He Wants An Open Marriage? Done!

The final second of the countdown ticked away, leaving a heavy, ringing silence in its wake as Margaret finished.

Roxanne’s heart hammered a frantic rhythm against her ribs, the sound loud in her own ears. She kept her eyes locked on the table, waiting for the mole to break under the pressure.

But nobody moved. Nobody confessed.

The traitor was hiding in plain sight, keeping their mask perfectly intact.

Henry shifted in his seat, his brow furrowing into deep lines of exhaustion. "Why don’t you just name the person already, Margaret?"

"I agree, Mother," Nicholas spoke up, leaning back. His tone was laced with a sharp irritation. "Just reveal the name so we can get this over with." He casually adjusted his cuffs, deliberately avoiding Margaret’s gaze.

Margaret’s face twisted, her features morphing into a mask of pure fury. She locked her eyes onto Nicholas, the air around her practically vibrating. "You have some nerve saying that to me!" she snapped, her voice dripping with venom.

Wait. What? Roxanne’s eyes widened, a sudden spike of adrenaline making her sit up straight. Beside her, Richard leaned forward, his entire body going rigid. The rest of the board members traded bewildered glances, and a low murmur immediately rippled across the table.

"What are you trying to say, Maggie?" Henry asked, his voice dropping into a cautious register as he stared at his wife.

Margaret didn’t look at Henry. She kept her burning gaze anchored to Nicholas, slowly raising a finger to point directly at him. "Christian named Nicholas. He said it was him."

A collective gasp echoed in the room, followed by a wave of shocked whispers. Heads shook in disbelief, and the board members actively pulled away from Nicholas as if he were suddenly contagious.

"That can’t be right," Henry muttered, his voice cracking slightly as he shook his head. "There has to be a mistake. Are you absolutely certain, Maggie?"

Pamela stared at her brother, her face completely pale. "It just can’t be. It’s practically impossible."

Cara let out a sharp breath of relief, the tension draining from her shoulders as she readjusted in her chair. She shot a triumphant look across the table at Roxanne and Pamela.

"I’ll be waiting for my apology for those false accusations. At least now the whole room can see I’m innocent." She turned her eyes to Richard, her voice softening into a desperate plea. "Can you see now, Richard? I would never, ever betray you."

Richard completely ignored her. His eyes were fixed on his brother, watching the way Nicholas sat there, entirely calm. A muscle ticked violently in Richard’s jaw.

"Why are you all speaking for him?" Richard asked. His voice was quiet, a low rumble of restrained anger that made the air in the room feel thin. "Why don’t you let him speak for himself? What do you have to say, Nicholas?"

Nicholas met Richard’s gaze and smiled faintly. "Shouldn’t blood mean something to you anymore?" He scoffed, shaking his head. "I can’t believe you’re actually foolish enough to believe a single word out of that blackmailer’s mouth."

"That doesn’t answer the question!" Richard shot back through clenched teeth. His fist slammed onto the table, vibrating the water glasses. He was waiting for an excuse to snap.

Nicholas remained laid back, entirely unfazed by the outburst. He locked eyes with his brother, a cold, unreadable glint dancing in his stare. "So you’re really going to believe a low-life over your own blood?"

"Should I?" Richard countered, his voice steady, stepping right into the challenge.

"Well, I am pleased to tell you that if you think it was me, Christian didn’t just play Mother; he fooled you, too," Nicholas said, smoothly turning his attention to Margaret. "I don’t understand what made you think you could buy his loyalty so easily. The man is deranged. He would say absolutely anything to secure a payout. Have you even asked yourself why he wouldn’t say the name out loud in front of the room?"

Margaret’s expression faltered. The fury in her eyes gave way to a flicker of doubt, the wheels turning as she considered the very real possibility that Christian had just run a con on her.

Roxanne caught the sudden shift in Margaret’s face and immediately intervened. "Christian wasn’t bluffing," she said, her voice clear and grounding. Margaret’s head snapped toward her. Roxanne met her gaze with absolute certainty and nodded. "Take that from someone who actually knows how his mind works. He was telling the truth."

"So what exactly are you suggesting, Roxanne?" Nicholas interjected, his voice sharply dropping into a sneer.

"That you do the honorable thing for once and tell the truth!" Margaret cut in, her voice booming over his. "And you better start explaining how you intend to fix the disaster you’ve brought down on this family."

"I didn’t create any disaster. I didn’t do this," Nicholas denied fiercely, his eyes widening as his defenses went up. "Why would I do it? Why are you believing a criminal or her over your own son?"

He gestured toward the door. "Why don’t you bring Christian back in here so he can say it to my face? Let’s see if he has the guts."

"We don’t need to bring Christian back. There is a much simpler way to get the truth from you," Roxanne said, her voice cool, cutting right through his panic.

Nicholas glared at her, his lips curling. "Stay out of this. This is a family matter, and it is absolutely none of your business."

"Well, the last time I checked, I was the one in that video, and it’s my reputation and career on the line," Roxanne shot back, leaning forward, the heat of her own anger flashing in her eyes. "So no, Nicholas, I am not staying out of it. I want the truth more than anyone else at this table, and I will do whatever it takes to get it."

Richard nodded firmly, his posture softening just a fraction as he looked at her. "Roxanne has every right to speak here," he declared, his voice dropping into a much calmer tone. He looked at her directly. "Please. Go ahead."

Roxanne offered him a brief nod of acknowledgment before turning her focus back to the center of the table. "Nicholas just needs to grant us access to his phone. If he’s innocent, we won’t find any messages or emails exchanged with Christian."

She locked her eyes directly onto Nicholas, her gaze unwavering. "Can we look at your messaging apps and your email right now? And you know that refusing will only convince everyone you’re guilty."

Nicholas stared back at her, his jaw locking so tight the bone showed beneath his skin.

The silence stretched between them, thick, and he said absolutely nothing.

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