Open Marriage (eBook)

Scorned But Never Defeated

Mary Pen (Autor)

WhosNovel （Yilena Zhang） (Herausgeber)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
602 Seiten
Publishdrive (Verlag)
978-0-00-112892-7 (ISBN)

Infos

[Ten million dollars. Her price tag. An open-marriage contract.]

'The credit limit increase is generous,' the lawyer said. 'From one million to ten million annually.'

'What if I change my mind?'

'Then you lose the children,' the lawyer said, matter-of-factly. 'Without family money or independent income, custody battles become very difficult.'

After eighteen years as the devoted wife of billionaire Daniel Harrison, Emma faces a heart-wrenching ultimatum: sign a ten million-dollar open-marriage contract or lose custody of her three children.

Shattered by Daniel's cold betrayal and his affair with his calculating personal assistant, Natalie, Emma's perfect world unravels. Seeking solace, she finds an unexpected ally in Robert Langley-Natalie's betrayed husband from her open marriage, a powerful businessman and devoted father whose quiet strength ignites a forbidden passion neither of them can resist.

As their connection deepens, Emma must choose-cling to the wealth and stability her children depend on or risk everything for a love that could redeem her heart.

When betrayal collides with desire, will Emma choose safety or a second chance at a life she never dared to dream of?

Note: This is a must-read for fans of billionaire romance, open-marriage romance, second chance revenge, marriage of convenience, forced marriage contracts, cheating-husband romance, and custody-battle drama.

Book 2 in The Marriage Ultimatum Series.

(Exclusive copyright owned by WhosNovel )

Textauszug

Chapter53: Daniel's performance

Emma pulled into the driveway and froze.

Daniel's car. Parked in its usual spot. At five thirty in the afternoon. He was never home before eight. Never home before the kids were fed and homework done and bedtime approaching.

Something was wrong. Had to be wrong.

Emma grabbed her bag. Walked to the front door. Her stomach churning. Her mind racing through possibilities. None of them good.

She opened the door. The sound hit her first. Laughter. Yara's high pitched giggle. The kind she hadn't heard in months. Maybe years.

Emma walked into the living room and stopped.

Daniel sat on the floor. Actually on the floor. Playing dolls with Yara. Making voices for the characters. Yara clapping her hands. Delighted. Happy. Looking at her father like he was someone worth admiring.

Emma's brain couldn't process it. Daniel. Playing. With his daughter. Like a normal father. Like someone who cared.

Daniel looked up. Saw her. Smiled. That same charming smile from their early days. From before everything turned toxic.

He stood. Crossed the room. Kissed her. Light. Quick. On the lips.

Emma stood frozen. Shocked. What the hell was happening?

"You're home," Daniel said. Voice warm. Affectionate. "Perfect timing. I asked Maria and Rosa to make all your favorites for dinner. That pasta thing you love. The roasted vegetables. Even that specific dessert you always order at restaurants."

Emma stared at him. "What?"

"Dinner. Your favorites. Should be ready in about twenty minutes."

"No. I mean. What are you doing? Why are you home so early? Why are you." She gestured to the scattered dolls. "Why are you playing with Yara?"

"Because she's my daughter. And I've been neglecting her. Neglecting all of them. I'm trying to fix that."

Yara tugged on Daniel's hand. "Daddy, you didn't finish the voice for Princess Luna."

"Right. Sorry baby." Daniel sat back down. Picked up a doll. Resumed playing. Actually playing. Like he knew how. Like he'd done it before.

Emma stood there. Watching. Her husband. Playing dolls. Smiling at their daughter. Acting like a father instead of a dictator.

Footsteps on the stairs. Liam appeared. Stopped. Stared at the scene. His face showed the same shock Emma felt.

"What's going on?" Liam asked.

"Your father is home early," Emma said. Still processing. Still confused.

"I can see that. Why?"

Daniel looked up. "Because I wanted to spend time with my family. Is that so surprising?"

"Yes," Liam said flatly. "Very surprising."

"Well get used to it. I'm making changes. Starting now. Being present. Being here. Being the father and husband you all deserve."

Liam looked at Emma. Silent question in his eyes. What the hell is this?

Emma shook her head slightly. I have no idea.

Sophia came down next. Saw Daniel on the floor. Yara laughing. Stopped cold.

"Am I dreaming?" she asked.

"Nope," Liam said. "Dad's apparently decided to try parenting. Today. Right now. Out of nowhere."

"Dinner's ready," Maria called from the kitchen. Looking confused. Uncomfortable. Like she too didn't understand what was happening.

They moved to the dining room. The table set like Thanksgiving. Like a celebration. Candles lit. Good dishes out. Emma's favorite foods covering every surface.

Daniel pulled out Emma's chair. Helped her sit. Kissed her temple. All these small gestures he hadn't done in years. All this tenderness she'd stopped believing existed in him.

Emma sat. Numb. Watching Daniel help Yara into her seat. Ruffle Liam's hair even though Liam jerked away. Ask Sophia about her art project. Actually ask. Actually listen to her quiet answer.

They ate. Daniel steering conversation. Asking questions. Listening to answers. Laughing at Yara's stories. Not checking his phone. Not answering calls when it rang. Just sitting there being present.

Being who Emma had begged him to be for years. Suddenly. Overnight. Without explanation.

Liam kept glancing at Emma. Suspicious. Angry. Seeing through whatever performance this was.

Sophia stayed quiet. Watching. Waiting. Not trusting it.

Yara though. Yara glowed. Talked nonstop. Asked Daniel questions. Clung to this version of her father like it was real. Like it would last.

Emma's chest ached watching it. Watching Yara fall for it. Watching her baby hope again.

Dinner ended. Daniel insisted on helping clear. Actually helped instead of just watching. Thanked Maria and Rosa. Told them to take the rest of the night off. He'd handle cleanup.

He'd handle cleanup. Daniel. Who'd never touched a dish in his life.

The kids scattered. Liam shooting Emma concerned looks. Sophia disappearing into her room. Yara asking if Daddy would tuck her in. Daniel saying of course. Of course he would.

Emma went upstairs. To her room. Sat on the bed. Trying to make sense of everything.

Daniel appeared in the doorway. Closed the door behind him. Locked it.

Emma's guard went up immediately. "What are you doing?"

"We need to talk."

"About?"

"About us. About this family. About what I'm trying to do here."

Emma stood. Put distance between them. "What exactly are you trying to do Daniel? Because this." She gestured vaguely. "This performance downstairs. This sudden father of the year act. It's not real. You don't just become a different person overnight."

"I'm not trying to become a different person. I'm trying to be a good father. A good husband. The man you fell in love with. The man I used to be before everything got so broken."

"You can't just flip a switch and undo years of damage."

"I know that. But I can start. I can try. Emma." Daniel moved closer. "I've been thinking. About what you said. About divorcing me. About how I've been treating you and the kids. And you're right. About all of it. I've been terrible. Controlling. Absent. Abusive."

Emma's eyes narrowed. Daniel never admitted fault. Never apologized. Never took responsibility.

"What's your angle?" she asked.

"No angle. Just honesty. I've been a horrible husband. A worse father. And I'm losing you. Losing all of you. I saw that yesterday. Saw Liam's hatred. Saw you standing up to me. Saw that I've pushed too far and now my family is slipping away."

"So this is damage control? You're playing nice because you're scared I'll actually leave?"

"Yes. Exactly that." Daniel's voice got raw. Desperate. "I don't want to lose you Emma. Don't want to lose my kids. Don't want to become the man my father was. Alone. Bitter. Dying with nobody who cared."

"Your father died surrounded by people who loved him. You told me that yourself. Stop rewriting history to make your point."

Daniel flinched. "Fine. Bad example. But Emma. I'm serious. I want to fix this. Want to be better. Want to make this marriage work."

"It's too late."

"It's not. It can't be. We have three children. Eighteen years together. A life. That has to count for something."

"It did count. Past tense. You destroyed it. You can't play dolls with Yara once and call us fixed. Can't make my favorite dinner and expect me to forget years of cruelty."

"I'm not expecting instant forgiveness. I'm asking for a chance. A real chance to prove I can change. That I can be the husband and father you all need."

Emma laughed. Bitter. Cold. "You had chances Daniel. Thousands of them. Every time you missed a recital. Every time you called me worthless. Every time you chose work over family. Every time you threatened me. Threatened the kids. Every single moment was a chance to be better and you chose not to take it."

"I was wrong. I admit it. I was wrong about everything. But Emma." Daniel's voice cracked. "Please. Don't throw away eighteen years. Don't break up our family. Don't make our children products of divorce. Give me one more chance. Let me prove I can be different."

Emma stared at him. This man. Her husband. Father of her children. Suddenly begging. Suddenly vulnerable. Suddenly exactly what she'd wanted for years.

And she felt nothing. No hope. No belief. Just exhaustion.

"You threatened to rape me three days ago," she said quietly. "You told me next time you wanted sex, you'd take it by force. And now you're asking me to believe you've changed? That you're suddenly safe? Suddenly kind? Suddenly worth trusting?"

Daniel's face twisted. "I was drunk. Angry. I didn't mean it."

"You said it. Meant or not. You looked at your wife and threatened sexual violence. That's not something dinner and dolls can fix."

"I know. God, I know. It was unforgivable. But Emma." Daniel dropped to his knees. Actually knelt in front of her. "I'll do anything. Therapy. Counseling. Whatever you want. Whatever you need. Just don't leave. Don't take my children. Don't destroy this family."

Emma looked down at him. This powerful man. This controlling monster. On his knees. Begging. Playing whatever role he thought would work.

"Get up Daniel."

"Not until you agree to try. Not until you give me one more chance."

"Get up. This is pathetic."

Daniel stood. Face red. Humiliated. Angry underneath the desperate mask.

"I'm trying here," he said. "Trying to save our marriage. Trying to be what you want. And you're throwing it back in my face."

"Because it's fake. All of it. The playing with Yara. The dinner. This conversation. It's all just manipulation. Just another way to control me. To keep me trapped."

"It's not manipulation. It's genuine effort. It's me finally seeing what I've been doing and...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 23.12.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Romane / Erzählungen
• ISBN-10: 0-00-112892-2 / 0001128922
• ISBN-13: 978-0-00-112892-7 / 9780001128927