No Strings Attached

Hearing that name, lan and Casey exchanged a knowing glance. Their eyes locked in silent agreement.

lan couldn't fathom how Paolo, in his quest for vengeance for Heidi, could turn his back on years of friendship with the Hayes family and become a mere pawn in someone else's game.

He and Clara were indeed a match — him with his oblivious mother, and Clara with her shallow, good-for-nothing father.

A shadow seemed to pass over lan's eyes. The damage Leonora had inflicted on him and Clara was irreparable, and he would not stand by and watch Paolo become yet another obstacle in their relationship. He picked up his phone and dialed Edwin.

A few days later...

At a suburban mansion.

A man dressed in black sat in a wheelchair. His face was alight with pleasure as he listened to his assistant's report.

hit has left the Hayes Corporation reeling. Greta's been snapping at reporters. She's so rattled. We're not far

Hayes household, and Greta's days as acting CEO are numbered. Once our man takes her place, the time will be ripe for me to reclaim the Hayes family." As he spoke, his hands gripped the wheelchair's

by the sound of hurried footsteps at the door. A bodyguard rushed in with

black have surrounded the villa,

eyes darkened, and the veins on the back of his hands stood out starkly.

end panicked. "Boss, all of our assets have been hit hard. Our acquisitions from Hayes Corporation and our stocks have been bought out at rock-bottom prices.

our underground casino's been raided. Everyone's been

by the cops. That was meant for the big boss

call after another brought

fury. With a violent motion, he

console him. "Boss, there's got to be a glitch in the system. I don't think Greta could pull this off on her own. Could lan be behind

but his instincts screamed that they'd