He Wants An Open Marriage? Done!

The next morning, Richard and Roxanne arrived together at the corporate headquarters. As the sleek dark car rolled to a smooth stop in front of the glass building of Vance Enterprises, two security men stepped forward to hold the rear door.

Roxanne offered a quiet thank-you and stepped out into the crisp morning air. As she did, the guard extended his arm to steady her balance. She looked at his hand with a slight frown, then offered a polite smile.

"Thank you, I have got it," she said gently.

"Alright, Ma’am. Please be careful," the security guard murmured, his low voice tinged with deep concern.

Roxanne paused for a second, staring at him. Be careful? Why would he say something like that to her out of nowhere?

She exhaled a sharp breath, smoothing down the front of her dress, and walked toward the entrance. She glanced back at the guard once more, giving a slight shrug. He is just doing his job, she told herself, trying to dismiss the strange knot forming in her stomach.

As she walked through the polished glass doors, Roxanne noticed the uneasy expressions on the faces of the front-desk guards. The moment she stepped into the reception, her pulse quickened.

The air felt ice-cold against her skin, and it was not because of the central cooling, it was because every single eye in the lobby was locked on her.

Near the elevator bank, she spotted Libby standing in the center of the hall, her brows pinched together in an anxious line. Why on earth was Richard’s assistant waiting down here in the lobby?

Roxanne leaned slightly toward Richard, her arm brushing his. "Something is wrong," she whispered.

Richard’s dark brows furrowed. He scanned the crowded reception room, his gaze landing on Libby’s pale face. "What is going on, Libby? Why are you waiting down here?" he demanded as they reached her.

Libby glanced nervously around the lobby before leaning in, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Have you not checked the morning news yet?"

Richard frowned, sharing a quick look with Roxanne before facing his assistant again. "What news? Speak up, Libby," he ordered, his tone laced with impatience as they all moved toward the private elevator.

Roxanne pulled her phone from her purse, her heart pounding against her ribs. What terrible news could Libby possibly be talking about? Looking at the raw panic on the assistant’s face, she knew it was a nightmare.

Libby exhaled a shaky breath. "Sir, we have a major disaster. Riggs Group leaked private information about Miss Roxanne’s pregnancy to the media early this morning."

Richard’s entire face hardened into stone. "No."

Roxanne’s thumb froze instantly over her phone screen. She lifted her wide, shocked eyes to look straight at Libby. "They did what?" she gasped, her pulse roaring in her ears.

"I am so sorry, Ma’am," Libby murmured, looking away.

Roxanne felt as though her feet were suddenly glued to the floor. The worst scenario she feared was unfolding right before her eyes. They had dragged her innocent, unborn child directly into their dirty corporate war.

She brought her palm up to cover her flat stomach, her jaw setting into a tight line. "How much information did they leak?"

Libby shook her head, stopping right outside the elevator doors. "Just enough, I am afraid." Her face tightened with anxiety. "The press is already surrounding the main gates. Every news outlet is running headlines asking if Mr. Vance really impregnated two different women at the exact same time."

Roxanne shook her head, her hands curling into tight fists at her sides. "I knew Nicholas was going to pull something like this," she said, her voice shaking with rage. "They are going to pay dearly for this."

Richard’s nostrils flared, his dark eyes burning with absolute fury. "How long has this story been circulating online?"

"About forty minutes, Sir," Libby answered quietly.

"Forty minutes? And you did not think to call me immediately?" Richard asked, his deep voice trembling with restrained anger. "What about our stock prices? Is anyone tracking the market reaction?"

Libby quickly unlocked her digital tablet, her fingers flying across the glass screen. She glanced up at Richard with a grim expression. "Our shares are down six percent already, Sir."

Richard’s cold gaze remained locked ahead. He glanced at the staring staff members around the lobby, then reached down and took Roxanne’s trembling hand into his firm grip. "I will clean up this mess. I promise you," he stated, his voice steady and resolute.

Roxanne looked up at him, her eyes stinging with hot tears of frustration, but she gave a single nod. "You are not going to deal with this alone," she insisted softly.

Richard opened his mouth to object, but she shook her head firmly. "They are not just trying to embarrass you, Richard," she whispered, stepping closer to his side. "They are trying to convince the board that I am a liability to this company. And they used my baby to do it."

Richard stared down at her, his eyes darkening. "They are not going to win this battle," he vowed through tightly clenched teeth.

The elevator doors opened with a soft chime, and the three of them stepped inside the quiet cabin.

Richard looked down at Roxanne, his jaw clamped shut as pure determination filled his chest. "I gave Nicholas a final warning last night, and he still dared to cross me. Now he is going to learn that I never make empty threats."

A few seconds later, the elevator doors slid open on the ninth floor.

Richard turned to face Libby, his eyes blazing with dark authority. "I want a full report on every article, blog post, and rumor circulating out there. Have it sent directly to my private email within five minutes."

Libby nodded quickly. "Understood, Sir," she replied, but she remained rooted to the spot. She swallowed hard, her throat bobbing as she looked at them.

"There is something else, isn’t there?" Roxanne asked, her eyes narrowing as she stepped toward the assistant.

Libby let out a long sigh, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "I am afraid that is not even the worst of it," she admitted softly.

Richard’s jaw set so hard that the muscles along his cheek twitched. "Spill it out already," he commanded, his tone controlled.

"The board just called an emergency meeting," Libby announced quietly. "They are convening in one hour."

Richard’s expression hardened. He slowly looked at Roxanne.

The attack had begun.

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