The Billionaire CEO Betrays his Wife: He wants her back-Chapter 126: Haven’t forgotten

The clinic smelled like lavender and antiseptic, an oddly calming mix that helped soothe Mara’s nerves as she sat in the waiting room. The gentle hum of conversation and the soft jazz playing overhead made the atmosphere feel less clinical, but she still couldn’t stop tapping her foot.

Steve sat beside her, thumbing through a parenting magazine with mock interest. "Do you want a car seat that can double as a stroller or one that turns into a spaceship?" he teased.

Mara chuckled despite herself. "Anything that can teleport me out of here when I’m too tired to move."

"I’ll put that on your registry."

Stefan waved them over from the reception area, a warm smile on his face. He’d made it just in time for the appointment, having ducked out between surgeries to be here. The sight of him in his white coat made Mara feel instantly safer, like everything was going to be okay. She stood up, smoothing down the dress Steve had picked out, the fabric flowing easily over her bump.

But just as they were heading down the corridor toward the ultrasound room, a voice cut through the air like a rusty blade.

"Well, if it isn’t the glowing single mother. Tell me, Mara, do maternity gowns come with a ’lonely and abandoned’ label now?"

Her heart sank as she turned and saw him leaning against the wall near the entrance. Jason.

Jason Ingried. Her adopted brother. The one who’d spent years gaslighting her, rewriting her past, burying the truth about her real family—and then laughing in her face.

Mara squared her shoulders, refusing to flinch. "What are you doing here?" She hasn’t forgotten whatever he did to her.

Jason smirked. "Oh, I’m on business. But imagine my surprise when I saw you, waddling in like you’re starring in some tragic soap opera. No Ethan, no husband, just... you. Should I send him a postcard from your pity party?"

Steve tensed beside her. But Jason pushed on, tone like venom dipped in honey. "I warned you once. Looks like your prince traded you in for a cleaner slate." Just as Mara opened her mouth to respond, the air shifted.

Like a storm rolling in. Steve held him by the neck, and just then, Stanley and Stanford arrived. The two of them moved down the hallway like shadows with purpose. Jason blinked when he finally recognized that the man beside Mara was Steve Shepherd and Dr. Stefan Shepherd. Steve let go of him, making him stumble back a step.

"Is there a problem?" Stanley asked coolly, his eyes narrowing.

"Didn’t look like a friendly reunion from over there," Stanford added, his voice calm, dangerous.

Jason’s smirk faltered. "Just saying hi to my sister, I mean my adopted sister."

They all look at Jason, realizing who he is. Jason raised both hands, backing off. "You Shepherds always take yourselves too seriously."

Steve took one step closer. "I had promised my sister that anyone who would disrespect her, I would have their tongue cut off, " Jason’s mind went wild trying to piece everything together. Did he say sister? Did Mara find her real family? How possible, now the fear was visible in his eyes.

Mara wasn’t alone. And Jason knew it now, too. He wonders why she always attracts only the powerful people. Now she was a powerful woman.

Jason begs, he begs Mara to forgive him, "Go on, I will ensure he gets what he deserves," Steve said, grabbing Jason by the collar and dragging him out. Jason muttered under his breath. But his words didn’t matter. Not anymore.

Stanley turned to her, giving a rare, gentle smile. "You okay?" Mara nodded slowly, eyes misty. "Yeah. I am now."

"Let’s go see your babies," Stefan said, offering his arm. And with her brothers surrounding her, Mara walked into the ultrasound room, where tiny heartbeats waited, and so did the future.

—

The ticking clock on the wall had never been louder.

Ethan sat in his office, the view of the skyline before him blurred by the storm brewing behind his eyes, but none of it mattered. Not the deals waiting to be signed, not the boardroom full of people who used to hang on his every word.

He hadn’t been to the office in over a month. His assistant Steph had stopped asking when he’d return. They all knew—he was spiraling, and no one had the guts to name it out loud.

Three months.

Three months since he’d last seen Mara. Three months since he let her go.

And still... she hadn’t left his mind for a single day. After everything he’d done... after the betrayal that tore them both apart and his situation with Lucy that kept sending pictures and asking for money... he didn’t deserve another chance.

But that didn’t mean he didn’t want one.

He rubbed his temples, trying to focus, but the memory of her laugh, the way it used to bubble up when she was genuinely happy, was louder than the silence. The kind of silence that swallowed a man whole when he knew he’d lost the one person who ever saw him for who he really was.

He reached for his phone again, just to check.

Still nothing.

No calls. No messages.

Not that he could blame her, he thought he had 6 months to fix things, but now he had only three months left. A knock came at the door, sharp and brief.

"Go away," he muttered, not even glancing up.

But the door opened anyway. It was Valerie, she had seen Ethan at both his best... and this—whatever this was.

Val took one look at the mess of papers, the untouched scotch on the table, and the man staring hollowly into space. "You look like hell."

Ethan scoffed. "That’s generous."

"You planning to stay in this cave forever or just until the divorce hits?" Ethan didn’t answer.

Val sighed and sat across from him. "Is this how you fix things?" Another silence. This one is heavier. Ethan’s jaw clenched.

"How do I do it?" he finally said, voice thick. "Even when I messed up. Even when I hurt her. I thought... I thought letting her go would give her peace. But all it gave me was emptiness."

Val tilted her head. "Just because she doesn’t want to talk to you doesn’t mean she wants you to stop caring,"

Ethan looked down at his hands. "Because I don’t deserve to. She’s happy now. I saw pictures. She’s glowing."

"I know you, you give up when things don’t go your way," Val said carefully, "You will have to learn to be there, not for you but for her." His head snapped up.

"I know, I don’t like feeling this way either,"

Val blinked. "She will be at the art gallery today for Vera. You get up now and go freshen up,"

Ethan stood slowly as if gravity had shifted beneath him. "Really?"

"Yes," Val confirmed quietly. Ethan’s world tilted. His knees buckled, but he grabbed the edge of the desk, holding on like a man drowning; he needed to get himself ready

"I have to go get ready," he said.

—

Mara lay back on the examination table, heart beating steadily as the soft thrum of twin heartbeats filled the room. The screen showed the shapes of her baby’s tiny hands, curled feet, two lives growing safely inside her.

Stefan stood beside the doctor, arms crossed, gaze intense but gentle. He knew what to look for, and more importantly, he knew what she needed to hear.

"They’re strong," he said, voice warm. "Both babies are right on track. You’re doing great, Mara."

She exhaled in relief, blinking away tears. "Thank you."

The doctor smiled, printing the ultrasound images and handing them over like they were a treasure. "I’ll write you a mild prescription for the cramps you’ve been feeling. Nothing serious, but let’s play it safe. Plenty of rest, light walking, and lots of water."

Mara nodded, clutching the photos tightly like they were anchors in a world that had been so stormy lately.

Outside, in the hospital lobby, Stanley and Stanford flanked her protectively as they walked. The weight of the appointment was still sinking in, the emotions tender but full of hope.

Then Mara saw him—Steve, leaning casually against a column, but something was off.

There was blood on his shirt.

Her heart lurched.

"Steve!" she rushed to him, eyes wide. "Are you okay? What happened?"

He looked up and smiled that familiar, calm smile of his, but the red stain just above his ribs told another story.

"I’m fine," he said. "It’s not my blood." Stanley raised an eyebrow. "Who was it?"

"Jason," Steve said plainly as if he were reporting on the weather. "I told you if someone disrespected you, I’d cut their tongue out." He looked at Mara, his tone softening. "I keep my promises." There was one person in particular he will wish it was him instead, then he would enjoy it even more.