My Husband Wants An Open Marriage (Julie and Ryan)

CHAPTER 014: Footage

~~Julie~~

Oh, god.

I don't know what came over me.

The person standing at the door, eyes wide, is a cleaning guy.

"Uh, sorry," he mumbles, backing away quickly, clearly not wanting to deal with whatever weird situation he just walked into.

I step away from Luke, shaking my head. "See? This is what happens when you drag me into a closet to fix my life."

"What happens?" he asks, leaning against the wall.

"People see."

"And?"

Koll my eyes. "You're impossible."

"Yeah, but you like me anyway," he says with a wink.

I don't say anything else. I just grip Luke's hand and start pulling him out of the closet, toward the hallway. My pulse is racing, though whether it's from the cleaning guy busting in or the fact that Luke had been way too close just a minute ago, I'm not sure. "Alright, Mr. Martinez," I say, once we're fully outside. "Back to the real world."

Luke raises an eyebrow. "We were just getting started."

I shoot him a look. "I don't know what kind of start you think we had in a supply closet, but trust me, it's

over."

"For now."

I ignore him and straighten my blouse, trying to regain some sense of control. "Let's continue the tour, shall we?" My tone is professional.

Luke stretches his arms lazily and shakes his head. "Nah, no need. I don't need a tour anymore."

""You don't?"

"Nope," he says, hands in his pockets, looking far too comfortable for someone who'd just been caught red-handed. "Anything I need to know about navigating this place, I'll learn from you during our fake relationship." I cross my arms. "Oh really? You think you're so smooth."

He steps closer, his voice dropping to a low murmur, sending a ripple through me. "I don't think. I know."

"Stop," I snap, feeling heat rise to my cheeks. "I haven't even decided about this whole fake relationship thing yet."

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CHAPTER 014. Footage

Luke looks genuinely surprised. "You haven't? What's holding you back?"

"It's not like I'm against the idea. I just need time to think."

He looks at me for a moment, searching my face like he's trying to figure me out. "Okay," he says, gentle. Take your time."

For a moment, we just stand there, staring at each other. The space between us feels charged, but neither of us moves.

Finally, Luke clears his throat. "Well, I guess I should head out. Say goodbye to Ryan for me."

I nod, my throat tight. "Sure. I will."

As he walks away, I let my eyes follow him without thinking. There's something about the way he moves, so effortless, like he knows exactly what kind of effect he has. When he turns around, catching me staring, I freeze. Luke winks.

Heat rushes to my face. I spin around so fast I nearly trip over my own feet, mortified. What the hell is wrong with me?

I don't look back as I head for my office, trying to shake the image of his stupid grin out of my mind.

Later that evening~~

When I get home, I'm greeted by the low hum of the TV and the sound of laughter. Ryan and Emily are curled up on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, cozy as hell.

Emily spots me first, her eyes lighting up like she's genuinely happy to see me. "Hey, Julie! How was your day?"

I force a tight smile. "Fine."

Ryan doesn't even glance my way. "How'd it go with Martinez?" he asks, eyes glued to the screen. His hand is resting on Emily's leg in a way that makes me want to scream.

"He was cool," I say, crossing my arms. "I think our companies will be in partnership for a long time."

That gets Ryan's attention. He finally looks at me, his face lighting up. "Really? That's fantastic news!" He turns to me, beaming. "He's so smart. Single-handedly raised Couture Collective to where it is today. Phenomenal." "Absolutely," I agree, even though all I want to do is throw something at him.

Emily shifts uncomfortably, clearly not enjoying the way Ryan's now focused on me. She interrupts with a high-pitched voice, "Um, babe, we're missing the best part of the movie."

Ryan blinks, as if snapping out of it. He leans down, kissing her forehead. "Sorry, love. Let's get back to it." Just like that, I'm invisible again. He turns his attention back to the TV, forgetting I'm even in the room.

I head to the kitchen, needing something, anything to do with my hands. The coffee machine is my

first

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CHAPTER 014 Footage

instinct, but the thought of them giggling under that stupid blanket makes me change my mind. I don't need coffee. I need something stronger,

I grab a shot glass and head to the wine cellar, pulling out the good whiskey-the kind Ryan never touches because it's "too harsh."

I pour myself a shot and down it in one go, the burn in my throat a welcome distraction. When I return to the living room, glass in hand, Ryan's the first to notice.

"Everything okay?" he asks, eyebrows raised.

I shrug, sitting down in the armchair, far from the cozy couple. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"You're drinking whiskey right after work," he says.

I shrug again, not looking at him. "Long day, I guess."

Ryan's grin widens. Something mischievous dances in his eyes. "Or is it because your boyfriend didn't show up for lunch?"

My what? And then I remember I was supposed to introduce Luke to Ryan as my boyfriend. Well, that didn't go as planned. Nothing in my life ever goes as they're supposed to. My husband wants another woman, a cheesy blonde bitch who thinks monogamy is outdated. My grip tightens on the glass. Ryan wants to play games? Fine.

I open my mouth, ready to rip into him, but before I can get the words out, Emily suddenly pipes up. "Oh my god, look at this!" she exclaims, grabbing Ryan's attention. "Someone just sent a video."

Ryan frowns. "What video?"

Emily holds up her phone, her face scrunched in confusion. "It's... it's security footage. From the office."

My stomach drops. Oh, god. No.

Ryan leans in closer, squinting at the screen. "What am I looking at?"

Emily's voice is small, hesitant, like she knows this is bad. "It's Mr. Martinez. And... Julie. They're in a supply closet."

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