The Billionaire CEO Betrays his Wife: He wants her back-Chapter 63: Shepherd vs. Anderson

The meeting room was quiet, the tension palpable as Mara and Steve waited for the other party to arrive. Mara sat at the large conference table, her fingers drumming lightly on the surface, her mind racing with the possibilities of what was to come. Steve, seated beside her, glanced at her with concern.

"Stef," he said softly, "you don’t look so good. I thought this case would keep you busy, but instead, it’s stressing you out. You need to think about the baby."

Mara sighed, running a hand through her hair. She appreciated her brother’s concern, but she didn’t have the patience for it right now. "I’m fine, Steve. I’m not stressed just excited. And what is taking them so damn long?" she added, her tone sharp with irritation.

Steve handed her a bottle of water, his expression still worried. "Here, drink this. And try to relax." Mara took the bottle and sipped the water, her eyes fixed on the door. She wasn’t lying when she said she wasn’t stressed. In fact, she was far from it. The night before, she had spent hours poring over the case files, looking for angles Ethan might have missed. And she had found something—something big. Something he wouldn’t have anticipated, much less prepared for.

The thought of it made her pulse quicken. She had always thrived under pressure, and this case was no different. But this time, it wasn’t just about winning. It was about proving something to Ethan, to her family, and to herself.

Finally, the door swung open, "Miss me, baby girl?" a deep, teasing voice echoed through the room as Ethan strode in. His sharp gaze landed on the woman before him, and for the first time in days, his heart settled. There she was, his beautiful wife. Seeing her again felt like a breath of fresh air after drowning for too long.

Mara, however, remained unfazed, choosing to ignore his lack of professionalism. Instead, she arched a brow, arms crossed as she replied with biting sarcasm, "Mr. Anderson, you finally decided to show up." Mara’s breath caught for a moment as their eyes met.

He looked as composed as ever, his sharp suit and confident demeanor a stark contrast to the storm of emotions swirling inside her. But she didn’t let it show. Instead, she straightened her shoulders, her expression calm and unreadable.

Beside her, Steve stood firm, his presence a silent but clear warning. He positioned himself protectively at Mara’s side, ensuring Ethan didn’t dare step any closer.

Ethan, unsurprised, merely smirked as he loosened his tie and sank into the chair opposite them. The game was on.

"Your client is late," Steve remarked, glancing at the clock. "My client is a very busy man, Mr. Shepherd," Ethan replied, maintaining a steady gaze on Mara with a confident smile. Mr. Lackman, the CEO of Lackman Enterprises, walked in, flanked by his assistants.

"Apologies for the delay," Ethan said smoothly, "Traffic was worse than expected. My client is here now,"

Mara raised an eyebrow, her tone cool. "We’ve been waiting for over twenty minutes. I hope you’re not planning to waste any more of our time." Ethan’s lips curved into a faint smile, but his eyes were sharp, calculating. "I wouldn’t dream of it, Mrs. Mara. Shall we get started?"

Steve leaned forward, his tone diplomatic but firm. "Let’s keep this civil. We’re here to discuss the possibility of settling this matter before it goes to court. Mr. Lackman, the Bennett family is willing to consider a settlement, but only if your offer reflects the gravity of the situation."

Mr. Lackman, a middle-aged man with a stern expression, nodded. "We understand the Bennett family’s concerns, but we stand by our position. Lackman Enterprises acted within the bounds of the law. We’re willing to offer a settlement as a gesture of goodwill, but we won’t be bullied into admitting wrongdoing."

Steve’s eyes narrowed, her voice cutting through the room like a blade. "Goodwill? Mr. Lackman, your company’s actions led to the collapse of Harold Bennett’s life’s work and, ultimately, his death. If you think a token settlement is going to make this go away, you’re sorely mistaken."

Ethan leaned back in his chair, his gaze locked on Mara. "Mr. Shepherd, I understand your passion, but let’s not forget that Harold Bennett’s company was already in financial ruin long before Lackman Enterprises got involved. My client didn’t cause the collapse, he prevented it from getting worse."

Mara quickly realized just how arrogant Mr. Lackman was and worse, that despite the lawsuit against him, he was likely to win. She sat quietly, listening as Steve and Ethan went back and forth, each arguing their case with unwavering confidence.

The tension in the room was thick, voices clashing like swords in a silent battle for dominance. But then—

"I bet you think you’re going to win the lawsuit against you," Mara said smoothly, her calm tone slicing through the conversation like a blade.

Both men fell silent, turning their attention to her.

Mr. Lackman narrowed his eyes, tilting his head slightly as he studied her. "Excuse me?" he asked, clearly puzzled by her words.

Mara simply smirked, knowing she had his attention now.

"Yes, the lawsuit against you isn’t strong enough," Mara continued, her voice even and composed. "You have a powerful legal team that can make this disappear without you even lifting a finger."

Ethan smirked, taking her words as a compliment, while Mr. Lackman leaned back in his chair, a smirk tugging at his lips. He thought she was finally realizing the extent of his power, his influence.

Steve, on the other hand, felt a flicker of disappointment. Was she giving in? He knew this fight wouldn’t be easy for her, but he hadn’t expected her to fold so soon.

And then—

"That’s why," Mara said, her tone razor-sharp, "we’ll be charging you with murder instead." freewebnoveℓ.com

It was as if a bomb had detonated in the room. Silence fell, thick and suffocating.

All eyes were on her, wide with shock.

Except for one.

Mr. Lackman’s.

His gaze burned with fury.

"Murder?" Ethan chuckles. He didn’t see that coming. Mara’s lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. "Yes. I have evidence."

The room fell silent, all eyes turning to Mara. Even Steve looked surprised, though he quickly masked it. Ethan’s expression didn’t change, but Mara could see the flicker of curiosity in his eyes. "What kind of evidence?" he asked, his tone cautious.

Mara leaned forward, her voice low but steady. "Let’s just say I’ve uncovered some... interesting details about Lackman Enterprises’ acquisition process. Details that your client might not want made public."

Ethan’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t respond. Instead, he exchanged a quick glance with Mr. Lackman, whose face had gone pale.

Steve cleared his throat, breaking the tension. "Perhaps we should take a short break to discuss this further among ourselves. We’ll reconvene in ten minutes."

As the other party filed out of the room, Steve turned to Mara, his expression a mix of pride and concern. "What did you find?"

Mara’s smile widened, her eyes gleaming with determination. "Let’s just say Ethan’s in for a surprise. And this case is about to get a lot more interesting."

Steve shook his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "You’re something else, Stef. Just... take care of yourself, okay? For the baby."

Mara nodded, her hand instinctively resting on her stomach. "I will. But right now, I’ve got a case to win.

The break was over, and the discussion resumed. The tension in the room hadn’t faded, it had only thickened.

By law, Mara was obligated to share the evidence with the opposing party before the hearing. She straightened her posture, her expression unreadable as she placed a folder on the table.

"On the night in question," she began, her voice cool and precise, "you and your assistant were caught on camera leaving Mr. Bennett’s office, not long before the ambulance arrived."

Mr. Lackman’s jaw tightened. "That doesn’t prove anything," he snapped, his tone laced with irritation.

Mara tilted her head slightly, watching him closely. "Mysteriously," she continued, "the medication that could have saved his life was missing. Not on him. Not anywhere in his office."

For the first time, a flicker of something, uncertainty? Annoyance? crossed Mr. Lackman’s face.

Mara smiled to herself. She had his attention now.

"And so?" Mr. Lackman leaned forward, a smug look on his face. "I spoke to your assistant. He didn’t say much, but let me give you a theory." He paused, his tone turning almost amused.

"You see a profitable business. You ask Mr. Bennett to sell, but he refuses, he wants investors instead. So, you introduce investors who impose impossible terms, forcing him toward bankruptcy. When he still refuses to sell, you pressure him. He kicks you out of his office, and then suddenly, his heart reacts. He reaches for his medication. Maybe he dropped it. Maybe someone took it from him. And then... they stood there, watching him die before calling the ambulance."

Mara tilted her head, studying him with an unreadable expression. Then, she smirked and leaned in slightly.

"I like reading novels," she mused. "Tell me, Mr. Lackman, is that a compelling story?"

A flicker of nervousness crossed his face. She saw it. And he knew she did.

"You can’t prove that, girl," Mr. Lackman snapped, his voice rising in frustration. "I could sue you for slander!"

Mara’s smirk didn’t waver. "I’ll see you in court, then, Mr. Anderson." With that, she calmly gathered her files, completely unfazed.

"Steve," she called, her voice confident. Her brother turned to her with a knowing smile.

This was exactly what she had pictured, catching Ethan off guard. He hadn’t seen that coming. And with the court hearing less than two hours away, how was he going to counter it?

Mara sent Ethan a playful wink, gloating in her victory, before turning on her heel and walking out with Steve and the rest of the team trailing behind her.