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.

been snapping at reporters. She's so rattled. We're not far from swallowing up the

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

door. A bodyguard rushed in with urgent news. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ

goons in black have surrounded the villa, and they're all

of his hands stood out starkly. Simultaneously, his phone rang.

the other end panicked. "Boss, all of our assets have been hit hard. Our acquisitions from Hayes Corporation and our

casino's been raided. Everyone's been hauled

our shipment got intercepted by the cops. That was meant for the big boss in

brought nothing but bad

fury. With a violent motion, he hurled his phone to the ground, cursing, "Idiots, all of

stepped forward to console him. "Boss, there's got to be a glitch in the system.

thought, but his instincts screamed that