My Husband Wants An Open Marriage

CHAPTER 094: An Early Grave ~~Luke~~

Carolina had refused to say anything over the phone, so I'd had to drive fifteen minutes to Mall del Río, only to hear her say, "I don't know what happened. I came out, and she wasn't there. The car door was open,"

The parking lot feels suffocating. Each breath burns like shards of glass in my lungs. My mother stands rigidly next to me, her face pale beneath her perfectly applied makeup, hands clasped in front of her. Carolina leans against a nearby car, her shoulders hunched, tears streaking her cheeks.

My heart isn't just pounding-it's thrashing, threatening to break free from splatter all over the asphalt. Why didn't Julie use the damn security we hired?

"That woman will be the death of me," I mutter under my breath.

my

chest and

I pull out my phone, fingers trembling as I dial the emergency number. Carolina's sobs echo in the open space, her voice breaking. "I shouldn't have gone inside... I shouldn't have left her."

My mother's voice cuts in. "Lucas, what are you doing?"

"Calling the police," I say. The phone feels heavier than it should, like the weight of the entire situation is balancing on this small device.

"Medellín emergency services," the operator answers.

"I need to report a missing person. My fiancée, Julie Jenkins-she's gone. Taken from the mall."

The operator's tone sharpens. "Sir, please provide your location and any details about the incident."

"Mall del Río. She was in a black SUV. The driver-Carolina-came back, and julie was gone. The car door was left open. No sign of struggle, no note, nothing."

Carolina collapses to the ground, hugging her knees, rocking back and forth. Her muffled sobs pierce through the night air.

The operator's voice remains calm. "When was she last seen?"

"About thirty minutes ago," I say.

Thirty minutes. Anything could happen in thirty minutes.

"Is there any reason to believe she was taken intentionally? Have you received threats?"

I glance at my mother. Her face remains impassive, but her eyes dart nervously. "She has a

CHAPTER 094: An Early Grave

... complicated history with certain people. Yes, it's possible this was deliberate."

The operator's tone grows clinical. "We'll dispatch officers immediately. Please stay where you are and provide a full description of the missing person and vehicle."

I rattle off Julie's height, weight, and what she was wearing according to Carolina-a white sweater, dark jeans, and the engagement ring. My voice is steady, but inside, I'm unraveling. My pulse pounds in my ears, drowning out everything else. "Thank you, sir. Officers will contact you shortly." The line goes dead.

I lower the phone, feeling helpless. Turning to Carolina, I see her swollen, red eyes staring up at me, her lips trembling.

"I shouldn't have left her," she whispers. "I didn't think-"

"You didn't think." My voice is ice-cold. "You wanted to take her around the entire town? She's pregnant."

Carolina flinches as if I've struck her. She opens her mouth to respond, but steps in.

my

mother

"Lucas, enough." Her tone is sharp, commanding. "Blaming her won't bring Julie back."

I clench my teeth, frustration burning in my chest. I rake my hands through my hair, trying to push down the flood of worst-case scenarios: kidnappers, ransom, violence. My mind spins uncontrollably.

My mother places a firm hand on my shoulder. "We need to stay calm. This isn't the first crisis we've faced, and panicking won't help."

She's trying to sound confident, but I hear the fear beneath her steady words. Even fortresses have cracks.

Carolina's whimpering voice breaks through. "I told her I'd only be a minute. I didn't think

"Could you please stop talking?" I say.

"I'm sorry," she sobs. "I'm so sorry."

My voice softens, though the anger remains. "Carolina, sorry isn't going to fix this. We need to remember everything. Every detail."

She wipes her tears, trying to compose herself. "I parked in the lower lot. Julie didn't want to go in, so she stayed behind. When I came back, the door was open. She was gone. Just... gone." "Was there anyone around? Any suspicious vehicles?" I press, desperate for any lead.Content provided by NôvelDrama.Org.

Carolina shakes her head. "I didn't see anyone. It happened so fast."

CHAPTER 094: An Early Grave

I clench my jaw, my mind racing through every possibility. Every second wasted here feels like a death sentence.

"We'll find her," my mother says, her eyes steady on mine. "It's just a matter of time."

But this isn't business. This isn't something we can negotiate or fix with money. Julie is gone. And I have no idea where she is.

I step toward the edge of the lot, staring into the distance, my reflection in a nearby car window hollow-eyed and desperate. I whisper, more to myself than anyone else, "Julie, where are you?"

Right then, I hear an obnoxiously loud ringtone. Someone's phone is ringing. It's the kind of tune only my mother would choose.

I whip around. "Mamá, could you turn that off, please?"

She doesn't move. She's standing rigid next to Carolina, her eyes narrowing as she pulls out her phone.

"It better not be what I think it is," she mutters.

I step closer. "What?"

"It's Sara's mother. Gloria," she says.

"What does she want?"

Without a word, my mother accepts the call and puts it on speaker. A cold, venomous voice comes out, speaking in rapid Spanish: "I see you and your family are enjoying your Christmas while you've made ours sour." I blink, trying to process what I'm hearing. "What the hell is this? Is this some kind of sick joke?"

My mother's voice is sharp, commanding. "Gloria, did you take my son's fiancée?".

"Yes. And she's going to stay with me until your son releases my daughter."

My blood boils instantly. "The fuck?!"

"Language, Lucas," my mother says. She turns to me. "What does she mean? Do you have Sara?"

"What would I be doing with Sara?"

"She seems to think you-"

I don't let her finish. I stride forward and snatch the phone from her hand. "Listen, Gloria,

I don't care if you're twice my age. If you lay a single finger on Julie, I swear I'll take down your entire family."

CHAPTER 094: An Early Grave

"Get my daughter out of prison," Gloria snarls. "She didn't do anything to you."

"I didn't put your daughter in prison. Hell, I didn't even know she was in prison!" My voice is hoarse from yelling, my hands trembling with rage. "Even if she is, what does that have to do with me? Do I look like a judge? A cop? The president of the United fucking States? Send me your location. I'm coming to pick up Julie. You can either do this the easy way or the hard way."

"I'm not doing anything, Lucas. I'll send you the location when you have Sara."

She hangs up. Just like that.

I stare at the phone, dumbfounded. "Did she just hang up on me?"

I turn to my mother, expecting some reaction, but she's already moving-fast. She strides to her car, opening the door with a fierce determination.

"Mamá! Where are you going?"

"This is Gloria," she says over her shoulder. "She's not a kidnapper. She was dumb enough to call with her personal line. Julie's probably at her house. I'll handle it."

"Like hell you will," I say, rushing after her. "You're not going there alone."

She slides into the driver's seat, her fingers gripping the steering wheel. "Lucas, just trust me for once."

"No way. It took me years to find someone who makes me happy." My voice is firm, unwavering. "I'm not putting Julie's life in your hands. That woman is probably as psychopathic as her daughter."

She gives me a long, hard look. "Stay out of my way."

Before I can argue, she slams the door shut and starts the engine. The roar of the car fills the parking lot as she peels out, tires screeching against the asphalt. I stand there for a second, stunned, before snapping out of it and sprinting to my car. "You've got to be kidding me," I mutter, yanking open my door. "The women in my life are going to send me to an early grave."