No Strings Attached novel (Clara and Ian)
Chapter 429

A canister of gasoline toppled over behind her, its contents gushing out slowly.

Clara knew this was Heidi's doing. It wasn't just her child's life that Heidi was after. It was hers too. She stumbled backward, recklessly, but with hands and feet bound, her movement was painfully slow. It was so slow, in fact, that Heidi had time to pick herself up off the ground, while Clara had barely moved a yard.

Heidi fished a lighter out of her pocket. With a "click", a blue flame sprang to life before Clara's eyes. She knew that once the lighter hit the ground, the whole boat would be engulfed in flames, and she'd be trapped with no way out.

Desperate, she called out, "Heidi, I know you want me dead, but if you start this fire, you won't make it out either."

Heidi sneered, "Let me clue you in, sweetie. Our guys have it all figured out. When this baby lights up, there'll be a helicopter swooping in to whisk me away. They'll take me to some foreign haven. And you? You'll be left here to fry."

"When lan finds you, you are just a pile of ash by then." she laughed wickedly.

"Heidi, you're living in a dreamland. They won't save you. You're expendable, a pawn. My guess? Ian's already locked down all the escape routes. You're not going anywhere. They're just stringing you along.” Clara was working the ropes on her wrists as she kept Heidi talking, desperate to save herself and her child.

Heidi raged with the lighter in her hand. "You're full of it! They wouldn't lie to me. They promised rescue!"

Clara shot back, "They dropped Leonora like a hot potato, didn't they? Listen to me, Heidi. It's not too late to turn back. Save yourself, at least. If you go through with this, it won't end well for you either." It was then that Clara felt the ropes give way around her wrists. Without alerting Heidi, she began freeing her legs. Just as she prepared to stand, Heidi noticed. She lunged forward, delivering a vicious kick to Clara's chest. "Damn you, you think you can trick me and escape? Dream on!" she snarled, attempting to light the lighter once more.

Clara grabbed her wrist, holding on for dear life. They struggled on the deck, fighting fiercely for control of the lighter.

Stepping out of his car, lan instantly spotted the struggle on the deck. The stark white of Clara's figure caught his eye.

His heart clenched. Throwing caution to the wind, he sprinted towards the ship, praying under his breath, "Hold on, Clara. I'm coming for you!"

He raced across the sandy beach, kicking up clouds of dust, scattering seagulls in every direction.

Perched in a distant watchtower, a man sat in a wheelchair, observing everything through binoculars. When he saw lan's swift approach, a sneer curled on the man's lips. "Clever boy, you really played me. This is what you get for deceiving me."

Then, he pressed a button on his remote. A deafening explosion tore through the serene night as the ship erupted into flames before lan's eyes. The fire cut through the silence, casting an ominous glow. lan halted, his scream tearing through the chaos. "Clara!"

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