Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Chapter 615

Clara couldn't believe how vicious these people were. They all came from the same village-why were they treating each other like enemies?

Clearly, Emily had held back when she warned Clara about the wellness center that morning. The people who worked there didn't value anyone's life but their

own.

They had to have some serious backing. No one would act this bold otherwise.

Clara tried to move toward Emily, wanting to help her up, but the men blocked her, their eyes filled with something ugly.

"Hey, pretty girl," one of them sneered. "Don't say we didn't warn you. In this village, you don't get to call the shots. Keep being stubborn, and the Bolton girl will die right in front of you tonight."

Emily was barely hanging on, struggling to get to her feet.

Clara's heart raced. She was terrified they'd start beating Emily again, so she blurted, "I'll go with you. Just leave her alone."

There was still an elderly member of the Bolton family-if Emily died, who would care for the sick old man?

Just as they started forcing her toward the door, a frail, cracked voice broke through the tension, full of regret.

"Sins... all sins..."

room. Now she finally saw him: thin as a skeleton, one leg dragging, limping toward Emily on unsteady feet. Halfway there, he fell, but instead of giving up,

guilt. If she hadn't come here, none of

about to apologize when the men burst out laughing, as if watching the old man struggle on

as the old man spoke, his voice trembling. "Clara, if you can run, then run. There's not a single decent soul in that place. If you go in, you won't come out whole. My wife died in there. Pan's parents... they didn't leave for work—they're buried in that place. I lied and

felt like her heart stopped. She'd been thinking about going to the wellness center herself to see what was really going on, but hearing this, the place sounded more like a

motion, pulled out the gun she'd tucked behind her back.

chance to react-they dropped

man was frozen in

mit. She never expecsét

ran

it

world come to this

hurried over and gently helped the old man up.

all over-not with fear, but with

His voice quivered. "I can't leave and

whole life. Clara, listen to

face; only the herbs Emily brought him from the mountains were keeping him

her hand,

come back out. Most of the villagers have already been bought, and anyone with a conscience is long gone'm only still alive because I can't leave Pan behind. She doesn't know anything. Years

revenge. Now Pan's all