No Strings Attached

When Clara saw Anders again, it was on the night they celebrated Alicia becoming her godmother.

He looked like he had lost a ton of weight. His eyes were sunken, and his complexion pale as chalk. He stood in the hallway, forlornly puffing on a cigarette alone.

Clara approached, offering him a bottle of water and said softly, "Anders, have you found Orin's mom yet?"

Anders' red-rimmed eyes met hers. "Clara, I'm sorry. I've let you down."

Clara shook her head with a smile, "Don't beat yourself up. We never really got started. Cutting our losses now is the best thing for both of us. I don't want you to turn into one of those deadbeat jerks I loathe."

Anders closed his eyes in pain, his voice husky and weak. "Orin's had leukemia since he was little. None of our relatives were a match for a bone marrow transplant, and the doctors suggested we have another child."

with Orin in the picture, I never gave up on you. planned to find Elle, clear things

save him, but that meant I had to let you go, Clara. It took me so long to finally have you running towards me,

choked up, and tears streamed down his face. Torn between the girl he'd liked for years and the blood-related son he couldn't bear to

face. "Anders, from now on, consider me your sister. I hope you get over this relationship soon and give Orin and his mom the happy home they deserve. She must really love you to have the child on her own, and with Orin being sick all this time,

and walked away,

hotel, Clara bumped into Ryker. He handed her a pink-frosted cupcake, "Taste something sweet, and life won't

looked surprised, "You know

you girls love these things when you're feeling

grown up, understanding

Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in