My Husband Wants An Open Marriage (Julie and Ryan)

CHAPTER 016: Dealist

CHAPTER 016: Deal Is Back On

I let out a short, humorless laugh. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," he says, stepping closer, his eyes blazing with fury. "Whatever you've started with the it ends. Now."

I meet his gaze head-on, refusing to back down. "I don't tell you who to date, Ryan, So what gives you the right to dictate who I see?"

"This is different, Julie!" Ryan shouts, his voice booming through the room. "He's my business partner This could ruin everything!"

"Everything?" I repeat, my voice dripping with sarcasm "By 'everything, do you mean your business, or your little arrangement with Emily?"

Ryan's face flushes with anger, and I can see the veins in his neck bulging, "Don't you dare bring her into this."

"Oh, why not?" I fire back. "She's already here, isn't she? I mean, she's right there, living in our hous sitting on my couch. So why the hell shouldn't I bring her into it?" Ryan clenches his fists, and for a moment, I think he's going to explode. But instead, he takes a deep breath, his voice low. "End it, Julie, I'm not asking."

"And I'm not ending anything. Not for you. Not for your business. And certainly not for her."

"You're being reckless!" he shouts.

I take a step closer, matching his energy. "Reckless? Reckless is you bringing your mistress into our home and expecting me to just play along like some kind of idiot!" Emily lets out a small, uncomfortable cough, but we both ignore her,

"You're throwing away everything!" Ryan yells, his voice cracking with rage. "For what? Some fling?"

"Fling?" I repeat, my voice rising. "You have the audacity to call it a fling? While you're shacked up with Emily in our house?"

Ryan's face twists in anger, and before I can react, he grabs the heavy glass paperweight off the coffee table and flings it at the TV with all his strength. The screen shatters with a loud crack, glass splintering across the room.

For a moment, there's only the sound of our breathing, heavy and ragged. Emily lets out a small gasp, her hand flying to her mouth, but Ryan and I just stand there, glaring at each other, the broken TV buzzing with static.

I take a deep breath, my voice steady but cold. "Nice. That's really mature."

Ryan doesn't say anything, just stares at the broken screen like he's trying to will himself to calm down. "You know what, Ryan?" I say, my voice sharp. "If you're so desperate to keep control over your precious business and your little affair, then go ahead. But don't you ever think you have the right to control me."

Ryan opens his mouth, but before he can say anything, I turn on my heel and walk out of the room, the

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sound of glass crunching under my heels the only thing that fills the silence.

I barely make it to my room before my fingers are flying over the screen, typing out a message to Luke Deal is back an

I hit send before I can second-guess myself, the adrenaline from my confrontation with Ryan still thrumming through my veins. What did I just do?

A bitter laugh escapes me as I toss my phone on the bed. Oh, this is going to be fun. Because, of course, why not add a fake relationship to the already delightful cocktail of marital betrayal, a hypocritical husband, and a mistress who's probably upstairs right now screaming while my husband apologizes for being a son of a bitch. How utterly perfect.

I kick off my heels, sinking into the plush chair by the window, trying to let the tension seep out of me. But it doesn't. It sits in my chest like a heavy stone, growing heavier by the second. I stare out the window, the city lights twinkling in the distance, but all I can see is Ryan's furious face when I told him the truth about Luke. God, the satisfaction I felt seeing his jaw clench like that was almost.... addictive.

Still, what now? I should probably feel guilty-hell, any decent person would feel something-but all I feel is this strange, twisted sense of freedom. Like I've finally pulled the trigger after staring down the barrel of a loaded gun for far too long.

I grab my phone, almost hoping Luke doesn't respond tonight. But then, of course, because the universe has a dark sense of humor, it pings.

Luke: Good to know. Meet you tomorrow?

Meet me? I bite back a smile. This is the mess I signed up for. Might as well dive all the way in.

The next morning, I walk into the office with the usual mask of calm indifference I've perfected over the years. But something feels... off. The second I step through the front door, I can feel eyes on me. My secretary, Sarah, glances up briefly, then looks down, her fingers nervously tapping on the keyboard.

"Morning," I say, heading toward her desk, but she doesn't respond. Just keeps tapping away.

Okay... weird.

"Sarah?" I try again, stopping by her desk. "Something wrong?"

She jolts, like I've caught her doing something she shouldn't. Her cheeks flush, and she finally tears her eyes away from the screen to meet mine. "Uh, good morning, Mrs. O'Brien."

Is there something you need to tell me?"

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"Oh, um, yes. Someone sent something for you. It's on the desk," she says, her voice barely above a whisper.

I raise an eyebrow. "A message?"

She nods quickly, looking anywhere but at me. "Yes, it's... on your desk."

I continue to my office. The second I open the door, I'm hit with the unmistakable scent of roses. The

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+25 BO

CHAPTER 616 Deafle Back On

room smells like a floral shop exploded. And there, sitting in the middle of my desk, is a massive bouqu of red roses. Today's Bonus Offer