The Billionaire CEO Betrays his Wife: He wants her back

Mara smiles in the shower as she pulls Ethan's tie from her hair. A strange new feeling washes over her, but she isn't sure if it's love. Love can make hearts sing with joy or maybe it's just foolishness.

Stepping out of the shower, she opens her suitcase and searches for the perfect outfit. She pulls out one piece of clothing after another, but nothing feels right.

"I must be ridiculous," she mutters, snapping out of it. She grabs the first dress she touches, puts it on, and rushes out, pausing only to admire herself in the mirror.

Ethan had been scrolling through his phone, his mind occupied with business matters, but the moment he looked up, everything else faded.

Mara walked down the hall, her floral lace dress swaying gently with each step, her long, dark hair bouncing behind her like a silk ribbon. The white jacket she wore made her look effortlessly elegant, yet the sneakers gave her an easy charm that only she could pull off.

Ethan was dumbfounded. His world halted.

Mara, unaware of the effect she had on him, reached into her purse, adjusting her phone. When she finally looked up, she caught Ethan staring.

"What?" She raised an eyebrow, her voice teasing yet unsure.

Ethan blinked, as if waking from a daze.

"Nothing." His lips curled into a smirk, but his eyes told another story.

Mara crossed her arms. "You're gawking."

Ethan stepped closer, his voice low. "I don't gawk."

Mara chuckled, shaking her head. "Right. You just... admire intensely?"

Ethan tilted his head, his gaze darkening.

"Something like that."

For a brief second, silence wrapped around them. Mara broke it first. "Are we going somewhere or are you just going to stand there looking at me all day?"

Ethan exhaled, amused. "I could do both, but let's go." He offered his arm. Mara hesitated for just a second before slipping her hand through his.

As they walked toward the elevator, Ethan tightened his grip slightly, as if making a silent vow.

He had made up his mind. Mara Duncan wasn't just someone passing through his life. She was his life now. She just didn't know it yet.

Ethan and Mara cruised through town. Ethan was in high spirits, pointing out landmarks and sharing little stories about Salvador.

Mara's eyes lit up as they passed a towering glass building. "Wait, is that the Anderson Law Firm? That's where I'll be working starting next week!"

Ethan smirked, trying to sound surprised.

"Really? Bravo. That's one of the biggest law firms in the country."

If only she knew.

Mara nodded, oblivious to his amusement. "I heard the boss is called 'The Little Devil.'" Ethan raised an eyebrow. "And you're not scared of him?"

Mara shrugged, completely unfazed. "Nope. As long as you win your cases, you've got to be ruthless." She gazed out the window, her voice casual, but Ethan caught the admiration hidden beneath it.

A proud smile crept onto his face. She didn't fear him. She didn't cower at the rumors. She intrigued him even more.

Moments later, Ethan pulled up at Central Park.

"We're here."

Mara unbuckled her seatbelt, a soft smile playing on her lips. "Here?"

Ethan stepped out, walking around to her side. "Yes. This park has amazing scenery. You'll see."

He reached for her hand and she let him take it.

As they walked, Ethan guided her through the beautifully flower pathways, past couples laughing on benches and kids chasing after glowing balloons. The air was brittle, carrying the scent of fresh roses from a nearby garden.

Mara took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment to savor it all. "I love it here."

Ethan didn't reply. He was too busy watching her. The way her face softened in the sunlight, the way she seemed at peace.

"There's more," Ethan said, grabbing Mara's hand as they took off running. "There's more?" Mara echoed, her curiosity piqued.

Ethan led her deeper into the sanctuary, where the biggest tree in the park stood tall and majestic. From there, the day unfolded into a lot of fun activities, racing sports cars, capturing silly and intimate couple photos, and sharing endless laughter. With every moment, they uncovered new things about each other, and the more they learned, the more at peace they felt together.

Lunch was the perfect ending to a perfect day. As they sat at the restaurant, savoring their food and enjoying each other's company, Mara couldn't remember the last time she'd had this much fun.

Just then, Ethan's phone buzzed. It was Steph, calling him to the underground parking lot.

Ethan frowned, reluctant to leave. "It seems urgent," Mara noted, picking up on his hesitation. "You should go. I'll finish eating and head back to the hotel." She didn't seem bothered by his sudden departure.

"It'll only take a minute," Ethan assured her. "Stay here, I'll just talk to Steph and be right back."

Mara smiled, giving him a reassuring nod. "I'll be fine."

Still, Ethan hesitated before finally getting up and heading toward the exit. Mara watched him leave, shaking her head with a soft smile. She had never met someone so insistent on not leaving her alone, as if she would vanish the moment he walked away.

She took a sip of her drink, replaying the day in her mind the laughter, the thrill of racing sports cars, the unexpected joy of taking silly couple photos with someone she had only just met. She had never felt so alive.

***

"Don't be mad, Boss," Steph said as Ethan approached. "I know you didn't want her investigated, but I couldn't help it. I had to. And I think you should see this." He extended a thick brown envelope toward Ethan.

Ethan's jaw tightened. "With what authority? I thought I was very clear on that." His voice was sharp, laced with frustration. He trusted everything Mara had told him, but a part of him feared this was all just a dream one he never wanted to wake up from.

Steph sighed. "I'm sorry, Boss. But just take a look at her file." His tone softened. "You were right about her she's clean. The best kind of clean. But something about her intrigued me, and I thought... this might be your chance to do something for her."

Ethan's glare didn't waver, but curiosity gnawed at him. With a reluctant sigh, he snatched the envelope and pulled out the documents inside.

"Isn't it strange?" Steph mused, flipping through the report. "There's no record of her before she turned ten. According to this, she was found on the streets, taken in by a family, but then ended up living with the Williams. Where could her birth parents be?"

Ethan scanned the file in silence, his grip tightening slightly. He could only imagine how difficult Mara's life had been. The fact that she never spoke about it meant she had locked that part of her past away.

"Thanks to you, I now know something I shouldn't," Ethan muttered, shutting the file and handing it back. "How am I supposed to bring this up? How do I even help her without admitting I had her investigated?"

Steph finally realized his mistake. "Sorry, Boss," he said sincerely.

Ethan let out a slow breath, rolling up his sleeves. "You can be sorry later. I'll look into it myself. And this should be the last time you go behind my back like this."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and strode back toward the restaurant, his mind already racing with ways to fill Mara's life with love enough to make up for everything she had missed.

Ethan stepped back into the restaurant and, without hesitation, pulled Mara into a tight embrace as if he hadn't seen her in days.

"Hey, are you okay?" she asked softly, her fingers brushing over his hands, still wrapped around her neck.

"No," he murmured. "If only you'd say yes, I wouldn't have to miss you every second like this."

Mara tilted her head, a playful smile dancing on her lips. "Okay... yes."

Ethan froze. "Wait... you mean yes like yes?" His eyes widened in disbelief.

"Yes, like yes," Mara teased. "Let's do it."

Ethan blinked, processing her words before a huge grin spread across his face. "YES!" he shouted, lifting her off her feet and spinning her around.

The restaurant fell silent for a brief moment before erupting into applause. "She said yes!" Ethan announced proudly, grinning from ear to ear.

Mara giggled as the reality of it all sank in. I'm actually getting married.