Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run novel Chapter 259

Clara opened her mouth but found herself at a loss for words.

When she first met him, she was swept away by the torrent of emotions that radiated from him—love, resentment, anger, sorrow. It was this intensity that stopped her from walking away. Her boundaries softened, and before she knew it, they were involved in a relationship.

The more she got to know him, the more she felt for him, and her boundaries kept shifting.

“Z,” she whispered.

He didn't want to hear it. He pulled her close, a storm of emotions raging between them.

Afterward, Clara heard him murmur, his voice hoarse and raw.

"That's why I don't want you to see this side of me."

With that, he opened the car door, slammed it shut, and left.

Clara lay in the backseat, watching his figure fade into the distance. He didn’t even bother to clean up this time; he must be really upset.

Slowly, she sat up, her mind still spinning from the intensity of their encounter.

She reached for the tissues beside her, cleaning up in silence, and in that quiet moment, she understood his feelings.

It reminded her of a line from a poet:

—I offer you barren streets, the despair of sunsets, the moon of desolate fields, I offer you a soul gazing long at the solitary moon, I offer you loyalty of one who has never had faith, I offer you my loneliness, my darkness, the hunger of my heart.

Clara tossed the tissue into the car's trash bin. She got it, but carrying on like this was just too exhausting.

Maybe it was time to give him some space. In the adult world, love can't be the only thing. Relying on someone entirely is a scary thought.

If she wasn’t careful, she might end up hurting him.

She dragged herself home, washed up quickly, and collapsed into bed.

But that night, sleep was elusive. She dreamt of a hot spring under the night sky, clinging to him.

He asked her softly if she knew who he was.

Amidst the steam, her cheeks were flushed, a captivating beauty.

Eden's eyes sparkled, and she bounced around like an energetic bunny. She was adorable, and if not for her ruthless streak, she'd be quite popular.

Already in a bad mood, Clara felt even worse seeing this. With her files in hand, she was ready to meet Jackson when Eden approached.

"Oh, off to see your darling Jackson? Congrats, maybe you'll end up in the hospital today."

Clara wasn’t a fan of Eden's sharp tongue, but with Dylan backing her, she felt stuck.

She forced a smile and tried to leave, but Eden wouldn’t let up, yanking Clara's hair, making her wince.

Eden reveled in her discomfort.

"Clara, you were lucky not to get hit last night. You dare go back and seduce my brother? You're pathetic. Let me tell you, my brother doesn't want you. You've been with others; no man will want you."

Clara swatted Eden's hand away, rubbing her sore scalp. "Are you done?"

Eden had come to provoke her, and Clara's calm only fueled her annoyance.