Jason was shocked to see the "little devil" standing up for his long-lost adopted sister, the sa sister who had vanished just three days after being adopted. Ethan never visited places like this, and he certainly never concerned himself with won. So why was he so interested in Mara?
"Mr. Anderson, what a surprise to see you here," Jason stamred, his eyes darting between Ethan and Mara. "Mara... she's my sister. We were just talking."
Ethan's glare was sharp as if he was ready to throw a punch. "If I ever see you anywhere near my..."
Mara quickly cut him off. "It's fine, Ethan. We were just talking. What are you doing here, anyway?" She shot him a look, stopping him before he could say anything that would reveal their secret.
Jason scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Unbelievable. You haven't changed a bit. Do you even know who you're talking to? That's Mr. Anderson, your boss's boss, the CEO of Anderson Corporation! And yet, you dare call him by his first na? Do you have a death wish?"
Ethan let out a sigh, clearly irritated, while Mara just stood there, stunned, unsure of what to say. The stranger she had t just a week ago, the man she had married on a whim, was not only her boss but also her idol. What an ironic twist of fate.
"Apologize to him, now," Jason's voice cut through the silence. Mara's expression was a mix of disappointnt, she could see a flicker of regret in Ethan's eyes.
"Little devil, huh?" Mara sighed, feeling let down. She pushed her chair back, ready to leave her half-eaten al behind.
The restaurant was filled with whispers. This was where most of the company staff ate, and now they were all watching, trying to piece together who she was to their powerful CEO. Exactly the kind of attention Mara had been trying to avoid.
She straightened her posture, forcing a calm expression. "I'm sorry, boss. Please forgive for not recognizing you," she said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argunt. Then she shot Ethan a warning glance one that told him loud and clear: Don't say a word. Don't give them more to talk about.
As Mara walked away, Jason moved to follow her, but Ethan stepped in, blocking his path.
"Stay away from her," Ethan said with a fake smile, tapping Jason's shoulder lightly. "Co even an inch closer, and you'll have to deal with ."
Ethan had promised to let Mara handle Jason herself, but Jason had just run out of luck. Exposing Ethan's identity before Mara was a mistake he wouldn't get away with.
Back at her desk, Mara felt a mix of frustration and disappointnt over Ethan's lie. She barely had ti to process it when the receptionist appeared beside her, grinning.
"You have a package," she said, holding a massive bouquet of flowers.
Mara blinked in surprise. "For ?"
"It's from your husband," the receptionist added with a knowing smile. "He must be a very romantic man."
Mara let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head as she accepted the elegant arrangent. The flowers were too stunning to ignore, their scent filling the air around her.
Before she could fully take it in, her boss walked past, raising an eyebrow. "Nice flowers but put them aside before the little devil sees them," he warned. "Speaking of which, he wants you in his office."
Mara clenched her jaw. She wasn't nervous, she knew who the real boss was. But the fact that he dared to summon her after everything? That just made her angry.
"What are you waiting for? Hurry up," her boss urged.
Mara sighed and stood up, making her way to Ethan's office. As soon as she stepped inside, he was already waiting by the door. Before she could react, he pulled her into his arms and locked the door behind them.
She stiffened, still upset, refusing to et his gaze.
"Ugh," Ethan suddenly groaned, clutching his lower abdon.
Mara's frustration faded in an instant. Concern took over. "Are you okay?" she asked, nervously guiding him to his chair. "Is this about what I overheard on the phone with the doctor? Tell , what should I do?" Her voice wavered with worry.
Ethan let out another weak sigh before suddenly pulling her onto his lap.
"Forgive , please," he murmured, his arms tightening around her.
Mara froze. "Wait... you were pretending?"
"My heart hurts more," Ethan said dramatically, pressing his forehead against hers. "I swear, I didn't an to deceive you. Everything happened so fast, and I just couldn't find the right ti to tell you. When I finally could, I thought you wouldn't want to be involved with your boss." He sighed, his voice softening. "I had no bad intentions, Mara. Please... don't be mad at ."
His embrace was warm, almost desperate as if he was afraid to let her go.
"Just because you pretended to be sick doesn't an I'll forgive you that easily," Mara said, crossing her arms. "But if you want to consider it, you'll have to promise sothing."
Ethan loosened his hold slightly, watching her intently. "Anything."
"At work, I'm Mara Duncan. At ho, I'm Mrs. Anderson. Under no circumstances are you to tell anyone about our relationship," she stated firmly. "And you are not allowed to interfere with my work. Also, you don't get to summon to your office like this whenever you feel like it."
Ethan chuckled, his grip tightening around her again. "I'll agree to anything as long as you forgive ."
Mara sighed, but a small smile tugged at her lips.
"One more thing," Mara said, her tone unwavering. "Put back on the Tormolt murder case."
Ethan froze for a second before slowly rising to his feet and adjusting his tie. His expression shifted, unreadable yet firm.
"Ask for anything else, and it's yours, even the moon. But not that," he said, grabbing her briefcase.
Mara's frown deepened. "Ethan..."
"I'm heading to court now. I'll have Steph pick you up," he cut in, striding toward the door, effectively ending the conversation.
Mara clenched her fists. She knew the case was dangerous, but she wanted to be on it. Still, Ethan had made it clear, this was not up for negotiation.
Just as he reached the door, he glanced back.
"I love you," he said casually before unlocking the door and stepping out.
Mara exhaled, frustrated. She thought she could get her way but not this ti.
Mara returned to her desk, silently plotting new ways to make Ethan agree to her request. She still had a long list of tasks to complete, and her imdiate boss wasn't cutting her any slack not even on her first day. If only he knew she was the boss's wife.
"Mrs. An... ah... Miss Duncan, can I speak with you for a second?"
Mara recognized Steph's voice but didn't bother looking up. "I'm busy, Steph. Go away."
Suddenly, the office fell silent. That was when she noticed the shift in the atmosphere. Of course, if Ethan wasn't around, Steph was in charge. He represented the boss. And she had just brushed him off like a friend, making it obvious that she was too familiar with him.
Now, everyone was staring. Great. Just what she had been trying to avoid. People were already speculating, assuming she had slept her way into her position when, in reality, she was damn good at her job.
Mara sighed and stood up. "Of course," she said, correcting herself. He's my boss, not just my husband's assistant.
She stepped closer, lowering her voice. "What is it, Steph?"
"The boss asked to take you ho."
Mara rolled her eyes. Of course, he did. She knew better than to argue with Steph it wouldn't change anything.
"Fine. I will finish up, and co," she said, returning to her work.
But when the ti ca, she made sure to slip out unnoticed, evading both Steph and the driver. She didn't need anyone babysitting her.
Steph realized Mara was nowhere to be found. Panic rising, he quickly phoned Ethan, who was waiting for the judge's verdict on his case. As expected, he won, but before celebrating, he slipped aside after a handshake with his client to return Steph's call.
"What do you an you lost her?" Ethan snapped.
"She's not in the office, and I have no idea where she went," Steph explained, frustration in his voice.
"Useless," Ethan muttered, storming out of the courtroom.
What he failed to realize was that Mara had a mind of her own she refused to be put in a box or told what to do. anwhile, Ethan thrived on control, making decisions for everyone around him. The clash was inevitable.
Mara, on the other hand, was having the ti of her life. For the first ti since arriving in Salvador, she wandered the streets on her own, breathing in the fresh evening air. She had almost forgotten what it felt like answering to no one.
Then her phone rang.
"Where are you? I'll co get you," Ethan's voice ca through, sharp and commanding.
Mara sighed, rolling her eyes. "I'll co ho later, Ethan. I just need so air."
Ethan didn't take that well. Without another word, he sent his n to search for her.
Monts later, Mara found herself in trouble. A group of n had started following her, their intentions far from good. Before she could react, Ethan's n arrived just in ti, stepping in before the situation escalated.
Mara's frustration with Ethan lted instantly. She couldn't exactly be mad at him for sending his n after her not when they had just saved her.
"Ethan!" Mara called as she stepped into the mansion, her voice still carrying traces of frustration.
But the sight before her made her pause.
Ethan stood in the dining room, wearing an apron, carefully setting the table for dinner. The warmth of the scene, the effort he had put in, made it impossible for her to hold onto her anger.
One thing was certain Ethan was a gift from heaven. The way he loved her, the way he treated her, and the way he always wanted to protect her lt the walls she had around her.
"I hope you're hungry. I cooked," Ethan said softly, pulling off his apron as he walked toward her.
Before she could say a word, he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her forehead before lifting her effortlessly and carrying her to the table.
Mara blinked, still trying to process everything. "What is all this?" she asked, her eyes widening at the feast before her.
Ethan smiled. "You did great today. I liked all the information you gathered on the case, and this is my way of saying thank you."
Mara smiled, feeling warm inside. "I didn't do much," she said humbly.
"Well, you did. So, I'm giving you your own case," Ethan announced.
Mara's head snapped up. "What?"
"You'll be the lead counsel. It's an equally high-profile case like Tormolt, but not dangerous," he explained, watching her reaction. "I'm not trying to box you in, Mara. One thing I've learned about you is that you hate being controlled, and that's the last thing I want to do. But... can you bla for wanting to protect my wife?"
He lifted her hand gently, pressing a soft kiss to her fingers. That simple gesture ant the world to her.
She exhaled, finally smiling. And with that, she let the Tormolt case go.
They had a wonderful dinner, laughing and enjoying each other's company when suddenly Mara's phone rang. The na on the screen made her freeze.
Maria-Isabel.
Her heart skipped a beat, and the fork slipped from her hand, clattering onto her plate. Ethan imdiately noticed Mara's change in deanor.
"Mara? What's wrong?" he asked, he was concerned.
But Mara barely heard him. She picked up the call, her hands slightly trembling.
"Maria?" she answered, her voice breaking but filled with hope.
Silence.
Then, the sound of shattering glass. A muffled sob.
"Maria!! Maria, answer !" Mara's voice rose in panic, but there was no response. The call ended abruptly.
Her heart pounded. Sothing was very wrong.
"If Daniel laid a hand on her, he is so dead," Mara muttered under her breath, quickly dialing Maria's number again.
Ethan reached out, gently gripping her wrist. "Calm down, baby. Who is Maria?" he asked, his concern growing.
Mara took a deep breath, her hands still shaking. "My best friend. She married this guy, Daniel. I know he hits her. I've tried to help before, but she always makes excuses for him. Now I'm really worried, Ethan. What if sothing bad happened to her? I need to help her."
Ethan could see the fear in her eyes. He didn't need more convincing. He pulled out his phone. "Why don't you keep trying her number, and I'll do what I do best to find out everything I can about her situation."
Mara nodded, gripping her phone tightly. After hours of waiting and countless unanswered calls, they finally got sothing.
Mara paced the room anxiously, her heart pounding with every passing minute. She knew Maria's family would be devastated, so she decided not to inform them yet.
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