Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Chapter 461

Sunlight flooded the room as Clara tossed off her covers and got out of bed, the lingering anxiety making her feel queasy. When Cole stepped into the bedroom, he was taken aback by her pale face, sitting there on the edge of the bed with cold sweat on her forehead.

"Ms. Bradford, did you have a nightmare?" he asked, concern etched on his face.

Clara had shared her house's security code with him ages ago, but she hadn't expected a visit today. She rubbed her temples and took a deep breath, trying to shake off the unsettling emotions left by her dream.

Cole pulled the curtains open, letting in more light. "You were up really late last night. I know it's not my place, but I just wanted to remind you to take care of yourself. If your dad were still around, he'd hate to see you pushing yourself this hard. Also, there's been some movement with Richard; Jared's position has been revoked, and nobody knows who's taking over yet. Jared's a bit sneaky, and I worry he might suspect your involvement."

Clara lowered her gaze, the dream's heat still coursing through her, leaving her mind in a jumble. "I underestimated Richard. He knew about Jared all along but chose to ignore it. To him, Jared was just a minor nuisance. Even when his father sneakily handed over that position to his illegitimate son, Richard couldn't be bothered."

The Warren family was basically Richard's kingdom. Whatever his father did behind his back, Richard probably knew more than anyone else. But if the illegitimate son became public knowledge, Richard couldn't ignore it, so Jared had to stay hidden. Thankfully, Richard hadn't come after her for any of it. Next time, she'd make sure not to leave any traces.

"Ms. Bradford, you should get up and eat. I ordered some takeout," Cole suggested gently.

down at the table. Cole had pulled an all-nighter, almost clearing the backlog

the plastic wrap from the side dishes. "Yeah, you

against me? Even after I caused his leg injury? I've seen him be ruthless with business

known for using every legal trick to ruin his opponents' lives. Cole sat down, serving himself some soup too. "What do you think the truth

still felt exhausted, her dreams too tangled to make sense of. With Z in the picture, she couldn't openly search for her past memories; it would unsettle him. Z, the person she cared about most right now, was

her soup, setting the bowl aside. With Jared's position gone, the project had to pause. She needed to see who'd take charge next;

she was about to head to the office, she remembered her promise to Z last night, saying she'd bring him something delicious today. She

glancing at her tired reflection in the mirror. Last night's dream still haunted her after just two hours of sleep. She yawned as Cole offered sincere advice, "The Bradford Group's entertainment investments are doing well. Even if you took a step back, the company would be fine for the next few years. If we nurture Justin properly, he could take over in ten years. You could focus on yourself, maybe

overnight, so I just can't stop. But you're right, with the holidays coming, we should pause the projects and let

through the window, she saw him at his desk, reading, and felt a wave of relief wash over her. Ryan seemed to sense her

like a lively young wolf, finally shedding the despair from when he