No Strings Attached

Chapter 438

Clara slid out of bed in a swift motion, throwing herself into Ian’s arms. “Ian!”

After their harrowing brush with death, words failed to capture the raw ache in their hearts. Every attempt at speech was choked back by emotion, and they just clung to each other, holding on tight. Exclusive © content by N(ô)ve/l/Drama.Org.

Ian’s eyes, red and wet, gazed upon Clara as he tenderly kissed her forehead, over and over again. Only when he felt the warmth of her skin and her breath did he realize this wasn’t a dream. This was real life.

He had truly found his Clara. She was alive.

“Clara, I’m so sorry. I should have been here sooner.”

Tears streamed down Clara’s cheeks. “Ian, Heidi kicked me so hard, several times. I don’t know how long I drifted at sea. I was so scared... scared for our baby.”

Heidi’s kicks had been fierce, each one landing mercilessly on her lower belly. At that moment, Clara had felt a searing pain, and coupled with the time spent adrift at sea, especially during such a precarious period, every factor seemed to threaten their unborn child’s life.

Ian gently kissed her lips and whispered soothingly, “Don’t worry. I’ve brought a medical team. We’ll have you checked out in a bit. And if, by some chance, the baby didn’t make it, then it wasn’t meant to be. We can try again.”

He had to prepare her mentally. Under such dire conditions, the chances of the baby’s survival were almost non-existent.

He scooped Clara into his arms and made his way toward the door. The tattooed man on the ground yelled, “Where are you taking her? I’m the one who saved her!”

Ian shot him a cold glance. “If it weren’t for the fact that you saved her, do you think I’d let you off so easily?”

He gave Dawson a knowing look. Dawson, understanding the cue, pulled out several wads of cash from his bag and threw them at the man. “Consider yourself lucky you didn’t lay a finger on my lady, or your head would’ve been relocated by now.”

The man, having never seen so much money in his life, was so ecstatic that his eyes nearly popped out of his sockets. “I’m getting rich!”

Ian carried Clara onto the helicopter and gently laid her on the bed. His large hand gripped hers tightly. He reassured her in a low voice, “Don’t be afraid. I’m right here with you.”

Clara’s hands were ice-cold with anxiety as she looked helplessly into Ian’s eyes. “Ian.”

He leaned down to kiss her lips again. “Sweetheart, don’t think about anything else. We can always have another child.”

“What if I can’t get pregnant again?”

“Then we won’t bother. Life will be simpler without kids.”

Ian knew the ordeal Clara had gone through for this child – the countless medicinal concoctions she had endured. He also knew how difficult it would be for Clara to conceive again. He was preemptively easing her into the idea, not wanting her to be devastated if they lost the baby.

After days adrift, her health had already taken a significant toll. Any further stress could lead to serious illness.

Clara clung to Ian’s hand as the doctor conducted various examinations. She didn’t even dare to ask whether the baby was still there.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the doctor returned with the lab reports. “Mr. Hayes, Mrs. Hayes needs substantial rest to recover from the severe chill, but there are no other issues.”

Ian looked at the doctor in disbelief. “What do you mean no other issues? What about the baby? Is it still there?”

The doctor smiled with a nod. “Of course, the baby is still there. Just a bit shaken up. I’ll prescribe some medication to stabilize and everything should be fine.”

At that, Ian and Clara exchanged incredulous looks. Their eyes brimmed with disbelief. It took a moment for Ian to process the news, and then he leaned down to kiss Clara’s lips. His voice trembled with the aftershocks of elation. “Baby, did you hear that? Our baby is still with us, and doing well.”