All Chapters of My Husband Wants An Open Marriage: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

“Good. Because Adeline doesn’t want you to stay. She wants to control you, and this whole thing is her attempt to wrap you around her little finger. The ‘peace offering,’ the adjusted contract… She knows exactly how to make it look like she’s giving you power while keeping you under her thumb.”I look away. He’s right; Adeline’s deal is nothing more than a leash disguised as a lifeline.Jerome lets out a heavy sigh, crossing his arms. “Listen, if you’re serious about walking away from these people, then that’s exactly what you need to do. Don’t let them manipulate you into staying. They want you here for their gain, not yours.”I nod. “But who says we can't have both?”“What do you mean?” he says.Jerome's eyes are narrowed. He's studying my face like he’s searching for cracks. I know he doesn’t trust Adeline, and he’s right not to. But this is bigger than Adeline, bigger than this boardroom, bigger than this deal.“Let me ask you something,” I say, my voice low.“What?”“Have you eve

Before I even realize what I’m doing, my thumb presses End call.I stare at my phone screen, the name lingering there like a stain, and then I hit Do Not Disturb.I’m having one of the best evenings in a long time, and I’ll be damned if I let a spawn of the devil ruin it for me.I look at myself in the mirror, taking in my flushed cheeks, rosy lips, and visible cleavage. I can feel a ripple of adrenaline, a little spark of excitement. Luke’s waiting for me downstairs, and from the way he looked at me earlier, I can tell it’s going to be… memorable. With one last sweep of my hair, I smooth down my dress, letting it hug my curves just right, and head out the door.The scent of Luke’s cooking fills the hall as I make my way down the stairs, warm and savory. I catch a glimpse of him and Javier already waiting at the table, and the second our eyes meet, Luke’s entire face lights up. There’s something in his gaze, an intensity, like I’m the only person in the room. My breath catches for jus

When they disappear down the hall, the echo of Javier’s laughter fades, leaving a silence that feels deeper, more profound. It’s as if all the energy he brought into the room has vanished, replaced by an air thick with everything left unsaid between Luke and me.Luke reaches across the table, his hand hovering just a second before it lands on mine. “Julie,” he says. “I just want you to be okay.”For a moment, I let his touch calm me, but the anger still simmers beneath my skin. I pull my hand away, looking him straight in the eyes.“If you really wanted me to be okay, you wouldn’t make decisions for me,” I say. “I don’t need protection, Luke. I need honesty. I need you on my side.”“I am on your side, Julie. More than you realize. And as much as you keep saying I made this decision for you, it doesn't make it the truth. I told Adeline to talk to you about it. And if you agree, then I’m in. That’s why I didn’t say anything before now. I wanted her to reach out first, see if she’s serio

The room feels thick with heat and tension. Luke is lying beside me, his arm still draped across my waist, and I can feel his heart pounding against my shoulder. I almost hate how steady it is compared to the wild pace of my own.For a moment, he’s silent, and I feel the urge to fill that silence, to somehow make him understand why this separation is necessary.“I can’t keep staying here,” I say, staring up at the ceiling, willing myself to sound as composed as I can. “Pretending things are fine when they’re not.”His hand tightens around me. “No.”The word is small, quiet, but it hits me with a force that makes my chest ache. “Luke…” I sigh, shifting to look at him, trying to gather my words into something that will break through his stubbornness. “I know you mean well, but it’s time I take this seriously. Every day, it’s something else—a new scandal, a new rumor—and I can’t keep dragging you down with me.”He shakes his head. “Who says you can’t be serious about it from here?”“Be

I’m at Ryan's gate. I lean on the horn, letting the sound echo off the high walls. A place that used to be home. Used to be familiar. Used to be… safe. And now? Just a twisted reminder of everything I’d rather forget. I’m still sitting there, waiting, when it hits me: the gate doesn’t automatically open. It’s the first time I’ve ever sat here without the smooth, silent glide of that gate making way for me, like it did every other time I’d pull up. Every time… before I left Ryan. Before I left all of this. Of course, the electric tag needed for the gate to open is glued to my Bentley, the one I left with Ryan on my way out of his life. And the gate’s sensor doesn’t recognize Luke’s car. I honk again. A crackle fills the silence, and a muffled voice cuts through. “Hello? Could you… um, could you pull down the window, ma’am? Look into the camera?” I tug the window down with a deliberate slowness, staring straight into the tiny, blinking camera above the intercom, daring it to den