No Strings Attached

Chapter 153

Everyone turned to the source of the sound and saw Edwin standing at the doorstep, clad in a sleek gray suit. Disappointment and heartache were. unmistakable in his eyes. Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.

He approached Heidi and, pointing to Victoria standing behind him, demanded, “Who is this woman, and why was she in the basement of the old family estate?” Edwin looked like the epitome of gentleness and sophistication, but Heidi knew better. That was just a facade. When her brother decided to get tough, he was every bit as formidable as lan. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have secured such a strong foothold in the Campbells at such a young age.

Heidi shook her head, tears streaming down her face, “Edwin, it’s lan. He doesn’t want me anymore. He’s chosen Clara over me, completely disregarding my well–being. I was just so furious, so I sought out Victoria, wanting to get back at Clara.”

As she wept, she turned toward lan, “lan, ever since I was a little girl, you promised you’d marry me. So why don’t you want me anymore? Why can’t you see all the good in me, no matter how hard I try? I’ve done all this because I love you too much.”

She collapsed into Paolo’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Her deceit was exposed, and denial was no longer an option. So, she resorted to her acting skills to elicit sympathy in the hopes that her brother and lan might forgive her.

lan clenched his fists in anger, his voice as cold as the frost. “So you’re the one who drugged Clara and arranged her abduction?”

Heidi immediately shook her head in denial. “It wasn’t me; it was your mother. She doesn’t like Clara. She didn’t want Clara to marry into the Hayes family. She only wanted me to be her daughter–in–law.”

At her words, lan’s lips twitched in a bitter smile. His suspicions were confirmed. These machinations were his mother’s doing.

No wonder Clara felt that all her misfortunes were somehow linked to him. The person who had been causing Clara’s pain in the shadows was the one closest to him, his own mother.

lan struggled to describe his current turmoil. The pain was something he hat never experienced before. He had explicitly warned his mother not to harm Clara, and yet, she had defiantly persisted.

Just because his mother disliked Clara, and she didn’t want Clara to marry him. she was willing to ruin Clara. If her schemes succeeded even once. Clara’s life would be devastated.

Reflecting on these events, lan’s gaze grew colder. He turned to Edwin with a warning. “You’re the head of the Campbells. If you don’t handle this situation properly, even our friendship can’t get you out of this.”

His words were icy, each one piercing to the core. Edwin was well aware of lan’s implication; lan was ready to wage war against the Campbells for Clara’s sake.

On the battlefield of business, lan was a beast, capable of turning Northbridge upside down. The Campbells were no match for his might.

Edwin’s gaze was stern as he looked at Heidi. “Go apologize to Clara, and then you will be grounded for three months.”

At his command, Heidi’s immediate reaction was to shake her head in horrQ. “I’m your sister! You can’t be this cruel to me. Edwin. I’m sorry, I’ll apologize to Clara, and beg for her forgiveness.

Please don’t ground me.”

Paolo was instantly enraged. “Are you two trying to kill her? She’s already suffering from depression. How can she stand being grounded? And is this even her fault? It was your mother’s idea. Without her instigation, I believe Heidi would never do such a thing. If anyone dares lay a finger on Heidi today, they’ll have me to answer to.”