No Strings Attached

Katherine was always poised and elegant, and had never been this stubborn before. The only thing on her mind now was to bring Leonora to justice, to ensure lan and Clara were no longer in danger. Every time either of them was hurt, her heart ached with them. That gut-wrenching pain was just like the worry she felt for Brodie.

When Connor noticed her determination, his eyes darkened for a moment. Then, he turned to Brodie. "I strongly oppose this. For your mother's safety, I absolutely cannot agree to let her take such a risk. Brodie, what do you think?"

Brodie's gaze towards Connor was complex. "Your concerns are not without merit, but my mother's mind is made up. I'm afraid none of us can stop her. Going to the Hayes family's old mansion might trigger her memories, but that's just our guess. Let me take her there first to have a look, and then we can decide."

"No way. By recklessly going to the Hayes family, are you planning to seek recognition from them? What if your mom was abandoned by Teo back in the day? How would she feel?"

Connor slapped his unconscious thighs with both hands. His eyes were filled with worry.

Brodie, smiling, patted his shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll find a reasonable excuse to visit. Teo's birthday is just a few days away. We can use that as an opportunity to enter the Hayes family's old mansion. We'll see how things go from there."

Hearing this, Connor squeezed his thighs tightly. His voice was neutral. "You better be careful. Your mother's condition just stabilized. Don't let her get too agitated, or she might lose her mind." "Okay, I know. Don't worry."

A few days later, Teo was hosting a birthday party at the old mansion.

For safety no outsiders were invited. Only the closest friends and relatives were here. When Katherine and Brodie arrived, Teo was already waiting at the entrance. SNôvelDrama.Org content rights.

The moment he saw Katherine stepping out of the car in a light blue embroidered dresses, Teo's heart inexplicably skipped a beat.

Why did this feel so familiar? It was as if something deeply engraved in his memory.

He immediately greeted them with a warm smile. "Katherine, Brodie, you've arrived."

Katherine smiled softly, handing over her gift to Teo. "Teo, happy birthday."

Teo, observing Katherine's graceful demeanor, felt his heart leap like a little rabbit. He looked at the black striped tie Katherine gave him unable to hide his excitement. "Thank you. I love it."

He wanted to take Katherine's arm

but recoiled when he noticed

Brodie's expressionless gaze.

Scared, he immediately retracted his

hand. "Let's get inside. Dinner's

about to start."

As they entered the grand hall on the first floor, a servant was carrying a steaming pot of soup. Suddenly slipping, the servant fell to the ground. Teo immediately pulled Katherine behind him for protection. The soup splashed onto his thigh. Even through the fabric, he felt a sharp, burning sensation. Katherine, quick as a flash, lifted his trouser leg. Noticing the redness and swelling on his calf, she frowned. "Sit down. I'll get you some burn ointment." Before Teo could tell her where the medicine box was, Katherine, without any guidance, walked straight to the cabinet where the medicine box was stored.