No Strings Attached

Chapter 96

Clara had finally broken free. She was no longer his caged songbird and was herself once

more.

But oh, how her heart ached.

Clara spent a quiet evening alone, her thoughts her only company.

The next morning, as Anders arrived, she was hunched over her laptop, deeply engrossed in whatever task was at hand.

“Clara,” Anders called out with a hint of concern.

She lifted her head, greeting him with a faint smile. “Anders, just give me a second to send off this resignation letter, and I’ll be all yours.”

He stood in the living room, silently observing her. The absence of any visible anguish on her face, replaced with a rare ease and contentment, didn’t fool him. He knew this was Clara in disguise; the more she hurt, the more she pretended to be fine.

His voice was soft as he approached her. “I’ve booked a tee time with Marco; he’s been itching to challenge you on the golf course.”

“Sounds like fun. I could use the exercise,” she replied cheerfully, her fingers still dancing across the keyboard.

That was when Clara’s phone rang. Recognizing her father’s number, she quickly answered. “Clara, what’s going on with you and lan?” he asked, already hinting at knowing something was amiss.

After a brief pause, she replied, “Dad, I broke up with him.”

Casey wasn’t taken aback. In fact, he responded calmly, “If it’s not right, don’t force yourself to be with him. Don’t compromise for my sake. If you guys have called it quits, that’s fine. I won’t let you suffer.”

“Dad, did the project get canned?”

“Yes, our dealings with the Hayes family have all been halted. They paid a decent sum in damages, so we didn’t lose out. It’s probably for the best. Otherwise, I’d always fear I’d traded my daughter’s happiness for business opportunities.”

Detecting a hint of sadness in her father’s voice, Clara quickly reassured him, “Dad, don’t overwork yourself anymore. I’ll take care of you.”

“Alright, I’ll hold you to that. Come over for dinner when you can; I’ll whip up something delicious.”

Clara was deeply moved by her father’s words, her eyes welling up as she agreed.

At nine in the morning, the atmosphere in the president’s office at Hayes Corporation was stifling.

Dawson lingered at the door, gathering his courage before knocking. “Mr. Hayes,” he said tentatively, eyeing his boss‘ dark expression. This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.

lan’s voice was ice–cold. “Speak.”

“I’ve just received a resignation email from Ms. Clara. She sent it to both you and the HR director. What would you like to do?”

A chilling undercurrent intensified in lan’s eyes. “Since when can a middle–management resignation be settled with a mere email?”

Dawson caught on quickly, probing, “So, should I ask Ms. Clara to come over and tender her resignation in person?”

lan remained silent, which Dawson took as assent. He hurried out, wiping the sweat from his brow, and dialed Clara’s number. “Ms. Clara, Mr. Hayes requires a face–to–face meeting to process your resignation. Could you please come in?”

Without hesitation, Clara responded, “Sure, I’ll be right there.”

Half an hour later, Clara stood at lan’s office door, dressed in a cream silk blouse and a black pencil skirt. Her wavy, chestnut hair fell naturally over her shoulders, framing her poised and professional demeanor. There was no trace of sorrow on her face, only a serene composure.

She knocked gently and announced in a calm voice, “Mr. Hayes, I’m here to resign officially.”