He Wants An Open Marriage? Done!

Roxanne’s heart pounded as she pushed open the bathroom door. But just as she reached out to swing it shut, a firm hand caught the frame.

She lifted her gaze to find Richard standing in the doorway. "Richard, I—"

"I just want to tell you that I am right here," Richard said softly, his deep voice thick with quiet concern. "You do not have to carry any of this alone."

Roxanne looked up into his eyes, her pulse refusing to settle. She gave a small nod, releasing the handle as the door clicked shut between them.

Inside the cool room, her hands trembled as she could barely tear open the foil wrappers. Five white test strips fell onto the vanity counter. She stared at them for a moment; an agonizing dilemma waged war in her head as she sat down to take the tests.

What if it is positive? What next? But an even darker whisper crept in from the corners of her mind. What if it is negative? If she could not conceive now, after everything, then Christian’s cruel taunts over the years would finally be proven right. She really was broken. She really was defective.

The sickening thought made her stomach churn harder.

She lined the plastic sticks along the edge of the sink, her palms slick. Clasping her hands tightly together, she leaned her head against the wall. Every single second stretched into an eternity.

The silence inside the room felt suffocating.

Roxanne squeezed her eyes shut, listening to the faint rustle of the wind outside the window. Her chest rose and fell in short, shallow breaths as she counted down the seconds in her head, terrified of what the counter would reveal.

Then, a sharp, digital beep echoed off the tiles.

Roxanne froze. She forced her eyes open, her feet feeling like lead as she stepped toward the sink.

—

Outside in the bedroom, Richard paced a relentless path across the carpet, his mind a chaotic blur. He paused, straining his ears for the sound of the lock turning, then glanced down at his wrist.

Why is five minutes taking forever? He ran a hand over his face, letting out a sharp breath. Calm down, Richard. She will be out soon.

He resumed his pacing, the weight of the moment pressing down on his shoulders.

What do you do if she is pregnant? What if you are about to become a father? He shook his head, instantly cutting off the thought. Stop thinking about yourself. Think about her. What if it is negative? She will be utterly crushed.

His thoughts spun so fast that he did not even hear the soft click of the lock.

"Richard?" His name was barely a breath, but it stopped him dead in his tracks.

He spun around, his gaze darting from the small collection of plastic sticks in her hand to her pale face. He wanted to rush to her, but his feet felt glued to the floorboards.

Roxanne walked toward him, her expression devoid of any joy. Her eyes were rimmed in crimson, a fresh sheen of tears catching the morning light. "It’s done," she whispered.

Richard forced his feet forward, closing the distance between them until only an inch remained. He did not reach for the tests first. Instead, his fingers gently cupped her chin, lifting her face so he could read her eyes. "Are you alright?"

Roxanne swallowed past the tight knot in her throat, a tear spilling over her lashes and trailing down her cheek. She shook her head.

Richard felt his stomach sink. Without a word, he pulled her tightly against his chest, holding her as a soft sob shuddered through her frame. He stroked her back, breathing in the scent of her hair while his own heart beat erratically against his ribs.

Moments passed before he pulled back, his dark eyes searching hers. With a trembling hand, Roxanne held out the plastic tests.

Richard took them, his mind struggling to process the lines glowing on the display screens. He stared at the plastic, then lifted his eyes to Roxanne. "It says positive," he breathed, his lungs locking up.

Fresh tears brimmed in her eyes as she nodded. "Yes, Richard. I am pregnant."

Richard’s heart slammed against his ribs. He looked down at the tests again, the world spinning as his thoughts tangled together. He looked back up at her face.

"You are pregnant," he repeated, the words tasting surreal on his tongue. She gave another small nod. He looked at her stomach. "There’s a baby— Our baby," he muttered, his voice dropping to a stunned whisper.

Richard opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

For the first time in years, the man who always knew exactly what to do stood completely speechless, his mind a total blank.

A child was on the way.

The stakes had instantly skyrocketed into something real and overwhelming. He looked at Roxanne, taking in her fragile posture, her pale skin, and the raw vulnerability in her gaze.

Roxanne reached out, her fingers resting against his forearm to ground him. "I am scared, Richard."

He opened his mouth, but the words caught in his throat. Slowly, he gathered her back into his arms, burying his face in her neck. "We are going to be alright. I promise you."

Roxanne shook her head against his shoulder, gently pushing back to look him in the eye. A raw terror danced in her dark gaze, stripping away every ounce of the peace they had built over the last twenty-four hours.

"No, Richard," she choked out, her chest heaving with ragged breaths as a cold realization set in. "What if this child is Christian’s?"

Every drop of color drained instantly from Richard’s face. The words hit him like a physical blow. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

Roxanne stared at him, her bottom lip trembling as she swallowed down another sob, the silence stretching between them. "What if it is his?"

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