Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Mrs. Ferguson almost fainted on the spot, clutching at the nearest person and

desperately asking what had happened.

A maid passing by, seeing her panic, quickly tried to explain. "Ms. Clara liked that

tree before she left, so the young master had it dug up for her."

Unbelievable.

Mrs. Ferguson's face went chalk white, and she collapsed right then and there.

She was convinced now-Clara had come to curse the Ferguson family. Of all

things, she'd had to take the family's lucky tree. Maybe Clara really was their bad

luck charm, just like those ill-fated stars people whispered about, destined to bring

trouble wherever she went.

Meanwhile, Clara was totally oblivious to the chaos she'd caused. When she got

back to Palm Bay, she asked someone to plant the tree just outside her floor-to-

ceiling windows.

The roots had barely settled when the butler called Dylan, sounding frantic.

"Young Master, Mrs. Ferguson just fainted."

Dylan frowned. Wasn't she fine just a little while ago? How did things go south so

quickly?

"Did someone upset her?"

The butler wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Ms. Clara took the tree Mrs.

Ferguson brought back from the temple. It meant a lot to her. She got too worked

up and passed out."

Dylan paused, his gaze shifting to Clara.

She was standing under the newly planted tree, gently touching its leaves. The

wrist caught the light,

leaves.

She looked stunning.

was still talking on the phone, growing more anxious with

maybe we

another one just like it and put

was one of

to find another?

"But-"

out from under the tree, "Honey, is it okay

keep it right here?"

bother replying to the butler he just hung up

voice soft. "If you like it, that's

days were a whirlwind. Dylan was busy nonstop, handling

preparations. Clara only caught glimpses of him when she

asleep at night.

eve of the party, a heavy rainstorm hit the

unsettled. The main hall at

last

stood upstairs, looking down at the crowd. She

feel like going down to

bed, she took a long soak

under the covers.

the middle of the night,

thunder woke her.

for the other side

Dylan still

pulled her robe tighter and stepped quietly

house was silent except for a faint glow coming from the

to call out,

coming

heard his voice

It wasn't the warm,

was used to.

was cold, detached.

The

him, sounding

a file aside. "A person like that, with

his, doesn't deserve Clara."