Want My Womb? I'll Make You Childless novel Chapter 18

Chapter 18

“You’re threatening me with the baby?”

Rage boiled in Ethan’s dark eyes.

Clara’s lips curved slightly. She wanted to say no.

The baby? She’d already aborted it. The kicker? She had proof that that baby wasn’t even biologically hers.

Menu

But the next second, a loud smaXX split the air. Clara’s head snapped to the side, her cheek instantly burned, a searing pain blooming across her face.

She stumbled, then steadied herself, eyes snapping up to Ethan.

Ethan clenched his fist.“Clara, you pushed me to this.”

He never in a million years thought Clara would use the kid to threaten him. That’s why he lost it.

“Back then, you chose to trap me with a baby to get me to marry you. You should’ve seen this coming.”

Clara’s gaze flickered to Olivia nearby. She hadn’t missed the brief flicker of panic in Olivia’s eyes when she’d spoken.

But now, Olivia’s eyes were practically gleaming with triumph.

“Ha!”

Clara suddenly laughed, a harsh, brittle sound. Tears streamed down her face.

Ethan couldn’t stand the thought of Olivia suffering through childbirth, so he expected Clara to do it. Clara didn’t want to be trapped at home anymore; she wanted her own career. And in his eyes, that was an unforgivable sin.

Guess breaking off the pregnancy and divorcing him was absolutely the right call after all!

“Who’s really been forcing whose hand here, huh?”

Clara’s voice shook.“Ethan, you seriously think you can run my life?”

Her eyes blazed with such obvious hatred, Ethan wanted to grab her hand, just drag her home.

But he spotted a black car pulling up. The window slid down, revealing Benjamin’s face, a hint of confusion there.

Ethan saw Benjamin, his brow furrowed. He sure as hell didn’t want any outsiders witnessing this mess. He shot Clara a warning glance.

“Clara, you’d better quit Nova Al and go home to focus on your pregnancy. Or don’t blame me when I come for Nova AI.”

With that, he gave Clara no more attention, turning straight to Olivia.

Diane walked up to Clara and tapped her still–red, swollen cheek.

“You’ve been a stubborn little brat your whole life, haven’t you? Listen to me: don’t make things harder on yourself. Don’t make this any uglier, because nobody’s gonna have your back.”

Clara didn’t say a word. Just stared back, her eyes ice–cold.

Diane pulled her hand back, a small smile playing on her lips, then quickly turned to follow the two ahead.

Benjamin was already out of his car. He saw Clara’s swollen face and flinched.

“What the hell happened? What’s going on all of a sudden?”

He grabbed Clara’s arm.“Come on, I’m taking you to the hospital.”

Clara shook her head, her voice rough.“Mr. Hayes, I’m fine.”

“Ethan wants to clear the path for Olivia. He’s telling me to leave Nova AI, or he’ll go after the company.”

Benjamin froze. Then his face darkened. He tried to reassure her.“Don’t worry, Nova AI might not be as rich and powerful as Carter Group, but we’re not some pushover people can just walk all over.”

“Just focus on getting ready for the AI traffic management system launch in a few days. We’ll talk about this after the presentation.” Clara hadn’t really taken it to heart anyway.

If Ethan really went after Nova AI, she’d expose the whole thing about him implanting someone else’s fertilized egg in her. She’d drag Olivia. down with them, go for a total scorched–earth policy. No one would come out on top.

Attorney Brown was already moving forward with evidence verification. It’d all be set in roughly a month!

“Okay.”

Whether it was because Benjamin was pissed off or for some other reason, the AI traffic system launch got massive public promotion. The

< Chapter 18

entire venue was packed.

Olivia walked in, her arm linked with Ethan’s. Jackson and Alexander followed close behind.

Feeling all eyes on her, Olivia flashed a polite smile. Then she looked up at Ethan.

“Eth, we agreed, right? If Ms. Bennett showed up to the launch today, you wouldn’t get mad or embarrass her in public.”

“Hm.”

Ethan hummed in response. He remembered Clara’s eyes that day – cold, distant, even a hint of hatred. It made him inexplicably restless. Jackson scoffed.“You’re really overestimating Clara, Olivia.”

“Clara’s been married to Eth for years. When has she ever gone against his word?”

Menu

“And besides, all she does is chase guys. What does she even know? A tech conference? She’d just be there to fill a seat. No way she’s showing up.”

Olivia smiled.“Good. I was just worried she’d cause a scene with Eth. That would be embarrassing for everyone.”

Honestly, Olivia secretly wanted Clara to show. Clara couldn’t hold a candle to her anyway. And if Clara actually went home and behaved, Ethan would definitely go soft, his attention split trying to ‘take care‘ of her.

The trio took their seats. A moment later, Clara appeared on stage, rocking a sharp, professional pantsuit.

“Good afternoon, everyone. Thanks for taking time out of your busy day to be here. I’m your main speaker, Clara…”

Clara stood at the control panel, pulling up the AI traffic management system’s data. She launched into explaining real–world applications of the system.

She practically glowed with confidence, a bright spark in her eyes.

Watching Clara absolutely nail her presentation on stage, Alexander couldn’t help but let out a low whistle.

Olivia snapped back to reality, her grip on Ethan’s arm tightening.“Eth, don’t be mad.

When he didn’t respond, she looked up, only to catch a flicker of… admiration in Ethan’s eyes?

Ethan was admiring Clara?

Olivia’s face instantly soured.

The presentation went off without a hitch. Clara handled even the trickiest questions from reporters with total ease. Numerous company reps immediately expressed interest in partnering with Nova AI, and the company’s stock price soared.

Inside a private room at the Cloud Top Club.

Dinner was over. Jackson, out of habit, went to light a cigarette, but Alexander nudged his arm, a subtle nod towards Olivia.

It clicked for Jackson then: Olivia hated the smell of smoke. Even Ethan never lit up around her.

He looked at Ethan, sprawled lazily on the couch. Then Clara at the afternoon press conference flashed in his mind. Damn, he thought.

“Seriously, I never knew Clara had that in her. Always thought she was just a housewife, stuck with the kids, orbiting around Eth.”

Alexander snorted.“Skill? Please. Benjamin was just doing Ethan a solid, giving her a boost for his sake.”

“She pulled every trick in the book to marry Eth back then. All she wanted was to leech off the Carter family, right?”

Jackson remembered what Mia had said earlier.“Right? She’s the most shameless person I know. And still has the nerve to play the victim.”

I bet Nova Al’s Benjamin saw it too. He’s really hyping Clara up, even making her the main speaker. Seriously, their system is trash. And they think they can compete with my sister–in–law’s?

Olivia was next to Ethan, going through files on an AI traffic system. She looked up.

“Nova Al’s system is actually pretty solid. It could definitely compete with the one my team developed.”

“But…”

She paused, looking at Ethan.“Part of their data? It’s the same as mine.”

Jackson leaned forward, eyes wide.“Clara ripped you off? Or is it just a crazy coincidence?”

Olivia just shook her head.“Can’t say for sure.”

“But she was at the research institute for a few days, back then…”

“Called it.”

< Chapter 18

Menu

Jackson clapped his hands, a big grin spreading across his face.“I knew it! Why else would Benjamin let her be the keynote speaker? She totally brought your research straight to Nova AI!”

Alexander frowned, a little worried. “Eth, what’s the play here?”

“Nova Al’s system is already out. If this gets out, the Carter name will be toast.”

Ethan’s face was blank.“What’s that got to do with the Carters? No one knows who she is.”

A small smile played on Olivia’s lips. As long as Ethan stayed out of it, she had a plan to totally nail Clara for plagiarism.

That research? She’d practically unearthed it from the institute’s archives. The moment she saw it, the entire framework for the scheduling system clicked into place in her head.

Back then, she’d asked every senior student and colleague at the research institute. Not one of them knew who’d made it.

That was a legacy left by the research institute’s seniors. Clara wasn’t going to claim it.