No Strings Attached

Chapter 290

Grandpa Reed had been looking forward to her wedding day for the longest time. It was probably his biggest wish for the remainder of his life.

Clara wanted to fulfill his wish before he passed away. And how could Ian not understand her feelings?

His tender and soothing voice assured her, “Alright, let's get the certificate and start planning the wedding. We'll let Grandpa Reed depart in peace, okay?”

Tears streamed down Clara's cheeks as she fretted, “But your mom... she's always been against us, and I'm not even pregnant yet. I'm scared.”

Before she could finish, Ian's lips silenced hers. A kiss, gentle and brief, landed on her lips.

His deep, husky voice whispered in her ear, “Silly girl, I'm the one marrying you. It's got nothing to do with anyone else. A child is just icing on the cake. Even without it, we'll be happy for a lifetime.”

He kissed away the tears from the corners of her eyes, whispering softly, “You don't have to do a thing. Just be my wife and leave the rest to me. I promise you a wedding that's nothing short of spectacular.”

The thought of marrying the man she had loved for seven years filled Clara with a whirlwind of emotions. There was excitement, nervousness, and a hopeful longing for their beautiful future together. She felt their love for each other was so strong that their married life would surely be blissful.

Clara quickly composed herself, wrapping her arms around Ian's neck and murmuring, “Thank you, honey.”

That endearment made Ian stiffen. Combined with the nasal tone of Clara's voice, it sounded like a plea from someone who had been wronged. Every cell in Ian's body seemed to be boiling with desire.

He wrapped Clara in his arms and kissed her passionately. This kiss was restrained yet filled with tenderness.

As he thought of their upcoming marriage certificate ceremony and the wedding that would follow, Ian was brimming with excitement. He wanted to ravish the petite woman in his arms, but he restrained himself. After the kiss, he let her go.

His gaze lingered on Clara. “Sweetheart, go downstairs and keep Grandpa Reed company. I have to take care of the wedding arrangements.”

Clara slipped from his embrace and went downstairs alone.

—

At the Hayes family estate.

Rose nearly tumbled off the couch upon hearing the news. She immediately ordered, “Teo, how are the gifts coming along? Clara's about to join the family, and you're still dragging your feet?”

Teo replied with a smile, “It's almost ready. Tomorrow, I'll take Greta to pick out some jewelry for Clara.”

“Good, make sure it's the trendiest and priciest. If it weren't for Clara, our little rebel would still be playing the bachelor game.”

Greta chimed in excitedly, “Grandma Rose, my friend does bridal photography. I'll arrange for their wedding shoot right away.”

“Exactly, the wedding shoot, bridal gown, and suits for the day. We need to get those ready.”

“No need to worry about those. Ian’s already had them designed by international fashion icons,” chimed in another family member. Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

The entire household, including the staff, was overjoyed. Only Leonora remained sullen.

Clara had stayed up late chatting with Grandpa Reed the night before. In the morning, she was awakened by Ian's kisses. While kissing her, he murmured, “Mrs. Hayes, time to rise and shine.”

Clara, bleary-eyed and voice husky with sleep, mumbled, “Isn’t the office open at nine? It’s just past seven.”

Ian's nose gently grazed her cheek as he coaxed, “Darling, you need to get dressed and put on makeup, and I’ve arranged for a photographer to capture this important moment for us.”

He carried her to the bathroom, placed her on the sink counter, and put a dab of toothpaste on an electric toothbrush, pushing it into Clara’s mouth.