Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Chapter 359

Chapter 359

After leaving the hospital, Clara glanced up at the gloomy sky, feeling like a heavy weight had settled on her

heart. She drove over to the Bradford Group, where a few top execs who had always supported her quickly

gathered around.

"Ms. Clara, did you find the CEO?" one of them asked.

Clara sank into the CEO's chair, rubbing her temples tiredly. Just then, Cole walked in unexpectedly. "Weren't you

supposed to be with your family?" she asked, surprised.

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"After your call, | couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Is everything okay?" he replied.

Clara nodded for the others to leave, keeping Cole behind. He'd been with Johnny for years and had been a

reliable ally to Ryan afterward. She trusted him.

She explained Ryan's situation and showed him the trending topic that was heating up online. It was clear

someone was stirring up trouble, and once the topic hit number one, Ryan's story would break wide open. When

that happened, it wouldn't just be Ryan under fire; the whole company would be in the spotlight.

With things as they were, Clara knew she only had one choice. She caught Cole's eye, and he quickly

understood.

"Ms. Clara, you're the only one who can step in as CEO and put these rumors to rest," he said.

Despite Ryan being manipulated, the situation was a breach of ethics, and wrong was wrong. Mistakes had

consequences. Clara gave a small, ironic smile. She'd put Ryan in this position because Naomi had always

viewed her with suspicion, convinced she was after the Bradford family's wealth. Naomi hadn't been kind to

Clara, but she was fiercely loyal to Johnny and their son, Ryan. The empire Johnny built was as much Naomi's

legacy as his.

Clara wanted to live with integrity, no matter how dark the world seemed. But with Quinn out of commission, she

really had no other choice now. Taking a deep breath, she firmed up her resolve. "Let's go ahead with it. Issue a

public statement, admit our mistakes, and explain that Ryan was manipulated. He's in custody now, and we

won't excuse his actions."

Sometimes the public just needs acknowledgment. The more you try to bury the news, the worse the backlash

when it finally breaks. It's better to be upfront, apologize, and even donate to law enforcement to help fight

these issues.

The Bradford family was already on shaky ground, with their assets tied up in land and not much cash on hand.

Clara donated five million, money Simon had given her from Dylan as hush money for the Eden incident.

With the statement out and the donation made, plus a major shake-up within the Bradford Group that saw a lot

of young talent promoted, Clara showed everyone she meant business. From deciding to take charge to

implementing all these changes, only six hours had passed.