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,

was to help you win this lawsult, not to

as if he had been pierced by a

wants

stared at the chandelier above, his voice laced with resignation, “Clara, don’t you think I’m pitiful? I have a mother who always to control my life, willing to hurt both you and me to achieve her goals. His laughter was tinged with bitterness as his long

inside job, knowing full well that not just anyone

he never imagined the perpetrator could be his own mother. His mother had gone so far as to murder their child to keep Clara away from him,

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 destiny of suffering?”

not understand lan’s current turmoil? When Victoria had hurt her time and again, she

steaming cup of coffee with a soft voice, “Pretend she’s not your biological mother, then it won’t hurt as much.”

true because without that bond,

the coffee from Clara’s hand, but his