Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Tara was gripping the incense so hard it nearly snapped in her hand, her knuckles white with tension.

But everyone else had their eyes closed, lost in prayer-no one saw the storm brewing on her face except maybe Buddha himself.

The old lady's voice broke the silence. “Tara, I promised I'd make it up to you. Maybe that bracelet yesterday wasn't to your taste, but I have three percent of Ferguson Corporation's shares. When I get home tonight, they'll be yours."

Tara froze, barely able to process what she'd heard.

Three percent of Ferguson Corporation? Did she even realize what that meant?

She opened her mouth, still in disbelief. She'd expected some kind of cash settlement, maybe a check, but not actual shares in the company.

If anyone else in the Ferguson family found out, they'd probably go insane with jealousy.

The old lady took a deep breath, eyes still shut. "All these years, the Warren family raised you well because of a promise I made a long time ago. I said you'd become one of us. Your parents passed away young, and I took a liking to you. The Warren family gave you an excellent upbringing. Things just didn't work out with Dylan-maybe it wasn't meant to be. I'm giving you these shares so even if you never rely on the Warrens again, you'll always have a good life.”

Tara's incense snapped in her hand.

She'd never been treated unfairly in the Warren family. Honestly, in families like this, money was just a number-it barely mattered.noveldrama

When you grow up surrounded by wealth, you don't really get how precious it is.

"My feelings for Dylan have nothing to do with the Ferguson money, ma'am, I—” She felt like she was suffocating, desperate to explain herself before the old lady thought she only cared about the money.

Was it just because her parents died early that everyone assumed she was shallow?

Why wouldn't anyone believe she actually loved Dylan?

If she couldn't be with him, what was the point of living?

She sucked in a shaky breath, her eyes wild. "I swear-I'm not after the Ferguson money. I love Dylan more than anyone else in this world. If I can't be with him, I don't even want to live. Buddha, I swear, I'll love Dylan for the rest of my life!"

Clara heard all this and couldn't help but find it funny. Was Tara clever, or just clueless?

Three percent of Ferguson Corporation-people in the Ferguson family had spent their whole lives begging for a piece of that, and Tara, an outsider, just got it handed to her. She knew Dylan's heart belonged to someone else. The smart thing would be to take the shares and let go.

With that kind of money, Tara could live like a queen for the rest of her life-heck, her kids and grandkids, too. She could spend millions every month and never run out. Why waste all that for a man?

Tara caught Clara's look and sneered. "You think I'm like you, don't you? Some nobody who only sees Dylan's money and power. I'm nothing like you. I told you, I'm the one who loves him most. Clara, I will never give up. All these years of upbringing, all the training-I'm the one who's truly right for Dylan!"

The old lady let out a heavy sigh. "Tara, listen to me. Just take the shares."

"I don't want them!" Tara shot back, standing up so quickly her chair scraped the floor. She stabbed the broken incense into the burner.

But the incense was already snapped, and the pieces tumbled to the floor, looking like a bad omen.

The old lady's face turned pale. She hurried to bow again, as if praying for forgiveness. "My child, why be so stubborn?"

Clara stood too, neatly placing her incense in the burner. "It's fine, ma'am. I promised you, I'll do as you asked."

The old lady sighed one more time and put her incense in the burner. "Let's go. I

really thought giving those shares would be enough for Tara to..."

Clara hung back, shaking her head. Tara just didn't get it.

Tara stormed out of the hall, marching off in a fury.

The old lady and Clara followed after. The old woman looked around and, not seeing Tara, asked a monk nearby, "The girl who just left where did she go?"

The monk pointed in a direction, and the old lady started that way.

Clara followed, wanting to offer a few comforting words, but the old lady seemed lost in her own thoughts, silent all the way.

They arrived at the room where Tara had stayed the night before.

Inside, Tara had reached her breaking point. She swept everything off the table, sending books and cups crashing to the floor.

The old lady walked in just as everything hit the ground.

Tears welled up in Tara's eyes. "Ma'am, I've suffered enough. Those photos-they humiliated me. I can't even show my face in public anymore. Only with Dylan do I feel like myself. If you really care about me, why won't you make Clara give up?"

She pointed straight at Clara, her hatred out in the open now.

The old lady came forward, crouching to pick things up from the floor.

Fighting like this in a temple was basically asking for bad karma.

Clara saw the strands of white in the old lady's hair and hurried over. "Let me help."

Tara clenched her jaw in anger.

"Clara, do you really think playing the

good girl here will make the old lady

accept you? She's only saying those things because of Dylan. None of the Fergusons will ever truly dike you. Isn't it pathetic, forcing yourself into a family that doesn't want you? You don't even love Dylan. Why not just let me have him? I'd treat him better than anyone."