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!”

If there were a child, he’d probably drag her to

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

said that we were all about the romance, not the nuptials. That if one of us got bored, we’d part amicably. Well, lan, I’m done. Let’s

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

like cords, his gaze piercing Clara. “Do you even realize what you’re saying?”

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

been foolish before, believing that love was enough, that marriage didn’t matter. But she was wrong because lan’s heart

into marriage? I must have underestimated you, or maybe you’re just that

“Think what you want.

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

mind exploded with disbelief, her eyes widening. “What

up a scenario for me to save you, sticking with me even

financial crisis. After 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

for these three years, all your kindness was

irritation at her words. “Just a relationship of convenience, Clara. Did you