No Strings Attached

Chapter 113

His searing gaze was fixed on Clara with an intensity that felt like he could see right through her.

Clara felt as if someone had thrust a knife into her chest. She lifted her eyes to meet lan’s. “What if I said yes, Mr. Hayes? What do you plan to do about it? Can you offer me the love I desire or the marriage I seek?” lan was left speechless. His sensuous lips parted, but no words came out.

Seeing him flustered, Clara let out a scornful laugh. “Perhaps you can’t offer either, can you? So why dredge up the past? For amusement, perhaps?”

“Clara!” lan’s hands gripped her shoulders, his eyes burning into hers. “At the anniversary celebration, I gave you a chance. All you had to do was dance the first dance with me, and I would have acknowledged you as my girlfriend in front of everyone. It was you who overstepped, getting tangled up with Anders at a crucial moment. It’s not that I didn’t offer; it’s that you didn’t want it.”

Clara smiled bitterly. “Should I be thanking you for your generosity?”

“Clara, I can let bygones be bygones. Let’s start over.”

With that, she

to spill from her

of dedication being reduced to the status of a mere

that he had ignored her when

could she accept that he had coldly abandoned her

simply not pursue the past when each memory stabbed her heart, causing an indescribable pain. How could he expect her to ‘start over‘ with just a

much lan called after her. She just got in her car

seeing Clara’s distressed expression, knew the two had clashed again. She hurried over to lan, handing him a towel with feigned concern. “Ian, you’re not blaming Attorney Clara for what happened that night, are you? In such situations, nobody has the luxury of choice. It’s life that matters, not virtue.” Her words were dripping with reason, but her heart reveled in the misfortune.

if he knew Clara had been drugged, what of it?