Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Clara sat in the car, stealing glances at Dylan, who was just as silent as she was. The whole situation felt unreal, like she'd been caught in some twisted tug-of-war that only got stronger the longer she sat there.

Everyone else saw Dylan as the kind of man you could only admire from afar— untouchable, almost cold. No one would ever imagine he'd force a woman into marriage.

Clara straightened up, nerves getting the better of her as the car turned onto a street she recognized. Without thinking, she jabbed at the door's unlock button, hoping for some kind of escape.

Nothing happened. The door stayed stubbornly shut. She turned to Dylan, searching his face for some sign of emotion.

He looked paler than usual, his expression blank-maybe even a little haunted. The courthouse was getting closer by the second, and panic started to claw at her.

If Dylan only saw her as a replacement for someone else, surely he could find another woman who looked even more like his lost love. Why her?

"Mr. Dylan..." she tried, clinging to the hope that reason might still reach him.

But he cut her off, his voice flat. "Don't bother."

His meaning was crystal clear: it didn't matter what she said or did. This marriage was happening, whether she liked it or not.

Clara's frustration bubbled over. "I don't love you. Forcing this will only make both of us miserable. I already have someone I care about. Mr. Dylan, you're not unreasonable. If this is about Eden, just let me apologize, okay?"

If she'd known things with Eden would get so out of hand, she would've stepped in long ago.

Dylan grabbed her wrist and yanked

them last night—still bore two clear

when Dylan pulled out a small, ornate box. He

the plain bands she'd once given Z, but something much more intricate. The rings were a deep blue and white, like

ring was delicate and elegant; the men's was simple

Dylan took her hand

tried to pull away, but his

set his mind on

the ring slid into place, panic hit her hard. It felt like a chain,

slipped

cold. "Didn't you say you love your boyfriend?

at him in

someone so beautiful say something

up in her

like a completely different person. What had

short time? Had losing Eden really

stared at his ring, his voice barely a whisper. "Or maybe your boyfriend isn't enough leverage What about your

weight of everything she owed pressed down

or alive-if she failed