The Billionaire CEO Betrays his Wife: He wants her back-Chapter 96: Cup finally full

Lucy sat in her office, a place she hadn’t stepped into for days. With a smirk, she picked up her phone and dialed her father.

"Don’t worry, Dad. Ethan will handle everything," she assured him confidently.

"How did you manage that?" he asked, suspicion laced in his voice.

Lucy chuckled. "I have my ways," she said cryptically. "I already told you dad, Ethan will belong to me and no one else."

Without waiting for a response, she ended the call and immediately dialed Celeb. He took his time answering, and when he finally picked up, he put her on speaker.

Lucy could hear the heavy breathing, the low groans, and the rhythmic sounds through the phone. She rolled her eyes. "Seriously? I can tell exactly what you’re doing."

Celeb let out a lazy laugh. "Multitasking, darling. What do you want?"

Lucy ignored his teasing tone. "Aren’t we lucky Ethan lost his memory? If you’ve still got any charm left in you, use it to seduce Mara. Since Ethan has already agreed to marry me, our deal is officially over."

She ended the call before he could respond.

Celeb smirked, unfazed. "Pleasure doing business with you," he murmured. Then, in a playful tone, he added, "If you ever miss my bed, you’re always welcome."

The woman beneath him stiffened. She had hoped or maybe foolishly that Celeb had changed. That this time, she meant more than just a moment of pleasure. But his words made it clear he was still the same man he had always been.

Disgusted, she pushed him off her and scrambled to get dressed, leaving Celeb lying there with an amused expression on his face.

–

Steph and two other strong men stormed into Lucy’s office. Expecting Ethan, she straightened up, a smug smile on her face. But when she saw Steph’s cold expression, unease crept into her chest.

"Where’s Ethan? What do you want?" she demanded.

Steph ignored her questions. Instead, he turned to the men. "Take her."

"Where are you taking me? Hey, Steph! I’m soon to be Mrs. Anderson! Don’t you dare!" Lucy yelled, struggling as the men grabbed her.

Everything had been pre-arranged, every hallway leading to the discreet exit was cleared, ensuring that no one would witness what was about to happen. Lucy’s confidence wavered when she realized that Steph wasn’t paying attention to her threats.

"You’ll regret this, Steph!" she hissed, but desperation soon replaced her arrogance when he remained silent. She switched tactics, softening her voice. "Steph... please. I know you care about me. You always have. Don’t do this."

But Steph didn’t flinch. That love he once had for her? It was long gone.

She was shoved into a car, seated between the two men, their grip firm and unyielding. The drive was long, and dread pooled in Lucy’s stomach as she recognized the route.

She knew this place.

A place she had used many times before to send away girls who got too close to Ethan.

As the car stopped, Lucy’s heart pounded. "Ethan will never forgive you for this!" she spat at Steph.

The men dragged her inside, and she stumbled onto the cold floor. Just as she looked up, her breath hitched.

Ethan.

He stood there, his face unreadable, his presence suffocating.

Lucy’s eyes widened in shock. Had he ordered this? Had he regained his memory? Tears welled up in her eyes. "Ethan, please..." she whispered, her voice breaking. But Ethan didn’t move. He simply watched her in silent, cold, and unreadable.

Lucy knelt on the cold, hard floor, her breaths coming in shaky gasps. The dimly lit room was suffocating, but it was Ethan’s icy stare that truly sent chills down her spine. Gone was the confused man she had manipulated. This Ethan was sharp, merciless, and fully aware of every deceitful game she had played.

He stepped forward slowly, his polished shoes echoing against the concrete. "Tell me, Lucy... did you really think I’d never remember?" His voice was calm, but there was an underlying fury simmering beneath the surface.

Lucy’s lips trembled. "Ethan, I—"

"Shut up." The words were sharp, final. She flinched.

Steph and the two guards stood like statues, watching impassively. They had no sympathy for the woman who had spent years weaving lies and destroying lives.

Ethan tossed a folder onto the table beside him. "Do you know what this is?" He didn’t wait for her response. "Evidence. Every single thing you’ve done. Your lies, your manipulations, your crimes. Every girl you had locked away, every bribe you paid,"

Lucy’s nails dug into the floor. "Ethan, I love you! Everything I did, I did for us!" she sobbed, reaching for him.

Ethan stepped back, disgust twisting his expression. "You call this love? You ruined many lives! You turned me against Mara. You made me believe she betray me when all along, it was you." He exhaled slowly, his fingers tightening into a fist before he relaxed. "You wanted to be Mrs. Anderson so badly?" He gave a humorless chuckle. "Then I’ll give you exactly what you deserve."

He turned to Steph, who nodded and handed Ethan a document. Ethan tossed it in front of Lucy. "You have two choices. One sign this confession, admit everything, and disappear from my sight forever. Or two I drag you through court, expose you to the world, and let the public tear you apart."

Lucy’s breathing quickened as she scanned the document. A full confession, detailing her crimes. Her hands shook.

"Ethan, please..." she whispered.

Ethan leaned down, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "I believe you over my wife beaucase I have known you longer than I had known her and that was my mistake.. You almost had me. But you made one mistake you underestimated my love for Mara. And for that, you will pay."

Tears streamed down Lucy’s face as reality sank in. She had lost. Everything. Her perfect plan had crumbled, and there was no one left to save her.

"Sign it," Ethan ordered.

With trembling fingers, Lucy grabbed the pen. Her dream of being Mrs. Anderson was over. And this time, there was no escape.

She signed her name, her signature shaky, her heart shattering with every stroke of the pen.

Ethan snatched the document away, glanced at it, and then, without another word, he turned his back on her.

"Pull her nails out, break one leg, release her sex tape with Celeb on the internet, and hand her over to the police with this confession. You can have a good time in prison."

"No! No, Ethan! You promised me! No, please!" Lucy shrieked, her voice breaking as panic set in.

Ethan didn’t even spare her a glance. "Disappearing is too easy after all she has done. Don’t worry, Lucy. I’m just doing what you’ve been doing to others for years."

As her screams filled the air, Ethan walked away, leaving her to face the same suffering she had inflicted on so many others.

_

Mara sat in the expansive living room of the Shepherd estate, her brothers, Steve, Stanley, Stefan, and Stanford all gathered around. The atmosphere was thick with tension as they monitored the online fallout from their recent actions.​

"We’ve done it," Steve announced, refreshing the news feed on his tablet. "The evidence from the pendant is everywhere. Uncle Philip and his corrupt allies are all over the headlines."​

Stanley nodded, his expression grim. "It’s about time the world saw them for who they truly are."​

Stefan, scrolling through his phone, suddenly paused. "Wait a minute... Celeb and Lucy are trending too."​

Mara’s brow furrowed. "What? Why would they be—" She stopped mid-sentence as Stefan turned his phone toward her, displaying a scandalous video thumbnail featuring Celeb and Lucy.​

"Is that... a sex tape?" Mara asked, disbelief coloring her voice.​

Steve let out a low whistle. "I always knew Celeb was a wild beast," he remarked, casting a sidelong glance at Stanley. "Now you can agree I was right about not wanting him for our Stef."​

Stanley sighed, rubbing his temples. "Yes, Steve, you were right. I’m sorry, Stef. He’s quite... untamed."​

Mara, arms crossed, rolled her eyes. "I saw through him anyway. But Lucy... who would hate her enough to leak this?"​

Mara shook her head, her expression contemplative. "God knows I despise her, but releasing such a private video? That’s beyond cruel."​

Stanford leaned forward, curiosity piqued. "Wait, you saw them together?"​

Mara hesitated, then nodded. "Yes, this afternoon at the hotel. Vera and I were there for some rest, and we... stumbled upon them."​

Her brothers exchanged surprised glances.​

"Hey," Mara interjected, sensing their unspoken questions. "I may have witnessed their indiscretion, but I would never stoop so low as to expose someone like this."​

Steve placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We know that, Stef. This isn’t your doing."​

Stanley exhaled deeply. "Well, We’ve declared war against Uncle Philip, and he’ll retaliate."​

Stefan nodded in agreement. "This evidence... it’s the same information that got our parents killed. We need to be prepared for whatever comes next."​

Mara’s gaze hardened, determination shining through. "We’ve started something that can’t be undone. But we’re together in this, and we’ll see it through. For Mom and Dad."​

"Wait, guys, look," he said, turning the screen toward his siblings. "Uncle Philip is on the news."

The room fell silent as they gathered around, watching the live broadcast of Philip’s press conference. The timing was unexpected; they hadn’t anticipated a response from him so soon after releasing the incriminating evidence.

Philip stood at a podium, his expression composed, exuding an air of confidence that sent a chill down Mara’s spine.

"Is he really going to walk away from this unscathed again?" Mara muttered, her fists clenching at her sides.

Steve shook his head, frustration evident in his furrowed brow. "He’s a master at spinning situations to his advantage. We need to be prepared for whatever narrative he’s about to weave."

Stanley crossed his arms, his gaze never leaving the screen. "Let’s hear what he has to say. It’ll give us insight into his next move."

As the siblings focused on the broadcast, Philip began to speak, his voice steady and authoritative.

"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed members of the press," he began, "recent events have brought forth allegations that question my integrity and the work I’ve dedicated my life to. I stand before you today not as a man without faults, but as someone committed to transparency and truth."

Mara’s jaw tightened. "Transparency and truth? Coming from him, that’s rich."

Philip continued, "I understand the gravity of these accusations and the concern they have caused among the public and my colleagues. I assure you, we are conducting a thorough internal investigation to address these claims. I have full confidence that the truth will prevail, and I am prepared to cooperate fully with any external inquiries."

Stefan scoffed. "An internal investigation? That’s just a tactic to buy time and manipulate the outcome."

Philip’s tone grew more somber. "I ask for your patience and understanding as we navigate this challenging time. My commitment to serving our community remains unwavering, and I will take the necessary steps to ensure that trust is restored."

The press conference concluded, and the broadcast shifted back to the newsroom. The Shepherd siblings exchanged looks, the weight of the situation settling heavily upon them.

"He’s trying to control the narrative," Stanford said, breaking the silence. "We need to stay ahead of him."

Mara nodded, determination flashing in her eyes. "We have the truth on our side. It’s time we make sure the world sees it."

Stanley placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We already know this will happen but we’ll ensure he doesn’t escape justice this time."