Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Chapter 259

Clara opened her mouth but found herself at a loss for words.

When she first met him, she was swept away by the torrent of emotions that radiated from him-love, resentment, anger, sorrow. It was this intensity that stopped her from walking away. Her boundaries softened, and before she knew it, they were involved in a relationship.

The more she got to know him, the more she felt for him, and her boundaries kept shifting.

"Z," she whispered.

He didn't want to hear it. He pulled her close, a storm of emotions raging between them.

Afterward, Clara heard him murmur, his voice hoarse and raw.

"That's why I don't want you to see this side of me."

With that, he opened the car door, slammed it shut, and left.

Clara lay in the backseat, watching his figure fade into the distance. He didn't even bother to clean up this time; he must be really upset.

Slowly, she sat up, her mind still spinning from the intensity of their encounter.

beside her, cleaning up in silence, and in that

a line

you barren streets, the despair of sunsets, the moon of desolate fields, I offer you a soul gazing long at the solitary moon, I offer you loyalty of one who has never had faith, I offer you my loneliness, my

tissue into the car's trash bin. She got it, but carrying on

the adult world, love can't be the only

she wasn't careful, she might end up

washed up quickly, and

was elusive. She dreamt of a hot spring under the night sky, clinging

if she knew who he

steam, her cheeks were flushed,

know what her dream self said,

woke, she felt nothing but exhaustion, her head

teeth. As she climbed into her car, she saw a text from Z sent at three in the morning, containing just

"I'm sorry."

softened again. She didn't know why, but she couldn't stay angry with

are funny that way, easily swayed by emotions that don't

even consider a break to cool off. But knowing he was awake at three, sending such a message, she couldn't

this relationship still had some life in it; maybe he'd

reply immediately. Instead, she drove