The Billionaire CEO Betrays his Wife: He wants her back
Chapter 181: My heart moved on 2

Chapter 181: My heart moved on 2

Ethan’s voice trembled, a fragile thread stretched taut.

"I know that’s a lie, Mara."

His eyes bore into hers, searching for a flicker of truth, a sign that his words might reach the heart he once knew.

"You and him... You were never together, not really. He’s just your friend. Because your heart it still belongs to me. Your body remembers my touch, craves it. You love me, not him. Admit it, Mara. You’re doing all this just to hurt me, aren’t you?"

His voice cracked, the weight of his pain pressing down on him.

"How much longer will you punish me for my mistakes? What more do I have to do?"

He struck his chest with a clenched fist, as if trying to still the ache within.

"If I could rip my heart out and show you how it beats only for you, I would."

Tears streamed down his face as he fell to his knees, the world around them fading into a blur.

"I belong to you, Mara. I haven’t so much as looked at anyone else since you left. It’s only you. It has always been you."

His voice was a whisper now, a plea carried on the wind.

"Please, tell me it’s me you love. Tell me you love me and only me."

Mara’s throat felt tight, like every word she was about to say would slice her open. But it had to be done. The truth, even dressed in sorrow, was better than the lie that kept them both tethered to the past.

She swallowed hard.

"I love him, Ethan."

Her voice was soft, barely more than a whisper, but it carried across the air between them like a shot.

"It’s him I love now. It’s his touch I crave."

Ethan staggered as though struck. "No... no, that’s a lie," he gasped, shaking his head, pain etched in every line of his face. "I know you’re just trying to hurt me. I know, Mara."

He was on his feet now, grabbing her hand, fingers trembling around hers like he was trying to anchor himself to something already lost.

Mara took a deep, steadying breath. The air pressed in around them, thick with unsaid words, with memories both cruel and precious.

"My heart moved on, Ethan."

Her voice cracked on his name. "It stopped hurting. And one day... it started beating again."

She gently pulled her hand from his grasp, watching the way his world seemed to crumble as she did.

"Did you even love me while we were married?" Ethan’s voice broke, raw and jagged. "Did your heart beat for me like mine did for you? Because if it did... it wouldn’t have moved on so fast while mine is still bleeding. Did you ever love me, Mara?"

Mara stopped mid-step, her back to him. The tears were already falling, hot against her skin. She didn’t turn. She couldn’t.

He had been the air she breathed. The warmth in winter. The pulse beneath her skin. She had loved him when the world told her she was a fool. When her heart begged her to stop, it still clung to him. In every silence, in every shadow, in every aching, lonely night, it was him. And how dare he, now, ask if she’d ever loved him.

The tears came harder. She bit her lip, held her breath, and let the pain bleed out of her in silence. "Answer me!" Ethan’s voice tore through the air, ragged and desperate.

But she didn’t. Mara wiped her tears with the back of her hand, squared her shoulders, and without a single word, walked toward the waiting van.

Ethan clutched his chest as if it might splinter open, watching her disappear, the sound of the car pulling away slicing through like a cruel fate.

And just like that, the world was quiet again.

"Boss—boss!" Steph lunged forward just as Ethan’s knees buckled. The man’s weight sagged against him, unsteady, like a building crumbling from the inside out. Steph’s grip tightened, hauling him upright before he could hit the pavement.

"I got you, boss," Steph muttered, half-dragging him toward the car parked a few feet away. Ethan’s breaths came in ragged pulls, his fingers clawing at his tie like it was strangling him. The silk slithered loose, but it did nothing to ease the pallor of his face—gray, clammy, all wrong.

Steph shoved the car door open, easing Ethan into the back seat. "Should we go to the hospital? You don’t look okay." His voice was edged with something close to fear. He’d never seen the boss like this, not Ethan, who was always steel and in control.

Ethan’s head tipped back against the leather, his throat working as he fought for air. "It’s... fine," he gritted out. "To the office." Steph hesitated, hand braced on the door. "Boss—"

"Now." The word was a blade, sharp but brittle. With a grimace, Steph slammed the door shut and vaulted into the driver’s seat. The engine roared to life, tires screeching as they peeled away. In the rearview mirror, Ethan’s eyes slid shut, his chest rising too fast, too shallow.

"Damn it."

—

Rafael stood tall and composed, his suit impeccably tailored, exuding confidence as he approached the imposing gates of the Los Vaninia Women’s Correctional Facility. The morning sun cast a golden hue on the high walls, but the atmosphere remained heavy with anticipation.

As he reached the security checkpoint, another man, equally sharp in his attire, stepped beside him. They exchanged curt nods, acknowledging each other’s presence without a word.

"Name and purpose of visit?" the officer at the desk inquired.

"Rafael Diaz," he responded smoothly, presenting his credentials. "I’m here as legal counsel for Mrs. Lewis."

The other man stepped forward. "Jonathan Hayes, also here to see Mrs. William Lewis."

The officer’s brow furrowed in confusion. "Both of you are representing Mrs. William Lewis?"

Rafael turned to Jonathan, a hint of surprise in his eyes. "I wasn’t aware she had another lawyer."

Before the tension could escalate, another officer approached, a friendly smile on his face. "Mr. Diaz, good to see you. Officer SacMon mentioned you’d be coming. You’re here for Mrs. Lewis, right?"

Rafael nodded, still glancing at Jonathan with curiosity.

"Alright, both of you are cleared for visitation," the officer said, leading them through the security doors.

As they walked down the sterile hallway, Officer April leaned in slightly. "Let’s hope you can reach her, Mr. Diaz. She’s a good person."

Rafael offered a reassuring smile. "Don’t worry, Officer April. I won’t give up on her. It’s what we do."

The cell was quiet, save for the soft coos of little Isabella nestled in Maria’s arms. Her daughter’s eyes, mirrors of her own, gazed up with innocent wonder, unaware of the world beyond the prison walls.

"Williams Lewis, your lawyer is here," an officer announced, breaking the silence.

Maria’s heart clenched. She pressed a gentle kiss to Isabella’s forehead. "Oh, my sweet princess," she whispered, "you’ll be out of here soon."

Tears welled up as she handed Isabella to a fellow inmate, a mother herself. "Don’t worry, I’ll look after her," the woman assured.

"Thank you," Maria murmured, wiping her tears. Her eyes were swollen from countless nights of crying, but she straightened her posture, smoothing her hair. Today, she would face Ethan again, after a year of silence.

As she was escorted to the visiting room, memories flooded her mind. The obsession that had consumed her, the choices that led her here. Karma had come full circle, and now, she was ready to pay the price.

"It won’t be over until I pay that debt," she thought, determination hardening her resolve. "Even with my life."

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