He Wants An Open Marriage? Done!

Roxanne shifted her gaze back to Richard, her small smile widening into something sharp and determined. "Looking at where we are right now, seeing her at the estate will mean taking another massive step toward dismantling her plans," she said, her voice filled with quiet conviction.

Richard looked down at her and gave a slow nod, though the tight tension in his shoulders told Roxanne he was far from convinced.

He reached out and held her warm hand, his thick fingers wrapping securely around hers. "I just want you to think through every detail of your strategy carefully," he said softly, his dark eyes searching her face.

Roxanne nodded reassuringly. "Yes, I will be careful. There is no need to worry about me," she promised, squeezing his fingers.

With a sharp exhale, she stood up from her chair and leaned over the desk to press a brief kiss against his lips. "I had better get back to my desk now. I need to finish my work in time for our lovely date with your mother," she added, her words laced with light sarcasm.

Richard offered a faint smile, the tension around his mouth easing just a fraction.

As she turned toward the door, she could feel his heavy gaze following every step she took across the carpet. When her hand reached the brass handle, she paused, turned her head, and blew him a playful kiss over her shoulder. Richard’s smile deepened, and he gave her a wink.

The second the door clicked shut behind Roxanne, Richard’s smile died instantly.

He pushed himself off the edge of the table, his racing pulse refused to settle. He drummed his fingers against the table.

His mind drifted back to Christian’s arrogant words on the phone earlier, and his hands curled into tight fists on the table. He will pay dearly for talking to her like that. I will personally see to it.

He grabbed his phone off the desk, pausing for a moment. He knew Roxanne would want to know everything. But after everything Christian had just said to her, Richard wasn’t willing to put another burden on her shoulders until he understood exactly what he was dealing with.

His thumb moved swiftly across the glass as he dialed Ethan’s private cell.

The line rang twice before connecting. "Hello, Richard," Ethan’s calm voice came through the receiver.

"Ethan, I need you to get me the exact location of Christian Westbrook," Richard ordered firmly, walking toward the floor-to-ceiling window. "I want his current address and everything we can legally learn about his movements."

"Understood, sir," Ethan replied without hesitation. He paused for a beat, and Richard immediately picked up on the sudden shift in his digital investigator’s tone.

"What is it, Ethan?" Richard asked, his eyebrows pulling tightly together into a prominent furrow.

Ethan let out a sigh over the speaker. "There is a new document I think you need to look at right away, sir."

Richard felt a cold drop of dread creep up his spine, his grip tightening around the metal casing until his knuckles turned pale. "What is going on out there? Speak up, Ethan!"

"I am forwarding you a file we just intercepted from our insider at the Riggs Group," Ethan explained.

Richard’s pulse spiked loudly in his ears. He pulled the device away from his face, hit the speakerphone icon, and quickly navigated to his messaging application. As the file from Ethan opened on the display, his eyes darkened with raw fury, his hands trembling slightly with sudden rage.

On the bright screen was a copied, time-stamped email thread between his brother, Nicholas, and Thomas Riggs.

Richard’s fingers felt stiff and numb as he scrolled slowly down the text thread. He stopped abruptly at a set of recent messages that made his blood boil in his veins.

Thomas Riggs: Dear Nick, we are still waiting for your formal strategy on how this new scandal directly benefits the Riggs Group. Remember that our firm is here to assist you in making your main family pay for their mistakes.

Nicholas Vance: I am currently working on something massive. It will cause our stock values to skyrocket, and Richard will be coming back to us on his knees very soon.

Thomas Riggs: Perfect. Remember that the plan is to expand Riggs Group, and I want him desperate enough to sell Vance Enterprises to me.

Nicholas Vance: Trust me, it will happen.

Thomas Riggs: And you are certain Richard won’t discover your involvement?

Nicholas Vance: By the time he does, it won’t matter.

Richard closed the application with a sharp swipe, his face twisting with a dark mixture of disgust and deep disappointment. "That reckless fool," he growled under his breath into the empty room. "Thomas is using him like a pawn, and he is too blind to even see it."

Ethan remained completely silent over the line, giving his boss the necessary space to digest the betrayal.

"When exactly did our insider intercept this exchange?" Richard demanded, his breathing heavy and ragged as he fought to suppress the violent anger surge in his chest.

"Just ten minutes ago, sir," Ethan answered quietly.

Richard gave a stiff nod toward the empty air. "Send me the full location details regarding Christian’s whereabouts the second you confirm them," he ordered. "That will be all for now."

With a sharp tap, he ended the call and tossed the phone onto the desk.

He remained standing by the glass window for several minutes, his mind churning as he carefully weighed his next move. "If you truly want me to forget that we share the same blood, Nicholas, then you are going to get your exact wish," he whispered bitterly into the quiet room, his fingers balling back into fists.

—

Hours later, as the early evening shadows stretched across the manicured lawns, Richard’s sleek black sedan pulled up the long, winding driveway of the Vance family villa.

They stepped out of the vehicle onto the cool stone driveway and walked slowly toward the grand double doors of the main house. The scent of blooming jasmine hung heavy in the evening air.

Before reaching the entrance, Richard paused, taking Roxanne’s small hand in his and looking deep into her eyes. "Are you ready for this?" he asked softly, his thumb gently stroking the back of her hand.

Roxanne looked up at his face and exhaled a steadying breath, her grip tightening firmly in his warm palm. "Yes, I am ready," she said, her voice clear.

Together, they stepped through the archway into the grand foyer of the villa.

As they walked into the sprawling living room, a heavy silence settled over the space. The entire family was already seated along the plush velvet sofas in a tense, formal circle. Everyone was present, including Nicholas, who sat near the corner with a drink in hand.

Richard’s blood ran cold as his eyes landed on his brother’s smug expression.

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