The Billionaire CEO Betrays his Wife: He wants her back
Chapter 202: Lucy in prison

Chapter 202: Lucy in prison

The cold slap of reality hit her harder than the cell door slamming shut. Prison wasn’t the hell she’d imagined; it was worse. The walls were tight, the air thick with sweat and something mean. The other women sized her up like wolves circling a wounded deer, catching wind of fresh blood.

They knew who she was. Everyone knew. "You’re that bitch from TV," one snarled, her voice thick with venom and the thrill of the hunt. "Thinks she’s better than us."

It started with words. Sharp, petty jabs. There was no escape. No peace. Not here.

—

Later, in the quiet of the Shepherd estate, Mara kissed the twin but thinks of Rafael. Without thinking much, she booked her tickets.

"I need to take a trip," she told her brothers, her voice soft but steady. "Los Vinania. There’s a humanitarian project I promised I’d see through before... before everything. I need to go, but I won’t be long."

The brothers exchanged glances. Steve had left earlier, with no word about his destination.

"We’ll look after the twins," Stefan said, leaning forward. "You go to him." Rafael was silent, his absence still a wound. She had reached out, message after message left unread. She didn’t say it aloud, but she wanted to talk to him and apologise.

At the airport, Mara moved like a shadow. Hoodie up, headphones in, sunglasses shielding tired eyes. She boarded the plane without a word, found her window seat, and stared out at the tarmac.

Two rows behind her, Ethan boarded.

He was heading to Los Vinania too. A different reason, the same ache pulling them both south. He hadn’t meant to leave things unsaid for so long. The court case against Lucy had anchored him in place, but now—now he needed to find Maria. To hear what she has to say to him.

Neither saw the other. Neither felt the flicker of fate tugging at the corners of their paths.

When the plane landed hours later, Mara caught a cab into the thick heat of Los Vinania’s streets.

Ethan’s ride was waiting too, a dark car idling by the curb. As Mara’s cab pulled away, Ethan stepped out of the arrivals gate. They missed each other by seconds

Mara stood at the hotel reception, her fingers clutching the strap of her bag like it might tether her to the earth. The air-conditioned lobby felt too cold, too sterile against the feverish churn in her chest.

"I’m sorry, miss," the receptionist said, offering a polite, practiced smile. "Mr. Rafael hasn’t been in for the past two days."

Two days.

It felt like longer. Like an ache stretched over forever. Mara’s throat tightened as she murmured a thank you, barely hearing her own voice. She stepped away, heart hammering, her thoughts splintering into a thousand jagged edges.

Where are you, Rafael?

He’d promised no more radio silence. No more slipping away without a word. And yet, here she was, standing alone in the gleaming lobby, her reflection ghostly in the polished marble.

She thought about turning back. About retreating to her car, curling up somewhere with her grief, her worry. But her phone buzzed, breaking the silence. She fumbled it out of her pocket, hope and dread warring in her chest.

Rafael calling.

Tears blurred her vision before she even answered. "Rafael..." she whispered, voice cracking.

"Baby—" his voice, warm and rough with concern, tried to cut through the storm, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t even string the words together.

"I was so—I thought—"

And then a pause on the line.

"Stef?" he said, confusion coloring his tone.

She looked up.

There he was.

At the far end of the lobby, phone still pressed to his ear, his eyes finding her in an instant. The way his face changed, like the sun rising over some forgotten battlefield, made her knees weaken.

"Stef," Rafael breathed, lowering his phone, striding toward her like a man who couldn’t get there fast enough. His arms went around her before she could think, before she could fall apart.

"I—I thought you left, I thought something happened," she sobbed into his chest.

"Shh, shh... I’m here, I’m right here," Rafael murmured, one hand cupping the back of her head, the other holding her tight. "Come on, let’s go upstairs."

He led her to the elevator, not letting go, as if she might vanish if he did. Neither of them spoke until they were inside his room, the door clicking shut behind them.

Rafael made her sit on the edge of the bed, kneeling in front of her so their eyes were level. His thumb brushed away a tear as he spoke softly, "Have you been here long? God, Stef, are you okay? Why didn’t you call me again? Why are you here?"

His questions tumbled out, fast and anxious.

Mara wiped her eyes, sniffling. "Are you mad at me?" she whispered. "You weren’t answering for two days. I... I didn’t know what to think."

Rafael’s brow knitted, pain flickering across his face. "No, baby, no. Come here." He pulled her against him again, holding her like something precious and fragile. "I was never angry. I went off-grid to investigate that client, remember? No reception out there. I should’ve warned you, I should’ve found a way. But angry at you? Never."

He kissed the top of her head. "Why would I be angry at the woman I love?"

Mara hiccuped a laugh through her tears, pulling back to look at him. "I’m sorry. I was... Ethan insisted on taking the kids to school, and when you called that day, I was upset over something he said and I... I didn’t say it back. When you said you loved me. And it killed me all night. And the next day. And then you were gone, and I didn’t—"

"Stef," Rafael stopped her gently, holding her face in both hands. "Stop. Listen to me."

She bit her lip, tears brimming again.

"I know Ethan’s the twins’ father. I know he’s going to be a part of your life, and I’d be a fool to pretend that’s not the case," Rafael said quietly, his voice like velvet stretched over steel. "But what matters is us. I’m not here to take you away from your family. I’m here because I love you. And all I’m asking is... talk to me. Let me in. Don’t shut down when you get nervous, don’t hide things. Unless..."

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