The Billionaire CEO Betrays his Wife: He wants her back-Chapter 31: That was close

Ethan’s heart pounded in his chest, there was no time to hide and Maria had no plans of hiding either but as the door creaked open, relief flooded him, he thanked his stars, and he was indeed saved from the storm that would have befell him. It was just room service.

Maria, still standing where he had left her, watched as Ethan grabbed a fresh shirt and threw it on in a hurry. His hands were unsteady as he fumbled with the buttons, his mind still reeling and all he wanted was to get out of there.

Without another glance at Maria, he strode toward the door, adjusting his collar as he stepped into the hallway. He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair, trying to shake off the weight of what had just happened. It was nothing. It meant nothing.

As he buttoned up his shirt, his thoughts shifted to Mara. He had to get back to her now.

Meanwhile...

Mara stood in front of room 706, frowning as she knocked again. There was no answer.

She glanced down at Ethan’s phone in her hand. He should be here... right? She was certain he said room 706 or it was 9, she wasn’t sure.

A hotel staff member walked past, and Mara stopped him. "Excuse me, my husband, Mr. Anderson is staying in this room, but he isn’t answering. Could you check?"

The man gave her a confused look. "Ma’am, this is a standard suite room 706. The VVIP suites are on the next floor."

Mara’s brows furrowed. "VVIP?" She had assumed Ethan was in his usual room, but why would he be in the exclusive section? That was when realized she was on the wrong floor.

Her stomach twisted as she turned toward the elevator. As the elevator doors slid open, Mara’s eyes immediately landed on Ethan.

He was moving quickly, almost too quickly, his shirt still slightly unbuttoned at the top as if he had just thrown it on in a hurry. His expression was tense, his gaze flickering behind him for a brief second before locking onto her.

Mara frowned. "Ethan? Are you okay?"

He paused, just for a beat, as if pulling himself together. Then, with a forced breath, he nodded. "Yes...yeah, I’m fine. Something came up." His voice was calm, but Mara could see the faintest trace of unease in his eyes.

Before she could ask more, Ethan stepped into the elevator beside her and pressed the button for the lobby.

"We need to go," he added, urgency lacing his tone.

Mara barely had time to react before the doors slid shut again. As they descended, she glanced up at him, her instincts kicking in. "Ethan, what’s going on?"

Ethan ran a hand through his hair, forcing a casual smirk. "Nothing. Nothing to worry about,"

But Mara wasn’t convinced. Something felt off. What was he running from?

Meanwhile, upstairs, Maria stepped out of the VVIP suite, smoothing the dress she had borrowed from Mara’s closet. She walked toward the elevator, a slow, satisfied smile spreading across her lips.

She had almost been caught. But almost wasn’t enough. Because she knew this wasn’t over.

Mara wasn’t stupid. She knew something was wrong with Ethan. The moment she laid eyes on him in that state...a state she had never seen him in before.

Her instincts screamed that something was off. She hadn’t known him for long, but in the few weeks they’d spent together, she had come to understand one thing: Ethan wasn’t the type to be afraid of anything or anyone. He was confident, almost unnervingly so. But now? His usual bravado was gone, replaced by a tension that made the air between them feel heavy.

The thought crossed her mind that someone might be blackmailing him. After all, he was a big-time businessman. It wasn’t far-fetched to think he’d gotten his hands dirty or dabbled in something shady. But what? And how bad was it? Her stomach churned as she glanced at him in the car, his jaw tight, his eyes distant. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

"Ethan," she tried again, her voice softer this time, "care to explain what got you so worked up back at the hotel?" She hoped he’d give her something, anything—to ease the knot of worry tightening in her chest.

He forced a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. "Nothing, baby. Nothing for you to worry about. I’ll handle it." His arm wrapped around her, but the gesture felt hollow like he was trying to convince himself as much as her.

Mara’s unease deepened. She wasn’t the only one who noticed. Steph, sitting in the front seat, had been unusually quiet. Steph was piecing things together. Maria’s absence at lunch got him thinking. It wasn’t like her to miss their lunch plans, especially since she wanted every opportunity to be with Ethan; she wouldn’t miss it.

"I’m worried," Mara admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ethan didn’t deny it this time. Instead, he simply repeated, "I’m handling it." But the way he said it—the way his voice wavered, just for a split second made Mara wonder just how grave the situation really was.

The rest of the ride to the office was cloaked in silence, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Mara’s mind raced, trying to connect the dots. What could be so bad that it shook Ethan to his core? And why was he shutting her out?

When they finally arrived, Mara stepped out of the car with a casual "see you," her tone masking the storm of emotions brewing inside. She headed toward her office, her heels clicking against the pavement, but something made her pause. She turned back just in time to see the car pull away, tires screeching as it sped off in the opposite direction.

Ethan hadn’t gotten out.

Her heart skipped a beat. Where were they going in such a hurry? And why hadn’t he said a word? She stood there, frozen, as the car disappeared around the corner, leaving her with more questions than answers.

Mara tried her best to push the unsettling thoughts about Ethan to the back of her mind as she made her way to her boss’s office. The weight of the afternoon’s events was still fresh in her memory, but she forced herself to focus. Work was her anchor, and she needed it now more than ever.

Walking down the hallway, she overheard a hushed conversation between two colleagues. She hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but their whispers carried in the quiet corridor.

"I think you might be pregnant. You should take the test now," one woman said, her voice tinged with concern.

The other woman’s reply was barely audible, but the panic in her tone was unmistakable. "Oh no, I can’t be pregnant. It was one stupid drunk night. What’s going to happen to my career?"

Mara couldn’t help but smile faintly as she walked past them. At least that wasn’t a worry she had to contend with. She’d considered going on birth control, but now it seemed unnecessary. Ethan’s condition whatever it was meant she didn’t have to worry about an unplanned pregnancy. Small mercies, she thought, though the irony of finding relief in his unexplained troubles didn’t escape her.

The rest of the day dragged on, each minute stretching longer than the last. Mara tried to focus on her tasks, but her mind kept wandering back to Ethan. What was he hiding? Why had he been so distant all of a sudden? By the time the clock struck closing time, she was the first one out the door, her steps quick and purposeful.

Her driver was waiting outside, the car idling by the curb. Just as she slid into the back seat, her phone buzzed. It was Ethan.

"Mara, I might be home late," he said, his voice strained. "Granddaddy was rushed to the hospital." Her heart sank. "I’m so sorry. Is he going to be okay? Do you need anything?" she asked with concern. Maybe this was the reason for his earlier anxiety. She’d been overthinking things, assuming the worst when it was just a family emergency.

"No, baby," Ethan replied, his tone softening. "I’d love for you to be here with me, but he’s... difficult when he’s sick. I don’t want him saying anything that might hurt you."

Mara frowned. "You know I don’t mind. I’ll be there if you need me."

"It’s fine, really," he insisted, though his voice carried a hint of sadness. "Let me know when you get home. I might stay the night here. I’ll miss you terribly."

"Keep me updated," Mara said softly before the call ended. She stared at her phone for a moment, a mix of relief and unease settling over her. At least now she had some explanation for his behavior, but something still felt off. Why was he so adamant about keeping her away from his grandfather? Or was it because she said she wasn’t ready to meet his family? She already met his mom, his grandfather should be a piece of cake she thought.

As the car pulled away from the curb, Mara leaned back in her seat, her thoughts swirling. The day had been a rollercoaster, and she was exhausted mentally and emotionally. But just as she began to relax, her phone buzzed again. This time, it was a text from an unknown number.

"Don’t trust him."

Her breath caught in her throat. She stared at the screen, her fingers trembling as she typed a reply. "Who is this?"

The response came almost instantly. "Someone who knows the truth. Be careful, Mara, the snake is in your house."

Her heart pounded as the screen went dark. snake? Which snake? Ethan? His family? The maids? The questions multiplied, each one more terrifying than the last. She glanced out the window, the city lights blurring as the car sped through the streets.