His Contractual Mistress

"We are supposed to be the first one to use the main hall." 

"What are you doing here, Bryan?" She frowned instantly upon noticing Bryan standing behind her. 

Bryan walked toward the floor-ceiling window with both of his hands shoved inside his pocket. 

Actually, his voice is full of bitterness and regrets, but she doesn't care anymore; between them is just history. 

This is what in Hailey's mind after Bryan makes such a statement. 

Bryan looked at the hall down below. He is keenly watching the cheerful faces of everyone who attends this celebration. 

In his mind, his wedding would be merrier than this one. However, that is impossible yet to happen. 

Shifting his gaze toward Hailey's beautiful face, Bryan turned around and leaned on the window. 

"I just wanted to talk with you properly," he said after a brief moment. 

Hailey looked up and studied Bryan's gloomy face. He seems not drunk like last night. 

"I'm not drunk." He could tell what she is thinking at the moment. What he did last night is wrong. He admitted that. So he explained, "I just had one glass of champagne tonight, that's all." 

Hailey withdrew her gaze and looked away. Then, she retorts, "We have nothing to talk about, Bryan." 

"Please, listen to me. That night..." 

"Please, Bryan. Whatever it is, does not matter anymore." Before Bryan could finish his words, she immediately interrupted him. 

"But, Hail! I want you back! I want us to start over! So I wanted to clarify it with you! Please, give me a chance to explain and fix everything between us." 

Between them? What is between them? Who is between them? There's none anymore. 

Eva is not a bother any longer between her and Bryan but to her relationship with Vincent. How ironic. Still, that woman is in the way of her happiness. 

Hailey turned her head and looked at Bryan with seriousness in her eyes. She apologizes to him. 

"I'm sorry, Bryan. Everything about us has ended already. I have someone I loved." 

"How could you be sure that this man loves you the way how much I love you?" 

What Bryan has said annoys her. How dare he compare his love to Vince? If only she could tell him, but she is not obliged to tell him anything about it. 

She knew that Vince is genuine in his love for her. If he isn't, he would not stand against his parents and even be bold in front of his in-laws. 

And if Bryan truly loves her, why would he still attach to another woman? Hailey pressed her lips and smiled bitterly. 

"What kind of love do you feel for me, Bryan? How come that you could hurt me like that? You promised to protect me, but you didn't protect me against you." 

"Hail, please..." Bryan kneeled in front of her. Her words keep slashing his heart, and he deserves it. He will bear her punishment as long as Hailey would accept him back. "I want to explain everything to you." 

"Stop, Bryan. You know that my feelings for you are only a brotherly love. How can I sleep next to the man I don't love romantically?" 

What kind of marriage she and Bryan would have if they got married in the end? She mused. 

Hailey's confessions break his heart over again. But he knew that it was not enough for the heartbreak he gave her. 

Bryan tried to hold her hand, but she quickly avoided his grasp. 

"Don't touch me, Bryan." There's firmness in her voice and a glint of anger in her eyes. 

He looked at Hailey with helpless eyes. She's not his Hailey anymore. That sweet girl, who is clingy to him, is gone, and the girl in front of him is someone who is reserved. 

Bryan lowered his head. Still, he would not give up until Hailey would forgive him. He doesn't want to lose her, and so he would do everything that she would forgive him. 

"Please stand up, Bryan." Hailey insisted. 

"I would not until You forgive me." 

Hailey snorts. With grim in her voice, she scolded the guy. "Don't be childish, Bryan! We are both adults now!" 

Yeah. That's true. She's finally an adult. She has incredibly grown into a beautiful woman who every man wants. But he only wasted the opportunity to have her himself. 

It is selfish. But when he realized that he could not live his life if isn't with her, he ignored the fact that she only loves him as a brother. 

Regardless, that would be only a small matter. All he needs to do is make her fall in love with him. 

But he didn't make her change of heart the way he wishes to happen. Instead, he messed up. Now, it is hard for him to get her back. 

Hailey glances at Bryan downward. When he didn't move yet, she sat up from the chair and walked toward the door. 

But Bryan followed her and hugged her from behind. He begged, "Please, Hail. Tell me, what should I do so that you can forgive me?" 

"Let me go, Bryan!" 

However, Bryan has no plan to let her go. He is determined to ask forgiveness annoyingly. 

"Please, Hail. Just let me hold you like this for a while." 

A chill crept down to her spine as Bryan's breath, touching her neck. She struggles to perform self-defense because Bryan didn't give her openings. 

Besides, it was him who taught her martial arts. And so, he knew what she could do if he lowered his guard down. 

"Let me go, Bryan!" She almost screams. But Bryan is not listening to her. "You would regret this instead, Bryan!" 

Hailey tried her best to threaten him. She gives up struggling. But it didn't mean that she is giving him any chances. 

She hurls a long breath, pressing hard her eyelids as she mutters. 

"Fine. I would not repeat this, so hear me out. I already forgive you, Bryan. But I am not going back to you. So we don't need to mend our relationship. We can still be friends. But you know there is a limitation to it already." 

It takes a little while before Hailey feels that Bryan slowly loosen his arms around her waist, where her arms are locked on her sides. 

"I'm not giving up yet, Hail. If he hurts you and he breaks your heart, and you decided to leave him. Remember that I am waiting for your return and giving us a chance to start over," said Bryan.

She thought he would now leave the room. But she didn't expect that Bryan would pull her close to him and tried to brush his lips against hers.