The Billionaire CEO Betrays his Wife: He wants her back

Mara stood in the shower, completely lost in thought. She had turned the water on, yet only her hands and legs were wet. Her mind was clouded with memories of last night Ethan's passionate kisses, the way he had claimed her, the way his touch had left invisible marks on her skin.

The sensations still lingered, as if he had imprinted himself on her. She couldn't quite explain the feeling. Did she love it? Yes. But the loss of control, the overwhelming intensity consumed her in a way she wasn't sure how to handle.

"Do you need help?"

Mara gasped, snapping out of her daze. She hadn't even noticed Ethan walk in. Instinctively, she tried to cover herself, though she didn't know why. He had seen all of her, yet here she was, suddenly shy.

"I'm still not done," she muttered, turning to face him.

That was when her gaze finally landed on him, his sculpted muscles, his confident stance, his full glory.

Last night, she hadn't seen him like this. She had been too lost in the moment, too tipsy to pay attention. But now? Now she was seeing him for the first time.

Now, that's what I'm talking about, she thought, unable to tear her eyes away.

"If you're done staring, maybe you should hurry up before you catch a cold," Ethan teased, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Who's staring?!" Mara snapped out of her daze, her face heating up.

Without another word, she quickly turned away and focused on finishing her shower, determined to escape Ethan's knowing gaze.

Ethan chuckled, shaking his head. Too cute.

They spent the day together, enjoying each other's company as if they had known each other forever. Happiness radiated between them, their love growing stronger with each moment.

They visited an art gallery, wandered through a museum, and attended a classical music concert, not that they paid much attention. Their world revolved around each other, making everything else fade into the background.

On their way back, Mara suddenly froze. In the crowd, she caught a glimpse of two familiar figures, Maria and Daniel.

Her heart raced. Could it really be them?

Without thinking, she took off, calling out, "Maria!"

The couple ahead stepped into an elevator just as Mara reached them. Determined, she rushed for the staircase, her heels clicking against the floor. Ethan caught off guard, immediately ran after her.

"Maria!" she called again as she reached the top.

The woman turned around, and Mara's breath hitched. But as she looked closer, her heart sank. It wasn't them.

"I'm sorry," Mara murmured, stepping back as the couple gave her a confused glance before walking away.

But Maria was still on her mind. Where was she? Was Daniel treating her well? Was she happy… or suffering?

Guilt tightened around Mara's chest. She had moved forward without looking back. Had she abandoned her friend?

She shut her eyes, and a single tear escaped.

"Baby, are you okay?"

Ethan finally caught up, holding her bag. The moment he saw the tears in her eyes, he didn't hesitate, he pulled her close, pressing a soft kiss on her forehead, offering comfort until she calmed.

"What happened?" he asked gently, guiding her toward the car.

"I saw someone who looked like someone I know," Mara said softly, not wanting to go any deeper.

Ethan studied her for a moment, sensing there was more to it, but he didn't push. He knew when to step in and when to let her come to him.

Anything that troubled his little princess troubled him too. He wished he could take away whatever was weighing on her heart, but he understood—just like with her family, she would tell him when she was ready.

For now, he simply held her hand, offering silent reassurance as they entered the car.

The car ride home was quiet, the weight of Mara's thoughts lingering between them.

As soon as they arrived, Mara went straight to her laptop, diving into the case she had been assigned.

Ethan walked into the room and leaned against the doorframe, watching her. "What are you doing?"

"The case I told you about," she replied without looking up, flipping through the evidence in her emails over and over again.

A few minutes later, Ethan returned, setting a cup of tea beside her. "Here, I brought you some tea."

"Thank you so much, Ethan," Mara murmured, grabbing the cup and taking a sip still not sparing him a glance.

Ethan chuckled softly, unable to tear his eyes away from her. She looked adorable in her glasses, completely lost in her work. The way she focused, the determination in her eyes, reminded him of himself.

We really are a perfect match, he thought, a fond smile tugging at his lips.

Ethan stepped out of the room, his patience snapping as he dialed Steph.

"Didn't I tell you to change Mara's case? Why is she still working on the Tolmort case?" he roared.

"Sorry, boss. I thought you'd be the one to inform her. I already asked Jason to reassign it," Steph explained over the phone.

Ethan's jaw clenched. "I see. So you no longer need your job, huh? Do you dare to separate my wife from me when I should be holding her? Call her right now and tell her she doesn't need to work on the case."

"Yes, boss, but… are you sure you want me to call her?" Steph hesitated. "You still haven't told her that you'll be her boss's boss. Won't she start asking questions?"

"Then have the firm send her an email or something," Ethan ordered.

"Boss, it's Sunday… and it's late. No one is—"

"I don't care. Get it done, or start looking for a new job." Ethan cut the call and took a deep breath before heading back to his wife.

When he returned, Mara was still engrossed in her work, jotting notes in her notepad with intense focus.

"You look serious," Ethan observed, stepping closer.

"I have a strong hunch that the son killed his father and framed his father's friend to start a war between the two gangs," Mara said, her voice laced with conviction.

Ethan's brows lifted. "How do you figure that?" He was shocked at how quickly she had pieced things together.

"Look at the bloodstains, and here watch this." She played a video of the deceased speaking to the accused.

Ethan watched intently. The two men were clearly disagreeing, but there wasn't enough hatred between them to warrant murder.

Mara smiled, her mind already working ahead. "I need to speak to the deceased's son."

Ethan exhaled slowly, torn between admiring her brilliance and worrying about how deeply she was getting involved.

What the hell is taking Steph so long? Ethan thought, growing impatient.

"I think you should stop now. It's getting late," Ethan said, trying to distract her.

"Come on, Ethan. We talked about this," Mara whispered her focus still on the case.

"Yes, but this case is too dangerous… Besides, you're no longer on it," Ethan blurted out before he could stop himself.

Mara's head snapped up, her eyes narrowing. "What do you mean I'm no longer on the case?"

"I—uh…" Ethan stammered, realizing his mistake. "I mean… you should—"

He trailed off, struggling to find the right words. If he came clean about his true identity now, would Mara think he had orchestrated everything? He never intended to hide the truth from her, but the timing felt all wrong.

Just then, her laptop chimed with a new email. Saved by the bell.

Mara opened the message, reading through it carefully. It was official, she was off the Tolmort murder case and reassigned to a new one. But what caught her attention was the last line:

"Go to bed. You shouldn't keep your husband waiting."

Mara frowned. "Ethan… how did you know I was taken off the case before I even saw this email?"

Her voice held a sharp edge of doubt, her eyes now locked onto him with growing suspicion.

Ethan's mind raced for an escape, but nothing came. He could tell her anything, anything but the truth.

And Mara was still waiting.