Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Everyone at the table was watching them. The way Dylan looked at Clara-so warm, so gentle-made it impossible for some people to keep eating.

Simon slammed his chopsticks down. "This is a dining room, not your bedroom.”

Dylan paused, reaching for a napkin to wipe the corner of Clara's lips. He was about to say something when Clara looked right at him.

"Well, obviously it's not a bedroom. There's no bed," she said, completely matter- of-fact.

She was just telling the truth, but this really wasn't the moment for that kind of honesty.

The other people at the table all had expressions that were hard to describe.

Walter's face didn't give much away, but his hand tightened around his chopsticks. No one had ever been this bold in front of him before.

Mrs. Ferguson smacked the table. "Outrageous! Shameless! What kind of nonsense is that? How can a woman say things like that in front of her elders? And in public, no less? You-"

Clara blinked, genuinely confused. She didn't see what she'd done wrong—there really wasn't a bed here.

She leaned closer to Dylan, almost seeking shelter. "Honey."

Dylan's lips lifted in a calm, easy smile. "Mother, Clara's still young. She doesn't understand the rules yet."

Mrs. Ferguson's chest heaved with frustration. If this kept up, Clara was going to be the end of her.

How had this girl ended up in the Ferguson family?

A gentle hand started patting Mrs. Ferguson's back. Tara's soft voice floated over. "Mrs. Ferguson, don't let it get to you. Dylan's right-Clara's still young."

Kayla let out a cold laugh. "Young? She's twenty-four, almost twenty-five. Don't tell me she still doesn't know any better?"

While everyone else wondered how to smooth things over, Walter put his chopsticks down.

“That's enough. The birthday party is planned, so let's call it a night. Dylan, you too—don't bring her to the party. It's fine if she jokes around at home, but there'll be a lot of people there. Don't let her act out in front of everyone. No one will put up with it except you."

Dylan didn't answer right away. Instead, he looked at Clara, his voice soft. "Are you full?"

Feeling a little guilty, she grabbed his arm. "Should we go? Did I mess everything up, honey?"

He shook his head. "No. You did great."

"Really?"

She searched his face, trying to find any hint he was annoyed, but he looked completely unbothered.

A warm, fizzy feeling bubbled up in her chest. She still didn't know how a guy like him ended up being her husband.

She must have saved the galaxy in a past life, right? Otherwise, how could she have landed someone so perfect?noveldrama

Her heart felt light as they left the old house. Pushing his wheelchair, she couldn't help but ask, "How did we get together, anyway?"

She swung her foot, kicking at the grass as they made their way to the car.

Just as they were about to get in, she spotted a plant in the corner. It would look so good back at Palm Bay.

"Honey, can we take that home?"

The way she said "home" was just too sweet.

Dylan glanced over at the plant, trying to remember when it had even been planted. "Sure. Bring it."

Clara's face lit up. Once they got in the car, she was all smiles, massaging his legs and shoulders.

With Clara, it was always so easy-she just knew how to make someone feel better. It was her superpower.

No wonder people liked her so much.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Ferguson and Tara

were strolling through the garden. Tara was still trying to calm her down. "Mrs. Ferguson, don't stress about Dylan. His career is taking off. When he gets busier, romance won't seem so important to him."

Mrs. Ferguson thought about it, then nodded, reaching over to pat Tara's hand.

"Tara, I heard that during the ten

years I was away from the Capital, you always made sure someone looked after the tree I planted. You never brag about what you do, you just quietly take care of things. That's exactly why I want you by Dylan's side."

That was the kind of woman she wanted for him.

Tara smiled, but inside, she was laughing bitterly.

There was a time when those words would have given her hope, but now they just felt like a joke.

After all, Mrs. Ferguson had made it clear she was on Clara's side now.

"Mrs. Ferguson, let's check on your tree. I remember you had it brought over from a monastery, right? You said the priest said it would bring good luck. I know how much you love it—I come over to see it all the time, and it's doing really well.'

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Mrs. Ferguson had always loved things like that. When she had the tree brought

in, she'd consulted the priest again and again.

The priest said the Ferguson family had bad luck hanging over them and needed something special to protect them. The tree had been blessed since it was little, and if it grew up strong, maybe it would break the curse.

When Mrs. Ferguson left the Capital all those years ago, she'd thought about taking the tree with her.

But if it was meant to be a blessing, it made more sense to leave it with the family. She still felt guilty about what happened in the past. Even if it had been her and her husband's decision, they'd abandoned a child.

Taking care of the tree was just a way to ease some of that guilt.

That Tara had helped meant a lot to her. This girl always did the things that

touched her heart.

But when the two of them reached the old spot where the tree was supposed to be, all they found was a big empty hole in the ground.