He Wants An Open Marriage? Done!

The judge turned her narrowed gaze onto Christian. "So tell me, Mr. Westbrook. Why insist on keeping a woman trapped in a marriage when you aren’t even ready to be a husband?"

Christian kept his eyes glued to the bench, refusing to look in Roxanne’s direction. His jaw flexed, the muscles tight with suppressed rage. "Because she is mine," he said, his voice flat and harsh. "Mine alone."

The judge leaned back, resting an elbow on her leather armrest and tilting her head. "Help me understand your logic," she said smoothly. "You cast your wife aside, brought another woman into her bed, and now you expect this court to help you make her stay with you against her will. Did I summarize your position correctly?"

Christian’s brow furrowed, a flush rising on his neck. "That isn’t what I said! You’re twisting my words!" He gripped the edge of the table, his posture instantly crumbling into desperate pleading.

"I made a mistake! I love my wife!" A jagged, pathetic sob broke from his throat, tears spilling down his cheeks once more. "I really do love her! Please. I can’t lose her! It was just a mistake!"

Roxanne turned her head away, pressing two fingers hard against her forehead as a heavy sigh left her lips. The pathetic display made her skin crawl.

The judge watched him for a quiet moment, her lips pressed into a thin line. She looked down at both legal counsel. "Does either side have anything further to add before I make my ruling?"

Harry stood up calmly, smoothing his coat. "I have nothing to add, Your Honor," he said, his voice steady and echoing through the quiet room. "This court has heard the evidence and witnessed the reality of my client’s marriage. I only ask that you free her from a man who cannot bear to see his wife exist as her own person. The law exists to protect people exactly like my client. Do not let him steal her freedom."

Harry bowed his head and sat back down.

The judge nodded slowly, turning her eyes to the defense table. "Counsel Mark? Anything else?"

Mark didn’t even look up from his notepad. "No, Your Honor," he said flatly.

Christian snapped his head toward his lawyer, his eyes wild. "What do you mean no? Didn’t you hear what he just said? Say something! I can’t lose this!"

Mark remained completely silent, shifting his gaze toward the front of the room and ignoring his client entirely.

Christian shook his head in absolute disbelief. He pressed a trembling hand against his face, his chest heaving as he watched the judge begin scribbling on her legal pad. Leaning sideways toward Mark, his voice dropped into a desperate, furious whisper.

"I won’t accept a ruling that separates us. I love her, and I am not letting her go."

The judge didn’t even spare him a glance. Mark stayed dead silent.

"If she thinks she can just sign a piece of paper and end this, tell her not to bother!" Christian hissed, his temper flaring. "I refuse it!"

Mark let out a tired, frustrated breath. "You can’t force a woman to stay married to you, Christian. That isn’t how the law works."

"Glad to see you can finally speak the truth to him," Harry murmured under his breath.

Christian’s ears caught the low remark. He whipped around, glaring at Harry with venomous hatred. "Shut your mouth!" he spat. "You’re all against me! That’s the real reason you’re so desperate to strip my surname from her!"

Roxanne felt a hot flash of anger boil in her veins. She opened her mouth to put him in his place once and for all, but Theodore’s calm presence beside her anchored her. She forced herself to sit back, swallowing her words. Silence was the ultimate denial of his power.

BANG. The judge slammed her gavel down, her eyes flashing with absolute authority as she locked onto Christian.

"I have heard more than enough, Mr. Westbrook! It is abundantly clear that you have no concept of what a marriage requires. You simply want to have your cake and eat it too."

Christian’s mouth fell open. "That isn’t true—"

"Do not interrupt me!" the judge barked, cutting him off instantly. "Marriage is an equal partnership. If it is total power and control you crave, I suggest you open a business."

A soft smile touched Roxanne’s lips. Across the aisle, Christian caught her expression, his face contorting into a bitter sneer as his fists clenched tight against the table.

"If I forced this woman to remain tied to you today," the judge continued, her voice ringing with historical weight, "I would be failing not only Roxanne, but the very integrity of this court and every woman who fought for independence before us. I will not sit on this bench and undermine those rights."

Christian’s jaw hardened, his eyes narrowing with bitter hostility. "So you’re admitting you’re biased, then?"

A shockwave of hushed murmurs rippled through the gallery. Two court officers immediately stepped forward toward the defense table, but the judge raised a calm hand, stopping them in their tracks.

"What are you going to do, Mr. Westbrook? Record a video of me next?" The judge offered a cool smile, then lifted her gavel. "I could easily remand you into custody right now for contempt and harassment, but I will show you the mercy you failed to show your wife."

The judge slammed the gavel again.

"The marriage between Roxanne Westbrook and Christian Westbrook is hereby dissolved. The decree for divorce is granted."

"No! I will not accept this!" Christian roared, half-rising from his chair.

"Furthermore," the judge declared over his outburst, her voice cutting through his fury like steel, "a permanent restraining order is issued immediately. You are to remain at least one thousand feet away from Miss Roxanne Ashwood at all times. A single violation, and law enforcement will take you into custody."

Christian froze, the color draining entirely from his face, his jaw dropping as the reality of his total ruin finally crashed down upon him.

Roxanne closed her eyes. For years, she’d carried chains no one else could see.

Today, they finally broke.

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