Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Clara sat in the car, stealing glances at Dylan, who was just as silent as she was. The whole situation felt unreal, like she'd been caught in some twisted tug-of-war that only got stronger the longer she sat there.

Everyone else saw Dylan as the kind of man you could only admire from afar— untouchable, almost cold. No one would ever imagine he'd force a woman into marriage.

Clara straightened up, nerves getting the better of her as the car turned onto a street she recognized. Without thinking, she jabbed at the door's unlock button, hoping for some kind of escape.

Nothing happened. The door stayed stubbornly shut. She turned to Dylan, searching his face for some sign of emotion.

He looked paler than usual, his expression blank-maybe even a little haunted. The courthouse was getting closer by the second, and panic started to claw at her.

If Dylan only saw her as a replacement for someone else, surely he could find another woman who looked even more like his lost love. Why her?

"Mr. Dylan..." she tried, clinging to the hope that reason might still reach him.

But he cut her off, his voice flat. "Don't bother."

His meaning was crystal clear: it didn't matter what she said or did. This marriage was happening, whether she liked it or not.

Clara's frustration bubbled over. "I don't love you. Forcing this will only make both of us miserable. I already have someone I care about. Mr. Dylan, you're not unreasonable. If this is about Eden, just let me apologize, okay?"

If she'd known things with Eden would get so out of hand, she would've stepped in long ago.

Before she could say anything else, Dylan grabbed her wrist and yanked her closer. She almost fell right into his lap.

Clara looked up, meeting his eyes. His lips-she remembered biting them last night—still bore two clear marks. Paired with his striking features, the effect was both alluring and a little dangerous.

She was about to protest when Dylan pulled out a small, ornate box. He snapped

it open to reveal two rings-not the plain bands she'd once given Z, but something much more intricate. The rings were a deep blue and white, like porcelain, with gemstones circling them in patterns that looked almost like tiny painted landscapes.

The women's ring was delicate and elegant; the men's was simple but bold. Both were impossible to ignore.

Without a word, Dylan took her hand and slid the ring onto her finger.

Clara tried to pull away, but his grip was unmovable. She couldn't even budge.

A chill ran through her. When Dylan set his mind on something, nothing could change it. Not her, not anyone.

As the ring slid into place, panic hit her hard. It felt like a chain, tying her to him for life.

Dylan didn't look at her as he slipped the other ring onto his own hand.

Clara immediately tried to pull the ring off, but Dylan's voice stopped her cold. "Didn't you say you love your boyfriend? Marry me, and he gets to live."

Clara froze, staring at him in shock.

How could someone so beautiful say something so cruel?

Anger flared up in her chest. "Dylan-"

He seemed like a completely different person. What had happened to him in such

a short time? Had losing Eden really changed him that much?

Dylan stared at his ring, his voice barely a whisper. "Or maybe your boyfriend isn't enough leverage What about your brother? If he dies in front of you, how will you ever face Johnny?"

The weight of everything she owed pressed down on her. How could she ever

face Johnny-dead or alive-if she failed now?noveldrama

Every word out of Dylan's mouth

made him seem more like a

stranger. For a second, Clara

wondered if the real Dylan had been replaced by someone else. He used to be reserved, yes, but there was always a quiet warmth in his eyes. Now, she saw only ice.

She fell silent, sitting stiffly at his side, her face drained of color.

Rumors about Dylan had always swirled through the city. Even with his disability,

he was powerful—people who challenged him never walked away unscathed.

He might be in a wheelchair, but no one dared look down on him.

If he really wanted to hurt Z and Ryan...

Clara's mind raced, panic rising as the car finally pulled up in front of the courthouse.