He Wants An Open Marriage? Done!

Cara’s pale lips moved slightly, perhaps trying to formulate a clever rebuttal or offer some desperate excuse to save herself. But no matter how hard she tried, no words came out.

Richard’s lips twitched into a tiny, imperceptible smile. He had her cornered exactly where he wanted her. All he needed now was to hope this pressure would either force a full confession out of her tonight or buy Roxanne enough time to tear the lies apart.

To ensure she didn’t slip away, he needed to tighten the trap around her neck. He leaned forward in his seat, but before he could deliver another blow, Nicholas’s voice cut through the quiet room.

"You are all treating her terribly," Nicholas said, swirling his glass as he looked around at the family. "I think everyone in this room is forgetting that as much as you want proof, there is a very strong possibility that she is carrying a child. The absolute least you can do is show a little sensitivity. I know empathy is not easy for this family, but a new generation might be starting here. We cannot keep handling things with such harsh methods."

Cara’s stressed face lit up with immediate relief. "Thank you, Nick," she breathed, sinking back into a chair nearby. "I feel so completely overwhelmed by everything happening tonight. Right now, I almost wish I were not carrying a Vance heir."

"Well, clearly, you are not the only person in this room who wishes that," Pamela interjected, rolling her eyes in deep disgust.

Cara’s face twisted with instant annoyance. "You are just bitter and lonely, Pamela. Do us all a favor and get a life."

"Whatever the case may be, my decision on this matter is final," Richard cut in, his calm voice commanding the room. "I am fully prepared to take complete responsibility, but only after Cara meets my terms and proves beyond a doubt that I am the father of the child she claims to be carrying."

"You are being entirely unreasonable," Nicholas said, shaking his head with a mock sign of disapproval.

Richard ignored his brother completely, keeping his eyes fixed squarely on his mother. "Everything will be done according to my timeline," he stated. He turned his gaze back to Cara. "If you refuse to take the fresh test, then this discussion is over, and I will not be held accountable for any of my choices moving forward."

"This demand is ridiculous, but fine," Margaret said, waving her hand to settle the dispute.

"I don’t think Cara should have any issue with taking a simple test," Henry added, his deep voice calm and practical. "You were telling the truth about your pregnancy, right?" he asked, looking straight at Cara.

Cara’s throat bobbed as she swallowed hard. She gave a quick, nervous nod. "Of course," she stammered, smoothing her dress. "I have been telling the truth the entire time."

"Then why are you hesitating so much?" Henry asked, his dark brows pulling together in genuine suspicion.

"I am not hesitating at all," Cara claimed, giving an indifferent shrug.

"I don’t think she is hesitating out of fear. I think she is simply worried about the safety of the baby," Nicholas added smoothly, his tone laced with a faint trace of mockery. "After all, invasive testing during early pregnancy can carry risks. I am sure she is just being a protective mother."

Richard’s eyes narrowed slightly. Nicholas was defending Cara far too carefully. It was almost as if he wanted her to avoid the test.

Cara nodded eagerly, her face filled with desperate relief. "Exactly! I—"

"There are no excuses," Richard interrupted coldly. "If you were willing to provide samples for those tests before, there is no reason you cannot provide fresh samples under our doctor’s supervision."

Cara’s shoulders slumped in defeat, her escape route closed. She gave a tight nod. "Whenever Richard is ready, he can let me know. I will be waiting."

"Rest assured, Cara. I will be ready very soon," Richard said, his tone low, calm, and entirely unyielding.

—

Meanwhile, across town, Roxanne’s heart hammered against her ribs as she pulled the car into the quiet driveway of Richard’s private mansion.

As she brought the car to a smooth stop and turned off the engine, the sudden silence of the night settled over her.

Roxanne stared at the dark mansion through the windshield. She had spent the entire evening pretending her heart was breaking. The truth was, it had almost broken anyway.

Richard’s face when she refused to answer him still haunted her. She couldn’t afford to let him believe she doubted him for too long.

She exhaled a shaky breath, reached into her purse, and picked up her phone. She quickly dialed Theodore’s number and held the cool glass screen against her ear, listening to the steady ringing. After three long beats, the line connected.

"Hello, Roxanne," Theodore’s familiar, calm voice came through the speaker.

"Hi, Theo," Roxanne said softly, leaning her head back against the leather headrest. "Remember I told you earlier that I had a plan to gather more evidence about Cara’s claims?"

"Yes, I remember," he replied, his tone growing alert.

"I have the information now," Roxanne said, her fingers tightening around the phone. "I just forwarded what I got to you. They are the medical facilities listed on the documents Cara presented to the family tonight."

A brief silence stretched across the line before Theodore spoke again. "Alright. Did she hand these directly to you?"

Roxanne nodded out of habit, staring out into the dark yard. "She showed them to everyone at the Vance villa as proof of her pregnancy and paternity."

"And you believe that whatever she gave was false?" Theodore asked carefully.

"Yes, Theo," Roxanne answered without a second of hesitation. "I need you to verify if those medical facilities are real, and I need to find out through any official channel if Cara actually had any tests run there."

Theodore let out a low sigh over the phone. "I understand," he said quietly. "Navigating private medical records is extremely risky, but I will do everything in my power to dig up the truth for you."

"Thank you so much, Theo," Roxanne murmured, relief softening her voice. "I need that verified data as soon as possible. I am walking a very tight rope right now."

"I completely understand. Don’t worry, I will get to work immediately," Theodore promised.

"Thank you, Theo," Roxanne said before ending the call.

She set the phone down on the passenger seat and let out a trembling exhale, staring up at the grand house illuminated by the soft exterior lights. Just a little longer, Cara. I will make sure you never see this coming, she thought, her gaze steady.

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