No Strings Attached

Chapter 76

lan felt his heart being torn apart, an unfamiliar shade of melancholy shadowing his chiseled features. His thin lips pressed into a straight line, and he remained silent for a long while, simply watching Clara.

After an eternity, his voice came out hoarse, “Clara, can’t we go back to the way things. were? Facing off against each other every day, don’t you get tired of it?”

Clara’s eyes swam with tears, but her lips curled into a faint, mocking smile. “Why don’t you find someone to wipe out my memories then? Make me forget the agony of not being able to find you when my life was hanging by a thread. Make me forget how you’ve kept me like a sugar baby for the past three years, or the decision you and Heidi made regarding my child. Can you do that, lan?”

Stunned, lan stared at her. “When have I ever abandoned you in a life–or–death moment? Wasn’t it me who pulled you out of the water? What decision about taking your child? Clara, you need to be clear.”

Pushing him away with a forceful gesture, Clara fixed him with a frosty gaze. “Want to know? Go ask your precious Heidi, and let’s hear what she has to say.”

She didn’t look back as she drove away, leaving lan watching her car disappear into the distance, his eyes cold and unfathomable. He took out his phone and called Dawson. “Check who Leonora has been in contact with recently. Kaleb must have been taken by her. Find him, no matter what it takes.”

August 3rd.

Clara was dressed in a crisp white blouse and black trousers, exuding seriousness with a touch of grace. She stood at the witness stand, calmly answering questions from the judge and the opposing counsel.

Despite being targeted by Heidi and Nicole’s allegations, Clara managed to turn the situation around with her exceptional abilities as a top student at Ivywood University Law

School.

The case was moving in a positive direction when the opposition suddenly introduced new evidence. “Your Honor, I have a recording here that proves that Mr. lan and Miss Clara have been involved in an improper affair.”

At those words, Clara froze, her fists clenching tightly. After a few seconds, the solemn silence of the courtroom was broken by the cool, détached voices of Chase and lan.

“Aren’t you worried about Clara at all? She’s the woman you fancy.”

“Do you need to get your eyes checked? Since when did you see me liking her?”

“If you don’t like her, why do you shower her with gifts? Who would believe that?”

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A sugar baby is meant to be pampered, isn’t it?”

The recording sent Clara reeling into her seat. She knew the conversation was real. She had heard it herself. She never imagined that her downfall would be caused by her relationship with lan.

The opposing counsel continued, “We’ve verified this recording. It’s Mr. Ian’s own voice. So, Miss Clara and Mr. Ian’s relationship is akin to that of a sugar daddy and his kept woman, ready to be

dissolved at any time.”

“Miss Clara felt threatened and dissatisfied when she saw our client return, and Mr. Ian always left her to care for Miss Heidi. This motivated Miss Clara to act against our client. She then bribed Kaleb from the tech department to delete the footage.

“Her actions resulted in our client suffering an arm injury, excessive blood loss, and losing the chance to compete in an international piano competition. This also exacerbated her depression, leading to multiple suicide attempts.

“Miss Clara’s behavior constitutes intentional harm. We plead with the court for a just observation.

Despite Anders presenting various mitigating factors and Clara’s blood donation records, the charge of intentional harm was established. These evidences could only serve to reduce her sentence.

Clara stood quietly at the defendant’s bench, watching the judge summarize the entire case. As she saw the judge’s gavel about to fall, she closed her eyes resignedly. She could never have foreseen that the final straw would be her condemned relationship with lan. Even if she won the appeal, she couldn’t withstand the crushing weight of public opinion. Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

Just as she thought it was all over, the courtroom doors swung open.

A man’s voice came from outside. “Your Honor, I have new evidence that proves Clara is innocent.”