Once she finished speaking, Ayla left the office.She would be lying if she said that it didn't pain her to
cut off the clothes that she designed herself.
However, she wanted to show them how serious she was that she was willing to let go of anything that
she didn't want to keep anymore.
Looking at Brian, Anna said, "Look at what that woman did.Are you still not willing to forget her?"
“How can he be so patient towards Ayla, and yet he shows me no compassion at all?’' she screamed in
her head.
"You probably know what's on my mind already.I owe her a huge debt of gratitude, and I have to pay
her back."
No matter how ridiculous it could get, he was going to give Ayla whatever she wanted and indulge her
in every possible way because he was capable of doing it, and Ayla had the right to enjoy those
privileges.
"You owe her so much and you're paying her back for it.But what about me? What about my love for
you? And all the things I've done to make you love me back? Why are you trampling on my love so
heartlessly? Are you really not capable of loving me back? Don't you feel indebted to me at all?"
Never had Anna imagined that Brian would say something like that.So what was she to him? She had
loved him so much.
It was fine if he didn't want her love, but how could he just trample on it like it was nothing?
"Anna, I've made this clear to you before.You should've mentally prepared yourself for this.But now,
you're telling me that I owe you?"
Despite being with her for so many years, Brian never had feelings for her.Tears started rolling down
Anna's cheeks.
"Fine! You don't owe me anything.I made a fool of myself.I hate you, Brian! And I hate myself for falling
in love with you! She resented her love for him, but she didn't regret it.She had never regretted falling in
love with this man, and she would never regret it.Brian watched as Anna ran out of the office.
Everything was so chaotic right now, but he couldn't force himself to want anyone other than Ayla.
Meanwhile, Ayla was wandering the streets all alone.
She realized that it was immature of her to skip work, but she didn't do it on purpose.
She was just afraid of giving in to Brian's whims all the time.
As she kept on walking, she didn't pay attention to the passing cars along the road.
The world was so small that she eventually saw the person that she had hoped never to see again.
Haley had been talking to Lucas along the way.She wasn't paying attention to the road.
On top of that, she hadn't renewed her driver's license that she had been using abroad, and yet she
insisted on driving.
Unfortunately, she didn't notice that she would accidentally knock down Ayla.
When Ayla noticed the car, it was all too late.
Taking a step back, she staggered to the ground.
"Haley, drive slowly."
Lucas had been sitting in the passenger seat, and he didn't notice what had happened just now.
When he turned his head, he saw that the person on the other side of the car had been knocked down,
but he didn't see that it was actually Ayla.
"It's just a stupid woman who couldn't bother to look at the road before crossing the street!"
Haley looked at the woman through the window and thought that this woman looked familiar.However,
she couldn't remember where she had seen her before.
As soon as Ayla raised her head, she saw Haley.
And the man sitting in the passenger seat was none other than Lucas.
He was already back in Antawood, and yet he didn't look for her.
Instead, he had been staying with another woman.
Suddenly, her heart felt like it was being incessantly stabbed by a_ knife, causing her to suffocate.
Through the rearview mirror, Haley saw that the woman was still dazed.
Without a second thought, she quickly drove away.
Ayla walked into a cafe and sat by the window alone, carrying a cup of cappuccino.
"Lala," said a familiar voice, which caught Ayla's attention.
"Toby," she greeted back.
"You're alone?" Toby looked at her and sat across her.
"I am.What are you doing here?"
They hadn't seen each other for more than two years, and the last time they ran into each other was on
the busy street.
That was a rather unpleasant encounter.
"I have some business to attend to at the street across this one.I just happened to notice you, so I
came in to take a look."
After ordering a cup of coffee for himself, Toby asked her, "How have you been doing,Ayla?"
He noticed that she was looking a bit unwell.Perhaps something had happened to her.
"I'm fine.I'm not busy today, so I came out for a walk," Ayla replied flatly.
She had decided to let go of the past and move on.
Now that she was speaking to Toby again, she was composed, but he clearly was not.
He then reached out to hold her hand.
"Lala, where have you been these past two years? If you're alive, then why didn't you come back
sooner? Don't you have any idea that so many people were worried about you?"
"Toby, don't be like this.It won't be good if other people see us."
Ayla tried to take back her hand, but Toby just held it tighter.
In reality, it wasn't because she didn't want to come back; it was actually because she couldn't.
Nobody in this place cared about her.
Besides, even if he did care about her, he wouldn't be able to do anything for her.
Her appearance would only upset Molly.
"Do you actually care? Had you listened to me and left Brian right away, you wouldn't have suffered so
much!"
In the past two years, Toby had spent his every waking moment worrying about her.
And now, she was actually here, but she was so indifferent to him.
Those two years that passed changed her so much.
Perhaps the changes happened when he and Molly got married.
"Actually, I didn't suffer that much.Look at me.I'm fine now, aren't I? I have a job and a sizeable
income.I can rely on myself to live a carefree and comfortable life.Compared to most people, I'm doing
great," Ayla said with a smile.
After that, she took back her hand, and took a sip of her coffee.
"Lala, I know you all too well.You're a woman who always keeps all the pain to herself.But you can't
hide it from me."
Toby stared at her intently.
Although she was pretending that everything was fine, he didn't believe her.
Ayla shook her head.
"No, you're wrong.I'm fine.Is Mrs.Brown okay after what happened last time?"
The last time they ran into each other on the street, Molly kept screaming at her.She probably bore a
grudge against her.
"She's fine.She was just throwing a tantrum," Toby replied calmly.
Since Molly hadn't gotten pregnant over the years, no matter how angry she was with him, she wouldn't
make a fuss about it.
"You should treat her well, Toby.Molly really loves you."
In her heart, Ayla hoped that he could be happy.
Her happiness was still distant, while Toby had a good career and a happy family now.
This was the best outcome she could've hoped for.
"Toby, I've always thought of you as my elder brother.I hope that one day, Mrs.Brown will let me call her
sister-in-law."
Ayla didn't want to get on anyone's bad side, but she wasn't going to allow anyone to bully her. She
would never attack anyone first, but she wouldn't allow others to trample on her.She was no longer the
same meek woman she used to be.
In just two years, she had changed so much.
After suffering so much pain, she had transformed, but her heart seemed to be unchanged.
Bit by bit, Brian was taking down her walls.
The only thing she could do was to get as far away from him as possible.She wanted to run away, but a
part of her wanted to stay, and it deeply troubled her heart.
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