No Strings Attached novel (Clara and Ian)
Chapter 294

Leonora gazed at Clara with a twinge of guilt in her eyes. "If you must blame someone, it's me. I accidentally let slip about your fertility issues. But I made it clear to him that the Hayes family don't mind that. As long as lan is happy, that's all that matters. Honestly, I didn't say anything else."

Hearing this, Rose slammed her hand on the coffee table, visibly upset. "Reed was already struggling, Leonora. Talking about this stuff to him was like rubbing salt in his wounds. You started this mess, and if you don't make it right with Clara, you won't be forgiven-not by me, anyway! Teo, she's your wife. You decide what to do about it."

Teo's expression was stern, a clear indication that he was well aware of Leonora's motives. His gaze fell on Clara, his voice growing husky. "Clara, Reed left us in such a way because of Leonora, and that was wrong of her. I'll have her apologize at Reed's graveside, and I'll make sure to offer some kind of compensation to Reed's descendants. You won't bear the brunt of this. Is this an acceptable resolution for you? If you have any other demands, please feel free to voice them."

Teo, who usually carried himself with imperious aloofness, had never humbled himself like this for anyone. But facing Clara, he had no choice because he knew if this situation wasn't handled correctly, it would directly affect the relationship between the two newlyweds. If their marriage fell apart, Ian would lose the happiness he had just begun to grasp.

No matter how much Clara resented Leonora, she couldn't disrespect Rose and Teo-they had always been kind to her. However, with Leonora driving a wedge between her and lan, their relationship was doomed to face constant turbulence.

Feeling helpless, Clara clenched her fingers, her voice catching in her throat.

"Grandma Rose, Uncle Teo, regardless of how this issue is settled, my grandpa will never come back. We all know the real reason behind Leonora's actions. First, it was my dad getting kidnapped, and now it's Grandpa Reed. The people close to me keep getting hurt because of me. I don't want to be selfish. I want to use what little strength I have to protect them. So, thank you for accepting me, but it seems lan and are not meant to be. Here, please take back these things. Let's consider the engagement off."

Clara placed the diamond ring and the bracelet on her wrist, along with the credit card Teo had given her, onto the coffee table. She then bowed respectfully to them and turned to leave.

Before she could take more than a few steps, lan seized her wrist. His eyes were red-rimmed as he looked at her. "Clara, I don't agree. You promised to trust me."

Facing lan's intense yet forlorn gaze, Clara's tears, long held back, finally escaped her control. She bit her lip, her voice quivering. "Ian, I've tried for the sake of our relationship, but I can't exchange my loved ones' lives for my love for you. We have to end this."

Without a word, lan wrapped her in his arms, his voice laced with a plea. "Clara, I'll take care of the family issues. Please don't break up with me-isn't my plea worth anything to you?"

His low, heartfelt entreaty made Clara's throat burn with pain. How could she bear to leave him? Yet he was still Leonora's son, and she didn't want to put him in the middle of this conflict.

If what Brodie said was true, and Leonora was indeed behind Casey's kidnapping, it showed the lengths she would go to. Leonora's goal was to keep lan and Clara apart. If Clara persisted, who knew what else might happen?

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