My Husband Wants An Open Marriage novel is a billionaires book, written by Elysian Sparrow, it tells a billionaires romance story about Julie and Ryan.
It's true what they say about marriage: one partner's always happier than the other.
~~~
Julie's world is shattered when her husband, Ryan, reveals that he wants an open marriage. His reason: he needs a child as they've been unable to have one. Julie reluctantly agrees to save her marriage.
The next day, Ryan returns home with his secretary, confirming Julie's long-held suspicion that their affair was taking place behind her back.
Julie, heartbroken and enraged, seeks solace in a bar, where she meets a fascinating stranger named Luke, who changes the game. Julie confides in Luke over drinks, and he proposes a risky plan: he will act as her "boyfriend" to turn the tables on Ryan.
Julie agrees, setting off a chain of events that will challenge everything she thought she knew about love, loyalty, and herself.
~~Julie~~
My husband, Ryan, is standing on the karaoke stage, making a fool of himself. His shirt is unbuttoned halfway, his tie long abandoned, and his cheeks are flushed from too much whiskey.
"And I.........will always love you....." he sings, closing his eyes.
His voice is terrible.
Standing next to him, practically glued to his side, is his secretary, Emily. Her left arm is around Ryan's waist, her fingers lightly grazing his back as she sings along. She's younger than me, at least by half a decade, all wide eyes and perfect curves, dressed in a tight, low-cut dress that makes it impossible to ignore her presence. She leans into Ryan, whispering something in his ear, and he throws his head back, laughing. He looks at her like she's the funniest person in the world.
I've never seen him this happy.
The last time I saw him this happy was on our wedding day, seven years ago. Back then, his eyes sparkled when he looked at me. Now, the light in them has grown dimmer; they're shining for someone else.
Around me, everyone is laughing. It's the company's quarterly review party, and the employees are loose after a few too many drinks, finding Ryan and Emily's performance hilarious. But I know what they're really laughing at. They're laughing at me. The CEO's wife, sitting here while her husband practically gropes his secretary in front of everyone. The whispers, the side glances, they don't even try to hide it.
"Do you think they're going to kiss?" someone whispers behind me.
"Definitely. Bet they'll be doing more than kissing after this," someone else replies, and they both chuckle.
I turn around to look at the people talking. Young, drunk, probably high on weed too. They must be interns. Only people with zero knowledge of the company's hierarchy would make such a statement close to their employer's wife.
Or maybe they just don't care.
The girl, with messy blonde hair and red cheeks, locks eyes with me. "Hi!" she says, a little too loud. "Do you work here?"
Do I work here? My eyes narrow. She's definitely an intern.
She's pretty, the kind of pretty that comes with youth and arrogance. The boy next to her drapes his arm lazily over her shoulders.
I don't respond. I just stare at them, cold and unblinking.
Before I can say something that would make them regret their existence, I hear my name called.
"Julie!" the voice says, drawing my attention.
Even before I turn, I know who it is. Samantha, the vice president of marketing. We both work for Paragon Jewels, Ryan's company, the leading manufacturer of luxury jewelry in North America. Her position is just below mine, so she's one of the few who calls out my name like we're friends, even though we're not.
"Samantha," I reply, forcing a polite smile.
"I didn't know you were here, Julie. I was just telling the marketing team we have to get you involved more!"
The name hits me like a punch to the face. Lucas Martinez? Luke is the CEO of Couture Collective? The biggest fashion company in North and South America? How the hell did I not know this?
I blink, still processing. The air feels like it's been sucked out of the room for a second, and all I can hear is the rushing sound of blood in my ears.
But there he is. Sitting casually, grinning, as if he's enjoying every second of my discomfort. He stands up, extending his hand, his eyes never leaving mine.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. O'Brien," he says, his voice calm and collected, but there's a twinkle of mischief in his gaze.
I force a smile, slipping into autopilot mode as I shake his hand. Keep it together, Julie. Keep it together.
"The pleasure is mine, Mr. Martinez," I reply, my voice just a little too formal. The contact of his hand is warm-familiar. A little too familiar, given the circumstances.
Luke doesn't miss a beat. "Please, call me Luke," he says. His tone is casual, as if we're old friends. Which, in a way, we are. Just not in the way Ryan would approve of.
Ryan's voice pulls me back to reality. He's practically buzzing with excitement as he looks between us, unaware of the tension hanging in the air. "Isn't this great, Julie? We'll get to work with Mr. Martinez himself."
"It's wonderful, Ryan." I plaster a smile on my face and nod. "Really wonderful."
Ryan doesn't seem to pick up on the undercurrent between Luke and me. Instead, he gestures for us to sit, eager to get into business mode. "Let's talk about the campaign. This partnership with Couture Collective is going to be huge for Paragon."
I nod politely, sliding into the seat next to Ryan. My mind is still racing, but I'm determined to stay focused. Luke is just a business partner, nothing more. I repeat that mantra in my head as I sit there, willing myself not to think about our night at the bar or the phone call last night.
Luke settles across from me, and I catch him glancing at me from the corner of my eye. That same cocky grin is still playing on his lips, and I can feel his gaze burning into me, like he's silently daring me to acknowledge what's between us.
"So, Julie," Luke says, turning his full attention to me. "What exactly is your role at Paragon?"
There it is. The shift. The moment he pulls me into the conversation, drawing me into his game. I can feel Ryan looking at me, proud as ever, completely unaware of the loaded nature of the question.
"I'm the Chief Marketing Officer," I say, keeping my tone cool and professional. "I oversee all the marketing strategies and campaigns. Making sure the brand stays on top."
Luke raises an eyebrow. "So, we'll be working closely together, then," he says, the word "closely" rolling off his tongue in a way that makes my stomach twist.
Ryan jumps in. "Of course! The marketing team is going to be crucial to this partnership. Julie's the best in the business-she'll make sure everything runs smoothly."
I glance at Luke, whose gaze hasn't left me. There's something in his eyes, something playful, but also challenging. He's pushing, testing me, seeing how far I'll go. I refuse to give him the satisfaction of a reaction.
Julie laughs, but it's more nervous than before. "That's the point, right? I mean, it's supposed to look real."
I watch her carefully. I don't even know how to answer that without giving myself away.
I see something flicker in her eyes-something unsure, maybe even vulnerable. But she brushes it off, returning her focus to the iPad, as if that will shield her from whatever tension is building between us.
"Let's get back to the plan," she says.
And so we dive back into the details, hammering out strategies and scenarios, but all the while, I'm watching her, realizing what I really want.
I want Julie.
I'm determined to get her.
I'm going to play along with her stupid plan-because one way or another, she's going to end up mine.
~~~
I drop Julie off in front of Paragon Jewels, my eyes following her as she steps out of the car. She adjusts her blouse, throws a glance at the building, then back at me. Her smile makes me wonder if she can read my thoughts. God, I hope not. If she knew the whirlpool of ideas and-let's be honest-desires swirling around in my head, she'd probably sprint up those stairs without a second look.
"Thanks for the ride," she says. "It's not every day a girl gets chauffeured by her fake boyfriend. Also, thank you for today. I really enjoyed myself."
I smile, leaning against the driver's seat, watching her. "I'm here to serve, princess. Perks of the job."
"Yeah, well, don't let it get to your head."
"Too late for that."
She gives a playful sigh before turning to face the glass doors of Paragon Jewels.
"Luke," she calls over her shoulder, "don't wait. You don't have to."
I nod. "I know. But I want to."
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