Want My Womb? I'll Make You Childless novel Chapter 75

Chapter 75

The next morning, Mason walked into the National Security Agency.

He was there to pick up Emma Anderson. He’d received a call from the National Security Agency earlier that morning, informing him that the investigation into Sophia Davis’s leak had cleared Stellar Horizon of any involvement.

Though he felt nothing but disgust for what Emma had done, the thought of her carrying his child, and the unresolved issues from the past, compelled him to suppress his loathing and come.

As he entered the lobby, he saw Emma emerging from the interrogation room, her face pale.

Upon seeing Mason Walker, Emma’s eyes welled up with tears. She clutched her pregnant belly, her voice trembling with a sob.

“Mason, you’re finally here. I was so scared. They locked me in a freezing room and asked me questions I didn’t even understand. I didn’t get a wink of sleep all night.”

“It’s okay now, I’m here.”

Mason gently patted Emma’s back, but his mind drifted to Clara. His report had landed Clara in the National Security Agency for three days and two nights.

After she was released, he went to see Clara and deliberately left her in the pouring rain, making her watch Ethan protect Natalie into his car.

“I’m glad it’s deared up. Go home and get some rest.”

Mason’s voice was gentle, but only he knew how frustrated he felt inside, frustrated with everything in front of him.

Emma was tearful, her eyes swollen from crying.”Yeah, we had nothing to do with the leak.”

“Do you think Clara was behind this? That she designed the whole thing just to drag us down?”

Hearing this, Mason was uncharacteristically silent.

Emma had said things like this in front of him countless times before, but only today did he realize that she just wanted to deepen his resentment towards Clara.

But after all, Emma was carrying his child, and no matter what, nothing could happen to the baby.

Mason took a deep breath, suppressing the frustration in his heart, and put on a gentle expression again.

“I know you’ve been wronged. Don’t worry, I won’t let Clara bully you again.”

He needed to keep Emma calm so that he could investigate what the Anderson family had done to Clara over the years. He couldn’t afford to stir things up prematurely.

He put his arm around Emma and walked out of the National Security Agency. A black Bentley sped over and stopped steadily in front of the

entrance.

The car door opened, and Ethan’s tall figure stepped out. The black suit accentuated his cold demeanor, and there was a hint of urgency in his

brow.

Mason’s eyes darkened. Inside, he’d overheard the investigators discussing Natalie Parker’s potential connection to Sophia Davis. Natalie had been brought in for questioning yesterday, too.

Ethan’s arrival at this moment clearly meant he was dealing with the situation.

The thought of Clara being forced to marry Ethan and the hardships she must have endured with the Carter family all these with Ethan’s obvious concern for another woman, ignited a fire in him.

He cast a disdainful look at Ethan, letting out a cold snort.

Sensing his gaze, Ethan turned and saw Mason, his brow furrowing slightly.

He was

years,

combined

well aware of Clara and Mason’s history. He recalled Clara first mentioning divorce around the time Mason returned to the States. Seeing him so protective of Emma now, he couldn’t help but feel Clara had been blind to ever fall for a man like that.

Fickle,” he thought, “what kind of man is he?

Their eyes met, ach despising the other.

If Clara were there to witness this, she would surely find it absurd and ridiculous.

The two men who had hurt her the most were now judging each other as the real villain.

Ethan broke the eye contact, not wanting to get into it with him, and turned to enter the National Security Agency building.

He had indeed rushed over after receiving the news that Natalie Parker had been taken away by the National Security Agency.

After all, he was the one who had connected Apex with Nova AI through Commander Evans. If Natalie was truly involved in the leak, Carter

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<Chapter 75

Group’s future development would inevitably be affected.

Led by a staff member, he entered the interrogation room and saw Natalie sitting on a chair, her hair a bit disheveled, bloodshot eyes, looking quite haggard.

Seeing Ethan, her eyes lit up, and she tried to get up, but she was restrained by the interrogation chair.

“Eth, you

have to believe me, I’m being framed. I don’t know any Sophia Davis, and I’ve never contacted her!” Ethan frowned as he looked at her pale face, then turned to the National Security Agency personnel. “I’m Ethan Carter from Carter Group, and this is a friend of mine.”

“I received the news that she’s suspected of being involved in Sophia Davis’s leak case. I’d like to know if you have any evidence?”

“Mr. Carter, we haven’t found any concrete evidence yet.”

The three people in charge of the interrogation were taken aback when they saw Ethan Carter.

Although their people had rushed to Apex as quickly as possible and seized Natalie’s phone, they hadn’t found any evidence of her contacting Sophia Davis on it.

Hearing this, Ethan nodded slightly. Based on his understanding of Natalie, she didn’t seem like the type of person who would do something

like that.

“Natalie and I have known each other for a long time, and I believe she wouldn’t do anything to leak national secrets.”

“I can vouch for her character.”

“Since you don’t have any evidence, are you able to release her now?”

The three interrogators exchanged glances, looking hesitant.

With Ethan Carter personally intervening, and without any concrete evidence, they really didn’t have a reason to keep Natalie detained.

Finally, one of the interrogators stood up and handed Ethan a document.”Mr. Carter, we currently don’t have any evidence to prove that Miss Parker is connected to Sophia Davis’s case, but she is still a suspect.”

“If you want to bail her out, you need to sign this guarantee. We hope you’ll consider it carefully.”

Ethan knew the man was kindly reminding him.

Not to drag the Carter Group into this matter. But he understood Natalie; she might have selfish desires, but she would never cross the line. He was willing to trust her character.

Besides, Natalie’s health had been poor ever since she saved him back then. He couldn’t just stand by and watch her suffer here.

He took the document, quickly scanned it, and without hesitation, picked up a pen and signed his name.

The agent took the bail form and said to Natalie Parker, “Ms. Parker, you’re free to go for now. But until your suspicion is cleared, you can’t leave the country and need to cooperate with our investigation at any time.”

FLA FW Z3 A & F O * Z 5 5 3 5 LE ūs 2 2 5 2 in

“Also, due to internal issues with Apex, your cooperation with Nova AI will have to be temporarily suspended.”

Natalie’s face clouded over for a moment, but she forced herself to nod calmly.”I understand. I’ll cooperate.”

Walking out of the National Security Agency, Natalie apologized to Ethan Carter as she walked, “Eth, I’m sorry. It’s all trouble.”

Ethan said calmly, “It’s okay, let’s get in the car first.”

Sitting in the car, Natalie looked exhausted, but in her heart, she cursed Sophia Davis a thousand times over.

my fault. I’ve caused y

1 you

That useless woman not only failed to get the core data of the Blade system and frame Clara Bennett successfully, but also dragged her into this mess, making her a suspect and ruining the collaboration!

She couldn’t hide this. Now everyone in the Chicago AI field must be talking about her.

More importantly, if she couldn’t get the core data of the Blade system, headquarters would definitely not let her off the hook.

The thought of all this made Natalie’s heart clench.

She turned her head to look at Ethan Carter beside her, a glint of calculation flashing in her eyes.

Right now, Ethan Carter was the only one she could use.

She bit her lip, saying softly, “Eth, there’s a business gala in a couple of days. Could you accompany me?”

On one hand, it would strengthen her connection with Ethan. On the other, simply being seen with him would silence the gossip against her.

Besides, the Blade project was a joint venture between Carter Group and Nova Al.

She needed to find a way to get her hands on the core data for Blade, starting with Ethan.

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Ethan frowned, instinctively wanting to refuse.

He just wanted to smooth things over with Clara, to avoid a messy, destructive divorce. The last thing he wanted was to cause unnecessary misunderstandings because of Natalie Parker. He was afraid Clara would be upset if she found out..

But looking at Natalie’s weary, pleading expression, the refusal died in his throat.

“Alright, I’ll go with you.”

Seeing Ethan agree, a flicker of a smile crossed Natalie’s face.

She knew Ethan wouldn’t refuse her.

She had underestimated Clara. She’d thought Clara was a pushover, but Clara had not only dodged Sophia’s schemes but had also managed to prove Sophia was the one who leaked the info.

No matter. There was still plenty of time. As long as she could get close to Ethan, she’d still have a chance to snag the core data of the Blade system and take Clara down.

Even though the investigation hadn’t turned up any concrete evidence against Natalie Parker in the leak, getting Apex to terminate its cooperation with Nova AI was a win. It reduced the risk of further data breaches.

Clara didn’t pay much attention to anyone else’s moves. Right now, the most important thing was pushing forward the development of the Blade system.

In the afternoon, Ryan Walker walked into the research lab and saw Clara sitting at her computer, focused. His usual sharp gaze softened. “Clara, Commander Evans needs me to head to the base and report on the leak.”

“I also need to report on the current progress of the Blade development. The trip will probably take about two weeks.”

You know how strict the military is about security. I’ll have to hand in all my electronic devices when I enter the base, and I won’t be able to contact the outside world. So you might not be able to reach me for a while.”

“Okay.”

Clara nodded absently, her eyes glued to the computer screen. Clearly, she wasn’t fully absorbing what Ryan was saying.”What about Lils? Do you need me to look after Lils while you’re gone?” she asked casually.

“We have a nanny who takes care of Lila, so you don’t need to trouble yourself,” Ryan replied.

“Actually, the nanny took the afternoon off today, and I have to leave soon. Would you mind picking up Lils for me?”

It was hardly an inconvenience for Clara.

Lila was a bright and well-behaved child who always greeted her with a sweet “Auntie Clara.” She actually quite liked the little girl.

“No problem at all. I’ll go pick her up later. Don’t worry about a thing, I’ve got it covered.”

A faint smile touched Ryan’s lips at her response. He remembered Lila once saying she wished Clara could be her mom, and his gaze softened, a touch of yearning creeping in as he looked at Clara.

Clara didn’t notice his gaze, her fingers still flying across the keyboard.

Ryan thought back to the phone call he’d received that morning, the one ordering him to go on this trip. The caller was someone he knew well, a former soldier under his command, someone he’d looked out for and who was fiercely loyal to him.

So he confided in him, “Mr. Walker, truth be told, it wasn’t absolutely necessary for you to come report this time. It wasn’t that urgent to begin with, but I heard there was pressure from above, insisting that you return immediately, and that it had to be you personally.”

With the message delivered so clearly, if Ryan Walker couldn’t figure out who was pulling the strings, he’d be a fool.

It was obvious that Ethan Carter wanted to get him out of the way to foster a relationship with Clara.

Given Ryan Walker’s status and position, he could have simply refused the assignment. His standing and reputation in the military were beyond Ethan Carter’s ability to challenge or dictate.

However, remembering that it was his mentor’s birthday in three days, he knew he had to return to base to celebrate, which would require him to cut off contact with Clara under classified protocols.

With that in mind, Ryan Walker couldn’t be bothered to dwell on Ethan Carter’s tactics.

But the usually resolute Ryan Walker felt a rare sense of unease at the thought of leaving for a few days and the opportunity it would create for

Ethan.

“Clara,” he murmured.

“What is it?” Clara looked up at him.

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Chapter 75

Meeting Clara’s clear, dark eyes, Ryan faltered. The question that had been weighing on him-Could you maybe not pay any attention to Ethan Carter while I’m gone?-caught in his throat, transforming into:

“You and Lils be good, I’ll bring you both back a gift when I get back.”

Clara Bennett either didn’t catch his undertones or chose to ignore them, chuckling softly. “Are you trying to sweet-talk me like I’m Lils? Alright, let’s get going. Don’t want to waste any more time.”

After a moment of hesitation, Ryan nodded and turned to leave, but not before pulling his assistant aside. He reiterated that if anyone from the Anderson or Carter families came looking for Clara, the assistant was to deliver the message to him at the base, no matter what.

The assistant acknowledged the order and left, and Ryan got into the vehicle waiting to take him back to base.

Only after Ryan’s figure had completely disappeared from the office did Clara let out a soft exhale, gently rubbing her slightly flushed earlobes. Ryan’s promise to bring her back a gift had stirred up a lot of thoughts within her.

It reminded her of how her father used to say the same thing before every business trip when she was a kid, but…

A helpless, self-deprecating look flickered in Clara’s eyes as she thought about it.

That afternoon, Clara received another call from Attorney Brown, who informed her that the divorce paperwork, including evidence related to the surrogacy, had been fully prepared and submitted to the court. A hearing date had been set, and they were ready to proceed at any time.

Clara had spoken with the hospital a few days prior and learned that her grandfather’s time was limited to the coming days.

She responded to Attorney Brown, “I appreciate it, it will probably only be for another two weeks.”

As the workday neared its end, the sky suddenly darkened, and the distant rumble of thunder could be heard.

Clara informed Benjamin Hayes that she was leaving early and headed to Lila Walker’s elementary school.

The white SUV pulled up to the school entrance. The dismissal bell had rung just moments before, and children were streaming out of the school building.

Clara stood at the pickup point, scanning the crowd for Lila, but before Lila emerged, she spotted Lucas Carter.

He was wearing a clean school uniform, a backpack slung over his shoulder, and was engaged in conversation with a classmate.

As if sensing Clara’s gaze, he looked up and met her eyes.

The moment their eyes locked, Lucas froze, his smile vanished, and he turned away as if he were looking at a stranger.

Soon after, the Carter family driver arrived in a car and pulled up beside Lucas.

Lucas expertly opened the car door, got in, and didn’t spare Clara another glance. Clara stood there, watching the sedan slowly drive away, and let out a soft breath.

Life was unpredictable. She never imagined that one day, she and Lucas, her own son, would become like strangers, regarding each other

enemies.

“Auntie!”

as

Lila’s cheerful laughter snapped Clara out of her thoughts. She looked up to see Lila standing among a group of children, waving at her with her little backpack.

Clara immediately composed herself, smiling as she walked over to her.”Lila, were you good at school today?”

“Of course, I was!”

Lila ran to Clara, grabbed her hand, and leaned in close, her eyes sparkling.

Clara patted her head, glancing at the gloomy sky.”Lils is so amazing. What do you want for dinner tonight? Auntie will make it for you.” Lila tilted her head, thinking.”I want Sweet & Sour Ribs! And scrambled eggs with tomatoes!”

The thought of Clara cooking for her made Lila bubble over with happiness.

“Okay, then we’ll head to the supermarket to grab the ingredients, and tonight I’ll make you Sweet & Sour Ribs and scrambled eggs with tomatoes,” Clara Bennett said.

Clara smiled, took Lila Walker’s hand, started the car, and drove towards the nearby supermarket.

The two of them bought fresh ribs, tomatoes, eggs, and some fruits and snacks that Lila loved.

After paying, they walked out of the supermarket. Raindrops had already started to fall, and after just a few steps, by the time they got into the car, the ground was already soaked.

Watching the large raindrops splatter against the windshield, Clara frowned. September weather was so unpredictable. If this rain didn’t stop

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soon, the city would definitely be flooded.

With that thought, she turned on the radio. Sure enough, the broadcast was looping a flood warning.

“Attention, citizens. Severe flooding has been reported in several are

of the city. Some roads are deeply flooded and impassable.”

“Please stay in a safe area as much as possible and avoid wading through the water unnecessarily to ensure your safety…”

Clara watched the rain outside the car getting heavier and heavier, and her brow furrowed even more. Judging by this, it wouldn’t be long before there was standing water on the roads.

Clara glanced at Lila Walker, who was sitting quietly in the back seat, and started the car, slowly driving in the direction of home.

The rain was coming down harder and harder, the wipers swishing back and forth across the windshield, but visibility was still poor.

By the time they reached the main road, there was already a considerable amount of standing water, and their speed gradually decreased.

After driving for a while longer, the once-wide road began to feel cramped, with cars lining up in a long queue.

Clara looked at the sea of red taillights in front of her and then glanced at the GPS, discovering that the underpass ahead had been closed off.

There were several underpasses near Clara’s neighborhood, and if they kept waiting like this, she and Lila might not be able to get home tonight.

Thinking this, she gritted her teeth, flicked on the turn signal, and slowly exited the main road, heading towards a little-used alleyway.

The sky was gradually darkening, and because of the heavy rain, the streetlights hadn’t come on yet.

There were hardly any cars passing through the alley, and Clara, seeing that the rain showed no signs of stopping, grew anxious and accelerated.

But the next second, she saw water splashing up past the roof of the car from the front and sides. She quickly slammed on the brakes, but it was already too late.

The instant Clara hit the brakes, the engine died, plunging them into darkness as the headlights went out.

“What happened, Auntie?”

The thunder overhead grew closer, and Lila was getting scared.

Clara bit her tongue and stroked Lila’s hair.”It’s okay, Lils, don’t be afraid. The car just stalled.”

“Auntie will carry you out, and we’ll get to a safe place before we figure things out, okay?”

She opened the car door, and a gust of wind and rain blasted in. Clara took a deep breath, got out of the car with the umbrella, and headed to the back to get Lila.

But the moment her foot hit the ground, the water was already over her calf.

Clara’s heart sank. She quickly opened the back door, took off her jacket, wrapped Lila in it, and lifted her out of the car.

“It’s okay, Lila, don’t be scared. Auntie’s got you.”

“Okay, I’m not scared. Be careful, Auntie.”

Lila, with her backpack on, wrapped one arm around Clara’s neck and held the umbrella with the other.

Carrying Lila, Clara didn’t dare to go forward and could only turn back the way they came.

But the rain was coming down harder and harder, and the water quickly rose above Clara’s knees, with branches and debris swirling around in

the current.

Suddenly, something slammed into Clara’s leg, throwing her off balance and sending her lurching forward.

“Lila!”

“Auntie, watch out!”

In a moment of panic, Clara instinctively used all her strength to lift Lila high, but in the next instant, she saw a bicycle floating towards them! At the critical moment, headlights appeared in front of them, and an SUV stopped, blocking the debris.

“Clara!”