He Wants An Open Marriage? Done!

The butler stepped forward, stopping at the edge of the mattress and looking down at Cara. "Please, ma’am, you need to leave," he said, his voice firm yet polite.

Cara scoffed, waving a hand dismissively. "Get out of my face." She turned her gaze to Richard, a sharp challenge gleaming in her eyes. "Why don’t you try to make me leave?"

Roxanne felt Richard’s grip on her fingers loosen. A sudden prickle of anxiety hit her chest. The quiet peace they had built at the estate felt like it was slipping away through the floorboards. Is he about to back down?

She tightened her hold, searching his profile. "Don’t let her—"

Richard didn’t let her finish. He pulled his hand completely from hers, stepping forward before she could reach for him again. In two swift strides, he crossed the carpet, reached the bed, and grabbed Cara by her wrist.

"I offered you a quiet exit. Now you leave by force," Richard said, his tone icy as he pulled her off the mattress.

"Don’t put your hands on me!" Cara barked, her nails digging into his skin, but his hold remained unyielding. "Get your hands off me, Richard! Now!"

Richard ignored her protests. With an iron grip, he dragged her into the hallway and released her outside the bedroom. Her purse landed beside her with a dull thud as he turned to the butler.

"Remove everything that belongs to her. If she ever enters this estate again, every member of the security team will answer to me."

"I will be back!" Cara shouted from the hallway, retrieving her clothes from the floor with shaking hands. "You are mine! Do you hear me?"

Richard ignored her completely, his dark eyes locked on his head butler. "Clear this hallway immediately."

John gave a sharp nod and bent down to assist Cara with her things. "Let us go, ma’am," he said, gesturing toward the main stairs.

Cara’s chest heaved with rage. "Don’t you dare touch me!" She whipped her head toward the bedroom door. "You will regret this, Richard Vance! You will regret treating me like this!"

"Please, ma’am—"

"I said don’t touch me!" Cara snapped, her voice rising to a shrill pitch. "This isn’t over! Your family still considers me your fiancée, and I refuse to be humiliated like this! I will not become a laughingstock because of—"

Richard turned to look at the bed where she’d been lying only moments earlier, and disgust flashed across his face. He grabbed the sheets in both hands and ripped them clean off the mattress in one violent pull. He bunched the fabric in his fists, his breathing heavy in the quiet room. "Burn them," he ordered. "Every single one of them!"

Cara looked over her shoulder one last time. Richard wasn’t watching her leave, he was already standing beside Roxanne, gently brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

As though Cara no longer existed, and for the first time, panic flickered across her eyes.

Richard stepped to the door and slammed it shut, cutting off her tirade and plunging the space into abrupt silence.

Roxanne stood quietly near the entrance, her heart racing as she watched his broad shoulders rise and fall. The lingering smell of Cara’s perfume in the room suddenly made her stomach turn. She rested a hand against the wall to anchor herself, taking a slow breath through her nose.

Outside, the distant sound of footfalls faded down the hallway as the staff escorted Cara away.

Richard exhaled a long breath, then turned around. His stern expression dissolved instantly as his eyes met hers.

He crossed the floor, resting his hands gently on her shoulders, and took a slow breath to center himself. His thumbs rubbed small circles against her skin, offering a warmth that grounded her instantly.

"I am sorry you had to witness that," he murmured, his deep voice dropping into a soft register. "I couldn’t allow her to destroy our peace."

Roxanne looked up into his dark eyes, searching his face. The faint shadow of worry still lingered in her mind. "Did you send that text message?"

"No. I promise you," Richard replied without hesitation.

Roxanne searched his face. She expected guilt, excuses, hesitation maybe. Instead, all she found was hurt. Richard looked more offended by the accusation than angry. Slowly, the knot inside her chest loosened.

She let out a soft breath and nodded. "I believe you."

A wave of relief washed over Richard’s features, and his fingers softened against her shoulders. "Thank you."

Roxanne shook her head, a faint sigh escaping her lips. She stepped past him toward the large window overlooking the front gates, where the night sky was turning deep navy. "I didn’t expect us to run into chaos within fifteen minutes of arriving," she said, resting one hand against her forehead while the other settled over her belly.

Richard followed her, standing just behind her shoulder so she could feel the steady heat of his body. "I am sorry this happened," he said, his tone carrying quiet conviction. "I will handle Cara. I promise you."

Roxanne looked at his reflection in the glass for a moment, then shook her head gently. She turned around to face him directly, her eyes bright with a new resolve.

"I cannot keep letting you or anyone else fight my battles." She looked down at her stomach, resting her palm flat against the subtle warmth there. "This isn’t just about the two of us anymore. I have a child to protect now."

Richard watched her, listening intently as the quiet in the room settled between them.

"People need to realize that I am capable of standing on my own. They need to know I am strong," Roxanne said, her voice steadying into a quiet vow. "And I am going to start with Cara."

Richard reached out, taking her hand and giving it a firm squeeze. "I am right beside you. Whatever you need."

Roxanne looked toward the bedroom door where Cara had disappeared. The old Roxanne would have cried. The new Roxanne smiled.

"She’s made a very big mistake."

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