No Strings Attached

Chapter 172

Her expression shifted to one of pure professionalism in an instant. So, a birthmark in such a hidden spot would only be known by someone very close to the individual,” she said.

lan’s dark eyes narrowed briefly. “The only people in our family who know about this are Grandma Rose and my parents. I can’t think of a single reason they’d sabotage me since this concerns the entire future of Hayes Corporation”

Clara’s eyelashes fluttered as she met lan’s gaze. “What if someone is using this to force you into marrying Helena? To get you to bring her into the fold?”

“Why would you say that?”

“Helena once gave me a choice. If I convinced you to marry het, she would immediately drop the lawsuit.”

“And why didn’t you tell me? Could it be that you still have feelings for me and didn’t want me to be involved with another woman?”

lan’s piercing gaze was fixed on Clara, searching her face for any sign of reluctant affection,

faint smile. “My mission from Trevor was to help you win this lawsult, not to compromise willy–nilly. It has nothing to do with personal

as if he had been pierced by a

wants

always to control my life, willing to hurt both you and me to achieve her goals. His laughter was tinged with

an inside job, knowing full well that not just anyone could gain access to the Hayes

the perpetrator could be his own mother. His mother had gone so far as to murder their child to keep Clara away from him, even at the risk of harming Clara physically. Now

itself in lan’s chest as he spoke with a hint of anguish, “Clara, how excruciating must it be to face betrayal from one’s own mother? Are we, perhaps, bound by a shared

could Clara not understand lan’s current turmoil? When Victoria had hurt

“Pretend she’s not your biological mother, then it won’t

managed a wry smile. He wished that were true because without that bond, there would be no barriers between him

coffee from Clara’s hand, but his hands