My Husband Wants An Open Marriage (Julie and Ryan)
Open Billionaire 56

CHAPTER 056: Handpicked By Angels Ryan O'Brien~~

Ryan collapses in his seat. It's barely past noon, and he's exhausted. His mother, Adeline, had made him send about three dozen emails to various companies-potential partners-and at this point, if he has to send another "I hope this email replaces you well", he'd lose his

damn mind.

Jesus Christ. Half the companies on these emails aren't even worth the attention.

And Adeline has somehow forgotten that Ryan has a secretary.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be?" Ryan says, staring at his mother who's penning something down. in a book.

"I'm right where I want to be," she replies without looking up.

"What if I don't want you here?"

"Great. You can leave."

"It's my office," he says. "You can't set up a workstation in the CEO's office. I can arrange for an office in your name so we can both get privacy. You are suffocating me, Mom, I can't breathe."

Adeline's pen stills, her manicured fingers hovering over the page. Then, slowly, she raises her head and looks at him with that same cold, calculating gaze that used to send shivers down his spine when he was a kid. But he isn't a kid anymore. He's a grown man-a CEO, for God's sake-so why does her stare still make him feel like a rebellious teenager? "I'm not giving you privacy so you can have sex with your secretary during work hours, Ryan," she says.

"For goodness' sake, what do you want? You moved me and Emily into your mansion, which is almost an hour's drive from here. You sued my wife for God knows what when I told you I don't want a divorce. And now she won't even take my calls. She's probably in another man's bed right now, the same person you managed to chase away from a very good partnership and somehow blame it on me. You keep saying you're not the one leaking information to the press, but who else would it be? You're the only person who stands to gain something from my divorce. I don't know what that is, maybe satisfaction of possessive, and manipulative cravings. I am 32 years old, and somehow, I can't outgrow my mom."

Adeline cocks an eyebrow. "Are you done?"

Ryan doesn't reply.

"You're never getting back with Julie," she says.

"The hell I'm not."

your sadistic,

"You. Are. Never. Getting. Back. With. Her. Your only concern right now should be how to save this company and a host of other things that don't involve your dick. You're living with your mistress. What do you want your wife for?" "It's called love, Mom. Didn't you have that with Dad?"

"Shut your fucking mouth," she hisses. "You don't know the first thing about my relationship with your father. Love doesn't pay the bills, love doesn't maintain reputations, and it certainly doesn't keep people +25 BONUS

CHAPTER 056. Handpicked By

loyal. It's a transaction, Ryan, plain and simple. And you got a bad deal. I nearly had a heart attack the day you brought that girl home, the minute you got tangled up with that... that nobody. And now you've somehow managed to stoop even lower. Emily is a secretary, Ryan. Your secretary. You should be ashamed to even show your face in public. You're so lucky she's pregnant with your child. The minute that child comes out, we're filing for custody."

Ryan stares at her, feeling as if he's looking at a stranger. He shakes his head. "Some people believe children come from somewhere in the sky. That angels handpick them and give them to people they deserve. I wonder what I did wrong up there to end up with someone like you."

For a brief, rare moment, her mask slips. Hurt flashes across her face. But just as quickly, she composes herself, eyes hardening as she opens her mouth to respond. Before she can, the door swings open, and Emily walks in, holding an envelope.

She places it on Ryan's desk, glancing between him and his mother. "... I just saw Julie. She handed me

this."

"Julie?" Ryan says. "Where? Where did she go?" He's on his feet, already halfway to the door.

"She's gone, Ryan," Emily calls behind him. "But she asked me to say hi to you."

"Damn it!" He yanks out his phone, dialing Julie's number, hands shaking with anticipation. As it rings, he glances back at Emily and Adeline, his heart hammering, praying that she'll answer. Adeline's gaze has zeroed in on the envelope, her eyes glittering with suspicion as she picks it up. She slices through the seal with her sharp nails.

"A resignation letter," she says. "Quite detailed."

"What the hell, Mom?" Ryan snaps. "That wasn't for you

His call has gone to voicemail. "Julie, please. Call me back. We need to talk. I just... I need to hear your voice." He hangs up, looking defeated as he walks back to his chair and sinks into it. Adeline holds up the letter, waving it in front of him with a smug smile. "It looks like she's finally ready to cut ties."

Ryan feels his stomach twist as she reads the opening words out loud.

"Dear Mr. O'Brien..." Well, she certainly knows how to make an entrance, doesn't she?"

"Stop it," he whispers, his face pale, hands clenched on his desk. "Just... stop."

"Oh, come now, don't you want to hear what she has to say? This is your wake-up call, Ryan. She's moving on. It's high time you did the same."

"Why are you doing this?" he asks. "What kind of mother. what kind of person replaces joy in their own son's misery?"

1

"One who knows what's best for you. And I won't apologize for that."

He looks down, a strange emptiness in his chest, as though everything he'd fought for, everything he'd believed in, has been sucked dry, leaving nothing but a hollow shell behind.

Emily clears her throat, stepping back from the desk. "I'll leave you two to talk."

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CHAPTER 056 Handpicked By Angels

Ryan barely notices her. His gaze is still fixed on his mother, on the person who has spent years shaping his life into a nightmare. He had loved her once, respected her, trusted her. But now? Now, he isn't even sure she's capable of love. Just as Emily opens the door, Adeline says, "Emily, wait."

Emily pauses mid-step, her hand on the doorknob. She turns, hesitating as Adeline's sharp eyes narrow in

on her.

give you the

"Why did Julie letter?" Adeline says.

Emily blinks, visibly thrown off. "What?"

"She came all the way here. She walked into the building, went through the trouble, and yet... she didn't bring the letter to Ryan herself. Doesn't sound right, don't you think?"

Emily glances at Ryan and then back at Adeline. "Am I supposed to understand the reason behind Julie's every move?"

"You're being defensive," Adeline says.

"What?"

"I asked a simple question, and you're on the defensive"

Emily throws up her hands. "Jesus, Adeline. What do you want from me?"

Adeline leans forward, folding her hands on the desk. I want you to tell me why you went out for lunch, came back looking. disheveled, unlike someone who just enjoyed a break. And then you waltz in here. carrying a letter from your sugar daddy's wife. A wife you don't even like. What, may I ask, inspired you to accept the letter?"