The Billionaire CEO Betrays his Wife: He wants her back-Chapter 41: Let. Her. Go

Seeing another man’s hands on his wife made Ethan’s blood boil. His bones felt like they were twisting with rage. Mara was his. No one else had the right to hold her like that.

"Boss! Boss!" Steph called after him, trying to catch up. Their client was still on the phone, but Ethan didn’t care. He ignored Steph and marched toward the car, his fury driving each step.

He reached the vehicle and tapped sharply on the window.

"Mara!" His voice was low, dangerous, and determined to pull her from what he saw as a kidnapping.

The door opened.

Mara stepped out first, her face unreadable. Then, one by one, the four men followed. Ethan’s gaze darkened. They already knew who he was to Mara.

"Leave me alone, Ethan," Mara said, her voice calm but distant. Ethan froze. That wasn’t the response he expected. He searched her face, but she gave nothing away. Why was she shutting him out?

He had no idea that the answer lay beneath her steady expression, in the secret she was determined to keep from him. She wouldn’t tell him about the baby. Not yet.

Not when he refused to let her go even without knowing. What would he do when he found out she was carrying his child? Mara clenched her fists. She couldn’t forgive him. She had to remind herself of that.

"What?" Ethan finally said, confusion flashing in his eyes. Steph, now standing beside him, saw the bigger picture. His gut twisted. Mara wasn’t just leaving she was walking straight into the arms of Ethan’s mortal enemy.

The tension crackled like a live wire. One of the men, who seemed to be the eldest of the four, stepped forward, positioning himself protectively in front of Mara. His silent message was clear.

Ethan wasn’t getting anywhere near her. And that only made Ethan’s rage burn hotter.

The tension between Mara and Ethan is palpable, the air thick with unresolved emotions. Ethan’s attempt to maintain control is slipping, his frustration evident in the darkening of his gaze. He wants to defer the conversation, to push it into the privacy of their home, but Mara knows better. She knows that apologies alone won’t fix what’s broken between them.

Her humorless chuckle is a bitter acknowledgment of his naivety. Ethan thinks that saying sorry is enough, that his words can erase the weight of her struggles. But Mara is carrying more than just their relationship she’s carrying the life growing inside her, a life that complicates everything. She doesn’t want to air their issues in front of these strangers, men whose presence feels ominous, tied to the secret she’s been trying to protect.

The four men loom in the background, their identities unclear but their connection to Mara’s situation is undeniable. She feels exposed, vulnerable, and trapped. Mara’s narrowed and shrugged carelessly, "Did you forget, or do I need to remind you? Ethan, you need to stop this, please," Ethan couldn’t believe his ears. He was speechless. How does he explain that he only wants to protect her?

Ethan’s concern and anger twisted together, fueling his determination. Mara was stubborn because she was angry. But once he got her home safe, by his side then she could be angry all she wanted. Right now, he wasn’t having it.

Before Mara could protest, Ethan reached for her, ready to throw her over his shoulder if he had to. But before he could touch her, another hand caught his wrist in a firm, unyielding grip.

Ethan’s head snapped up, locking eyes with a man just as furious as he was. "Get your hands off her," the stranger warned, his voice dangerously low. Behind him, the other three men stood in silent solidarity, their expressions equally dark.

Ethan took them in one after the other all dressed in sleek black suits, exuding power, confidence, and wealth. Their posture, their presence... it was clear they weren’t men to be trifled with. And neither was he.

Ethan clenched his jaw. His fingers curled into a fist, his entire body thrumming with rage.

Who the hell did they think they were? Mara was his wife. And no one not even these men was going to take her from him.

Ethan let go of Mara, shoving the man’s hand off him as he turned to glare. His voice was sharp, laced with pure fury.

"She is my wife. How dare you?"

The man met Ethan’s glare without flinching. A slow, sarcastic smirk tugged at his lips.

"Oh really? Is she?"

His tone sent a wave of unease through Ethan. What the hell did that mean?

Mara stiffened. The last thing she wanted was for them to start a fight especially not over her.

"Please, stop," she whispered, stepping between them, trying to calm the brewing storm. But Ethan wasn’t letting this go.

He grabbed Mara’s wrist, pulling her to his side. His grip was firm, too firm. She winced, trying to free herself. The man’s expression darkened instantly. His voice dropped, cold and commanding.

"Let. Her. Go."

Ethan barely spared him a glance. "Or what?" His tone was pure defiance. The man’s eyes burned with fury, and the tension between them spiked to a dangerous level.

"Boss, boss, please calm down," Steph hurriedly stepped in, knowing this could turn into a disaster. Two powerful figures clashing like this right in front of the law firm was bad news. Ethan was too blinded by rage to realize how tight his grip on Mara had become.

Then, in the middle of the chaos, Ethan felt it. Mara’s small, desperate struggle.

His gaze flickered down to her hand, where red marks from his own fingers had started to appear.

Damn it.

Ethan’s heart dropped. He let go immediately, his jaw clenching as guilt twisted in his chest. Mara pulled her hand back, rubbing the sore area. Her expression wasn’t just one of pain, it was betrayal.

He had done that. He had hurt her.

"Mara, I’m sorry," Ethan said, his voice quieter now, thick with regret. "Please, let’s just go home. We’ll talk. Peacefully." Mara’s eyes met his, swimming with emotions she refused to let spill.

She turned instead to the man who had stood up for her, swallowing back her own tears.

"Let’s go." Without another word, she climbed into the car.

The man followed, his protective stance never wavering, while the other three silently retreated to their own vehicles.

Ethan stood frozen, watching as his wife, the woman who once looked at him with love drove away with another man.

His fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tightening as he watched the car disappear down the street. Shepherd’s brothers? The name burned in his mind like a fresh wound. How the hell were they connected to Mara? His mind raced with questions, but nothing made sense. Was she using him? Had she been a spy all along?

Steph, still in shock, voiced the question that lingered between them. "How are the Shepherd brothers related to Mara?"

Before Ethan could respond, a familiar voice cut through the thick tension.

"What do you think?"

Lucy. She approached slowly, eyes gleaming with satisfaction as if she held all the answers.

"I hate to say this, but isn’t it obvious?" Lucy continued, watching Ethan carefully. "She was a spy all along. I always suspected there was someone powerful backing her. It turns out she was sent here by your mortal enemy."

Ethan turned to her, eyes cold, expression unreadable.

Spy?

His gut told him Lucy was spewing nonsense, but there was something wrong. Something he couldn’t figure out.

His voice dropped to a whisper, more to himself than anyone else. "Why are they interested in my wife?"

Why now? Why did they appear at the exact moment Mara wanted to leave him? It didn’t add up. His frustration only deepened as another thought gnawed at him. Could this have something to do with the past? Snapping out of his thoughts, he turned to Steph.

"How’s the other investigation going?" His tone was sharp, demanding.

Steph hesitated before responding, knowing Ethan wouldn’t like the answer. "Nothing yet, boss. The orphanage... it doesn’t exist anymore. Almost everyone who knew about it is either dead or long gone."

Ethan’s eyes darkened. His patience was running razor-thin.

"Useless!" He barked. "Find out everything. Talk to the Williams. Talk to Jason if you have to. I need information, and I need it now!"

As if the universe was mocking him, his phone rang just then. His gaze flickered to the screen. His client.

With a deep breath, he forced his fury down, schooling his voice into something calmer as he answered. But no matter how hard he tried to focus on the call, his mind kept replaying the image of Mara walking away. And this time, she wasn’t alone.