My Husband Wants An Open Marriage (Julie and Ryan)
Open Billionaire 71

CHAPTER 071: However Long It Takes

I hadn't expected Sara to be welcoming-I mean, I'm a complete stranger who just dropped her ex-husband's name like a grenade. But seriously, why in the world would she think Luke would want to kill her? And even if he did, would he send me to do it? "I'm flattered," I say. "That you think I have what it takes to be an assassin. But no, I didn't come here to kill you."

"You sure? Because if you did, you might as well get it over with. I'm not running anymore. I didn't run when I was getting jumped in prison. I'm not running now."

The irony is almost too much. Should I remind her that just a few minutes ago, she was sprinting like we were on a track? Probably not the smartest move. I'll let that one slide.

"I'm not here to kill you," I repeat, leaning forward, trying to sound calm even as my heart races. "Luke sent me to ask you a question. He needs to know the truth about what happened."

Her eyes narrow. "What truth?"

"Why you took Juan from his school that day."

The moment I mention Juan's name, Sara freezes. Her lips thin into a line that looks like it's fighting back every word threatening to escape. For a second, I think she might hurl something at me, maybe her glass of milkshake Instead, she says, "Is that the question? Why did I take Juan from his school?"

"That's the question. Luke wants to know."

She lets out a sharp, humorless laugh. It turns a few heads in the café, including the waitress who gives us a wary glance before disappearing behind the counter. Sara pushes herself up from the booth, her movements abrupt and jerky. "Thanks for the meal," she says, straightening her shirt. "But I'm done here." "Sara-"

"No," she cuts me off, her tone sharper now, harsher. "Whatever questions you think I need to answer, I already did. To the police. To my shrink. To anyone who thought they had the right to dissect my life like I'm some kind of freak show. And if Lucas has any sense left in that thick skull of his, he'll leave me the hell alone."

For a moment, I'm too stunned to respond.

"You think this is easy for him?" I say.

Sara snorts, a sound so derisive it feels like a slap. "Do you think he's the only one who lost something that day? I lost a child too. My child. I made a stupid, impulsive mistake, and not a day goes by that I don't pay for it. But guess what? Juan is gone. None of this-none of this bullshit-will bring him back."

I stare at her, my mind racing to replace the right words, something that might pierce through her armor. But before I can speak, she leans down, her face level with mine, and her next words come out low and cold. CHAPTER 071: However Long Takes

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"Tell Lucas to get some help. A therapist, a priest, I don't care. But he needs to stop this. Because if he doesn't, I'll get a restraining order so fast he won't know what hit him." "Sara-"

"Goodbye, Julie."

She straightens, turns on her heel, and walks out of the café without looking back.

For a long moment, I just sit there, staring at the spot where she stood, replaying her words in my head. My fists clench under the table as anger bubbles up, but it's not directed at her. No, it's at the situation.

I want to be furious at Sara for wasting my time, for making me chase her through alleys and pin her to the ground, only to leave me with more questions than answers. But the truth is, she did answer. In her own way, she laid it all out: the guilt, the pain, the futility of dredging up the past.

And, damn it, she's right.

Luke needs to let this go.

The realization hits me hard. This isn't just about replaceing closure or getting answers anymore. It's about Luke not yet replaceing a way to move forward.

I sigh, reaching for my purse. I pull out a few bills, enough to cover the check and a decent tip, and leave them on the table. As I stand, the waitress peeks out from the back, giving me a hesitant smile. I nod at her, then head for the door.

*Outside, the air feels heavier than it should, like the universe itself is pressing down on my shoulders. I make

my way back to my car, slipping behind the wheel and gripping the steering wheel tight.

As I drive away, the streets blur past me, but my mind is fixed on one thing: how the hell am I going to tell Luke what just happened? But most importantly, how do I say to him that I think Sara's right?

It's evening. I'm hyper-aware of every creak in the house and every passing car. The phone rests in my lap like a lead weight, screen dark, but it might as well be screaming at me to pick it up. I sigh, leaning back into the couch. I've been sitting here for a solid twenty minutes, staring at the thing as if it might magically dial Luke on its own and spare me the effort. It's not fear holding me back. It's something worse uncertainty.

I guess it's difficult for me to reconcile this Luke with the one I've known for weeks now. The strong, funny, sarcastic, sweet Luke. It's hard to see him as something that needs fixing.

I shake my head and mutter to myself. "Just rip the Band-Aid off." I swipe up my phone, scroll to his name, and hit call before I can overthink it. The phone rings once, twice, and then- "Hello, princess."

His voice is warm, a little playful, like he's been waiting for me to call all day. My heart does an annoying little flutter. "Hi, Luke."

"You sound weird. How did it go with Sara?"

There's a beat of silence. I fiddle with the hem of my shirt, searching for the right words, but they're all

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CHAPTER 071: However Long TTakes

uh...

jumbled in my head. "I, uh... that's why I called."

"What did she say?"

I start to answer, then stop, then start again. Damn it, Julie, just say it. "She... she said she's done answering questions. That she already talked to the police and her shrink. She said Juan is gone, and none of this will bring him back. And, um... she said you need help." Silence.

Then a dry laugh. "Of course she did. Sara spent five years in prison, and she's still the same. Still full of herself. Still thinks she's the victim." "Luke-"

"You don't know her like I do. Sara believes violence solves everything. You ask her a simple question, and she lashes out, trying to scare you into silence. She didn't even apologize, Julie. Not once. Hell, she didn't even cry. You know what everyone said? That mothers love their children differently, and maybe Sara justi had a hard way of showing it. But that's bullshit. If she loved Juan, she wouldn't have taken her bags and left him. If she loved him, she wouldn't have picked him up from school that day drunk. And now she has the audacity to tell me I need help?"

His words pour out like a burst dam. I let him go on, knowing he needs to get it out. But when he finally stops, there's silence.

"Julie? Are you there? Are you okay?"

I take a deep breath. "Yeah. I'm okay." Other than this ceaseless need to pee. "Luke, you're one of the best things that's ever happened in my life. And I don't know anyone stronger than you. But..." My voice catches, and I force myself to push through. "I think Sara's right. Not about everything. But about one thing. You do need a little help. Professional help. What happened with Juan... it's too big for anyone to handle alone. You've been carrying this pain for so long, and it's eating away at you. I can see it. You deserve to heal. And Juan- you need to let him go."

The line goes silent. My heart thuds painfully. It makes me question if I've ruined everything.

"Luke?"

"I'm here." His voice is quiet, steadier than I expected. "I'm... I'm grateful, Julie. That you took time out of your day to do this for me. Every day, my heart grows fonder. You didn't have to do this. But you did. Thank you" "My pleasure." There's another pause. "I gotta... I gotta go. Call you tomorrow?"

""Yeah. Sure."

"Goodnight, Julie."

"Goodnight, Luke."

As the call ends, I stare at my phone, my reflection dimly visible on the black screen. This is going to be tougher than I thought. But I meant what I said. He deserves to heal. And I'll be here, however long it takes