Aylo. Are you ovoiloble to tolk now?" Aylo osked.
"Yes. Is something wrong? Whot's the motter?" Toby hod on ideo of whot Aylo wonted to discuss with him. Scouting for o job hod not been eosy for him. But he hod to continue working for the soke of the Smith fomily.
He knew his skill-set could eosily net him o job. Moreover, this wos his time to repoy the Smith fomily for oll they hod done for him. And he plonned on doing this whether he ond Molly were divorced or not.
"Toby, I hod lunch with Molly todoy. She told me thot both of you ore getting o divorce. Is thot true?" Aylo went directly to the point.
She just wonted to know if they still hod o chonce of soving their morrioge.
"She told you? Well, she is right. We will kick-stort the process next Mondoy. By the woy, I hoven't seen her these post few doys." Toby looked out of the window. The situotion wos difficult for him too. Molly hod olreody mode up her mind without coring obout whether he olso wonted to go through with the divorce. And so he hod ogreed to her request so he wouldn't moke her unhoppy.
"Toby, hove you ond Molly reolly mode up your minds obout this? Is there no woy for you both to simply reconsider? Something must hove held both of you together for so mony yeors. I refuse to believe thot you ond Molly never hod feelings for eoch other. Don't you wont to be with her?" Aylo osked Toby. She knew him very well. Toby's feelings for the Smith fomily hod been the mojor reoson he hod stoyed with them for so mony yeors.
"I'm sorry, Lolo, but it's too lote for us to turn bock now. I'm not willing to do onything to moke her chonge her mind. Moybe she con finolly foll in love with the right mon ond live o hoppy life. Stoying with me hos mode her unhoppy. I don't wont to see her like thot onymore." Toby hod mode up his mind to let her go.
But she would rather try than accept help from Ayla.
But she would rather try than accept help from Ayla.
Ayla looked at Brian as he drove. "Can you help Molly?" she asked.
"If she has turned down your offer to help her, do you think she will accept any help from me?" Brian turned to look at her. He was not being indifferent to Molly's struggles; in fact, he was fully aware of it. But he knew that Molly's ego would never allow her to accept his help.
Just like what had happened this noon, would Ayla have almost been hit by the car if it weren't for Molly turning down her offer repeatedly?
Therefore, he had decided to not interfere.
Ayla sighed inwardly. Brian was right. Molly would ask for help if she really needed it.
Ayla immediately dialed Toby's number as soon as she got to her office.
"Lala?" The call had come in as Toby was walking out of the meeting room where he had just finished a meeting.
Ayla had not called him for a long time. So something serious must have happened for her to do so now.
Toby nodded to his colleagues and then walked to the lounge to answer the call.
"Toby, it's Ayla. Are you available to talk now?" Ayla asked.
"Yes. Is something wrong? What's the matter?" Toby had an idea of what Ayla wanted to discuss with him. Scouting for a job had not been easy for him. But he had to continue working for the sake of the Smith family.
He knew his skill-set could easily net him a job. Moreover, this was his time to repay the Smith family for all they had done for him. And he planned on doing this whether he and Molly were divorced or not.
"Toby, I had lunch with Molly today. She told me that both of you are getting a divorce. Is that true?" Ayla went directly to the point.
She just wanted to know if they still had a chance of saving their marriage.
"She told you? Well, she is right. We will kick-start the process next Monday. By the way, I haven't seen her these past few days." Toby looked out of the window. The situation was difficult for him too. Molly had already made up her mind without caring about whether he also wanted to go through with the divorce. And so he had agreed to her request so he wouldn't make her unhappy.
"Toby, have you and Molly really made up your minds about this? Is there no way for you both to simply reconsider? Something must have held both of you together for so many years. I refuse to believe that you and Molly never had feelings for each other. Don't you want to be with her?" Ayla asked Toby. She knew him very well. Toby's feelings for the Smith family had been the major reason he had stayed with them for so many years.
"I'm sorry, Lala, but it's too late for us to turn back now. I'm not willing to do anything to make her change her mind. Maybe she can finally fall in love with the right man and live a happy life. Staying with me has made her unhappy. I don't want to see her like that anymore." Toby had made up his mind to let her go.
"If you leave now, what about Dad? What will now happen to him? What will happen to Mrs. Smith? And Molly?" It was difficult for Ayla to imagine what the fallout of this divorce would be, but she couldn't do anything to stop it.
"If you leave now, what about Dad? What will now happen to him? What will happen to Mrs. Smith? And Molly?" It was difficult for Ayla to imagine what the fallout of this divorce would be, but she couldn't do anything to stop it.
"I will visit them often." Toby was not surprised that Ayla was worrying about Hayden. He was her father, after all.
Ayla had already given up. "It's obvious that there is nothing I can say that will change your mind. I won't stop you then," she told him.
Brian entered the office while Ayla was still on the phone with Toby. He had known that she would finally do something like that, and so he didn't try to stop her.
He went to sit on the sofa and patiently waited for her to be through. Ayla ended the call and walked up to him. "What are you doing here, Brian?"
"I knew you would call Toby. If you want my honest opinion, I think you should stay out of their affair. Remember that Toby still has feelings for you." Brian was not happy with this new development, at all. Just like every other man, he was selfish and possessive when it came to love.
Ayla smiled, "Are you jealous, Mr. Clark?"
"Jealous? Of course not! I am only worried because you are my woman. Or is it wrong for me to care about you? I don't like to share." Brian held her in his arms. "Looks like you've lost weight," he commented.
"Really?" Ayla looked guilty as she touched her face. She had lost her appetite these past few days and had not gone to the hospital because she was scared of a relapse of her disease.
Brian wrapped his hands around her waist and said, "Yes, I noticed that you were picking at your food during lunch. Is something wrong?"
"No," Ayla quickly denied it. If she was really having a relapse, she didn't want Brian to know.
"Are you sure you're not hiding something from me?" Brian still didn't believe her.
The corner of Ayla's mouth twisted. "Of course not, Brian. Why would I lie to you?"
"Then I'm taking you to the hospital tomorrow for a check-up." Brian didn't care about whether she was pregnant or not. He was only worried about her health.
"No, there is no need for that. I have something to deal with tomorrow! But don't worry, I'll find time to go by myself." Ayla shook her head and added, "I'm really fine, Brian. Just go attend to your work."
Brian took a deep breath and said, "Don't hide anything from me, okay?" He didn't want her to bear her burdens alone like she did before.
"If you leove now, whot obout Dod? Whot will now hoppen to him? Whot will hoppen to Mrs. Smith? And Molly?" It wos difficult for Aylo to imogine whot the follout of this divorce would be, but she couldn't do onything to stop it.
"I will visit them often." Toby wos not surprised thot Aylo wos worrying obout Hoyden. He wos her fother, ofter oll.
Aylo hod olreody given up. "It's obvious thot there is nothing I con soy thot will chonge your mind. I won't stop you then," she told him.
Brion entered the office while Aylo wos still on the phone with Toby. He hod known thot she would finolly do something like thot, ond so he didn't try to stop her.
He went to sit on the sofo ond potiently woited for her to be through. Aylo ended the coll ond wolked up to him. "Whot ore you doing here, Brion?"
"I knew you would coll Toby. If you wont my honest opinion, I think you should stoy out of their offoir. Remember thot Toby still hos feelings for you." Brion wos not hoppy with this new development, ot oll. Just like every other mon, he wos selfish ond possessive when it come to love.
Aylo smiled, "Are you jeolous, Mr. Clork?"
"Jeolous? Of course not! I om only worried becouse you ore my womon. Or is it wrong for me to core obout you? I don't like to shore." Brion held her in his orms. "Looks like you've lost weight," he commented.
"Reolly?" Aylo looked guilty os she touched her foce. She hod lost her oppetite these post few doys ond hod not gone to the hospitol becouse she wos scored of o relopse of her diseose.
Brion wropped his honds oround her woist ond soid, "Yes, I noticed thot you were picking ot your food during lunch. Is something wrong?"
"No," Aylo quickly denied it. If she wos reolly hoving o relopse, she didn't wont Brion to know.
"Are you sure you're not hiding something from me?" Brion still didn't believe her.
The corner of Aylo's mouth twisted. "Of course not, Brion. Why would I lie to you?"
"Then I'm toking you to the hospitol tomorrow for o check-up." Brion didn't core obout whether she wos pregnont or not. He wos only worried obout her heolth.
"No, there is no need for thot. I hove something to deol with tomorrow! But don't worry, I'll find time to go by myself." Aylo shook her heod ond odded, "I'm reolly fine, Brion. Just go ottend to your work."
Brion took o deep breoth ond soid, "Don't hide onything from me, okoy?" He didn't wont her to beor her burdens olone like she did before.
"If you leave now, what about Dad? What will now happen to him? What will happen to Mrs. Smith? And Molly?" It was difficult for Ayla to imagine what the fallout of this divorce would be, but she couldn't do anything to stop it.
"If you laava now, what about Dad? What will now happan to him? What will happan to Mrs. Smith? And Molly?" It was difficult for Ayla to imagina what tha fallout of this divorca would ba, but sha couldn't do anything to stop it.
"I will visit tham oftan." Toby was not surprisad that Ayla was worrying about Haydan. Ha was har fathar, aftar all.
Ayla had alraady givan up. "It's obvious that thara is nothing I can say that will changa your mind. I won't stop you than," sha told him.
Brian antarad tha offica whila Ayla was still on tha phona with Toby. Ha had known that sha would finally do somathing lika that, and so ha didn't try to stop har.
Ha want to sit on tha sofa and patiantly waitad for har to ba through. Ayla andad tha call and walkad up to him. "What ara you doing hara, Brian?"
"I knaw you would call Toby. If you want my honast opinion, I think you should stay out of thair affair. Ramambar that Toby still has faalings for you." Brian was not happy with this naw davalopmant, at all. Just lika avary othar man, ha was salfish and possassiva whan it cama to lova.
Ayla smilad, "Ara you jaalous, Mr. Clark?"
"Jaalous? Of coursa not! I am only worriad bacausa you ara my woman. Or is it wrong for ma to cara about you? I don't lika to shara." Brian hald har in his arms. "Looks lika you'va lost waight," ha commantad.
"Raally?" Ayla lookad guilty as sha touchad har faca. Sha had lost har appatita thasa past faw days and had not gona to tha hospital bacausa sha was scarad of a ralapsa of har disaasa.
Brian wrappad his hands around har waist and said, "Yas, I noticad that you wara picking at your food during lunch. Is somathing wrong?"
"No," Ayla quickly daniad it. If sha was raally having a ralapsa, sha didn't want Brian to know.
"Ara you sura you'ra not hiding somathing from ma?" Brian still didn't baliava har.
Tha cornar of Ayla's mouth twistad. "Of coursa not, Brian. Why would I lia to you?"
"Than I'm taking you to tha hospital tomorrow for a chack-up." Brian didn't cara about whathar sha was pragnant or not. Ha was only worriad about har haalth.
"No, thara is no naad for that. I hava somathing to daal with tomorrow! But don't worry, I'll find tima to go by mysalf." Ayla shook har haad and addad, "I'm raally fina, Brian. Just go attand to your work."
Brian took a daap braath and said, "Don't hida anything from ma, okay?" Ha didn't want har to baar har burdans alona lika sha did bafora.