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CHAPTER 029: The Bargain
Last Updated:
2024-11-12 15:28:53
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My Husband Wants An Open Marriage CHAPTER 030: State Of New York Versus Elaine Jenkins
Ryan lets out a shaky breath. “So this is what it comes down to? Blackmail?”“Call it what you want,” Elaine says. “But yes, Ryan. Blackmail. You want Julie back? You want your life back? You get me out of here. Simple as that.”He runs a hand through his hair, barely able to look at her. He doesn’t want to do this. The very idea makes him sick to his stomach. But what choice does he have? Julie is slipping through his fingers, and with her goes everything—his reputation, his family’s respect, his carefully crafted life.“Fine,” he says. “I’ll talk to my lawyer. If, by some miracle, he gets you out, you’re going to fix it. You’re going to make Julie see that this divorce is a mistake.”Elaine’s smile is wide. “Of course,” she purrs, leaning back with a satisfied sigh. “I’ll do whatever it takes, darling. I’m sure Julie and I will have a lovely little chat.”He can feel bile rising in his throat. He stands, shoving his chair back, unable to stay in the room with her any longer. He turn
Last Updated : 2024-11-12My Husband Wants An Open Marriage CHAPTER 031: Morning Coffee
~~Julie~~In my dream, I’m floating somewhere soft and far away. And then—bang—the calm shatters, replaced by a loud, insistent pounding. Someone is knocking on a door, and it sounds like they’re one bang away from kicking it down. I bury my face deeper into my pillow, hoping the noise will stop. But it doesn’t.Thump. Thump. Thump.Groaning, I open my eyes and squint at the clock on my nightstand. 4:47 a.m. It’s basically the middle of the night. Who in their right mind is awake at this hour?I drag myself out of bed and stumble to the door, throwing it open. And there, in all his early morning glory, stands Luke. “Morning, Julie,” he says.He’s in workout clothes. The shirt stretches across his chest and shoulders in ways that should be illegal. His shorts fit just right, showcasing his toned legs, and don’t even get me started on the definition of his arms. A faint sheen of sweat is already on his brow, like he’s fresh from a warm-up. I can barely believe he’s a real human being,
Last Updated : 2024-11-13My Husband Wants An Open Marriage CHAPTER 032: I was The Problem
At first, I’m just too stunned to say anything. It’s like my brain’s stalling, processing, until finally, I blurt out the only thing I can manage:“Aren’t you supposed to be in jail?”There’s this unbearable, casual calm in her voice. “I made bail,” she says, like she’s talking about a nail appointment. “I’m bipolar and off my meds. They can’t hold me.”Oh, come on. I want to scream, but I swallow it down. “I don’t know what magic trick you pulled to get out, but don’t call this number again. I’m getting a restraining order.”“Sweetheart, you can do whatever you want. But for now, just listen to me. Please?”A request from her—a polite one at that—throws me for a second. Against my better judgment, I don’t hang up. My pulse is pounding. She takes my silence as permission.“I wanted to apologize, Julie,” she says. “For being… difficult. For pushing you. You know, I’ve got a condition.”It’s ridiculous. The laugh that escapes me is hard and hollow, almost a bark. “Oh, is that your excus
Last Updated : 2024-11-13My Husband Wants An Open Marriage CHAPTER 033: Not With Me
Luke tries to say my name, gentle and calm, but I’m too far gone. The words spill out of me, raw and unfiltered, every ugly, twisted thought I’ve been trying to keep down coming to the surface like a wave I can’t hold back.“Don’t you get it? I was the problem. I was the one hanging on to something broken from the start, and everyone else could see it but me. He was with her, Luke. Sleeping with her right under my nose, while I kept pretending we could fix things.” I let out a bitter laugh, and my voice cracks. “I kept telling myself that we’d get through it, that he loved me enough to stay. But the truth is, I was lying to myself, wasn’t I?”Luke’s face is full of something I can’t quite read. Maybe he wants to argue, or maybe he just feels sorry for me. His voice is rough, barely a whisper. “You weren’t lying, Julie. You trusted him. That’s not a crime.”“Isn’t it?” I feel my hands shaking in my lap, every word scraping out of me. It hurts. “Then why do I feel like an idiot? Like I’
Last Updated : 2024-11-13My Husband Wants An Open Marriage CHAPTER 034: Sparks
I bury my face in Luke’s shoulder, heat rushing to my cheeks.“Seriously, Grandpa?” Luke groans, still holding me. “Don’t you have somewhere else to be?”“I was sitting here, minding my own business. I had no idea you’d be… well, carrying on like that.”Luke shakes his head. “You should be sleeping, you know. It’s barely even six o’clock."“I’m in a wheelchair, not on life support,” Javier shoots back. “I still have a social life. And in case you hadn’t noticed, I like keeping an eye on things. Don't mind me. I was just about to roll myself to the kitchen. By all means, carry on.”At that, I can’t help but peek out from Luke’s shoulder. Javier meets my gaze with a wink that has me cringing and fighting a smile all at once.Luke scoffs and shakes his head, moving to lift me up before I can react. My feet leave the ground, and I instinctively grab his shoulders as he sweeps me into his arms, turning toward the stairs.“Is something wrong with her legs?” Javier calls after us.Over Luke’
Last Updated : 2024-11-13My Husband Wants An Open Marriage CHAPTER 035: Chilaquiles
I don’t bother correcting him, just smile back at the woman, letting her read whatever she wants into the silence. She beams at me, her whole face lighting up with genuine warmth, before turning back to Javier and fixing him with a raised brow.“Lucas has a girlfriend?” she says. “When did that happen?”“Recently,” Javier replies, his eyes fixed on me with a look that suggests he’s more interested in studying my reaction than actually answering her question.I offer a polite nod to the woman before making my way over to a nearby table, where I place my laptop and settle into a chair, still within earshot of their conversation. As I power the laptop on, I hear the woman’s voice call over to me.“Would you like some chilaquiles for breakfast, Julie?” she asks. “I just finished making them. Javier didn’t tell me we had company, but thank God Lucas didn’t eat his. He was in a hurry when he came down. You can have his. Paula will make you fat and healthy.”I blink, taken aback. “Oh, right.
Last Updated : 2024-11-13My Husband Wants An Open Marriage CHAPTER 036: Counterclaim
I guess I’m the only Julie O’Brien in this house, because Paula and Javier are staring at me, waiting for a response.“Did they say who it was?” I ask.Paula frowns. "They said he’s a process server, here to serve a document to someone named Julie O’Brien. Said the address led them here, but security doesn’t seem to know of a Julie O’Brien on the premises, so they called for confirmation."Process server? Here? For me?There’s something about the way Paula said the last sentence that has me thinking she’s hinting at something mischievous. Telling me I can deny being here. It’s tempting. Really tempting. A process server showing up for me could only mean one thing: bad news. My mind races. How did they find me here? What’s in that envelope? As much as I want to take Paula’s advice and hide, I’m curious."The gate, you say?" I ask, already standing up.Paula nods.I walk, slipping past the table, feeling Javier’s gaze track me the whole way. I open the door, stepping out into the hallwa
Last Updated : 2024-11-13My Husband Wants An Open Marriage CHAPTER 037: The End Of The World
I blink, feeling the weight of Maya’s words settle on me. “What? Why would I have to move out?”She doesn’t look up, busy packing her notes, her movements brisk and businesslike. “It’s for your own good,” she says. “If we’re playing by Ryan’s rules, we need to look spotless—inside and out. Living with another man in the middle of divorce proceedings? It’s not a good look, Julie. Not for the judge, not for the court, not for anyone who’s watching.”I sink back in my chair, letting out a sigh that feels like it’s been building all day. “An hour ago, I thought we were just going to have a civil conversation about this. And now we’re here, strategizing like it’s a battlefield.”Maya glances at me, a hint of sympathy in her eyes. “Civil?” She shakes her head. “Julie, this is divorce. Civility is an endangered species.”A bitter laugh escapes my lips, more acidic than I expected, and I realize it’s the first genuine reaction I’ve allowed myself all day. “I’ll…think about it, I guess.”“Thin
Last Updated : 2024-11-13
Latest chapter
My Husband Wants An Open Marriage EPILOGUE
~~Julie~~ The pain started several hours ago. At first, it was manageable—a dull ache radiating through my lower abdomen. It felt like my body was whispering its warnings. But now, hours later, it’s no whisper. It’s a full-blown scream. Sharp, relentless waves of pain grip me, tightening like a vice around my insides. I’ve been timing the contractions, because the last time this happened, Dr. Casey Patel had sent me home with enough instructions on how to detect real labor. If this isn’t labor, then God help me, because it feels like this baby is about to crawl up my spine and burst out of my chest. I clutch the bannister with one hand and my lower abdomen with the other, pausing halfway down the stairs to catch my breath. Every step feels like a test of endurance, like I’m descending a mountain instead of my own staircase. “Paula!” I shout, hoping the cook will come running. But it isn’t Paula who appears. Instead, Javier rolls into view at the bottom of the stairs, his expressio
My Husband Wants An Open Marriage CHAPTER 103: La Hora Loca
~~Julie~~I have to say this: Luke’s family knows how to party. It’s like everyone’s high and energetic. Even the children aren’t left out. It’s one thing to practice a dance, and it’s another to actually use those moves. I’m stumbling, but I don’t care. Because I’m happy. I’m happier than I’ve ever been. I can’t keep track of the number of people I’ve danced with. I’ve lost Luke for the hundredth time tonight. The last time I saw him, he was being dragged into a conga line by his mother, who seemed to have the stamina of a teenager. Somewhere between the flashing lights and the sea of bodies spinning and stomping, he’d disappeared again.I stumble slightly in my heels, though at this point they feel more like medieval torture devices. My silver dress—once sleek and elegant—is now sticking to me like a second skin, the fabric damp with sweat from almost an hour of dancing. I brush confetti out of my hair. It’s everywhere—on my shoulders, even stuck to the perspiration on my arms.A
My Husband Wants An Open Marriage CHAPTER 102: We Have The Rest Of Our Lives
It’s our first dance as a couple, and Julie’s arms are draped around my neck, her warmth melting into mine as we sway to the soft rhythm of the music. Her dress catches the golden glow of the chandeliers, shimmering like something out of a dream. But it’s not the dress or the lights that have me mesmerized—it’s her.Her cheeks are flushed, a shade of pink that makes my heart stutter, and her eyes, those deep, captivating pools, glisten with unshed tears. I open my mouth to say something, anything, but all I can manage is, “You’re beautiful.”Julie’s blush deepens, and she looks away for a moment before meeting my gaze again. “You’ve already said that. Twice.”“Because it’s true.”Around us, everyone is watching.Julie bites her lip, a nervous gesture that only makes her more endearing. “It’s strange, isn’t it? Feeling this… shy?”I chuckle. “Like teenagers on a first date.”“Exactly. The entire room is watching, and I don’t know where to look.”“You’re doing great so far,” I say. “Jus
My Husband Wants An Open Marriage CHAPTER 101: Bring It On
~~Luke~~I don’t know if it’s appropriate for the groom to cry on his wedding day, but right now, it’s taking my entire self-control not to sob. My throat feels tight, my chest is heavy, and every muscle in my face is fighting. Screw it—who made that rule anyway?Julie is walking toward me. Julie. My Julie. And it feels like the first time all over again—the day I saw her sitting on that barstool, drowning her sorrows in a glass of whiskey. I hadn’t planned to approach her. I was headed toward the fire exit, escaping someone whose face I can’t remember now. But then I saw her, and something in me shifted.Now, here she is, making her way down the aisle, radiant in a dress that looks like it was sewn from clouds and moonlight. My breath catches in my throat, and I wonder if it’s possible to actually combust from sheer awe.Her maid of honor walks beside her, clutching her arm with a steadying hand, but Julie doesn’t need it. She’s poised, her eyes locked on mine.“You’re far gone, man,
My Husband Wants An Open Marriage CHAPTER 100: You're Not Alone
~~Julie~~People say all brides are late to their weddings. It’s practically a tradition, isn’t it? But me? I was not going to be one of those brides. I had a plan. I gave myself a generous window—ten, maybe fifteen minutes tops—because, really, what could possibly make me late?The answer, apparently, is everything. Here I am, forty minutes behind schedule, crammed in the backseat of a car with Marissa, my maid of honor, wrestling with my veil like it’s some kind of unruly octopus.“Hold still,” Marissa says, her fingers tangled in the fabric. “You keep moving, and this thing’s going to look like a bird nested in your hair.”“I wouldn’t be moving if we weren’t speeding down the road like we’re in a car chase,” I shoot back, my head jerking as the driver swerves to avoid another car.The blame? It falls squarely on last night’s rehearsal dinner. It felt like the entire world showed up. Luke’s family alone must have taken up half the venue, and their energy? Boundless. How do they eve
My Husband Wants An Open Marriage CHAPTER 099: The Demons She Fought
~~Ryan O’Brien~~ It’s fifteen minutes before the pre-trial, and Ryan’s car pulls into the courthouse. As Justin, his chauffeur and bodyguard, cuts the ignition, Ryan stares through the tinted window at the swarm of reporters and onlookers gathered outside like vultures, cameras poised for the kill. He can practically hear the click of shutters, the incessant questions ready to pounce, though he hasn’t even stepped out yet. Adeline is beside him, looking as bored as ever. Adeline taps her manicured nails against the leather armrest. She looks as though she’d rather be anywhere else, though Ryan knows better. His mother thrives on drama, especially when she’s not the one under fire. “How long is this circus going to take?” she says. “You didn’t have to come.” Ryan loosens his tie, the knot around his neck nothing compared to the one in his chest. Adeline shrugs. “I had nothing better to do. Besides, someone has to ensure you don’t embarrass the family name more than you already hav
My Husband Wants An Open Marriage CHAPTER 098: The Real Definition Of Peace
I and Marissa, the vice president of marketing, have formed a new habit of meeting for lunch. It started as casual, a convenience thing—we both needed a break from the relentless grind at Illusionaire. Now, it’s become a ritual. I’m still unsure if this qualifies as friendship, mainly because I don’t know what friendship actually looks like. But Marissa talks a lot, and I love to listen. Her stories have this wild, messy charm, like someone spilling glitter across a chaotic art project.We’re at a cozy little café a few blocks from work, the kind of place that tries too hard to be trendy with its mismatched furniture and aggressively minimalist menu. Marissa is mid-rant about her current boyfriend and her dog, gesturing with a fork that’s dangerously close to flinging her salad across the room.“I swear, Nathan only comes over to spend time with Chubbs.”I choke on my sip of iced tea. “Chubbs?”She nods. “My French bulldog. He’s—how do I put this—larger than life. And I mean larger. T
My Husband Wants An Open Marriage CHAPTER 097: A Thousand Deaths
~~Julie~~We’re at a bridal boutique, and Carolina’s excitement could power a small city. Baby Valeria is strapped to her chest, a tiny, sleeping bundle of calm amidst the chaos her mother is stirring up. Carolina jumps from one gown to the next. Her enthusiasm is contagious, even though I’m already sweating from the sheer force of it.“Isn’t Valeria heavy?” I ask, watching as the baby shifts against her chest. “Are you sure you don’t need a break?”She waves me off. “No. You get used to it. It’s like she isn’t there.”“Oh.”Before I can say anything else, Carolina turns to me. She places a hand on my stomach.“You’re already showing!” she exclaims. “Know the sex yet?”I smile. “No, I was thinking we could work a surprise reveal into the wedding.”“Ohhhh!” she squeals. Her face lights up. “That’s magnificent. The family’s going to go ballistic.”“Careful so you don’t wake her,” I say, nodding toward Valeria, who stirs at the sound of her mother’s excitement.“Don’t worry. When she’s
My Husband Wants An Open Marriage CHAPTER 096: Chrysanthemums
~~Ryan O’Brien~~The cold splash of water shocks Ryan awake. His head is throbbing, each pulse like a mallet pounding against his skull. He groans, squinting against the morning light. Everywhere is bright. Too bright. It’s like a thousand needles piercing his eyes. His mouth feels dry and cottony. He tries to swallow, but his throat is parched. As he tries to sit up, the room spins. You’d think after two months, he’d get used to this feeling. But it hurts every single time."Aww," he says, clutching his head. "What the hell—""Don’t get up too fast."The voice is sharp, familiar, and unapologetic. He blinks away the fog until his mother’s silhouette sharpens before him. She’s standing tall and imposing, dressed in a cream suit that somehow looks both effortless and intimidating. In one hand, she holds a half-emptied glass of water, the one she’d poured on his face. In the other, two white pills."Don’t tell me you’ve finally decided to kill me," Ryan says."What?”"Poison me."She sn
