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

an uprising in the 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

the door. A bodyguard rushed in with urgent news.

we've got trouble. A bunch of goons in black have surrounded the villa, and they're all packing

of his hands stood out starkly. Simultaneously, his phone

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

been raided. Everyone's

meant for

another brought nothing but bad

eyes seethed with fury. With a violent motion, he hurled his phone to the ground,

the system. I don't think Greta could pull this

but his instincts screamed that