Chapter 7 Opening My Legs

• Fiona
• Just as fast as he knocked the breath out of me, my senses come back. Does he seriously think I’ll just give in and throw myself at him?
• “Even facing a broken marriage, I have my dignity,” I snap at Ethan, pulling away from his touch. I can’t make a decision with him touching me. His touch messes with my head and makes it hard to think, which only makes me more annoyed.
• Ethan scowls at me, narrowing his eyes. Clearly, he thought I’d give in the moment he asked. If he keeps changing his attitude like this, I’m going to get whiplash. One moment he’s angry with me and the next he’s asking me to be his… what? His mistress? His sex buddy?
• “I need to reclaim my inheritance, even if you’re not willing to help,” I tell him, crossing my arms over my chest. He doesn’t seem eager to fire Jack, so I’ll have to go with my former plan of getting HR to fire him for indecency and breaking company policy.
• “I—”
• The beeping tone of a text message sounds from my phone, and groaning, I pull it out. The voice message pops up and automatically starts playing.
• “Fiona, you little whore!” Jack snarls. “I was going to go easy on you, but being a selfish little bitch just wasn’t enough, was it? You had to go and seduce my boss; well, someone like you with no sexual appeal will be thrown to the side like the garbage you are when he’s done with you. Don’t think he has any feelings for you because he fucked you once. You’re not good for much more than that, and Ethan is smart enough to know that. Anyone would be smart enough to know that. All you had going for you was your inheritance. No one—”
• I cringe and close the message, not wanting to hear anymore. Squeezing my eyes closed, I grind my teeth. Jack needs to be dealt with. I can’t stand the way he thinks he can push me down over and over again.
• “I’ll do it,” I find myself saying. “Even if you can’t help me reclaim my inheritance, becoming your woman might at least scare or anger my husband to death.”
• Ethan’s brows raise, and he asks, “You’re agreeing just to get back at your husband?” Is he really surprised? It’s definitely not his fun or shining personality that makes me want to be with him. What does he expect?
• “A sexual partner is just a physical transaction. Are you expecting me to fall in love with you like all the other foolish women?” I snap, my anger still bubbling through my veins. I’m so tired of men thinking they’re better than me. Ethan with his proposal of sex and Jack with his lies.
• Ethan’s eye twitched again as his irritation grew. The tensing of his shoulders, the clenching of his fist, and the stiff set to his jaw clearly gave away his anger. He knows I’m right but doesn’t want to admit it. I can see it in his eyes.
• Another ringtone from my phone cuts through the tension, and I lift the device. Hope fills my chest when I see my father’s picture on the screen. I didn’t call him earlier because I wanted to deal with my situation myself, but maybe he can help me.
• “Father, I’m so glad you called,” I say as I answer. Quickly, I move away from Ethan and stand by the window in the room. “Jack and Jessica have been sleeping together and have been having an affair behind my back for who knows how long.”
• “Fiona, stop. I’m sorry about this, but you should’ve thought of Jack and the position he’s in,” my father says, making me freeze. The position he’s in?
• “Excuse me?”
• “There is only yourself to blame, Fiona. If you hadn’t been as selfish with the money as your mother had been, maybe things would have turned out differently,” he tells me. I can’t believe this.
• “What are you saying? You… I’m not the one to blame here, father,” I tell him, shocked and hurt at his words.
• I can’t believe he’s not on my side. He’s often leaned toward Jessica and her mother’s side of things, but I didn’t think he’d take their side this time.
• “If you had helped your family more with your money or been a better wife to Jack, Jessica may not have needed to intervene. Besides, Jessica has a better head for business than you. If you had invested in the money-making projects Jessica and your stepmother did to help me and Jack, then maybe Jack would still be by your side,” he continues. I clench my empty fist as he goes on, “They’ve given me gifts, like my new favorite watch, and helped with the family with investments. Maybe you should try opening up your wallet instead of opening your legs for someone who isn’t your husband.”
• My phone slips from my hand and clatters to the floor as I stand in shock. I didn’t even get to mention my inheritance, yet the one man I should be able to trust in my life turned on me. Fathers are supposed to protect their daughters, but he…
• Why would he say something like that to me? Opening my legs… I glance at Ethan then back at my reflection in the window. Had he already spoken with Jack? Did Jack tell him I’d slept with Ethan?
• I close my eyes and try to push the ache in my heart away, but it only grows stronger. Everything is so messed up, and I didn’t need anything else added to my already shitty problem pile.
• The cracks Jack left in my heart completely shatter with the new disappointment. Will anyone be on my side?
• No, probably not.
• “It sounds like your family doesn’t support you, but if you ask me, I can make that project go bankrupt in three days,” Ethan says while crouching down and picking up my phone. I watch as he stands and steps closer, his hand cupping my cheek and bringing my eyes to his.
• “Would you really?” I ask. Ethan has power and connections, but I don’t know if I want to be as vile as Jack or my father.
• Ethan nods and leans in, bringing our faces closer together.
• Before he can get too close, I lift my hand and press my fingers to his lips. He stops, raises a brow, and tilts his head a bit. There are several questions I want to ask, but one has been bugging me more than the others.
• “Why did you choose me?”