No Strings Attached novel (Clara and Ian) novel Chapter 380

Half an hour had ticked by since the blaze was extinguished, yet there was still no word of Ian. The Hayes family was in utter chaos.

While fighting through her pain, Rose made her way to Clara and took her hand. "Clara, don't be scared," she said, her voice a mix of grit and tenderness. "No matter what happens to Ian, you're already a part of this family."

Clara knew what Rose was implying without it being said outright. Pretending to be calm, Clara replied, "Grandma Rose, Ian won't leave us. He promised to be there for our baby, to watch them grow. I believe he's still out there."

Looking at Clara's brave front, Rose couldn't hold back her tears any longer, which streamed down her cheeks. With a gentle pat on Clara's hand, she said, "Alright, we'll wait for him together."

As seconds and minutes passed, the predawn sky began to lighten. Firefighters were still combing through the ruins of Crimson Manor.

Online, the story was trending; everyone was waiting for the moment Ian would be found. Prayers flooded the live streams, wishing for Ian's safety.

In the wake of Ian's heroic act to save his mother, the crisis at Hayes Corporation seemed to be taking a turn for the better.

Meanwhile, in a quiet suburb, a man sat in a wheelchair in the vast living room of his villa, watching the drama unfold. A smirk broke through his usually stern features.

His assistant whispered, "Sir, Crimson Manor's gone up in smoke. Ian is probably in pieces now. How could he have possibly survived? Just watch, the Hayes Corporation will descend into turmoil, and that's when we'll make our move."

The man's face twitched coldly as he replied in a low tone, "How's Leonora doing?"

"Just some burns, nothing life-threatening. She really went to extremes this time and did us a huge favor."

He chuckled darkly, "She did herself a favor. Do you think she'd ever get out of Crimson Manor without this little drama?"