Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Chapter 425

Under Dylan's watchful eyes, a slender figure approached from the distance. In a world blanketed with white, the red in her hand stood out vividly.

Clara climbed into the car, brushing the snowflakes from her hair. She closed the door and casually handed him the sprig of holly she had broken off.

Dylan didn't immediately accept it. Instead, he examined the lingering snowflakes on its leaves.

Clara, thinking he might be bothered by the cold, started to shake off the snow when he asked, "What if this tree belongs to someone?"

Without a second thought, she replied, "Well, if I picked it for you, then you're its owner now."

Dylan was about to reach for it, but as her words sank in, his hand clenched involuntarily, the veins on his hand becoming prominent.

Noticing his sudden change in demeanor, Clara quickly asked, "What's wrong?"

He nodded slightly, took the holly, and with a soft "Thank you," his mood seemed to lighten visibly.

Relieved, Clara moved to the front seat and started the engine, fearing that this unpredictable man might next ask for a snowman. As the car purred to life, she caught a whiff of holly from the back seat.

"Mr. Dylan, do you like holly? It's quite unique. Most people only notice the white in winter, but who would expect such vivid red underneath, like..." She trailed off, sensing that she was verging on saying something inappropriate. Dylan himself was a bit like winter-aloof on the surface, yet surprisingly soft beneath it all.

"I do like it. No one's ever given me any before," he said, his tone mellow, yet he seemed a bit more alive.

hadn't brushed him

to send a helicopter. The roads are blocked, and

he asked,

Something about Dylan felt off. Wasn't it natural to worry about him? They were in this together, after all—she couldn't let anything happen to

course, Mr. Dylan, you were kind enough to bring me here. I can't let

been for nothing. Hands tightening on the steering wheel, she said, "That place was just a ruin. If you'd told

to his nose, smiling

was momentarily speechless. Sometimes,

crime. Perhaps Dylan had stumbled upon it once

glanced in the rearview mirror, catching his gaze. He looked down at the holly, swaying it lightly, seemingly content. "Is there

"I found a pit near the ruins. I once talked about it with my boyfriend. We got trapped there as kids, and some things happened. I think I mentioned giving him holly?" The thought had come too quickly.

gently. "Not many people like this flower, so your boyfriend must have

"Mr. Dylan,

tightened briefly, almost breaking it

might have been misunderstood, Clara quickly added, "Because you like this flower

his fingers gently touching the petals. "Then

phone signal. She

snow continued to fall. If they weren't stuck, it would've been a