The Billionaire CEO Betrays his Wife: He wants her back
Chapter 187: I trust you

Chapter 187: I trust you

It felt... strange.

Familiar in a way that made her chest ache, but distant too, like trying to fit into a skin you’d long since shed. The soft hum of the office, the faint scent mixed with paper and ink, the sun slanting through the blinds in that lazy, late-afternoon way.

Her office has been vacant for a year. Untouched but not unloved.

Valerie had kept it warm for her. Valerie hugged her like a lifeline the moment she stepped through the door.

"See who we have here," Valerie whispered, arms tight around Mara’s shoulders. "God, I missed you so much. And just because my brother is a grade A certified jerk doesn’t mean you don’t call me too, you know."

Mara managed a small, worn smile, feeling the sting of guilt. "I’m sorry, Val. It was never my intention. Life just... happened."

"Well, you’re here now," Valerie said, eyes bright. "And my mom’s doing better. Her treatment’s going well. The doctors think if she keeps up like this, she’ll be up on her feet soon."

A softness cracked through Mara’s defenses. "That’s good. That’s... really good, Val."

Valerie smirked. "And between you and me? The thought of Lucy being dragged into court soon is the only thing keeping my mother from running out of that hospital with a vengeance."

Mara let out a breath that was part laugh, part sigh. "Sounds like her."

"Damn right." Valerie squeezed her hand. "And now that you’re back? Oh, boss, you’ve got a pile of work with your name on it."

Mara raised a brow. "Let me catch my breath first."

"I’ll give you five minutes. Then conference room. Don’t make me send someone in after you." Valerie winked as she left, the office door clicking softly behind her.

And just like that, the room was quiet again.

Mara paced. Back and forth. Every step was an effort to box up her emotions, push Ethan and Maria, and all that jagged, unfinished pain into a corner of her mind she didn’t have time for right now.

Lock it up, Mara. Throw away the key.

But it didn’t mean it wasn’t there.

Her phone buzzed. A video call. Rafael’s name lighting up the screen. She hesitated, letting the seconds drag out. Then she slid into her chair, tucked a few stray strands of hair behind her ear, and hit accept.

The screen lit up with his face warm, wild, infuriatingly handsome, that grin she’d memorized long before she meant to. "Hey there, beautiful," Rafael greeted, eyes crinkling at the corners. Mara felt her mouth twitch. "Hey."

"I know something’s bothering you," Rafael said, leaning back against a sun-drenched wall on his end of the call, one brow quirked, that half-smile dancing on his lips. "Out with it. Whose head are we going after this time?"

And it made Mara laugh. Not a big one, not the kind that shook the room — but one of those soft, reluctant laughs that snuck up on you like a memory of better days.

She shook her head, glancing down for a second before meeting his gaze on the screen again. "Dealing with Ethan," she admitted, voice soft. "I... I’m sorry. He’s always going to be a part of our lives, Raf. Whether I want him there or not."

Rafael’s face softened. He let out a breath, one of those long, patient ones. "I know," he said. "He’s a handful. But I also know you two’ll figure something out. You have two incredible babies that I adore, and they have a father. I get that. Ethan’s afraid, Mara. And he’s got every reason to be."

She swallowed, staring at his face through the screen. His words soothed something raw inside her, because here he was, not demanding, not accusing, not insecure, but steady as hell.

"So you’re saying meeting up with my ex doesn’t worry you?" she asked, a small, sharp edge to her voice. Testing him, maybe. She needed to hear him say it.

Rafael didn’t even blink.

"I trust you, Stef," he said simply. "I know you wouldn’t do anything to disrespect what we have. Ethan? Nah, I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him, and you know I could throw him far." That made her smile, a real one this time, warmth flickering in her chest.

"But that doesn’t mean I’m letting my guard down," he added, his gaze steady. "It means I’m confident. In you. In me. In what we’ve built. And in this ridiculous, stubborn, beautiful love I’ve got for you."

Mara felt her face soften, felt the ice in her veins melt just a little.

"We’ll work it," Rafael said. "As long as we keep talking, Stef. As long as you don’t shut me out. We’ll find answers, even when everything feels impossible. And I promise you..." He held up his hand, palm facing the camera like he was offering it to her across the distance. "You remember when I told you, if I take your hand, I’m never letting go?"

"I remember," she whispered.

"Good," he said, that crooked grin returning. "Then we’re fine. And if we’re not, we’ll get there."

And damn it, for the first time in days, Mara felt like maybe... just maybe, she wasn’t drowning anymore.

"You’re always smooth with words, aren’t you?" Mara teased, though her lips tugged into a smile she couldn’t quite fight.

Rafael chuckled, leaning closer to the camera, the lines around his eyes crinkling in that boyish, rogueish way that made her stomach tighten in spite of herself. "Well," he shrugged, "you can go ahead and add that to the list. Right after ’unreasonably handsome’ and ’pain in Stef’s neck.’"

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head as the familiar warmth slipped into her chest like an old, favorite sweater.

Then, for the first time, she really noticed the background behind him, the dull gray of the walls, the harsh, fluorescent light, the steady murmur of distant voices. A station.

"You’re still at the police station?" she asked, brow arching.

Rafael let out a breath and nodded, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah. Went to see my client again. She still refuses to talk to me."

Mara’s gaze softened. "Sometimes guilt makes us feel like we deserve pain," she murmured. "Like if we hurt enough, the guilt will go away. I would’ve said if she wanted help, she’d take your hand — but if you’re convinced she’s innocent... then maybe you need to dig deeper. Investigate more. Corner her, or someone else. Get the truth to come to you."

He grinned, admiration flickering across his face. "See? You are an incredible lawyer. Stef the philosopher, just casually dropping wisdom on a Thursday."

She smiled, leaning into the teasing now. "I’ve had practice. Life tends to beat lessons into you whether you want them or not."

Rafael nodded. "Yeah... a lot of things about this case don’t add up. But, honestly?" He paused, that cocky grin returning, softer this time. "I called to hear your beautiful voice."

Mara felt a ridiculous, girlish flutter in her stomach, hating that he could do that to her so effortlessly.

"I can see you’re at the foundation," Rafael added, glancing at the background behind her. "Glad you’re back in your seat, boss lady. Tell Valerie to go easy on you."

"She’s already plotting," Mara laughed. "I should go. Valerie’s waiting."

"Alright, kisses," Rafael said, smirking as he blew a casual kiss at the screen before ending the call.

And just like that, the screen went dark, and the room felt a little quieter.

Mara sat there a moment longer, letting the silence settle around her like mist. A little more manageable. She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and stood. Time to be Mara again. The one who saved herself.