No Strings Attached

This wasn't the first time Clara had heard such words. Just last time, at Rose's birthday bash, Marian had said something similar.

Clara paid it no mind, merely offering a small smile. "By that logic, I guess Heidi and I look alike too. Are we fated then? Seems more like a recipe for resentment."

Edwin offered a bitter chuckle upon seeing Clara's resistance. "Clara, please don't lump me together with Heidi. We have a blood feud. Her mother killed my mom and lost my sister. I'll never stand with her."

To gain Clara's trust, Edwin laid bare the tragic tale of his mother's demise and his sister's mysterious disappearance. In his eyes, Clara saw the raw agony of losing a mother and the yearning for a lost sibling. She was touched, and she felt an unexpected kinship. The walls around her heart began to crumble ever so slightly.

her eyes full of scrutiny. "What if I told you my dad's illness is connected

looked into immediately. If Paolo is involved, I'll

grandma had a falling out over something, and I bet someone's stirring the pot." Edwin nodded firmly. "I'll have someone on it right away. You've

father's health, lan's safety, and the well-being of the child within all needed her to stay strong. She accepted a food box from

for the senses, it was tasteless for her. Watching her struggle, Edwin asked with concern, "Does the food not agree with you?

shook her head gently. "Nothing will taste right

rice, sipped some chicken soup, then had the remnants

sat quietly beside her father's bed, holding his hand much like he had held hers throughout her childhood. She wanted to tell him in this way that she was waiting for him to wake up.

and Clara's pale face, the