The Billionaire CEO Betrays his Wife: He wants her back-Chapter 79: We are safe

The night stretched on in endless silence, broken only by the distant howl of the wind and the rustling of leaves.

The stars above seemed indifferent to their suffering, twinkling against the vast darkness, while Ethan sat on the cold ground, holding Mara close.

Something was wrong.

Her skin was too warm against his. Feverish. Her breaths were shallow, uneven. This wasn’t good, not for her, not for the baby.

Ethan swallowed the panic rising in his throat. He had been trying to stay calm trying to convince himself that rescue would come soon. But now, seeing her like this, shaking and barely able to keep her eyes open, fear gripped him.

"Mara, stay with me," he murmured, brushing damp strands of hair from her face. "You’re burning up."

She tried to reply, but her voice was weak, barely a whisper.

Ethan cursed under his breath, quickly pulling off his shirt. It was thin protection against the cold night air, but right now, she was all that mattered. He laid her down gently, pressing his warm skin against her feverish body, wrapping himself around her in a desperate attempt to keep her from slipping further into exhaustion.

Mara shivered, instinctively curling into him. His warmth, his scent everything about Ethan made her feel safe. She knew she should fight it, should push him away, but in this moment, she couldn’t.

"I won’t let anything happen to you," Ethan whispered, his lips pressing against her forehead. "To either of you." His hand splayed protectively over her stomach, where their baby grew.

Mara’s eyes fluttered open, glassy but searching his. "Ethan..."

"I’m here, baby." His voice was rough with emotion, but his touch was gentle as he caressed her face. "I need you to stay awake for me. Can you do that?"

She tried to nod, but exhaustion pulled at her.

Ethan wasn’t thinking anymore. All that mattered was keeping her warm, keeping her alive. His lips brushed over her temple, her cheek, the corner of her mouth, a silent plea for her to hold on.

And then, she kissed him back.

It wasn’t desperate or rushed, it was soft, filled with the kind of emotion words could never capture. A warmth spread between them, chasing away the cold, the fear, the loneliness. Ethan deepened the kiss, his hands trailing over her trembling body, holding her as if she were the most fragile thing in the world, he had longed for her for days, to desperately be inside of her to show her just how much she meant to him.

He was careful, painfully gentle, worshiping every inch of her, making sure she felt nothing but warmth, nothing but love. Mara clung to him, needing him just as much as he needed her. And in that moment, lost in the middle of nowhere, with only each other to hold onto nothing else mattered.

Not the past. Not the pain. Not even the danger lurking in the shadows. It was just them.

And for now, that was enough.

The distant sound of voices calling their names cut through the stillness of the night.

Mara and Ethan jolted at the noise, their bodies tangled in the aftermath of what had just happened between them. Their clothes were still haphazardly thrown aside, the heat of their shared moment still lingering in the air.

"Shit," Ethan muttered under his breath, quickly reaching for his shirt. "They’re here."

Mara, still feeling the warmth of his touch all over her, blinked as if shaking off a dream.

The weight of reality came crashing back. She hurriedly straightened herself, pulling her clothes into place just as a bright flashlight swept over them.

"There!" A voice called.

Ethan quickly stood in front of Mara, shielding her instinctively, but she was already stepping forward.

And then, she saw him—

"Stefan!"

Her younger brother practically sprinted toward her, his usual calm demeanor replaced with pure relief. Without a word, he pulled her into a tight hug.

"You scared the hell out of us," Stefan murmured, his voice slightly shaky, though he quickly masked it. He pulled back just enough to study her, frowning when he noticed the feverish heat radiating off her. "You’re burning up."

"I’m fine," Mara tried to say, but her voice was weaker than she wanted.

Stefan didn’t argue. Instead, he shot Ethan a quick look not one of gratitude, nor of hostility. Just acknowledgment. A silent we’ll deal with this later. Then, he gently led Mara toward the small search plane that had landed nearby.

Ethan followed closely, his gaze never leaving Mara.

The way she clung to her brother, the way her body still trembled slightly he hated seeing her like this. And yet, he couldn’t stop thinking about what had just happened between them.

He had never touched anyone the way he had touched Mara tonight.

Never made love with so much raw emotion, so much care. It had been about her every kiss, every touch, every whispered promise in the dark.

And damn it he wanted more.

But now wasn’t the time.

Not when they had an audience. Not when her brother were here. Not when he was sure Mara was trying just as hard to push away the memories of what they had just shared.

Even so, as they settled into the jet, the feeling lingered.

Ethan sat beside Mara, pretending not to notice the way Stefan watched him from across the aisle. But he didn’t care, his focus was on her. He reached for her hand, almost instinctively, but Mara hesitated for just a second before lacing her fingers with his.

Neither of them spoke.

They didn’t need to.

The heat from their bodies may have faded, but the fire between them?

That wasn’t going anywhere.

Back in Salvador

The hospital room smelled sterile, the bright white walls a stark contrast to the jungle they had just escaped from.

Doctors and nurses moved quickly, checking Mara’s vitals, running tests, ensuring that both she and the baby were okay. Ethan stood by the door, hands in his pockets, watching helplessly as they hovered around her.

Steve arrived not long after, his face unreadable. He gave Mara a quick once-over, then turned to Ethan.

"Outside. Now."

Ethan sighed, already knowing this was coming. Yeah. He was about to get his ass handed to him.

The moment Ethan stepped out of Mara’s hospital room, Steve was waiting.

Arms crossed. Jaw clenched. Eyes burning with pure fury.

"You reckless, arrogant son of a—"

Ethan sighed, already bracing himself.

"You hijacked her trip, flew her into danger, and now she’s lying in a hospital bed with a fever and a near-death experience. And for what? To prove a point?" Steve’s voice was sharp, cutting through the quiet hospital hallway like a blade.

"You think that makes you some kind of hero?"

Ethan didn’t flinch. He let Steve rage, let him throw out every accusation, let him vent. And when he was done, when he was standing there, waiting for Ethan to defend himself, Ethan simply said,

"If I wasn’t there, Mara would have been alone with a stranger. Is that what you would have preferred?"

Steve’s mouth snapped shut.

Ethan took a step closer, his voice low but steady. "Do you think some random pilot would’ve stopped a snake from attacking her? You think someone else would’ve risked getting bitten just to protect her?" His eyes darkened.

"Would someone else have landed that plane safely? Or would she have been another tragic news headline?"

Steve clenched his fists, his anger not as sure as before.

"I’m not expecting a thank you, Mr. Shepherd," Ethan said, shaking his head. "But hostility? After everything? Damn, man. That’s rich."

Before Steve could fire back, another voice cut in—

"Enough."

Both men turned to see Stefan standing in the doorway, arms resting casually at his sides, but his tone left no room for argument.

"Now’s not the time for this." His gaze flickered between them, then settled on Steve. "Let it go. For now."

Steve exhaled sharply, visibly forcing himself to calm down. After a tense beat, he nodded, shooting Ethan one last glare before turning away.

"I’m going to check on my sister," he muttered before disappearing into Mara’s room.

Ethan watched him go, running a hand through his hair. He wanted to be in there with her, but right now, he knew he’d only be making things worse.

Stefan studied him for a moment before giving a nod toward the nurses’ station. "You should get checked out too. That snake bite might not have been poisonous, but you still look like hell."

Ethan smirked dryly. "You always this charming?"

Stefan didn’t even blink. "Only when I’m holding back."

Ethan chuckled but didn’t argue. Instead, he shoved his hands into his pockets and started down the hallway.