My Husband Wants An Open Marriage (Julie and Ryan)
Open Billionaire 51

CHAPTER 051: Almost Nostalgic

CHAPTER 051: Almost Nostalgic

I reach into the nightstand for the taser I'd brought up earlier. I click it on, letting the blue light crackle in my hand for a second before switching it off and holding it at my side. It's not like I'll need it-probably. But I love knowing I have it.

As I descend the staircase, I hear their laughter, faint but grating, echoing through the front door. I take my time, each step deliberate, almost regal, like I'm finally walking into a role I was always meant to play. The queen of this godforsaken castle, here to set things straight. I swing open the door, and for a moment, there's a stunned silence. Ryan and Emily are standing there, both frozen as they take me in. Ryan's gaze travels slowly over me, lingering far too long, while Emily just gawks, blinking, her jaw slack. "Well, well," Ryan says, recovering. "You're back."

I smile, a slow, icy grin. "Of course, I'm back. Kindly take my presence in front of you as an eviction notice. The both of you are no longer allowed in this house."

Ryan chuckles, arching an eyebrow, clearly amused. But Emily? Her face flushes deep red, and she steps forward, almost indignant. "I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me," I say, keeping my voice cool, calm. "Everything you own that I couldn't burn today is neatly piled beside the grill machine. I suggest you pick it up if it's still important to you. As for this house, I don't think I could make it any clearer you're no longer welcome here."

"You can't do that! Ryan, tell her she can't do that!" Emily says.

"Oh, I can," I say, shifting slightly, just enough to show her the taser. She glances at it and hesitates,' but she's too stubborn to back down. She takes a step, then another, daring to push past me.

But before I know it, I'm shoving her, harder than I realized I could. Emily stumbles backward, tripping over her own ridiculous heels, and goes sprawling onto the porch with a yelp, her hair flying and her face twisting with rage. She lets out a scream, her hands clutching her stomach, and then the tears come, big crocodile ones that only fuel my satisfaction.

Ryan immediately drops down beside her, his face filled with concern as he pats her shoulder. "Emily, are you alright?"

Emily scowls at him. "No, I am not alright! Get your bitch of a wife out of this house right now. Can't you see she tried to kill my baby, our baby?"

Ryan sighs. "I'll handle it, Em. Just calm down."

"Handle it," she spits, pointing a manicured finger at me. "She's a beast. She's a witch."

"I said, I'll handle it."

I laugh then, unable to hold it back, and the sound seems to snap something in both of them. Ryan turns back to me, his jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing, that familiar fire in his gaze. "Julie, enough of this. Let's talk about this inside."

"Inside? Oh, that's precious. Did you miss the part where I told you this isn't your house anymore?"

"Julie," he says, his voice dipping low, trying to calm me, soothe me, like he's always done, like I'm just

+25 BOTRUS

CHAPTER 051: Almost Nostalgid

some silly, hysterical woman. "Just calm down. Let's talk about this."

I let my finger hover over the taser button. "I don't have anything to say to you."

"You know whatever you're doing here is illegal, right?"

I laugh, shaking my head. "Illegal? Please. If I recall correctly, you bought this house in my name. One of the many things you bought in my name. Good luck taking this to court."

I watch as the realization sinks into his face. The hint of fear in his eyes is delicious. His mind is racing, trying to replace a way around it, but we both know there isn't one.

I lean back against the doorframe, folding my arms. "I'll give you both five minutes to get off my property."

He holds up his hands. "Alright. We'll leave." He glances at Emily, who's fuming on the ground, then ba at me. "I just want you to know that I miss you, Julie. There's not a single day that goes by that I don't think of you."

I roll my eyes, but he just steps closer, his voice dropping to a pleading whisper.

"This... all this, it wasn't my doing. You know that, don't you? People are just... they're trying to tear us apart."

"Oh, really?" I say, arching an eyebrow.

But he's not done. He's on a roll now.

"We've been together for over ten years, Julie. Over a decade of laughter, love. All the things we've been through... remember?" His voice softens, almost nostalgic. "Remember back in college? The late-night study sessions, that time we got locked out of our dorm and had to sleep on the lawn in the rain..., Remember how we just laughed through it all? That's us, Julie. That's who we are. We've weathered every storm together."

I just stare at him, my throat tightening, and damn it, I feel a tear slip down my cheek. But it's not sadness. It's... it's anger, frustration, years of wasted time coming out in this quiet, infuriating moment. And somehow, as I look at him, all I can think is, why did it take me so long to see him for what he is?

"I'm sorry, Julie," he says, reaching out like he's about to touch my arm, but I pull back. "If you want Emily out, I'll do it. I'll tell her to leave. We can negotiate with her on taking the baby."

Behind him, Emily sputters. "What? Are you insane? No one's taking my baby!"

Ryan turns to her, but I cut in. "The keys."

He turns back to me, blinking. "What?"

"The keys to the Bentley, Ryan."

He hesitates, then nods. "Emily, give her the keys."

Emily huffs, glaring at both of us, but slowly, she reaches into her bag, holding out the keys like they're toxic. I snatch them from her hand, and she flinches back, trying to put as much space as possible between us.

I look down at the keys, then back at them. "I'm keeping the Bentley. And the house. Do see yourselves out."

And with that, I turn, stepping back inside, closing the door, watching their shocked, furious faces through the narrowing gap. And as it clicks shut, I wipe away a fear, a strange, liberating feeling settling over me. This is it. This is freedom.