Brian was sitting on the black leather couch while Jaime and several men in black were standing towering over Clayton, who was. kneeling on the ground. All the men had weapons in their hands. On the ground, Clayton looked like a mouse caught by a fierce cat. Several bruises were on his face. "Mr. Clark, I promise I'll pay you back. I'm trying to find a way. Please give me a few more days. He begged and hoped Brian would spare him a little mercy. "Clayton, have you forgotten the conditions we made?" Brian asked in a harsh voice. Did he think that he could escape from Brian's reach after he fled abroad?. Clayton made a big mistake by underestimating Brian's power and contact all around the world. "No- no. didn't forget. Believe me, I'm trying my best to collect the money. I can pay you some amount right now, but I don’t have. the full amount. Clayton was about to get up from his position when he was hit down on his shoulder and he fell on the ground again in front of. Brian. "Clayton, your daughter is very cunning. She ran away from me. Do you think you still have the chance to leave? You don't. deserve to live, Clayton," he leaned forward and whispered in a deadly tone. Ayla ran away? That bitch! Clayton couldn't believe the news. Now he understood why Brian had captured him and brought him here. It was all her fault. He wanted to live the rest of his life in peace, but because of that bitch, it seemed impossible now. "Mr. Clark, don't worry. I'll find her and bring her back to you soon. You can then do anything to her, and I'll support you,”. Clayton promised, grabbing Brian's legs. "Tomorrow. I'll give you only one day. If you can't bring her to me by tomorrow, your life will be in danger. Don't forget that you sold. your daughter's life to keep yourself alive. Brian could have killed Clayton directly, but he didn't want to. He wanted to see Clayton suffer, and he wanted to keep humiliating his daughter. He would torture her all the way possible. "Mr. Clark, do you really think that Clayton will bring her back? What if he runs away too?". Jaime thought that Brian shouldn't let Clayton go because he was not trustworthy. So, he asked Brian as soon as Clayton left. "He can't run away. He doesn't have the guts. If he really dares to run away, he knows he'll die. Brian gazed at Clayton's back as he fled in a hurry. After living in Toby's apartment for so many days, it was the first time Ayla went out

Toby had bought her many new clothes. Today, she chose a light pink chiffon dress with long sleeves, and left her long hair down casually. "You look so beautiful, Lala. Toby took a white coat and put it on her. "It's slightly cold outside. You'll need it. I don't want you to catch a cold. Standing in front of the mirror and lo oking at her image wearing these expens ive designer clothes, Ayla felt uneasy. But as Toby assured her, she nodded and followed T oby out of the apartment. Toby drove her to a restaurant. However, they didn't no tice a specific car foll owing them all the time. "Miss Smith, Mr. Bro wn is in the restaur ant. Shall we go in?" . The driver turned to as k Molly, who was sitting in the back of the car. "No. Not yet. When Molly noticed Toby had been beh aving strangely in these past few day s, she started to keep an eye on him. He didn't attend a lot of social engagement s and remained punctual at work, but didn't go back to the Smith villa or his original . apa rtm ent. Eventually she found out he bought another apartm ent to hide his mistress. That bitch dared to pester her man again a nd again! Molly wouldn't spare her this tim e! As soon as Toby and Ayla sat down in the . restaurant , Toby's ph one buzzed. Toby answered the ca ll and immediately M olly's voice flew in. "Toby, this is Molly. Whe re are you now? Dad want s you to come home now. "I'll come l ater. Toby hung up the call after sayi ng this briefly. Ayla sensed his dil emma and realized it was because of her. "Toby, if you have something urge nt to deal with, you can go! Don't delay your things because of me. Ayla was really thankful to Toby for whatever he ha d done for her these days. "It's alright. I have promised to celebrate your birthday today. W e'll celebrate it, then I'll go,” . Toby said with a s mile, trying to mak e her feel at ease. Toby had ordere d a big birthda y cake for her. When the waiter brought the cake and plac ed it on the table, Toby exclaimed, "Lala , congratulations! You're a grownup now. When she was eighteen years old, h e wanted to say these words to her on her birthday, but he couldn't. Today he' d make it up to her. "Thank y ou. " Ayla blushed. Back then, she celebrated her bi rthday alone with a small cake a nd spent the entire night crying. She was truly grateful to Toby that he celebrated her birthday today li ke this. What else could she desire? . "I hope you wo n't blame me a nymore, Lala. Toby felt th at he owed h er too much. He loved her, but co uldn't give her what she truly deserved. He couldn't even g ive her the status of his legal wife. The Smith family had h elped him a lot, so he couldn't refuse Molly. But what about Lala? What should she do? Where would she go? The Woodsen family wouldn't let her in, and Brian, he'd make

her lif e a livi ng hell. "Don't worry, To by. I'm very happ y. " Ayla smiled. "Toby, you can go. I'll be fine. I can go back b y myself. You just go!" . Toby cut a pie ce of cake and gave it to her. "First, eat it! I'll go after y ou finish this. Ayla didn't want to waste his time, so she finished t he cake in a few big gulps. "This cake is really delicious. Can you buy another one for me?" . "If you want, I 'll buy it for you every day. Toby wiped off the cre am from the corner of h er mouth with a tissue. Molly, who was sitting in the car outside the restaurant, saw everyt hing through the big glass window. She clench ed her fist s in anger. She would not let that bitch go s o easily! When Toby left, Ayla st ared at the cake in front of her. It was b ig and b eautiful. It must be very e xpensive. She was reluctant t o eat it and destroy its beauty forever. If there wasn't any chance o f it becoming sour, she would have kept it for a lifetime. Toby left a re d brocade box i n front of her. He said that she could look at i t after he left. He hoped that sh e would wear it, if she liked it. She opened the b ox and saw a dia mond ring in it. Was this his propos al to her? But she couldn't accept it. "B itc h!" . As soon as Toby left, Molly bar ged into the restaurant and saw the diamond ring in Ayla’s hand. All hell broke loose as she angrily slapped Ay la in front of everyone. "Mis s Sm ith?" . Ayla was stu nned to see Molly there. Her face bur ned from the sudden slap. "Shut up! You have no right to call me like that! Bitch!" . Before Ayla could say anything, Molly slapped her again. "I'm sor ry. Ayla knew that it would be meaningless, b ut she could only apologize to her. » Molly hollered, "Sorry? You have been harassing . my fiancee since he came back . Do you think you can just sa y sorry and I'll forgive you?" . She hated the word 'sorry ' the most. Could a 'sorr y' solve all the problems? . No! Problems like this couldn't be sol ved with a ‘sorry’! She couldn't anymo re let this woman be closer to her man. Molly was do ne being a ge nerous woman. "Don't misunde rstand us, plea se," Ayla said. She just didn't want to cause any unnecessary misunderstandings betw een Toby and Molly because of her. She knew even tually this d ay would come. If Toby didn't belong to her by f ate, he would never be, no matter what. Everything was predestined