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.

brushed him off. He

get a signal, we should call the New York office to send a helicopter. The roads are blocked, and we can't stay here. You're still running a fever, and I can't just

he asked, his

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

bring me

nothing. Hands tightening on the steering wheel, she said, "That place was just a ruin. If you'd told us earlier, we wouldn't have let you

his nose, smiling slightly.

off guard, Clara was momentarily speechless. Sometimes, ignorance

crime. Perhaps Dylan had stumbled upon it

down at the holly, swaying it lightly, seemingly

there as kids, and some things happened. I think I mentioned giving him holly?" The thought had come too

"Not many people like this flower, so

glanced at him, amused. "Mr. Dylan, are you complimenting

on the holly tightened briefly, almost breaking it before he

misunderstood, Clara quickly added, "Because you like this flower too, you and my

touching the petals. "Then

After several miles, they finally got a phone signal. She had Dylan contact the New York office, and they settled in

was warm, and outside, snow continued to fall. If they weren't stuck, it would've