No Strings Attached novel (Clara and Ian)
Chapter 157

Chapter 157

The moment lan saw Clara, it felt like something heavy slammed into his chest, causing him unbearable pain, making it hard to breathe. Deep within his.dark. pupils, the streetlamp overhead cast a spotlight on the agony that was

magnifying in his eyes.

The cigarette burning down to his fingers went unnoticed, its pain insignificant compared to the ache in his heart.

He watched Clara, unblinkingly, as if fearing she would vanish the moment he dared to look away.

He wanted to ask if her nightmares had resurfaced. He longed to hold her close, to comfort her. The intensity of his desire was directly proportional to the throbbing in his heart.

His grip tightened around the smoldering cigarette butt in his hand. The sharp sting brought a measure of clarity to his mind.

He pulled out his phone, intending to text Clara, to check on her, but it was only then he realized that Clara had blocked him on all forms of contact.

By the time he looked up again, her silhouette had disappeared. His back. slammed against the car, triggering a piercing alarm.

Clara sat curled up on the balcony couch. Tears had begun to trace silent trails down her cheeks without her noticing.

The once beautiful dreams she harbored for lan were now the source of her heartache. She had thought coming out of her seven-year crush and three years of companionship as a sugar baby was the most painful thing she could endure. But lan's continued indulgence of Heidi was the deepest cut of all.

Clara curled up on the sofa, holding Snow tightly in her arms. Snow's thick, soft fur gradually brought warmth to her chilled body.

For two days, she shut herself away, ignoring calls, not responding to messages, staying off the internet, and abandoning her work. She just lay still, with Snow nestled beside her on the couch.

When she finally showed up at the law firm again, her colleagues were shocked. Clara had lost weight, her complexion was ghostly pale, and even her normally

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rosy lips were drained of color. Her eyes were sunken, threaded with red veins.

Anders felt a twinge in his heart at the sight of her. He approached her, his voice soft with concern, "Why are you here, Clara? Didn't I tell you to take a few more days off?"

A bitter smile touched Clara's pale lips, "I'm okay, Anders. I want to work."

She sought refuge in her work, hoping it would numb the raw wound. Anders understood all too well, his gaze on her full of tenderness, "I have a case that needs some paperwork sorted. Could you help me with that?"

Clara held his gaze for a few seconds before replying, "Don't I have any cases of my own?"

"Clara, this is just temporary. Everything will get better, trust me." Anders patted her head, a comforting gesture.

She gave him a weak smile, "I know."

She had anticipated this outcome. The negative fallout from Victoria's case wouldn't just disappear overnight.

As she followed Anders into his office, the secretary came in to knock on the door. "Attorney Anders, someone is here to see Attorney Clara. I've arranged for them to meet in Conference Room 1."

Clara's eyes sparkled with hope, "Anders, this could be my chance." Her spirits lifted, and she pushed open the door to the conference room with a smile.

As soon as she recognized the person seated inside, the smile faded from her eyes. Her hands involuntarily clenched into fists at her sides. "What are your doing here?"

Heidi looked up, her face immediately showing remorse. "Attorney Clara, I came to apologize. I shouldn't have targeted you, allowing the Victoria situation to impact you so greatly, to the point where no one would seek your legal services."

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