Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

"Alright, once we seal the next deal, I'll make some time to jog my memory." Clara said, agreeing, and headed out with the gift box in hand.

When she got to the hotel, she turned a corner and unexpectedly bumped into Richard right outside the private dining room. Richard seemed like he had just stepped out, gave her a quick glance, then looked away and walked off.noveldrama

Clara found it odd. She had booked this room, so why was Richard coming out of it? Could it be that Dylan was already there?

She pushed the door open and, sure enough, saw someone inside. Dylan was there, holding a menu, looking like he was deep in thought about what to order. Clara had come half an hour early, yet Dylan was even earlier! Here she was, the one who needed to apologize, and she was the late one.

She quickly put on an apologetic face. "Mr. Dylan, you're here so early. Were you meeting with Richard?"

Otherwise, why would Richard be leaving this room? Before he could respond, she sat down across from him and pulled out the gift box. "I came across this brooch at the mall, and it just seemed like something you'd like, Mr. Dylan."

Last time, she had tried to smooth things over about the Sarah situation with a pair of silver-blue cufflinks, but Dylan never wore them. Dylan barely glanced at the brooch before focusing back on the menu. "Let's just order."

He didn't seem interested at all. Clara didn't mind; she hadn't expected him to be impressed. Dylan had been surrounded by luxury his whole life.

"Alright, I had the chef suggest a few of their signature dishes. They should be out soon." As they waited, Dylan finally looked at her.

"Did you choose the gift?"

Actually, Cole had picked it out at Clara's request. "Yes, I did."

Dylan took a sip of the Earl Grey provided by the restaurant. "I saw your assistant at the mall on my way over."

Clara paused mid-motion as she was about to pour him more tea. Before she could deny it, he continued, "Carrying the same box. Quite the splurge at two thousand dollars."

And just like that, the conversation was almost over. Clara's attempt at an apology was backfiring badly. She slowly sat back, realizing that Dylan was genuinely upset. If he weren't, he wouldn't leave her hanging like this.

She was scrambling to find the right words when the waiter started bringing in the signature dishes. Her heart sank as she noticed nearly half of them were seafood.

Dylan had a seafood allergy! Just as she was about to ask the waiter to take them away, Dylan picked up a fork and knife.

Quickly, she reached over and grabbed his wrist, her voice urgent, "Mr. Dylan, remember your seafood allergy?"

Dylan's eyelashes fluttered as he slowly set the fork down. "I forgot."

Clara took a deep breath and had the waiter remove all the seafood dishes, ordering a few more signature ones instead. "How could you forget something so important? Allergies can be really dangerous."

Dylan's lips curved up slightly, and he lowered his gaze. Suddenly, Clara felt like his mood had lifted a bit. Seizing the chance, she pinned the brooch on him, her manner gentle and focused.

"Even though Cole handled the purchase, I picked it out online myself. Just like the silver-blue cufflinks I gave you last time. I think blue, with its mysterious vibe, suits you perfectly."