He Wants An Open Marriage? Done!

Cara’s mind spun out of control, struggling to keep pace with the brutal speed of the situation.

The loud sound of the approaching siren echoed off the concrete plaza, making her knees tremble. "They actually called the police?" she whispered under her breath, her voice barely audible over the hum of the city.

A dark blue police van pulled up against the curb at the foot of the plaza steps. Two officers stepped out, their boots making sharp, rhythmic thuds against the stone as they hurried up the stairs toward her.

Cara instinctively took a step back, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs like a trapped bird. She turned on her heel, desperate to retreat into the lobby, but the three towering security guards had already stepped forward, forming a solid, impassable wall between her and the doors.

Her pulse roared in her ears. She felt completely cornered, the vast open plaza suddenly feeling tight and suffocating as her panicked eyes darted between the approaching police officers and the stone-faced guards.

What do I do now? her mind screamed, racing in circles. How do I get out of this?

Before she could form a coherent thought, the lead security guard planted his feet right in front of her.

"You cannot enter the building, Ma’am," the man said, his tone flat.

Cara swallowed hard, her throat feeling as dry as sand. She stared up at the massive guard, her vision blurring at the edges as raw panic took over. She opened her mouth to argue, to demand her rights, but her vocal cords seized up, producing nothing but a shallow gasp.

Desperate, she spun around to face the street, only to be blinded by a sudden, harsh flash of light. She threw her arm over her face, her eyes stinging as the bright photoflash burned into her pupils.

When she lowered her hand, the two police officers had already reached the top of the grand stairs. They moved calmly toward her.

Panic seized her whole body. She needed to escape, but only one desperate move remained. She whirled back to face the security guard, her hands trembling as she reached out.

"Tell Roxanne that I am ready to talk!" Cara cried out, her voice cracked and pleading. "Tell her I will agree to all her demands! Please, just let me inside!"

"Cara Whitewater," a calm, deep voice interrupted from behind her.

Cara froze, the blood draining completely from her face.

"Please come with us, Ma’am," the officer said, his tone professional and firm.

Cara turned around slowly, meeting the serious gaze of the two officers. Then she snapped her head back toward the guard. "Call her right now! She wants me to stay! She set terms!" she insisted, her voice rising to a frantic screech.

The security guard looked down at her for a brief second, then offered a silent nod to the officers. Before the police could even lay a hand on her coat, Cara lunged forward and grabbed the guard’s forearm, her fingers digging desperately into his dark sleeve.

"I said call her!" Cara barked, ignoring the deafening storm of camera shutters going off in a frenzy behind her.

"It is too late for that, Ma’am," the security guard said coldly, pulling his arm out of her grip with effortless ease. "You will have to arrange that conversation from the station."

"Please come with us now, Ma’am," the lead officer said, reaching out to hold her upper arm, turning her back toward the steps.

"Just call her! Tell her I agreed!" Cara screamed over her shoulder, but the three guards turned their backs on her, stepping through the glass doors as the automatic panels slid shut.

The press pack went wild, pressing forward as the officers escorted her down the wide stone steps. High-pitched questions flew at her from every direction.

"Why are you being removed from your fiancé’s property, Cara?" a female reporter shouted, thrusting a microphone toward her face. "Did you lie about the pregnancy?"

Cara kept her lips pressed into a thin line, refusing to give the woman the satisfaction of a response.

Instead, her eyes drifted back up toward the top floor of the high-rise. She searched the massive wall of tinted glass, but the window where Richard and Roxanne had been standing was now completely empty.

A sharp pang of defeat pierced her chest.

She looked back down at the sea of flashing lenses, her stomach twisting into a tight knot. Should I just do what Roxanne wants? Should I just publicly admit I lied to make this stop?

She looked at the eager, hungry faces of the journalists recording her public disgrace, and a sudden surge of heat replaced her panic. Her mind hardened with a dangerous new resolve.

Roxanne had humiliated her in front of the entire country. She would rather burn her own life down than give that woman the satisfaction of a total surrender.

Cara lifted her head high, her eyes blazing with pure venom as the officers guided her toward the rear door of the police vehicle.

"They can lock me out of their building," Cara declared to the flashing cameras, her voice dripping with absolute malice, "but they can’t lock me out of Richard’s life."

"What are you implying, Cara?" a reporter called out, leaning over the police barricade.

Cara let out a bitter laugh, her lips twisting into a cold sneer. "You people aren’t even ready for what I am going to reveal next," she scoffed, visualizing the chaos she was about to unleash.

The officers ushered her into the back seat, and the heavy door slammed shut, cutting off the noise of the crowd. Within minutes, the routine identification check was complete, and the police cleared her to drive her own vehicle behind them to the station for questioning.

Cara settled into the driver’s seat of her sedan, her hands still shaking as she turned the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life with a steady hum, the cool air from the vents brushing against her clammy forehead.

She took one last glance through the windshield at the towering glass facade of Vance Enterprises. Her eyes narrowed into slits.

"The biggest mistake you ever made was trying to humiliate me," she whispered into the quiet cabin of her car, her knuckles white on the leather steering wheel. "Now you are going to wish you had just let me inside."

High above the street, far removed from the circus on the pavement, Richard pushed open the door and walked back into his office.

Roxanne was standing beside his desk, her hands folded neatly over her stomach. She watched him silently as he crossed the room, her expression soft and unreadable.

Richard let out a heavy sigh, the tension finally leaving his broad shoulders as he closed the distance between them.

He took both of her hands in his, looking down into her eyes with a solemn expression. "I couldn’t just stand there," he confessed, his voice low and sincere. "I don’t want you to think I doubt your strength or your plan. I just— I needed to protect you and our baby. I couldn’t help myself."

"I know." Roxanne searched his eyes, feeling the warm pulse of his hands holding hers. A subtle smile touched her lips. "I am not angry with you, Richard. In fact, without even trying to, you managed to twist the knife even deeper into her ego."

Richard let out a quiet breath and offered a slight nod. "Well, I am glad my lack of restraint proved useful to your master plan," he murmured, a faint chuckle breaking through his serious tone. Roxanne joined in, the soft sound easing the heavy atmosphere in the room.

"She is gone now," Richard added, his voice regaining its usual authoritative edge. "The police will handle the trespassing, and I am certain she finally understands that she cannot harass us without facing real consequences."

Roxanne paused, her laughter fading as her gaze drifted back toward the large glass window. Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Do you really believe a woman like Cara will accept this as a lesson?" she asked softly.

Richard looked down at her, his expression darkening. "No," he finally said.

Roxanne’s smile disappeared.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!