Welcome to Earth, Baby Ramona!!! 🥰 It's been a wonderful journey with you all. The comments. The votes. The love. They're the reason I'm always motivated. Officially, this is the last chapter of "My Husband Wants An Open Marriage". 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍
~~Julie~~My husband, Ryan, is standing on the karaoke stage, making a fool of himself. His shirt is unbuttoned halfway, his tie long abandoned, and his cheeks are flushed from too much whiskey.“And I………will always love you…..” he sings, closing his eyes.His voice is terrible.Standing next to him, practically glued to his side, is his secretary, Emily. Her left arm is around Ryan's waist, her fingers lightly grazing his back as she sings along. She’s younger than me, at least by half a decade, all wide eyes and perfect curves, dressed in a tight, low-cut dress that makes it impossible to ignore her presence. She leans into Ryan, whispering something in his ear, and he throws his head back, laughing. He looks at her like she’s the funniest person in the world.I’ve never seen him this happy.The last time I saw him this happy was on our wedding day, seven years ago. Back then, his eyes sparkled when he looked at me. Now, the light in them has grown dimmer; they're shining for someon
It’s true what they say about marriage: one partner is always happier than the other.In my case, I’m the unhappy one.I’m the one who can’t sleep. I’m the one who watches her husband’s sleeping face at night, looking for a sign—anything to prove what I’ve suspected all along, that he’s cheating on me. Just say a word, goddammit, a name, something, dear God. That’s all I want. Say Emily, Ryan. Say Emily.But Ryan never does. He’s too controlled for that.I’m the one checking his phone, seeing notifications from the same person, the same tiny image. But I can’t see the name of the sender, can’t recognize the face due to the image size—though it looks like Emily. I can’t even read the messages because Ryan has privatized his pop-up notifications.I’m in the kitchen right now, already on my fifth cup of coffee. And it’s just 6 AM.“Morning,” Ryan says, walking in, rubbing his temple. “Feels like someone took a chainsaw to my head. Last night was fun.”“I’m glad you had fun,” I reply, try
I look at Ryan, then Emily. “I don’t understand.”Ryan doesn’t even look at me, just grabs Emily’s hand and starts leading her away. “Stop being such a bad host, Julie. We’ve had a long day.”“No way, Ryan. She’s not staying in this house,” I say, my voice shaking with disbelief.He doesn’t respond. They’re already halfway up the stairs.“Do you hear me? She’s not staying here! Take her back to wherever you picked her up. I don’t want her in my house.”Ryan stops, turning just enough to glare at me. “Your house? I put a roof over your head. If I say she’s staying, she’s staying. If you don’t like it, go somewhere else. I don’t have the energy for your nonsense, Julie.”Oh, my god. My chest tightens. “How could you do this?” I say. “Don’t walk away from me, Ryan. Stand here and answer me.”Emily turns to look at me, smirking. “By the way, you’ll need to move your things into the guest room. I’m not sharing a bed with you and Ryan. It’s bad enough sharing him with you.”All the energy i
~~Luke~~Lord knows I’ve seen my fair share of beauties.But the lady beside me is something else. Not only is she the prettiest thing I’ve seen, but she’s married. Some men are just lucky.“So, I’m guessing your name isn’t Maggie?” I ask, trying to ease the tension.“No,” she replies flatly.I nod, waiting for her to give me something more. “So, what is it?”She gives me a slow, deliberate look. I can’t lie, wherever her eyes touch immediately burns.“Look,” I say, raising my hands in mock surrender. “I’m not hitting on you. Honestly, I’m taking a break from women. They’re problematic.”She lets out a laugh, a bitter one. “You’re the one who just hugged a stranger to dodge another woman you’ve clearly wronged, and you’re saying we’re the problematic ones? You men are all the same.”She downs her drink like it’s water and winces at the burn. That’s her second shot in less than five minutes. I’ve got to say, I’m impressed.“Let’s start over,” I suggest, offering her a fresh start. “I’m
~~Julie~~Ugh, my head feels like it weighs a thousand pounds. I crack my eyes open and glance around. I’m in my living room, but I can’t for the life of me remember how I got home last night.Shit, Ryan’s car.I scramble to the window, heart racing, and peek outside. There it is, still parked in the driveway. Thank God. Ryan would have been so pissed if I’d wrecked it.I need a shower. And definitely a toothbrush. My mouth tastes like something died in it.I drag myself upstairs, but as soon as I push open the master bedroom door, I freeze. Emily is on top of Ryan, both of them completely naked, moving in sync. Their panting fills the room.I scream.Emily yelps and tumbles off him, scrambling to cover herself.“Jesus Christ, Julie,” Ryan mutters, sitting up and glaring at me. “Ever heard of knocking?”I want to tell him I’ve never had to knock in my own house, let alone my own bedroom, but what’s the point? “I just came to grab my things.”“It’s already done,” Emily snaps. “Everyth
Ryan has been quiet since I dropped the news.“Say something,” I say, my voice breaking slightly. But Ryan just stares at me, his jaw clenched, his face rigid. I know that look too well. It's his bomb-ticking look, the one he wears when he's moments away from an explosion. “Julie,” Emily says. She glances at Ryan before going on, “I’m sure whoever you’ve chosen will be wonderful. After all, you found Ryan and kept him, so you must know how to make good choices in life.”Her smile makes my fingers itch. I want to grab something—anything—and hurl it at her. My nails dig into my palms. Stay calm, I remind myself. If I react, Ryan will just assume I’ve lost my mind, and then where will I be? How would I fight for my marriage from an asylum?“No,” Ryan says, catching me off guard.“What?”“The answer is no, Julie,” he says, cold and final.I stare at him, not believing he just said that. “It wasn’t a request, Ryan. I was letting you know I’m exploring new options. So when you see me with
“Ryan,” I say again, now fully facing him, “what are you doing in my room?”He shrugs. “The door was unlocked.”“And?”“I wanted to be with my wife.” He’s touching my hair now, fingers combing through the mass, causing the hair to fall around my face. His touch is familiar, too familiar. I try to shake off the feeling of déjà vu, but it won't stop. “I don’t want us to fight anymore, Jules. All this is just a little misunderstanding.”I stare at him, my mind still trying to catch up with the fact that he’s here, in my bed, in the middle of the night. “It’s midnight, Ryan. What are you saying exactly? Shouldn’t you be with your girlfriend?”Ryan doesn’t answer right away. Instead, he leans in and presses his lips to mine, soft at first. For a brief second, I lose myself in it—the taste of him, the way his hands cradle my face. But then, reality crashes back in.“Ryan,” I murmur, pulling away. “Stop. This isn’t—”“Shh,” he whispers against my lips. “This is what you want, right? Isn’t th
“Hi,” I say, but then it hits me—it’s the middle of the night, and I shouldn’t be calling anyone this late, especially not someone I barely know. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I’ll hang up the phone now.” Before I can move my thumb to end the call, Luke’s voice comes through the line. “Don’t hang up.”The way he says it—easy, like we talk all the time—makes me pause. I stare at the ceiling, biting my lip. There's something comforting about his voice, like I’m not alone in this stupid mess I’ve found myself in.“Talk to me,” Luke says.“I dialed your number by mistake,” I lie, cringing at how lame it sounds. “Alright. I had a bad dream, so I picked up my phone and dialed the first number I saw.”Luke laughs. “A bad dream, huh? Were there monsters?”I roll my eyes even though he can’t see me. “Something like that.”There’s a brief pause, and I hear him moving on the other end, like he’s shifting around. “Well, since I’m awake, let me tell you a story to cheer you up. T
~~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
~~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
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
~~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,
~~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
~~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
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
~~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
~~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