Ayla sat in the car as Brian drove her back. Outside, the rain was getting heavier and heavier on their way to the villa. As soon as they pulled up the driveway, Maria came out with an umbrella and greeted them, "Mr. Clark, Mrs. Clark, welcome. back. "Thank you for driving me home," Ayla said as she walked alongside Brian into the house. "You can ask the driver to take you anywhere in the future,” Brian replied. He went straight to the sofa in the living room and sat down. "No, thanks. ! won't go out again. There was clear disappointment and despair in Ayla’s tone. "Are you sure? I thought you didn't like it here. Brian didn't even look at her as he spoke and his voice sounded cold. He could instantly tell what she was thinking, especially since Ayla could never really hide her feelings. He knew exactly what she. thought and wanted to say. "Mr. Clark?". “What did he mean?” she wondered. Could she finally get in and out of the estate freely?. "As I said, as long as you know perfectly well what you should and shouldn't do outside, you can go out as you please. After all, Brian could easily learn wherever she was with a phone call. With his permission, Ayla went back to school. She even gave Brian her schedule even though she knew that he wouldn't even read it. The driver, Lyle, picked her up every day. She would go to school whenever she had classes and would stay in the villa during her days off. She seldom went to the library now. She only went there whenever she needed to borrow some specific books and references. "Mrs. Clark, dinner is ready. When Maria went upstairs, she saw Ayla sitting in front of her desk and reading a book. Maria immediately thought, "She's such a good girl! I don't understand why Mr. Clark doesn't like her? Why does he ignore her. every time?”. "Thank you, Maria. I'll be right there. Ayla turned off the light in her room and asked, "Won't he come back tonight?". "Mr. Clark is on a business trip," Maria replied. Apparently, Brian didn't even inform her of his plans. "Okay. Ayla sat alone at the table and looked at the empty seat that he would usually occupy. Wasn't it better to stay in the villa without him? Why was there a sense of emptiness in her heart?. “Are you worried about Mr. Clark?" Maria asked when she saw Ayla lost in her thoughts. "Don't worry. It's usual for Mr. Clark to go on long business trips

He'll be with Miss Anna anyway. She will take good care of him. "Miss Anna is close to him, isn't she?”. While she wasn't allowed to stay in his room and sleep beside him, Anna could do all of these and more. Once Brian was aslee p, Ayla must always h ead back to her room. She was d ifferent from Anna. She was nothing but a pla ything for him, while he treated Anna as his lover. Why was this causing pain in her heart? Did she have feelings for him? How was t hat possible? She was always so scared of . h i m. "Mr. Clark, it's already late. Are you still going back to the villa ?" Anna gave Brian a curious look. At that point, they had been on a busin ess trip for a week. But although they had been togethe r every day, Maria would always ca ll him to report about Ms. Woodsen. "You must be tired after spending so many days with me. Go home and have a good re st,” Brian said calmly, stretching out his . hand to smoothen her hair. "Okay, good night. " A nna leaned over and k issed him on the lips. The black car dro ve into the villa in the dark night. From the ground, Brian could clear ly see a dim light coming from one of the rooms on the second floor. It w as l ate. Why wasn't she in bed? Standing at th e door of her room, Brian looked at t he woman who fell asleep on her desk. Her long hair lo oked soft under the gentle light. Her lithe figure wa s clothed in a powd er pink nightdress. The style of the nightdress was old-fashioned, but she looked quite lovely in it. After noticing the open book in front of her, Brian took it away and examine d the notes she left on it with a pen. Suddenly, Ayla wok e up and stared at the man beside her. "You. you're back. "Were yo u waiting for me?” . Brian put down her boo k. He knew that she sel dom stayed up so late. "I didn't know you would com e back today. Ayla stood strai ght and looked a t his tired face. "Well, I. You can go and get some rest now!" . But instead of listening to her, Brian leis urely sat on the sofa and asked, "Are you d riving me away? Or do you want me to stay?" . Ayla d idn't answer. She knew that he would be unhappy no matt er what she said. And after seeing his exh austed expression, she decided that it was . not a good idea to p rovoke him. "Why won't you answe r me?" Brian asked as he looked up at her. "This is your villa. I have no right to say anything. ” Ayla felt a little annoyed. Why was he always p ushing her around? He was so forceful. Sure, he had not done anythin g cruel recently and he did a llow her to go back to school

But every time she was close to thi nking well of him, he would always ruin any chances of her liking him. "I haven't seen you in a few d ays and it seems like you're be ginning to be disobedient now. Brian then kno cked on the ta ble beside him. Immediately, Ayla fetched a pitcher and po ured him a glass of water. If he wanted a d rink, he could just say so. Why was he being . a jerk on pu rpose? . "Bring me coffee. " Bria n didn't even look at th e water in front of him. "You can 't have coffee!" . Ayla took a look at the clock and saw that it wa s already past midnight. She wondered why he stil l wanted to drink coffee . Didn't he want to sleep? . "Are you ignoring my orders?" Bria n reached for her hand and pulled her to sit on the sofa beside him. "Yes, it's not a go od idea to drink co ffee at this hour. Although Ayla had always been obedient, sh e wouldn't follow him regarding this matte r. She was only doing this for his own good. Asmirk app eared on Br ian's lips. "Then wha t should w e do now?" . "It's very late. Recognizing the lustful l ook in his eyes, Ayla imm ediately shrank backwards. "Well, what if I do n't want to go to sl eep and I want you?" . She instantly understood what he meant. She was his wife and she nee ded to fulfill her duty as a wife. Ayl a fr oze. "I can't say no, can I?" . But before she could wait for a respo nse, he had already held her in his a rms and pressed his body against hers. After having sex, Ayla leane d weakly against the sofa whi le Brian was in the bathroom. As he stepped out of the shower, h e was only wearing a robe and he l ooked seductive with his damp hair. She held her breath and g ripped the thin blanket ti ghtly as he stared at her. "Don't worry. !'ll eat th e contraceptive pill," s he said in a weak voice. He didn't want a baby and ne ither did she. Besides, he would never allow her t o carry his child. This was the one thing t hey both agreed on, and s he never dared forget it. At school, Ayla still felt pre tty much alone. She didn't hang around in the camp us and would prefer to head home di rectly once classes were dismissed. But one day, just as she was walking out carrying a few books as usual, she saw Toby standing by the school gate. Pretending not to see him, Ayla walked hurriedly toward s the car on the other side. "Lal a! L ala!" . Toby immediately came over as soon as he noticed her. He heard that she had retur ned to school. Perhaps Brian had really kep t his promise, but he had to confirm it with his own eyes. He grabbed her arm , but she immediat ely shook him off. "Toby, pl ease don't do this. “Are you hiding from me? Is it becau se of Brian? Has he forbidden you fro m talking to me?" Toby looked at her. Why was she hiding from him? They w ere not really in a relationship no w. Did she really need to avoid him?