Chapter 243


    Ian watched ra with a gaze rich in unspoken affection, his voice dropping to a seductive rasp,


    "I’m still chasing her."


    That single statement repositioned ra in the grand scheme of things. She wasn''t just some


    caged pet, pampered and kept by Ian. She was the woman the crown prince of the Hayes dynasty


    had been tirelessly courting.


    And who was Ian? The epitome of power in Northbridge, an untouchable deity, perched high above


    mere mortals. He was the unattainable rose every woman yearned to pluck. With just a word, he


    couldmand legions of admirers to live or die for him.


    And now, in front of the media, he was openly admitting his pursuit of ra.


    Such explosive news sent shockwaves through the press corps, igniting a frenzy as reporters


    bombarded them with questions, desperate for a nugget of confirmation.


    Ian’s gaze lingered on ra, tender and entwining as vines. "As for how long the chase willst,


    that''s up to Attorney ra to decide when she''ll officially have me. But no matter how long it takes,


    the position of Mrs. Hayes is hers and hers alone."


    His words may not have explicitly mentioned ''love,'' but they were drenched in deep-seated emotion.


    Such a deration sent the crowd into a rapturous uproar.


    ra felt as though she was ensnared in a dream.


    In this dream, she was in a predicament, and the boy she adored rescued her from the shadows


    just like in days past.


    He said he never saw her as a sugar baby. He said the title of Mrs. Hayes was reserved for her.


    Tears welled up unbidden in ra’s eyes as she looked at Ian. The man was devilishly handsome,


    his features chiseled, his looks deceivingly aloof, but his eyes were like twin pools of allure, drawing


    her in. Those eyes were now gazing at her with a warmth that could melt ciers.


    For a moment, ra''s heart ceased beating. She had to admit that she couldn''t forget Ian and


    couldn''t resist everything he brought into her life – the good and the bad.


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    Her voice trembled as she whispered, "Ian." It was a call so fragile it nearly shattered him.


    He smiled, gently ruffling her hair before pulling her into an embrace, his lips brushing a feather-light


    kiss on her forehead. His eyes, those dark, fathomless orbs, couldn''t hide the profound love within.


    "You were never a fling. You were the Mrs. Hayes I''ve always wanted to marry."


    At that moment, ra''s tears finally broke free, cascading down her cheeks. This was like a thorn


    that had pierced her heart for so long, throbbing in the quiet of the night. Now, with Ian''s public


    deration, the thorn was being pulled out. Though painful, the sting was strangely sweet, a


    sweetness that radiated from her heart, engulfing her entire being.


    Ian''s cool fingertips gently wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes, his voice a husky


    whisper, "ra, believe me, before long, you''ll definitely be my wife, Mrs. Hayes." With that,


    he took ra by the hand and led her away from the crowd.


    The Ivywood University anniversary celebration had already drawn considerable attention, but this


    news sent it skyrocketing to the top of the trending searches. Some even dug up old videos of Ian''s


    high-profile courtship of ra.


    In no time, the ''Cold CEO and His Secretary'' mini-drama was crafted and went viral.


    Heidi was livid, her phone shattering against the floor. Her body quivered, eyes bloodshot with fury.


    She would never let ra triumph. The title of Mrs. Hayes was hers.


    Anyone who dared to contest it would pay with their life!


    With a trembling hand, she pulled out another phone and dialed a number.