No Strings Attached novel (Clara and Ian)
Chapter 500

How could it be Leonora? She was her Mom's dearest friend, her confidante. Her mom trusted Leonora implicitly, so much so that she had promised Clara to lan before Clara was even born.

Why would Leonora do this to May? Not only did she have an affair with May's man, but she also bore him a daughter. For the sake of her own daughter's happiness, she sacrificed years of sisterhood and was complicit in May's death. And because of her, Clara had been cast adrift for years.

Tears streamed down Clara's face as these thoughts consumed her. She had vowed to find the culprit and avenge her mother, no matter who it was, but she never imagined it would be Leonora. The culprit was the mother of lan, the man she loved most.

What about her and lan, then? His mother killed her mother. They were bound by a blood feud.

Clara's body shook uncontrollably. She slid off the bed, collapsing onto the floor, mumbling over and over, "Why is this happening? Why?"

After all she and lan had been through, why did fate script such a melodrama?

It was only now that Clara understood why lan had been speaking in riddles recently. He had insisted that she should never leave him, no matter what. He claimed his love was eternal.

So he knew the truth all along and feared she would leave if she found out.

Clara's tears fell onto her swelling belly. She caressed it gently. Her voice was choked with emotion. "Baby, what am I supposed to do?"

She could pretend nothing had happened, act oblivious, and continue a life with lan. But could there be happiness between them now? Would her mother's spirit forgive her? Her death was so unjust, and yet her daughter was ready to marry and bear the child of her enemy's son.

These thoughts sent Clara's head spinning with pain. She lay on the bed, sobbing quietly.

That was when she heard a knock at the door, followed by lan's desperate voice. "Clara, please open the door. Let's talk this through, okay?"

His voice only made Clara cry

harder. Her mind was a mess. She didn't know how to face lan or what to do next. Fighting back her sorrow, she whispered to the door, "lan, I need some time alone." S

lan replied immediately, "Clara, you can't shut yourself in there. Casey and I are worried. Open the door. I need to talk to you."

"I just can't see you right now, lan.

Please, just give me a moment. My thoughts are all over the place.d don't know what to do." She broke down in tears.

lan, standing outside, was frantic, his forehead veins bulging. He was almost certain Clara knew the truth.

He had been so careful, so who could have leaked it to her?

He turned to Dawson standing behind him. "Check Clara's phone records. Someone must have sent her something." Dawson nodded. "On it, right away."

lan leaned against the wall outside the door. His eyes were bloodshot, staring at the ceiling. With a pale face and a hoarse voice, he pleaded, "Clara, I never intended to keep this from you. I wanted to wait until after the baby is born. Then I will tell you. Now that you know, I won't force you to make a choice. Butt beg you, take care of our baby, and take care of yourself. I believe May would want nothing less than to see you both safe."

The words caught in his throat, and he could say no more.

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