No Strings Attached

She couldn't bear to gamble with the lives of her loved ones anymore.

Oh, how Clara yearned to wrap her arms around lan, but her hands, dangling helplessly by her sides, clenched into powerless fists instead. Her voice was laced with a helpless rasp as she said, "lan, let's just take a breather, okay? My dad's health isn't great, and I need to go check on him."

Heedless of her protest, lan kissed the top of her head, his voice deep and soothing, "I'll take you home."

As he took Clara's hand to leave, his gaze inadvertently fell upon Leonora. His eyes, which had been filled with warmth just moments before, now seemed coated in a layer of frost. "Clara and I will never be torn apart in this life. If you dare to interfere again, I'll sever all maternal ties with you!" Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ ꜰindNʘvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

away, Rose sighed in resignation. "What should've been a celebration has turned into a wake. What

chance to wrong Clara." Rose's eyes brimmed with tears. "We owe Leonora our lives-twice over. Why should Clara have to pay that debt? Do you have any idea how much it hurts to see them at odds like this?" Leonora's mother had saved her son, and then Leonora herself had saved her. Because of those two lives, the Hayes family had refrained from dealing with Leonora's malevolence and venom. But why did it all have to be repaid with her grandson's happiness? She would

has caused harm, and I won't let it go. As a daughter-in-law of the Hayes family, you've shown neither virtue nor sincerity, and you've schemed to block your own child's happiness. If I let you get away with this,

was already on his way out. You can't pin it all on me. Besides, I spoke only the truth without fabrication. You can't punish me like this.

lenient in the past, which has led to this mess. If you no longer wish to be part of the Hayes family, I might consider sparing

couldn't just walk away from the Hayes family. She gritted her teeth and said through clenched jaws, "I accept the

flesh alike. A hundred lashes could leave someone half dead, if not fully. Soon, the great hall echoed with the crack of the whip and Leonora's

door. Just as he was about to follow her inside, she stopped