No Strings Attached

Chapter 73 Hearing those words, lan’s pupils contracted sharply. His dark eyes were like icy pools, chilling and obscure in their depths. “Clara, we can negotiate anything but that,” he said with an unwavering tone. “But that’s the only thing I want, Mr. Hayes. You can’t back out on your word.” lan’s usually stoic face suddenly leaned closer, his tall and imposing figure pinning her beneath him. His breath, hot and heavy, cascaded over her face. “So you’re that eager to get rid of me, Clara? That desperate to run into another man’s arms?” Clara met his gaze calmly. “Think whatever you want.” His voice turned cold and merciless. “Don’t even think about it. I won’t let you go even a day early from our contract. I’ll make sure the Campbells explain themselves for this.” With that, he stormed out, the door slamming behind him. Later, no one knew how lan managed to persuade Heidi, but there she was, in her hospital gown, apologizing to Clara. The Campbell family even paid a settlement for emotional distress. However, at the same time, they made it clear that they wouldn’t go easy on Clara at the trial on the third. Worried about stressing her father, Clara hadn’t told him about her fall into the water. On the day she was discharged from the hospital, she planned to return to her small apartment, but then she received a call from Casey. “Dad, what’s up?” Casey’s voice was cheery. “Clara, I’m at the construction site and forgot my medication. Can you bring it to me if you’re free?” Knowing the consequences if her father missed his meds, Clara agreed without a second thought. She picked up the prescription from the hospital pharmacy and drove straight to the construction site. It was Clara’s first time there. The project was a collaboration with Hayes Corporation, and some of the employees recognized Clara and greeted her. The weather was sweltering, and she was sweating profusely after just a few minutes on site. She was about to call her father to ask where he was when a hard hat was suddenly placed on her head. Clara instinctively turned around and found herself face to face with lan’s chiseled features. He was dressed in the shirt and pants she had bought for him, topped with a blue hard hat, sweat trickling down the sexy line of his jaw to his sculpted collarbone. At Clara’s baffled expression, lan chuckled. “Don’t recognize me?” He adjusted the hard hat on her and tied it securely, his voice dropping an octave. “Didn’t know you had to wear protection on a construction site, Ms. Clara? Are you trying to 11:4 cause trouble for my project?” Clara was surprised. “What are you doing here?” It seemed too coincidental. Her father asked her to deliver medicine, and she happened to run into lan. Since the incident with Heidi, she had been giving lan the cold shoulder. lan frowned at her. “It’s my project. Why can’t I be here? And you, Ms. Clara, rushing over here right after being discharged? Aren’t you worried about overdoing it?” Before he could finish, Clara saw her father approaching. She quickly gestured to lan to keep quiet. lan nodded with a smile, but his large hand held fast to her smaller one, his gaze suggesting an unspoken threat: protest and he’d reveal her hospitalization. Clara didn’t believe he’d go that far. She tried to pull away, only to hear lan’s deep voice right above her. “Mr. Casey, is Clara scared of water?” The question was enough to freeze Clara in place. She obediently let lan wrap his arm. around her, her teeth grinding together in silent frustration.