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!”

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

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

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 amicably. Well,

no one could see the

veins standing out like cords, his gaze piercing Clara. “Do you even

from me, but I’m tired, lan. I’m

enough, that marriage didn’t matter. But she was wrong because lan’s

your way of forcing me into marriage? I must have

disappointment boundless. “Think what you want. I’m moving out

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

eyes widening. “What three years?!

a mocking smile. ‘Setting up a scenario for me to save you, sticking with me even with no marriage

lan 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 to help because he liked her.

all your kindness was

“Just a relationship of convenience, Clara. Did you really think I was