No Strings Attached novel (Clara and Ian)

Chapter 75

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Roger chuckled wearily, "lan, between you and me, my wife has already thrown down the gauntlet. If I let slip even the slightest hint to you, she'll file for divorce faster than say 'Jack Robinson.' She only said one thing about you: 'He doesn't deserve to know the truth." Sorry, buddy."

Before lan could get another word out, the line went dead, and he let out a string of expletives.

Clara had barely hit the road when her phone buzzed with a call from Anders. "Anders, what's up?"

"Kaleb's gone AWOL. Our star witness for the hearing the day after tomorrow just vanished into thin air."

Clara had gone to great lengths to save Kaleb. He was her ace in the hole. With him. missing, she didn't need to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out something was fishy.

She slammed on the brakes, and the screech of the tires was a harsh exclamation point to

her frustration.

lan, upon hearing the commotion, dashed over. He banged on the car window, "Clara, open up!"

Clara was still on the line with Anders. "He's injured. Escaping on his own is as good as suicide unless someone takes him away."

"There's evidence of a struggle at the scene. I'm tracking down leads. It's either the Campbell or the Hayes clan's doing."

At those words, Clara turned to face lan through the glass, her eyes shimmering with an icy resolve.

lan finally got the door open and yanked Clara out. Eyeing her up and down, he asked, "What the hell's going on? Don't you know how dangerous that was?" His voice was a rollercoaster of emotion, his breath unsteady.

Then, taking in Clara's reddened eyes, he enveloped her in his arms. "It's okay now. You're never to answer the phone while driving again."

Clara shoved him aside, her tone sharp and biting, "lan, all I want is to clear my name. Is that really so hard? I can handle you not believing in me, but why do you block my attempts to find more evidence? If Heidi means so much to you, go be with her. Why keep hounding me?"

Tears brimmed in her eyes, but her stubborn pride wouldn't let them fall.

lan's heart clenched at the sight of her defiant, glistening gaze. "What evidence are you talking about? Clara, when have I ever stopped you?"

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With a bitter laugh, Clara fished a badge out of her bag, still stained with her blood. "Tan, I arranged to meet Kaleb at that old factory on the outskirts to buy a video from him. But when I got there, he was already beaten up, all bloodied. The evidence was also taken. I found this at the scene. Can you honestly tell me you had nothing to do with it?”

lan took the badge from Clara's hand, his eyes fixed on the bloodstain, suddenly recalling the night Ciara came home drunk with a wound in her palm. So she thought he was behind it, and that's why she turned to the bottle.

He watched Clara with a complex gaze, "Yes, the badge is worn by my people, and they were indeed there that day. But they didn't take him. I'm also investigating this, and I promise to get to the bottom of it for you."

"Don't bother. The trial's in two days, and Heidi's already blaming her worsening depression on her arm injury, which stops her from playing the piano. So, according to her, my assault has caused grievous harm. I'm looking at three years max. Are you happy now?"

lan pulled her in close, his hand gently stroking the reddened corners of her eyes as he whispered soothingly, "Don't be scared. I'll find Kaleb for you. I won't let you go to prison."

Clara's smile was tinged with bitterness, "And then what? You find Kaleb, you help me win the trial, and I owe you another favor. What will you have me do this time? Offer myself to you or bear you another child? lan, you dote on Heidi, letting her frame and slander me, while you keep me tangled up in your life. What do you really want from me? Is it my body, or is it my face? Tell me, and I'll ruin it right now.""

Her eyes were resolute yet desolate. Ian had never seen her this way. If she had a knife in hand, he believed she might just follow through.

Did she really hate him that much? To the point of destroying herself rather than remaining by his side?