The Billionaire CEO Betrays his Wife: He wants her back-Chapter 35: Truth and Pain

Mara sat in the backseat of the car, her hands resting gently on her belly as the city blurred past the window. The traffic was at a standstill, the sea of cars inching forward at a glacial pace. She glanced at the clock on the dashboard, her heart sinking as she realized how late it was getting. Ethan would be home soon, and she wanted everything to be perfect.

This child could only be his, she thought, a small smile tugging at her lips as she rubbed her belly. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to be a mom, but she knew how much this would mean to Ethan. They had only been married for four weeks, and now, here she was, four weeks pregnant. It felt like fate, like the universe was giving them a second chance at something they had both thought was impossible.

But she needed to get home. She needed to shower, to change, to prepare a romantic dinner for him. Tonight was special—not just because he was coming back, but because she was going to tell him the news. She wanted it to be perfect, something they would both remember forever.

The traffic showed no signs of easing, and Mara’s patience was wearing thin. "Is there another road?" Mara asked while the driver shook his head, there was nothing they could do. The roads were jammed, and there was no way around it. She sighed, leaning back in her seat, her mind racing.

Then an idea struck her. She couldn’t be there to prepare everything herself, but maybe Maria could help. It wasn’t ideal, but it was the best she could do under the circumstances. She dialed Maria’s number, her fingers tapping nervously against the phone.

"Maria?" she said when she picked up. "I need a favor. I’m stuck in traffic, and Ethan’s coming home tonight. I wanted to prepare something special for him, but I’m not going to make it in time. Can you help me? Just set the table, maybe light some candles? I’ll be there as soon as I can."

There was a pause on the other end, and for a moment, Mara wondered if Maria would refuse. But then Maria’s voice came through, calm and composed. "Of course, Mara. I’ll take care of it. Don’t worry."

Mara let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. "Thank you, Maria. I owe you one."

She hung up and tried calling Ethan next, but his phone was off. She assumed he was still on the plane, and the thought made her smile. He had no idea what was waiting for him at home. No idea how much their lives were about to change.

As the car inched forward, Mara leaned her head against the window, her mind drifting to the moment she would tell him. She imagined his face, the shock, the joy, the disbelief. She imagined him pulling her into his arms, his voice trembling as he asked her if she was serious. She imagined the way his eyes would light up, the way he would hold her, the way he would promise to be there for her, for their child.

But for now, all she could do was wait. Wait for the traffic to clear, wait to get home, wait to see the man she loved more than anything in the world her hand resting on her belly, she felt a sense of calm wash over her. Whatever happened next, they would face it together.

Tonight was the beginning of something new, something beautiful. And she couldn’t wait to share it with him.

*****

Ethan’s plane had touched down hours ago, but the weight of the past three days still clung to him like a second skin. The chase had been relentless—a whirlwind of leads, dead ends, and near-death escapes. He’d been trailing a suspect, piecing together a case that had pushed him to his limits. Now, back on solid ground, exhaustion and adrenaline warred within him. "I need a drink," Ethan muttered, running a hand through his disheveled hair.

Steph shot him a sideways glance. "Boss, it’s barely noon," he pointed out, though his tone carried a hint of amusement.

"I know," Ethan replied, his voice rough. "But we need it. We just cheated death, Steph. That’s worth celebrating."

A slow smile spread across Steph’s face as he recalled the chaos of the past few days. It had been a gamble, but it paid off. Their client would walk free, a "not guilty" verdict secured. "Yeah," he agreed, his voice softening. "We do."

The two made their way to a dimly lit bar, the kind of place where the air smelled faintly of whiskey and the walls seemed to hold a thousand untold stories. One glass turned into two, then three, until the bottle sat empty between them. Their conversation meandered, shifting from the case to lighter topics—Steph’s latest dating misadventures, Ethan’s family, and eventually, Mara and Maria.

Ethan’s thoughts lingered on Mara, his wife. It had been hours since they’d spoken, and the silence gnawed at him. Pulling out his phone, he dialed her number, but the call went unanswered. "She’s not picking up," he said, frowning.

Steph called the office. The receptionist informed him that Mara had left hours ago. Ethan’s frown deepened, but he brushed it off. "She’s probably at home," he said, though a flicker of unease stirred in his chest.

Still buzzed from the drinks, Ethan made his way to the house, his steps slightly unsteady but his mind clearer than it had been in days. The weight of the case had lifted, replaced by a singular focus Mara. He needed to see her, to feel her presence, to remind himself of what truly mattered.

When he stepped inside, the house was quiet, the kind of silence that felt heavy with anticipation. The bedroom door was slightly ajar, and as he pushed it open, the room greeted him in shadows and flickering candlelight.

The soft glow illuminated a path leading to the bed, and at the end of it stood a figure, silhouetted against the dim light.

Ethan’s breath caught. The figure was clad in red lingerie, the fabric catching the candlelight in a way that made his pulse quicken. He couldn’t see her face, but he didn’t need to. The scent of her perfume subtle, intoxicating, unmistakably hers filled the room. It was Mara. His Mara.

A low chuckle escaped him as he stepped closer, his earlier fatigue melting away. The past three days had been a haze of danger and desperation, but this... this was clarity. This was home.

She turned to face him, her eyes locking with his. Without a word, she closed the distance between them, her hands moving to unbutton his shirt with practiced ease. Ethan’s hands found her waist, pulling her tightly against him. The kiss that followed was electric, a collision of passion and longing that left no room for doubt. At that moment, nothing else mattered reconnecting in a way that felt as natural as breathing.

The candles burned low, casting dancing shadows on the walls as the world outside faded away.

It wasn’t long, and the room that once bathed in the soft, intimate glow of candlelight, was suddenly flooded with harsh, blinding brightness as the overhead lights flicked on.

Ethan froze, his heart slamming against his ribs as he turned toward the doorway. There stood Mara, her face pale, her eyes wide with a mixture of disbelief and hurt. Her gaze darted between Ethan and Maria-Isabel, who stood uncomfortably close, the air between them thick with desire tension.

"Mara!" Ethan’s voice broke the silence, sharp and panicked. If Mara is standing at the door then who is in his arms? Who was he kissing just now? His eyes flicked between his wife and Maria-Isabel, his mind racing to make sense of the situation. The alcohol still clouded his thoughts, but the gravity of the moment cut through the haze like a knife. He felt the oddness, the wrongness of it all, but his body seemed paralyzed, unable to move or explain.

Maria-Isabel, usually so excited to see Mara, looked away, her face flushed with guilt. The confidence she had carried moments ago seemed to evaporate, leaving behind a woman who couldn’t meet Mara’s eyes. The tension in the room was suffocating, each second stretching into an eternity.

Mara took a step forward, her voice trembling as she whispered, "Tell me it’s not what I think." Her words were soft, but they carried the weight of a thousand unknowing fears. She knew what was going on, everything she saw was clear enough but just so she hear it, maybe that would pull her into reality perhaps her mind was playing some dirty tricks on her. free𝑤ebnovel.com

This is Ethan, Ethan who can’t spend a second without her and her sister, her innocent Maria, the Maria she knew wouldn’t hurt a fly. Her hands clenched at her sides, her nails digging into her palms as if the physical pain might anchor her to reality.

Ethan opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. His mind was a whirlwind of excuses and explanations, none of which felt adequate. Should he blame the alcohol? Should he blame Maria-Isabel? Should he blame himself for letting things spiral so far out of control? He didn’t know where to start, and the silence that followed Mara’s question only deepened the chasm between them.

Ethan finally broke the silence, his voice barely above a whisper. "Mara, I’m so sorry but I can explain. It was a mistake—"

"A mistake?" Mara interrupted, her voice rising now, sharp and brittle. "A mistake? A mistake is forgetting to take the trash out, a mistake is ordering the wrong pizza, this isn’t a mistake," Her eyes burned with a mixture of anger and heartbreak as she looked at Maria, waiting for her to say something—anything—to make sense of the betrayal she was witnessing.

Ethan spoke again though his voice was hoarse and unsteady. "Mara, I... I don’t know what to say. This isn’t what it looks like. I mean, it is, but it’s not... I didn’t mean for this to happen." His words tumbled out in a disjointed mess, each one sounding more hollow than the last.

Mara shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. "You didn’t mean for this to happen? Or you didn’t want me to know? How long—" Her voice broke, and she couldn’t finish the sentence. She took a step back as if putting physical distance between them might lessen the pain, she suddenly remembered Daniel’s warning, the message, the maid’s words Maria’s change in attitude, it all made sense to her now, here she was ready to give him the good news what was the point.

Ethan reached out instinctively, his hand hovering in the air as if to stop her from leaving. "Mara, please. Let me explain. I love you. You have to believe me."

But Mara was already retreating, her face a mask of hurt and betrayal. "I don’t know what to believe right now," she said, her voice barely audible. "I just know I can’t be here." With that, she turned and walked out of the room, leaving Ethan and Maria-Isabel standing in the suffocating silence. The weight of what had just happened settled over them like a heavy blanket, and for the first time, Maria realized the full extent of what she had lost.