The Billionaire CEO Betrays his Wife: He wants her back

Ethan walked over to Mara, wrapping an arm around her waist. He leaned in and whispered, "I'm sorry. My mom…"

Mara froze. She had never been great with mothers, and now, here she was—meeting her mother-in-law for the first time, looking like a complete mess.

Ethan straightened and spoke proudly. "Mum, this is my wife, Mara."

Maria subtly stepped away from Mrs. Anderson as the older woman's gaze shifted between the two women.

"And she is?" Mrs. Anderson asked, her sharp eyes settling back on Maria.

Mara quickly stepped in. "Nice to meet you." She stretched out her flour-covered hand. "That's my friend, Maria. She's visiting for a few days."

Mrs. Anderson took Mara's hand with a warm smile. "Nice to meet you too, daughter-in-law. You're so beautiful, and I love your sense of fashion." Her eyes twinkled with amusement. "But, girl, the kitchen is absolutely not for you."

Mara sighed dramatically. "Yeah… everything decided to go wrong today."

Maria chuckled. "Don't worry, Mara. I'll handle it."

Mrs. Anderson turned to her son. "Son, don't you have a cook?" She raised an eyebrow before glancing back at Mara. "Let her be the one to cook," she said softly, a thoughtful expression on her face.

She liked Mara the moment she saw her, she liked her. But she had lived long enough to know when something wasn't right. Something was going on between Maria and Ethan. She could feel it.

Mara, oblivious to the shift in Mrs. Anderson's mood, sighed. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Anderson. Let me go change out of this mess. I'll be right back!" She quickly rushed upstairs.

As soon as she was out of sight, Mrs. Anderson turned to Ethan, her gaze sharp but amused.

"Son," she said with a knowing smirk, "I'm happy you found yourself an incredible woman—even if she isn't exactly skilled in the kitchen." She let out a small laugh, but her eyes flicked toward Maria once more.

The feeling in her gut wouldn't go away.

"But do you know what a scorned woman is, Ethan?" Mrs. Anderson's voice was calm, but the weight of her words filled the room.

"My husband was sleeping with my maid right under my nose. Do you know what that did to me?" She let out a bitter chuckle, shaking her head. "It made me question everything I ever knew. My worth, my marriage myself."

She exhaled sharply, her gaze unwavering. "She was younger, sure. But I was better than her in every way that mattered. Yet, it didn't stop him."

She wasn't saying this to make Ethan feel sorry for her. She was warning him.

"Son," Ethan barely heard his name as she spoke softly now, her eyes moving toward Maria. "You still have time."

Maria's breath hitched.

It felt like Mrs. Anderson's words had wrapped around her throat like a noose. She knew.

The guilt—God, the guilt. Maria wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole.

Just then, Mara walked back into the room, oblivious to the storm she had just stepped into. But the air was heavy, and everyone's face looked like a shadow had passed over them. She frowned. "What did I miss?" Mara whispered, glancing around at the heavy silence in the room.

"Oh, nothing, dear. Just the tragic end of my sixth marriage," Mrs. Anderson said with a sharp smirk.

Mara raised an eyebrow. "Is he rich?" she asked carefully.

Mrs. Anderson tilted her head, intrigued. "You could say he is."

Mara grinned. "Then you show him your son is the best lawyer in all of Salvador. I'm not a divorce attorney, but we can definitely get you a good one. It's not just about the money you should make him feel your absence in his heart and his bank account."

Ethan let out a chuckle. "That's my girl."

Mrs. Anderson laughed, clearly impressed. "Wait! you're a lawyer?"

"Yes, Mum," Ethan said, his voice brimming with pride. "The youngest in the firm."

Mrs. Anderson's eyes softened. She reached for Mara's hand and pulled her close. "Come sit with me. And drop the formalities call me Bella or Mum like he does, okay?"

Mara smiled. "Yes, Bella."

Ethan blinked. Wait! what just happened?

His mother had completely stolen his wife but mostly he was glad they were getting long.

Maria, sensing the energy shift, excused herself to the kitchen, leaving the three of them to continue their conversation. It flowed effortlessly, much better than Mara had anticipated.

Well, Bella was definitely not your typical mother-in-law.

"Well, I've got to go," Mrs. Anderson said, dusting off imaginary lint from her dress. "I'm not going to wallow in sorrow over some man who doesn't even know what he wants."

They had lunch together, but she made sure to give Ethan some parting wisdom before leaving.

"Remember what I told you, son. Appreciate your wife. Don't hurt her." Her voice was light, but the weight of her words lingered.

As she grabbed her bag, she turned back with a smirk. "And don't forget you and Mara are handling my divorce."

Ethan sighed. Six times. He'd been through this six times.

He already knew how this would play out his mother would head straight to a bar, drown her sorrows in expensive whiskey, and by morning, she'd have found another man to fill the void. Ever since his father passed, she had never been the same.

Not that it mattered. Mr. Anderson Sr. wanted nothing to do with her. His shame over his only daughter ran too deep.

"Alright, Mum," Ethan called after her. "Just go easy on your poor liver and kidneys, will you?"

Mrs. Anderson waved a dismissive hand over her shoulder, not even bothering to look back as she walked away. Ethan sighed again. Here we go.

"Your mom is nice," Mara said with a small smile.

Ethan chuckled. "She has her moments. Believe me, this is the first time she's ever liked any woman around me much less accepted one as her daughter-in-law."

Mara nestled deeper into his arms. "So, you're saying I'm quite the character?"

Ethan pulled her closer, holding her as if he never wanted to let go. "Yes you are," But as they sat there in silence, his mother's words echoed in his mind.

He did nothing wrong. It was just a stolen kiss.

Maria was going through a tough time, and she would never do anything to hurt Mara. She was like a sister to her.

Ethan grasped onto every excuse he could find, convincing himself that he hadn't betrayed his wife. The kiss wasn't worth mentioning—it was a mistake. Nothing more.

"Ethan?" Mara's voice pulled him from his thoughts.

"Huh?" The sound of Maria's name on her lips jolted him back to reality, making guilt tighten in his chest.

"What do we do about Maria?" Mara asked, concern still etched on her face. She hadn't stopped thinking about the morning's events about Daniel, about Maria's insistence on going back to him.

Ethan swallowed hard. "Where are you lost?" Mara lifted her head, studying Ethan's face. Something felt off, everyone had been acting strangely today.

Ethan forced a smile. "Sorry, baby, just some work stuff." He exhaled, keeping his voice casual. "Look, let Maria decide. We can't impose anything on her unless she wants it."

Mara frowned. "I know, but I feel like—"

Before she could finish, Ethan moved swiftly, turning her so she landed on his lap. His fingers trailed gently through her hair, sending a shiver down her spine. Slowly, he guided her face closer, his arms wrapping securely around her.

Mara's breath becomes uneven. She didn't know what he was doing but she didn't want him to stop.

Ethan leaned in, his lips brushing against hers. The moment they touched, her thoughts vanished. The world faded.

All she could think about was him.

And she never wanted him to let go.

"You were saying?" Ethan teased, his voice laced with amusement.

Mara was speechless, her mind still reeling from the kiss. She opened her mouth to respond but no words came.

"That's much better," Ethan smirked before effortlessly scooping her over his shoulder.

A gasp escaped her lips as he carried her toward the bedroom. Her heart pounded—not just from the sudden movement, but from the anticipation building inside her. It had been so long since Ethan had touched her like this, not since his surgery. She had started to worry, but now... now she could hardly wait.

As he climbed the stairs, he playfully landed a small smack on her backside, making her yelp. Just as she was about to protest, they bumped into Mrs. Morgan.

Mara's face burned with embarrassment, but Ethan? He didn't slow down, didn't acknowledge the awkwardness.

He had one goal to silence the endless conversations about Maria. And right now, there is only one way to do that.

Unbeknownst to Mara, her steamy afternoon was about to be cut short.

Ethan slowly lowered her onto the bed, his body hovering over hers. In a swift motion, his shirt was gone, and his lips claimed hers in a kiss filled with hunger and longing. His hands traced every curve of her body, igniting a fire within her. Mara responded just as eagerly, pulling him closer, needing more until suddenly, he stopped.

Ethan pulled away.

Mara's breath hitched, her body still aching for his touch. Confused, she searched his face, expecting an explanation, some reassurance anything. But instead, he muttered, "I'm sorry."

Then, without another word, he grabbed his shirt, slipped it back on, and stormed out of the room.

Mara lay there, stunned. Her mind raced with a million thoughts. Was she no longer attractive to him? Was there someone else? Had his love for her faded? Or was it something else entirely?

She tried to stay calm, to be understanding maybe he still wasn't fully healed, maybe they just needed more time but the doubt clouded her.

Tears burned at the back of her eyes as she pulled her knees to her chest, trying to keep it together.

"Mara? Mara, are you okay? I just saw Ethan rush out."

Maria's voice echoed in the room, but Mara could barely process it. Because nothing felt okay.