No Strings Attached

As the host passed the gifts to Clara, he fawned over her with an avalanche of well-wishes. Heidi nearly cracked her teeth from clenching them so hard in frustration. At the auction, Clara had spent a cool twenty million plus, amassing a mountain of gift boxes.

Roger snapped a photo and sent it over to lan. [Your lady's burning through cash like there's no tomorrow. You gonna let her shop till she drops? Look at all this stuff.] lan's reply came swiftly. [She spending your inheritance or something? Back off, buddy.]

Roger couldn't help but laugh in irritation. That blockhead lan, once clueless, now transformed into a husband completely bewitched by his wife. Roger had to admit, even he couldn't compete. The auction gave way to a charity dinner.

Clara instructed the staff to deliver her haul straight to her home. Heidi scoffed as she watched the staff bowing and scraping to Clara. She raised her voice deliberately, "Attorney Clara sure knows how to flash the cash. A single auction and there goes over twenty million of lan's fortune. At this rate, even the Hayes' deep pockets will feel the pinch."

around them. Clara, who came from humble beginnings, had scaled the social ladder by marrying into the Hayes family, inciting the envy of many high society ladies. The murmurs started, with some echoing Heidi's

with a dismissive chuckle, "And what relation are you to the Hayes family, Ms.

in anger. "I just can't stand hypocrites like you. On the courtroom steps you preach about female empowerment and independence, yet here you are, nothing

the pile of gift boxes held by the staff. In her mind, Clara was nothing but a nobody. How could she possibly afford what the

met the accusation without a hint of rage, and with an elegant flick of her hair, she replied coolly, "You think I'm like you? A

spoon. And

who isn't reliant on their parents' wealth? But Clara was different.

and held it in

card, and to