No Strings Attached novel (Clara and Ian)
Chapter 163

Chapter 163

Leonora's heart clenched in terror as lan's accusing finger pointed her way. Her face, however, was a picture of shocked innocence as she let out a nervous chuckle.

"lan, honey, that's my grandchild we're talking about. How could you think I'd ever want to hurt them? Did Clara put you up to this? She's just trying to pin her hatred for me onto something tangible. You can't believe her."

lan's gaze was icy as he stared her down, the warmth of the mother who once adored him and his sister nowhere to be found. Since that incident, she seemed like a completely different person.

His lips pressed into a thin line, and from his throat came three words heavy with accusation: "Longevity Hall."

The mention of that place sent an involuntary shiver through Leonora, but she quickly regained her composure. "That's where I get my medicine from. What's the issue?"

"You're close with that Dr. Golf, then? The herbalist?"

"Yeah, I've been going through a rough menopause, so I sought his help. He mixed up a few concoctions for me. They work wonders, really improved my sleep. Is there a problem with him?" Leonora's face remained expressionless, her eyes clear, revealing no hint of weakness or flaw.

lan's lips twitched with suppressed rage as he pulled out his phone and called Dawson. "Bring them in."

Minutes later, the elderly herbalist from Longevity Hall and his two assistants were ushered into the hall.

At first, Dr. Golf staunchly denied any wrongdoing, but his apprentices betrayed him, revealing that Leonora had paid him a hefty sum to add a particular ingredient to Clara's prescriptions and to destroy any remaining evidence.

Leonora could never have imagined that her seemingly flawless plot would unravel so easily.

After the truth came to light, lan's eyes reddened, his fingertips trembling. He turned to Rose, his voice laden with barely concealed agony, "Grandma Rose, that was my child!" Rose was already trembling with fury. She had longed to hold a great-grandchild, but the child had been cruelly taken by his own grandmother before they were even born.

Rose's hands trembled as she pointed at Leonora and said, "Twenty-four years ago, against my son's objections, you insisted on climbing the mountain to pray while heavily pregnant, resulting in the death of my unborn granddaughter. Twenty-four years later, you've shown no regard for family, orchestrating the death of your own grandchild. Leonora, how did the Hayes family ever wrong you to deserve such cruelty?"

Leonora fell to her knees with a thump, tears streaming as she pleaded, "I'm sorry. It was a moment of foolishness. I didn't want Clara to have ran's baby. lan never planned to marry Clara, and how could he want a child? I was simply removing a problem for him; if he really wanted kids, he wouldn't have been so careful with contraception."

"Leonora! How could you utter such vile words? They may not want a kid, but that doesn't equate to you murdering that baby. That was a living being! And lan had finally found a girl he loved. As his mother, you should be happy, not concocting such malicious schemes to ruin it. Since you've shown no heart, don't expect any mercy from me. I'm calling my son right now to get him to divorce you. The Hayes family won't harbor an ingrate."

Leonora clutched desperately at Rose's hand, sobbing, "Mom, please, forgive me. Don't let him divorce me. At my age, what will I do if

I'm alone?"

Rose shook her off with a disdainful flick of her wrist, her voice cold as steel, "This marriage should have ended long ago. Had it not been for your mother saving my son's life, I would have thrown you out of this house twenty-four years ago."

Leonora's pleas fell on deaf ears as she begged lan and implored Greta for sympathy, but none would listen.

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