The Billionaire CEO Betrays his Wife: He wants her back-Chapter 85: Wealth

Lucy arrived at Celeb’s penthouse late in the evening, her heels clicking against the marble floors as she stepped inside. The place reeked of wealth expensive whiskey on the bar cart, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city skyline, and a faint scent of cigars lingering in the air.

Celeb was lounging on the couch, a drink in hand, with a smirk on his face. He watched as she sauntered in, confidence oozing from her every movement.

"You took your time," he muttered, swirling the amber liquid in his glass.

Lucy smirked. "I had things to take care of." She sat down across from him, crossing her legs. "Now, about our little project..."

Celeb sighed, setting his drink down. "I still don’t like this, Lucy. Mara doesn’t deserve this kind of pain."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Oh, spare me the guilt trip, Celeb. You want Mara, and I want Ethan. The only thing standing in our way is their ridiculous attachment to each other."

Celeb ran a hand through his hair, tension evident in his posture. "You’re underestimating Mara. She’s strong. If she finds out we’re behind this, it’ll only push her further away."

"That’s why we have to be smart about it." Lucy leaned forward, her voice dropping to a whisper. "We don’t just make Ethan hate her we make Mara believe Ethan is beyond saving. That’s how we win."

Celeb exhaled sharply. "And how exactly do you plan to do that?"

Lucy smirked, pulling out a folder and sliding it toward him. "Divorce papers. Ethan will think Mara is the one who filed them. And if we stir up enough chaos, she just might sign them for real."

Celeb picked up the folder, flipping through the pages. His jaw tightened. "Forging legal documents, Lucy? That’s low, even for you."

She laughed. "Oh, please. Like you’re some saint?"

Celeb remained silent, his fingers tightening around the papers.

Lucy leaned back, studying him. "Still having doubts?"

Celeb let out a slow breath. "I want her, but not like this."

Lucy’s expression darkened. "Then maybe you don’t want her enough."

Silence filled the room.

Finally, Celeb placed the folder down and met Lucy’s gaze. "What’s the next step?"

Lucy’s smirk returned. "Simple. We make sure Ethan sees exactly what we want him to see. And Mara? We make her believe walking away is the only choice she has left."

Celeb picked up his glass, downing the rest of his drink in one go.

Lucy leaned back against the couch, watching Celeb with a knowing smirk as he unbuttoned his shirt. "You’re really something, you know that?" she muttered, with her eyes still trailing on his body.

Celeb let out a low chuckle, tossing his shirt aside. "And you walked in here like you didn’t know exactly what would happen."

She rolled her eyes. "I came here to plan, not to be one of your conquests."

Celeb stepped closer, tilting her chin up with his fingers. "Then leave." His voice was low, teasing but daring her at the same time. Lucy didn’t move. They both knew she wouldn’t.

She exhaled sharply, looking away for a moment before turning back to him. "I don’t like you," she said, her voice quiet but firm, Celeb’s hand was already under her dress, his two middle fingers already buried inside of her keeping a steady rhythm.

Celeb smirked. "Good. I don’t like you either." A tense silent moan filled the room before Lucy let out a humorless laugh. "I’m in love with Ethan."

Celeb’s jaw tightened, but he shrugged, keeping his expression just of desire. "And I’m in love with Stef." He intensifies his pace, driving her crazy. "But none of that matters, does it?"

Lucy swallowed, her heart pounding. "No," she admitted. "It doesn’t." she throws her hands around his neck and pulls him closer. The moment their lips met, it was far from soft or gentle it was frustration, desperation, and distraction wrapped into one. A way to drown out the truth neither of them wanted to face.

Lucy pulled him closer, letting herself get lost in the moment, in the feeling, to feel something after all the long time waiting on Ethan. Celeb was rough, and unapologetic, his touch demanding. And she welcomed it.

Because for tonight, that was all they needed no love, no emotions. Just an escape.

—

The night was heavy with silence as Steve, Mara, and Stefan moved through the dimly lit corridors of the foundation’s storehouse. Dressed in black, they blended into the shadows, their footsteps quiet but deliberate. It felt like a secret mission, one where the stakes were far higher than any of them could fully comprehend just yet.

The moment they entered, heads turned. But there was no need for introductions. Everyone in the facility knew who Stefania Shepherd was. She carried the legacy of their family, the weight of her name opening doors before she even spoke a word.

A man approached them, his salt-and-pepper hair neatly combed back, his presence exuding both authority and warmth.

"We’re keeping this visit quiet, no one should know we were here," Steve said, his voice low but firm.

The man, Cai gave a small nod, his expression unreadable. "Of course. I understand completely.

He then turned to Mara, his eyes softening slightly. "It’s an honor to finally meet you in person, Miss Stefania Morissette Shepherd."

Mara blinked at the use of her full name but nodded politely. "Thank you."

Cai offered a small smile before his gaze flickered to Stefan and Steve. "I was a good friend of your mother and father. I knew them well." A shadow of sorrow crossed his face before he continued, "And my deepest condolences for your grandfather’s passing. He was a great man."

Mara’s throat tightened, but she nodded. "Thank you."

Cai motioned for them to follow. "Come. I’ll show you around."

As they walked through the massive facility, Cai explained the operations. The first section was where vaccines were developed and stored, massive refrigerators humming as they kept the life-saving medicines at precise temperatures.

Further in, there were rooms filled with humanitarian supplies, food rations, blankets, and water purification kits. Everything was heavily guarded, and for good reason. The value of what was stored here wasn’t just in money, it was in human lives.

Finally, they reached a section, unlike the rest. It was isolated, its walls reinforced with double layers of security. There were no windows, no visible access points beyond a thick, steel door embedded with an advanced biometric scanner.

Cai stopped in front of it and turned to Mara. "This is where you’ll find what you’re looking for."

Her heartbeat quickened. "What’s inside?" His expression was remains calm, almost clueless. "Only you have the authorization to know."

Mara exchanged glances with Steve and Stefan. Stefan gave her a reassuring nod, while Steve’s jaw was tight, his protective instincts on high alert.

"When you’re ready," Cai said, stepping back. "I’ll give you a moment." With that, he left them alone.

Mara inhaled deeply, trying to steady herself. Then, with slow, deliberate movements, she stepped toward the scanner. She pressed her palm against the sleek, glass surface. A moment later, the screen lit up in a soft green glow.

A mechanical voice rang out, calm and almost too familiar. "Welcome, Stefania Shepherd."

With a hiss, the heavy door unlocked and began to slide open.

Mara’s pulse pounded.

The door slid open with a low mechanical hiss, revealing a room unlike anything Mara, Steve, and Stefan had expected.

Stacks of gold bars gleamed under the dim artificial lights, neatly arranged in rows along steel shelves. Bundles of cash, secured in plastic-wrapped bricks, were piled high in compartments labeled with different currencies. Crates lined the walls some stamped with humanitarian organization logos, others marked with military-grade warnings.

And then, at the far end of the vault, there was something even more unsettling.

A door.

Unlike the rest of the room, this one was discreet, almost as if it was meant to be hidden. There were no signs, no labels, just a reinforced steel entrance with another biometric lock.

Mara took a shaky step inside, her eyes scanning the sheer wealth and power hidden here. "This... this isn’t just a storehouse."

"No," Steve muttered, running a hand through his hair, his expression dark. "This is a damn war chest."

Stefan exhaled sharply. "Gold, cash, weapons... This is more than just emergency supplies. What the hell was Grandpa involved in?"

Mara didn’t have an answer. Instead, she pulled out her phone and quickly dialed Stanley. Within seconds, his face appeared on the screen, and Stanford joined right after.

Stanley frowned. "Stef? What is it?"

"Turn your camera on," Mara instructed, flipping her own to show the vault. "You need to see this." There was a pause as Stanley and Stanford took in the sight. Then—

"What the hell?" Stanford was the first to react, his usually laid-back demeanor vanishing. His sharp eyes scanned the stacks of gold, the crates, and the hidden door. "Stef, what is this?"

Mara shook her head. "I don’t know. This was supposed to be a foundation storehouse for medical aid, but—" She turned back to the scene before her. "This is something else entirely."

Stanley was shocked, but there was a dangerous edge to his voice. "Who else knows about this?"

Mara hesitated. "Only the three of us. And Cai, the manager."

"Do you trust him?" Stanford asked.

Mara glanced toward the entrance where Cai had left them moments ago. She wasn’t sure. "He knew our parents. He seemed genuine."

Steve, still surveying the room, crossed his arms. "Genuine or not, this place wasn’t meant to be found by anyone but you."

Stefan approached the secret door, his fingers running over the edges. "The real question is, what’s behind this?"

A tense silence filled the air. Stanley’s voice was cold and calculating. "Find out." Mara turned toward her brothers, steeling herself. "Then let’s open it."