No Strings Attached

Chapter 3

Hearing those words, lan’s expression turned icy in an instant. His dark eyes fixed on Clara with an intensity that felt like a physical force. “I’ve told you before I’m not the marrying kind, Clara. If you couldn’t handle that, you shouldn’t have agreed to this.”

A faint redness tinged the corners of Clara’s eyes. “It was different before, lan. It was just the two of us. Now, there’s a third.“–

“She can’t threaten you.”

Clara let out a self–deprecating chuckle. “She just makes one call, and you drop everything for her, leaving me in the dust. Tell me, lan, how is that not a threat?”

A flash of anger sparked in lan’s eyes. “You’re making a mountain out of a molehill over a little menstrual pain?”

“What if it was more? What if I was pregnant?”

“Don’t try to trap me with talk of a kid. I’ve always been careful!”

words unhesitating. If there were a child, he’d probably drag her

last shred of hope in Clara’s heart shattered. She clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her

lifted her chin, her smile bitter. “You once said that we were all about the romance, not the nuptials. That if one of us got bored, we’d part

words were crisp, devoid of any hesitation, but no one could see the fresh wound

out like cords, his gaze piercing Clara.

you hate to hear it from me, but I’m tired,

believing that love was enough, that marriage didn’t matter. But she was wrong because lan’s heart had never truly been

tightened on Clara’s chin. “Is this your way of forcing me into marriage? I must have underestimated you, or maybe

stared at him, her disappointment boundless. “Think what you want. I’m moving out

arm pulled her back into his embrace. His hot lips found hers with precision, biting gently. His husky voice was laced with a cool disdain. “Are you not afraid that the Bell family will return to its former struggles without me? You traded three years of your life

widening. “What three

you, sticking with me even with no marriage on the table–wasn’t it

got involved with her, he had indeed thrown a lot of business their way, pulling them out of the mire. She had thought that lan was willing

your kindness was just an

“Just a relationship