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!”

were a child, he’d probably drag her to

last shred of hope in Clara’s heart shattered. She clenched her fists so

“You once said that we were all about the romance, not the nuptials. That if one of us got

of any hesitation, but no one could

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

know you hate to hear it from me, but I’m tired, lan. I’m tired of a love that’s divided

been foolish before, believing that love was enough, that marriage didn’t matter. But she

way of forcing me into marriage? I must have

“Think what

husky voice was laced with a cool disdain. “Are you not afraid that the Bell family will return to its former struggles

mind exploded with disbelief, her eyes widening. “What three years?! What

his mouth curved in a mocking smile. ‘Setting up a scenario for me to save you, sticking with me even with no marriage on the table–wasn’t it all just to save the Bell family? Do you have any other reason that

a lot of business their way, pulling them out of

“So for these three years, all your

with irritation at her words. “Just a relationship of convenience, Clara. Did you really think I was serious?”