Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Early the next morning, a servant knocked anxiously on Dylan's door.

"Sir, madam is gone."

Dylan didn't even bother finishing getting dressed before ordering everyone to search. He checked Clara's bedroom himself twice-then looked in the closet, behind the curtains, everywhere she could possibly be.

With how tight security was at Palm Bay, there was no way she could just slip out on her own.

"Clara!" he called out, but the house was dead quiet.

Just as he was about to check the other rooms, someone pulled up last night's security footage. There was Clara, asleep in a car.

Dylan let out a long breath, glanced down at his feet-one shoe on, one off-and rubbed his temples.

He went back to finish getting ready, then headed out to the car. When he looked inside and saw Clara still fast asleep in the backseat, he turned to Aiden. "Why didn't you close the car door?"

Aiden just scratched his head, still groggy from the morning. "Guess I forgot last night."

Clara woke up, rubbing her eyes. Spotting Dylan standing outside, she sat up straight. "I want to go out with you today."

Dylan was dressed sharp, clearly heading out for something important. His hand tightened a little on the door handle.

Clara stayed put, refusing to leave the car. Another day trapped at Palm Bay and she'd probably lose her mind.

Dylan remembered what the doctor had said-Clara hadn't been sleeping well, something was bothering her. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to take her out for a change.

He lowered his gaze and got in the car. "I'll wait. Go change your clothes."

Clara's eyes lit up, but she still looked at him warily. "You're not just saying that, right? You won't disappear as soon as I go upstairs?"

She said it, but she was already out of the car and sprinting up the stairs.

Something inside her knew-Dylan wasn't the type to break a promise.

washed up in record time, snatched some bread from the breakfast table, and dashed

when she was back in the car did she finally exhale and relax,

a bottle of water. "Take

he suddenly

took the water, finished her bread, and finally

was Dylan meeting

at Westhill Cemetery, she recognized it

here once before with him. This was where Shelly was buried, and even that

at the cemetery gates-only

here to see

the

is he finally saying.

couldn't

Shelly so he can marry Taca? He did

but then both of them heard footsteps behind them-Clara

hadn't gone inside last time, but today, she wanted to see for

would stop her, but even as they reached the hillside, he didn't say

mood shift the moment they stepped inside he grew tense, almost

Dylan's face and

up, but the guards

Dylan's back, unable to hold it in.

her,

was weighing something

he looked away. "Come on,

stepped aside and Clara

side of the hill was huge, stretching as far as she could see, with even an escalator

step onto the

they reached the top, the

a grand, imposing building,

it feel