No Strings Attached novel (Clara and Ian) novel Chapter 410

Ian’s brows shot up in surprise. “You recognize the person in the photo?”

Rose’s gaze lingered on the woman in the photograph as she began to speak. Her voice was low and distant. “That woman is named Anya. She was your grandfather’s childhood sweetheart. A family feud kept them apart, but I’ve heard they had a child together — older than your father by a year. Could that be the little boy in the picture?”

Her words unlocked a floodgate of thoughts in Ian’s mind. “What happened to her afterward?”

“They say she and the child moved abroad. On the way to the airport, there was a car accident, and they both died.”

Ian furrowed his brow. His eyes pierced as he looked at Rose. “Was it my grandfather’s doing?”

“Watch your mouth!” Rose glared at him. “Do you think your granddad’s that kind of man? It was his brother who did it, trying to pin the blame on him, stirring up animosity from the Hansen family toward us. That’s why the Hansens still see our family, the Hayes, as enemies. But the woman and child died in the accident, and where did you get this photo from?”

Ian quickly pieced together his thoughts and said with a grave tone, “It’s that man who wants to engulf the Hayes family. I suspect the child didn’t die in the accident. The man in the wheelchair, he must be him.”

At his words, Rose sighed deeply. “He still believes it was your grandfather who wanted them dead. What a tragic connection. The mistake your grandfather made years ago has caused you and Clara to suffer. We, the Hayes, owe Clara an apology.”

Rose took Clara’s hand. Her eyes moistened as she watched her. Because of this fateful entanglement, not only had Clara lost her mother, but she had also repeatedly found herself in danger, narrowly escaping death several times. All of it was due to the grudges of the past, catching her in their crossfire without reason.

Seeing Rose’s concern, Clara quickly comforted her, “Grandma, don’t worry. This will all be over soon. Once we catch him, everything will be safe again.”