Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run
Chapter 74

With Simon's usual temperament, you'd think he'd immediately cut ties with Clara, but surprisingly, he didn't. Instead, he decided to call up Casey to get to the

bottom of things.

When no one picked up, Simon took it upon himself to track down Casey's whereabouts.

The night before, Casey had been knocked out so fast he hadn't even caught a glimpse of who'd done it. He'd assumed it was just someone stepping in with a sense of justice.

When Casey woke up in the hospital, he was fuming. He wasted no time doctoring some scandalous photos of Clara, which were downright indecent.

Ha! That girl had the nerve to act all innocent around him, and now he was going to blow her cover wide open.

Just as Casey was about to leak the photos, the hospital room door swung open, and Simon walked in with a determined stride.

"Did you spend last night with Clara? And did you take any photos of her?" Simon asked directly.

Casey didn't really know about Clara and Simon. "So what if I did? Isn't money her ultimate fix? These snapshots are from last night. If you fancy them, Mr. Simon, I can set it up for her to entertain you tonight."

Simon and Clara's relationship never went beyond a hug. Ever since Quinn showed up five years ago, Simon's heart wasn't really in it anymore. Seeing Clara sprawled naked in another guy's arms in those photos made Simon's blood boil.

She's utterly shameless!

He snatched the phone from Casey's hand, his voice icy. "How much do you want to delete these photos? Casey, don't say I didn't give you a heads-up. Clara is my fiancée."

Casey froze; he hadn't realized that part. He hadn't expected Simon to confront him. He had once partnered with Ferguson Corporation, and when he tried to re- establish that, they turned him down. This was a massive opportunity for him.

"Mr. Simon, I'm looking to partner with your company again. This time, I hope Ferguson Corporation won't dismiss my proposal. If you agree, I'll delete these photos right away. You know as well as I do if these photos get out, Clara's reputation will be in tatters."

Simon was caught between frustration over Clara's lack of discernment in men like Casey and anger at Casey's audacity. The project Casey was interested in had already wrapped up with another company, and changing that now would be a nightmare. Dylan would undoubtedly catch wind of it.

Clara wasn't worth squaring off with Dylan over.

That was what he thought, yet he couldn't take his eyes off the photos.

If Clara could fool around like that with others, why not with him?

His grip on the phone tightened, and he sneered, setting it back down.

"This project isn't solely my decision. Changing partners means getting my uncle's nod. My uncle has a soft spot for Clara, so maybe try threatening him with these photos. Clara's already out the door in my book."

"Mr. Simon, are you really sending me to Dylan to get crushed? I'm not that stupid."

Everyone knew Dylan's reputation. Cross him, and you'd be lucky to see another sunrise. Even Casey wasn't dumb enough to mess with someone like that.

"Fortune favors the bold. The project is worth three billion. If it goes your way, your position could leap two levels. It's all about whether you're willing to roll the dice."

Human nature is greedy.

Before leaving, Simon made sure to throw in one last tidbit. "I'm the reason for my uncle's involvement, so don't worry about Clara's photos setting him off. He's never one to get worked up over small stuff like this."

That bit of reassurance settled Casey's nerves. Yeah, Dylan wouldn't lose his head over a girl.

After getting information that Dylan would be at Moonlight that night, Casey made his way over there.

He envisioned a whole slew of future plans on his way. He'd worked tirelessly all his life for this very chance. Now, he was so close he could almost taste it.

When he stopped Dylan's car at the entrance, nerves kicked in, but when he whipped out those photos, Dylan's face remained stoic. Just as Casey was about to pat himself on the back for a gamble well-played, two bodyguards appeared out of nowhere, shoving him into a black car parked nearby.

When he came to, the air reeked of blood. A tight black cloth was wrapped around his eyes, and his limbs were stretched out and tied up.

An unknown terror gnawed at him like a venomous bug. Who was behind this kidnapping? Was it Dylan?

It couldn't be. Dylan seemed perfectly calm when Casey showed him those photos, and not a hint of anger showed.

"Who are you?" he croaked out.

No sooner had he spoken than Dylan's voice cut through the air. He was sitting casually nearby, a cup of coffee in hand, his tone as smooth as ever.

"We met just a moment ago, Mr. Casey, and you don't know who I am?"