No Strings Attached

Chapter 47

Chapter 47

The word ‘home‘ pierced Clara’s heart like a thorn. Once, she had believed in that place as her home, where she handpicked decorations from department stores and meticulously arranged every nook and cranny. Her arrival turned the once sterile apartment into a haven of warmth.

After work each day, she would swing by the local grocery store to pick up fresh ingredients, preparing lan’s favorite dishes with care.

Waiting for him to come home, sharing dinner, those moments were the epitome of bliss for her. She even thought, if lan wasn’t ready for marriage, their current arrangement wasn’t half bad.

But the harsh truth was, it had always been a one–sided affair. Ian had never truly given her his heart. To him, she was merely a fuck buddy, an object for his desires.

The bitter realization twisted her lips into a sardonic smile. “That’s your home, not mine. I won’t go back with you.”

lan’s grip tightened on her chin, his mouth claiming hers in a possessive kiss that brooked no argument. His unrestrained lips wandered over her face, neck, and body, acting without censure. He knew Clara’s body as if it were his own. He knew what made her tick, and what stirred her deepest cravings.

Her breath was stolen bit by bit, like a small fish gasping for air before drowning in a vast

sea.

The night was deep, the world around them silent. The only audible sound was the heavy breathing of a man caught in passion.

Ian nipped at her tender flesh, teasing, “Are you coming home or not?”

Clara’s eyes reddened from the intensity of the kiss, her body turning to putty. Her voice was hoarse and unrecognizable. “lan, home is where the heart is. What we have is hardly more than a fling a hotel room would be more suitable.”

Her voice was soft yet charged with coldness. lan slowly released her, his gaze pinning her in place, “Clara, have I treated you too well? Made you too arrogant?”

A cold laugh escaped Clara, “if being wrongly accused counts as treating someone well, then yes, you excel at that, don’t you?”

Her clear, bright eyes held not a trace of affection, only icy mockery that chilled lan to the

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He licked his lips, frustration evident, “Clara, don’t be too smart for your own good. Do you think Heidi is that easy to deal with?”

“I’m aware she’s got the Campbell family and you behind her. But she crossed a line. I’ll

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fight her to the bitter end if I have to.”

‘She’s got depression, Clara. Drive her to suicide, and you’ll face consequences you can’t Imagine.

Clara closed her eyes, a bitter smile touching her lips. “So you’ll always believe her over me? lan, depression isn’t exclusive to Heidi. Have you ever thought that I might suffer from it too?”

“Clara, depression isn’t like catching a cold. You don’t just get it because you want to.” lan sat up in bed, his gaze upon Clara was cold and distant.

The woman before him was a mystery. Where she used to be docile and compliant, she now radiated defiance.

His long, well–shaped hand gently caressed her luminous cheek, his voice softening, “I’ve told you, if you just behave, I’ll keep you safe. Otherwise…”

“Otherwise, you’ll be less than gentle, right?”

The desolation in Clara’s eyes deepened, and her smile turned even more bitter. She had told him the truth about the baby, but he didn’t believe her. She denied pushing Heidi, but he didn’t believe that either. Now, with the pain of reopening old wounds, she revealed her own struggle with depression, and still, he refused to believe.