No Strings Attached novel (Clara and Ian)
Chapter 380

Half an hour had ticked by since the blaze was extinguished, yet there was still no word of lan. 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 lan, 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, lan 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 lan would be found. Prayers flooded the live streams, wishing for lan's safety.

In the wake of lan'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?"

"That's true," the assistant conceded. "But lan was good to her in the end, risking his own safety to save her."

The man huffed with a hint of respect, "He guessed our intentions. To protect Hayes Corporation, he took the risk. The kid has brains and guts. It's a real shame to lose such a formidable opponent. It's not easy to find a rival like that."

Their conversation was cut short as a shout from the live stream on the man's phone filled the room.

"Mr. Hayes has been found!"

The man's eyes darkened, fixated on the screen. There was lan, covered in soot, being carried out. His clothes were charred and torn. His face was so blackened that his features were unrecognizable. Paramedics rushed to him, laying him on a stretcher for immediate medical attention.

Clara felt as if her legs were made of lead, rooted to the spot. She watched the medics work on lan. His face was charred, and he was unresponsive.

The emotions she had been holding back finally broke through. Her throat was so tight she could barely speak.

Casey stepped forward, supporting his daughter with a soft voice. "Clara, promise me, no matter what happens to lan, you'll think of yourself and the baby, you hear?"

Clara's voice trembled. "Dad, he's going to be alright."

Hearing her say that, Casey's eyes reddened. "Let's go over to him. Maybe he'll respond to your voice."

With her father's support, Clara stumbled over to where lan lay. She opened her mouth several times before a hoarse whisper finally escaped her lips, "lan."

Though faint and raspy, that call was like a shot of adrenaline to lan.

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