The Billionaire CEO Betrays his Wife: He wants her back-Chapter 92: Let’s Get Married reloaded

The car radio played softly in the background, but Mara barely listened until a familiar name caught her attention.

Ethan.

The news anchors were discussing his accident, the details spilling through the speakers. Her fingers tensed against her lap, her heart clenching for just a second.

He was alive. That was all that mattered.

A part of her wanted to say she didn’t care. She had told herself over and over again that she was done with him. But hearing about his accident... it was a reminder of how deeply she had been hurt.

She leaned back against the seat, willing herself to forget.

Vera, sharp as ever, noticed the shift in Mara’s expression.

"Do you want me to find out how he’s doing?" she asked gently.

Mara didn’t hesitate. "No. I’m sure he’s fine."

Vera studied her for a moment but didn’t push. Instead, she nodded and let it go.

Mara exhaled, closing her eyes for a brief second. It doesn’t matter anymore.

At the Courthouse

By the time Mara arrived at the courthouse, the weight of Ethan’s news was locked away in the back of her mind. She had more important things to focus on.

Steve was already seated, reviewing the case files. When he saw her enter, he motioned for her to take over.

"Glad you could make it," he said, handing her the notes.

Mara offered a small, apologetic smile before turning to the judge. "I apologize for being late, Your Honor."

Just as they were about to begin the lawsuit, the defendant the owner of the business being sued, stood up.

"I’ll be representing myself," he announced, smirking at Mara.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she took in his confidence. Amateur mistake.

The battle began.

Mara was relentless, tearing apart every weak argument he threw her way. He was good, she had to give him that. He knew his way around the law, which surprised her. But if he thought he could outmaneuver her, he was in for a rude awakening.

Steve leaned back in his chair, watching the courtroom unfold with quiet amusement. His baby sister was a force to be reckoned with.

By the time the judge delivered the verdict, it was clear, Mara had won.

The defendant, clearly frustrated, ran a hand through his hair. "Damn," he muttered under his breath. "You’re good."

Mara simply offered a tight smile. "I know."

Steve chuckled, shaking his head. Watching her in action, he couldn’t help but think, she had finally met someone who could keep up with her. And maybe, just maybe, that was exactly what she needed.

Mara stood outside the courthouse with Steve, the weight of the intense courtroom battle still lingering in the air.

"That was fierce," Steve said, nudging her playfully.

Before she could respond, a man approached them. Steve’s face lit up with a smile.

"Maybe you should buy me lunch," the man said casually, smirking.

Steve chuckled. "Vera, come with me. Let’s leave these two alone."

Mara shot him a look, but Steve was already walking off with Vera. She knew exactly what he was up to. After hearing how this man had protected her in Alcester, Steve had clearly made up his mind, he thought Rafael was the right man for her. And knowing Steve, once he decided something, he rarely changed his mind.

Now alone, Mara turned to face the man. "Why exactly do I have to buy you lunch, Mr. Diaz?" she asked, arms crossed.

"Call me Rafael,, please, I thought we were way past that level," he corrected smoothly while Mara shot him you are no friend of mine look. "And because you just cost me a lot of money back in there." He shook his head in amusement. "I have to admit you were damn good."

Mara raised an eyebrow. "I didn’t even know you were a lawyer."

"I’m not, not really," he admitted. "I don’t practice, but I do enjoy a good challenge, especially against a beautiful woman."

Mara scoffed but couldn’t hide the slight tilt of her lips. "Maybe I’ll buy you lunch some other time. But don’t get too excited, I still don’t trust you, no matter what my brother says."

Rafael placed a hand over his chest in mock pain. "Fair enough. I did deserve that." He sighed dramatically. "I guess I’ll be holding my stomach until you finally honor that lunch since it looks like I won’t be visiting my seven-star restaurant anytime soon."

Mara tried not to smile. He was annoyingly charming.

As Rafael turned to leave, he kept his gaze on her a little too long and almost tripped over his own feet. He quickly regained his balance, throwing her a sheepish wave before walking off.

Mara shook her head, a small laugh escaping her lips as she reached into her bag for her phone.

Still looking down, she suddenly felt a presence close by. Someone was standing near her, watching her intently.

She looked up, frowning as her eyes met theirs.

Mara’s breath caught in her throat when she looked up.

Standing just a few feet away were Steph and Ethan.

Her heart pounded. What the hell?

She had heard about his accident. She had convinced herself not to care. And yet, here he was, standing in front of her, looking perfectly fine.

She quickly decided to walk away, but before she could take a step, Ethan closed the distance between them.

"Wow," he murmured, his intense gaze raking over her. "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

Mara scoffed, ignoring him. Not today.

But Ethan wasn’t done. "Listen, can we get married?"

Mara froze. ƒreewebɳovel.com

The way he said it, with the same effortless charm he’d always had—it took her back to the first time he had proposed to her. The memories crashed over her like a wave, uninvited and unwelcome.

"You must be insane," she bit out, snapping herself back to reality.

Ethan chuckled, completely unfazed. "Well, yes, I am. I’ve never lost my ground for any woman. But you? You stole my heart right away, and now..." His gaze softened. "Now, I can’t let you go."

Mara clenched her fists. "Are you done? Because if you are, we can go in there and finalize the divorce right now," she snapped.

Ethan let out a deep laugh. "Divorce? That’s funny, baby girl. If we get married, you’ll never have to worry about divorce. You’ll be locked in my heart forever."

Mara inhaled sharply, trying to process whatever new game Ethan was playing. But before she could react, Steph spoke up.

"Boss, the case—it’s time."

Ethan sighed dramatically. "Oh yes. Steph, make sure you get her number," he said with a smirk before turning back to Mara. "I have to go, beauty, but you’ll be seeing a lot more of me."

And with that, he walked off.

Mara stared after him, dumbfounded. What the actual hell?

She spun toward Steph. "What is this?"

Steph hesitated before answering. "He lost his memory, Mara."

Mara blinked. "Huh. How convenient."

"I’m serious," Steph insisted. "If you don’t believe me, ask Mrs. Bella. The moment he woke up, he asked for you. When she told him about the divorce, he completely lost it. He’s missing huge parts of his memory."

Mara shook her head in disbelief. "So what? After everything he did, you expect me to just—"

"He doesn’t even know you two are married," Steph interrupted. "So please, just don’t bring up the divorce yet. Give him time to remember."

Mara let out a bitter laugh. "Unbelievable."

She turned on her heel. "Keep him away from me, you hear that?"

And with that, she walked off, her chest tight with anger.

How nice for him. He got to forget everything, while she was left carrying all the pain.

And the nerve—asking her to be his wife again, even when he had no memory of the hell he had put her through.

Mara stormed toward the car, her anger still simmering beneath the surface. Steve, Vera, and her bodyguards were already waiting for her.

"What’s wrong?" Steve asked, eyeing her closely. "And what happened to your lunch date?"

Mara shot him a glare. "Stop it, Steve. Do you actually think I’d have lunch with him? For what?"

Steve smirked but said nothing.

"Let’s just head back to the law firm," Mara muttered, yanking the car door open. "I don’t feel like dealing with Uncle Philip right now."

Steve knew his sister well enough to stay quiet, but in his mind, it was only a matter of time before she saw how good Rafael was for her.

As the car pulled away, Mara leaned against the window, her thoughts spiraling.

She still couldn’t wrap her head around Ethan’s memory loss. How convenient that he had forgotten everything—the pain he had caused, the life they had shared, the betrayal. And now, he was back, looking at her like they had just met, acting as if nothing had ever happened.

Well, she had made up her mind.

Ethan would never get close to her again. Or their baby.

Maybe his memory loss was a blessing. If he didn’t remember, then they could both pretend they never happened. They could be strangers.

When they arrived at the law firm, Mara made her way to her office, but the moment she stepped inside, she stopped in her tracks.

Someone was already waiting for her.

She hadn’t planned to come to the office today—it was a last-minute decision—so the sight of Mrs. Bella, Ethan’s mother, sitting there took her by surprise.

Mara’s heart softened. She had always cared for Bella, treating her like a mother.

Still, she knew why she was here.

"If this is about your divorce," Mara said, placing her bag on the desk, "Lucy is handling it. Or is this about Ethan? Because if it is, I’m sorry, but I can’t have this conversation."

Bella exhaled, her expression weary. "I understand, Mara. What my son did was unforgivable. I won’t make excuses for him." She paused, her voice thick with emotion. "But losing my eldest daughter... and then my first husband—it changed everything. Maybe it affected Ethan too."

Mara swallowed, biting her tongue. Valeria is still alive, she wanted to say. But this wasn’t the time.

"I’m not here to defend him," Bella continued. "I just came to beg you... Please, don’t mention the divorce yet. Even if I know you want nothing to do with him." She looked at Mara, her eyes pleading. "I told him about the divorce, and I saw what it did to him. I’ve never been that close to losing my son. And he’s all I have left."

Mara felt a lump rise in her throat.

She should have been unmoved. She should have told Bella that Ethan deserved whatever consequences came his way.

But Bella wasn’t Ethan.

She had been a mother to Mara when she needed one the most.

After a long pause, Mara finally nodded. "Fine. I won’t say anything."

Bella let out a relieved breath. "Thank you." Then, she smiled softly. "I’ve also made up my mind about something. I’m going back to my husband."

Mara blinked. "Really?"

Bella nodded. "Life is too short to stay angry. I’ve spent enough time apart from him, and I don’t want to waste anymore. I’m leaving for the States soon."

Mara smiled, stepping forward to hug her. "I’m happy for you, Bella."

They held onto each other for a moment before Bella pulled away, squeezing Mara’s hand before heading to the door.

Just then, the door swung open, and Celeb walked in.

His eyes darkened the second he saw Bella.

"What the hell is Ethan’s mother doing here?" he barked.