Want My Womb? I'll Make You Childless novel Chapter 119

Chapter 119

The black sedan had barely left the circular driveway of The Summit when Attorney Brown’s cell phone abruptly rang

The unfamiliar number flashing on the screen vibrated urgently. Attorney Brown glanced at Clara in the passenger seat and pressed the answer button.

“Mr. Bennett, this is Anthony Parker.”

The moment the call connected, Anthony Parker’s urgent voice blared through the speaker, “I need to talk to you right away, it has to be in person.”

Clara Bennett’s fingers unconsciously traced the leather of her purse on her lap, her brows furrowed slightly.

Anthony Parker?

She hadn’t even found a lead on his daughter, so why was he suddenly reaching out to her? Could something have happened?

“Where are you?”

Clara took the phone from Attorney Brown, her voice calm and even, betraying no emotion.

“The Tea House in the Old Alley in West Side. I’m here waiting for you, alone,” Anthony said rapidly. “It’s about my daughter, please, you have to come.”

Clara’s heart skipped a beat, and without asking further questions, she replied, “Okay, I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

After hanging up, Attorney Brown pressed on the accelerator, and the car smoothly picked up speed.

“You just mentioned your mother’s car accident to Victor Bennett, and now Anthony Parker is suddenly calling you. Do you think it could be a trap?”

Attorney Brown watched Clara’s expression in the rearview mirror.

Clara stared out the window at the rapidly receding streetscape, her eyes shadowed.“No, with the recording we have, he’s as good as guilty of intentionally causing my mother’s death. Even Diane Bennett won’t escape punishment. He doesn’t need to do anything

extra.”

What concerned her more was that Anthony Parker had been holed up in the old house, watched by Diane’s people. How could he have suddenly found a lead on Sophie Parker?

The Tea House was tucked away deep in the Old Alley, its wooden doors worn and weathered, creaking as they were pushed open.

Anthony was sitting in the innermost booth, the teacup in front of him long since cold, untouched.

Seeing Clara and Attorney Brown enter, he stood up, his eyes filled with urgency and fear. “Ms. Bennett, thank you for coming.” Anthony’s voice trembled almost imperceptibly, and his knee knocked against the table leg as he stood, making a dull thud.

Clara sat down across from him, raising a hand to calm him.“Tell me, what’s going on?”

Anthony took a deep breath, as if steeling himself, and looked directly at Clara. “Ms. Bennett, did you see the news tonight?”

“The one involving the Carter Group’s chairman in a confidential case? I saw Sophie’s picture on it.”

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མེད ད ད པ མ བ 1:|: ཀྱི 1 ཀ

Chara felt her mind go Bank in an instant

Of course, she had seen the news the photos showed Ethan Carter and Natalie Parker

Natalie Parker was Sophie Parker?

She recalled the composite image of the adult woman created from the old photos Anthony had provided. She had thought the eyebrows and eyes looked familiar, but she couldn’t place where she had seen them before

It was Natalie

What a small world this turned out to be!

Are you sur

Clara felt her body stiffer, her voice tight as she spoke. “She’s been abroad for years, only recently returning to the country.

After what happened with Anthony, how could Natalie have had the means to study abroad?

Anthony nodded emphatically, his eyes reddening. There’s no mistaking it. Her eyes and brows are just like her mothers and she stil has the same dimples she had as a child‘

He raised a band to wipe his face his voice filled with anrigy and babiessor When I saw the news about her inchemen lass

scared out of my wis

She’s not the type to do something Fire is. Mr. Bennen please, I beg you tobi Waseed is madeau

misate

Clara exchanged a look with Anomy Brown

They both knew the Natale’s arrest was a result of Cher’s serp, and she was more aware than anyone of the real situation.

But looking at Anthony’s exeter and worried eyes. Chrz swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue

She couldn’t tell Anchory the truth or she had secured the evidence in his possession and he testified the Diane was the one

who hired the immen

7 look into it for you?

Clara avemed Anthony’s gaze, focusing on the iced tea on the table. “Try not to worry too much. We don’t know the full story yet. I’I look into it and get back to you Just give me some time”

Hearing this, Anthony’s tense shoulders slumped with relief, and he repeatedly thanked her, “Thank you Ms. Bennem. I’m willing so do anything to find out the truth”

He paused, adding “I won’t be going back to my old place. Diane’s people are definitely looking for me.”

This presented Clara with a problem. She really didn’t have a good place to put Anthony on such short notice.

Amorney Brown sensed Clara’s dilemma and interjected. “Mr. Parker, don’t worry. I’ll take care of the accommodations and ensure your

sadey.

Clara breached a sigh of rehef and turned to Anthony. “Mr. Parken, when do you think you can change a trip back to your hometown 20 retrieve the recording you made of Diane?

‘Oz CA could tell me where it is, and I can send someone to get it‘

Anthony opened his mouth, but then seemed to reconsider, hesitating before saying Ms. Benner is at the forest van hut the

< Chapter 119

vituation between us is, at its core, a transaction.”

“How about this: you tell me what’s going on with Snowy, and I tell you where the recording is hidden. What do you sa

A flicker of disappointment crossed Clara’s eyes, but she nodded. “Okay.”

Knowing that this couldn’t be rushed, Clara stood up to leave. “Then it’s settled. Go with Attorney Brown for now, and contact you as soon as I have any news.”

Anthony looked grateful and nodded, following Attorney Brown out of the private room.

Clara sat alone in the tea room, lightly tapping her fingers on the table, lost in thought.

After a long while, she took out her phone and dialed Chris’s number. “Detective Evans, I have a question for you.”

“Ms. Bennett, go ahead.”

Chris seemed to be still at work, the surrounding environment was quite noisy.

“I recently saw Anthony. He confessed that Diane instructed him to run down my mother with his car. Can this case be reopened?”

“Is that true?”

On the other end of the phone, Chris made a gesture, signaling his colleague to lower their voice.

“Yes, I have a recording. He also said that Diane contacted him afterward, and he recorded their conversation.”

“But the problem is, he needs to know about his daughter’s situation before he’ll tell me where the recording is, and his daughter is Natalie Parker…”

Silence fell on the other end of the phone.

The fact that Ethan had vouched for Natalie and was implicated in a classified case was widely known in Chicago. Of course, Chris knew who Natalie Parker was.

Thanks to Marcus Evans, he also knew that the classified evidence involving Natalie Parker was obtained through a scheme set up by Clara Bennett and Ryan Walker.

“Where is he now?

Chris asked.

“He was being watched by Diane Bennett’s people.”

Clara told the truth,“He saw the news today and ran away. He’s with my attorney now.”

“Attorney Brown?”

“Yes,”

Clara nodded.

“Got it. I’ll contact Attorney Brown and arrange for colleagues to go over and see if they can get anything out of him.”

Chris paused and then said, “Send me the recording, and I’ll reopen the case immediately.”

“Okay.”

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< Chapter 119

After sending the previous recording to Chris, Clara thought for a moment and then dialed Ryan Walker’s number

“Hello? Clara?”

His deep, magnetic voice came through the receiver, and Clara’s tense nerves relaxed slightly

“Ryan, I need your help with two things.”

Clara got straight to the point, “First, help me investigate Natalie Parker’s detailed information, especially her experiences before and after going abroad.”

She wanted to know how Natalie Parker managed to go abroad.

“Second, what’s the status of the classified case?”

The sound of keyboard clicks came from the phone, and after a while, Ryan said, “I’ll get you Natalie Parker’s information by tomorrow at the latest.”

“As for the classified information case, I just received notice that Ethan Carter’s interrogation has concluded.”

“He insisted that his collaboration with Apex was merely standard business consultation, that no core technologies were involved, that all documents were archived, and that everything was destroyed upon termination of the partnership.”

Clara raised an eyebrow.“What about Natalie Parker’s statement?”

“Natalie Parker is adamant that there was technical exchange between the two companies, of course.”

Ryan Walker’s tone cooled slightly.“But my investigation into Apex and Carter Group’s collaboration at that time revealed that it didn’t involve any aspect of artificial intelligence.”

Clara understood immediately. Natalie Parker was indeed trying to frame him.

“Also, Apex headquarters has been restless lately. Two senior executives entered the country three days ago, with Chicago as their

destination.”

“Most likely, they’re here to solidify the charge of leaking secrets, and to take care of Natalie Parker, who’s become a liability.”

Ryan Walker paused.“I’ve already got people watching. You’ll be the first to know if anything happens.”

Leaning back in her chair, Clara stared at the mottled walls of the private room.“Has Natalie Parker requested to be extradited?”

“Yes, her lawyer has already filed the application.”

Ryan Walker chuckled softly.“Looks like you and I are on the same page. Her target isn’t Ethan Carter; she’s using this case to get out of the country and frame someone else in the process.”

A cold smirk touched Clara’s lips.“Can you arrange for me to see her?”

“What do you want to see her for?”

Ryan asked, puzzled.

Clara sighed and recounted her conversation with Anthony to Ryan.

“I need to tell her about Anthony so I can figure out how to explain things to him without revealing my involvement or implicating her.”

Ryan paused after hearing Clara’s explanation.“Alright, I’ll talk to the investigators tomorrow.”

After hanging up, Clara massaged her churchs and left the tea room,

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< Chapter 119

Meanwhile, at the Bennett family Old Estate in Boston.

Diane was lounging on a chaise lounge, leisurely applying a face mask and eating fruit. When the phone rang, she glanced at the caller ID and answered with a smirk.

“What? What are you guys even doing? How did you let Anthony run away?”

Upon hearing that Anthony had suddenly escaped before they could stop him, she sat up straight and ripped off her face mask.

“What happened? How could he suddenly run off for no reason?”

“Ma’am, he must have seen the news and that’s why he ran.”

The guy who picked him up knew what he was doing. There was no way we could stop them,” the man Diane Bennett sent to watch Anthony Parker said over the phone, his voice strained.

“What news did he see? And when did he contact someone to help him escape?”

Diane Bennett rose from the chaise lounge and began pacing back and forth in the bedroom.

“It was tonight’s business news out of Chicago. It covered the Carter Group chairman getting caught up in a confidential case because of a loan guarantee.”

The man didn’t dare hold anything back, reporting the truth:“Also, he kept muttering something about needing to find his daughter.”

“As for the person who picked him up, we don’t recognize them, and we’ve never seen them before. I’m guessing it might be someone

who came to see him earlier.”

Remembering how these two had previously allowed Anthony Parker to meet with outsiders due to their negligence, and then lost track of them, Diane Bennett was furious. But these two were still useful to her, so she had to suppress her anger for the time being.

“Got it. Go find Anthony Parker and bring him back. Tear the place apart if you have to, understand?”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Hanging up, Diane Bennett grew increasingly agitated. She abruptly swept her hand across the table, sending the fruit platter crashing to the floor.

“Useless! Can’t even keep an eye on one person!”

She felt a sudden wave of panic wash over her.

Olivia had been calling her, saying that Clara suspected her involvement in Linda’s car accident years ago. The person who met with Anthony was likely Clara.

Diane had thought that after so many years, Clara wouldn’t be able to do anything to her even if she suspected her involvement, since she had no proof.

But now that Anthony had run off, he’d most likely gone to Clara!

With a witness, even without direct evidence linking her to Linda’s accident, things could get messy.

Richard and Victor might suspect her after hearing Anthony’s story.

Biting her nails, she racked her brain for a solution, suddenly recalling what the man on the phone had said.

She picked up her phone and dialed Olivia’s number.

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* Chapter 119

“Hey, Mom?”

Diane walked to the floor–to–ceiling window, gazing at the manicured garden outside, and narrowed her eyes. In tonight’s financial news about Ethan Carter’s confidential case, besides Ethan’s photo, whose else was there?”

Olivia was taken aback. “Mom, why are you suddenly asking about this?”

“I’m just asking who else was in the news?”

Sensing something was off with Diane’s tone, Olivia didn’t dare to delay. She recalled and said, “There was Natalie Parker’s photo, Ethan’s ‘unattainable love…”

Olivia’s slightly bitter tone was lost on Diane.

“Pump your dad for information. See if you can find out through him whether Clara is involved in this.”

“Why are you asking about this?”

Olivia sounded reluctant.“Mom, you have no idea how awful Clara is. She used the Blade system and the Grand Horizon partnership to blackmail Dad into giving her all the shares her mother left behind!”

“I wish she were dead right now. I don’t want anything to do with her.”

“Olivia!”

Diane’s voice rose, hearing this.“Just do as I say and find out!”

“This concerns whether we can stay in the Bennett family. So what if she got a few shares? Don’t forget, the Bennett family’s entire fortune is what matters most!”

Olivia, who had been complaining, was startled by Diane’s outburst. A sense of unease crept into her heart, and she grew serious.“Mom, is something wrong?”

“Does this have something to do with Clara’s mother’s car accident?”

“Don’t concern yourself with things that aren’t your business.”

Diane took a deep breath, her tone softening.“Olivia, you just need to remember that no matter what, you’re the most important daughter to me. Everything I do is for you.”

After hanging up, she picked up a photo frame from the desk. The picture showed a younger version of herself with Olivia, both smiling radiantly.

After a long moment, she set the frame down and walked out of the bedroom, calling for a maid, “Please pack my clothes. I want to go to Chicago tomorrow.”

The maid, hearing her instructions, entered the walk–in closet, pulling out a suitcase as she said, “Are you going to see Mr. Bennett, Ma’am?”

“Yes.”

Diane offered a gentle smile.“It’s been getting colder lately. I worry about him and Victor in Chicago. I’m always afraid they’ll catch a

cold.”

Meanwhile, in Chicago.

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< Chapter 119

Olivia hung up the phone, her unease growing stronger, a sense that her worries were about to materialize.

If Clara really uncovered something, her mother would definitely be involved. Not daring to delay any longer, she grabbed a plate of fruit from the kitchen, went upstairs, and knocked on the study door.

Inside the study, Richard and Victor were watching the news about Ethan Carter, sighing deeply.

They couldn’t believe that Ethan, the chairman of the prestigious Carter Group, could make such a foolish decision for a woman, dragging them into it and ruining their plans!

Seeing Olivia enter with a plate of fruit, they quickly put on a smile.

“Aren’t you in bed yet?”

Victor Bennett stepped forward and took the fruit platter from her hands.

“I couldn’t sleep.”

Olivia Bennett scrutinized their expressions and said softly,“Dad, Victor, did you see the news?”

“Did something really happen to Ethan Carter? Is it serious?”

Richard Bennett was already annoyed that Ethan’s trouble had ruined their plan to threaten Clara in collaboration with the Carter Group. Hearing this, he frowned.

“Why are you asking about this?”

Seeing the change in Richard Bennett’s expression, Olivia Bennett’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly lowered her head, adopting the demeanor of a concerned daughter, twisting the hem of her shirt.“I–I’m just worried about him…”

“Do you even know how it happened?”

Victor Bennett grunted in displeasure at her appearance. How could both of his sisters be hung up on Ethan Carter!

“Huh?”

Olivia Bennett looked up at Victor Bennett.

“I heard he got caught up in it because he guaranteed Natalie Parker.”

Victor Bennett kindly enlightened her, “It would have been fine, but Natalie testified that Carter Group had previously cooperated with Apex and concealed it during the joint development of the Blade system with Nova AI.”

“You seem to care about him. He’s lost his mind over that Natalie Parker!”

“This involves Blade too?”

Olivia’s eyes gleamed with a calculating light.“Will any of this affect Clara?”

She paused, adding with careful innocence, “I just mean, I’m worried it might involve us.”

“It won’t.”

Richard softened, reassured by his daughter’s concern.“It won’t affect us at all.”

“I heard Clara had something to do with Natalie Parker getting arrested. She’s being called a hero.”

Richard’s face darkened again at the thought. It was because of this very information that he’d been forced to give Clara the shares Linda left behind, all to secure the civilian rights for the Blade project.

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< Chapter 119

Olivia, having gleaned the information she sought, visibly relaxed, a smile playing on her lips.

“As long as it doesn’t involve you or Victor, Dad, I’m relieved.”