All Chapters of I AGREED TO MY HUSBAND'S OPEN MARRIAGE RULES: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

Stacy's POVThe styling team arrived at Michael's mansion early in the afternoon. Three women with impeccable taste and professional smiles swept into the guest suite like a whirlwind of silk and perfume."We're here to get you ready for the gala, Mrs. Harrington," the lead stylist said warmly. "Mr. Sotheby wants you to look absolutely stunning tonight."I stood there awkwardly as they circled me, assessing, measuring with their eyes. One woman held up fabric swatches to my face. Another examined my hair, running her fingers through it thoughtfully. The third pulled out a case full of makeup."Perfect bone structure," one murmured."Gorgeous coloring," another agreed.This was the first time I'd ever had this kind of treatment. With Matt, getting ready for events meant him throwing a dress at me—usually something tight, low-cut, designed to show off my body. He'd tell me to do my hair in loose waves, wear red lipstick, make myself "appealing" for his business associates.I was never s

Matt's POVI wasn't entirely sure some of my business associates would take to Clara the way they had to Stacy. Clara was beautiful, yes, but she lacked Stacy's elegance. Her sophistication. The way Stacy could work a room with just a smile and a laugh.But I had a backup plan. I always had a backup plan.Vincent Caruso had been eyeing Stacy for years. A wealthy investor from overseas with a taste for married women. He'd made it clear at multiple galas that if I ever wanted to "share" Stacy, he'd make it worth my while. A multi-million dollar partnership. Access to his European networks. Everything I needed to expand my business.I'd always said no before. Stacy was mine. I didn't share what was mine.But now? Now she'd left me. Humiliated me. Paraded around with Michael Sotheby like I meant nothing. Like our marriage meant nothing.So if I couldn't have her, if she was going to throw away everything I'd given her... then I'd make sure no one else could have her either. Not Michael. N

Michael's POVThe sterile smell of antiseptic reaches me before consciousness fully returns. My head throbs with a dull, persistent ache that radiates from the back of my skull. Hospital. The realization comes slowly, followed immediately by a more urgent thought.Stacy.My eyes open. White ceiling tiles. Bland walls. I try to sit up, but pain and dizziness force me back against the pillow with a low groan."Sir, please don't move. You need to rest."David appears at my bedside, his expression tight with concern. I grip the bed rail, ignoring his advice. "Where is she? Is she safe?""Mrs. Harrington is here, sir. Down the hall. She's stable."Relief floods through me, so intense it makes my chest ache. She's alive. Then the word registers. "Stable? David, tell me exactly what happened."He hesitates, which tells me everything I need to know. "The doctor said she suffered severe shock. Physically, she'll recover. But the stress..." He pauses, choosing his words carefully. "It's dangero

Stacy's POVMy eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the harsh fluorescent lights above me. Hospital room. Again. The sterile smell of antiseptic filled my nose, and the steady beep of monitors created a rhythm beside my bed.Everything felt heavy—my limbs, my head, my heart.A nurse noticed I was awake and came over immediately, her face kind but concerned. "Mrs. Harrington, you're awake. How are you feeling?""Tired," I whispered, my throat dry and scratchy. "What... what happened?""You've been through quite an ordeal," she said gently, checking my IV line. "But you're stable now. However, I need you to listen to me carefully."Something in her tone made my stomach clench. "Is it the baby?""The baby is okay right now," she said, her hand resting briefly on mine. "But Mrs. Harrington, you need to rest. You need to stay calm. The stress you've been under—it's dangerous. Your body can't take much more of this. If something like this happens again..."She didn't finish the sentence. She di

Michael's POVThe report landed on my desk with a soft sound that echoed in the too-quiet study. My head still ached, a dull reminder of where Matt had hit me. But the physical pain was nothing. Nothing compared to the cold emptiness spreading in my chest.David stood before me, his usual calm composure broken. "She's gone, sir. The hospital confirmed she left on her own last night. We've checked every safe house, every property. Her phone is turned off. Her credit cards... she hasn't used them."I didn't look up. I stared at the wood grain of my desk. "The airport.""We had men there within an hour of her disappearance. She wasn't on any passenger list under her name. But we reviewed security footage. She was there. Wearing a hat, carrying a bag. She boarded a flight to Burlington. We missed her by twenty minutes."Twenty minutes.The number echoed in my head. Such a small amount of time. A cruel joke.A slow, familiar heat began to spread through me. It started as disbelief, then tw