Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Clara had done an incredible job hiding her boyfriend. Nobody knew where he lived, what he looked like-nothing.

Simon was just as in the dark as everyone else.

Megan tapped her fingers lightly against the table. "All we have to do is use this so-called boyfriend to stir up trouble between Clara and Dylan. Clara's already in my hands. As for her boyfriend-well, Mr. Simon, that's your problem to solve."

She pulled out a pen and wrote down an address the place where Clara was being kept. Pressing her fingertip on the paper, she slid it across the table to Simon.noveldrama

"Mr. Simon, the rest is on you."

That was the genius of Megan-she never put herself at risk. As long as she could use someone, she would, without a hint of hesitation.

Even if Dylan started digging, she knew Simon was too proud to ever betray her. That meant she could stick around Clara for a long time without getting caught.

The thought made her lips curve into a sly smile. She picked up her bag and stood, pausing just long enough to say, "I'll only keep her there until tomorrow morning. If you don't make a move by then, I'll go with my original plan."

Patience had always been Megan's strong suit, especially when it came to Clara. She never rushed-maybe that's why she always got what she wanted.

Simon stared at the address, jaw tight. After a moment, he pulled out his phone and called Ryan.

If anyone knew more about Clara's mysterious boyfriend, it'd be Ryan.

When Ryan answered, his voice was rough and low, like he hadn't slept in days. He sounded completely worn out.

Simon took a steadying breath. "Do you have Clara's boyfriend's number? Or maybe his address?"

Ryan actually did have the number, but he hesitated.

He wasn't a fan of Simon. The guy had driven a wedge between Clara and Quinn,

turning the whole Bradford family upside down.

Looking back, Simon had always been the type to avoid responsibility.

Ryan let out a humorless laugh. "No, I don't know."

Honestly, he hated Clara's secretive boyfriend even more. He hadn't even met the

guy, but he could already sense the manipulation underneath it all.

Right now, the last thing Ryan wanted was anyone getting in the way while Megan tried to help Clara get her memories back. Maybe if Clara remembered, he'd finally get the answers that kept him upat night.

Simon's frown deepened, his voice tense. "Ryan, this is for Clara. I'm trying to help her."

Ryan sat up abruptly, his words

sharp and cold. "If you really wanted

to help you wouldn't have let her be the butt of everyone's jokes for all these years!”

Simon went quiet. So Ryan had been holding that against him all along. Why hadn't he ever said anything before?

Ryan didn't even know what was going on with himself these days. He was on edge-Sarah was gonez the baby was gone, his family was falling apart. He needed answers from Clara more than ever. Did she ever actually care about him as a brother, or was it always just about the Bradford money?

He felt like he was coming undone, desperate for anything that might pull him back from the edge.

He cut the call without another word and fell back onto the bed, completely drained.