Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

The innkeeper welcomed Clara into the lobby and set down a steaming bowl of soup in front of her.

"Eat something first," she said softly. "I added a little medicine for your stomach. You look like you've got a bad case of gastritis."

Clara lowered her head and ate quietly. The world still felt foggy, but as the warm soup settled in her stomach, some of the pain faded.

The innkeeper sat across from her, her voice gentle but firm, like someone who'd seen a lot. "You're still so young. There's nothing you can't get through. Drink up, then go take a walk outside. Sometimes a bit of fresh air is all you need. The things that seem impossible might suddenly make sense."

Clara finished the soup; her lips were cracked and split, the pain obvious just looking at her.

The innkeeper kept trying to comfort her, but Clara's eyes were distant, her mind somewhere else. The woman sighed.

"You know, you have people who care about you. Don't wear yourself out. Oh, and by the way, a man called earlier-just like your brother, he asked me to look after you. You probably didn't know. He gave me a nice sum and said he'd pick you up in a few days. For that kind of money, I made sure your room was spotless, disinfected it twice. I couldn't let anything happen to my little golden guest."

The innkeeper made no secret of her love for a good business deal, saying it all with a frank smile.

Clara's eyes flashed for a second, but then that familiar ache pressed in on her chest.

Was it Z?

When she called him, he'd been upset with her, but still, he'd gone out of his way to ask the innkeeper to take care of her.

Her fingers trembled for a moment before she managed to steady herself.

The innkeeper looked confused. "But it's been a few days now, hasn't it? Why hasn't he come? Maybe wait a little longer. Take care of yourself first. That young man honestly seemed worried about you. He sounded mad, sure, but I could hear the concern underneath. Trust me, I've been around. You can't hide that kind of worry. Even if you don't want to think of yourself, think of him. A good life together is better than anything."

Clara tried to smile, but the more she listened, the heavier her heart felt.noveldrama

She hadn't even had the chance to clear things up with him, hadn't gotten to apologize or make up.

Why did she ever think they'd have all the time in the world? By now, she should know better-life changes in a heartbeat.

She drank the last of the soup, her voice rough as she finally spoke.

"He's not coming."

The innkeeper's eyes widened in disbelief. "No way. I have a good ear for these things. A guy who cares that much wouldn't just disappear. Wait a little longer."

"It's my fault. I made him angry. I'm done waiting. I'll check out tomorrow. Sorry for the trouble."

The innkeeper watched her. Clara seemed calm, but there was something empty in her eyes, and it made the woman uneasy.

"Listen, sweetheart, don't you go doing anything stupid in my place. I might have taken their money, butd have a conscience. I put the best mediome in your soup, changed your Sheets to the nicest silk, even got you a brand-new bathtub. did what I promised, right?"

Clara had been floating through the past few days in a haze, never realizing her room was so much nicer than the rest. The outside of the in looked up down, but inside,

apart from being a bit small, her room was almost as comfortable as a luxury hotel.

She stood up, finally understanding why the soup had made her feel so much better.

"I'm not going to do anything crazy. I just want to see a new city for a while."

She couldn't bring herself to think about Z-couldn't face it—so she ran from it, at least for now.

She couldn't go back to the Capital, couldn't return to her old apartment. Every corner was filled with memories of them.

Back in her room, she slipped into the bath, letting the hot water soak into her skin.

Lying there, she thought about the fire-the strange way it started, the massive explosion. That hadn't been an accident. Someone had done it on purpose And to pull something like that off in the Capital, they must be someone powerful.