Ayla dragged her aching body to her room. She was sore all over. Leaning against the bed, she sat on the ground. Her eyes shifted to the bottle of contraceptive pills on the bedside table. How long would she have to do this?. Sitting in his room, Brian took a drag of his cigarette and puffed out the smoke. His mind kept replaying what just happened. He wondered why he became so impulsive after being drunk. It never happened before. He still couldn't understand what kind of woman Arlene was? Brian wanted to investigate about her when he realized her. behavior differed from what he had heard about her. But when Toby showed up, he overlooked his suspicion. Her secret rendezvous with Toby was enough proof. Ayla grabbed her new phone, which was given by Brian. There was no other phone number except his. He really wanted her to cut off all contacts. She stared at it forlornly before putting it aside. Aweek passed by after that incident. Ayla feared that Toby would be worried for her. She needed to meet him and explain things. She didn't want Toby to lose his bright future and his beautiful fiancee because of her. Although she had just seen his fiancee from a distance, she could tell that his fiancee was a beautiful and very graceful lady. Unlike her, who had just been a burden to Toby, his fiancee was mature and really suitable for Toby. Toby always had Ayla's back since childhood. He skipped classes for her, fought for her, worked for her to buy her delicious food. So, the Brown family hated Ayla very much for being Toby's priority. Although she was adopted by Clayton, she never understood what his purpose was behind adopting her. Because he never cared about her and never wanted to keep her in his close proximity. Ayla never called him father. When she turned eighteen, she thought she could finally get rid of the Woodsen family, which never really was her home. But instead, Clayton pushed her towards a darker future from where she couldn't see a way out. She couldn't refuse Clayton when he approached her with a request to marry Brian. For the sake of his so- called kindness of raising her, she had to sell her whole life to the devil, Brian Clark. It had been three days since Brian didn't come home. As there was nothing to do, Ayla walked out of her room and went to the garden. The only freedom Brian approved of was, she could roam freely inside the villa. So, he didn't assign any bodyguards to restrict her freedom. As there weren't many visitors, the only people she saw were the servants. But today she had to sneak out of the villa anyhow. She secretly told Maria that she was going to take care of some private affairs and would come back soon. She didn't e ven ask Lyle to drive her. Instead, she went t o the nearby bus sta tion and took a bus. As soon as she arriv ed at school, she me t Veronica and Lisa. “Ayla, finally you came

Was that rich man keeping you locked? You aren't even comin g to school these days. But if you continue . to be absent from school, you will get into trouble. Our dean has been looking for you. But we couldn't get in touch with you," Lisa . said eve rything i n one go. Veronica pulled Lisa's sleeve in order to m ake her shut and said, "Ayla, you can talk to the dean and I'm sure things will be fine . after that. But during you r absence, a man named To by came looking for you. "Toby came to the schoo l? Did he say anything? ” Ayla asked anxiously. Since Toby had come to s chool, he might as well go to the Woodsen family. If he went there h e'd know what had happened recently. "That man is really very handsome! He look ed like a business elite and wore a design er suit. Are you in a relationship with him . too?" L isa blur ted out. She didn't like Ayla, esp ecially because Ayla was b etter in studies than her. Ayla was alway s appreciated b y the teachers. However, she wasn't good at soc ializing, as she spent a lot of time in the library every day. She also worked p art-time. Even without her family's sup port, Ayla was able to gain a lot of people's love and care. Lisa wasn' t really a bad person. But she was jealous of Ayla, because Ayla was more popular than her. Lisa loo ked at V eronica. "Veronica, didn't he give you a business card? Why don't you gi ve it to Ayla?" Veronica nodded. She took out a card and ga ve it to Ayla. Ayla felt for tunate to hav e Toby's card. As Brian destroyed her phone, she lost Toby' s number along with it. "Thank you. I have to go now. C an you please ask the dean to grant me a few days' leave?" . Ayla couldn't stay in th e school for a longtime without Brian's consent. Veronica n odded under standingly. She knew someth ing had been goi ng on with Ayla. But until Ayla felt comfortable to tal k, she wouldn't ask. Ayla wasn't a talkative per son, so it explained why sh e hadn't yet told anything. Sitting in a cafe, Ayla gripped the business c ard in her hand tightly. After thinking for a long time, she dialed the number. "H ell o!" . Toby an swered t he call. His voice sounded composed and professional, not how she had imagined it'd be. She had thought he'd sound more anxious be cause of her missing. "Toby, it's me ," Ayla said i n a low voice. Toby pau sed for a while. His eyes shifted to Molly who was sitting right in front of him on the sofa

Toby asked almost in a flat tone, "W hat's the matter?” . "Are y ou bus y now?" . Ayla didn't want to interrupt his work. But if she didn’t make it clear today, she might never get the chance to do so. "Go ahe ad. Although Toby looked calm and collected on the outside, his heart was palpitating inside. "I want to meet you. Can we meet? If you are busy now, I can wait until you come. Ayla knew that if he was b usy working now, it'd be in convenient for him to talk. She told Toby where she was and she'd wait until he came. There was a firm belief in her hea rt that he'd come. After their telephonic conver sation, Toby hung up the phon e with an indecipherable face. But all he want ed was to meet Ayla right now. He just wanted to know what was ha ppening with her. He was worried for her. This girl always had a special pl ace in his heart. Only when he'd see he r with his own eyes, w ould he feel relieved. Molly noticed how quic kly Toby's mood change d after the phone call. "What's wro ng, Toby? Wh o was that?” . She stood up and walked around the table to his side. Toby caught a hold of her hand and said, " Nothing is wrong, Molly. Don't worry. If you 're feeling bored sitting here, you can go . sho ppi ng. Molly got the idea i mmediately. He was actu ally drivin g her away. Was he planning to meet someone behind her back? But she wasn't going to let him do as he wished. This man bel onged to her and only her. "I don't want to go shoppin g alone. Only if you'll come with me will I want to go. Molly poute d, then sat on his lap. Toby wrapped hi s arms around he r slender waist. There was nothing wro ng with Molly, but he had always loved Lala. "But I'm workin g now," Toby sa id with a smile. Molly turned her head and kissed him on the lips. Her slender arms en circled his neck an d pulled him closer. No man had eve r resisted her beautiful lips. Toby was n't an e xception. "Toby, can y ou spend toni ght with me?" . Although the two of them had been officially engaged, Toby wanted t o live separately before marriage. Toby said nothing at first. He smoothed her hair and said after a while , “Let's go shopping!" . In fact, he wa s not in the mo od to work now. He couldn't conc entrate and kept thinking of Lala