As soon as Ayla left, Linda came over, and asked, "Mr.Clark, what's going on? Did you need to discuss
something with Miss Woodsen?"
She then wrapped her arms around one of his arms.
"Not really.I was just passing by," said Brian, glancing at Linda indifferently.
"Well, do you have time to invite me to dinner tonight?"
She raised her head, gazing at him with seductive eyes, But Brian withdrew his arm, and said, "Miss
Linda, don't you have to work overtime tonight?"
Linda backed away from him, humiliated.
She had tried her best to seduce him, but he didn't seem to be charmed at all.She had believed that
she was an attractive and enchanting woman.
As long as she gave someone the slightest hints of invitation, many men would fall before her feet.
Was Brian immune to her wiles?
‘That's impossible"
In her eyes, all men were the same.She was determined to capture his heart.
"Well, maybe we can have dinner some other time instead," Linda said awkwardly after Brian rejected
her.
She felt ashamed of herself after that blunder.
Hearing that put a smile on his lips.
"Got it.Then I won't take up any more of your time."
He wasn't in the mood to waste his time on her right now.He couldn't figure out what Ayla was thinking.
Yesterday, all kinds of rumors arose about him and Linda, saying that they were having an affair in the
company.
Ayla didn't even bat an eyelash, nor did she ask him about it.
And after what happened today, she reminded him to ignore her while they were inside the company.
But why would he subject himself to her commands? Moments later, he drove back to his apartment.
When he arrived, he saw Ayla sitting at the dining table alone.
The servant was surprised to see him.
"Mr.Clark, you're back."
"That's right."
Brian took a seat at the table, glanced at Ayla, and asked, "Aren't you going to ask me anything?"
Looking back at him, she said, "Mr.Clark, I've already made it clear to you while we were in the
company earlier.I hope you can just listen to me."
It was possible for him to be in a relationship with another woman, but she honestly didn’t want it to
happen.
There was no way she could stand to see it happen! But even if she was unhappy about it, she wasn't
going to let him know how she really felt.
Indeed, she was also a woman.
Seeing Brian with other women made her feel like her heart was laden with a heavy burden.She felt
that she should've just completely cut her ties with him two years ago.
Brian stared at her intently.
"So you are generous enough to let me be with another woman, aren't you? Don't you want to be the
only one?"
All he wanted was her.He had begun to abstain from other women, all because of her.
Was she really so cruel that she didn't give a damn about his feelings at all? As Ayla held her
chopsticks, her hand froze.
"Mr.Clark, a heart that has been shattered can no longer be restored to how it used to be."
Back then, she loved him so much that she gave him all the love she could possibly give, but he took it
for granted and cast it aside.
Now, she no longer wanted to give it to him.
If she was destined to get hurt because of love, then the pain she had suffered in the past should be
enough to last her a lifetime.
She wasn't sure if her heart could take another beating.
Noticing that she had put down her chopsticks and was about to leave, Brian asked, "How could you
possibly know that if you won't even try?"
He was no ordinary man.He was Mr.Clark, and he owned every inch of her being.He was the only man
who could tell her to die if he wanted.He didn't want to take extreme measures by forcing her with vile
methods, but she was always forcing his hand.
‘Give it a try?’ She couldn't afford another heartbreak again.
In her mind, she believed that she couldn't fall in love with anyone for the rest of her life anymore.She
even believed that she was destined to be alone forever, but Lucas had given her everything she had
right now.She should have faith in him, shouldn't she? That night, Brian and Ayla lay on the same bed,
but thought of different things.
He was determined to take her back.
Ayla shifted her gaze towards the window, tears welling up in her eyes.
She thought that she had already grown numb to the pain, but why was she shedding tears? During
that year, Brian was the only person she ever thought of.
It didn't matter whether she was in pain or not.
But now that he was right in front of her and begging her to come back, she couldn't bring herself to
agree. When he woke up in the morning, he sat on the sofa in the living room.
"Here, keep it.If you change your mind, you can come back to me anytime.But no matter what your
decision is, you can no longer go back to Lucas," he said to Ayla.
At last, she got her ring back.
She thought that he had already thrown it away, but it turned out that he had kept it.
Perhaps he wasn't as heartless as she believed him to be.
"You didn't throw it away?"
She had finally gotten her ring back, but she was no longer worthy to wear it.
Dazed, she stared at the ring.
This was Lucas’ promise to her and she accepted it as a way to reciprocate the love he had given her
all these years.
However, did she still need it now? Brian stood up.
"It's just a ring.Why are you so moved?"
Naturally, he knew that she was crying last night.
Was it really that painful to stay by his side? For so long, he knew that she was not as strong as she
portrayed herself to be.
She just didn't want to be vulnerable in front of him.
And because of that, he decided to let her make her own decision.
If she still wanted to be with Lucas, he would give her that chance.
Whether she could make that happen or not all depended on her and Lucas.
Tightly grasping the ring, Ayla said, "There are some things that you'll never understand."
Just as he couldn't understand love, all he cared about were his own desires.
If he wanted someone, he would take them by hook or by crook.
He didn't care whether the other party even agreed to it or not.
He wasn't the kind of man who could utter the words "I love you."
On the other hand, she was just a simple girl who wanted a quiet and simple life.
Even if it was just an ordinary life that allowed her to work in the office every day, she would still enjoy
it.
She wasn't even sure if Brian could give her everything that she wanted, and neither could Lucas.
"Fine.I don't understand.But tell me, what's so good about Lucas? If you investigate his real identity,
you'll find that he's not who he claims to be."
Perhaps Lucas was more complicated than he thought.
The Collins family was once very prosperous.
However, it fell from grace overnight, and Lucas was the only survivor.He had a very complicated
background.
Brian, on the other hand, used his own hands and capabilities to gain everything that he had.
When Ayla watched him turn around, her heart skipped a beat, causing her to stride forward and wrap
her arms around his waist.
She pressed her face against his back.
'Why can't I just let him go? How come he always has a hold in my heart?’ Brian held her hands.
"He's staying at the Hyatt Hotel.You can go to him if you want.I won't stop you.But I suggest you don't
go.You should know that there's another woman with him."
Despite knowing that she might not listen to him, still, he decided to warn her for her own good.
Someday, she would understand.
Ayla still hadn't removed her arms from his waist.
"Lala, if you don't let go of me, I'll have to make you," he said helplessly.
He had already given her back her ring and given her absolute freedom, but it wasn't of his own
volition.
She shouldn't make him change his mind and make him regret his decision.
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