No Strings Attached

Brodie immediately looked at Rose's hand and noticed a band-aid on her finger. He smiled slightly. "Thank you. I'll make sure to eat more."

Rose was pleased to see him more amiable than before and nodded in satisfaction. "If you like it, then eat more. Next time you come, I'll make it for you again.”

Clara promptly picked up the plate and pushed it into Brodie's hands, smiling, "Let's go sit over there to eat."

Just as they were about to leave, lan's voice came from behind. "Clara, you're only allowed one piece. Don't overdo it. Your blood sugar levels were near the upper limit at your check-up a few days ago. You need to be careful, understand?"This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

He walked over and gently rubbed Clara's waist, looking at her with a touch of distress. "You rushed over here first thing in the morning to busy yourself. Must be exhausted. Go rest for a bit.” Clara obediently nodded. "Then, can I have some chips?"

"No."

"Just five chips, ok? Didn't you hear the doctor say that keeping a pregnant woman happy is most important?" Clara earnestly sought justification for herself.

Before lan could respond, Greta came over with a bag of snacks. Linking arms with Clara, she said, "Come on, I'll give you something to eat. We don't need to listen to him. Brodie, let's go together." The three of them gave lan a challenging look and then walked over to sit down at the patio tea table together. They drank tea, basked in the sunlight, and munched on snacks.

lan watched them helplessly, yet there was an indescribable warmth in his heart. No matter what had happened between Katherine and his father in the past, Brodie being his brother was an unchangeable fact. Welcoming him back to the Hayes family was not only grandma's wish but also the desire of everyone.

After the meal, Clara and lan headed home. Looking at the streets along the way, Clara was thrilled. Ever since she got pregnant, she had been staying at home for safety, rarely going out. The scenery of the streets had changed from the snowy white at the beginning of her pregnancy to blooming flowers.

Several new restaurants had opened on both sides of the street, including a dessert shop and a flower store.

Clara's bright eyes kept darting out the window. Every time she saw something new, her eyes sparkled. Excitedly, she said, "Look, there's a new Italian restaurant. Can we go eat there after the baby is born?"

"And there's a fried foods stall. Get me some after the baby is born."

lan tenderly brushed her hair. "After the baby is born, I'll bring you here, and we'll eat at every place until we're satisfied."

Clara turned to look at him, pouting, "I was just saying. After the baby is born, I still need to breastfeed. Spicy food isn't good for the baby."

lan affectionately squeezed her

hand. "Breastfeeding is too hard, and it ruins your sleep. Besides, formula, has all the nutrients the baby needs. Why don't we just switch to formula right away? We can leave the baby with a nanny and go wherever we want, not worrying about what to eat or drink. How about that?"

Hearing him say this, Clara glared at him. "If I did that, what would be the difference between me and Victoria? To enjoy myself without caring for the child? I don't want to be that kind of irresponsible mother."

lan kissed her forehead, smiling, "Alright, we'll do everything the way baby's mom wants. To thank you for having our baby, I'll take you somewhere."

Clara's eyes lit up. "Won't it be dangerous?"

"No, it's been arranged in advance."

"Where are we going?" Clara was excited.

lan stroked her head. His voice was tender. "Be good. Take a nap first. I'll wake you when we get there."