Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Chapter 44

Clara was slumped in a chair inside the tent, her leg stretched out straight because of the swelling-it just wouldn't bend. She needed to get back to the guesthouse pronto to slap some ointment on it.

As she listened to the liaison, her fingers brushed over her wound. There was still a pesky little pebble stuck in her knee. Its sharp edges made her squirm. She was looking pretty pale, having been drenched in rain all night, and now she had a slight fever.

The liaison avoided looking her in the eye. Clara knew all too well that this person was in cahoots with the fruit supplier.

She had over two thousand orders on the line. If they all got canceled, the fallout wouldn't just hit her-it'd ripple through the whole streaming company, which was a part of the Ferguson Corporation. Inevitably, it would end up affecting Ferguson Corporation itself, and all the chaos would land right at her feet.

Quinn had played a nasty game, cutting off Clara's resources like that. No wonder she was so chill in the live stream earlier, despite the awkwardness—she had her escape plan all mapped out.

to outdo Clara, and Clara knew she couldn't

a deep breath and faced the liaison.m"Is this what everyone

"Miss Clara, I'm really sorry, but folks are just trying to get by, and they care more about the money they have. Miss Quinn is super generous and talks so sweetly. It's

have

needed something, they were all humble, but now? They just brushed her and Clara off. Did the farmers

about to let loose when Clara caught

cheeks were flushed with rage. "Clara, why are you so calm? We've got over a thousand orders stuck. Aren't you worried about the fallout? Do you know how bad the backlash

mess would probably blow up online, trashing her reputation. Clara's reputation in the Capital was already in the mud. If the whole country turned against her, no one would come to

a fight with the liaison wasn't going to fix things. "Addison,