No Strings Attached

Chapter 254

He remembered distinctly that a sketch of a necklace was tucked away in his mother's drawer. It was identical in design, from the shape and number of diamonds to every last detail.

At the time, he was captivated by the necklace, thinking it was stunningly beautiful. He was sure that it would look amazing on his little sister's neck.

His mother watched him, engrossed, and with a smile, she tousled his hair gently. She said softly, "This is a design I made for Aunt May's little girl, a sort of betrothal gift from you to her. Do you think it's pretty?"

He felt a bit shy then, but he still nodded with a smile.

Later, when May met with tragedy, no one spoke of the necklace again. Perhaps it was a private pact between his mother and May. Others might not have been privy to it.

So when May clasped that necklace tightly in her final moments, what was she trying to say?

Ian felt a choking sensation in his chest, and he abruptly stood up to step out onto the balcony, flinging open the window to take deep breaths of the outside air.

The token of his and Clara's affection was designed by his mother's own hands. She had been so hopeful for their union, so why was she now so adamantly opposed?

Was she unaware of Clara's background, or had something happened between her and May?

Ian gripped the necklace tightly in his hand, his voice hoarse. "I'll keep the necklace with me for now. I'm going to trace its origins—there might be a clue."

Meanwhile, Clara stepped out of the hospital room and made her way to the gynecology department. A few days ago, she underwent a check-up here, and today, the results were in.

Sitting nervously in the doctor's office, she asked, "Doctor, is there any improvement in my condition?"

The doctor glanced at the lab report and frowned deeply. "Premature ovarian failure isn't easily remedied. Some patients take medication for years without any effect. You've only been on treatment for three months. It's still the same." Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.

Clara bit her lip in disappointment. "Isn't there anything else that can be done? Or am I never going to be able to conceive?"

"Don't lose hope," the doctor advised. "The chances may be slim, but as long as there's a glimmer, you can't give up. However, I must remind you that if you plan to marry, you should be upfront with your partner. In the case you can't have children, it could lead to complications later on."

The doctor's words pierced Clara like a knife. She had an eighty percent chance of being infertile. The remaining twenty percent was complicated by a retroverted uterus. So, the odds of her being able to conceive were almost nil.

Clara walked out of the office, her eyes brimming with tears, clutching the lab report as if it were the sum of all her bittersweet emotions.

She had promised Ian she wouldn't leave him, but what if she couldn't bear children? What would Ian do?

He was the sole heir to the Hayes family, and Rose dreamt of cradling great-grandchildren. She had been so kind to Clara. How could Clara bear to deceive her?

As sweet as last night with Ian had been, now her heart tasted just as bitter. She felt life was unfairly harsh on her.

Despite her hard work and kindness, why was she burdened with such a mother, and why must she endure all this? Just as she sought to reconcile with Ian and mend what was broken, the issues before her seemed insurmountable.

Lost in thought, Clara sat alone on a bench in the hallway. At that moment, Christy, carrying her child, and Roger came by. "Clara, why are you sitting here all by yourself?" Christy inquired.

Hearing her name called, Clara quickly pulled herself from sorrow. She looked up to see Della smiling at her. She stood up and waved. "Della, have you missed your godmother?"