Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run novel Chapter 554

“Ma’am, we made chicken soup tonight. If you’d like something different, just let us know a day ahead,” the housekeeper murmured softly beside Clara.

Everyone in this house treated Clara with genuine warmth—so long as she didn’t ask to borrow their phones, life stayed peaceful and easy.

Clara cradled her mug of ginger tea, taking a forced sip. Just then, she heard footsteps in the hallway.

Dylan must be back.

She’d thought he’d be working late, especially since he’d skipped out on the office for days. But here he was, home earlier than she’d expected.

Clara kept her eyes down, refusing to even glance at the entryway.

She’d been living at Palm Bay for quite some time now, and not once had Dylan come looking for her. Marrying her seemed more like placing a vase in the living room—a decoration, nothing more.

She didn’t get him at all. Was he really willing to go against Walter’s orders just to keep a stand-in around?

As soon as Dylan walked in, the staff started setting the table, laying out a proper feast. The housekeeper called out, “Ma’am, dinner’s ready.”

But Clara, still shaken from her dream about Z, felt no hunger at all. She put down her teacup and headed straight upstairs.

Dylan watched her go, his face unreadable. All he said was, “Put it all away.”

The housekeeper looked surprised. Hadn’t Mr. Ferguson asked them to make dinner tonight? Why were neither of them eating?

Then she remembered: the past few days, even if the couple sat at the same table, they never spoke. Or rather, Clara never answered Dylan’s questions, never even looked his way. Silence had become their routine.

Living under the same roof, they were like strangers who’d known each other too long.

“Sir, you should try to eat a little,” the housekeeper said quietly.

Dylan just walked away toward the elevator, not saying a word.

Among all the socialites, Tara stood out. She was low-key, talented, and after being rejected, she never chased after Dylan again. She’d built an impressive career—she’d even helped design that famous library overseas. People called her a genius in architecture.

No one would question her being with Dylan.

But if Dylan embarrassed her, how could he face his best friend?

Aiden looked troubled. “I called Richard. He didn’t know anything about this. Ms. Warren’s been abroad these last years, winning awards and joining design institutes. He thought she’d stay overseas longer. Walter must’ve reached out to her privately. She’s already on a flight back tonight. Apparently, she accepted Walter’s invitation.”

Back when Tara was chasing Dylan, it was during the toughest period of his life.

“Sir, this…”

Walter was making a huge show of Tara’s return. He’d already told the rest of the Warren family. Word was spreading fast—everyone thought the Fergusons and the Warrens were about to be joined by marriage. If nothing happened, it would look like Ms. Warren came home for nothing.

Dylan might be the golden boy, but Tara was just as accomplished. Neither family was the type to swallow their pride.