No Strings Attached

lan pulled out a ring box from his pocket and gently opened it. He took out a women's ring and placed it on Clara's middle finger, his voice low and husky. "This is the ring you wanted me to propose with. I didn't know until I found it that you were No. 11. I'm so grateful for the person who tried to take your place. If it weren't for her, I might still not know that my wife has loved me for seven years."

He finished speaking and leaned down to press a kiss on Clara's lips. "Let me love you from now on, make up for the past seven years, okay?"RêAd lat𝙚St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

Clara sniffled and asked, "Why did you bring me here?"

lan gently stroked her brow and said, "I remember you telling me, once my eyes were healed, you wanted to bring me to stargaze. Mrs. Hayes, my eyes have been fine for seven years, but you never brought me here, not even telling me you were No. 11. It made finding you so hard."

"But it is good to know all of this now. Without those past feelings, perhaps I won't love you this much. So, you can rest assured. I will never leave you behind in this life. We will always be together." Clara wiped her tears and smiled at him.

"Forever and always, never to part again."

"Forever and always, never to part again."

lan repeated her words, lowering his head to gently nuzzle her cheek with a voice low and seductive. "Clara, darling, may your Mr. Nine steal a kiss?"

His warm and moist kisses landed on Clara's face, one after another. He kissed her from her eyes to her nose, from her nose to her chin, and finally landing on those soft lips.

As their lips and teeth intertwined, lan's husky voice lingered in Clara's ear. "Clara, I love you."

Clara wrapped her arms around his neck, slowly closing her eyes. A soft and enticing voice came from her throat, "Mr. Nine, I love you too."

At that moment, everything around them seemed to hit the pause button. The stars in the night sky appeared to stop twinkling, and the insects in the grass ceased their chirping. All that filled the air were sounds of burgeoning affection.

After seven years, upon their reunion, they both harbored indescribable feelings.

Was it the surprise of reuniting, or the sweetness of sharing their hearts? They were foolishly indistinguishable.

All these unclear emotions were fully expressed in this kiss. They kissed from standing to sitting, from kissing face-to-face to embracing and kissing from behind.

Looking at the starry sky above, and kissing the one you love most, must be the happiest thing in the world.

Clara hadn't felt this happy in a long time, so much so that she couldn't fall asleep even after returning home late. It wasn't until lan bathed her and told her several stories that she reluctantly fell asleep in his arms.

Under the moonlight, staring at the person sleeping in his arms, lan felt reborn. He leaned down to gently kiss Clara on the lips. His voice softly said, "Darling, goodnight."

Just as he had tucked Clara in, his phone rang. He immediately picked up the phone and walked into the study.

Brodie's husky voice came from the other end. "What do you think of my mom's behavior today?"

lan pulled out a cigarette from the

pack, lit it with a flick, and took a deep drag. Then he said in a deep voice, "Her familiarity with the old house is enough to show she lived there before. Is there a possibility that she was used as a substitute by Leonora?"