Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run
Chapter 83

Clara used to put Ada on a pedestal and practically bent over backward if Ada showed even a hint of displeasure. Now that Clara had turned into a bit of a rebel, someone needed to step in and check her!

When Clara got Ada's call, she rummaged through her memory for the info Dylan had given her, finally piecing together who was on the other end. She answered the phone and was greeted by a gentle voice. "Hey Clara, are you free tonight? How about you and Simon come over for dinner? It's been ages since you guys stopped by."

Ada no longer lived in the Ferguson family estate. The elders lived there, while the rest had their own places and only gathered occasionally for family dinners. Clara wasn't sure how she'd acted around Ada before, but since the tone was friendly, she thought it might be a good time to bring up ending the engagement.

"Sure thing, Ada."

After hanging up, Ada glanced at her son sitting next to her and playfully tapped him on the forehead. "See how cooperative she is? Simon, don't get mad at me for saying this, but if you're into Quinn, you should break off the engagement with Clara and be with Quinn."

Simon had thought the same before, but now he felt uneasy. He wanted Clara to make a big fuss about keeping him, just like she used to. He needed her to create a scene for everyone to know. That would make him feel better. Maybe he'd consider dragging out the engagement a bit longer, just because of all she'd done in the past.

"Mom, I've been waiting to end it for a while now. She's the one holding on, and you have no clue how exhausting it is."

Ada was usually sensible, except when it came to her brother's matters. She wouldn't have climbed her way up the social ranks as a mistress otherwise.

Simon grabbed his car keys, sounding a bit impatient. "I'll go pick her up. She'll be over the moon."

"You silly boy."

Simon hit the road, feeling a bit lighter as he reached the top floor of Ferguson Corporation. But then he was told Clara had taken the elevator down just five minutes ago. Furious, he rushed after her, finally catching her in the underground parking lot.

He planned to give her a piece of his mind, but when he saw her profile and the way the lights accentuated her skin, all his words evaporated.

"Clara, I'm here to pick you up. Don't play hard to get today."

The sound of his voice made Clara cringe. She opened her car door to get in, but Simon grabbed it. "When will this end? I'm here to pick you up, what more do you want? My mom really likes you, so don't throw a fit in front of her."

He pulled Clara towards his car and shut her door. "Get in with me."

Just as Clara was about to shake him off, a voice called out from nearby. "Simon, Clara, what's going on?"

Simon and Clara were standing close, with his hand loosely around her waist, looking cozy from afar. Simon leaped back as if caught red-handed. "Quinn, what are you doing here?"

Quinn glanced at Clara cautiously. "It's because of Clara. I..."

She didn't need to finish; Simon could fill in the blanks. Clara must've texted Quinn, setting up this misunderstanding on purpose. Clara was truly cunning.

Simon shot Clara a glare. "Why do you keep doing this? I thought you'd changed." Clara found it amusing and glanced at Quinn.

Quinn looked smug as if having such a man at her side was some kind of trophy. She wrapped her arm around Simon's. "Ada invited me for dinner too. I thought I'd join Simon. Clara, want to ride with us?"

Clara definitely didn't want to and turned to open her car door, only to notice the tire was slashed. She squinted and turned her gaze to Quinn.

Quinn smirked. "Flat tire, huh? Looks like you'll have to ride with us."

However, Simon saw a different story. Clara must have slashed her own tire on purpose. Her car was brand new; it shouldn't break down so easily. Her earlier act was just a ploy to ensure she'd ride with him. A tiny part of him was pleased. Clara was still willing to go to these lengths for him.