Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Clara stayed at the hospital until nightfall, exhausted and running on empty. Unable to fight it any longer, she rested her head on the bedside and fell asleep.

A few hours later, a gentle nudge from a doctor brought her back to reality. "Ms. Clara, you should go home and get some rest. You don't want to be the one who collapses before your brother wakes up."

Rubbing her tired eyes, Clara noticed the dark circles under them. "Is his fever still not breaking?"

The doctor sighed. "It seems like he's dealing with something deep inside, something only he can work through. Being here for him might make a difference."

But Clara was clueless about what was weighing on Ryan's mind.

She got up and headed home, barely making it to her bed before sleep claimed her.noveldrama

In the middle of the night, a noise outside her window jolted her awake. She switched on the lamp to find a stranger holding a tool, ready to break the glass.

It was terrifying. If Clara didn't have such strong nerves, she might have screamed.

The man hadn't expected the sudden light and quickly tried to shatter the window, but Clara was quicker. She grabbed a chair and hurled it at the window.

The intruder, lacking any safety gear, had climbed up with nothing but his bare hands.

The chair hit him hard, leaving him no choice but to fall.

The thud of his body hitting the ground alerted a nearby patrol, and soon, sirens were wailing in the night. The fall was fatal.

Clara stood at her window, watching as police filled the scene below. She felt oddly calm now.

The officers showed up at her door, a bit taken aback. "Ms. Clara, it's you again."

She had dealt with the police many times before and calmly explained everything that had happened that night.

The police, noticing the shards of broken glass, seemed troubled. "You'll need to come with us. We'll soon know who he was."

Clara threw on a coat and went with them to the station.

The police worked quickly, identifying the man as a drifter from the city's outskirts with a long rap sheet.

Given his background, it was clear Clara wasn't at fault.

Curious, she asked, "Can you check his financial dealings?"

She wanted to know who might have hired him. If she hadn't woken up in time, things could've been disastrous.

The officers looked into his records and sighed. "Ms. Clara, you have to understand, that area is full of crime. They've learned not to leave digital traces, using cash instead. Have you had any recent run-ins with anyone?"

Clara thought about the recent attempts on her life: one with

gasoline, another a snowy chal

both aiming to end her.

But she sensed they weren't from the same person.

Gasoline seemed too crude, not the work of a clever mind.

Her thoughts drifted to Jeff and Jake, two guys she'd almost forgotten.

Jake, always overshadowed by Richard, yearned for recognition in the Warren family. But with Richard holding him back, his efforts

seemed pointless, twisting his mind over time.

Pair him with the bumbling Jeff, and they might try anything.

She left the station and got into her car. It was 3 a.m., and the streets were deserted.

After driving a bit, she stopped and called out, "Come out now."

Silence. Maybe it was just her imagination.

Frowning, she spoke to the darkness again. "I know you're there. You're not here to hurt me."

A soft shuffle broke the quiet, and a figure emerged.

Lately, Clara had noticed subtle changes in herself, a heightened awareness of her surroundings.

Sometimes, she could sense when someone was following her.

She was surprised when she recognized the person stepping out. "Eli?"

Dressed in black, a braid over his shoulder, Eli nodded.

Clara nodded towards her car. "Let's talk inside."