The Billionaire CEO Betrays his Wife: He wants her back-Chapter 62: Let’s battle it out

Mara sat by the large window in the Shepherd mansion’s sunlit sitting room, her fingers drumming restlessly on the arm of the chair. The view outside was beautiful, lush gardens, a sparkling fountain, and the distant skyline of the city but it did nothing to ease her growing frustration. She had been cooped up for what felt like an eternity, and the inactivity was driving her mad.

"I can’t just sit here anymore," she muttered to herself, her voice tinged with irritation. "I need to do something."

As if on cue, Steve Shepherd walked into the room, his usual confident stride carrying him toward her. He held a thick folder in his hand, his expression calm but calculating.

"You look restless," he said, his tone light but observant.

Mara turned to him, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Restless? I’ve been resting for days, Steve. I’m not used to sitting around doing nothing. I need to work. I need to feel useful."

Steve studied her for a moment, then nodded as if he had been expecting this. "Alright, I hear you sent Celeb away," he said, handing her the folder. "If you’re ready to get back into it, I’ve got something for you."

Mara took the folder, her curiosity immediately piqued. She opened it, her eyes scanning the first page. "The Bennett case? Forget about Celeb, he was invading my personal space," she asked, looking up at him.

"Yes," Steve replied, taking a seat across from her. "We’re representing the Bennett family. Mr. Harold Bennett’s estate is suing Lackman Enterprises for unethical and illegal practices during the acquisition of Bennett’s company. They’re claiming that Lackman’s actions directly led to Harold’s emotional and financial collapse, which ultimately caused his death. It’s a high-profile case, and it’s going to be a tough fight."

Mara’s eyes lit up as she flipped through the documents. This was exactly what she needed—a challenge, a chance to dive back into the world of law and strategy. But something about the case felt... familiar.

"Lackman Enterprises," she murmured, her brow furrowing. "Why does that name sound so familiar?"

Steve leaned back, his expression unreadable. "It’s one of the largest conglomerates in the city. You’ve probably heard of them in the news. But more importantly, their lead counsel is Ethan Anderson."

Mara froze, her fingers tightening on the edge of the folder. Ethan. His name sent a jolt through her, a mix of emotions she couldn’t quite untangle. She hadn’t seen him in days, hadn’t spoken to him since... since that night.

"Ethan’s representing Lackman?" she asked, her voice steady but her mind racing.

Steve nodded, watching her carefully. "Yes. And knowing him, he’s going to come at us hard. But I have no doubt you can handle him. right?"

Mara looked down at the folder again, her thoughts swirling. This wasn’t just a case—it was a collision of worlds. Ethan on one side, her on the other. The thought of facing him in court was both thrilling and terrifying.

"Alright," she said finally, closing the folder and meeting Steve’s gaze. "I’ll take the case. But I’m going to need full access to everything—financial records, witness statements, the works. If we’re going to win, we need to be prepared for anything Ethan throws at us."

Steve smiled, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. "I knew you’d say that. Consider it done. Welcome to Shepherd Law Firm, baby sister, Stefan said you start going to the office, so tomorrow I will introduce you to everyone."

As Steve left the room, Mara sat back in her chair, the folder resting in her lap. Her mind was already racing, strategizing, planning. But beneath it all was a quiet, persistent thought: Ethan.

She didn’t know what would happen when they faced each other in court, but one thing was certain—this case was about to get a lot more personal. And for the first time in days, Mara felt alive again.

The next morning, Mara stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the collar of her tailored blazer. Her reflection stared back at her—confident, determined, and ready to step back into the world she had been away from for too long. Steve walked into the room, already dressed in his sharp suit, his tie perfectly knotted.

"Ready?" he asked, glancing at her.

Mara nodded, slipping her laptop into her bag. "Ready. But remember, Steve, no one at the firm knows who I really am. Not yet. I want to prove myself on my own terms, without the weight of the Shepherd name."

Steve sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Fine. But you know Grandfather’s not going to let this go on forever. He’s planning your welcome home party, and he’s going to announce to the world that you’re Stefania Shepherd. So, you’ve got until then to be... whatever you want to be."

Mara smiled faintly. "Mara. Just Mara. Or Morissette, if you prefer."

Steve chuckled, shaking his head. "Morissette it is, then. At least at work. It’s your middle name, after all. And it sounds professional." ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

Mara rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. She liked the name Morissette—it felt like a fresh start, a way to separate herself from the expectations that came with being a Shepherd and the status of Mrs. Anderson, she couldn’t be Mara and she couldn’t be Stefania at least for now.

As they arrived at the law firm, Steve led her through the sleek, modern lobby, nodding at the receptionist as they passed. The associates and paralegals glanced up curiously as they walked by, whispering among themselves. Mara kept her head high, her expression calm and composed.

Steve stopped in front of a group of associates gathered near the conference room. "Everyone, this is Morissette. She’ll be joining us on the Bennett case. Treat her as you would any other member of the team."

Mara gave a small, polite smile, her eyes scanning the room. "It’s a pleasure to meet you all. I’m looking forward to working together."

The associates nodded, some offering friendly smiles, others looking skeptical, trying to remember where they know her from, Mara didn’t mind. She was used to skepticism—it only made her more determined to prove herself.

Steve gestured toward the conference room. "Let’s get started. We’ve got a lot to cover."

Inside the conference room, Mara took a seat next to Steve, her laptop open and ready. The rest of the counsel filed in, their expressions serious as they prepared to discuss the case.

Steve began the meeting, his tone authoritative. "As you all know, we’re representing the Bennett family in their lawsuit against Lackman Enterprises. This is a high-stakes case, and we need to be prepared for anything. Morissette here will be leading the charge with me, so I expect everyone to give her their full support."

Mara nodded, taking over seamlessly. "Thank you, Steve. Let’s start by breaking down their argument. Harold Bennett’s family is suing Lackman Enterprises for wrongful acquisition of his company, claiming that Lackman’s aggressive tactics led to Bennett’s emotional and financial collapse, which ultimately caused his death. Is that the core of it?"

Steve nodded, his expression serious. "Exactly. The Bennetts are painting Lackman as a corporate predator who used illegal means to force Bennett into selling his company. They’re claiming emotional distress, financial ruin, and wrongful death. It’s a heavy case, and the media is already eating it up."

Mara flipped through the financial records, her brow furrowing as she studied the numbers. "But from what I’m seeing here, Bennett’s company was already in trouble long before Lackman got involved. Look at these debt records—he was drowning in loans, and his revenue had been declining for years. Lackman didn’t destroy the company; it was already on the brink of collapse."

Steve leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "True, but the Bennetts are arguing that Lackman exploited Bennett’s vulnerable state. They’re claiming he used underhanded tactics—threats, coercion, and possibly even blackmail—to force Bennett into selling at a fraction of the company’s value."

Mara’s eyes narrowed as she considered this. "Do we have any evidence to support that? Any witnesses, emails, or recordings that show Lackman using illegal or unethical methods?"

Steve shook his head. "Not yet. The Bennetts are relying heavily on emotional appeal. They’ve got Bennett’s widow and children ready to testify about how the sale destroyed him mentally and emotionally. They’re painting Lackman as a heartless businessman who didn’t care about the human cost of his actions."

Mara tapped her pen against the table, her mind racing. "We need to counter that narrative. If we can prove that Bennett’s death was a result of Lackman’s actions, we can weaken their defense significantly. We’ll need to dig deeper into how Bennett had a heart attack, according to this report, he was on medication for a heart condition, and also Mr. Lackman and his assistant were the last people to see Mr. Bennett alive."

Steve and the rest of the team nodded in agreement. Mara leaned back in her chair, her gaze thoughtful. "And what about Ethan? He’s representing Lackman, which means he’s going to come at us with everything he’s got. He’ll know every weak point in our case before we even present it." One of the associates said.

Steve’s lips curved into a faint smile. "That’s why we have Morissette on this case. She knows Ethan better than anyone. She knows how he thinks, how he operates. If anyone can anticipate his moves, it’s her." This made everyone’s mind flash back to Ethan’s post that went viral a couple of days ago. They could already stipulate she was the lady in the picture.

Mara’s expression tightened at the mention of Ethan. "Ethan’s good," she admitted, her voice quiet but firm. "But so am I. He’ll try to paint Lackman as the hero who saved the company, but we’ll counter by showing that Bennett was a victim of Lackman’s ambition. We need to prove his company was a target for Mr. Lackman from the start and might be the reason for the company’s debt,"

Steve nodded, clearly pleased with her strategy. "Good. Okay, everyone start pulling together everything we need. We’ll need to move quickly—Ethan’s not going to give us any breathing room."

Mara stood, gathering the files in her arms. "Then let’s get to work. I’ll start drafting our opening statement and identifying key witnesses. We need to be ready for whatever Ethan throws at us."

As she turned to leave, Steve’s voice stopped her. "Morissette."

She glanced back at him, her expression questioning.

"This case is important," he said, his tone serious. "But it’s also personal. Ethan’s not just an opponent—he’s your ex-husband. Are you sure you’re ready for this?"

Mara hesitated for a moment, then straightened her shoulders, her resolve hardening. "This isn’t about Ethan or me. It’s about the case. And I’m going to win."

Steve nodded, a hint of pride in his eyes. "That’s what I like to hear."

As Mara left the conference room, her mind was already racing ahead, strategizing, planning. The Bennett case was more than just a legal battle—it was a clash of wills, a test of skill and determination. And for the first time in days, Mara felt like she was exactly where she was meant to be.

This wasn’t just about winning the case, it was about proving something—to him, to herself, to everyone watching. And she wasn’t going to back down.