Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Dylan slipped the marriage certificate into his drawer, pen twirling between his fingers, not even glancing up when Simon spoke.

Simon was so over Dylan's act-always distant, always cool, like nothing could touch him and no one really mattered. That night at the old Ferguson house, Dylan had smoothed over a massive crisis with just a few casual words, making everyone else look like idiots in the process.

But Grandpa had made himself clear: Dylan had to get married within two weeks. There was no mistaking the message he didn't want Dylan anywhere near Clara.

Thinking about it, Simon couldn't help but smirk.

"Don't forget, Dylan. Grandpa wants you married within half a month. He's been seriously interviewing candidates for your wife these days. I guess you won't have time to hunt down Clara, huh?"

There was never going to be anything between Dylan and Clara anyway.

Dylan's pen froze for a second. Wordlessly, he picked up his phone and made a call.

A few minutes later, security showed up at the office. They addressed Simon politely, "Mr. Simon, please step outside."

Simon's hand curled into a fist at his side. He knew Dylan looked down on him— always had. But he was a Ferguson too, standing on Ferguson property. Why should he be the one to leave?

Before he could protest, the guards closed in.

Luckily, Simon had been training lately. He threw a few punches, holding his own for a moment. But these were Ferguson's top security guys-they had him pinned in no time.

As they restrained him, Simon glared at Dylan.

"Dylan, Yvette used to say that the more you care about something, the more you pretend you don't. You must be freaking out right now. You've been chasing Clara for so long, and now you have to marry someone else. Looks like it's finally my turn to laugh at you."

He burned with frustration.

Even as the guards dragged him away, Simon wanted to keep taunting Dylan. But then he noticed the mood on the upper floors-a sudden burst of excitement, like everyone had just heard some incredible news.

He frowned, getting shoved into the elevator.

When the doors opened on the ground floor, he overheard a group of employees talking.

"Did you hear? The boss just got married! Some of the execs saw the marriage certificate. They're handing out wedding candy to everyone in the company soon!"

“Is that for real? Who would the boss

even marry? It's probably one of those arranged marriages. Remember that overseas celeb who married into a rich family? That was messy. With all this drama in the Ferguson family, I bet things are about to get wild around here."

"Honestly, if the CEO's as cold at home as he is at work, his wife's probably going

to stir up trouble, and then it's us who'll suffer."

When the powerful fight, it's always the little people who pay the price.

The group looked miserable—until someone else chimed in.

"I heard from someone upstairs that the CEO actually likes his wife. So maybe it's

not just a family match-up. Guess we'll have to wait and see."

Simon stopped in his tracks and turned to them. "Who told you that?"

The employees just shrugged he was a stranger to them.

"Everyone's talking about it. The message popped up in the company chat. The wedding candy is already on its way, and it's the expensive kind. The CEO must be over the moon." noveldrama

Simon scowled. No way that was true.

The Ferguson family drama had barely settled down, and Grandpa was still busy

picking out a bride for Dylan. Who could he have possibly married?

He figured the staff must have gotten wires crossed about someone else's wedding. Not his problem.

Once the guards tossed him out, Simon shot one last look at the towering building, scoffing under his breath.

He climbed into his car, hesitated, then dialed Clara's number again.

She'd been missing for almost a week now. Where had she gone?

Across town, Ryan was searching for Clara too.

He knew she wanted nothing to do with him, but the second Simon said she was missing, worry gnawed at him anyway.

With a stack of paperwork in front of him-Cole's idea of punishment for being distracted-Ryan was stuck at the office late every night, sleep a distant memory. Sometimes his thoughts drifted to Sarah, other times to Clara.

Cole hovered behind him, noticing he was zoning out. He cleared his throat and

asked, "Hey, what's on your mind?"