Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run novel Chapter 783

Clara waited for him to finish eating before she picked up the insulated lunch box, ready to head out. She was almost at the door when he spoke up.

“You…”

He was always quick and to the point with everyone else, just issuing orders. But with Clara, it was like he had to pause, gather his thoughts, and even then, he never seemed to know what to say.

She waited, counting out ten seconds in her head. Nothing. So she took a guess. “You have an event tonight, right? No need for me to bring dinner?”

He hesitated, something flickering in his eyes. “Yeah.” Then, as if realizing how cold that sounded, he added, “Can’t get out of it.”

Clara gave him a small smile. “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow morning, then—right on time.”

And with that, she opened the office door and slipped out.

Dylan stared at the keyboard in front of him. Lately, he felt like his emotions had been dialed down to zero—nothing really grabbed his attention; everything around him felt washed-out and gray. Work was the only thing that mattered.

But every time Clara walked in, it was like someone turned the world’s colors back on. The dullness faded, and life crept back in, just a little—like rain coaxing green from dry ground.

He didn’t have to ask himself who she was. He’d just gotten used to waiting for her to appear.

He worked straight through until six, when Aiden knocked on his door. “Rai’s here.”

The last time, at Walter’s birthday, Dylan hadn’t seen Rai—he’d already left. But now Rai was back in the city, and they’d finally set a time to meet.

That night, the old house was as bustling as ever.

Rai just smiled and slipped a signet ring onto Dylan’s thumb. “Dylan, take this. Now that you’re back to normal, the position’s still yours. We argued with the elders about waiting for your recovery, but now there’s nothing in the way. When are you heading overseas?”

Dylan turned the ring over in his hand—a simple amber band, old and solid. He kept glancing at his other hand, half-expecting something to be there, but it was empty.

When he’d first woken up, he’d asked his dad about it, but no one told him anything. Everyone acted like it was all just a dream.

He didn’t answer, so Walter cleared his throat. “Rai’s asking you something, Dylan. You need to make plans. Ms. Louella’s still waiting, you know. This is the perfect time for you two to get to know each other.”

Rai laughed, all warmth. “That Chester girl’s always liked Dylan. With looks like his, no one ever forgets him.”

Dylan just looked at the ring on his thumb and gave a quiet, “Alright.”