No Strings Attached novel (Clara and Ian)

Chapter 109

Mr. Marco's gaze was icy as he stared at lan, his voice more serious than ever before. "You knew Clara before today?"

lan shrugged nonchalantly with a smirk. "Didn't you see for yourself?"

"Clara used to work at your firm, right? She was your executive assistant, wasn't she?"

"Lock, old man, it's not that I wanted to keep it from you, but your darling protégé didn't let me spill the beans. Can't blame me for that." He gestured to the wine stain on his face and chuckled lightly. "See what she's done? And you don't even step in."

Mr. Marco, usually so gentle and jovial, now stood trembling with hands clenched tight. Anger filled the depths of his eyes like never before. "She had every right to lash out! After everything she gave up for you - her chance to study abroad, her dream of becoming a legal eagle. You're not just blind, lan. You're heartless. From now on, don't you dare say we're acquainted!"

Mr. Marco was shaking with fury. He had never imagined that lan was the very person who had bullied Clara, pushing her to the brink.

And he had invited lan here to humiliate Clara once more. The thought made Mr. Marco's heart ache with a dull pain.

He hadn't taken many steps before lan grabbed his arm. "Study abroad? She did it all for me? Wasn't she always smitten with Anders? She was bold enough to cuckold me to be with him. Don't try to play the lawyer with me, old man."

Mr. Marco looked at him with a gaze filled with scorn. "How did my sister ever end up with a grandson like you? Fancying playing the victim? Is that fun for you?"

With that, he shook off lan's grip and chased after Clara.

lan was left standing there, dumbfounded. Why had Clara given up the opportunity to study abroad and left the legal world just to come to work for him as his executive assistant? Wasn't she just using him as a stand-in for Anders?

But if she was so into Anders, she could have gone abroad with him. Why, then, did she agree to lan's terms of dating without marriage?

These thoughts pierced lan's heart like a knife.

He rushed forward, grabbing Mr. Marco's wrist. "Granduncle, who is it that Clara truly has feelings for?"

Mr. Marco scoffed, "Do you think calling me 'Granduncle' will do you any good?"

He patted lan's handsome face with a knowing smile. "You hurt her so badly. Do you even deserve to know the truth? I told you before that Clara is my most esteemed apprentice. If anyone dares to hurt her, I won't let them off easy. Even if you are my sister's grandson, I won't go easy on you!"

With that, he broke free from lan's hold and walked toward Clara.

The next morning.

Clara was roused from sleep by her phone's ringing. She groggily pressed the answer button.

lan's hoarse voice came through. "Grab the contract and come over to sign it."

At the mention of signing a contract, Clara's mind snapped awake. Just as she was about to agree, she

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Chapter 109

realized who was on the other end. The flicker of joy on her face was instantly extinguished.

Her voice turned cold and distant. "Sorry, the Hayes Corporation deal is too big for us to handle. You should look for someone else!"

She was about to hang up when she heard lan's low chuckle.

"Clara, is it the Hayes Corporation deal that's too big, or are you just too scared to show up?"

"lan, you were the one who wanted to cut ties completely. This harping on is liable to make me think that you've grown fond of your pet canary."