The Billionaire CEO Betrays his Wife: He wants her back-Chapter 120: Will be back

The hum of machines filled the quiet operating suite at Shepherd Hospital. It was nearly midnight, but the surgical team moved with sharp focus under the fluorescent lights.

At the center of it all stood Dr. Ayla Devreux calm, precise, untouchable.

She peered through the magnifying lenses as she guided her instruments delicately around the fragile tissue of Ethan’s grandfather’s heart. Her voice, cool and confident, broke through the silence: "Clamp... suture... hold steady. We’re nearly there."

Her hands didn’t tremble, not even once.

For Ayla, surgery was the one place where emotion never touched her. Where the past couldn’t breathe down her neck. Where names like Ethan Anderson meant nothing more than a name on a patient’s chart.

At least... that’s what she told herself.

—

Ethan leaned against the corridor wall, arms crossed, staring at nothing. Mara, Vera, Valerie, and Bella sat quietly on the bench, sipping tea Stefan had brought them. The hallway was hushed, the kind of stillness that felt sacred.

"She’s been in there for three hours," Ethan muttered, checking his watch for the fifth time.

Valerie gave him a side glance. "You trust her?"

He hesitated. Then nodded. "With his life? Yeah."

There was a pause, then Mara added softly, "You two know each other."

It wasn’t a question.

Ethan’s posture shifted stiffer like a wall just got raised.

"We met on a medical outreach years ago. She was the lead cardiologist."

Mara tilted her head slightly. "And?"

He exhaled slowly. "It got... personal. Then complicated. Then messy."

Mara didn’t pry further. She just tucked the information away like a thread she might tug at later well there were a lot of things about Ethan she didn’t know, things she thought didn’t matter.

But something about the way he said personal with a bitterness that didn’t quite hide the ache told her this wasn’t just some fling. This was someone who got under his skin. Someone who still might lived there, in pieces.

Inside the OR

Ayla made the final suture and then checked the monitors. The rhythm of the heart steadied on the screen stronger now. Her shoulders eased just slightly.

"Time of completion: 2:03 AM," the nurse announced.

Ayla nodded, pulling off her gloves, her expression unreadable. "Prep him for post-op and transfer him to ICU. I’ll check in at sunrise."

But as she stripped off her gown and mask, her eyes drifted to the waiting room through the small glass panel.

To him. Still there. Still waiting. Still Ethan.

—

Ethan looked up as Ayla approached, her surgical cap in hand, dark hair loose and slightly damp. Her face was flushed with exertion, but her voice was level as she delivered the news:

"The procedure was successful. He’s stable, but he’ll need close monitoring over the next 48 hours."

Ethan exhaled in relief. "Thank you."

She gave a short nod. "This doesn’t change anything."

"I know," he said quietly. "Still. Thank you."

For a moment, there was something like softness in her gaze. But it was gone before it settled.

She turned to leave but not before Mara stepped into view behind Ethan, her expression thoughtful.

"Dr. Devreux?" Mara called gently.

Ayla paused, glancing back.

"I’m Stefania. I just wanted to say... thank you for what you did. It means a lot to all of us."

Ayla’s lips twitched at the corner. "I did it for him. Not you."

Then her eyes flickered to Ethan just briefly and Mara didn’t miss it.

The look. The history. The storm beneath the calm.

Ayla Devreux walked away in crisp, measured strides. Her footsteps echoed softly against the floor elegant, cold, final.

Ethan watched her go, jaw clenched, hands shoved deep into his pockets.

Beside him, Mara crossed her arms, the silence between them thick. "You were in love with her," she said simply. Ethan scoffed too fast, too loud. "Hell no!"

But Mara didn’t even blink. She didn’t need confirmation. His reaction had already said it all.

She turned to face him fully, her expression softer now that the crisis had passed. "Your grandfather’s okay. He’s safe now. So my job here’s done."

Ethan’s mouth opened, maybe to stop her, maybe to say something anything but Mara stopped him as she repeated Ayla’s words from earlier: "This doesn’t change anything."

Ethan blinked slowly. The disappointment on his face didn’t flare like anger it settled like dust, quiet and tired.

Valerie, Vera, and Bella were all still shaken as the tension still lingered like the aftershock of a quake. Valerie stood up and hugged Mara tightly. "You were incredible today, Stef. Thank you for stepping in."

Bella added gently, "Grandpa always liked you like a daughter. He would be most thankful."

Mara offered them a small smile. Her eyes shimmered with something deeper, but she kept her voice even.

"I’m just glad I could help. But I need to leave now," Bella looked like she wanted to say something, but she didn’t. Maybe she saw what Mara wasn’t saying out loud.

With quiet goodbyes and promises to keep in touch, "Sweetie," Ethan said flatly but Mara turned on her heels and walked down the hallway. She didn’t look back.

Just silence.

Dr. Ayla Devreux stood in Stefan Shepherd’s office, her shoulders squared despite the slight tension in her jaw. She’d delivered her post-op report with perfect professionalism, but Stefan was unreadable as he leaned against the desk.

"You did well with the surgery," Stefan finally said.

Ayla nodded, quietly proud.

But then his eyes hardened.

"Now let me be clear, Ayla," he said, voice razor-sharp. "You do not speak to Stefania Shepherd like that. Ever."

Ayla stiffened. "I didn’t mean—"

"She is my sister. She’s Ethan’s ex-wife. That makes her family of the patient. You don’t have to like her but you will respect her, especially under her own hospital."

Ayla opened her mouth, maybe to defend herself, maybe to say she didn’t know, but the words didn’t come.

She swallowed. "I’m sorry. I—didn’t know she was—"

Stefan held up a hand, cutting her off. "I’m not here for apologies. Just don’t make the mistake again."

With that, he turned and walked out of the office, his tailored coat swishing behind him. He didn’t look back. Ayla stood there alone, the silence colder than any operating room

—

The soft click of the front door echoed through the quiet mansion as Ethan stepped inside, exhaustion dragging at his limbs. It had been a long, draining night at the hospital. His grandfather was finally stable, and Valerie had taken over the shift at his side.

Ethan needed a moment to breathe. To think. To feel something other than stress.

He headed upstairs. When he pushed open the door to his bedroom, he paused in the doorway.

There it was neatly placed on the center of his bed like a gift.

Wrapped in soft tissue paper with a gold ribbon tied carefully around it.

Frowning, he stepped closer and peeled the wrapping away.

A sonogram.

Framed.

His chest tightened as he stared at the grayscale image an unmistakable outline of a growing fetus. His name was scribbled in delicate handwriting on the corner of the frame.

"For Daddy." freёwebnoѵel.com

His heart skipped.

"She actually went through with the scan..." he muttered under his breath.

But something didn’t sit right.

Lucy had left no note. No message. No announcement.

Just the frame and silence.

His gut twisted.

He knew he should have gone with Lucy to the hospital to get the results, that was the plan but he didn’t expect his grandfather to have a heart attack that very moment. Between his grandfather and Lucy he didn’t have time to think about Lucy and her games.

He was too worried to think of something else other than his grandfather. He should have at least called Steph to follow her but she never thought of all of that at the time and that is his regret.

He reached for his phone and dialed the only number he trusted for the truth.