Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run novel Chapter 305

Clara strolled through the mall, picking out a simple gift she hoped Z would like. Just as she was about to head out, two bodyguards stepped in her path.

"Ms. Clara, our young master would like to have a coffee with you," one of them said.

She frowned, glancing over at the café where she spotted a man she didn't initially recognize. But it clicked soon enough—he looked a lot like Lincoln. This was Aaron, Lincoln's brother, recently back from abroad and rumored to be looking into Lincoln's disappearance.

Clara was about to say she was busy, but the bodyguard spoke up again. "Our young master prefers not to use force."

She sighed, her mood darkening, and walked over to Aaron. Unlike Lincoln's broody vibe, Aaron was all warmth and sunshine. The Fergusons were all blessed with good looks, but Aaron wore his effortlessly.

As Clara sat down, Aaron flashed a smile. "Clara, it's been a while. Simon mentioned you lost your memory and have been hanging out with Dylan a lot lately."

He slid a glass of juice her way, his voice calm and easy. "It's late. Let's skip the coffee and go with juice."

Clara left the juice untouched, suspicious it might be tampered with. "So, what's up, Mr. Simon?"

"Nothing much. I just got back to town and thought I'd catch up with old friends. You might not remember, but we were pretty close back in the day."

Clara wasn't buying it and was about to fire back when her phone buzzed. It was another message from Z, showing a fresh cut on his palm, a silent threat if she didn't show up.

Her expression shifted instantly, and she quickly dialed his number. He didn’t answer, letting the phone ring out.

She couldn’t help but think of how Dylan had taken her to Azure Shores, right when Aaron returned. Anxiety bubbled up inside her, making her head throb. She couldn’t remember any beef with Dylan, just that since she lost her memory, he’d seemed like a genuinely nice guy. If that incident on the island hadn’t happened, she wouldn't have quit; he was a great boss.

Aaron stood and walked over to her. "Clara, not everyone knows, but I do. The person you really cared about wasn’t Simon. It was..."

His sentence was cut short by the shrill ring of her phone. Clara glanced at the caller ID and quickly cut him off.

"Sorry, I really have to meet my boyfriend now. It wasn't Dylan messaging me; we're not that close. Apologies."

With that, she picked up the call and headed out. On the line, Z's voice was low and tense. "Are you lying to me again?"