No Strings Attached novel (Clara and Ian)
Chapter 216

Just as she was about to walk over there, she felt a shadow swiftly approaching her from behind.

Clara instinctively glanced over her shoulder, and she locked eyes with a man whose fierce glare sent chills down her spine.

A sense of dread washed over Clara, and she bolted. But her body was already weak from low blood sugar, and the pursuer was a man. Clara didn't get far before she heard a menacing shout from behind. "Clara, you're dead meat!"

As the words rang out, Clara felt something splash against her back. A searing, unbearable pain followed immediately.

Clara realized in an instant what the liquid was. If it had hit her face, her life as she knew it would have been over.

Ignoring everything else, she sprinted forward, pulling out her phone to make a call. The man behind was relentless in his pursuit.

Just as Clara felt another onslaught of the liquid coming her way, a tall figure shielded her in his embrace. Before she could even process what was happening, lan lashed out with a kick to the man's belly. The man let out a howl of pain and crumbled to the ground. The bottle's contents spilled over him, and he shrieked in agony.

lan, with panic etched across his features, quickly scanned Clara.

"Clara, where are you hurt?"

Fighting through the pain, she managed to gasp out, "My back."

lan spun her around to see that the skin on Clara's back had been scalded. His heart twisted in anguish.

He scanned the area and spotted a car wash nearby. With no time to waste, lan pulled Clara towards it.

However, he was so consumed with worry for her injuries that he overlooked the man on the ground, who had been splashed with the same corrosive liquid. Wincing in pain, the man slowly got to his feet. His eyes were filled with menacing intent as he charged at Clara again.

This time, however, he was brandishing a knife. As lan reached for the hose, the man lunged at Clara with the blade.

Just as the knife was about to pierce her, lan reappeared. He wrapped Clara in his arms protectively. Then, a muffled grunt sounded by Clara's ear. She felt something hot and wet trickling down her body. Pushing lan away, she was met with the horrific sight of a knife embedded in his belly, blood gushing from the wound.

"lan!" Clara's voice was shrill with urgency.

lan managed a weak smile, yanked the knife out, and hurled it at the attacker. The blade struck true, embedding itself in the man's thigh. He collapsed to the ground, moaning in agony. "Ian, I'm taking you to the hospital."

Clara's voice trembled, and her tears glistened in her eyes.

lan pushed Clara away, his hand pressed to his wound. With a hoarse voice, he insisted, "Clara, I'm fine. Stay put. Don't move. I need to rinse that acid off you."

"I don't care about that. You're bleeding! I can't stand to see you die."

Ignoring Clara's protests, lan picked up the hose, adjusted the pressure to the lowest setting, opened the valve, and gently sprayed her back. The burning on Clara's back gradually subsided, replaced by the sharp sting of her soaked skin. She knew the skin must have peeled away to hurt this much.

Once lan was satisfied that the acid was mostly washed off, he set the hose down.

Clara was drenched, her clothes clinging to her frame, so he quickly shed his jacket and wrapped it around her. "Let's get to the hospital."

But as he bent down to pick her up, his body gave way, and he collapsed to the ground.

"lan!"

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