No Strings Attached

He cradled Clara's delicate hand in his, showering it with kisses. His lips brushed against her skin repeatedly. Tears welled up in his eyes, a warm sensation swirling within.

At this moment, he couldn't quite capture the storm of emotions raging through him—was it the relief of a narrow escape or the joy of a precious return? He had even braced himself for the worst, rehearsing in his mind how he would console Clara if their child was lost.

Clara, overcome with emotion, was at a loss for words. Tears streamed down her cheeks in silence. After what felt like an eternity, her voice emerged, hoarse and trembling, "lan, I didn't let go of our kid. When Heidi kicked me, I shielded them with my arms. I'm a good mom, Ian. I protected our child."

These words pierced lan's heart, sending waves of acute pain through him. Without a doubt, he knew the lengths Clara had gone to protect their unborn child. He wrapped his arms around Clara, holding her close, his lips finding the crown of her head.

"You're amazing, Clara. You're the greatest mom in the world, and I love you," he murmured against her hair.

her eyes. His lips finally rested on her pale, trembling ones. His voice was a deep, husky whisper. "Clara, I love you. I love you so much." Then, he captured the lips he had longed for day and night in a

all his pent-up longing into that kiss. His lips moved against hers with a fervor that

rumbling from Clara's stomach broke their trance. It was then that Clara remembered she

as she stared at lan. Her voice was still laced with the remnants of passion. "Ian, I'm so hungry. Is there anything to eat here? I'm craving ribs, shrimp, and cupcakes." Seeing her revert to her food-loving self, lan finally allowed himself to relax. He

her a bowl of veggie soup, her tears couldn't be held back. She knew this was her father Casey's doing. She couldn't imagine what he

voice was soft with comfort. "Casey's strong. He always believed you were alive. He's been making this soup every day, waiting for you to

eyes met his. "Is he okay?

a doctor with him the

recuperation. When she finally saw Casey, she couldn't help but burst into tears and throw herself into his arms, crying out "Daddy" just like she did