Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

She was clearly annoyed, but Dylan just looked at her, a small, almost teasing smile tugging at his lips.

Clara couldn't help but notice he seemed off today-something must have happened to put him in such a mood, and now he was taking it out on her in his own playful way.

What on earth had happened to him?

She took a breath, forcing herself to calm down. Reaching out, she grabbed his wrist and moved his hand away.

He didn't resist; he just let her do it, his touch loosening until he let go completely.

The candy he'd given her had already melted on her tongue, its sweetness lingering in her mouth-just like his worries, dissolving little by little.

Without another word, Dylan turned and walked toward the main house.

Clara didn't follow. She touched her lips, still tasting that unexpected sweetness, and glanced at the table where a few more candies sat, still in their wrappers.

What kind of candy was that, anyway? It was actually really good.

Dylan entered the main house. In his study, he just stared at his fingers, lost in thought.

Aiden came in, dropping a stack of files onto Dylan's desk. "Mr. Ferguson, these are the reports you need to review this afternoon. Dinner at the old manor is at six sharp."

Dylan didn't even look up. He kept staring at his hand, completely out of it.

Aiden just sighed.

*

Ada's funeral was over almost as quickly as it began. Once the last of the Fergusons left, Simon ordered the ashes to be taken away.

son, who hadn't shed a single tear throughout the whole thing. Simon looked dazed, completely checked out, and

he and Ada had never gotten along, but she'd given everything she

saint-he'd always treated women like toys, keeping around whoever

son of his?

you going to visit your mother's

plot himself. Simon hadn't

got in. "I have things to take

but he held it in. He'd have to rely on

couldn't focus on anything. One address

outskirts of the city. Shelly had been buried here years ago—this was the most exclusive cemetery in the whole Capital. Normal people didn't

had written this address in her

the child was

No way.

fighting-Dylan had always treated Eden differently, and it was all

was gone, why would Dylan still care so much? There

hiding about his child, it had

Suddenly, Simon

years, but everyone assumed he was only visiting Shelly's grave That's why the rumors about him

using the gossip to

He was determined to bring Dylan down, no matter

around, watching the entrance. Everyone

even some

families or had some kind of

hero's section was separate from the family tombs, and Simon had never been over there. People said

the family graves, pretending to be there for someone, but his eyes kept drifting toward a narrow path that led up another hill. Even from a distance, it looked serious-guards

forced himself to walk that

uniform