Want My Womb? I'll Make You Childless novel Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Jan

Benjamin stepped into the office. Clara’s eyes lifted from the monitor. She stood.

“Keep at it.”

Ben waved her off. He moved behind her, eyes fixed on the car trajectories across her screen.

Clara was deep in debugging, code flowing across her monitor. A pop–up news alert flashed in the bottom right corner. Olivia’s beaming face, bathed in spotlights, was glaring. Clara didn’t even bat an eye.

Ben saw her focus, totally unfazed by the Lewis Al launch. He nodded, satisfied. He set a gold–embossed invitation on her desk.“Tonight’s the Carter family’s youngest’s birthday bash. You’re coming with me.”

Clara’s fingers stilled on the keyboard.“Mr. Hayes, I’m still swamped with this. I won’t make it.”

“I know you’re not a fan of these kinds of events.”

Benjamin gave a wry smile.“But this is the Carters‘ party. Everyone who’s anyone in Chicago will be there.”

“Lewis Al’s dispatch system just launched, and a lot of people are watching us. We need to build some buzz.”

“Nobody in the entire company knows this system better than you do.”

Clara stayed silent. It was work, after all. She couldn’t say no.

She really didn’t want to go to Lucas’s birthday party, but it looked like she couldn’t escape it.

“I’ve already booked a stylist for you. The company’s covering all the expenses.”

Benjamin placed a business card on the desk and left.

That afternoon, Clara pushed open the doors to the styling studio. After giving the name of her booked stylist, a sales assistant led her straight to the dress section.

Even though Benjamin said the company would cover it, she wasn’t about to make them spend a fortune. Ignoring the sales assistant’s obvious eye–roll, she headed straight for the budget dress section and picked out a classic off–white, off–the–shoulder, knee–length dress.

The satin draped softly, and the neckline had just a single pearl button. It was so simple, almost austere.

She held it up to the mirror. Her features were delicate, clean. The simple dress suited her. She could totally rock it.

“Yeah, this one.”

She was about to call for a stylist when a sudden stir rippled through the room.

“Mr. Carter, Ms. Bennett, right this way! Your custom couture just arrived, it’s in the VIP room.”

The same sales associate who’d practically ignored Clara moments ago was now bending over backward, gushing, rushing to the entrance.

Clara turned. Ethan, walking in with Olivia. Black suit, tall, sharp. His eyes scanned the room, cool, indifferent. Didn’t even glance at her, not for a split second. Like she was a stranger.

Olivia wore a champagne mermaid gown, laughing, talking to him. The sapphire necklace around her throat caught the light, sparkling, practically blinding.

“Isn’t that the necklace Mr. Carter shelled out like, four million dollars for at that Sotheby’s auction a while back?”

“Oh, it’s more than that! Ms. Bennett’s gown? Custom–made by a Milanese designer. The embroidery alone took three months. They’re saying it cost a cool 1.7 million dollars.”

“Wow. That whole outfit? Has to be worth a luxury condo, easy. Mr. Carter really doesn’t hold back.”

The whispers drifted over. Clara glanced down at the simple dress in her hands.

The price tag? Not even a fraction of Olivia’s necklace. No wonder the sales associate had practically ignored her. Not bothering to call for help, she just grabbed the dress and headed straight for the changing room.

After getting all done up, she walked out. The main hall was empty. Ethan and Olivia were clearly still in the VIP room.

Clara didn’t give it a second thought. Out the door, into her car, gone. Time to meet Benjamin.

Lucas’s birthday party was always at the Carter Estate. That was one big reason everyone in the upper echelons of society showed up. Access to the Carter Estate? That didn’t happen every day.

Light from the crystal chandeliers filtered through intricate vines, dusting Clara’s off–white gown. It looked like a fine layer of frost.

Clara and Benjamin walked into the old estate. They instantly ran into Lucas, who was practically dragging his grandma, Margaret, out, obviously looking for Olivia.

Lucas saw Clara and his face immediately twisted into a scowl.“What are you doing here? You’re not welcome!”

If Olivia found out he invited Clara, she’d totally flip.

Benjamin had met Lucas before, of course. But seeing him talk to Clara so casually, so familiarly? He froze. “You two… know each other?” Before Lucas could blurt out anything else, Margaret slapped a hand over his mouth. “We haven’t met this young lady,” she said, her voice tight.“Kids have short memories, he must be mistaken.”

She shot Clara a sharp, warning look out of the corner of her eye: Don’t you dare say a word.

Clara, naturally, wasn’t about to spill anything. There was only a month left until her lawyer gathered all the evidence, then she was officially filing for divorce from Ethan. No point in stirring up more drama now.

Lucas finally caught on that he’d messed up. He just huffed.

Anyway, Olivia treated him so well, and Ethan clearly preferred her. Clara’s absence wouldn’t change a thing.

The thought hit him. Lucas quickly went along with Margaret, muttering, “My bad, wrong person.”

He spun around, dragging Margaret toward the garden.“Grandma, come on! Dad and Auntie are almost here. I want Auntie to see me first!”

Clara stood rooted to the spot, the evening breeze fluttering her dress.

Inside the ballroom, Benjamin guided Clara through the buzzing crowd.

“This is Clara, Nova Al’s new ace.”

His eyes gleamed with pride as he introduced Clara. He’d fought hard to poach this talent from Professor Lewis, and it hadn’t come cheap.

Clara offered a subtle nod, her fingertips unconsciously curling. She was perfectly polite, yet completely aloof.

People recognized her, their eyes full of questions, but she just ignored them. She listened to Benjamin talk business, occasionally dropping in a line or two. Her voice was soft, but her points were so on the money, everyone looked over.

Benjamin caught her perfectly straight shoulders from the corner of his eye, a flash of approval in his gaze.

The hall lights dimmed. Everyone knew it was cake time, so conversations died down, and all eyes turned to the stage.

A server wheeled out a three–tiered cake. Ethan, holding Lucas, and Olivia, walked onto the stage together.

The birthday candles cast a warm glow as Clara’s gaze landed on the cake. It was loaded with mango chunks. She frowned.

Lucas had completely blown her warning off.

She quietly slipped out of the crowd, found a server standing in the corner, and quickly told her to grab the emergency allergy meds they kept at home and get them to Lucas.

Lucas might not listen to her, but as his mother, she couldn’t just sit back and watch her son walk into danger.

This was the last time she’d interfere. She’d do it for the sake of their seven years as mother and son.

Lucas made a wish and blew out the candles. Even though Ethan held him, he still had his arms around Olivia’s neck and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

He then grabbed the cake knife, sliced off the first piece of cake, and handed it to Olivia.

Margaret’s eyes crinkled with a smile, watching the scene unfold. James, at the head of the table, tapped his cane, his face grim. But with so many people around, he kept his thoughts to himself.

“Weird,” someone murmured from the crowd.“I’ve been to so many of the kid’s birthday parties, but this is the first time I’ve seen that Woman next to him. She’s gotta be his real mom, right?”

“Definitely,” another replied, louder than intended.“Otherwise, why would he be so close to her?”

“Oh, I know her. That’s Olivia, the heiress from the Bennett family in Boston. She’s been studying abroad, just got back.”

“Looks like she went abroad right after the kid was born, huh? No wonder she wasn’t around these past few years. Guess the Carter family is finally making things official with her.”

The chatter flooded Clara’s ears like a relentless tide.

She dug her nails into her palms, the sharp pain snapping her back to reality.

Guess she made the right call terminating that pregnancy. Ethan was openly bringing Olivia to the Carter family home now. It was clear he’d marry her once he finally divorced Clara.

Their child wouldn’t be a bastard, and she, the breeding tool, would be completely useless.

With so many people, that one slice of cake wasn’t enough, obviously. But the staff already had other cakes ready, handing them out to guests.

During the distraction, a staff member quietly slipped the allergy medicine to Lucas.

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“Mr. Lucas, your mom mentioned you’re allergic to mangoes. She really thinks you shouldn’t eat the cake. If you absolutely insist, take your

meds first.”

Lucas, cake already halfway to his mouth, just scoffed.

Mom, seriously? Such a drama queen.

She swore she wouldn’t come to my party, right? Then poof, here she is. Sees me, Dad, and Auntie all together, totally ignoring her. So, what’s her genius move? Send over allergy meds. Seriously? Just desperate for attention.

If he was really allergic to mangoes, what about all the ones he’d eaten already?

He didn’t even look at the maid.“Don’t listen to her,” he scoffed. “I’m not allergic at all. She’s just faking concern!”

“Auntie made this cake herself. No way I’m not eating it.”

With that, he grinned at Olivia, then forked a massive piece of cake and scarfed it down.