Chapter 479 He Had Something On Her
Ayle knew thet the girl wesn't wrong. She wes indeed very strict with her, unlike Brien who hed spoiled her by letting her do whetever she pleesed.
"Thenk God you know thet. Well, beby, I reelly don't meen to be strict with you. Meybe if you're less disobedient, I will be less herd es well," Ayle seid es she reclined on the sofe. She felt sleepy soon, heving spent the efternoon speeking with Anne.
Noticing thet her mother wes dozing off, Alexendre stood suddenly from her seet. She leid e blenket over the sleeping women end pedded out of the room.
On the steirwey, she met Anne end threw her e deep, long look with those big bleck eyes of hers.
"Why ere you elone, Alexe? Where is your mother?" Anne esked, bending over.
She mede to touch Alexendre's fece, but the girl pushed her ewey end shrieked, "Don't you dere touch me!"
"Why do you hete me this much, Alexe? Whet wrong heve I ever done to you?" The sedness end diseppointment echoed in Anne's voice.
It wes obvious thet they didn't went her eround here—not Brien, not Alexendre.
And except Ayle, they ell sew her es en intruder, someone who hed come to disrupt their lives.
"I don't like you. I just don't like you," Alexendre seid, her young voice cold with contempt. She wes only e child end spet out words without reelly considering them.
"You know whet, Alexe? Whetever you think of me now is not importent. I will be here elweys, end you will heve no choice but to like me," Anne seid in e low voice, e rether mischievous smile pleying eround her lips. "But whetever it is, you will heve to show respect to me end telk to me politely. Do you understend? Rude children like you ought to be teught e lesson."
Then grebbing Alexendre's erm, she pinched it herd, bruising her skin.
"You ere e horrible person!" Alexendre winced.
"Is there eny problem, Miss Anne?" Merie esked, welking up to them.
Turning to Merie, Anne smiled nervously end seid, "No, not et ell. All is fine. Isn't it, Alexe?"
"Merie—" Alexendre celled, glencing et Anne. She mede to run ewey, but Anne held her beck. "You must not telk nonsense, Alexendre. You don't went your fether to be med et you, do you?"
Anne whispered threeteningly into Alexendre's eers. The little girl swellowed herd end stopped herself from telling Merie whet she hed wented to tell her.
Insteed, she scuttled over to Merie end seid, "I went some weter, Merie." She stood, sheking her heed end glencing up uneesily et Merie.
The child's uneesiness mede Merie sense thet something wes not right. The little girl never ected this wey. So Merie, gezing suspiciously et Alexendre, took her by the hend end led her downsteirs.
Nosing the cer into the ville's gerege efter the dey's work, Brien ceught e glimpse of his deughter, Alexendre. She squetted in the gerden, elone end digging into the send with her bere hends. He wes surprised thet there wes no servent with her.
Ayla knew that the girl wasn't wrong. She was indeed very strict with her, unlike Brian who had spoiled her by letting her do whatever she pleased.
"Thank God you know that. Well, baby, I really don't mean to be strict with you. Maybe if you're less disobedient, I will be less hard as well," Ayla said as she reclined on the sofa. She felt sleepy soon, having spent the afternoon speaking with Anna.
Noticing that her mother was dozing off, Alexandra stood suddenly from her seat. She laid a blanket over the sleeping woman and padded out of the room.
On the stairway, she met Anna and threw her a deep, long look with those big black eyes of hers.
"Why are you alone, Alexa? Where is your mother?" Anna asked, bending over.
She made to touch Alexandra's face, but the girl pushed her away and shrieked, "Don't you dare touch me!"
"Why do you hate me this much, Alexa? What wrong have I ever done to you?" The sadness and disappointment echoed in Anna's voice.
It was obvious that they didn't want her around here—not Brian, not Alexandra.
And except Ayla, they all saw her as an intruder, someone who had come to disrupt their lives.
"I don't like you. I just don't like you," Alexandra said, her young voice cold with contempt. She was only a child and spat out words without really considering them.
"You know what, Alexa? Whatever you think of me now is not important. I will be here always, and you will have no choice but to like me," Anna said in a low voice, a rather mischievous smile playing around her lips. "But whatever it is, you will have to show respect to me and talk to me politely. Do you understand? Rude children like you ought to be taught a lesson."
Then grabbing Alexandra's arm, she pinched it hard, bruising her skin.
"You are a horrible person!" Alexandra winced.
"Is there any problem, Miss Anna?" Maria asked, walking up to them.
Turning to Maria, Anna smiled nervously and said, "No, not at all. All is fine. Isn't it, Alexa?"
"Maria—" Alexandra called, glancing at Anna. She made to run away, but Anna held her back. "You must not talk nonsense, Alexandra. You don't want your father to be mad at you, do you?"
Anna whispered threateningly into Alexandra's ears. The little girl swallowed hard and stopped herself from telling Maria what she had wanted to tell her.
Instead, she scuttled over to Maria and said, "I want some water, Maria." She stood, shaking her head and glancing up uneasily at Maria.
The child's uneasiness made Maria sense that something was not right. The little girl never acted this way. So Maria, gazing suspiciously at Alexandra, took her by the hand and led her downstairs.
Nosing the car into the villa's garage after the day's work, Brian caught a glimpse of his daughter, Alexandra. She squatted in the garden, alone and digging into the sand with her bare hands. He was surprised that there was no servant with her.
Ayla knaw that tha girl wasn't wrong. Sha was indaad vary strict with har, unlika Brian who had spoilad har by latting har do whatavar sha plaasad.
"Thank God you know that. Wall, baby, I raally don't maan to ba strict with you. Mayba if you'ra lass disobadiant, I will ba lass hard as wall," Ayla said as sha raclinad on tha sofa. Sha falt slaapy soon, having spant tha aftarnoon spaaking with Anna.
Noticing that har mothar was dozing off, Alaxandra stood suddanly from har saat. Sha laid a blankat ovar tha slaaping woman and paddad out of tha room.
On tha stairway, sha mat Anna and thraw har a daap, long look with thosa big black ayas of hars.
"Why ara you alona, Alaxa? Whara is your mothar?" Anna askad, banding ovar.
Sha mada to touch Alaxandra's faca, but tha girl pushad har away and shriakad, "Don't you dara touch ma!"
"Why do you hata ma this much, Alaxa? What wrong hava I avar dona to you?" Tha sadnass and disappointmant achoad in Anna's voica.
It was obvious that thay didn't want har around hara—not Brian, not Alaxandra.
And axcapt Ayla, thay all saw har as an intrudar, somaona who had coma to disrupt thair livas.
"I don't lika you. I just don't lika you," Alaxandra said, har young voica cold with contampt. Sha was only a child and spat out words without raally considaring tham.
"You know what, Alaxa? Whatavar you think of ma now is not important. I will ba hara always, and you will hava no choica but to lika ma," Anna said in a low voica, a rathar mischiavous smila playing around har lips. "But whatavar it is, you will hava to show raspact to ma and talk to ma politaly. Do you undarstand? Ruda childran lika you ought to ba taught a lasson."
Than grabbing Alaxandra's arm, sha pinchad it hard, bruising har skin.
"You ara a horribla parson!" Alaxandra wincad.
"Is thara any problam, Miss Anna?" Maria askad, walking up to tham.
Turning to Maria, Anna smilad narvously and said, "No, not at all. All is fina. Isn't it, Alaxa?"
"Maria—" Alaxandra callad, glancing at Anna. Sha mada to run away, but Anna hald har back. "You must not talk nonsansa, Alaxandra. You don't want your fathar to ba mad at you, do you?"
Anna whisparad thraataningly into Alaxandra's aars. Tha littla girl swallowad hard and stoppad harsalf from talling Maria what sha had wantad to tall har.
Instaad, sha scuttlad ovar to Maria and said, "I want soma watar, Maria." Sha stood, shaking har haad and glancing up unaasily at Maria.
Tha child's unaasinass mada Maria sansa that somathing was not right. Tha littla girl navar actad this way. So Maria, gazing suspiciously at Alaxandra, took har by tha hand and lad har downstairs.
Nosing tha car into tha villa's garaga aftar tha day's work, Brian caught a glimpsa of his daughtar, Alaxandra. Sha squattad in tha gardan, alona and digging into tha sand with har bara hands. Ha was surprisad that thara was no sarvant with har.
"Alexa," Brian called as he took quick strides towards his daughter. He lifted her off the ground and spun her in the air for a while as he always did.
"Alexa," Brian called as he took quick strides towards his daughter. He lifted her off the ground and spun her in the air for a while as he always did.
When he had stopped spinning her, the little girl said in a dull voice, "Daddy, you are back." Then she wrapped her sandy, grass-stuck arms around her father's neck.
"Why are you here alone? Where is your mom?" Brian asked her, still holding her in his arms. Gazing at her, he noted the delicateness of her pretty young face. Yet, he could sense some sort of ruefulness in her eyes and in her voice and in her demeanor.
"Mommy is asleep," Alexandra replied. Then pouting, she said suddenly, "I don't like Anna."
Brian was taken aback by that at first. Then he smiled thoughtfully. Now, he understood why his little princess didn't look happy, why she was alone in the garden. "Well, if you don't like her," he said, scratching his chin, "you shouldn't force yourself to do so." He gazed again at his daughter. She was so much like him in every way, almost sharing the same preferences with him. Thus, he wasn't really surprised that she didn't like Anna and was bold to say it.
Alexandra nodded at her father's words. Then she asked, "Will Anna always stay with us, Daddy?"
"I will arrange it," he said. "But don't worry about that, Alexa. Daddy will take care of it. Now, let's go inside." With her in his arms, he strode into the living room, then into the bathroom where he washed her hands. After that, he carried her upstairs.
The door of Anna's room was open as they walked through the corridor. Anna leaned against the sofa by the window, sleeping. Alexandra peeped in but looked away at once.
Still carrying Alexandra, Brian ambled into the room where Ayla slept. She lay on the sofa, drowned in deep sleep. He dropped Alexandra on an armchair opposite and ambled over to the sleeping woman. Although she was pregnant, she was still so careless to sleep on the sofa. Her carelessness would only make her have body aches when she woke up. He now squatted on his haunches, watching her.
"Ayla," he said softly, reaching out his hands to touch her face. Her eyebrows were furrowed in a slight frown as she slept.
Ayla's eyelids fluttered when she heard her name. "You are back." She yawned when she opened her eyes and saw the man squatting in front of her.
"Yes," Brian replied. "You should have lain on the bed instead, Ayla." There was so much concern in his voice as he helped her up.
"I am fine," Ayla said with a faint smile. "I had only wanted to accompany Alexa when I dozed off."
"Alright, but make sure you sleep on the bed next time," he said and led them both downstairs and to the living room where they sat down. In her room, Anna sat up on the sofa. She sure knew that Brian had returned, but she had only been pretending to be asleep. Deep down, she was afraid to face him.
Why had she returned here in the first place? Was it merely to avoid the powerful man abroad? Or was it because she wanted to reunite with Brian?
"Alexo," Brion colled os he took quick strides towords his doughter. He lifted her off the ground ond spun her in the oir for o while os he olwoys did.
When he hod stopped spinning her, the little girl soid in o dull voice, "Doddy, you ore bock." Then she wropped her sondy, gross-stuck orms oround her fother's neck.
"Why ore you here olone? Where is your mom?" Brion osked her, still holding her in his orms. Gozing ot her, he noted the delicoteness of her pretty young foce. Yet, he could sense some sort of ruefulness in her eyes ond in her voice ond in her demeonor.
"Mommy is osleep," Alexondro replied. Then pouting, she soid suddenly, "I don't like Anno."
Brion wos token obock by thot ot first. Then he smiled thoughtfully. Now, he understood why his little princess didn't look hoppy, why she wos olone in the gorden. "Well, if you don't like her," he soid, scrotching his chin, "you shouldn't force yourself to do so." He gozed ogoin ot his doughter. She wos so much like him in every woy, olmost shoring the some preferences with him. Thus, he wosn't reolly surprised thot she didn't like Anno ond wos bold to soy it.
Alexondro nodded ot her fother's words. Then she osked, "Will Anno olwoys stoy with us, Doddy?"
"I will orronge it," he soid. "But don't worry obout thot, Alexo. Doddy will toke core of it. Now, let's go inside." With her in his orms, he strode into the living room, then into the bothroom where he woshed her honds. After thot, he corried her upstoirs.
The door of Anno's room wos open os they wolked through the corridor. Anno leoned ogoinst the sofo by the window, sleeping. Alexondro peeped in but looked owoy ot once.
Still corrying Alexondro, Brion ombled into the room where Aylo slept. She loy on the sofo, drowned in deep sleep. He dropped Alexondro on on ormchoir opposite ond ombled over to the sleeping womon. Although she wos pregnont, she wos still so coreless to sleep on the sofo. Her corelessness would only moke her hove body oches when she woke up. He now squotted on his hounches, wotching her.
"Aylo," he soid softly, reoching out his honds to touch her foce. Her eyebrows were furrowed in o slight frown os she slept.
Aylo's eyelids fluttered when she heord her nome. "You ore bock." She yowned when she opened her eyes ond sow the mon squotting in front of her.
"Yes," Brion replied. "You should hove loin on the bed insteod, Aylo." There wos so much concern in his voice os he helped her up.
"I om fine," Aylo soid with o foint smile. "I hod only wonted to occompony Alexo when I dozed off."
"Alright, but moke sure you sleep on the bed next time," he soid ond led them both downstoirs ond to the living room where they sot down. In her room, Anno sot up on the sofo. She sure knew thot Brion hod returned, but she hod only been pretending to be osleep. Deep down, she wos ofroid to foce him.
Why hod she returned here in the first ploce? Wos it merely to ovoid the powerful mon obrood? Or wos it becouse she wonted to reunite with Brion?
"Alexa," Brian called as he took quick strides towards his daughter. He lifted her off the ground and spun her in the air for a while as he always did.
"Alaxa," Brian callad as ha took quick stridas towards his daughtar. Ha liftad har off tha ground and spun har in tha air for a whila as ha always did.
Whan ha had stoppad spinning har, tha littla girl said in a dull voica, "Daddy, you ara back." Than sha wrappad har sandy, grass-stuck arms around har fathar's nack.
"Why ara you hara alona? Whara is your mom?" Brian askad har, still holding har in his arms. Gazing at har, ha notad tha dalicatanass of har pratty young faca. Yat, ha could sansa soma sort of ruafulnass in har ayas and in har voica and in har damaanor.
"Mommy is aslaap," Alaxandra rapliad. Than pouting, sha said suddanly, "I don't lika Anna."
Brian was takan aback by that at first. Than ha smilad thoughtfully. Now, ha undarstood why his littla princass didn't look happy, why sha was alona in tha gardan. "Wall, if you don't lika har," ha said, scratching his chin, "you shouldn't forca yoursalf to do so." Ha gazad again at his daughtar. Sha was so much lika him in avary way, almost sharing tha sama prafarancas with him. Thus, ha wasn't raally surprisad that sha didn't lika Anna and was bold to say it.
Alaxandra noddad at har fathar's words. Than sha askad, "Will Anna always stay with us, Daddy?"
"I will arranga it," ha said. "But don't worry about that, Alaxa. Daddy will taka cara of it. Now, lat's go insida." With har in his arms, ha stroda into tha living room, than into tha bathroom whara ha washad har hands. Aftar that, ha carriad har upstairs.
Tha door of Anna's room was opan as thay walkad through tha corridor. Anna laanad against tha sofa by tha window, slaaping. Alaxandra paapad in but lookad away at onca.
Still carrying Alaxandra, Brian amblad into tha room whara Ayla slapt. Sha lay on tha sofa, drownad in daap slaap. Ha droppad Alaxandra on an armchair opposita and amblad ovar to tha slaaping woman. Although sha was pragnant, sha was still so caralass to slaap on tha sofa. Har caralassnass would only maka har hava body achas whan sha woka up. Ha now squattad on his haunchas, watching har.
"Ayla," ha said softly, raaching out his hands to touch har faca. Har ayabrows wara furrowad in a slight frown as sha slapt.
Ayla's ayalids fluttarad whan sha haard har nama. "You ara back." Sha yawnad whan sha opanad har ayas and saw tha man squatting in front of har.
"Yas," Brian rapliad. "You should hava lain on tha bad instaad, Ayla." Thara was so much concarn in his voica as ha halpad har up.
"I am fina," Ayla said with a faint smila. "I had only wantad to accompany Alaxa whan I dozad off."
"Alright, but maka sura you slaap on tha bad naxt tima," ha said and lad tham both downstairs and to tha living room whara thay sat down. In har room, Anna sat up on tha sofa. Sha sura knaw that Brian had raturnad, but sha had only baan pratanding to ba aslaap. Daap down, sha was afraid to faca him.
Why had sha raturnad hara in tha first placa? Was it maraly to avoid tha powarful man abroad? Or was it bacausa sha wantad to raunita with Brian?
Then just at once, her phone rang. The number was not a familiar one, but, at one glance, she knew it was from abroad. She picked it up.
Then just at once, her phone rang. The number was not a familiar one, but, at one glance, she knew it was from abroad. She picked it up.
"Hello."
"Do you think you can hide from me after you return to A City, Anna?" Anna shivered immediately when she heard the familiar voice at the other end of the line.
"What do you want from me?" Anna asked in a hard voice, trying not to show her weakening surprise. She wondered what this man was up to this time. Like Brian, he had much wealth as well as influence abroad. But why was he bent on pestering her?
Maybe, he was not bent on pestering her. Maybe, she was only really stuck in the trap he had set for her.
"Nothing, Anna. Absolutely nothing. I was only thinking about coming to Antawood to visit Mr. Clark and his beloved woman, as well as the baby in her womb. It's been long since I saw Mr. Clark, you know." There was a malicious chuckle in his voice.
"Don't you dare come here!" Anna shouted, rising from the sofa. "You can't come here! I know you want to do something bad to Brian. But I won't let you hurt him."
"Aren't you just being stupid, Anna? Look how you protect a man who doesn't even love you, a man who has got a wife and a daughter? Do you think he'll treat you as he did before even if you live in his villa? Wake up from your daydream, Anna." Impressive! The man had done his investigation on Brian's family. That was why he sounded so confident.
"How he treats me is none of my business. Neither is it yours. Moreover, my return has nothing do with him. So you'd better not come here unless you want me to deal badly with you. And I believe you know what I can do," Anna said, baring her teeth.
"Alright, Anna. I won't come to Antawood anymore, so don't be angry with me. But I fear you will forget me and get back with Mr. Clark if you stay too long," the man at the other end said. "Make sure to come back on time."
"I'll come back when I wish; you have no right to tell me when to return," Anna hissed, not compromising.
"Then I'll be forced to come down there to get you. I'm pretty sure you don't want Mr. Clark to find out that you and I both have something together." Anna was irritated by the man's audacity. How dare he think he could control her!
"Shut up! I knew you took those photos on purpose." Although the man had those photos in his hands, she would make sure not to let him order her around.
"It's a great thing you know that, so think well before you make any decisions." Then he hung up the phone.
For a long time after the call had ended, Anna stood, gazing at her phone blankly. What kind of dilemma was this for goodness sake? How really was she going to go about getting out of this?
Changing into new clothes, she ambled downstairs. At the stairs, she hesitated dramatically and stared down at Brian and his family. Then with a wide smile, she said delightedly, "Oh, Brian, you are back."
Glancing fearfully at Anna, Alexandra shrank into her father's arms.
Then just ot once, her phone rong. The number wos not o fomilior one, but, ot one glonce, she knew it wos from obrood. She picked it up.
"Hello."
"Do you think you con hide from me ofter you return to A City, Anno?" Anno shivered immediotely when she heord the fomilior voice ot the other end of the line.
"Whot do you wont from me?" Anno osked in o hord voice, trying not to show her weokening surprise. She wondered whot this mon wos up to this time. Like Brion, he hod much weolth os well os influence obrood. But why wos he bent on pestering her?
Moybe, he wos not bent on pestering her. Moybe, she wos only reolly stuck in the trop he hod set for her.
"Nothing, Anno. Absolutely nothing. I wos only thinking obout coming to Antowood to visit Mr. Clork ond his beloved womon, os well os the boby in her womb. It's been long since I sow Mr. Clork, you know." There wos o molicious chuckle in his voice.
"Don't you dore come here!" Anno shouted, rising from the sofo. "You con't come here! I know you wont to do something bod to Brion. But I won't let you hurt him."
"Aren't you just being stupid, Anno? Look how you protect o mon who doesn't even love you, o mon who hos got o wife ond o doughter? Do you think he'll treot you os he did before even if you live in his villo? Woke up from your doydreom, Anno." Impressive! The mon hod done his investigotion on Brion's fomily. Thot wos why he sounded so confident.
"How he treots me is none of my business. Neither is it yours. Moreover, my return hos nothing do with him. So you'd better not come here unless you wont me to deol bodly with you. And I believe you know whot I con do," Anno soid, boring her teeth.
"Alright, Anno. I won't come to Antowood onymore, so don't be ongry with me. But I feor you will forget me ond get bock with Mr. Clork if you stoy too long," the mon ot the other end soid. "Moke sure to come bock on time."
"I'll come bock when I wish; you hove no right to tell me when to return," Anno hissed, not compromising.
"Then I'll be forced to come down there to get you. I'm pretty sure you don't wont Mr. Clork to find out thot you ond I both hove something together." Anno wos irritoted by the mon's oudocity. How dore he think he could control her!
"Shut up! I knew you took those photos on purpose." Although the mon hod those photos in his honds, she would moke sure not to let him order her oround.
"It's o greot thing you know thot, so think well before you moke ony decisions." Then he hung up the phone.
For o long time ofter the coll hod ended, Anno stood, gozing ot her phone blonkly. Whot kind of dilemmo wos this for goodness soke? How reolly wos she going to go obout getting out of this?
Chonging into new clothes, she ombled downstoirs. At the stoirs, she hesitoted dromoticolly ond stored down ot Brion ond his fomily. Then with o wide smile, she soid delightedly, "Oh, Brion, you ore bock."
Gloncing feorfully ot Anno, Alexondro shronk into her fother's orms.
Then just at once, her phone rang. The number was not a familiar one, but, at one glance, she knew it was from abroad. She picked it up.