Open Marriage, Broken Promises: When Love Turns to Ashes novel Chapter 7

Get back at him?

Was that what she was doing?

Emily felt a little dazed, then found it amusing.

In his eyes, was she so consumed by jealousy that she'd resort to petty revenge?

She'd done that before, but the painful lesson had taught her that men don't get moved by such antics—they just feel embarrassed and burdened.

Emily lowered her gaze.

"James, why would I want to get back at you?"

Revenge requires love as its foundation.

But his love had vanished long ago.

Without that condition, her revenge would just be a clown act—childish and ridiculous.

The sad part was, she'd been that clown for so many years.

James gritted his teeth.

"Because you love me."

See how sure he was?

He'd always known, and that's why he'd taken advantage of her love.

Emily laughed, playing along.

"Yeah, I love you. So what more do you want?"

"Do you need to make everything this messy to feel satisfied?"

Those were the exact words James had thrown at her the third time she caught him cheating.

Back then, she hadn't given up hope.

She'd screamed, cried, and begged for him to come back.

And that's when she saw it—the disgust in his eyes, clear and unmistakable.

James flinched, wanting to argue but finding no words.

The wind whipped her dress, creating a silhouette that drew attention.

She became a striking sight.

Cars slowed as they passed, windows rolled down, with whistles and suggestive invitations.

She looked at them, neither responding nor rejecting.

She treated it as punishment—punishment for her own blindness, for not cutting her losses sooner.

The moment James suggested an open marriage, she should've realized he was rotten to the core.

Behind her, footsteps approached.

She instinctively moved to leave, but before she could, someone grabbed her arm.

"Hey, gorgeous. Name your price."

The stench of alcohol hit her nose.

Emily frowned. "Let go!"