He Wants An Open Marriage? Done!

"When did they make this announcement?" Roxanne asked, turning her head toward Libby. Her heart hammered against her ribs, and her eyes shone with a sudden burst of pure excitement.

"About five minutes ago," Libby answered, tapping her finger against the side of her digital tablet. "And it is already blowing up all over social media. The major news houses have picked it up too, and now everyone online is asking questions."

Roxanne nodded slowly, her chest rising and falling. She could only hope the public would start asking the right questions now.

"This is incredible news," Richard said, a wide smile breaking across his face. For the first time in weeks, the weight pressing against his chest seemed to disappear. "If Cardinal Hospital denied the claim, then the next thing that will happen is the other facilities Cara mentioned will jump in to do the same thing."

Roxanne nodded, the cool air of the office soothing her warm skin. "I really hope so," she murmured. "The most interesting one will be Saints Laboratory, because that place does not even exist in the registry."

Richard gave a confident nod. "I guess we just need to keep our fingers crossed for now," he said. He turned his head toward his assistant, his tone shifting back to his usual professional calm. "Thank you for bringing this to us, Libby. You may leave."

Libby smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "Please excuse me," she said softly, turning on her heel and exiting the grand room. The door clicked shut behind her, restoring quiet to the space.

Richard turned back to Roxanne, his expression warming instantly. "Let’s sit in the lounge area," he suggested. He stood up from his seat and extended his hand toward her.

Roxanne reached out and placed her fingers in his, letting him gently pull her up. A genuine smile spread across her face. "I am so glad the plan is actually working just as I imagined it in my head."

Richard nodded with enthusiasm, his thumb lightly stroking the back of her hand as they walked over to the sofa in the private corner of his office. "I am happy as well," he said softly. "But there is one thing I would like to add to this plan."

Roxanne furrowed her brows playfully, leaning into the soft cushions beside him. "What is it?" she asked, tilting her head.

Richard’s bright smile dimmed slightly, replaced by a more serious look. "I think now that Cara’s lies are falling apart, it is time for us to announce that we are expecting a baby together," he said, his voice deep and steady. "I want everyone to know that you are the woman I have chosen, and that you are the one I want to build a family with."

Roxanne’s smile faded completely. Her brows pulled together into a tight knot as a cold wave of hesitation washed over her chest. Richard’s words were sweet and beautiful, but doubt flickered back into her mind.

She looked straight into his eyes and shook her head. "I am not sure I am ready for that," she admitted, her tone thick with skepticism.

Richard leaned closer, taking both of her hands into his own. His eyes were deeply earnest, searching her face for any sign of comfort.

"It is what is best, Roxanne," he urged gently. "The entire world will finally see that you are my woman and that there is no one else I would rather stand beside. It will also prove to everyone that we were not hiding our child out of shame, but simply avoiding the public circus."

Roxanne stared down at their joined hands, carefully processing every word. The faint hum of the air conditioner filled the brief silence between them.

"I just really do not want our child brought into all this noise," she said softly, her voice trembling with emotion. "We have to protect our baby first."

Richard nodded quickly, his grip on her hands tightening with reassurance. "Exactly. That is why this announcement will silence the noise once and for all. Everyone will know that I chose you."

He took a slow breath before continuing. "And I am not saying we have to post it this exact minute. I am saying that once these other clinics crash Cara’s remaining lies, this entire drama can finally be laid to rest. Then, we make our announcement."

Roxanne let out a long breath through her lips, feeling the lingering knot in her shoulders begin to loosen. She looked up at him and gave a resolute nod. "Alright. Once all this drama is completely buried," she agreed firmly. "And that means the situation with the Riggs Group has to be dealt with as well."

Richard gave a firm nod. "That works for me," he agreed without hesitation. "Besides, clearing this Cara scandal will help us handle the board regarding the Riggs Group anyway. The directors will finally see that our rivals were merely witch-hunting us without a single real fact."

"They will also realize that the Riggs Group is not much of a real threat if they have to rely on fake news to attack us," Roxanne added, a faint shrug lifting her shoulders. "For now, though, we just have to sit tight and hope the other clinics speak up."

She had barely finished her sentence when the small electronic intercom on the table buzzed to life. Libby’s urgent voice came through the small speaker. "Sir, I think you need to turn on the television right now."

Richard reached across the glass tabletop, picked up the black remote control, and hit the power button. The massive flat screen mounted on the wall lit up instantly, casting a subtle glow over the room.

"Wait," Roxanne whispered. Richard looked at her. "Listen."

The news anchor continued. "Crowther Clinic has just issued a formal statement confirming that they have no record of Cara Whitewater in their patient database," she announced, her clear voice filling the quiet office. "This statement comes barely minutes after Cardinal Hospital denied having any record of Cara Whitewater undergoing testing at their facility. That directly contradicts the documents Cara presented to the public."

Roxanne smiled as she watched the news anchor.

"Right now, the public is asking if any part of this scandal holds truth. Is that ultrasound even real?" The news anchor asked.

Roxanne watched the screen, a brilliant smile spreading across her face. Beside her, Richard held her hand tightly, his face glowing with the exact same relief and happiness.

"Everything is actually going as planned," Roxanne whispered to herself, almost stunned by how smoothly her strategy was unfolding.

"Look there! Read the ticker at the bottom of the screen," Richard said, pointing a finger toward the television.

A bright red banner scrolled across the bottom of the display: Queen Mary’s Hospital confirms they never validated Cara Whitewater’s pregnancy. An internal investigation is underway to determine how she obtained forged documents. Legal representatives for the hospital have already filed a lawsuit against Miss Whitewater.

"They are actually suing her?" Roxanne asked, her eyes widening in complete shock as a laugh escaped her lips.

Roxanne threw her arms around him and pulled him into a warm hug. She buried her face in his shoulder in excitement.

"If three out of the four medical reports are fake, no one in their right mind will ever believe a word out of Cara’s mouth again," Richard said as he pulled back to look at her. "My name is finally clear."

Roxanne smiled warmly at him, feeling the heavy weight of the past few weeks lifting off their shoulders. But as she looked at his face, a sudden thought dropped into her mind. Her smile faded slightly, and her brows furrowed in curiosity.

"There is still one question left unanswered," she said quietly.

Richard looked at her, his brow arching. "What question?"

Roxanne met his gaze. "Is Cara pregnant at all, or was the whole thing a complete lie?"

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