No Strings Attached

Chapter 474

Ian stood frozen in place, his mind reeling. Although he had suspected Leonora to be behind the dark deed, confirmation a crushing blow.

A sharp pain stabbed at his heart, so intense he nearly forgot how to breathe.

"No way," he muttered under his breath. "Leonora couldn't possibly be May's killer. She can't be Heidi's birth mother. If that's true, why push me towards Heidi? Doesn't she fear the scandal of incest?"

Edwin, witnessing Ian's torment, let out a heavy sigh. "I've had my doubts, too, and even wondered if you were really Leonora's son."

At those words, Ian snapped, grabbing Edwin's collar in a fierce grip. "It's not impossible. I need a paternity test. If she's Heidi's mother, then she can't be mine."

He turned to storm off, but Edwin caught his wrist, pulling out a paternity report from his pocket. "I already had the test done between you and Leonora—used three different agencies. All of them confirm you're mother and son."

Ian stared at the report in disbelief. "How could this be? Is Leonora mad? Knowing Heidi and I are siblings and still pushing us together?"

"She said there was nothing to fear since Heidi can't have kids?"

Those words hit Ian like a physical blow, his back slamming into the sharp edge of a desk. The pain in his waist paled in comparison to the agony in his heart. His mother was willing to throw him into despair for her own ends.

Frantically, Ian searched his pockets for a cigarette but found nothing. His eyes darkened as he looked at Edwin. "Got a smoke?"

Without a word, Edwin handed him a cigarette and lit it for him.

Ian drew on the cigarette like a man starved for air, the smoke curling fiercely from his lips. In quick succession, he smoked one after another until Edwin's voice cut through the haze. "You could smoke yourself to death, but it won't change the facts. Leonora didn't just kill my mother. She also forced Clara to the fringes for years, repeatedly harming her to protect Heidi's status."

Ian's eyes blazed with red fury. "Don't you dare tell Clara! She's still healing, still in pain. Do you want to kill her?"

"But we can't hide this forever. Now that we have the evidence, I'll press charges against Leonora and seek justice for my mother. Once the case goes to court, do you think no one will tell Clara, given her connections?"

"Let Anders handle the case. I'll find a way to keep the trial under wraps. Clara's pregnant and survived a kidnapping and an assassination attempt; she can't take any more. Once she's had the baby, I'll tell her. Let her decide to stay or go. But for now, please don't tell her. I'm begging you, okay?"

Ian's eyes were glistening, his usual arrogance replaced with a plea. He knew the evidence could empower Edwin or the York family to take Clara away. Despite her assurances that Leonora's actions wouldn't taint him, this was a matter of matricide. Clara had just started to experience May's love, and now she'd learned it was her lover's mother who had robbed her of it. Clara couldn't withstand such devastating truth.

Ian couldn't bear to see her hurt or in danger again. Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

Hearing his plea, Edwin sighed deeply. "Do you think you and Clara would have had a normal wedding if I didn't care about how she felt? I knew the truth before your wedding; Leonora admitted it to me herself. She later denied it. Back then, even with insufficient evidence, I knew that if I had

told Clara the truth, I believe she would have postponed the wedding. She's my sister, and I want her happiness, but she'll have to face this sooner or later."

Ian looked deep into Edwin's eyes and clapped him hard on the shoulder, his voice a hoarse whisper, "Thank you."