No Strings Attached

Every place she passed seemed to echo with memories of lan. They had once kissed on a swing, basked in the sunlight lying on the grass. Together, they would run around the yard with their little dog, Snow. Every place she went seemed to carry the essence of lan.

Clara sat on the swing, gently stroking Snow's head. Her voice was soft.

"Snow, I miss your dad."C0ntent © 2024 (N/ô)velDrama.Org.

Snow responded with a soft whimper.

Then Clara sighed, "If only he wasn't Leonora's son."

But the world wasn't made of "ifs." It was just a fanciful wish she harbored deep inside.

Clara chuckled at herself, a hint of self-mockery in her laughter.

Just then, she saw Chase's car pulling in. Sasha, like a little kite, ran towards her. "Clara, I came to see my godson!"

She approached Clara, handing her a colorful cupcake. "While your husband's not home, sneak a bite, but not too much, okay? We wouldn't want to affect my godson's growth."

When she saw her, Clara's spirits lifted significantly. She stuck out her tongue, taking a lick of the cupcake, and closed her eyes in contentment. "How come you're free to visit today?"

"Of course. I missed you, and I missed my godson even more. Come on, let me feel if he's grown any bigger." She placed her hand on Clara's belly, gently caressing it.

Chase chuckled from behind. "You might want to touch less, lest the baby ends up fiery like you, a little firecracker ready to go off."

Hearing this, Sasha turned and glared at him. "I'm gonna sew your mouth shut."

Chase, undeterred, teased, "Even sewn shut, I'd still say. Clara, can you believe her? Just because I entered her room without knocking, she beat me up first thing in the morning, and my arm still hurts." Clara, holding the cupcake, watched Sasha with amusement. "Sasha, aren't you being a bit too strict?"

Sasha, fuming, pointed at Chase, "Why don't you ask what he did? He barged in when I was undressed. Do you think I let just anyone see me?"

Chase, with a roguish laugh, said, "It's not like I haven't seen it before. What's wrong with one more look? It's not like you lose a pound."

Hearing this, Sasha kicked towards Chase but missed as he dodged. The two started chasing each other around the yard, with Snow barking behind them.

When Clara saw this scene, a smile finally broke across her face.

Chase caught Sasha's wrist, whispering, "Come on, I've made Clara laugh. What more do you want?"

Sasha kicked him again. "You're not needed here anymore. Beat it!"

"Aren't you going to get me some food? I skipped breakfast."

Sasha ignored him, running back to Clara.

Chase took out his phone, snapped a picture of Clara, and sent it to lan. "Made your wife laugh. Don't I get something for that?"

lan opened the picture of Clara,

whose face beamed with joy. He et

couldn't help but gently stroke ber cheek on the screen. He themsent Chase a generous gift. S

Just then, Dayson came to report, "Mr. Hayes, we've checked Zora's background, and everything matches her story. As it stands, she's the one you're looking for unless there's something else between you two."

Hearing this, lan immediately stood up. "To the sanatorium."

He remembered the time he and No. 11 buried a small box under a maple tree, inside which were letters they had written to their future selves.

They drove to the sanatorium. Ian,

with a shovel in hand, began to dig under the maple tree. He didn't have to dig far before uncovering a cookie tin. Just as he was about to retrieve it, he noticed a gray ring box lying silently beside it. He picked it up, opened it, and was instantly frozen in shock.