He Wants An Open Marriage? Done!

The silence inside the boardroom was heavy enough to press against the chest.

Nobody spoke. All eyes remained glued to the dark wood of the table or the glowing screens of silent phones.

Henry’s thumb tapped a slow rhythm against his notepad. Margaret held her hands tightly together in her lap to hide their trembling. Across the table, Pamela lifted a crystal glass, taking a quiet sip of water. The board members leaned back in their leather chairs, their faces unreadable as they waited.

Roxanne could hear her own pulse thumping in her ears. Beside her, Richard reached down, his broad hand sliding over hers, his fingers wrapping firmly around her cold knuckles. When she glanced up, he met her gaze with a calm nod.

Christian hadn’t even arrived yet, but the tension felt like a thin wire pulled so tight it might snap at any second.

Then a sharp knock broke the quiet.

Every head snapped toward the door as it swung open. Libby stepped through, pausing for a fraction of a second as she noticed the heavy atmosphere in the room.

"Forgive the interruption," Libby said, her voice dropping into a professional whisper. "Mr. Westbrook has just entered the building. He’s on his way up."

Roxanne felt her lungs lock. The very last person she wanted to sit across from was Christian, and yet, she was trapped in the same room.

Richard looked at Libby with a curt nod. "Send him in the moment he arrives. And tell the security detail outside to step in as well."

Libby nodded once, stepping back into the hallway and pulling the double doors closed behind her.

Richard turned his head toward Roxanne, his dark eyes warm and steady. "Breathe," he murmured, his thumb rubbing the back of her hand. "I have this under control. He’s the one who should be terrified right now, not you."

Roxanne took a slow breath and nodded. "I know."

Henry cleared his throat, leaning forward and resting his forearms against the table. "Is everyone ready?"

A murmur of agreement went around the table.

Roxanne swallowed hard, the knot in her throat refusing to yield. Her heart was hammering against her ribs. Not out of fear, but out of sheer uncertainty over what erratic game Christian was about to play.

Before she could settle her thoughts, another sharp rap sounded against the door. Her posture went rigid, her free hand curling into a tight fist against her knee.

"Here we go," Pamela muttered softly, taking one last sip from her glass.

The door swung wide.

Libby stepped in first, holding the handle back. "Mr. Westbrook."

Christian strolled into the room, an arrogant smirk plastered across his face. He flashed Libby a mockingly polite grin. "Thank you, my dear."

He stepped into the center of the boardroom, spreading his arms wide as he looked around at the assembled faces. "Someone called for a meeting? Well, here I am."

The air in the room instantly turned hostile.

Margaret’s jaw set into a hard line, her eyes burning with pure disdain.

Roxanne kept her face completely blank until Christian’s scanning gaze caught hers, locking onto her eyes like a hawk.

Christian’s grin vanished for a fraction of a second, his expression hardening into disbelief. Then, a harsh, mocking laugh burst from his throat, echoing off the high ceiling.

"Now isn’t this rich!" he said, shaking his head as he stepped closer. "You reject me in a court of law, Roxanne, only to pull a chair up and wait for me here? Make up your mind."

Roxanne felt a hot surge of anger in her veins, but she kept her lips pressed together, refusing to feed him a reaction.

Christian took two deliberate steps toward her, his dark eyes narrowing. "You really thought you could run from me," he said, his voice dropping into a low threat. "And yet, here you are, right back where you belong."

Don’t come any closer, Roxanne thought, her blood running cold as he held her gaze. Don’t you dare.

As if reading her mind, Christian took another step forward, his fists clenching at his sides. "I told you, Roxanne. You can never leave me."

Before panic could set in, Richard’s fingers tightened over her hand, grounding her instantly. She looked over at Richard. He wasn’t looking at her. His gaze was fixed entirely on Christian, his posture dangerous and still, silently daring him to take one more step toward her.

"Sit down, Christian," Henry’s deep voice cut through the heavy air, drawing Christian’s attention away. "We brought you here for serious business, not to watch you harass your ex-wife. Sit down so we can get this over with."

Christian paused, standing just a few feet from where Roxanne sat beside Richard. He let out a dry scoff. "You raise a good point, Henry."

Roxanne’s chest rose and fell in shallow breaths. He was too close, less than ten feet away. Yet Richard’s grip remained warm and unyielding around her hand, keeping her tethered.

Christian shifted his stare back to Richard, his expression dripping with smug satisfaction. "I’m glad to see you’ve finally come to your senses, Richard." He glanced down at Roxanne, his brow mocking her. "Has Richard filled you in on why he begged me to come here today?"

Roxanne glanced toward Richard, but he kept his attention locked on Christian, his face an unreadable mask.

When neither of them spoke, Christian’s smirk widened into a cruel grin. "Allow me to enlighten you," he said smoothly. "He brought me here to negotiate terms. To ask for my forgiveness so this company doesn’t go under. But that isn’t even the best part."

He looked directly at Richard. "Are you going to tell her the deal, or should I break the news?"

"He’s utterly pathetic," Pamela murmured under her breath from across the table.

Richard didn’t say a word, though his grip on Roxanne’s fingers tightened just a fraction more.

Christian smiled as he looked around the boardroom. No one interrupted him. Perfect. They were already doubting each other.

Christian leaned in slightly, his eyes gleaming. "He promised to give you up, Roxanne. He’s letting you go so you and I can have the fresh start we deserve, far away from this city."

A sharp tension flared through Richard’s jaw, the muscle ticking hard beneath his skin. But he smiled.

"Not in this lifetime," Roxanne spat, her voice trembling with raw venom as her fingers dug into her palms. She turned her head, looking straight into Richard’s eyes. "Tell me you didn’t promise him that."

Richard turned his head slowly, meeting her desperate gaze. His mouth stayed silent, but his grip on her hand remained fierce and unyielding.