No Strings Attached novel (Clara and Ian)
Chapter 296

Following Clara closely, lan's face was a mask of concern. He rubbed her back gently as they made their way to the bathroom. He asked, "What's wrong, love? Have you been overworking yourself lately? Skipping meals? Maybe we should head to the hospital, just to be safe?"

Hunched over the toilet, Clara heaved a few times, but nothing came up. Her eyes were bloodshot from the effort. She gave her head a slight shake. "I'm okay. I just need some Pepto-Bismol, and I'll be fine." lan wasn't convinced. His large hand came to rest on her forehead, feeling for a fever. "I'm calling the doctor over. I can't relax seeing you like this."

"It's just an old stomach issue, nothing new. A bowl of hot chicken noodle soup should set me right," Clara insisted.

From the doorway, Casey appeared, drawn by the commotion. "Clara, what's all this about? You're not—"

He almost voiced his suspicion of pregnancy, but the words died in his throat. He knew his daughter's health all too well. There was little chance she'd conceive even after three months with lan, let alone a year. He didn't want to voice a possibility that might only bring her pain.

Clara emerged from the bathroom with a pale face, forcing a smile for her father's sake. "Dad, I'm really fine."

"Sweetie, I made your favorite soup. Come have some. Ian, could you grab the bowls and utensils?"

"Sure thing. Let me just help Clara get seated first."

Ian helped Clara to the dining chair before heading to the kitchen. He was busy fetching plates, ladling soup, and serving with a diligence that made Clara feel almost guilty for his fussing.

After the meal, lan recounted Reed's cause of death to Casey, along with the Hayes family's compensation to the Bells and the punishment for Leonora. He looked at Casey with a face full of guilt, his voice tinged with an unspoken sorrow. "I'm so sorry for the hurt this has caused you and Clara. It's all on me. I promise to do everything in my power to protect you both from now on, but I can't bear the thought of leaving Clara. After everything we've been through, we've finally come together. I can't let her go."

Casey eyed the normally composed and proud man sitting before him, humbly apologizing and pleading. It twisted his heart. He liked lan and believed he was the right match for his daughter. Yet, with recent events, he felt compelled to reassess their relationship.

He sighed deeply. "Reed meant the world to Clara. Even if your mother hadn't provoked him, his time was short. But him dying this way... it's different. Clara must be blaming herself, thinking Reed could have lived longer. Your mother's words caused him pain in his final moments, and that's probably the hardest thing for Clara to bear. Give her time to process this. Your birth mother was the perpetrator, Reed was the victim, and he cherished Clara. It's an impossible situation."

Casey's words carried weight and sadness. He couldn't bear to see the young couple part. He also knew that if Clara left lan, it would break her heart. Yet, faced with family hurt, retreating was her only way to shield them.

Feeling unwell, Clara headed upstairs early, alone. She wasn't privy to the conversation between her father and lan, but whatever was said, lan stayed late.

As she watched his car pull away from the house, tears gathered in Clara's eyes. Memories of her and lan's happier times flashed through her mind. Each memory was a stab of pain, leaving her breathless.

She picked up the calendar from the table and circled the date lan had proposed and the day they planned to get their marriage certificate. Just as she was about to make a note, she realized she'd forgotten a very important date.