The Billionaire CEO Betrays his Wife: He wants her back-Chapter 82: I’m done

Ethan’s heart pounded like a war drum, his breath ragged with fury. Betrayal wrapped around his chest like a vice, tightening with every painful thought. He had every right to be angry hadn’t he apologized when he cheated? Didn’t that make him the better person? But Mara, Mara had done something far worse. Something unforgivable.

A growl of frustration tore from his throat as he stormed toward his car.

"Ethan, stop!" Steph called out, his voice laced with desperation. He reached for Ethan’s arm, but Ethan wrenched away.

"I don’t wanna hear it!" Ethan barked, his voice breaking under the weight of his emotions. Without another word, he flung himself into the driver’s seat and slammed the door shut.

"Don’t do anything stupid!" Steph yelled as Ethan revved the engine, tires screeching against the pavement. But Ethan was beyond reason now. He was drowning in rage, in heartbreak. The betrayal burned in his veins, hotter than fire. He hit the gas, launching forward into the night.

Lucy saw it all unfold and didn’t hesitate. She leaped into her own car, her heart racing. This was her chance. Ethan was shattered, vulnerable—she would be the one to pick up his broken pieces. Mara had hurt him, but she wouldn’t. No, Lucy would love him, heal him. And tonight, he would finally see it.

Ethan pushed his car to the limit, the speedometer climbing higher and higher. His hands gripped the wheel so tightly. He was blind with rage, deaf to the blaring horns of the cars he recklessly overtook. His vision blurred with unshed tears. Why? Why would Mara do this to him? After everything? The thoughts consumed him, dark and poisonous until they were all that remained.

The city lights streaked past in a haze. He didn’t care where he was going. He just needed to run, to escape the pain clawing at his insides. But the faster he drove, the louder it screamed.

His foot pressed harder on the gas. The world around him was a blur, but all he could see was Mara’s face her betrayal her lies.

He gritted his teeth, his chest heaving, his heartbreaking apart piece by piece. He didn’t see the red light ahead. He didn’t hear the screeching of tires behind him.

And then—

Lucy’s headlights caught the shimmer of his taillights just as they disappeared around the bend. Her stomach twisted in fear.

"Ethan, please," she whispered, stepping harder on the accelerator.

She had to reach him before it was too late.

But she lost him. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t keep up with his speed. Ethan was gone.

_

Mara, Steve, and Stefan had driven back from the wake in heavy silence. The weight of the night pressed on them, each lost in their own thoughts. Steve pulled out his phone, dialing Stanley and Stanford. The two brothers regretted not being there to pay their respects to their grandfather, but they knew it was for the best. Neither of them could have kept their cool after what they had witnessed their uncle Philip do to the old man.

"We need that CCTV footage," Steve said, his voice sharp with determination. "He might have had it destroyed by now, but Stanford, you’re a computer wizard. You can find a way."

Stanford nodded. "I’ll see what I can do."

"I’ll keep an eye on Philip’s transactions and movements," Stanley added. "It’s safer to track him that way than making it obvious here. He might sense something if we’re not careful."

The plan was in motion. They would gather evidence, piece by piece, and take Philip down.

Mara had endured enough. Her grandfather’s death, unmasking their uncle, and dealing with Ethan’s doubt were exhausting, but she refused to let it consume her. Her marriage had crumbled, and while she wasn’t innocent in its failure, she knew one thing—she wouldn’t allow herself to be treated like she was nothing. She had a child to think about, and she wouldn’t let herself be broken. Instead, she wore her pain-like armor, refusing to let it define her.

That morning, she and Steve left early for the office. There was a new case—complicated, layered with legal intricacies—but she welcomed the distraction. And when she won, the victory was bittersweet. Her first win as a Shepherd. It should have felt like a fresh start, but the weight of the past still loomed over her. The case against Ethan and his client ended tragically. He had tried to forget. She had tried to move on. But how could she, when Ethan had been her first love? The father of her unborn child?

A distraction was necessary, and when Celeb dropped by her office offering lunch, Mara hesitated before agreeing. Just lunch. Just a friend. That was all.

Over their meal, conversation flowed, but there was an undeniable shift between them—one they couldn’t ignore.

"I miss how things used to be," Celeb admitted, swirling his drink in his glass. "Before everything got... complicated."

Mara offered a small, sad smile. "Me too."

He studied her for a long moment. "I know you’re not ready for anything, and maybe you never will be. But Mara, you know I’ll always be here, right? Even if it’s just as a friend."

She sighed, glancing down at her plate. "I know, Celeb."

"You don’t have to say it like that," he chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. "Like I’m forcing you to acknowledge my existence."

She laughed softly, shaking her head. "I’m just... I don’t know. Tired."

"I get it." His voice softened. "But you don’t have to do this alone."

Mara nodded, appreciating his words even if she didn’t quite believe them.

When they returned to the firm, Celeb hesitated before leaving. He leaned in to kiss her cheek goodbye, but at the last second, his lips brushed hers—just for a flicker of a moment, not enough to be a real kiss, but enough to make her blink in surprise.

Before she could react, movement caught her eye.

Ethan.

He stood outside the firm, watching. His hands were buried deep in his pockets, his jaw clenched. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes burned with something raw—anger, hurt, possession. Then, without a word, he turned on his heel and strode away.

Mara’s heart pounded. Without thinking, she rushed after him.

"Ethan!" she called, catching up to him just as he reached the parking lot. He stopped but didn’t turn around.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded, breathless.

Ethan exhaled slowly before finally turning to face her. "I could ask you the same thing," he said, his voice low, controlled—but barely.

She frowned. "I work here."

"That’s not what I meant." His gaze darkened. "Are you with him now?"

Mara’s lips parted slightly in surprise. "What?"

"Celeb," he said sharply. "Since we’re over, is he the one now?"

She stiffened. "That’s none of your business."

Ethan let out a bitter laugh, running a hand through his hair. "None of my business?" He took a step closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "You’re pregnant with my child, Mara."

Mara flinched.

Ethan’s eyes bore into hers. "Or at least... I thought I was."

Silence hung heavy between them.

Then, his voice turned cold. "Or maybe you just needed someone to take my place. Someone to play daddy." His lip curled slightly. "Is that what this is? Are you that desperate to replace me?"

Mara’s breath hitched, pain flashing in her eyes. She stared at him, searching his face, trying to understand how the man she once loved could speak to her this way.

Her voice was barely above a whisper. "You really think so little of me?"

Ethan didn’t answer.

Mara swallowed, shaking her head. "I don’t have to explain myself to you."

He let out a short, humorless chuckle. "Yes, you do. You’re still my wife so you are not free to do whatever you want, Mara. Clearly, you don’t care about me."

Tears burned at the back of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. With quiet resolve, she tilted her head, took a step back, and whispered, "Goodbye, Ethan."

Then, she turned and walked away.

Ethan stood there, fists clenched, his entire body tense with barely contained rage. He wanted to call after her, to grab her arm and demand an answer, to tell her she wasn’t allowed to just walk away like this.

But she did.

And it drove him mad.