Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Scarlette slapped his hand away, about to speak, when her phone buzzed-it was Clara. Her heart leapt for a moment, but seeing Clara's name calmed her down. Just as she was about to answer, Nicholas snatched the phone, tossed it aside, and pulled her in for another kiss.

"Why bother with the phone? Focus on me."

Clara felt uneasy when no one picked up. Remembering the tension between Scarlette and Nicholas, she sensed tonight might be turbulent and wanted to check in. With no response, she shot Scarlette a quick message: "You okay?"

Scarlette replied the next day with just, "I'm fine." Clara took it at face value.

Later, when Cole came by, Clara handed him two boxes of fruit. He set some papers on the table. "Ms. Bradford, Jared and Jeffree are together. Jeffree is head over heels for him."

Clara smirked, getting why the elite fussed over suitable matches. At least, the daughters from big families weren't reckless enough to pull a Jeffree and try to spill the Warren family's secrets.

She had dinner plans with Dylan, intending to apologize, and had chosen the same hotel where Richard met his business partners. She tipped Jeffree off about the hotel, confident he wouldn't disappoint her.

Clara brought along a brooch Cole had procured a special request. Though Dylan never wore brooches, the goal was to apologize, and an expensive gift would do the trick. Watches were out; Dylan's were worth millions, way beyond her budget. Her limit was two hundred thousand, enough for a decent brooch, but not a watch without being a joke.noveldrama

Satisfied with the sapphire blue brooch, she prepared to leave. Cole broke the silence.

"Did you schedule with Mr. Dylan last minute, Ms. Bradford?"

"Yeah, why?"

Cole hesitated. After years in the business world with Johnny, he knew Dylan was notoriously hard to pin down. Since going abroad, even the Ferguson family struggled to see him. His calendar was likely booked years out, yet Clara managed a spontaneous meet-up. It was curious.

Still at the door, Clara changed her shoes, puzzled. "If you've got something to say, just say it."

Cole, sorting through documents, chose his words. "Is everything good with your boyfriend, Ms. Bradford? I heard Mr. Dylan was recently in the matchmaking scene, and the Ferguson family probably has potential matches lined up."

Clara caught his drift and smiled. "You think it's too easy for me to meet Dylan?" Cole stayed silent.

Clara opened the door, her tone steady. "Maybe I embarrassed him at the gala, and he's been upset, waiting for my apology."

She used to think Dylan was emotionally indifferent, but on that island, he showed something. Coupled with the plum blossom incident, he wasn't entirely without emotion; he just kept it under wraps.

"As long as you get it, Ms. Bradford, you..."

Cole put down the papers, removed his glasses to clean them. "You might not remember much, Ms. Bradford, but I vaguely recall you were searching for someone."

Clara paused, reevaluating Cole. He'd been Johnny's right-hand man for years, always precise and discreet. Johnny trusted him implicitly, and though Cole's skills probably surpassed Johnny's, he kept them under wraps. His subtlety was a skill in itself.

"Who am I looking for?"

"I saw you once late at night, Ms. Bradford. You were nothing like the person you are around the Bradford family-cold and distant. Maybe you'd had too much to drink; there was a mystery in your eyes. If I hadn't known it was you, I wouldn't have recognized you. Once things settle at the company, you should think about regaining your memories."

Cole lowered his lashes, keeping to himself the part where she'd mentioned wanting to kill Dylan. Who knows if it was just drunken talk or the truth?