Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run novel Chapter 444

Clara turned to look at Sarah, her expression all serious. Sarah swallowed hard, suddenly feeling too nervous to meet Clara's eyes. It was like Clara could see straight through her. But then she thought of Megan and found her courage. “I'm going to marry Ryan soon, and he's already said he’ll marry me. Isn’t it normal for us to live together? And technically, I should be calling you 'sister,' right?”

The word “sister” made Clara feel sick. She couldn't be bothered to argue and just walked into the apartment complex. Sarah was left standing at the gate, fuming. “If you won't let me in, I'll just ask Ryan. He cares about me and will definitely let me in!”

Clara felt a tight knot in her stomach, which got worse when Ryan called an hour later, asking if Sarah could stay at the villa to rest. Clara had been looking forward to a quiet holiday with her brother, but now she wasn’t so sure.

“Do whatever you want,” she replied.

“Clara, are you mad?” Ryan asked cautiously, his voice low. “Sarah's family situation is tough. Her parents have always favored her brother and wanted to marry her off for his benefit. She has nowhere else to go.”

Clara didn't want to hear it. She took a deep breath. “Do what you think is best.”

“Clara, can we still have dinner together over the holidays? It's been ages since we last ate together.”

Her heart ached a little. “Sure.”

Ryan’s eyes lit up. “I just finished a new book. I’ll be waiting for you to pick me up!”

Clara didn’t respond and hung up. She felt overwhelmed. The project wasn’t going well, and now her brother was causing more stress. She took a deep breath and pulled out a bottle of wine, hoping for a quiet evening. But just then, the doorbell rang. It was Scarlette at the door.

Scarlette was all dressed up, holding a bunch of fancy fruits. “Clara, it's my mom's birthday today, and I’m heading to the Greenard family for dinner. These are imported fruits from a business partner. I don’t have time to eat them, so they’re yours.”

There were so many bags, filling up the doorway. “I can’t eat all of these…”

But before Clara could finish, Scarlette’s phone rang. She patted Clara on the shoulder. “Share them with friends if you can’t finish them. I’m off to the Greenard family tonight and then on a business trip. I won’t be back for a week. It’d be a shame for them to spoil.”

She said this while heading to the elevator, answering her phone. Nicholas was calling.

Clara dragged the fruit boxes inside. She didn’t have many friends, just Megan and Kaitlyn. She called Megan first, asking if she was home so she could send over some fruit.

Megan thanked her warmly and asked, “Clara, have you figured out your holiday plans? How about bringing your boyfriend along, and we can all have dinner together?”

The holidays were barely ten days away. “I’ll ask him if he’s up for it.”