The Billionaire CEO Betrays his Wife: He wants her back-Chapter 55: Mastermind

The large screen in the hall flickered to life. The crowd turned, their attention drawn to the sudden movement. The screen displayed a grainy but unmistakable video: Lucy, standing in a dimly lit room, surrounded by men in masks. They were dragging a half-conscious Bruce into the room, his body limp and unresponsive. The footage was damning, and there was no denying what it showed.

The room erupted into chaos. Gasps and shouts filled the air as the crowd turned on Lucy, their accusations now directed at her. She stood frozen, her face pale, her carefully constructed facade crumbling around her. The Shepherd brothers had paid their debt, and they had done so in the most public way possible.

Louisa, still trembling, looked at Lucy with a mixture of relief and vindication. The truth was out, and there was no escaping it. The mastermind had been unmasked, and the crowd, once so eager to condemn, now turned their fury on the real culprit.

Ethan looked up at the screen, his eyes wide with shock. Celeb, too, seemed stunned, his mind racing to process what he was seeing. The room was a whirlwind of emotion, but one thing was clear: the game was over, and Lucy had lost.

Louisa stood in the corner of the room, her shoulders shaking as silent tears streamed down her face. Her life, her reputation—everything she had worked for—was in ruins. She had trusted Lucy, had believed in her, and for what? To be thrown under the bus the moment things went south.

The weight of her choices pressed down on her, suffocating her. She knew she would be fired. With a scandal like this, no law firm would ever hire her again. She had gambled everything on Lucy’s promises, and now she had nothing left.

Ethan, meanwhile, was a storm of emotions. His fury burned white-hot as the realization hit him: Lucy had orchestrated this entire mess. His eyes scanned the room frantically, searching for Mara, but she was nowhere to be found. It was as if she had vanished into thin air. His heart pounded in his chest, a mix of guilt and desperation clawing at him. He had to find her.

As the crowd began to disperse, the party dissolving into whispers and sidelong glances, Lucy approached Ethan. Her face was streaked with tears, her usual composure shattered. "Ethan, please," she begged, her voice trembling. "Let’s talk. I can explain."

Ethan turned to her, his expression cold and unyielding. "I can’t deal with you right now, Lucy. Just leave."

But Lucy wasn’t ready to give up. She reached out, her voice breaking as she pleaded her case. "I did it because I wanted you to see her true colors, Ethan. I did it for you. Everything I’ve ever done has been for you."

Ethan’s jaw tightened, his patience wearing thin. He stepped closer, his voice low but laced with venom. "The only reason you’re still working at the firm and not fired is because of your late brother. I promised him I would take care of you, and I’ve kept that promise. But trust me, Lucy, if you ever pull a stunt like this again, you’re gone. Mara is my wife, and our issues are none of your concern."

His words hung in the air, final and unyielding. Lucy’s face crumpled, but Ethan was already walking away, his mind racing. Where could Mara be? He had to find her. He had to make this right.

As he strode through the emptying halls, his thoughts were a whirlwind of regret and determination. He had let his anger, his pride, cloud his judgment. He had let Lucy’s manipulations make him suspect Mara.

Ethan’s heart ached at the thought of her alone, hurt, and as the minutes ticked by, the question lingered, heavy and unrelenting: where could she be? freeweɓnovel.cѳm

Lucy wiped her tears, her face hardening as she straightened her posture. The vulnerability she had displayed moments ago was gone, replaced by a steely resolve.

She might have lost Ethan’s trust for now, but she wasn’t about to give up. She had spent years by his side, years building her life around him, and she wasn’t going to let Mara take him away without a fight. "Mara," she muttered under her breath, her voice low and venomous. "You’re in for a war. I didn’t stay by his side all these years just for you to waltz in and steal him from me."

Her fake tears had served their purpose, but now it was time to regroup. Lucy was nothing if not resourceful, and she knew exactly how to manipulate situations to her advantage. She had done it before, and she would do it again. Ethan might be angry now, but she was confident she could win him back. After all, she knew him better than anyone—or so she thought.

As she turned to leave, Steph stepped into her path, his expression a mix of disappointment and warning. "You don’t learn, do you?" he said, his voice calm but firm. "You’re lucky it wasn’t Mara in there. If it had been, hell might have broken loose. A piece of advice: he loves her more than life itself. Accept that, or your end will be a terrible one."

Lucy’s eyes narrowed, her annoyance flaring at his tone. Who did he think he was? Just an assistant, a paralegal—someone beneath her. He had no right to speak to her like that, no right to act as though he knew better. "Shut up!" she snapped, her voice sharp and cutting. "No one is talking to you, much less asking for your advice."

She brushed past him, her heels clicking sharply against the floor as she walked away. Steph watched her go, shaking his head in quiet disbelief. He had always known Lucy was ruthless, but there had been moments, fleeting, perhaps when he thought she might have a softer side.

Moments when she had been kind to him, when she had smiled at him or thanked him for his help. But now he realized it had all been an act. Every kind word, every smile, had been calculated, all part of her grand scheme to keep Ethan to herself.

The realization stung more than he cared to admit. Steph had been in love with her, though he had never dared to say it out loud. He had admired her strength, her determination, even her cunning. But now, seeing her for who she truly was, he felt a deep sense of regret.

He had helped her, hadn’t he? He had been her accomplice, driving women away from Ethan, threatening some, paying off others. At the time, he had convinced himself he was doing it for Ethan’s sake, protecting him from social climbers and gold diggers. But now he saw the truth: he had been fueling Lucy’s obsession, helping her tighten her grip on a man who didn’t belong to her.

Steph sighed, running a hand through his hair. He had been blind, but now his eyes were wide open. Lucy wasn’t the woman he had thought she was. She was manipulative, selfish, and dangerous. And as much as it pained him, he knew he couldn’t keep enabling her. Ethan deserved better. Mara deserved better. And maybe, just maybe, he deserved better too.

As Lucy disappeared down the hall, her mind already spinning new plans, Steph made a silent vow. He wouldn’t let her destroy Ethan’s life—or Mara’s. He had been complicit for too long, but no more.

Lucy stormed out of the mansion, her heels clicking sharply against the pavement as she tried to maintain her composure. The party had been a disaster, but she wasn’t about to let anyone see her unravel. She had barely made it a few steps when she nearly collided with Mrs. Anderson—Bella—who was standing in the driveway, her expression as cold as ice.

"Bella," Lucy said casually, forcing a soft smile onto her face as if nothing had happened. "Do you have a minute? I’d like to discuss the divorce with you." Her tone was sweet, almost saccharine, as though she hadn’t just tried to frame Bella’s daughter-in-law in a scandal that could have ruined Mara’s life.

Bella turned to her, her gaze sharp and unyielding. "It’s Mrs. Anderson to you," she said, her voice dripping with disdain. "And you can hand over my divorce case to my son." Without another word, she walked away, her posture regal and unshaken.

Bella had always loved Mara, seeing her as the daughter she never had. Women like Lucy and Maria—forever hovering around Ethan like vultures—were nothing but a nuisance to her. Tonight’s events had only solidified her disdain for Lucy.

Lucy stood there, momentarily stunned. She hadn’t expected Bella to be so cold, so dismissive. Did Lucy really think things would just go back to normal after what had happened? Lucy clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she fought to keep her composure. She wasn’t used to being brushed off so easily, especially not by someone like Bella, her future mother-in-law.

As she stomped toward her car, her frustration boiled over. She felt like a spoiled child who had just been denied her favorite toy, but she refused to let it show. She had to keep it together, at least until she was out of sight. Ethan would notice her eventually. He had to.

But before she could reach her car, Louisa’s voice cut through the night, sharp and angry. "Stand right there, Lucy!" Louisa yelled, her face flushed with rage. She had been left to face the consequences of Lucy’s schemes, and she wasn’t about to let Lucy walk away unscathed.

Lucy ignored her, continuing toward her car as if Louisa didn’t exist. But Louisa wasn’t having it. She chased after Lucy, blocking her path before she could open the car door. "You need to tell Mr. Anderson I did nothing wrong!" Louisa demanded, her voice trembling with anger and desperation.

Lucy rolled her eyes, her patience wearing thin. "Get out of the way," she snapped, her tone icy.

But Louisa wasn’t backing down. "Lucy, do you still think you’re going to be Mrs. Anderson? Is that really what you’re thinking? You’re so shameless. He’s already married!" Louisa’s voice rose, her frustration spilling over. She reached out, her hand swinging toward Lucy’s face.

But Lucy was faster. She caught Louisa’s wrist mid-swing, twisting it sharply before shoving her away. The force of the push sent Louisa stumbling backward, her balance faltering. "Don’t you dare touch me," Lucy hissed, her eyes blazing with fury. Without another word, she climbed into her car, slamming the door shut and speeding off into the night.

Louisa stood there, her chest heaving as she watched Lucy’s taillights disappear into the darkness. She felt humiliated, betrayed, and utterly alone. Lucy had used her, discarded her, and left her to face the fallout. And now, as the weight of her choices settled over her, Louisa realized just how deeply she had been manipulated.

Meanwhile, Lucy drove away, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. Her mind raced, plotting her next move. She wasn’t done yet. Not by a long shot. Mara might have won this round, but Lucy wasn’t about to give up. She had fought too hard, waited too long, to let Ethan slip through her fingers now.