The Billionaire CEO Betrays his Wife: He wants her back-Chapter 32: Who sent the text?

The air in the old Anderson mansion was thick with the weight of guilt, the kind that clung to the walls like the dust of decades past. Ethan stood by the window, his silhouette framed by the pale moonlight filtering through the tattered curtains. The glass of whiskey in Steph’s hand caught the faint glow as he swirled it lazily, the ice clinking like a rhythm counting down to something inevitable.

"Do you have to lie to her, boss?" Steph murmured, his voice low but cutting through the silence like a knife. He took a slow sip, his eyes never leaving Ethan’s tense frame.

Ethan’s jaw tightened, his fingers gripping the windowsill until his knuckles turned white. "I didn’t entirely lie," he said, his voice strained. "Granddaddy’s not well. He’s just... not in the hospital. The point is, I can’t face Mara without feeling guilty. And I can’t see Maria right now." The frustration in his tone was palpable, a storm brewing beneath the surface.

Steph shook his head, a wry smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He wouldn’t want to be in Ethan’s shoes right now not for all the whiskey in the world. "If only Mara knew," he mused, his voice dripping with dark amusement. "She’s protecting a snake that’s going to bite her where it hurts the most." A low chuckle escaped him, sharp and biting.

Ethan’s head snapped up, his eyes locking onto Steph’s with a glare that could’ve melted steel. "You’re not helping," he growled, his voice rising. "Go find yourself useful."

Steph raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "Hey, it’s not my fault you want to fuck your wife’s best friend," he shot back, his tone casual, almost mocking.

"And don’t give me that look," Ethan snapped, his voice cracking under the weight of his own frustration. "I don’t want to fuck her."

Steph’s smirk widened, his eyes glinting with mischief. "That means you’re in love with her?"

Ethan froze, his breath catching in his throat. "No," he said quickly, too quickly. "Of course not. I don’t know." The admission slipped out before he could stop it, raw and unfiltered. There was something there, some kind of feeling he couldn’t quite name. But love? He wasn’t sure. He wasn’t sure of anything anymore.

Steph leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. "You need to think hard, man. Tell Mara the whole truth before this whole thing escalates."

"And tell her what?" Ethan exploded, his voice echoing through the empty halls. "That her best friend wants me to fuck her? Or the fact that I want to? Damn it, I don’t even know what the hell is happening to me." He dragged a hand through his hair, his chest heaving as if the words had physically drained him.

Steph let out a low whistle, the sound almost lost in the heavy silence. "Fuck her and confess, then," he joked, though his tone lacked its usual levity. He didn’t know what else to say. None of this was simple. None of it was clean.

Ethan turned away, his shoulders tense as he strode toward the shadowed corner of the room. He needed space. He needed to think. The weight of his choices pressed down on him, each one heavier than the last. Mara, Maria, the lies, the guilt it was all spiraling out of control, and he was standing in the eye of the storm, unsure which way to run.

Steph watched him go, the smirk fading from his face. He took another sip of whiskey, the burn doing little to distract him from the mess unfolding before his eyes.

*

Mara’s heart thudded heavily in her chest as she climbed the stairs, the cryptic text message still burning in her mind. A snake in your home. The words gnawed at her, their meaning elusive yet ominous. She pushed the thought aside for now. Maria had seemed off earlier, and Mara needed to check on her. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right.

She found Maria in bed, the soft glow of the bedside lamp casting shadows across her face. "Maria, are you okay?" Mara asked, her voice gentle but laced with concern. She perched on the edge of the bed, studying her best friend closely.

Maria blinked up at her, her expression soft but weary. "Yes, I am. I just wanted to get some rest," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "I’m sorry about today. I thought maybe you and Ethan would like to spend some time alone."

Mara shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Come on, you’re not a bother. You know I was worried about you." She reached out, brushing a strand of hair from Maria’s face. Maria’s hand found hers, squeezing it gently, her smile warm but fleeting.

"I’ll go change so we can have dinner," Mara proposed, standing up. Maria nodded, her smile lingering as Mara turned to leave.

But as Mara stepped into the hallway, one of the maids appeared, her expression hesitant. She gestured for Mara to follow, and though confusion flickered in Mara’s mind, she obliged. Once they were inside her room, the maid closed the door softly behind them, her voice dropping to a hushed tone.

"Ma’am, there’s something you should know," the maid began, her eyes darting nervously. "Last night, I saw Maria by your door. She was acting... strange. Today when I came back with the glass of juice she asked for, she was gone. The clothes she’d been wearing were on the bed, but she wasn’t there. Later, I saw her sneaking back into the house." The maid paused, her voice trembling slightly. "She was wearing your red dress."

Mara was surprised, her mind racing to process the information. "She went out?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. The words felt heavy on her tongue.

The maid nodded, her gaze steady but uneasy. "Yes, ma’am. I thought you should know." fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

Mara stood frozen, her thoughts a whirlwind. Maria had left the house? In her dress? The cryptic text message flashed in her mind again, its warning suddenly feeling all too real. A snake in her home. Could it be...?

No. She shook her head, refusing to let the thought take root. Maria was her best friend. She trusted her. But the seed of doubt had been planted, and it was already beginning to grow.

"Thank you for telling me," Mara said finally, her voice steady despite the storm raging inside her. "Please, keep this between us for now."

The maid nodded again, slipping out of the room as quietly as she had entered. Mara stood alone, the weight of the revelation pressing down on her. She glanced at the closet, her red dress hanging innocently among the others. The same dress Maria had apparently worn.

The dining room felt unusually quiet, the clink of silverware against porcelain the only sound breaking the silence. Mara sat across from Maria, her eyes occasionally flicking to her friend as she tried to piece together the puzzle in her mind. The maid’s revelation still lingered, a shadow over the otherwise warm atmosphere.

Mara couldn’t help but notice that a few of her things weren’t exactly as she’d left them. A hairbrush was slightly out of place, a perfume bottle turned the wrong way small details, but enough to make her uneasy.

Still, Mara pushed the thoughts aside. Maria was her best friend. She didn’t want to make her feel monitored or unwelcome in her own home. If Maria had gone out, there had to be a reason. Maybe she’d met someone. Mara’s mind wandered, and she found herself hoping it was anyone but Maria’s abusive ex-husband. Any man would be better than him, she thought bitterly. But why the secrecy? Why her dress?

"Please serve the meal," Mara said softly, breaking the silence. The staff moved quickly, setting plates of steaming food in front of them. The aroma was rich and inviting, but Mara’s hunger felt almost unnatural. She hadn’t eaten like this in years.

"Are we not waiting for Ethan?" Maria asked, her voice tinged with curiosity. Her eyes searched Mara’s face as if trying to gauge whether Ethan’s absence was intentional. Was he avoiding her again?

Mara shook her head, forcing a small smile. "No, something came up. He’ll be home late, so we can go ahead and have dinner." She picked up her fork, her stomach growling softly as if it had been hours since her last meal. But she remembered lunch clearly—she’d eaten every bite. So why did she feel so ravenous?

She dug into the food with an urgency that surprised even herself. The flavors exploded on her tongue, each bite more satisfying than the last. She barely paused to breathe, her focus entirely on the meal in front of her.

"Mara, slow down," Maria said, her voice laced with concern. She watched Mara with wide eyes, her own fork hovering. "Are you okay?"

Mara looked up, her cheeks flushing slightly. "The food is just so tasty. I can’t help it," she said with a sheepish laugh, though the hunger gnawing at her felt almost primal. She couldn’t explain it, but it was as if her body was demanding more, more, more.

From the corner of the room, Mrs. Morgan, the head housekeeper, observed the scene with a knowing smile. Her sharp eyes missed nothing, and she could tell exactly why Mara had such an appetite. But she said nothing, her expression a mix of amusement and quiet satisfaction.

Maria, however, wasn’t convinced. She set her fork down, her brow furrowing as she studied Mara. "You’ve been acting... different lately," she said carefully. "Is everything okay?"

Mara paused, her fork halfway to her mouth. For a moment, she considered telling Maria everything—the strange text message, the maid’s revelation, the gnawing hunger she couldn’t explain. But the words caught in her throat. Instead, she forced another smile. "I’m fine, really. Just... hungry, I guess."

Maria didn’t look entirely convinced, but she didn’t press further. The two women continued their meal in silence, the tension between them thick but unspoken. Mara’s mind raced her thoughts a tangled web of suspicion and concern. Something was off—not just with Maria, but with herself. And as she glanced at Mrs. Morgan’s knowing smile, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was missing something important.

Mara took another bite, her hunger still unsatisfied, but her appetite for answers growing stronger by the minute.

After the hearty meal and the warmth of their shared laughter, Mara felt a rare sense of contentment. The conversation had drifted to their childhood, a safe harbor of memories that reminded her of simpler times. They’d laughed until their sides hurt, the kind of laughter that momentarily made the world feel lighter. But as the evening wore on, Mara couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of care for her friend. Maria deserved happiness, real happiness.

"I wish nothing more than for you to find a man who truly sees the incredible woman you are and loves you," Mara said, her voice soft but sincere. She reached out, placing a hand on Maria’s arm. "You know, someone like Ethan." The words were meant as a compliment, a testament to the kind of man Mara believed her friend deserved.

Maria’s smile widened, though there was a flicker of something in her eyes, something Mara couldn’t quite place. "Thank you, Mara," Maria said, pulling her into a tight hug. "I’ll have my own Ethan someday." Her voice was warm, but her mind was already elsewhere, drifting back to the man in question. Ethan. She couldn’t wait to tell him that Mara would be okay with them being together, that he didn’t have to worry anymore. The thought filled her with a quiet joy, a sense of anticipation she could barely contain.

Mara, oblivious to the storm brewing beneath Maria’s calm exterior, bid her goodnight and headed to bed. The day had been long, and the weight of her thoughts both about Maria and the strange events of the evening left her exhausted.

The sound of Mara’s phone buzzing broke the silence, and she glanced down to see Ethan’s name on the screen. "I won’t be coming home tonight, I love you," Mara sighed putting the phone away. She slipped under the covers, her mind still swirling with unanswered questions, but sleep came quickly, pulling her into its embrace.

Meanwhile, Maria lingered by the front door, her eyes fixed on the driveway. She was waiting for Ethan, her heart racing with the words she wanted to say. She rehearsed them in her mind, over and over, imagining the look on his face when she told him that Mara would understand. That they could be together without guilt, without fear.

The mansion felt emptier now, the silence heavier. But as she lay on the couch, her mind refused to be quiet. She thought of Ethan, of Mara, of the future she was so sure was within reach. It was only a matter of time.