The Billionaire CEO Betrays his Wife: He wants her back-Chapter 89: My Brother’s Friend

Mara exhaled slowly as she stepped into the foundation’s headquarters, the rhythmic sound of her heels clicking against the tiled floor. She had barely taken in her surroundings when a familiar face approached one she had not expected to see so soon.

"Good, you made it," Mara said, offering a small smile. "I didn’t even ask for your name the last time."

The young woman hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Vera," she said softly. "Vera Knight."

Mara took in the nervous flicker in the girl’s eyes, a mix of uncertainty and hope. She remembered the first time they had met at the hospital the desperation in Vera’s voice as she had contemplated a decision no woman should be forced to make. Mara had given her an alternative: a job, security, and most importantly, a future.

"You grew up in an orphanage, right?" Mara asked gently, recalling what little Vera had shared before.

Vera nodded. "Yes. I don’t have anyone."

Mara studied her for a moment, then offered, "Would you like to join me on the trip to Alcester, or would you prefer to work at the foundation?"

A flicker of gratitude crossed Vera’s face. "I’d like to go with you, ma’am," she said. "I want to be close to the work you’re doing." "Call me Stefania," Mara said with a smile and turned to Cai, the foundation’s administrator.

"Get Vera on board as an employee," she instructed. Cai nodded, making a note.

Just then, their uncle, Philip, appeared, his sharp gaze sweeping over the group. "Stefania," he addressed her, his tone neutral but carrying an edge, "are the medical supplies ready?"

She nodded. "We’re finalizing everything now."

Philip regarded her for a moment before giving a curt nod. "Good." He turned on his heel, and Mara and Stefan followed, pretending it was their first time in the foundation’s storage house. They moved with calculated ease, masking the tension between them.

The visit to the vaccine center was brief, but the news they received left a bitter taste in Mara’s mouth. There were no vaccines. The entire supply had been shipped overseas, allegedly to a country in greater need.

Mara clenched her fists. She wanted to ask who had authorized it, but she already knew. Instead, she inhaled deeply and composed herself. "Make other emergency supplies available," she instructed. "We’ll work on replenishing the vaccines later."

She knew the journey to Alcester wasn’t without risk Uncle Philip was planning something, and the timing was too convenient to ignore. But Mara trusted Valerie. If anything shifted, Valerie would warn her in time.

Finally, everything was set. Steve arrived for a final check, going over every detail with meticulous care. He checked and then checked again, ensuring both Mara and Stefan would be safe.

As Mara settled into her seat on the plane, a familiar face flashed in her mind Ethan. His presence felt so real, as though he were standing right in front of her, greeting her with that same smiley expression.

She shook the thought away, gripping the armrest. Why was she thinking of him? After everything he had said to her last night? She closed her eyes briefly, steeling herself. Even if he appeared dead before her, she wouldn’t care. She wouldn’t cry for him.

He had hurt her enough.

—

Ethan’s car was engulfed in flames, thick black smoke rising into the night sky. Lucy’s hands trembled as she fought to unbuckle his seatbelt, her breath coming in sharp gasps.

"Come on, come on!" she cried, yanking at him.

Ethan’s face was covered in blood, his body limp. Just as the fire crackled dangerously close, a stranger ran over.

"Help me!" she pleaded, her voice breaking.

Together, they pulled Ethan from the wreckage, just seconds before the car exploded, the blast knocking them back. Lucy shielded Ethan with her body, her ears ringing, her vision blurred.

"Stay with me, Ethan!" she sobbed, cradling his bruised face.

She barely knew how she got him into her car, barely registered the drive to a small private hospital. The doctors rushed him in under a false name, her father making the calls to keep everything quiet.

—

Hours later, Mara, Stefan, and Vera arrived at the airport. The relief supplies had been sent ahead via drones, arriving before them. As they stepped off the plane, they were greeted by high-ranking officials from Alcester. Without hesitation, the officials helped them into protective clothing, their faces grim as they prepared them for what lay ahead.

As they moved further into the city, the reality of the situation hit them. The streets were lined with suffering, people wrapped in tattered blankets, eyes hollow with exhaustion and despair.

Mara’s heart clenched as she took in the sight. This was why they had come. This was what they had prepared for. But nothing could have prepared them for the sheer scale of the suffering before them.

Amidst the chaos, Mara’s gaze landed on a striking figure a man kneeling beside a group of children, handing them small bottles of water. His gentle voice soothed them, his strong hands careful as he adjusted the blanket of a shivering little girl.

His presence was commanding, but his kindness was effortless, something that stood out in the midst of so much sorrow.

Mara found herself watching him longer than she intended. There was something about him, something almost familiar. Then, as if sensing her gaze, he looked up.

His eyes locked onto hers, and the warmth that had been present in his face vanished, replaced by something cold and accusatory.

He stood and approached, his presence overwhelming as he stopped a foot away from her. "You," he said, voice laced with quiet fury.

Mara blinked, taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"You’re Stefania Shepherd," he stated, his accent thick, unmistakably Salvadoran. "The woman responsible for all of this." He gestured to the suffering people around them, his jaw tightening. "How dare you come here pretending to help?"

Mara stiffened. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

He scoffed, shaking his head. "Of course, you don’t."

Before she could respond, Stefan stepped forward, his protective instincts kicking in. "Who are you?" he demanded.

The man turned his sharp gaze to Stefan but didn’t answer. Instead, he kept his focus on Mara, his eyes filled with deep-seated anger. "You and your foundation caused this outbreak. People are dying because of you."

Mara felt the words like a slap, her breath catching in her throat. "That’s not true," she whispered, but even as she said it, doubt crept into her mind.

Because what if he was right? What if there was more to the story than she had been told?

Behind her, Vera paled. Stefan clenched his fists, his stance tense.

Meanwhile, deep within Alcester’s government buildings, Philip sat in a dimly lit room, a sinister smirk playing on his lips as he watched the latest reports. Everything was going according to plan.

The outbreak had pushed officials to the brink, forcing them to consider the only solution he had conveniently offered a contract with the underground operation of the Shepherd Foundation, the one he controlled.

Now, all that was left was for Mara to play her part, whether she wanted to or not.

Then, a call came through. Philip answered, his expression shifting into something even darker. "It’s done?" he asked, voice calm but edged with menace.

A voice on the other end confirmed. "Yes. And Stefania Shepherd has arrived."

Philip chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Good. Now, let’s see how long it takes for her to realize she’s just a pawn in my game."

Mara stood frozen, the accusation from the mysterious Salvadoran man ringing in her ears. The weight of the suffering around her suddenly felt heavier. Her foundation had come to help hadn’t it? But the anger in his eyes was undeniable.

Before she could form a response, a sharp commotion broke out behind them. A group of people protesters, angry and desperate pushed toward them. They held signs, their voices rising in a chaotic mix of rage and grief.

"Shepherd Foundation Murderers!"

"You caused this!"

"Get out of Alcester!"

Mara’s stomach twisted. How had Philip orchestrated all this? How had he twisted everything to make her the villain? or this was not his plan but someone else.

Stefan immediately stepped in front of her, shielding her from the swelling crowd. Vera gripped Mara’s arm tightly, her face pale. Security officials rushed in, forming a barrier between them and the enraged civilians.

"Miss Shepherd, we need to move," an official urged.

Mara turned back to the man who had accused her. His name she still didn’t know it lingered on the tip of her tongue. But he had already turned away, walking back toward the suffering children, disgust written all over his face.

As they were hurried into a waiting vehicle, Stefan muttered under his breath, "Philip’s behind this. He set you up."

Mara clenched her fists. "I know."

__

Meanwhile, Philip watched the protests unfold from a hidden surveillance feed. He smirked, swirling a glass of whiskey in his hand.

"She’s exactly where we want her," he murmured.

Across the table, a high-ranking Alcester official shifted uneasily. "Are you sure this is wise? The world is watching. If they find out we caused this outbreak—"

Philip cut him off with a lazy wave. "They won’t. By the time anyone starts asking real questions, I’ll have the government under my thumb. The contracts will be signed, and Alcester will be completely dependent on our underground network for medical aid."

He took a sip of his drink, then smirked. "And Stefania? She’s just another pawn in this game. She’ll either submit... or she’ll fall."

A shadow in the corner of the room shifted slightly. Philip barely acknowledged him, but the man’s presence was significant. The assassin he had hired to ensure Mara never left Alcester alive.

Later that night, after the chaos had settled, Mara sat on the balcony of her temporary lodging, staring at the burning city beyond.

How had everything gone so wrong so fast? She had made a call to Velarie, and vaccines where deliveried to Alcester that evening, she had use everything within her power to calm the storm and wondered if the people still hate her.

A voice behind her made her tense. "I shouldn’t be here. But you need to know something."

She turned sharply. It was him the Salvadoran man. His expression was unreadable, but the anger from before had simmered into something else.

"My name is Rafael Diaz," he said. "And if you want to make it out of Alcester alive, you need to leave now."

Mara’s pulse quickened. "Why?"

Rafael hesitated, then exhaled sharply, his breath misting in the cold air between them. "Because Philip Shepherd didn’t just cause this outbreak." His voice dropped to a near whisper, edged with urgency. "He’s not finished yet."

Mara studied him, her dark eyes sharp with suspicion. Then, a bitter laugh escaped her lips. "Really? First, you turned the people against me, and now you’re here to help?" She shook her head, her fingers tightening around the strap of her dress.

"You are the head of the Foundation of course, they’d blame you. But I looked you up, the vaccines came in time and the people are doing much better now thanks to you," Mara’s smirk was razor-thin.

"And it turn’s out you barely took over before everything went to hell. And—" her gaze narrowed, "—you’re Steve’s baby sister. Funny. I didn’t know he had one. Or that the Foundation belonged to his family."

"You know Steve?" Mara asked.

Rafael’s jaw clenched. "Yes, an old friend. I was wrong. About a lot of things. But you have to believe me—"

Just then a gunshot cracked in the distance, what was happening since she manage to stop her uncle’s plans was this the consequence of it.