The Billionaire CEO Betrays his Wife: He wants her back
Chapter 51: I accept my part of the blame

Chapter 51: I accept my part of the blame

Ethan was already dressed, his sleek suit fitting him perfectly. The sharp lines of his attire contrasted with the soft morning light filtering through the curtains.

Mara jolted awake, her heart skipping a beat when she saw him standing over her. She blinked, disoriented. Had she really fallen asleep? She hadn’t slept soundly in so long—not until now, not until she had drifted off with him beside her.

"We should go," Ethan said, his voice even.

Mara frowned, irritation flashing across her face.

"You got your thirty minutes. And more," she shot back, pushing the blanket aside. "I’m done, Ethan. I have nothing else to say to you. Just sign the divorce papers."

She swung her legs off the bed, preparing to leave, but Ethan remained unfazed. Hands tucked into his pockets, his expression unreadable.

"That’s fine," he said, his voice steady. "But get dressed first."

Mara froze, her annoyance flaring. Was he serious? Why should she dress up just to walk out of his house?

She studied him, taking in his calm demeanor, the way his gaze held steady. His usual confidence was there, but something else lurked beneath it. Something unreadable.

"I’m not," she said firmly, striding toward the door. "I’m leaving."

Ethan didn’t move to stop her. He knew better than to use force—it would only push her further away. Instead, his voice softened.

"Please," he said. "Just put on the dress. I’ll take you out of here myself. Isn’t that what you wanted?"

Mara hesitated, her fingers brushing against the doorknob. She couldn’t quite make sense of what he was playing at. She wasn’t naive enough to fall for his tricks. But she also knew she wouldn’t make it out of the mansion on her own.

Then, in a tone so gentle it almost disarmed her, Ethan added, "I bet you’ll look stunning in it. Just this once... let me admire your beauty."

His soft smile didn’t waver. Mara searched his face, looking for an ulterior motive, for some kind of deception. But there was nothing. Nothing she could read. And that unsettled her more than anything.

Mara exhaled slowly, staring at the white suit Ethan had chosen for her. She had given in. Not because she wanted to, but because fighting him on this seemed pointless.

Slipping into the suit, she ran her hands over the fabric. It fit perfectly, hugging her body in all the right places. But when her eyes landed on the pair of heels in front of her, hesitation crept in.

She couldn’t wear those. Not now. Not in her condition.

Ethan didn’t know yet.

Across the room, Ethan watched her, his gaze unwavering. His breath hitched, as if he could catch the scent of her even from a distance. There was something about her—something different. Her skin seemed to glow, her presence more radiant than before. Or maybe... maybe he just missed her so much that his mind was playing tricks on him, making her even more beautiful than he remembered.

"You don’t like the shoes," Ethan murmured, his voice laced with curiosity. "They were your favorite. You once said they brought you luck... made you feel confident."

Mara’s fingers grazed the heel of the shoe before she stepped back.

"Not anymore," she said smoothly, using the excuse to pick something more comfortable.

Ethan studied her for a moment, but if he was suspicious, he didn’t say anything. Instead, he nodded, then stepped forward, pushing the door open.

"After you," he said.

Mara stepped out without hesitation. Every step took her closer to leaving, closer to the life waiting for her beyond these walls. She couldn’t wait to be back home—with her brothers, with her grandfather. Far away from Ethan. Or so she hoped.

Ethan and Mara settled into the car in silence. He gripped the steering wheel, his jaw tight as he pulled out of the gate.

Mara stared out of the window, lost in thought. She barely noticed the figure lingering near the entrance. But Ethan did.

His grip on the wheel tightened.

Daniel.

Ethan’s pulse quickened. The last thing he needed was Daniel running his mouth—especially in front of Mara. If he said the wrong thing, if he mentioned Maria-Isabel... it would only make things worse.

Just as Ethan considered speeding past, Daniel stepped into the road, directly in front of the car.

"Damn it," Ethan hissed, slamming on the brakes.

Mara snapped out of her daze, eyes widening as she recognized Daniel standing there, rage burning in his expression.

Ethan exhaled sharply, rolling down the window just as Daniel stormed up.

"Where is Maria-Isabel?" Daniel demanded, his voice sharp with accusation.

Ethan met his glare, keeping his tone level. "I don’t know. She’s not here."

Mara stiffened beside him, her body going rigid.

Daniel scoffed. "You must know. Why are you hiding her?"

Ethan clenched his jaw. "Trust me, I don’t know where she is. She hasn’t contacted me since—" He hesitated, the weight of the past pressing down on him.

Daniel seized the moment, his voice dripping with mockery. "Since your wife caught you with her pregnant best friend? Oh, and let’s not forget—a married woman."

Ethan’s hands curled into fists, but he forced himself to stay calm.

"Listen, Daniel. Find your wife elsewhere. We don’t have her." His voice was cold, controlled. He refused to give Daniel the satisfaction of seeing him break.

Daniel let out a bitter laugh. "Oh, now you acknowledge she’s my wife? But you didn’t care about that when you were screwing her?"

His words sliced through the air like a blade.

And then, his gaze flickered toward Mara.

She was silent. But her entire body radiated fury—rage, shame, betrayal all twisted together, burning through her veins like fire.

Daniel leaned closer, his voice laced with mockery. "You’re really something, Mara. You used to be the proudest person I knew. Hell, I even thought you were too arrogant. But look at you now—after this kind of betrayal, you’re still by his side. Tell me, what is it about him, huh? The money? Or is he just that good in bed?"

Ethan’s fists clenched. His patience, already thin, snapped in half. He was seconds away from stepping out of the car and beating Daniel into the ground. How dare he? The audacity to speak to Mara like that—his wife. His blood boiled, the air around him thick with fury.

But before he could act, Mara’s voice cut through the tension like a blade.

"Not as shameless as you, Daniel."

Her words were cold, steady. Deadly.

"You’re the real loser here. A man who beats his wife so badly she ends up in a hospital. I know exactly what you are now—an egotistical, selfish bastard who only ever wanted her money." Her eyes narrowed, her disgust evident. "You knew about the trust fund for her first child. So don’t stand here acting like some saint, throwing dirt at everyone else. You were her biggest downfall."

Silence.

Daniel’s smirk faltered for the briefest second before he scoffed.

"Wow," he said, shaking his head. "I could never have a heart as big as yours, Mara. Even after she stole your husband, you still defend her. Or maybe..." His gaze darkened. "Maybe you’re just sick in the head."

Mara’s breath caught.

Daniel leaned in slightly, his voice dropping, cutting straight through her. "That strong facade you’re putting up? It’ll collapse. And when it does... you’ll finally wake up."

Mara’s fingers curled into tight fists against her lap. His words stung because, no matter how cruelly he said them—he wasn’t wrong.

She swallowed, her throat tight. Then, softly, she whispered, "Let’s go."

Ethan turned to her just in time to catch a single tear slipping down her cheek.

"Mara, baby..." His voice was low, pained. His chest ached at the sight of her breaking, even just a little.

He hated Daniel.

But more than that—he hated that, for even a second, Daniel’s words had gotten to her.

The car moved forward, but Mara felt herself crumbling.

She had held on for too long, built walls so high she thought they would never fall. But Daniel’s words had been the final blow. And just like that, the walls came crashing down.

Her voice trembled as she spoke, raw and exposed.

"You broke my heart, Ethan."

Ethan’s hands tightened on the wheel, but he said nothing.

"Maybe you never thought about it, but you did. When we first met, and we had all those late-night conversations about the kind of partner you wanted... my heart had already softened. By the time I said yes to you, I had already mapped out our future. I had already chosen you."

Her words were like quiet thunder, shaking the space between them.

"You wanted someone kind. Someone soft. Someone who would cook for you and wait at home for you. That was how you saw the world. That was what you wanted." She let out a shaky breath. "And then you went on, saying things I had never heard before—things that made me believe I was enough for you. But Ethan..." Her voice cracked. "You never even gave me a chance to meet those expectations. You emptied me out without even realizing it, and still—I was ready to make it right."

The weight of her words settled between them, thick and suffocating.

"When you said all those things, it didn’t matter that I was already perfect for you. You smiled through it all, and I pretended it didn’t sting. But deep down, I knew you were speaking your truth." A bitter chuckle escaped her lips. "And I believed you. Because you said I was enough."

Silence.

Ethan’s grip on the wheel turned his knuckles white.

Mara turned to the window, her voice quieter now. "I’ve learned to carry that certainty like armor. That I wasn’t what you were looking for." She swallowed hard. "You didn’t love me, Ethan. Because love isn’t a comparison—it isn’t about measuring what you want against what you’re willing to settle for."

She turned to him now, her teary eyes meeting his. "It’s about seeing what stands right in front of you and choosing it. Without hesitation."

She let out a shuddering breath. "And the truth is... you always wanted someone like Maria. I was just too blind to see it."

Ethan opened his mouth, but no words came.

Mara wiped at her cheeks, tears falling freely now.

"So let’s stop," she whispered. "Let’s end this torture. Please."

Ethan could do nothing but listen, his own tears slipping silently down his face.

By the time they arrived at the old Anderson mansion, where Sr. Anderson lived, the weight of Mara’s words still hung between them. He had promised to bring her here—and he had kept that promise.

Ethan pulled the car to a stop, but he didn’t move immediately. Instead, he turned to Mara, reaching out without a word. Gently, he wiped away her lingering tears, his touch softer than she expected.

For a moment, just a fleeting moment, he allowed himself to feel.

Because the truth was—he had been wrong.

He had been so wrong.

For all the things he once thought mattered, for all the expectations he thought he had—none of it compared to her.

Mara, in all her strength, in all her fire, was more than enough.

She had always been enough.

It didn’t matter that she was a career woman, that she wasn’t the kind to stay home waiting for him with dinner on the table. He would still choose her. Again and again.

But he had broken something between them.

And now, he understood—just because he said sorry didn’t mean Mara would forgive him. He had to earn it.

He had to deserve it.

Once Mara had calmed down and her tears had dried, Ethan hesitated before taking her hand in his. His grip was warm, steady.

Mara inhaled deeply, her chest rising and falling in quiet resolution. And as she finally looked around, taking in her surroundings, she wondered where he had brought her.

"Where did you bring me?" Mara’s voice was sharp, her suspicion evident.

Ethan only responded with a soft nod and a gentle smile, silently urging her to be patient.

Before she could pull away or demand answers, he tightened his hold on her, guiding her forward. She barely had time to resist when—

A sudden burst of noise filled the air.

Claps. Cheers.

Then—silence.

Every face in the room froze, eyes widening in disbelief. The lively energy that once filled the space came to an abrupt halt as all attention shifted to the woman standing beside Ethan—the woman he held so carefully, with the wildest smile on his face.

Mara stood still, her breath caught in her throat.

Shock rooted her in place.

She had no idea what she had just walked into. But one thing was clear—whatever this was, it was not what she had expected.