Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run novel Chapter 462

Clara stood at the doorway, rolling her eyes at the scene in front of her. "Why are you crying? You're about to turn twenty—can't you be a little more grown-up?"

Ryan looked relieved yet a bit shaken, wiping his eyes vigorously. "I swear, I'll never set foot in this place again. Clara, I promise you."

His words sounded like a solemn vow, and Clara just smiled, watching him enthusiastically load up a stack of books into the car. Driving him to the villa meant they'd inevitably bump into Sarah.

When Sarah saw him, her face lit up with excitement. "Ryan, you're back! That's amazing. Let's just live here forever, okay?"

Ryan's smile faded slightly when he saw her. He quietly set the books on the coffee table and headed toward the door. Sarah quickly grabbed his sleeve. "Where are you going? It's almost the holidays, and I want to go shopping with you."

Ryan gently pulled away. "I haven't had one-on-one time with Clara in a while. You stay here; I'll be back soon."

Sarah's face fell, and she slowly clenched her hand at her side before suddenly clutching her stomach. "Ryan, my stomach hurts. Can you take me to the hospital?"

Her acting was spot-on; sweat beaded on her forehead, and she looked like she might faint. Ryan instinctively caught her, his voice tinged with worry. "What's happening?"

"I'm at Ryan's. Are you on holiday break?"

Megan sounded cheerful. "Yeah, I'm off for the week. If you want to go anywhere, I'm game."

Clara had been so buried in work she hadn't thought about taking a break. She was about to answer when the sudden sound of tapping caught her attention, followed by the crash of her car window shattering. Masked figures with metal rods smashed the glass, shards flying everywhere, one jagged piece aimed right at her neck. Clara jerked back, narrowly dodging it, but then found herself doused in gasoline.