Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Chapter 479

Clara stayed at the hospital until nightfall, exhausted and running on empty. Unable to fight it any longer, she rested her head on the bedside and fell asleep.

A few hours later, a gentle nudge from a doctor brought her back to reality. "Ms. Clara, you should go home and get some rest. You don't want to be the one who collapses before your brother wakes up."

Rubbing her tired eyes, Clara noticed the dark circles under them. "Is his fever still not breaking?"

The doctor sighed. "It seems like he's dealing with something deep inside, something only he can work through. Being here for him might make a difference."

But Clara was clueless about what was weighing on Ryan's mind.

She got up and headed home, barely making it to her bed before sleep claimed her.

In the middle of the night, a noise outside her window jolted her awake. She switched on the lamp to find a stranger holding a tool, ready to break the glass.

It was terrifying. If Clara didn't have such strong nerves, she might have screamed.

The man hadn't expected the sudden light and quickly tried to shatter the window, but Clara was quicker. She grabbed a chair and hurled it at the window.

The intruder, lacking any safety gear, had climbed up with nothing but his bare hands.

The chair hit him hard, leaving him no choice but to fall.

a nearby patrol,

watching as police filled the scene

officers showed up at her door, a bit taken aback. "Ms. Clara, it's you

with the police many times before

seemed troubled. "You'll need to come with us. We'll soon

a coat and

a drifter from the city's outskirts with a long

was

she asked, "Can you check his

know who might have hired him. If she hadn't woken up in time, things

is full of crime. They've learned not to leave

thought about the recent attempts on her

a snowy

to

sensed they weren't from the same

not the work

thoughts drifted to Jeff and Jake, two guys she'd almost

always overshadowed by Richard, yearned for recognition in the