Chapter 129: Chapter 129

Chapter 129 Dawson shook his head, a hint of amusement playing at the corner of his mouth. “No, she opted for the local community clinic instead.”

lan bit down on his jaw, fury simmering beneath the surface. Could Clara actually be so heartless? Was she really not afraid that some half–baked doctor at the clinic might botch his treatment? He never thought Clara would cut him off so completely to the point of not giving him a chance to make amends.

Dawson, watching lan’s eyes blaze with anger, couldn’t help but feel a twisted sense of satisfaction. He’d warned lan, after all, time and time again, but lan never took him seriously. Now, Clara had flown the coop.

Dawson was, in fact, rather looking forward to the drama that would ensue as his boss embarked on a quest to win back his girl.

With feigned sympathy, Dawson said, “Mr. Hayes, Attorney Clara must be swamped. She and Mr. Anders were over at Hicks Enterprises today for the official signing. They were all spruced up and even made it on TV. The internet’s buzzing about them, saying they’re the hottest legal duo around. Let me find that clip for you.”

Oblivious to the icy glare from lan, Dawson cheerfully scrolled through his phone.

lan’s hands clenched into fists, the veins on his forearms standing out like cords. The blanket beneath him was gripped tight in his grasp. In a cold voice, he commanded, “Block every one of those social media accounts!”

Dawson, who had been scrolling with gusto, froze at the order, then looked up to meet. lan’s frosty gaze. A shiver ran down his spine. “Right away, sir.”

“And the investigation? What’s come of it?”

Dawson immediately replied, “It was Nicole from the secretarial pool who posed as a hotel maid. She called Mr. Anders with a story about Mr. Marco having a fever. Then she conspired with her sister, a nurse at the hospital, to tamper with Clara’s medication. By the time they realized the door had been locked from the outside, the cell phones had no signal, and the landlines were cut, so it was too late.”

“And where are they now?”

“Still at large, sir. I suspect someone’s hiding them.”

“The meds in the car–who switched them?”

“A mechanic from the 4th Street garage. He’s disappeared, too.”

lan’s gaze turned sharp, a dangerous edge lurking in his eyes. “Keep searching. These people can’t just vanish into thin air.”

After days on end of non–stop work, Clara finally secured the Hicks Enterprises contract She stepped out of the corporate tower and picked up her father’s call. “Dad? What’s up?”

Casey’s voice, warm and cheerful, came through. “Clara, if you’re free today, come home. There’s something I want to discuss with you.”

“Sure.”

Driving back, Clara walked into the living room only to be met with a familiar figure. She stood frozen, staring at lan for a long moment before asking, “What brings you here?

lan rose calmly from the sofa and walked toward her. He bent down to fetch her slippers from the shoe cabinet, his smile gentle.

“I came to check on Casey’s recovery. I know an overseas doctor named Elude. He’s quite the expert in treating Casey’s condition. I was hoping to take him for a consultation.”

He looked at Clara with the utmost respect, not crossing any boundaries, as he added, “Would you accompany me?”

Without a second thought, Clara refused. “Thank you for your concern, Mr. Hayes, but my father is doing well. If there’s nothing else, please see yourself out.”

With that, she bypassed the slippers lan had offered, slipped on another pair, and went upstairs, leaving lan without so much as a backward glance.

The smile that had been on lan’s face faded to a look of desolation as he watched Clara’s retreating figure. His heart felt as if it were being pierced with needles.

Clara had once loved him so dearly, so how could her love have faded so suddenly?