He Wants An Open Marriage? Done!

The figure turned around with agonizing slowness, their eyes narrowing into sharp slits as they locked onto Christian. "This is not a street bazaar," they said, their voice dripping with cold irritation. "You don’t get to haggle with me."

"Well, you obviously have the power to make things happen," Christian countered, stepping closer. A greedy, opportunistic smile broke across his face. "And if you’re asking me to do your dirty work, I intend to make the absolute most of this opportunity."

The person stared at him, a flicker of profound disgust crossing their aristocratic features. "What is it you want? Say it, and make it quick."

Christian’s grin widened, his chest puffing out. "I want to be the CEO of Vance Enterprises."

The shadow’s eyes narrowed. "Why don’t you manage to accomplish this one basic task first, and then we will discuss the next step of your little ambition?"

Christian nodded quickly, a rush of excitement hitting his veins. "Deal," he said, confidently extending his right hand. The figure completely ignored the gesture, turning away into the dark with a sharp rustle of fabric.

Christian turned back toward his vehicle, his boots crunching loudly on the gravel.

"How badly do you actually want your wife back?" The smooth voice sliced through the crisp night air, freezing him dead in his tracks.

Christian turned his head, looking back over his shoulder. "Right now? More than anything in this world."

"Good. I have just forwarded the digital file to your inbox. No mistakes, Christian Westbrook. And definitely no names."

Without waiting for a reply, the figure vanished completely into the shadows of the villa corridor. Christian didn’t even bother to watch them leave. He pulled his smartphone from his pocket, his thumb flying across the glass screen as he opened his email.

A cruel, victorious smirk pulled at his lips the second the message loaded. He clicked the attached video file, downloading it instantly. As the footage played, a toxic wave of possessiveness and burning anger flooded his chest. The video clearly captured Roxanne pinned against the wall, lost in Richard Vance’s arms, kissing him.

Christian violently slammed the video shut, his breathing turning ragged. He swiped over to his tracking application and tapped Roxanne’s mobile number. His lips curled into a vicious sneer as the little red pin bounced on the map screen. He shook his head, a dark laugh escaping him.

"So this is the little sanctuary where you spend your time with Richard," Christian muttered, throwing his car into drive. "Well, it’s time to catch you red-handed. Let’s see how you try to deny it this time."

—

Fifteen Minutes Later

Roxanne stood just under the bright neon awning of the Morgan Harrison Hotel, the cool city breeze tugging at the hem of her coat. She smiled warmly at the tall man standing across from her. "Thank you so much, Harry. You have no idea how much this means to me."

"Don’t mention it, Roxanne. I genuinely hope everything works out for you," Harry replied. He leaned in and pulled her into a brief, supportive embrace.

Neither of them noticed the black sedan that had just violently swerved into the hotel’s drop-off lane. Inside the idling vehicle, Christian’s grip nearly cracked the steering wheel as he stared through the windshield, his brows furrowing into a tight, confused scowl.

He watched Harry hug Roxanne. Something inside him snapped. Every explanation he had clung to on the drive over shattered in an instant. In his mind, this was no longer suspicion. It was proof.

"That isn’t Richard," he muttered within the quiet confines of the car. His eyes locked onto Harry’s face. "Who the hell is that? Oh, Roxanne, have you seriously been sleeping with multiple men behind my back? That is absolutely sickening."

Completely oblivious to the malicious eyes watching her, Roxanne pulled away from the hug and offered a grateful wave. She clutched the thick manila envelope Harry had just handed her against her chest, turning toward the hotel entrance.

The driver’s side door of Christian’s car flew open. He stormed out into the brilliant lights of the valet port, leaving the engine roaring and the vehicle rolling haphazardly out of park. He charged like a madman directly toward Harry, who was just walking toward the parking garage.

"Sir! Sir, you can’t park your vehicle there!" the hotel valet shouted, running after the rolling car.

Roxanne kept walking, the ambient hum of city traffic masking the storm that was about to shatter the front of the luxury hotel.

Christian ignored the shouting staff entirely. He lunged at Harry from behind, his hands flying out to violently grab the man by his wool collar, jerking him backward. "What the hell are you doing with my wife? Huh? Answer me, damn you!" he barked, shaking Harry so hard the older man’s keys clattered to the concrete.

Roxanne froze at the sound of the familiar, raging voice. She whipped around, her eyes widening in absolute horror as she saw Christian assaulting Harry under the bright hotel lights.

"Oh, no," she whispered, her blood running cold. She rushed down the concrete steps, her boots clicking frantically. "What are you doing, Christian? Stop it!" She grabbed his wrists, forcefully ripping his fingers away from Harry’s crumpled collar.

Christian stumbled back, his lips curling into a snarl of pure disgust. His chest heaved underneath his jacket, his fists clenching until his knuckles turned white.

"I had absolutely no idea that I married such a cheap, pathetic slut!" he spat, his voice echoing off the glass facade of the building. "How can you even sleep with a man like this? Someone who isn’t even close to your own social class? This is a massive embarrassment, Roxanne! I am completely disgusted by you!"

Roxanne stared at him, her own chest heaving as she fought down a rising tide of panic.

"Isn’t that the new executive from Vance Enterprises?" Someone asked.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the gathering crowd of hotel guests and pedestrians. Several onlookers were already pulling out their smartphones, the telltale glow of recording screens catching the light.

Christian was fully prepared to drag her into the mud, and the last thing she was going to do was give him the public circus he wanted.

She forced her voice into a controlled register and turned to her companion. "Harry, I am so incredibly sorry. Please, just get in your car and leave."

Harry adjusted his coat, looking Christian up and down from his unpolished shoes to his sweating face, slowly shaking his head with profound pity. "Is this him?"

"Yes! This is me! I am her husband! Me and only me!" Christian shot back, spittle flying from his lips as he lost all remaining remnants of corporate composure.

"Stop causing a scene, Christian," Roxanne hissed, her heart hammering against her ribs like a piston as she tried desperately to de-escalate the situation.

"Don’t you dare tell me what to do!" he snapped, leaning directly into her face.

"Look around you, people are recording this entire thing," Roxanne whispered through clenched teeth, trying to appeal to his remaining logic. "You know how much the Vance family despises public scandals. If this goes viral, you are going to lose your job for good, and you are going to destroy everything I just built tonight."

"Good! That would be a thousand times better!" Christian yelled, turning his face deliberately toward the flashing phone cameras around them. "At least then everyone will see the truth about how you sleep around!"

Roxanne swallowed hard, a metallic taste of anxiety filling her mouth. She wanted nothing more than to swing her palm across his arrogant face and force him to regret every word, but she kept her spine stiff. She turned back to Harry, her eyes pleading. "Please. Leave now."

Harry shot her one final, worried look, shook his head in disgust at Christian, and walked away into the shadows of the garage.

As the man retreated, Christian took a step toward the sidewalk onlookers, pointing an aggressive finger. "Look at him, everyone! That man right there is just one of my wife’s many secret lovers!"

Roxanne’s pulse thudded fiercely in her ears.

Margaret Vance’s chilling words from dinner began to echo through her mind with terrifying clarity: You are exactly the kind of toxic scandal this family avoids.

She looked at the flashing lenses of the cell phones, the cold night air suddenly feeling impossible to breathe.