"Don't go. I'll take you out of here, away from this damned place!". Before Ayla could say anything, Toby pulled her into his arms once again. He couldn't bear to see his beloved woman suffer like. this. She didn't even answer her phone after she disappeared. It turned out that Brian had kept her strictly under house arrest. But Ayla shook her head. She couldn't leave at all. If she ran away, it wouldn't be just she who would suffer the consequences. She should be grateful that she wasn't sexually assaulted or beaten black and blue by Brian's subordinates. "Toby, you should go back. I want to stay here. Go back to Miss Smith! You'll be happy with her!". "I will just be a burden to you. I'll only bring you trouble, “ she thought deep down. Brian must have known that Toby was there that day, so he asked for her to bring wine to Toby on purpose. "Lala!". Toby watched as she withdrew from his grip with sorrowful eyes. He knew that she felt completely helpless about her situation. "Mr. Brown. Seeing that Toby was about to reach for Ayla again, Fred stopped him. "You can leave now. I have something to discuss with her. “Do I still need to care about the consequences now?” Toby thought with determination. Brian wasn't planning on seeing Toby that night. He just wanted to let Toby know that he was in full control of everything. "Lala, tell me the truth. Did he force you to do this? How could he let you do such a thing?". Toby held her hands in his and gently caressed them. Ayla quickly withdrew her hands, replying, "Toby, you misunderstood everything. He's not forcing me to do this. I'm fine. "You think you're fine? Look at yourself! You've lost so much weight and you look exhausted. Seeing you like this reminded me of. the little girl who was constantly mistreated by the Woodsen family!". Toby yelled at her. "That little girl is gone. I'm not that person anymore. Ayla then smiled at him and added, "I've grown up. I'm a strong woman now. You know what? I lived well during those years when. you were abroad. I will do just as fine in the future. She promised herself that she would live well from then on, even without him. Besides, Brian would never let her die. There was nothing he wanted more than to continue insulting and torturing her for the rest of her life

But at this point, she felt almost satisfied with her prospects. "Lala, can you stop being stubborn? Just come back with me, okay?". Toby couldn't understand why she would choose to suffer t here rather than go with him. But Ayla turned her back and walked towards the kitchen with heavy steps. She wasn't being stubborn about the whole thing. She just did n't have any other choice. Toby left and h ad been gone fo r several days. Ayla thought that he should be very happy with Miss Smith now. She returned to the smal l room arranged for her i n the entertainment club. There was no heating inside, only a small bed and a thin quilt. Under the dim lig ht, she finally s hrank in a corner. Meanwhile, Toby found himself sitting on the sofa in Brian's office. They had been in a stalemate for half an hour and neither wanted to break the silence. Seeing that his cup of coffee had turned co ld, Toby stood up and said, "Mr. Clark, you didn't ask me here just for coffee, right?” . "Of course not. I thou ght you had something to tell me, Mr. Brown. Brian didn't expect that Toby would wait many day s before confronting him. He initially thought that he would question him right away as to why he treated his beloved woman that way. "Yes, I do have somet hing to tell you. ! wi ll take her with me. Toby didn't want to beat around the bush anymore. Besides, he though t that Brian must k now his intentions. "What made you think you can take her a way from me? Do you think you can do eve rything you want just because you're the . Deputy CEO of the Smith Group? Would you even still be the Deputy CEO if Mr. Smith learned that you're in a relationship with . anoth er wo man?" . Brian raised his h ead and gave Toby a confident glare. He clearly knew a lot about him. Everything that Toby had was hande d to him by the Smith family, and they could always take it all back. Toby looked at B rian as he liste ned to his words. It was true tha t Brian could s ee through him. He was really a man w ho always took contro l of every situation. "So what? Even if I were to lose ever ything I have now, I wouldn't let her stoop so low as to wash the dishes. Toby was willing to leave the Smith family, if only to ensure that Ayl a would no longer suffer like this. "Oh, yes! Believe me, once I've turned yo u into nothing, you wouldn't even have di shes to wash!" Brian was determined not to . lose to him. "Why do you have to be so cruel to her? She doesn't deserve this and she has suf fered enough. Why are you torturing her?” . Toby wasn't sure how Clayton had offended Brian, but he knew that it had nothing to do with money. For a man like Brian, money was never an issue. "I can stop making her life miserable of co urse. I've read the plan prepared by Smith G roup and I'm satisfied. If you're willing to . give away twenty percent more of your pr oposed profit, she will continue to be M rs. Clark and will be treated well moving . forward

What do you thin k, Mr. Brown?" . Brian said as he lea ned against the back of his leather chair. He stared at T oby with a smi rk on his lips. Toby hesit ated. He could easily adjust the proposal as he did prepare the agreement. But if he gave twenty percent of the comp any’s profit to Brian, Smith Group's perf ormance this year would be worse than last . y ea r. He wouldn't be able to expl ain it to Hayden, but he ha d to do it for Ayla's sake. "Very well. I agree to your proposal. But I want to see her now. Toby had to m ake sure that Ayla was fine. He wanted to give her a better life a s soon as possible. But Brian merely lit a cigarette and asked , "Don't you trust me, Mr. Brown? I've alwa ys been a man of my word. And I did say that . she would continue to be Mrs. Clark. Won't you agree that it's inappropr iate for you to meet with my wife?" . That woman was his and his alone. And he inte nded to keep his word. Toby stood in front of him and said, "I don' t trust you. ! would never believe a man who' s willing to do anything just to get what he . wa nt s!" . "What about you? Didn't you also do ever ything to get to where you are now? You g ot engaged to Miss Smith only because you . wanted to be the Deputy CEO of the Smith Group. Surely, you wouldn't want to lose a ll of what you have now just because of a . woman. " Bri an's words h it him hard. Toby had sold him self for money, po sition, and power. "You can leave now. Once you sign the agreement, she will live a hap py life with me just as you wish. Brian then went to the door and o pened it for him. Finally, Ayla returned to th e villa again. She had been gone for a long time, but she thought it better to live in the small room of the entertainment club than in this big . vi ll a. "Mrs. Clark, you're back. " Ma ria instantly walked up to he r and led her into the house. "Maria. " Ayla g reeted her sweet ly with a smile. "Please come in. Mr. Clark to ld me to let you use the gues t room upstairs from now on. She then took Ayla upsta irs and showed her in an elegantly decorated room. "Is it really r eserved for me? ” Ayla wondered