Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Griffin didn't seem to notice the change in Dylan's mood. He just smiled, easy and relaxed, as Richard made his way over.

Richard stood out in the crowd-tall, confident. He was the first to speak. "Mr. Shaw."

"Richard, long time no see."

Richard shot a glance at Dylan, catching the tension. He tried to keep things light. "Dylan's been feeling rough lately. Not much for conversation these days."

"It's fine. We've met a few times-he's always been like this."

No sarcasm, just stating the truth.

Suddenly, Dylan let out a couple of coughs. When he looked up, his voice was raw. "Where... where is she right now?"

Charles's smile faded a little. The Fergusons overseas had made their intentions pretty clear-they wanted a marriage alliance.

And they wanted Dylan, specifically. Odds were, he'd be the one.

But the Chester family wasn't about to hand over their treasured daughter to a man who was in love with someone else.

"Sorry," Charles said with a shrug, "my brother's unpredictable. No clue where he ran off with her."

Dylan didn't reply, but the coughing seemed to have given his cheeks some color. Richard sighed and sat down across from him. "Want me to go look for her?" "No, that's okay."

She wasn't so easy to track down these days.

He stared at his wine glass, lost in thought, barely noticing anything around him.

On the other side of the room, Walter was still catching up with old friends when a servant rushed over and whispered something urgent in his ear.

Walter's brows drew together, his face turning stormy. "Where is he?"

.n

The servant looked nervous. "We're not sure, sir. But he's sent those photos everywhere. They're all over now, and there's no way to take them back. Everyone in the Capital knows-about the young master and Ms. Warren..."

Walter took a deep breath. First Kayla, now Simon-one spiked drinks, the other leaked those private photos. His headache was growing by the second. "Send him home. He's grounded. Two monthsol don't want to see him step outside.” Cóntent

The servant nodded and hurried off to find Simon.

Simon, meanwhile, was right in the hall. He didn't care about the birthday party- he just wanted Dylan to suffer.

He strode straight over and sat down across from him.

"Dylan, I already sent out those photos of you and Tara. If Clara actually cares about you, she'll see them and come looking for answers, right? But it's been two hours, and your phone's still quiet."

He was taunting him, convinced that Dylan and Tara had slept together. And now, with the whole city talking, the two of them would be stuck together for the foreseeable future.

It was a Ferguson family mess, but Griffin was still there.

Griffin flashed a polite smile and stood up. "Mr. Dylan, if you ever feel like getting involved with our business overseas, just give me a call. You still have my number I gave you my card two years ago."

Dylan's face didn't show a thing. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

Griffin didn't even glance at Simon, just smiled. “Every family's got their own problems."

The Chesters were no exception. Nobody thought otherwise.

As soon as Griffin left, Simon

scoffed. “What an act. The Chesters wanted to marry into your family, but after all this? That plan's toast. Guess you're stuck with Tara

now how else are you going to explain any of this to the Warrens? Am I right, Richard?" noveldrama

He shot Richard a smug look.

Richard leaned back in his chair, a slow smile spreading across his face.