Vows of Deception

Victoria, Vicki with an i, Farrow has her life planned out. To work for her father and, when he retires, take over his software company.

That is until she is asked to entertain billionaire playboy Chael Golding, at her family home as part of a business deal.

After a tryst with Chael in the pool house, Vicki’s life spirals out of her control, manipulated from all sides. But why is Chael Golding the only one she can trust, and why is she falling for him so fast? And what secrets are her parents hiding that they are forcing her to marry Chael?

Vicki must fight for answers from those closest to her.

Free Extract

Afternoon By The Pool

‘Welcome, Mr Golding. I’m Victoria, Michael Farrow’s daughter, but everyone calls me Vicki with an i. My father has asked me to look after you today and attend to your every need,’ she greeted him when he arrived, offering her hand flirtatiously and allowing their handshake to linger longer than professionally allowed.

‘Hello, Vicki with an i. Please call me Chael,’ Chael Golding responded. His grey-blue eyes sparkled. His devilish good looks and charming smile almost took Vicki’s breath away. The flecks of grey already showing in his late thirties’ hair only added to his appeal. His air of arrogance was born from success, not entitlement, unlike her trust fund baby friends. If only he were a few years younger.

Victoria, or Vicki, to her friends, had been working for her father at his multinational software company since she graduated college with an economics degree at Stanford University. An MBA followed. She was smart, and she knew it. She was very much her father’s daughter and was keen to follow in his footsteps by inheriting his business, knowing he was planning his retirement.

Her father, Devon Farrow, built up his software business, Farrow Software, from scratch in the late nineties. At the beginning of the century, he was a massive beneficiary of the tech bubble when venture capitalists were almost throwing money at any tech venture they could find.

Yet, he didn’t make the same mistakes as many other companies. He laid firm foundations for his company to grow with the money invested, so when the bubble burst, his company was protected. Those who invested in his company were rewarded with a more than healthy return on their investment.

Her father’s business acumen, combined with his exceptional talent at coding, meant Vicki grew up in luxury without a care in the world. It was a world away from her parents’ struggles when she was a baby, as her father tried to grow the business. At the time, they lived in a tiny apartment in Los Angeles while he searched for a break.

Vicki had no memory of this. All she knew was luxury. Staff worked at their house and were paid to keep Vicki’s family in a life they had become accustomed to. Now in her late twenties, she was eager to spread her wings and prove to her father that she would one day be ready to take over his business. Part of that was her decision to move into the pool house and live a life of independence.

Her father’s hard work had brought them to his new search for investment in his company. The company needed to grow to keep up with its competitors. This was why the billionaire playboy Chael Golding was sunbathing around their pool in their Beverley Hills mansion. Chael came from American old wealth. It was no secret, and he openly admitted it. Chael’s father gave him one million dollars to invest after he graduated from university. Fifteen years later, that one million had become three billion dollars.

Vicki had been given the crucial task of entertaining Chael. Her father told her to, ‘Entertain him. The fate of the company depended on it.’

From the house, Vicki studied Chael as he sunbathed by the pool while she waited for a servant to prepare him a cool drink. Chael’s toned, muscular body was glistening in the hot sunshine. Attending to him was a task she didn’t mind doing at all.

He was considered one of the most eligible bachelors in America and he was lying next to her family’s pool in only his swimwear!

Vicki knew she also had good looks and the body to add to her intelligence. She had used it to her advantage on more than one occasion. As soon as Chael arrived, she immediately changed from her modest one-piece bathing suit into her skimpiest bikini. Her bikini, which she had bought to be seen in. If she was tasked ‘to entertain’ someone as handsome as Chael Golding, then he would get the full treatment.

‘Mojito?’ she asked him with a seductive smile, offering the glass bending over so Chael could enjoy the sight of her ample breasts, barely contained by her bikini.

Chael pulled down his sunglasses to drink in the view Vicki offered him.

‘Thank you, Vicki,’ he smiled appreciatively, taking the mojito.

‘Men are so easy to manipulate. He would agree to the deal before he goes home,’ she thought with supreme overconfidence.

Vicki took a moment to admire Chael’s body, not failing to notice that there was also something impressive in his bathing suit.

‘I’ll be back in a moment,’ she smiled, and she headed to the pool house feeling Chael’s eyes watching her, her hips swaying as she walked away.

Back in the pool house, Vicki swore. She could feel her bikini top coming loose. She loved this bikini and its effect on men, but it had a habit of coming loose at the worst possible moment. She thought she was going to fall out of it when she bent over in front of Chael. It was supposed to tease, not give them what they wanted to see.

‘Is there anything I can help you with?’ a gravelly, confident voice asked as Vicki adjusted her bikini. She looked up and saw Chael standing at the door.

‘No, thank you,’ Vicki smiled nervously. Chael looked tall and imposing as he stood at the door to the pool house. She could see his muscular, tanned body tense and relax as he walked inside in only his bathing suit. ‘Do you need anything?’ she asked. His presence indoors felt intimidating.

‘I thought I needed a break from the sun,’ he told her. There was a friendly tone to his voice, yet his posture was domineering. ‘Maybe we can rest here for a little while?’ he asked.

‘Of course, what would you like to do?’ she replied breathlessly with a whisper. He was standing so close to her. She squeezed her hands tightly into a fist to resist the temptation of touching his body. Vicki knew she should get out of there, but her feet felt rooted to the spot, and she couldn’t move. Her body began to feel warm and flushed.

Chael didn’t reply. Instead, he tilted Vicki’s face towards his and kissed her softly. Vicki didn’t want to respond, but with the warmth and strength of his lips, she couldn’t help it.

Chael kissed Vicki again. He took her hand and placed it on his chest. She felt how firm his body was. Her heart was beating fast. This was wrong. This was a business meeting. Even so, her mouth opened, and their tongues met. Vicki was lost. Too weak to resist. Her body wanted to make decisions, her mind knew it shouldn’t make.

Vicki felt her bikini top come loose and drop to the floor between them. Chael’s hand took hold of her breast, making Vicki moan into their kiss, and her nipple hardened. Her fingers dug deeply into his chest as the pleasure of their kiss took hold.

As they parted for air, she muttered in a last futile attempt to stop what her body desperately wanted, ‘We shouldn’t be doing this. My father would-,’

‘Ssh,’ Chael gently interrupted her. ‘What did your father tell you to do?’

‘Attend to every need,’ she replied before her eyes widened. ‘Oh!’ she gasped. He couldn’t have meant this, did he?

Any thoughts of what her father had meant disappeared as Chael kissed her again. Her other hand drifted to the back of his head. All that mattered now was the divine feeling of his kiss.

She felt something come between them. As their lips parted, her legs gave way. She found herself on her knees in front of him, staring at the large bulge in his bathing suit. She found it intimidating yet exciting, unable to take her eyes off it.

‘Do you want to see it?’ Chael asked.

‘Uh-huh,’ was all she could reply.

‘Then pull down my shorts.’

Vicki’s quivering fingers took hold of Chael’s shorts and did what she was told. His cock was thick and long, mesmerizing her. She looked up at Chael, her needy eyes asking the question.

‘Go ahead,’ he told her encouragingly.

Vicki felt her mind and body conflicting. Her mind demanded her to stop. Her body was ignoring it. Her dry bikini felt wet at the crotch. Her heavy breasts hung free, aching to be touched.

Vicki gave Chael’s cock a tentative lick before her lips parted and enveloped the head. Her hand took hold of the shaft while her tongue swirled around its mushroom-shaped head.

‘Good girl,’ Chael sighed.

Good girl. The term was demeaning. So, why was she working harder? Why was she trying to take him deeper? Why was she enjoying hearing his growls of pleasure?

Soon, Vicki couldn’t take anymore. Her jaw ached. She panted, trying to regain her breath. As his impressive cock sprang free from her mouth.

She looked up at her expectant lover, and her eyes met his. His eyes were determined and demanding. They were the eyes of a man who expected to be obeyed.

‘Stand and come with me,’ he told her as he helped her to her feet. He led her to the sofa. ‘Kneel!’ he ordered. Vicki obeyed. She knelt facing away from him, leaning over her sofa waiting for him. She knew what was coming. Her pussy throbbed with nerves yet dripped with the excitement of taking something so big.

Her breathing felt like it was going to run away from her as she felt him at her entrance. She couldn’t help but push back, only to find he wasn’t there. A mew of frustration escaped from her lips.

‘Patience,’ Chael whispered as he positioned himself again and took hold of her hips. It wasn’t with a thrust that he entered her. It was a gentle push as he slowly opened her up.

Vick’s eyes squeezed tight, and her mouth made a silent O when she felt him inside her. She had never had anything this large inside her. She felt him pulling out and then gently pushing himself back in again but a little deeper.

He did it again. He was going too slowly for Vicki, and she pushed back to take more than he wanted to give. Her pussy was hungry, wanting to swallow his cock until she could feel his hips on her ass.

Vicki tried to move her hips, but Chael’s tight grip that he held her with was too strong. Her want had turned into a need, and she began to struggle.

Vicki gasped loudly as a stinging slap to her ass made her stop.

‘Relax!’ Chael growled. ‘You need to get used to the size.’ Vicki had no choice but to do what she was told. It was then she felt him. His size. His strength.  

A pleasurable pain emanated from her pussy. He had stretched her and penetrated her more deeply than any man had before.

Vicki closed her eyes and took in the sensation. She began to tense which rewarded with another slap to her ass.

‘I said relax!’ Chael snapped.

It felt like torture having him so far inside her yet not being able to move. It felt incredible being dominated in this way. Vicki gave a little whimper from the conflicting emotions. It was then she realized the pain had gone away.

She looked behind her and saw Chael. His grey-blue eyes were full of lust. His brow was furrowed, his breathing deep with intense self-control.

‘Please,’ Vicki begged. ‘It doesn’t hurt anymore.’

A look of relief came over Chael. He began to withdraw from Vicki before, agonizingly, slowly he pushed himself back inside her. His grip on Vicki’s hips was mercifully relaxed.

Vicki moved in rhythm with Chael. Her heavy breathing turned into pants. Her pants turned into moans.

‘Please, harder!’ Chael began to move faster. Pleasure started to build in her pussy. Her hips increased their pace. His balls began to slap against her, making her give high-pitched screams whenever they struck her clitoris.

‘Oh my god!!’ she moaned, then she pushed back hard, and a quivering orgasm shook through her.

Her orgasm made Vicki lose control of her body. Her hips and pussy worked on their own. Her body wanted more. Her mind felt like it was going to lose consciousness through the intensity of pleasure she was receiving from the enormous cock inside her. It felt like it was getting bigger. It felt like it was going deeper. It felt like it was stretching her more.

Another orgasm, then another rocked her. Tortured screams were coming from her lips as her body begged for one more. Always one more. She couldn’t stop. Sweat was dripping from every part of her body. Panic began to rise in her, not knowing when it would end, not knowing if she wanted it to. That was the terrifying part. She didn’t know if she did.

Chael began to growl deeply, and then he pushed hard inside Vicki and roared as he came.

Vicki’s strength left her, and the only thing stopping her from collapsing was Chael’s hand around her stomach. She then had an intense feeling of loss when Chael pulled out leaving her pussy empty and stretched.

Chael took Vicki’s quivering body into his arms. She shivered as a cool breeze blew into the pool house.

Chael kissed her gently.

‘Good girl. Good girl,’ he told her soothingly as she held on to him tightly. ‘You did well. I’ll be back’ Vicki could only whimper in response.

Chael returned with a towel and wiped the sweat from Vicki’s body before wiping the cum from between her legs. He held her until she drifted off to sleep.

Date After Betrayal

It had been two years since my wife, Gwen, blindsided me by leaving me for my best friend, Jack. The pain of that double betrayal was a pain that I had never felt before in my life. I trusted them both without question and they betrayed me. They waited for me to come home from work to tell me as a couple with divorce papers.

Of course, they were sorry. They never meant to hurt me. It just happened, they never meant to fall in love. And all the other bullshit that cheaters like to justify their shitty behaviour. All I knew was that they had been seeing each other for six months. All those girls’ nights out and staying at a friend’s house because she had too much to drink were nights with Jack. Those same nights Jack couldn’t keep me company and go out drinking were because he had Gwen staying over. I felt like an idiot. It was all in front of me and I never noticed because I trusted them.

Gwen moved out immediately to live with Jack and the divorce proceedings started. I was lucky. Gwen moving out meant I was able to keep the house. I was delighted with my lawyer. I had been recommended her by a colleague at work whose husband cheated on her too. She cleaned her ex-husband out. Gwen didn’t say anything, but I know she wasn’t happy. She wanted half the house. She and Jack had big spending plans.

One of the reasons Gwen gave me for leaving me was that I wasn’t fun. She confided in Jack who agreed with her. It was obvious then why Jack never had any long-term girlfriends, he was always in love with Gwen.

With the divorce out of the way, the new single me fell into depression. I lost friends because they refused to take sides and saw Gwen and Jack. My self-esteem was next to zero. With the help of therapy, I built myself back up. It was tough but I did it. I was proud of myself, even if I had no one to share my success. One thing I continued to struggle with and that was trusting people. I stopped allowing people to get too close to me because I thought they would betray me.

This was why I started dating again. I wanted to trust again. Until I did that, I knew I would never be fully healed. I tried dating apps and accepted blind dates. Going out and dating terrified me.

So, I was standing at the restaurant bar waiting for my blind date. I was told I would know her when I saw her which was vague, but beggars couldn’t be choosers.

“Hello, Will,” a nervous voice that I recognised said from behind me.

I turned around and a flurry of emotions shot through me. Nerves turned into surprise which turned into anger.

“Hello,” I greeted Jack’s younger sister, Maddie, tersely.

“How are you?” she asked.

“Good.”

“Have you been here long?”

“A little while. What is it you want? I’m waiting for a date,” I told her bluntly and unkindly.

Her expression told me everything.

“You have to be kidding me. I knew tonight was going to be a bust,” I said irritably, and I went to leave.

I was surprised when Maddie grabbed my arm and said desperately, “Please, Will, don’t go. Can we at least have dinner? I will explain everything. If you’re still not happy then we can call it a night.”

It was the way she looked at me that persuaded me to stay. It was her desperation and her pleading eyes. It wasn’t those of someone who wanted to hurt me or play a trick on me.

We sat down at our table. Maddie looked extremely nervous and worried. I was feeling wary and hostile.

“I want to say first that I am ashamed of Jack for what he did to you. It was horrible. My parents are ashamed of him too.”

“Thank you,” I replied, my demeanour softening.

“My parents never accepted Gwen. Jack had some nasty arguments with them over her. I was furious with Jack and refused to have anything to do with Gwen either. They aren’t together anymore, you know. They split up. Jack said Gwen cheated on him with a guy she met in a bar.”

Hearing that Jack broke up with Gwen because she cheated broke my deadpan exterior and I started to laugh. My laughter made Maddie smile for the first time.

“Thank you so much,” I told her gratefully. “I needed to hear that. Talk about karma!”

“Jack was so cut up about it and he got no sympathy from anyone.”

“I bet he was,” with Maddie’s peace offering, I couldn’t keep up the hostile act any longer. The truth was that I had always liked Maddie. We used to talk a lot whenever we met. I liked Jack’s parents too. They were always good to me, but, after what Jack did, seeing them was too painful.

“It’s nice to see you smile,” she told me shyly. “I like it when you smile.”

I looked at her properly for the first time. She had her long blonde hair, she had, the last time I saw her, been cut into a shaggy bob. Her dress and makeup showed that our date was important to her.

“You look pretty, tonight. Your hair looks nice. It suits you short,” I said awkwardly, not knowing if it was the right time to say it.

She smiled at my compliment, “Thank you.”

The waiter interrupted us to take our drinks order, and to give us the menu. We chose what we wanted to eat. With our food on the table, we resumed our conversation.

“Do you want to tell me how we ended up on a blind date together?” I asked. Something told me it wasn’t just a coincidence.

“It wasn’t a blind date from my side,” Maddie confessed. She put down her knife and fork and tears welled in her eyes. “This is harder than I expected,” she admitted. A tissue was handed to her from one of the ladies on the table next to us who had been listening to our conversation. “The thing is, I’ve always liked you, even when we were growing up, and when I heard you were dating again, I just wanted to try. I thought you wouldn’t want to see me after what my brother did.”

“Jack is your brother?” came the shocked outburst from the same table the tissue came from.

“And was my best friend,” I thought they should know the full context of the story. These two revelations brought gasps from the table. “If you liked me, why didn’t you say anything?” I asked Maddie.

“Because you were with Gwen. I’m not like my brother.”

I sighed in resignation. She had a point. I would have told her an emphatic no if she asked me directly and it would have been wrong to judge Maddie by what her brother did. If I walked out now, I would have looked like a prize asshole.

“Alright, shall we try and enjoy tonight and see how it goes,” I suggested. “I’m sorry I tried to walk out earlier.”

“Thank you, I would like that,” she smiled with relief. “And don’t worry. It was a normal reaction. I would have done the same if I was in your place.”

Truth be told I had a good time. We caught up with our lives. She touched upon my divorce, but I told her I didn’t want to ruin our evening by talking about it. She understood.

At the end of the evening, when we walked out onto the street, she asked hopefully,

“What do you want to do now?”

I felt guilty, but all I wanted to do was to go home, “I’m sorry, Maddie. I had a great time tonight. I really did. But it has been emotionally tiring.”

“Oh, okay,” her disappointment was obvious.

“But this is only tonight. It doesn’t mean we can’t go out together again.”

“Really?” it made me happy to see her hope return.

“I’ll call you, I promise,” I opened my arms, and she happily came to me for a hug. Her hug felt good. It had been a long time since I felt the warmth of a woman in my arms, and I held her for longer than I intended. “I’m sorry!” I exclaimed when I realised that I had lost myself in our embrace.

“It’s alright,” she smiled happily. “I enjoyed it.”

I did call her, and we did go out again. Maddie was determined and patient. I was afraid to get too close. She wore me down. Seeing her smile at me made me feel happy. Her determination and refusal to give up on me, when I couldn’t always give her what she wanted or needed, built up my self-esteem and confidence. Knowing Maddie was prepared to do that for me made me feel like a man again. She was patient and understanding when I had issues when we first slept together.

I tried hard to control my feelings. I tried resisting what I knew to be true.

It was a battle I was always destined to lose, “I love you,” I told her out of the blue. It surprised me as much as her. I had never seen anyone so happy. I threw myself back into therapy with a determination to trust again.

After five months of dating, she wanted me to meet her parents again,

“They so want to see you,” she pleaded with me as she fought my reluctance. “They were so happy when I told them we were dating.”

I agreed, and I prepared myself mentally. What I wasn’t prepared for was the warmth of welcome. Maddie’s mum embraced me quite roughly in her excitement.

“It is so good to see you again, Will,” she told me. “We missed you.”

Maddie’s dad shook my hand so hard that I thought it would come off. The only uncomfortable moment was when I saw Jack.

“Hey, man,” he greeted me unhappily from the armchair he was sitting in. He didn’t look good. After Gwen cheated on him, he moved back with his parents, broke. He and Gwen went on a spending spree they couldn’t afford. When the money ran out, Gwen cheated looking for someone else to fund her spending.

It helped to see him that way. It helped knowing, after what he did, that I was in a better place than him.

“How’s Gwen?” I asked cruelly. He didn’t answer and left the room.

I did find out what happened to Gwen. She completely lost control of herself after she left Jack. She began to sleep with any guy who would buy her dinner and expensive drinks. There is only so much a person can do. She had a nervous breakdown and tried to commit suicide. She was committed to a psychiatric hospital where she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Everything then made sense. She was always a little manic. She would swing from being happy and telling me how much she loved me to screaming and shouting at me. When she finished, she would apologise and look ashamed of herself. At times she was emotionally exhausting. I suppose that was what drove her to cheat. I was working hard trying to get the mortgage paid and she wanted to have fun and got upset when I wouldn’t because I was taking my responsibilities seriously. We argued so much.

It was a surprise then, that just after Maddie moved in with me, I got a message from a former mutual friend saying Gwen wanted to meet.

I wasn’t sure it was a good idea. I didn’t want to bring back old painful memories.

“You need to face the past,” Maddie surprisingly encouraged me. “It might help us and heal your trust issues. You can’t stay in therapy forever. You have to face your fears. If she is difficult then you can just leave.”

They were wise words, and my therapist agreed.

When I met Gwen, she like Jack looked terrible. She had lost a lot of weight and looked anything but happy.

“Hello, Gwen,” I greeted her warily.

“Hello, Will,” she greeted me guiltily.

“How are you?”

“As good as can be expected,” she smiled weakly. “I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I’m taking medication for it.”

“I see. I’m sorry to hear that. Why did you want to meet?” I wanted to leave as quickly as possible.

Gwen took a deep breath, “I’ve decided that I need to try and make amends for all the problems I’ve caused people and I’m starting with you. I’m sorry, Will. I’m sorry for everything I did to you with Jack,” a tear rolled down her cheek. I wasn’t sure whether to believe it or not. “Cheating on you was bad enough but doing it with your best friend was cruel. If you want an explanation, I can’t give you one. I’m struggling to remember that part of my life. All I know was what I did and that you didn’t deserve it.”

I wasn’t sure how I felt hearing that.

“You left me in a dark place,” I told her angrily. “I suffered intense depression after being betrayed by my wife and best friend. I lost friends because of you. It took me two years to be in a place to date again. Even now I still have trust issues. That is what you did to me!” getting that off my chest felt good.

Gwen’s tears began to flow, “I’m sorry. If only I knew about my mental illness, I would never have cheated on you. I would have got help.”

“Well, I’m better now. I got through it and I’m dating now. I’m dating Jack’s sister,” I said the last part vindictively, only to make her feel bad. I knew it was the wrong thing to say as soon as I said it.

Gwen looked crushed before she strangely smiled, “I hope she will make you happy. You deserve it.”

“Thank you,” I replied taken aback.

Her smile then dropped, “I have something else to tell you.” Here it comes I thought. “I’m dying.”

“What?” I said looking confused. That was the last thing I expected to hear.

“I have been diagnosed with cervical cancer. When I was sleeping around, sex started to become painful, and I was bleeding too. I ignored it. I was too focused on superficial things. My mental illness persuaded me not to take it seriously. By the time it became too much, it was too late. I’ve been told I only have six months to live.”

I was completely at a loss for what to say.

“Gwen,” I stammered. “I am so sorry.”

“This why I wanted to see you. I wanted to apologise for all the terrible things I’ve done, and I’ve done so many bad things to people.”

I became choked up with emotion, “I forgive you,” I told her. Whatever she did, she didn’t deserve to die for it.

Gwen began to sob with relief, “Thank you, Will. Thank you so much.” I wasn’t sure how Maddie would react, but I couldn’t help myself. I just took her into my arms.

“Being married to you wasn’t terrible. We were happy once, weren’t we?” I asked her. It was all I could think of saying.

“Yes,” she answered through her tears. “We were happy. Thank you, Will. I needed to hear that. I am truly sorry for how it ended.”

“I know you are. I’m glad we met.”

That meeting helped me put everything into perspective. It felt good to get everything off my chest, but it made me realise life is too short to hang on to the past.

Gwen fought on for nine months before she died. I went to the funeral. Hatchets were buried and people were forgiven. I did grieve for Gwen. I then got my head straight and focused on Maddie. She was my rock. I owed her so much and she brought me so much happiness. We married and had kids. Jack and I became friends again, but we were never best friends like we were.

I Would Very Much Like….

“Mummy, do you and Daddy like each other again?” Andrea’s eldest child, Maddie, asked her as they stopped outside her ex-husband’s house which was formally hers.

“That is why I’m here, sweetie. To find out,” she replied honestly.

It broke Andrea’s heart that Maddy had to ask that. She was here because she wrote her ex-husband, Jason, a letter, pleading to talk. She put everything she had into the letter. She had written it and re-written the letter several times before she was happy with it. Even then the paper was stained with her tears.

Things were so bad between her and Jason when they met to exchange the children, they had to meet at a neutral location. They communicated through a parenting app and only then about their daughters. Often a park. He only left the car to help the girls put their seatbelts on. He never spoke or even looked at her. She had to give the letter to her children to pass on. She knew if she had tried to talk to him or even give him the letter herself, he would have refused.

Andrea put her hand over her stomach to calm her butterflies. She was so nervous. This was going to be the hardest conversation of her life. She would be confessing to things that she had long denied. The truth had to be told.

The front door opened, and she saw Jason. Her heart skipped a beat. He looked happier, maybe not happy, just less sad.

“Hello, Jason,” she greeted her ex-husband hopefully as she walked to the house.

“Andrea,” he replied gruffly and businesslike. The lack of trust in his eyes was plain to see. Andrea couldn’t help but notice the flutter of curtains from the neighbour’s house. The same neighbours that helped expose her affair. When she got lazy in her attempt to hide it. They told Jason everything with photos. “You had better come in,” he told his ex-wife as his children pushed past him.

Andrea’s heart broke again. Jason had completely redecorated. It was unrecognisable from when she lived there. All those happy memories had been painted over.

“I like what you have done with the place,” she told Jason trying to smile and begin to rebuild the bridges she had burnt.

“There were too many bad memories, so I had to change it to move on,” was the brutal reply, making Andrea’s smile disappear. “Take a seat, I’ll make a cup of tea. Girls!” he called out to their daughters, “Go play in your rooms or the garden. Mummy and Daddy need to talk alone for a few minutes.”

Their daughters hurried outside.

“I love seeing them playing together,” Andrea said when Jason brought the tea. I have something for you and handed Jason a bulky envelope.

Jason took it and opened it suspiciously. His suspicion disappeared and his expression softened. A small smile appeared when he saw the photos of their daughters.

“Thank you,” he said gratefully. “So, I got your letter. What did you want to talk about?” Jason asked. The lack of emotion or feeling in his voice hurt Andrea deeply after putting so much of it in her letter.

“I wanted to say I’m sorry,” she said quietly and shamefully.

“Sorry? Sorry for what?”

“I’m sorry for all the pain and hurt I put you through when I had my affair. I’m sorry I cheated on you. You never deserved to be treated like that.”

Jason began to speak then stopped. A look of suspicion appeared from which Andrea almost cowered.

“Okay,” he replied carefully. “What has brought this on after all this time? You weren’t very sorry at the time, why are you sorry now?”

“Jason, please. I’m trying. I’m being sincere,” Andrea pleaded.

“I’m sorry your stock in sincerity isn’t very high. It’ll take more than saying sorry for me to believe you,” Jason told her sceptically. His voice dripped with distrust. “You gaslighted me, you convinced me I was crazy when the truth was in front of me. You let me lose my self-respect trying to save our marriage before you left me for that asshole!”

Andrea fought back her tears. This was harder than she ever expected. He was still angry. She hadn’t expected that.

“Give me something, Andrea,” Jason demanded when he got no answer. “Give me something for me to believe you. Our daughters are in the garden. Give me something so I can tell our daughters that Daddy likes Mummy again. Or are we wasting our time?”

Andrea’s tears she was holding back began to flow, “I’m sorry, okay! I’m sorry! I wish I never cheated on you. I broke up our family for a man who wasn’t worth it. For someone who never was and could never be who you are. I am ashamed of what I did!”

Jason looked surprised at Andrea’s outburst. Even so, he still struggled to believe his ex-wife. However, she had given him enough to listen further.

“So, how did you come to this epiphany? How did you come to realise that your ‘twin flame’, was no good,” Andrea knew Jason was making fun of her.

“After we broke up,” Andrea admitted shamefully.

To Andrea’s dismay, a satisfied smile appeared on Jason’s face, “Tell me what happened. I thought you, Simon and the girls were a happy family. I thought Simon and the girls loved each other.”

“They didn’t love each other as much as I led myself to believe.”

“Ah! So, how did you work that out, eh? Tell me what happened.”

Andrea became distraught, “After we separated, I introduced Maddie and Daisy to Simon. I was so happy. Simon was pleased to meet them, too. The four of us played together. I thought we were making the first steps, to becoming a new family. I assumed Simon would love them as much as I did.

After our divorce, he began to drift away. He stopped wanting to be in photos with us. He would volunteer to take photos, instead of posing with us. Then I noticed that Maddie and Daisy hadn’t taken to him like I thought. That was when I started to miss us as a family, you, me and the girls. Simon just didn’t seem interested. When Maddie and Daisy were with me, he complained that I spent too much time with them and not enough with him. He complained we weren’t having enough sex.

He rarely came around when Maddie and Daisy were with me. The girls didn’t miss him. I tried to pretend everything was good, but it clearly wasn’t. I found myself missing you, instead of Simon on the nights I slept alone. Our sex became less satisfying. It lost the spark it had when we were having our affair. I realised he was never as good as you. He was more selfish. I had to think of you to enjoy it.”

Jason listened intently as Andrea lamented the end of her relationship with her affair partner, “And at what point did this beautiful romance end?”

Andrea gave a pained expression, “When we were having sex, I said your name. He accused me of cheating on him with you.”

Jason broke out into a smile and began to laugh. Andrea flinched at his laughter.

“That is brilliant,” he said trying to get his laughter under control. “Talk about karma! And he had the nerve to say you cheated on him with me. Unbelievable!”

Andrea felt crushed at Jason’s enjoyment of her misfortune. On seeing her reaction he stopped himself from enjoying it for the moment.

“I take it you didn’t just come here to make me smile?” he asked her more seriously.

“I can understand why you are enjoying it, but please can you not make it so obvious?”

“Alright, let’s move on for now. Thank you for telling me. I’m sure it can’t have been easy to admit to me that you screwed up. Telling me was a nice gesture. You didn’t have to tell me, and your apology is appreciated. What did you want to talk about?”

“I want-“ Andrea paused, she knew she wasn’t in a position to make demands, so she decided to rephrase what she was going to say, “I would like it very much if we could rebuild our relationship. I don’t mean to get back together, I mean to stop hating each other for the sake of Maddie and Daisy. I would like it very much if we could communicate normally. They know things are bad between us. I hate using that parenting app. It’s humiliating. It’s not just that. I would like to send you photos of Maddie and Daisy when they are with me too and for you to send me photos when they are with you. I would very much like it if we could co-parent normally. I would very much like it if we weren’t enemies anymore. It isn’t good for Maddie and Daisy. I would very much like it if we could celebrate Maddie and Daisy’s birthdays together.”

Jason remained quiet as he listened. He understood where she was coming from. How it was between them wasn’t good for their daughters. Maddie had been asking why he and Andrea didn’t like each other. He felt horrible that she was noticing.

He nodded and replied, “I understand your point and I agree with you, but all that requires trust. I have to be able to trust and I don’t have a lot of trust in you.”

“What do you need from me for you to trust me,” Andrea asked fearfully.

“I need you to take full accountability for the end of our marriage and your affair,” Jason said sternly.

Andrea wiped away a tear, “You can have it. It is my fault that I cheated on you. My affair was what broke up our family and marriage. No other reason. I’m so sorry, Jason, for hurting you so much. I regret everything I did to you. When I look back and see what I did and how I treated you, I feel ashamed, and the worst part is I know that shame will never go away.”

“Thank you, for validating how I feel and taking responsibility,” Jason said in gratitude. “But it doesn’t explain why you had an affair.”

“Please Jason, don’t,” Andrea pleaded.

“No, Andrea!” Jason demanded, finally becoming emotional. “I need to know. I still lie awake at night renumerating our marriage. Thinking about what went wrong and why you needed to cheat. Thinking, ‘Was I to blame.’ It’s not fair that I have to keep doing that. We can’t move forward until you tell me why you had to leave me for another man.”

“I don’t know,” wailed Andrea.

“You don’t know?” Jason fumed. “So, your excuse hasn’t changed in all this time.”

“I don’t mean, ‘I don’t know,’ in that I have no idea. I mean I don’t know how to explain it. I never set out to cheat on you. Honestly, I didn’t. I suppose it started when we hit that rocky patch. We were arguing a lot. I didn’t think you were listening to me. Simon saw that I was unhappy at work and asked me what was wrong. It was nice to be listened to, so I told him. He cheered me up and made me laugh. He paid me compliments and made me feel attractive. I knew he had a thing for me.

He was the most inappropriate person to open up to. I suppose when I told him about our marriage problems, he saw it as an opportunity to make a move. I think at that time I was in love with how he made me feel so I didn’t discourage him. I allowed him to start messaging me. It felt so good. I should have stopped it because it had already gone too far but I was addicted to that feeling of someone listening to me and making me feel valued.

We had lunch together regularly. Lunch became drinks and dinner after work. By then I was lost in the affair. I was lost in the excitement and thrill of it all.

Looking back, you were trying so hard to fix our marriage, but nothing you could have done would have stopped me. I don’t think you suspected anything at that point.

We kissed one night and that was when you lost me. I had convinced myself that I was in love with him, and he was a better man than you.

The first time we had sex wasn’t when you think or when I told you. It was when I told you I had to go away for work. That was a lie. Instead, I took two days off work and spent the day and night with Simon in London. After that night, we started to talk about me leaving you.

You know the rest. I said some awful, awful things about you to Simon. I let him say some awful things about you too. None of them were true. I’m sorry for everything. I’m sorry for the lies and disrespect. I’m sorry for bringing someone else into our marriage. It was despicable. It is so hard to look inside myself and see someone so ugly who can do that. When I saw how hurt you were, I felt so guilty. So, I just tried to avoid it and buried all my guilt deep inside of me.

I would like it very much to be given the chance to try and make some amends. I know I can’t take back what I did, but I would like to try and help you heal.

Tears welled in Jason’s eyes at Andrea’s full confession. It was hard to hear, yet the feeling that he wasn’t crazy and was right all along was a huge weight off his shoulders. The relief was immense.

“Thank you,” he mumbled, his voice cracking as he tried to control himself.

“None of it was your fault,” Andrea felt relief too from her confession, as the secrets and guilt were soothed away by the truth.

“Why did you never talk to me? Why didn’t you say anything?” Jason asked.

“I should have. I didn’t tell Simon I wasn’t happy with him either, for what it’s worth. That proves the problem is with me. My therapist says I struggle to process my emotions which is why I can’t be honest with people.”

“You’re having therapy,” Jason said sounding surprised.

Andrea nodded, “After Simon left, I was in a dark place. I still am. I had to have therapy for Maddie and Daisy’s sake.”

“So, they have two screwed-up parents.”

“No, just a screwed-up mother who has made a mess of her life. You have changed since the divorce. You’ve become stronger whereas I’m still the same person. Therapy has made me realise I wasn’t a good wife. I expected you to carry the marriage. I was some immature woman who expected her husband to make her happy. My therapist says I need to be responsible for my own happiness. Please believe me, I’m trying so hard to be a better person.”

Jason just said, “Wow!” Never did he expect this from his ex-wife. When he got the letter, he just thought she was going to use her affair to extract more concessions. Never in a million years did he expect she would give him what he craved the most, a full explanation of why she had betrayed him, honesty, accountability and genuine remorse.

Jason thought deeply, “Okay, you’ve convinced me. The photos were a thoughtful peace offering. We can go forward. We can swap numbers and communicate like adults. We can celebrate Maddie’s and Daisy’s birthdays together. You’re right they would like that, and it would be nice to get photos when they are with you. Please don’t make me regret this.”

“I won’t I promise,” Andrea said with hope welling inside her.

“I do have one condition, though. If you get a new boyfriend, I want to know and to meet him before he meets Maddie and Daisy. I will need to know they will be safe with him.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. I don’t intend to date. I want to focus on Maddie and Daisy. I’ve put my needs first for too long. I need to prove to myself I am a good mother.” Andrea’s voice became quieter and more nervous, “Also, I hope, one day, we can get back together. Please don’t say anything. I know I don’t deserve you, but I need the hope that we can one day. It is the fuel that keeps me going. I miss you so much. I wake up wishing you were next to me. I get so lonely sometimes, then I start crying because I know it is my fault you’re not there.

I’m the loser from my affair, not you. You’ve changed and grown as a person. I’m still the same person I was when we were married. I’m not ready to be with you. I have so much work to do to make myself worthy of you and myself. That is why I need hope. I have nothing else.”

Jason’s resolve broke and he wiped away his tears as he saw the woman he once loved then hated, the mother of his children, hit rock bottom and express hope for something he didn’t think was possible.

“There is something else,” Andrea asked in hope more than expectation.

“What?”

“Can you hold me? I’ve been needing someone to hold me for so long and you’re the only one I can ask. There is no one else. I just want to be held.”

“Sure,” Jason agreed and opened his arm. He felt too emotionally drained to say no.

Andrea smiled weakly and moved into her ex-husband’s single-arm embrace. He felt warm and safe. She wrapped an arm around him, then the other.

Jason felt Andrea begin to shake, and then sob uncontrollably.

“I’m sorry. I am so sorry. I ruined everything. I miss you so much. I‘m so unhappy and it’s all my fault. I’m scared. I’m scared that I can’t be better. I’m scared that I can’t be a better mother. My life is a mess, and I don’t know what to do.”

Jason’s brow furrowed with concern. His other arm came around his ex-wife to hold her properly. She sounded so small and helpless. He quickly glanced outside to make sure Maddie and Daisy were still there. They couldn’t see their mother like this. He didn’t want to see her like this. It was easier when he hated her.

He held her, kissing her on the top of her head occasionally until she began to calm down.

“Thank you,” Andrea told Jason gratefully. “I’m sorry you had to deal with that. I should go. Can I wash my face before I say goodbye to the girls?”

Jason sighed deeply, “Why don’t you stay for dinner and leave when the girls go to bed?”

“Really? Are you sure?” Andrea hadn’t felt so excited for a long time.

“Yeah, the girls will love it. Think of it as a trust exercise. Go and wash your face and I will start cooking dinner.”

“Thank you, Jase,” Andrea replied using the short form of his name she used when they were married. “It is more than I deserve.”

Maddie and Daisy were ecstatic that the four of them had dinner together and their mother could kiss them goodnight. Andrea had to hold back her tears when her daughters said, “I love you, Mummy, I love you, Daddy,” in the same sentence.

“Thank you, Jase, for tonight. I had a lovely time,” Andrea smiled as she prepared to leave.

“Keep me updated on your progress,” Jason told her. “And if you need someone to talk to let me know. I don’t like seeing you like this.”

Jason unblocked her number and Andrea gave him her number again before she surprised him by kissing him on the cheek.

“Bye, Jason.”

“Bye, Andi,” calling her that made her heart leap.

Andrea went to her empty home. She sat on her sofa and began to cry with loneliness as she habitually did.

Worshipping My Wife’s Ass

I’ve always been an ass man. I don’t know why. I just am. It can’t be any ass either. It must be round and soft like a plump pillow.

I love to watch women’s asses sway in tight-fitting jeans, tight skirts or dresses as their owner walks away.

Yeah, I am a pervert. I can’t help it — more than once I’ve been caught staring. I have been called a creep many times. Women have told me to “Take a picture it’ll last longer!” Oh, how little do they know? Other times, they have just looked at me and smiled.

My wife’s ass was obviously the first thing that attracted me to her. And what an ass she has! It is large round and soft. The skin is silky smooth and permanently tanned. It is an ass of a goddess and it deserves to be worshipped.

Not a day or moment goes by when I grab it and squeeze it either in passing or when I give my wife a passionate kiss. I reach behind her with both hands and take hold.

Its magnificence cannot be understated. After all, I agreed to forsake all other asses for it.

When my wife wants to play, she knows exactly how to get me in the mood. She wears nothing but a skimpy thong and kneels on all fours on the bed.

It draws me to it like a magnet. I am weak to its charms. I know I can’t resist. My wife knows I can’t resist.

I begin to plant soft kisses on the cheeks of her ass. My wife gives a small moan of approval. My hands gently caress it as it ensnares me.

My kisses become hungrier the more turned on I become. My cock begins to strain painfully in the restrictive space of my trousers forcing me to reluctantly part from the object of my desire so I can undress.

A deep sigh of happiness emanates from my wife as return to her ass. My kisses come closer to her crack and I run my tongue around it. My wife moans as I do so and her ass cheeks clench together.

I now know she is ready.

I slowly peel off her thong and I see it. Her perfect rosebud. I pause momentarily as I take in its beauty and inhale its musky scent.

I start by tracing my finger over it. It feels different to a pussy. It is dryer and bumpy, but no less alluring.

My tongue then snakes out and I give a first tentative lick.

“Oh!” my wife moans in front of me.

Her audible pleasure drives me on. My licking becomes circular. My wife moans again and pushes her ass into my face. She makes small mewing sounds as I continue. She sounds like she is in painful need of release and I happily give it to her.

My hand moves between her legs and I insert a finger into her wet pussy.

“Oh, God!” I hear my wife say.

I manage to insert the tip of my tongue inside her rosebud. My finger moves in and out of her pussy. Two of my wife’s holes are assaulted at the same time.

I can feel her pleasure build. Her moans become louder. Her hips move faster.

Then her whole body tenses and shakes. I hear a sound get stuck in her throat and after an age, she collapses onto the bed.

“Fuck!” I hear her whimper quietly. “That felt so good.”

“Anything for you,” I whisper to her like she had all the pleasure. We both know it wasn’t true.

“Fuck me, now!” my wife demands.

“Of course,” I tell her and my cock enters her pussy, from behind naturally.

Reclaimed Desires – The Danger is the Fantasy

After her children had flown the nest, housewife Ophelia, finds herself neglected by her husband.

With her friend, Sara’s encouragement, she secretly visits the 48 Club, where older women can spend the night with younger men to overcome their frustrations. There, she meets Jay, awakening a side of herself she never knew existed and experiencing a night of passion she hadn’t known possible.

However, when her husband, Matt, receives a mysterious offer to give him what she has, she feels powerless to refuse.

Her life then spirals out of control. Her love for her husband grows and the passion and desire she had awoken turns into jealousy and guilt. She lives in constant fear that her selfishness may have destroyed her marriage.

Can Ophelia fix herself or has she lost the person she has desired the most, her husband, Matt?

Available from Amazon on eBook, Paperback and Kindle Unlimited

Free Extract

Chapter 1

‘So, it is just you and Matt now. How long has it been since the children moved out?’ Sara asked with raised eyebrows at her friend, Ophelia, with a little smile, taking a sip from her coffee.

‘Lia moved out three months ago. Harry left the year before,’ Ophelia smiled wistfully, but sadness glistened in her green eyes.

‘It must be hard, but you and Matt must be getting better acquainted again,’ Sara suggested with a wicked grin.

Ophelia’s smile disappeared but the sadness remained, ‘I wish we were but as soon as Lia left, he started doing projects in the house. He is building a den for himself. He says he always wanted one but he’s always too tired in the evenings and has little time for me.’ Ophelia wiped away a tear.

‘Oh, I am so sorry, Ophelia,’ Sara said moving seats to sit next to her friend and taking her hand to comfort her. ‘You are having sex, aren’t you?’

Ophelia slowly shook her head, ‘We haven’t had sex for months.’

‘You don’t think he is seeing someone else, do you?’

‘No, he isn’t. I’m sure of it. I know he still loves me, but I wish he showed it sometimes.’

‘Have you tried talking about it with him?’

Ophelia slowly nodded, ‘He always falls asleep while we talk.’

‘Are you, erm, taking matters into your own hands? I can recommend some good toys.’

Ophelia flushed a deep red as she confessed, ‘Every day, and I use a vibrator when he is at work. I can still orgasm, but it isn’t enough.’

‘What do you mean,’ Sara asked with a furrowed brow, shifting slightly. The sudden talk of vibrators had got her a little hot and bothered.

‘I need a cock, a big hard cock inside me!’ Ophelia growled. Sara was taken aback by her normally mild-mannered friend talking in this way. ‘I use a thick dildo, and it still isn’t enough! I need a cock! I need to feel a man moving in and out of me, roughly fucking me and, oh, feel him pump hot cum inside me!’ Ophelia’s eyes widened with horror at what she just said and how she had said it. ‘Oh God! I am so sorry! I don’t know what came over me!’

‘The problem is that nothing is coming over you or even in you, Ophelia,’ Sara replied, deliberately misconstruing what Ophelia meant. Sara thought for a moment, ‘How much do you need cock, Ophelia?’

‘More than anything,’ Ophelia whispered in a deep gravelly voice.

‘I might know a place that might give you the cock you need,’ Sara said a little cryptically.

‘You mean to go somewhere to cheat on Matt? I couldn’t do that!’ Ophelia gasped.

‘I’m not talking about cheating. You’re not going to have an affair. I’m talking about going somewhere to get cock. It’s somewhere for women like yourself to meet young virile men and get the satisfaction you’re not getting at home,’ Sara assured her brightly.

‘I’m not sure I could,’ but Ophelia sounded more than a little interested. ‘How young?’

‘That depends on you. They are in their early twenties to mid-thirties. Too young for you?’ Sara asked with a raised eyebrow watching Ophelia’s interest grow with amusement.

‘Where is this place?’

‘I can’t tell you that. It is a private club which you must be recommended to join. I can do that for you, but this is very important. When you go there you must be prepared to have sex. It is not a place for just watching young eye candy and masturbating when you get home but I can guarantee you will have fantastic sex. It will make you feel satisfied and younger.’

‘How do you know about it?’

‘You know when Don and I had marriage problems? Well, it was because he had erectile dysfunction, and it was leaving me as frustrated as you are now. Ever since I went to the club, I have been getting the sex I need and I’m a lot happier. It saved our marriage.’

‘You’re still going? Didn’t Don resolve his problem?’

‘Nope, and he knows I go there and what I do there, well most of it.’

‘Wow, that is understanding.’

‘He isn’t crazy about it, but he knows I need to have sex. It takes a real man to understand that, and I love Don more than ever. It isn’t for everyone though. I’ve seen a few women whose marriages ended when their husbands found out. Are you interested?’

Ophelia thought momentarily in temptation before dismissing the idea, ‘No, why would a young man like an old lady like me?’

‘Because they like an old lady like me!’ Sara replied a little haughtily. ‘And late forties isn’t old. We’re in our sexual prime, Ophelia. You need to take advantage of this time of your life!’

‘But my body isn’t attractive!’

‘Take off your clothes,’ Sara told her firmly.

‘What!’

‘Take off your clothes. Don’t worry I’m not going to seduce you. I prefer cock to pussy. Let’s see what we are working with.’

Ophelia reluctantly began to undress.

‘Keep your underwear on,’ Sara said in a business-like manner. ‘Stand on your toes like you have heels on and turn around.’ Ophelia turned around as she was told. ‘Ophelia, you have a great figure, lovely boobs, and a great ass but you need some sexy clothes and lingerie. Put your clothes back on! We’re going shopping!’

Ophelia had to admit that she was interested. A young man lusting over her body, she was getting wet just thinking about it, but she wasn’t sure whether she should or if Matt would understand.

Ophelia and Sara enjoyed their impromptu shopping trip. They bought the sexiest and sluttiest dresses they could find with matching underwear, stockings, and shoes. They also got their hair and nails done. Ophelia reluctantly agreed to get her pussy trimmed and waxed leaving a small patch of hair whereas Sara had hers completely waxed.

‘Come to my house at 6 pm on Saturday,’ Sara told her friend. ‘Don has gone on another golfing weekend. Stay the night, so you don’t have to face Matt afterwards. It will help the guilt dissipate.’

‘But I still haven’t agreed to go,’ Ophelia objected.

‘That dress you bought, and your pussy wax was you agreeing, and I don’t expect to go alone!’ Sara told her with the expectation that her friend would be joining her. ‘That is a come and fuck me dress, where else will you wear it! You won’t regret it, I promise you.’

Saturday arrived. Sara and Ophelia ate a baked pasta dish Sara had prepared before they both started dressing for their night out.

Ophelia looked at herself in the mirror. She had never worn anything so short and revealing. It was a sleeveless sequined dress. The V-neck showed off her cleavage and the hem of the dress only just about hid the top of the stockings she was wearing. Her hair looked fuller and shinier than normal and cascaded down her back. She bit her lip and looked at herself in the mirror, she felt sexy for the first time since before she was pregnant with her first child and a little bit dirty. She realised that she loved the feeling. Ophelia turned around, looked over her shoulder and smiled. The tightness of the dress hugged the swell of her ass beautifully. The dress felt soft and the lacy thong she was wearing rose snugly in her ass.

She was snapped out of the mesmerisation of her reflection by Sara asking in a flamboyant pose, ‘How do I look?’

Sara looked sexy and glamorous. She wore a split-leg gold sequin dress that went up her thigh and three-inch heels. Her red lips looked seductive.

‘Are you wearing underwear?’ Ophelia asked her friend incredulously knowing the answer already. Sara gave her a naughty wink in reply.

The butterflies in Ophelia’s stomach were all over the place on the taxi ride to the club. She was grateful that Sara could feel her nerves and held her hand throughout the journey. They arrived outside a club with an ornate 48 sign. At the door, Sara showed her membership card, gave a password and the two women entered.

‘Mrs MacKenzie,’ a good-looking, well-dressed young man greeted Sara politely. ‘Welcome back,’ how he said it made Ophelia wonder how often Sara came to this club.

‘Thank you, Jamie. This is my friend, Mrs Kilbride, who I spoke to you about on the phone.’

Jamie gave Ophelia a nod and a beautiful welcoming smile that made her weak at the knees, ‘Welcome to the 48 Club, Mrs Kilbride. I hope you will enjoy your visit.’ He then gave an amusing apologetic look making her laugh, ‘I’m afraid that all new members and visitors must go through an induction process. We have some strict rules that must be adhered to. Mrs Mackenzie will sign you in as her guest, then we can begin. If you would both be kind enough to follow me.’

The two friends followed Jamie up some stairs and into a stylish office.

‘Please sit down,’ Jamie said indicating a sofa with a glass coffee table in front of it. He got a stack of paperwork from the desk and placed it on the coffee table before he poured two glasses of Champagne. Jamie sat down on the sofa next to Ophelia. His smell was intoxicating and his closeness electrifying to her. ‘The boring bit first,’ he said showing her a piece of paper. ‘Here are the rules, we expect our members to have complete discretion here. We expect members not to talk about who they saw here and under no circumstances take photos or videos.

‘To ensure this you will be required to sign this agreement, which all the legal speak says that we can sue you if you are not discreet. Due to the nature of the club, all gentlemen members must be regularly tested for STIs. You can use condoms if you wish but you can have unprotected sex without worry. You will be expected to have sex while you are visiting, our gentlemen members join here with the expectation that they will find a willing partner for the evening and finally no money must change hands for any sexual relations.

‘We also do not tolerate rape, sexual assault, or coercion to have sex if one party does not want it, your safety is our priority. If you break the rules you will be escorted from the club with a lifetime ban. This is a respectable establishment, and we expect all our members and guests to be dressed accordingly but seeing how lovely you are dressed I can see that will not be a problem,’ he said with a charming smile. ‘We also recommend that you do not date or approach any sexual partners outside the club, it helps avoid any awkward encounters. Many ladies and some men are happily married, so I am sure you understand.’

Ophelia found Jamie’s charm, closeness, and smell overpowering. She wasn’t paying real attention to what he was saying, and her breathing became ragged. She felt the telltale signs that Jamie was turning her on. Ophelia leaned into him and turned her head without thinking to kiss him. Sara looked on amused.

Jamie suddenly pulled away, leaving Ophelia to come to her senses and realise what she had tried to do.

‘I’m terribly sorry, Mrs Kilbride, I’m afraid employees are not allowed to have relations with members or guests. I would also like to apologise as that was a small test to see how serious you are, and I’m pleased to say you passed.’

He gave Ophelia and Sara some documents, ‘If you can please fill in these forms, we can proceed with the tour.’

Once the forms were filled in Jamie gave Ophelia a card, ‘If you would like to become a member, Mrs Kilbride, on your next visit show this at the door and we can proceed with your membership application.’

Jamie then refilled the ladies’ glasses, and they began the tour.

‘If you could check your coats and handbags in here,’ Jamie asked politely, ‘so you don’t have the temptation to look at your phones while you are in the club then we can carry on.’

With their coats and handbags checked in, Jamie opened the door, and Ophelia entered a world she never knew existed. Upbeat music you could dance to was being played at a respectable level. The club looked fashionable yet not pretentious. Most women were over forty and the men were from their early twenties. The bar was situated at the back and had expensive-looking spirits behind it. Ophelia then noticed the people.

There were couples and some threesomes. What they were doing shocked her. Some were dancing and some women were making out with men young enough to be their children. Watching them got Ophelia a little hot and bothered.

‘Let’s go to the bar first,’ Jamie suggested, seemingly unfazed by what was happening around them. ‘The bar offers the usual beers wines and spirits. Also, the bar staff are highly skilled at making cocktails. There is a menu here. You can sit on the sofas, at the tables or the bar. Dancing is very much encouraged.’

Sara wasn’t listening to Jamie; she was eyeing up potential sexual conquests.

‘How many partners can you have in one night?’ Ophelia asked innocently.

‘How many do you want?’ he replied smiling and winking. ‘Seriously though, we recommend you don’t work the room if you get by meaning. It is considered the height of bad manners by our members to keep all the men to yourself but saying that if you can persuade several men to focus on you for the whole night, that is perfectly fine.’ Jamie took Ophelia and Sara to another door, ‘Kissing and cuddling is encouraged in the bar area, but hand-related activity is discouraged. If it makes a mess don’t do it,’ Ophelia blushed deeply at Jamie’s meaning.

‘Full intercourse is forbidden. If you do, you will be escorted from the club and even have your membership revoked. However, if you do want full intercourse, and you will,’ Jamie opened the door and we entered another part of the club, ‘you can use these rooms. There is a red and green light above the door. Red means occupied and green means available. When a couple has finished the light will stay red until a member of staff has cleaned the room.’ Jamie opened the door of an available room. It was small but tastefully decorated. ‘All the rooms are the same. Condoms can be found in this box and the wet wipes are here. These bins are for any used condoms and wet wipes. Do you have any questions?’

‘No, thank you, Jamie. You have been very helpful,’ Ophelia said with a flirtatious touch of his arm.

‘You’re welcome, Mrs Kilbride,’ he smiled. ‘Let me escort you to the bar area so you ladies can begin to enjoy your evening.’

‘You liked Jamie, didn’t you, Ophelia,’ Sara said laughing, once they were alone at the bar drinking cocktails. ‘I thought you were going to jump on him in the office!’

Ophelia blushed deeply, ‘Was I that obvious?’

‘Uh huh,’ was what she got in reply. ‘In all seriousness, forget about the staff. That is a non-starter.’ Sara’s eyes opened wide, ‘Oh, I’ll be right back.’ Sara then disappeared. Ophelia then realised all her nerves had gone thanks to Jamie. She sat at the bar and drank her cocktail sexily through a straw, watching the other customers’ activity.

Sara returned with two hunky-looking twins on each arm, ‘What do you think, Ophelia? Aren’t they delectable? Would you like one?’

They were good-looking but not Ophelia’s type. ‘No, you can have them both,’ she replied before my hand went over her mouth at the scandalous thing she said.

‘Don’t mind if I do,’ Sara replied quickly. She gave each twin a deep kiss. Sara and Ophelia talked while the twins kissed and massaged Sara’s body. It didn’t take long before things got heavy between the three of them and all Ophelia was getting was, ‘Uh huh,’ and ‘Mmmm’ from Sara as she kept losing her train of thought.

Ophelia could see she wasn’t listening, so she watched fascinated as the twins serviced Sara. One kissed her on the mouth, and her neck and massaged her breasts, while the other began knelt on the to suck on her toes before kissing up her long legs. Ophelia soon realised where his destination was. He parted Sara’s legs exposing her completely bald pussy.

Sara gave a loud moan as the twin began to lick her pussy which was silenced by the other twin kissing her and pushing his tongue into her mouth while he freed her breasts and played with her nipple. After a few minutes, Sara began to look distressed. She tried to grab anything nearby, a twin, the bar, thin air then her body shook as a powerful orgasm shook through her.

The twins released her and even by just looking at her face Ophelia could see she was no longer there. The twins then guided Sara to the door that led to the intercourse rooms. Ophelia sipped her cocktail nervously, feeling very alone.

‘Do you mind if I join you?’ a deep voice said close to her. Ophelia looked up and saw a well-built, muscular man looking at her. She would have guessed he was in his early thirties. He had coffee-coloured skin and was well-dressed. He was much more her type than the twins.

‘Of course,’ she said, the words getting caught in her throat.

He smiled and pulled around another stool.

‘I saw your friend getting taken away by the Williams twins. She is going to have a wild night,’ he said with a small laugh, shaking his head.

‘She was more than game, I think,’ Ophelia laughed in reply.

‘That she was, but she has left you alone,’ he said seductively. Ophelia bit her lip in awe as she stared into his lusty, dark brown, beautiful eyes. Her pussy moistened at his words, and she knew that she wouldn’t be alone for the rest of the evening. ‘Is it your first time here?’

‘Yes,’ she answered as she began to study him. Ophelia sipped her drink sexily and licked her lips provocatively as she did so.

‘Would you like another drink?’ he smiled. Ophelia flushed red when she realised, she was drinking from an empty glass.

‘Yes, please. A mojito,’

‘A good choice. The mojitos here are the best in town.’

While he ordered their mojitos, she crossed her legs and hitched up her dress, so the top of her stockings was in full view.

‘I’m Jacob, but everyone calls me Jay,’ he said, introducing himself and extending his hand out for Ophelia to take.

‘I’m Mrs Kilbride,’ Ophelia told him accepting his hand which felt strong, and his touch caused a jolt of electricity to go through her. She didn’t know why she introduced herself like that, but it made their meeting feel naughty and a little bit dirty for her.

They talked and flirted as they drank their mojitos. It had been so long since Ophelia had flirted with someone. It was so exciting. She rested her hand on his large leg and a flutter went through her stomach when she felt how hard and strong it was. She was mesmerised by this young man and when he leaned forward, she raised her head for a kiss but instead of kissing her, he whispered in Ophelia’s ear,

‘Do you want to dance?’ Ophelia realised that they weren’t flirting, he was seducing her, and this was the next stage of his seduction. She was a more than willing passenger as she took his hand and walked to the dance floor.

They danced to several lively songs, and he led her and twirled her as they danced. He wrapped his strong arms around her waist from behind and she ground her ass into his groin, feeling his large growing cock inside. She knew at that point that having sex with Jay was inevitable. Her body craved it.

A slow song came on and they slow danced to it. A hand slid down Ophelia’s back and caressed hold of her ass. A small moan left her lips, and her breathing became slow and heavy. Ophelia was getting very horny. Jay then began to gently kiss her neck before he looked into Ophelia’s eyes and they kissed, gently at first but soon he had his tongue in Ophelia’s mouth. She could feel his erect cock in his trousers as her body moved against him. Her pussy ached for that cock, until she couldn’t take it any longer,

‘Fuck me, Jay! Take me and fuck me!’ she growled hungrily. Her hand moved to his cock, and she aggressively devoured his tongue.

He looked at her with a surprised expression. Ophelia had a feeling he hadn’t finished his seduction, and she was already demanding to be fucked.

He took her by the hand to the door to the intercourse rooms. Ophelia could hear the moans and grunts of couples and throuples, maybe even more, having sex which added to her arousal. They quickly found a room with a green light.

Once inside, Ophelia reached up, grabbed the back of Jay’s head and pulled him into a kiss. His hands pulled up her dress and grabbed both bare cheeks of her ass with his hands. She could feel her pussy dripping. Ophelia’s other hand went down and began to stroke Jay’s cock that was straining at his trousers.

‘Unzip my dress,’ she told him forcefully. Jay was taken aback by the sudden change in their power dynamic, but he did what he was told. ‘Take your shirt off!’ Ophelia then barked, ‘I want you naked!’ she removed her dress, tossed it dismissively on the floor and went on her knees to remove his trousers. She would have liked to say she did this slowly and sensually, but the truth was that she almost ripped them off him. She had no idea what came over her. She was predatory and he was here to fuck her.

With Jay completely naked, she attacked his cock. It was a smooth, ridged masterpiece. She licked hungrily up and down his shaft. She stroked and sucked his hairless balls and ran a hand from his asshole to his balls. His groans and grunts were music to Ophelia’s ears.

‘Mrs Kilbride, that feels so good,’ he moaned.

Being called Mrs Kilbride while she was sucking his cock felt wonderfully dirty to Ophelia. It was like she was corrupting this young man. She surprised herself by having a small orgasm just from that. His breathing became ragged, and she could taste the saltiness of his precum, so Ophelia took his cock out of my mouth. She was here to be fucked.

Ophelia kissed up his body before she turned him around and pushed him onto the bed before mounting him and hanging her tits over his face,

‘You know what to do!’ she ordered him, and he began to massage and kiss them. Ophelia then forced her nipple into his mouth. She had another small orgasm, but small orgasms were not what she needed. She needed a big earth-shattering one.

She climbed onto the bed and laid down on her back with her legs open,

‘Lick me, Jay, make me cum with your tongue and fingers!’

Jay meekly knelt and plunged his face into Ophelia’s pussy. He licked and sucked with abandon,

‘Oh God!’ Ophelia moaned. It had been so long since her pussy had been touched like this. ‘Lick, lick my clit Jay! Lick my clit!’ she gasped.

Her breathing became ragged, but his rough tongue wasn’t enough. She needed to be penetrated,

‘Fiiingers Jay! Use your fiiingers!’ she was on the edge. Jay pushed a finger inside her as he licked, and she moaned long and loud. ‘More Jay, I need more fingers!’

Jay put in another finger then a third, but his fingers were too big for anymore. Ophelia felt wonderfully full all the same. Her hips then began to buck,

‘Harder Jay, I need it harder!’ and he began to thrust harder with his fingers. His only purpose was to pleasure her. Ophelia began to mew as her hips bucked, and then it came,

‘Take them out Jay, take them OUUUUT!’ she screamed desperately. As soon as J took out his fingers from her pussy, her back arched, her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and she squirted an orgasm.

‘Mrs Kilbride are you okay,’ Ophelia heard Jay ask worriedly. Her eyes adjusted to the light as she returned from the darkness. ‘Mrs Kilbride, would you like me to fuck you now?’ Jay asked politely. It was a thrill to get this large, muscular young man to be so submissive.’

‘Fuck me, Jay! Fuck me hard!’ Ophelia ordered, returning to her senses, and getting onto all fours. When he went for a condom, Ophelia almost shouted at him, ‘No condom, I want to feel you!’ she was so needy and desperate.

Jay lined himself to Ophelia’s pussy hole and his cock slipped easily into her sopping wet pussy. Ophelia gave out a mixture of a moan and a gasp as she felt him enter her. Jay then began to slowly fuck her.

‘Is that it, Jay!? I want you to fuck me hard!’ Ophelia growled with angry frustration pushing back into him.

‘Yes, Mrs Kilbride,’ he grunted as he picked up the pace. She had another small orgasm. How Ophelia loved being called Mrs Kilbride while being fucked. It made her feel powerful and in control.

‘Harder, Jay!’ she demanded again. Ophelia could hear and feel Jay’s balls slap against her clitoris making her moan. She began to move her hips in rhythm to Jay’s thrusts, her moans became louder until she orgasmed hard. ‘More Jay, I need more,’ she begged.

Sweat began to glisten off Jay and Ophelia orgasmed again and again.

‘I’m going to cum, Mrs Kilbride,’ Jay told his older lover, his face a mixture of pleasure and pain.

Ophelia turned to look at Jay, ‘Cum inside me! Cum inside me!’

Ophelia and Jay watched each other as they fucked until Jay let out a roar and flung his head back and shot ropes of cum into Ophelia whose body shook with one last orgasm.

The pair stayed still panting, until Ophelia pushed her hips back into Jay,

‘Don’t pull out, Jay. I want to feel you inside me a little longer,’ Ophelia pleaded.

‘Was that okay, Mrs Kilbride? Is that how you wanted?’ J asked nervously as his dick became soft and fell out of Ophelia’s pussy. He wasn’t sure what this woman had done to him but pleasing her was all that mattered.

Ophelia turned around and began to kiss Jay passionately. Her tongue forced its way into his mouth.

‘That felt so good, Jay,’ she told him gratefully as she pulled away for air. ‘You are such a good boy, Jay. You gave me exactly what I needed.’ She closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of Jay’s cum dripping from her pussy.

Jay got the wet wipes, wiped his dick then Ophelia’s pussy clean before the pair kissed once more,

‘You go on ahead, Darling. I’ll meet you in the bar,’ she told him stroking his cheek. ‘You gave me quite the fucking. I need a moment to myself to recover.

Ophelia watched Jay get dressed, biting her lip as she watched the good-looking and well-built young man who gave her the fucking of her life, dress. When Jay had left, she threw herself onto her back to enjoy her orgasmic afterglow.

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Lost Gift For Words

The marriage counsellor looked at the couple in front of her. The husband looked straight ahead. His expression was full of anger. Not at her, but straight ahead anyway. She could already see she would struggle to get anything out of him. It was obvious he didn’t want to be there. The wife in contrast was tearful. She constantly glanced at him, hoping for something from him but getting nothing. The counsellor could see that it was tearing her up inside.

Then there was how they were sitting. When the wife sat down, her husband shifted away from her, but she kept following him, so he was now pressed against the edge of the sofa they were sitting on. The wife was pressing herself against him leaving a large gap to her right, desperate for the comfort of physical contact.

It didn’t take the counsellor’s qualifications or years of experience to know that the wife had done something she regretted. She had left her marriage and wanted to return, but her husband wasn’t sure he wanted her back.

“What can I help you with?” the counsellor asked pleasantly. “What has happened in your marriage that requires marriage counselling?”

“I did something terrible,” the wife confessed glancing at her husband again. Her husband’s expression didn’t change. “I told John that I was going out with some friends when in reality I was on a date with a colleague from work.”

The counsellor’s lips pursed. Remorse. But was it genuine?

“How did John find out? Did he discover your date, or did you confess?”

“I confessed.”

“I see. What happened to make you confess?”

“I was out having dinner with Patrick,” John flinched at the name. “But when I was out with Patrick something didn’t feel right, so I left him at the restaurant and came home.”

“Were you planning to have sex with Patrick?”

“Yes,” the wife admitted guiltily.

“But you didn’t go through with it?”

“No,” there was certainty in her voice and eyes. She’s telling the truth.

“You said something didn’t feel right when you were with Patrick, what was it?”

“I don’t know. It was the way Patrick spoke to me. It wasn’t the same as John. It was cruder.”

“So, it wasn’t flattering.”

“It was, but it wasn’t the same as John. It wasn’t as clever or as beautiful.”

“Tell me about your evening with Patrick,” the counsellor purposely avoided the word, ‘date’.

“We met at the restaurant. We had a couple of drinks then we sat down for the meal. The meal was lovely. As we ate something felt wrong. Patrick’s words were flattering but not at the same level as John’s. I couldn’t put my finger on it, at first. When Patrick left the table, I read the messages he sent me. He called me beautiful, hot, sexy. It was nice to hear, especially at my age. However, they are words that make you feel good for a moment, then they are quickly forgotten. The way John spoke to me was memorable. He would compare me to a summer’s day, or as beautiful as the first spring flowers. John’s words were poetic. It made you want to keep them and read them over again. He always had such a gift for words. It is one of the things that I loved about him.”

“When you realised this, what did you do?”

“I paid for the bill and left. It was the least I could do. I led Patrick on.”

John’s expression changed for the first time as he couldn’t stop a smile from appearing, “That is so like you, Gwen. You used to always think of other people.” Gwen smiled through her tears at hearing John’s voice at last. “I wished you still thought of me,” he added spitefully which made Gwen lose heart.

“Let’s get back to your story, Gwen.” the counsellor said firmly to nip any arguments in the bud. “What happened when you left? Did Patrick try to stop you?”

Gwen shook her head, “He didn’t see me leave.”

“What happened when you got home?”

“John asked why I was back so early. I confessed to everything including the messages Patrick sent each other over the past few months. I was so full of guilt.”

“You admitted to having an emotional affair?”

“Is that what it’s called,” Gwen answered shamefully. “I tried to show John the messages, but he refused.”

“What about Patrick? Did he call you? Did he send you any messages?”

“Yes, but I didn’t reply.”

“Did you see him at work? He must have been confused. I can’t believe he would’ve let it go. He must have wanted to know why you left him in the lurch like that in the restaurant. It would have been embarrassing!”

Gwen nodded, “I told him I was sorry, but I was in love with John.”

“You told me you didn’t see him,” John hissed acidly. “You lied to me.”

The way Gwen’s shoulders slumped told the counsellor that it was true. At least this session was honest.

“I’m sorry,” Gwen whispered. “I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“How did Patrick react?”

“He was angry, of course. Some of the names he called weren’t nice.”

The counsellor decided it wasn’t helpful to ask what those names were.

“So, we are here because you want to save your marriage after you broke off your emotional affair with Patrick and decided against having sex with him, is that correct?”

“Yes,” Gwen replied, wiping the tears from her eyes.

“Before we explore why you had your affair,” the counsellor said thoughtfully, why don’t you tell John how you feel.”

Gwen turned to her husband who continued to look straight ahead, “John, I’m so sorry for what I’ve done. I love you. I love being married to you. What I did is the worst thing I’ve done in my life. It’s the stupidest thing I’ve done because it could mean losing you. You’re the best thing in my life and the thought of you not being with you in it is killing me. I love you so much. Patrick isn’t close to being you. All I want is for us to stay married and grow old together. I wish I never did it. I feel so ashamed and I am so grateful you came here with me to give us a chance,” Gwen began to sob. She reached out for John’s hand who snatched it away making Gwen sob harder.

“While Gwen composes herself, why don’t you respond John?”

“You say you love me, but someone in love isn’t tempted by the bright lights and excitement of the city when they have the warmth and comfort of home because that warmth and comfort is enough. I believe you’re sorry, but how do I know you won’t do it again? How do I know you won’t follow through and have sex with another man? Your fidelity is like Damocles’s sword over my head. I will never know if or when it will fall. I can’t live like that.” John tapped his temple, “Every happy memory I have of you, of us together is treasured in a scrapbook in my mind. Your cheating was a cup of coffee spilling over every single one of those memories and I don’t know if they can be saved or if they have been stained forever.”

The counsellor had to take a few moments to take in the poetry of John’s response. Gwen’s sobs became stifled with fear at John’s words. One dinner with another man threatened to destroy her world and everything that made her happy.

“What do you need to hear from Gwen?”

“I want to know why. Why did you want to be with another man? What did I do to deserve it? Why did you never talk to me if you were unhappy?”

“You did nothing wrong. I promise I never would have left you. It isn’t possible to have a better husband than you. The problem is me. When our daughters left home, I felt old and past it.” Gwen sighed as a heavy realisation hit her, “Patrick must have sensed it because it was around that time that he began to flirt with me. I shouldn’t have responded, but he made me feel attractive. I liked it. I should have put a stop to it immediately, but it was like a drug. I needed someone else to make me feel attractive and desired. At least I thought I did. I’m not sure I wanted to sleep with Patrick. I just wanted him to want to sleep with me. I don’t think it even had to be Patrick. It could have been with anyone.”

Gwen put her hand over her mouth and tried to control her emotions.

“That sounds awful. It is awful. It is stupid and superficial. I never thought I could be like that. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry for being less than you.”

John looked uncomfortable at Gwen’s last comment.

“How long did it go on for?” John asked his emotions breaking through.

“Three months.”

“Did you kiss him?”

“No!” Gwen replied emphatically.

“Did you sleep with him at all?”

“No! He begged to sleep with me so many times that I gave in. We never had more than those messages, lunches and dinner that night.”

“What made you stop and think, Gwen?” the counsellor asked.

“I suppose deep down my conscience told me to,” she replied. “I don’t know I felt bad. When I read Patrick’s messages a second time, I didn’t feel the same way I did the first time. I felt empty. That special feeling wasn’t there anymore. Then I read John’s messages and got the butterflies I didn’t get from Patrick’s. John has such a wonderful gift with words. I read John’s messages from years ago and they still made me feel the same way as they did the first time I read them. It was then I realised that Patrick could never replace John.”

Gwen turned to John, “You are right, I was attracted to the bright lights and excitement of the city, but when I got there up close, I found the lights were bright but where I was on the ground it was dark and seedy. I realised my terrible mistake. But you’re wrong. Being with you isn’t the warmth and comfort of home. It is being in the happiest dream that you never want to end. That is what you do for me. I took that for granted. I’m so sorry.”

“What do you want, Gwen?” the counsellor asked.

“I want John. I want to stay married to John. I want him to send me those beautiful messages like he always has. I know we can’t go back to how we were, but I want us to build something new where I will appreciate him more. If there is anything I have learnt from all this, I need to work harder on our marriage. I need to appreciate John more because I am so lucky to be married to him. The guilt and regret I am feeling are horrible. I did this to myself and John.

“John, I’m not looking for forgiveness. I hope you will one day, but that is for you to give and not for me to ask for. I’m only looking for another chance to prove what you mean to me. I know I blew the first one. I promise, Patrick never touched me and never meant more to me than you. I am so sorry I hurt you. I will never forgive myself for what I did. I will do anything to win you back.”

“Do you believe Gwen, John?” the counsellor asked. “Do you believe she is remorseful?”

John nodded tearfully.

“Tell Gwen what she needs to do?”

“You need to cut him off,” John answered quietly.

“I already have,” Gwen replied with hope in her voice.

“I want you to leave your job,” he said more confidently.

“I’ll hand in my notice tomorrow. I’ll ask to go on gardening leave.”

John nodded, knowing Gwen would.

“I want you to tell our daughters what you did.”

“No! Please!” Gwen begged. “They’ll be angry. They dote on you. They’ll never forgive me.”

“They need to learn what happens when you are unfaithful. I want them to learn from your mistakes. I’ll make sure they won’t be too angry with you and let you make it up to them.”

“Okay,” Gwen replied despondently. “We can call them when we get home.”

“I want you to go to therapy and tell me about each session. I need to be sure you won’t be tempted again, so you have to find out why you need to feel other people find you attractive. I also want you to get over your guilt. I don’t want this to linger in our marriage.”

Gwen nodded her agreement, “I’ll do it.”

“I also want you to know that this is your last chance. Despite what you’ve done, I still love you. But love isn’t enough. I can’t have you do this again. No more lies. I need to trust you. If you don’t do what I ask or you do it again, I will have to divorce.”

“I know,” Gwen replied sadly. “I promise it will never happen again. You and our marriage are too important to me. I love you, John. Can you kiss me, please?”

John leant towards Gwen and kissed her softly.

Ursula: Affair and Delusion (A Cheating Wife Story)

A two part story

Jilted
After her divorce because of her infidelity, Ursula attempts to bring her lover, David, into her children’s, Violet and Xander, lives.

After David proposes to Ursula, her children to appear to accept David after months of resistance and disrespect. However, they have a traumatic surprise in store for their mother on the day of her wedding.

Breaking the Delusion
In the aftermath of her wedding, Ursula is consumed by her delusions from her affair and refuses to accept her relationship with David is over.

However, she is forced into therapy to confront her delusions, realize her flaws and take accountability of her affair or lose her children.

Can Ursula break free of her delusions and rebuild her life?

Available on Amazon and free on Kindle Unlimited

Free Extract

Chapter 1

Violet and Xander slowly walked down the stairs together at their mother’s, Ursula, calling. There in the hall was a man whom they both detested, with a suitcase.

‘Violet, Xander, welcome David,’ Ursula told her children excitedly. ‘As I told you he’ll be part of our family now.’

‘Mom,’ Violet scowled with disdain, ‘you haven’t even finished divorcing Dad yet!’

‘Well, I thankfully soon will be,’ her mother answered tartly, unhappy that her children weren’t sharing her excitement.

‘Don’t you think it is a little classless?’ Violet continued refusing to let up.

‘Violet!’ Ursula snapped at her daughter angrily.

‘Is that his car,’ Xander, Violet’s younger brother, said looking through the still-open front door at the less-than-spectacular but now familiar car sitting on the driveway. ‘I thought you said that this guy was successful. Dad bought a Mercedes SUV. It’s top of the range. It’s pretty cool.’

‘Good see you kids again,’ David said somewhat awkwardly after Xander’s less-than-kind comparison to his father. ‘Yeah, I’m looking to trade up too. Got a promotion coming up so we’ll soon all be rolling in it.’

Neither Violet nor Xander looked impressed. A tense air of silence hung in the air.

‘Welcome, David to our home!’ Ursula hissed at her children, seething at her children’s rudeness.

‘Yeah, whatever,’ Violet said unkindly as both children turned around and walked back upstairs.

‘They just need a little adjusting,’ Ursula soothed a distraught-looking David as her children returned to their rooms. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll talk to them. They’ll come around.’

Violet, 16, and Xander, 12, were told of their parents’ separation six months before when they were told of their mother’s infidelity. This was after two years of watching their parents arguing, their mother’s coldness towards their father, Gary, her berating of him and her regular weekends and holidays away with her girlfriends, family, trips to see family and any other excuses to be away overnight. It got to the point that not even they believed her mother. It broke their heart to see their father lose his self-respect as he desperately tried to save their marriage. Their parents tried marriage counselling, but David was never far from out of the picture. When their mother was away, they could hear their father sobbing at night.

After two years, Gary finally snapped. He found evidence of her affair and abruptly moved out. He served Ursula the divorce papers at her work and named David in it. Both parents later sat down with their children to explain the reason why they had separated. Xander cried and Violet stared at her mother with ill-concealed hostility. Ursula refused to look either of her children in the eye as she sat uneasily in front of them, anger not far from the surface. She tried to hold their father equally responsible, but it cut no ice because it was only believable to her. All she could offer was that she fell in love with someone else.

Violet and Xander held so much anger towards their mother. She was too infatuated with David to notice.

Once the divorce proceedings began, after Gary had moved out, it became bitter as no love was lost between Gary and Ursula. Gary sued for full custody of his children and the house. Ursula fought back and demanded alimony on top of the child support, the house, for which Gary was to pay the mortgage, and only supervised visitations of Violet and Xander.

It took six months for the divorce to complete. What the unimpressed judge ruled was unsatisfactory to everyone. Gary still had to pay his half the mortgage until, if ever, Ursula married again as well as child support. Custody was complicated by the difference in the children’s ages. Violet was deemed old enough to choose which parent to live with, but Xander wasn’t. It was decided that Xander would stay in the family home, with Ursula during the week and spend weekends with his father. Violet reluctantly decided to do the same for the sake of her brother. She cried into her father’s arms when she told him. Gary equally tearfully told his daughter how proud he was of her for what she was doing for her brother.

Their parents’ divorce brought Violet and Xander closer, especially as Violet was forced to babysit her brother while her mother continued her affair with David.

A month after their parents’ separation, Ursula took Violet and Xander out for dinner to meet David for the first time. It didn’t take the children long to work out who David was.

‘Violet, Xander, this is David, the man I’ve been dating,’ Ursula told her children proudly, squeezing David’s hand.

‘You mean he’s the guy you cheated on Dad with,’ Violet sneered. Xander slouched in his chair with his arms crossed and looked away sulkily.

‘Violet!’ Ursula snapped, looking around to see if the other diners heard her daughter.

‘It’s okay, Ursula,’ David smiled uneasily but not happy at Violet’s disdainful bluntness. ‘I wish your mother, and I could have met under different circumstances but when you’re older you’ll realize that love doesn’t always work how you want.’

‘Yeah, Dad learnt that the hard way,’ Violet replied.

Anger flashed across David’s face and Ursula was trying hard to hold back her fury.

‘Xander, I hear you’re quite the baseball player,’ David said brightly to Xander, trying to change the subject.

‘Yeah, I’m good,’ Xander replied surly not bothering to look David in the eye.

‘Maybe you and me could catch a game?’ David offered enthusiastically.

‘That would be wonderful, wouldn’t it Xander?’ Ursula agreed happily. ‘Thank you, David.’

‘Nah,’ was all Xander replied with youthful disdain. David and Ursula’s smiles dropped. The atmosphere at the table became tense with Violet’s hostility, Xander’s sulking, David’s frustration, and Ursula’s concealed anger. The meal was eaten in silence and dessert was declined by both children who were eager to leave.

‘That was extremely rude of both of you!’ Ursula told her children angrily as she drove them all home. ‘David was trying very hard to get to know you and you publicly disrespected him!’

‘I don’t like him,’ Xander said grumpily from the back seat.

‘I can’t believe you left Dad for him,’ Violet added. ‘Dad is so much better than he is.’

Ursula wiped away a tear and began to look upset, ‘If you just give him a chance, you’ll grow to love him like I do. He is such an amazing man.’ Neither Violet nor Xander replied and, instead, indignantly looked out of the car window. When they got home Violet and Xander went straight to their rooms leaving their mother to tearfully apologize to David on the phone for their behavior.

Chapter 2

‘Dad, you can’t be happy about it!’ Violet screamed at her dad in frustration when she told him about their meeting with David. ‘Can’t you tell Mom we don’t want to know him!’

‘No, I am not happy about it,’ Gary replied sounding exasperated before taking on a more soothing tone to calm his daughter down, ‘but this day was always going to come. There isn’t anything I can do about it unless he harms you. If I know your mother, you’ll see more of him too. Look, I’ll never punish you for your behavior around him, that is up to your mother.’

Gary’s intuition was right. Ursula convinced herself that if Violet and Xander saw more of David they would grow to love him. There was no way that they wouldn’t. David was too wonderful of a man for that not to happen.

David began to come for dinner and stay overnight. The bare minimum of conversation was returned despite his best efforts. He bought presents which would be carelessly discarded and disappear after David had left. Ursula would later find them in the trash, still in their boxes, unopened.

Ursula even invited David and his parents over, calling them Violet’s and Xander’s step-grandparents. To her intense frustration and David’s parents’ confusion Violet and Xander refused to engage.

‘Violet, Xander, I need to talk to you,’ Ursula told her children firmly. Inside she was fuming. Their behavior wasn’t normal. She had been trying hard to bring David into her children’s lives, but her children consistently refused. She was convinced Gary was encouraging them to behave this way. ‘I need to understand why you are behaving the way towards David. He has been nothing but kind to you. Neither of you is giving him a chance. Why is that? Is your father telling you to do it?’

‘Dad told us it is your problem, not his. He doesn’t want to know,’ Violet retorted. ‘Anyway, we don’t like David because of what he did to Dad. I can’t believe you are forcing him on us.’

‘Violet, David and I are in a loving relationship, you have to accept that,’ Ursula responded sounding exasperated. ‘He is going to be part of your life whether you like it or not!’ Ursula instantly regretted saying it the way she did.

‘So, you are forcing him on us!’ Violet snapped back what Ursula feared she would.

‘No one is forcing anyone on you. David is going to be part of our family. All I want is for you to accept him. Let him make you as happy as he makes me,’ she said almost pleading in her frustration.

‘That still sounds like you are forcing him on us. You have to accept that we don’t like him and never will.’

‘And you Xander? Are you going to tell me you don’t like David either?’ Ursula asked accusingly to her son.

Xander slowly shook his head in disgust, ‘I just don’t want to know him.’

Ursula couldn’t fathom her children’s attitude. Why were they behaving like this? She felt exasperated and frustrated. Her sex life with David was suffering because of it. The only time they enjoyed sex was when Violet and Xander were with their father on weekends. It seemed like it was so much better when she was still married.

The more she thought about it the more she was convinced Gary was behind it all.

After talking with her children, she ensured Gary could see David whenever he picked up their children or dropped them off. She wanted him to see that she, David, and the children were a happy family, and he couldn’t get between them. At first, she could see, with satisfaction, that seeing David was getting to Gary, but he then started to appear happier and more relaxed. She tried to send David to Gary’s house to pick up the children out of spite, but the children refused to get into his car and Gary had to take them home instead.

All Ursula could think of doing next was to have David move in with them. He was far more reluctant than she expected. Despite the problems with the children, she thought everything was good between them.

So here they were, with David standing at the front door with his suitcase and his belongings in his lackluster car having been snubbed once more by Violet and Xander while Ursula consoled him.

If Ursula thought having David live with them would make Violet and Xander accept him, she was sorely mistaken. An already tense home became even more tense. Violet and Xander continued to refuse to engage with David. Mealtimes were silent affairs. When David attempted to interact with them, Violet and Xander would wait in an awkward silence until he got the message and left. Offers to game with Xander were repulsed and offers to teach Violet to drive were given a sharp, ‘That’s my dad’s job.’ Any attempt to integrate David into the family just fell on deaf ears. Even when Violet and Xander were forced to interact as a family that included David it failed. It wasn’t long before David began to complain and suggest that Violet and Xander should spend more time with their father.

A furious Ursula now had enough and confronted Gary when he picked up his children from his former home,

‘Gary, you need to talk to your children about what they are doing to David!’ she told him angrily. ‘Whatever you are telling them, you need to stop!’

‘What do you want me to do about it?’ Gary shrugged. ‘You brought that asshole into their lives, not me.’

‘I know what you’re doing! You need to stop, or I’ll go to court and stop all access to Xander and Violet!’

‘You’re delusional!’ Gary laughed in disbelief. ‘You cheated on me with him then you complain that they won’t accept your asshole of a lover? Perhaps a relationship born from infidelity wasn’t such a good idea after all? Violet and Xander are good kids and know right from wrong. They can make their own opinions; they don’t need me to tell them. They’re old enough to decide for themselves. What happens between them, and David isn’t my problem.’

Ursula scowled at her ex-husband and stormed back into the house.

An attempt at a holiday only worked because Violet and Xander went off alone and left Ursula and David together. It gave their now flagging relationship a boost having Ursula’s children not with them.

Gary’s indifference to David’s and Ursula’s relationship soon became apparent. During dinner, after Gary had dropped Violet and David off Violet and Xander began to talk excitedly about Gary’s new girlfriend. She had visited Gary’s apartment unannounced while Gary was out on an errand and the children were alone at home. She was unaware the children were there. Their unintentional meeting went surprisingly well. A nervous Gary arrived to see his children and girlfriend talking together happily. After some awkward questions were answered and Gary’s assurance that his girlfriend already knew about them, how his marriage to his mother ended and that she made him happy, the children embraced her.

Ursula could have screamed in anger as she listened. Violet and Xander barely said David’s name after almost six months of trying but with one unplanned meeting, their father’s new girlfriend was welcomed with open arms.

Despite all the problems, Ursula was determined to prove their relationship was a success. Her social media use exploded. She posted photos of her and David hugging and smiling, telling the world how lucky she was. There were photos of her and the children. Photos of David at the children’s events, Xander’s baseball games, and Violet’s soccer games. She desperately tried to portray David as her children’s loving stepfather.

There is only so much you can fake. A birthday for Xander became a point of contention. She held his birthday at their house and put considerable effort and expense into it. Not only were Xander’s friends invited but also their parents and siblings. Ursula also invited David’s family and began to call David’s nephews Xander’s and Violet’s cousins. To Ursula’s intense frustration, Xander insisted that Gary was invited too, and Gary insisted that he was allowed to contribute to the party.

Xander had a great time. So did Violet who knew many of Xander’s friends’ elder brothers and sisters. The problem was Gary. Ursula was delighted to introduce David to all of Xander’s friends’ parents, but Gary had known them a long time and they were all keen to see how Gary was doing. David became more and more sidelined in his own home. David’s whole family were cold-shouldered by Ursula’s children. Xander completely ignored David. He refused to have his photo taken with him, but he had plenty with his father and the parents at the party noticed. Gary was ruining the party she had so carefully organized.

David then did, as far as Ursula was concerned, the most wonderful thing. He got down on one knee and proposed to her with a ring she had no idea he had bought. The surprised Ursula could not believe it and cried with happiness. Applause broke out at the proposal; she was sure of it. It truly was the happiest day of her life.

She insisted the four of them had their photo taken. If there were any negative comments, she didn’t hear them. She, David, Violet and Xander would officially become a family.

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One Bad Year – A Cheating Wife Story: Can An Affair Be Forgiven?

If you discover your wife is having an affair, you must improve yourself whether you divorce or reconcile.

Jack and his wife, Ingrid, have been having marriage problems when he notices that she has received a message from someone called Will saying, “Room booked for Rome for 26th-29th May. Can’t wait!!” That was the weekend she was going to a conference in Rome. As his heart sinks as it dawns on him that his wife is having an affair.

Taking a long hard look at himself in the mirror, he realises he has let himself go and that Ingrid has fallen out of love with him. Disgusted by what he has seen, he starts to work on himself, to try and save his marriage. He dresses better and exercises to lose weight. The problem is that Ingrid is going to Rome in two months.

Can Jack improve himself and save his marriage before Ingrid goes to Rome? A classic reconciliation story.

Available on Amazon and Free on Kindle Unlimited

Free Extract

Chapter 1

I looked at my wife’s, Ingrid, phone, and felt sick. It was full of messages to someone called Will, messages you would send to a lover. My blood ran cold as I read them. She had arranged to meet after work on days when she told me she had to work late. They had gone for dinner and drinks. They were clearly dating. She was telling him how good a listener he was and what good company he was. He was telling her how beautiful she was. She had told him how much she was looking forward to seeing him again. There were photos on there of them together, with arms around each other smiling. It looked like they had been seeing each other for a few months.

This was my worst nightmare. How could she do this to me? I had been nothing but faithful. I opened her photos and scrolled down to see us from happier times. These happy memories became gut-wrenching. The phone pinged and a message popped up. It was from Will,

Room booked for Rome for 26th-29th May. Can’t wait!!!

Oh my god! That’s when she was due to attend the conference she had planned to attend. That was in two months. I look at the messages again. A sense of relief fell over me. They hadn’t had sex yet. They couldn’t have. Oh, Christ, but they were planning to, in Rome.

‘Jack, have you seen my phone!’ I heard Ingrid say sharply, unseen from outside the room. I quickly make a show of shuffling bits of paper before calling out to her,

‘I’ve found it!’ I called out to her. I stood up and went to her, ‘It was charging in my office,’ I smiled weakly, handing it to her, my hand shaking. ‘You have a message.’

She looked at me nervously, ‘Have you been snooping on my phone?’

‘No, of course, not,’ I lied with a false laugh. ‘Are you having an affair or something?’

‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ she snapped snatching the phone from me, but her eyes were full of nervous doubt. ‘Remember, I’m working late tonight. I won’t be home until 9 pm. You can have dinner without me. There are leftovers in the fridge.’

I went to kiss her, but she turned so I kissed her cheek instead and she left without a goodbye.

I returned to my office, and I collapsed into my chair in despair. This couldn’t be happening! I then began to stare at the photos of us on my desk of the pair of us. We looked so happy. As I stared, I noticed the photos were from several years ago. I looked younger, better dressed, and thinner. Those were the days when I worked for a big corporation. Before I was made redundant, and before I became a finance blogger.

I went to our bedroom and saw the photos there. They were from back then too. I went around the house and the photos were the same. There was nothing recent. I returned to my bedroom and looked in the mirror. My despair turned to anger. In the mirror, I saw what she saw. I was a mess. My hair was a mess, my clothes were old and dirty. I had no idea how much I had let myself go. I pulled up my T-shirt and saw the rolls of fat. Ingrid was disgusted by me. She had stopped loving me. That was why our sex life had disappeared. You can’t have sex with someone who disgusts you. Why would she love this guy? An awful realisation hit me. I had also stopped trying. She would spend the day at the office, come home, cook, and clean while I stayed in my home office. No wonder she started seeing someone else. Someone who would lavish attention on her. Someone like Will.

My wife, Ingrid, and I had been married for five years and together for eight. We were good together. We regularly went out together, to restaurants, and meeting friends, trips away. Our sex life had been epic. The sex I had with Ingrid was the best I ever had. We were going to start a family. We had good careers; you would have called us highflyers. You would still call Ingrid a highflyer. She was earning far more than me now.

When I lost my job, I decided to follow my dream of becoming a writer. So, I started a finance advice blog. Ingrid supported me all the way. I managed to earn a decent wage, but it was a fraction of what I used to. The truth was that I could earn more from it. My financial advice blog was linked to Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook accounts. My dream had been to be the next consumer finance guru, I had thousands of loyal followers, but I could do so much more with it, but I had become a lazy fat slob.

Tears welled up in my eyes to see what I had become. Without meaning to brag, I used to be good-looking and well-groomed. Women used to check me out, but I only had eyes for Ingrid and now Ingrid had eyes for someone else.

I was furious with myself. I had become lazy, and it was going to cost me Ingrid. She had betrayed me because of my laziness, and we were on the path to divorce. Despite her betrayal, I still loved her.

Then I remembered she hadn’t had sex with Will, and I wondered if there was a chance of winning her back. Did I want her back? Yes, I did. She betrayed me because I betrayed her with my laziness and neglect. If I wanted her back, I needed to change, I needed to be the person I used to be. The person she used to love. I had two months. If she has sex with Will then there would be no turning back.

When you have a blog you quite often collaborate with other bloggers. I went to my computer, and I checked my followers and passed collaborators. I had a few fitness and lifestyle bloggers following me who I liaised with now and again who I gave free financial advice. I quickly messaged one I knew who lived close by.

Hey Nick

I was wondering if you could give me some help offline. I’m looking to lose some weight and get myself fit. Would you be willing to train me? I’m willing to pay for your time. Could also give you exposure on my blog too. Could record my story and have links to your blog and photos of us both?

All the best

Jack

Nick’s response was almost instantaneous.

What’s up Jack!

Sound great. When do you want to start?

Nick

Oh boy, this going to be hard.

Thanks Nick

I need to start today or tomorrow. Just found out that my wife is seeing someone else. Need help to get in shape to win her back and I only have two months to save my marriage.

Jack

Nick didn’t reply for a while. My heart sank. I could do it myself, but I needed a personal trainer to get fast results and at least be in shape before Ingrid went to Rome with Will, but he looked like my confession made him ghost me. I needed to be the man she married again. I went to my wardrobe and looked at my clothes. There was a lot of stuff I forgot I had. I took them out and realised I couldn’t fit in any of them. I then looked at the clothes I normally wore. They disgusted even me. They were full of stains and holes. I needed to buy new clothes. I got some bin bags and threw all my clothes in them, even my underwear and socks. Tears ran down my face. Nothing excused Ingrid’s cheating but I had given her the excuse she could throw back in my face if I confronted her. Even if it was too late, I should at least do it with my head held high.

I returned to my computer and found Nick had replied,

Jack mate, I am so sorry.

I apologise for not replying quicker. I hope I didn’t appear heartless; I was checking out my schedule. Love the collaboration idea but let’s focus on you. Can you make it today at 3pm in Ashbury Park so we can see what we are working with?

I quickly replied,

Thank you so much Nick!

3 pm today in Ashbury Park sounds great. See you then.

My heart leapt.

Chapter 2

I met Nick as arranged in Ashbury Park at 3 pm. Since I found out about Ingrid’s cheating my self-esteem and self-worth plummeted, it got even worse when I saw how the world saw me, and I think it got close to rock bottom when I met Nick.

Nick was a very good-looking guy. He had a well-defined and muscular body. Unsurprisingly, he had a lot of female clientele and fans. To make it worse, he was a really nice guy. Any man would feel inadequate next to him.

I had spent the morning shopping. I spent a small fortune on new clothes and got myself a haircut. I tried to show restraint because I hoped to lose a couple of clothes sizes, but I had thrown out so much that I needed to replace most of it, or I wouldn’t have anything to wear. I also visited the tech store and bought a camera, background lights, a microphone, and a GoPro camera. When I started my blog, I intended to have a YouTube channel as well but although I created an account it fell about the wayside as my laziness kicked in. That was going to change.

‘Hey, Jack,’ Nick called to me warmly from a distance. Fuck, this guy was good-looking and looked even more ripped in real life. Some guys would probably go gay for him. Nick then pulled a face when I got closer, and he saw I hadn’t failed to notice.

‘Hi, Nick. How are you?’

‘I’m so sorry, Jack. For everything and my reaction,’ he said guiltily. ‘That was really unprofessional of me.’

‘Don’t worry about it,’ I reassured him. ‘I know what I look like. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be here. I’m not surprised that Ingrid is cheating on me.’

‘Nah mate, her cheating is on her, not you,’ he told me seriously with a lot of sympathy. ‘I’ll lay it on the line, you are out of shape, and I can’t help you win her back, but I can help you get into shape so that even if you can’t win her back, she will regret it, and you won’t be on the market for long. How does that sound?’

‘It sounds great, Nick!’ I smiled. Nick’s enthusiasm was infectious.

‘If we are going to do this, I will need 100% commitment from you. We have a short time frame, but I know we can do this.’

‘Hell, yeah!’ I replied loudly, surprising myself with my enthusiasm.

‘Yeah!’ Nick shouted and we high-fived. ‘That’s what I’m looking for. We’re on to a good start already.’

‘Hey, listen, Nick, I’m serious about this collaboration. I brought some equipment to film our training sessions. I want to film my journey, and I want you to benefit from it.’

‘Jack there really isn’t any need. You’ve helped me in the past with my business for free. I’m just returning the favour.’

‘No, I insist. What I did for you was chicken feed compared with what you are doing for me.’

‘Okay, but only because you insist, alright.’

‘Great!’ I smiled.

We went to the car and got the GoPro camera because Nick decided we would start with a run in the park. The workout was hell. More than once, Nick tried to stop but I insisted we kept going. I really just stumbled around the park before Nick got me to do some weights and boxing with pads and mitts.

‘I’ve got to say I’m impressed with your attitude,’ Nick effused when we had finished. ‘Ingrid should be impressed when you get home.’ I made a painful expression and Nick understood immediately that she was seeing Will that night, ‘Jesus, I’m sorry! Look, we are going to do this three times a week and I’ll send you some yoga exercises you can do when we don’t meet that will work on your core, so you get faster results. You should see some improvement in about three weeks. Are you good for that? It’s going to really tough on you. Also, I think you shouldn’t do this for Ingrid, I think it would be better if you did this for yourself. If you win Ingrid back then great, but if you don’t you will still have your pride. I don’t want you feeling at the end like, what was the point? People fall into depression from that.’

‘Yeah,’ I panted, barely able to breathe which made Nick laugh but my expression through the pain that I agreed with him, and Nick could see it too. This guy was good.

‘Awesome! We’ll meet here at 3 pm in a couple of days.’

I noticed, after I arrived home and showered, the dirty laundry was overflowing. I decided that as this was the first day, I would make a big statement. I put as much as I could in the washing machine and headed to the shops to buy the ingredients for Spaghetti Carbonara. It was the meal I cooked for her the night we first made love, so I knew it was special to her and I paired it with her favourite Italian wine. I might not be the one taking her to Italy but maybe I could bring Italy to her.

I waited past 9 pm for Ingrid to return. Eventually, the hunger I felt from my workout got the better of me and I ate by myself. I left her plate on the table waiting for her. I guessed she had dinner with Will. I spent the rest of the evening hanging up the laundry to dry before I went online for advice on how to deal with being cheated on. It turned out Ingrid was having an emotional affair, and it was now up to me how to deal with it. If I wanted a divorce, I would need proof but if I wanted her back, I would need to win her back. I decided that what I planned to do was the right way forward but if it turned physical, that would be the redline for me. Nick sent me the yoga exercises as well. He must have spent several hours doing that for me. He was proving to be a real friend.

It was well after 10 pm when Ingrid returned. I had gone to bed early because it had been a busy and emotional day. I was half asleep when she got home. I heard an ‘OH!’ in surprise from downstairs. I assumed she saw the Spaghetti Carbonara. Then I heard ‘What the-?’ in surprise again. She must have seen the laundry drying.

I’m not sure what she was doing but she took a while before slowly climbing the stairs. She did it like she was afraid she might see something she didn’t like. I heard her then enter the bathroom and she began to masturbate as she always did when she got home late. Normally it upset me because it meant she didn’t want me to have sex with her or even me to get her off but this time I felt relieved because it meant she still hadn’t had sex with Will, but it was getting harder and harder for her because she hadn’t had sex for so long. I hoped she could hold out just a while longer.

The following morning, I rose early. I found out why she took so long to come to bed. She had completely rearranged the drying laundry. I made her breakfast and waited for her.

‘You’ve made me breakfast!?’ I wasn’t sure if it was a statement or a question from Ingrid, I don’t think she was sure either. We ate breakfast in silence and Ingrid ate with a worried expression. I didn’t think it was doubt that was on her mind, but more of why I was doing it and probably whether I knew about her and Will. ‘Thank you for dinner and doing the laundry,’ she said awkwardly. ‘I need to show you how to hang it up properly. I’m sorry, I had dinner out last night with my colleagues, but I will take the Spaghetti Carbonara to work for lunch. I tasted a little and it was delicious. It has been a long time since you cooked that for me.’

When I kissed Ingrid goodbye, she turned her cheek as she habitually did now but this time it was a little less turned. I was surprised by her reaction. When she left the house, I couldn’t help but smile. She hadn’t come back to me, but it was a better start I could have dreamed of.

I started the day doing the yoga exercises Nick sent me and then I went through my blog and chose some topics to record some videos to upload onto YouTube. During my breaks, I finished washing the dirty laundry and prepared dinner so I could cook it later.

Ingrid surprised me when she returned home at a normal time. She was in a terrible mood.

‘You’re home early. I thought you were working late again?’ I asked tentatively.

‘What of it,’ she snapped, ignoring my attempt at a kiss. ‘It’s my home too! I have a right to be here!’

‘I’ll start dinner,’ I told her.

‘What?’ she snapped.

‘I’ll start dinner. I found a Japanese recipe that looked nice,’ I said quietly.

‘Fine!’ she snapped again but a little less angrily before she shouted, ‘Oh, for the love of God! Jack, come here!’ I found her by the drying laundry. ‘If you are going to keep doing the laundry, learn to hang it properly. Get some coat hangers from the wardrobe!’ She then began to show me how to hang the laundry, berating me as she did so.

I was getting confused. She was shouting and insulting me but helping me with the laundry. It didn’t make sense. Her phone then rang and she looked terrified,

‘I need to take this call,’ she said disappearing hurriedly into the toilet and locking the door. I couldn’t help but eavesdrop but I’m glad I did because I found out the reason for her bad mood.

‘I told you not to call me when I’m with Jack,’ I heard Ingrid hiss. ‘Seriously? Are you still going on about the Spaghetti Carbonara? What was I supposed to do? I had to eat it. Whether it was delicious or not isn’t the point. He would have got suspicious if I hadn’t eaten it and just thrown it away. It might not matter to you, but it does for me. Look, I’m not talking about it now. I have to go!’ and she abruptly ended the conversation.

I couldn’t help but punch the air in delight. I had my opening. She was talking with Will and they had a big argument about the Spaghetti Carbonara I cooked for her. You had to hand it to Will, it takes balls to have an affair with a married woman and then get jealous of the husband when he does something the wife appreciates. What an asshole! Strike one to me and my weapon of choice was Spaghetti Carbonara. I decided to make all her lunches from then on.

I got the wine Ingrid and I didn’t drink the night before, pouring two glasses. Ingrid might not have been celebrating but I was. Ingrid sat in the toilet for a while before she flushed the toilet, making a show of washing her hands. Maybe she was washing her face. When she left the toilet, she looked like she had been crying.

‘Here,’ I said to her holding out her glass of wine. ‘You look stressed. Take a seat and tell me about your day while I cook.’

Ingrid looked at me stunned before she looked at me properly, ‘Have you bought some new clothes?’

‘Yeah, I decided to buy a whole new wardrobe, and I have begun to work out,’ I said brightly, I was in a good mood.

‘Oh,’ she said taking a sip of her wine with a worried expression. ‘They look good on you.’

Available on Amazon and Free on Kindle Unlimited

Freya

Can a cheater find the path to redemption?

The story of Freya’s infidelity and struggle for redemption told in 2 parts:

Part1 – Catching Freya
Freya’s ex-husband Charlie tells the story of how he caught Freya cheating on him, Freya begins a new job where she meets Kyle, an American on secondment from New York. They begin a torrid affair until she discovers Kyle is married and her world crashes down around her when she discovers she’s pregnant.

Part 2 – Freya’s Redemption
It’s been over three years since Freya’s affair and subsequent divorce. Life is hard for Freya. Forced to quit her job in shame, she hasn’t worked since. However, a chance yet difficult encounter offers Freya an opportunity to rebuild her life and finally provide for Morgan. She then meets Zack and happiness is within her grasp. However, her infidelity keeps catching up with her. Will she be able to find redemption or will her past take her new life and happiness away from her?

Available on Amazon and Free on Kindle Unlimited

Free Extract

I can’t remember when I first had my suspicions. My wife, Freya, and I were married for about five years. We met just after we had finished university. We were both at her friend’s birthday party. I was there because her friend’s boyfriend was a good friend of mine. I am pretty sure I was invited so they could match us up together because I was introduced to Freya almost as soon as I arrived and before I knew it, we were alone.

I knew nobody at the party, but Freya and I hit it off immediately and talked most of the night. What got me was her smile and the way her eyes sparkled when she did. The warmth and friendliness of it was intoxicating and I never got tired of seeing it. As we dated, I noticed that her eyes only sparkled for me. We exchanged numbers and arranged to meet for coffee the next day which turned into the whole day. A year later we moved in together and two years after that we were married.

I think her behaviour began to change when she got a new job about two years after we got married. She was unhappy in her job and felt her career wasn’t progressing. I, of course, encouraged her. I saw that her eyes sparkled less, and her job was getting her down.

‘How was your first day?’ I asked her when she got home when she had started her new job. The sparkle returned to her eyes when she smiled. She didn’t answer. She just took me upstairs and we made love.

After she settled into her new job, Freya became very career driven. She got a couple of promotions in quick succession and soon she was earning more than me. When I mentioned that my supervisor was leaving, Freya asked me if I was going to go for the position.

‘Come on, Charlie. You could easily lead your team,’ she encouraged me. My lack of enthusiasm annoyed her.

The problem was that while Freya had become career-driven, I was very much a work-to-live kind of guy and any leadership role held no interest for me, and I had an intense dislike of office politics. Don’t get me wrong I earned good money, plenty to fund my lifestyle, and have some left over. I was content to stay in my system administration role especially as I could earn enough to travel without any problem, we went away several times a year, exploring different countries. I loved adventures and I loved having them with Freya. Freya loved them too and loved having them with me, or so I thought.

Things started to get awkward when Freya began receiving work calls and attending conference calls while we were away. Then she took her work laptop on our trips and insisted that we stay in hotels with Wi-Fi.

‘I need to take this call,’ she would say, ‘This is an important meeting’ or ‘You go ahead, I need to get this done. We can meet for lunch.’

We began to argue about her work. I was happy she was enjoying her job, but it was eating into our time together. Worst of all when she looked at me, her eyes stopped sparkling.

At this stage, I didn’t think she was having an affair at least if she was, it was with her work. Her latest promotion meant she often had to work late, conference calls with the American office, and business trips away. I know what you are thinking but her job did require her to do all these things. My biggest worry was if she was going to be offered a job in New York. I knew she would take it. That would have ended our marriage.

Yes, we were drifting apart but I still loved her, despite her long hours at work, business trips, and having little time for me.

I said I wasn’t sure when I had my first suspicions but as I speak, now I do. My company got taken over and I knew I would be made redundant. I didn’t mind so much despite the financial uncertainty. Freya was earning enough for the both of us to live on, and I was going to get a pretty good redundancy package so I could still contribute at home while I looked for a new job. It just meant my travelling would have to stop for a while after I lost my job.

However, because of my length of service, I was asked to help transfer all the servers to the new company. This meant I needed to be away from home for the odd week. About this time Freya began talking about a colleague who had been seconded to her office from her New York office. She couldn’t stop singing his praises as she excitedly talked about how funny he was, how popular with the ladies and all the cliches that came with it.

‘He is so ambitious,’ she told me driving the dagger into me.

Yes, you know where this is going but this story is about how Freya’s life crumbled by cheating on me not how she cheated. You only need to know this for context.

When I returned from my trips away, she would insist that I call her when I left for home, and when I got home the bedsheets were always in the washing machine. I know, I know, the red flags were building up but although I was getting worried, there wasn’t enough for me to suspect an affair just yet.

However, our intimacy which had dwindled now became non-existent. Freya would only give me the briefest of kisses. While she used to talk about this American colleague all the time, she now stopped. She jealously guarded her phone and wanted to know when I was next going to be away.

I was now positive she was cheating on me.

Two things now. Never cheat on someone who works in tech and cheaters when they think they are getting away with it, get lazy.

I love travelling and I love tech. I never wanted promotions because it would have taken me away from technical work. I am also a hoarder of tech. I often bought old tech from my company. Webcams, modems, memory sticks. I had boxes full of it. So, it was no big deal for me to create a bit of DIY spyware. Wireless webcams dotted around my house in the lounge, front door, and bedroom. All connected to an old laptop which I converted into a web server. I downloaded some freeware from the internet, and I created a spy recording system. That’s what I called it, and it helped me set up my own business later, but truth be told it was a homemade CCTV system, but it was still freakingly awesome.

Being away from home meant I could set all this up and with Freya working late it meant I could install it. I was quite proud of what I did, it had sound and everything.

Once everything was in place, I caught her in the act. I’ll be honest with you; I thought the batteries in the webcams would run out before I got the evidence, but Freya must have been desperate for sex because they were at it as soon as he walked through the door.

Now, I had the evidence but getting hold of it and seeing it was proving very difficult. Freya started to come home earlier and looked down. She became a little more attentive but still didn’t want to make love with me. She then told me that she had to go on a trip to America and she was quite excited about it. I think she planned to spend a week of work and fucking with this guy.

I wanted to confront her in a big way when she got back and when she left, I downloaded some movie editing software and created want I could only describe as a porno of her and her lover.

I watched the footage, anger burned inside me. Freya dragged the guy forcefully into the house and pulled him down for a hungry kiss before taking him by the hand and taking him into our bedroom.

She couldn’t get his trousers and underwear down quickly enough. Taking his cock into her mouth,

‘Fuck, Freya! You’re incredible at that,’ he said in his clear American accent. His compliment made her bob her head harder. Freya loved me eating her pussy, but she was always reticent about going down on me, so I was getting even angrier.

Her American lover pulled himself out of her mouth and then pushed her up the bed. Freya had a sultry smirk on her face as her legs parted. She lifted her hips with her dress pushed up and her panties were quickly removed. The American then plunged his face into her pussy. Freya moaned and her back arched as he set to work.

‘Fuck! Fuck!’ she moaned. ‘Don’t stop, Kyle! FUCK!’ I could tell she orgasmed hard.

Kyle, so that was his name. I was kind of happy to find out his name. I don’t know why. I just was. I suppose it made him more human. I then paused the footage. It was then my heart broke. Freya pulled his head up and I saw it. Her eyes sparkled as she smiled at him. The smile she used to only have for me that I hadn’t seen for so long.

As I stared at Freya smiling at Kyle, her eyes sparkling, tears flowing down my face, I got a message from Freya,

‘I love you! I miss you!’ it came with kissing and heart emojis. To be honest it threw me a curveball. I suppose that is a great phrase to use considering Kyle was American. I decided to call my editing a night. Then Freya called me at midnight. She talked to me earnestly with lots of ‘I love you’ and ‘I miss you so much.’ My emotions were all over the place.

I completed my editing throughout the week, sleeping in the spare room as I couldn’t bear to sleep in mine, and was ready to show Freya when she returned all the while she told me how much she loved me every time she called me. Something struck me when I watched her and Kyle fucking. Freya kept talking about leaving me and transferring to America. Kyle sounded very non-committal, but Freya didn’t seem to notice.

‘Oh shit! He’s married!’ I exclaimed out loud to myself. That explained why she was telling me she loved and missed me. She went to America and found out he was married!

When Freya returned on Saturday, she suddenly became the old Freya again. We made love every day, not even jet lag stopped her.

‘I’m so sorry for being cold for the past year. I love you! I want to start a family with you!’ she told me, with great certainty.

Doubt crept into my mind until she was sent home sick from work. She stayed home sick for the rest of the week. I accepted her excuse that it was fatigue from all the travelling. When you love somebody, when you really love somebody, you can believe the lies. That was until I saw her being sick one morning and the guilty face, she hid from me as I came to check on her.

‘Let’s stay in tonight and watch a film, you need to rest,’ I told her gently. She smiled weakly at me and agreed.

That evening, I poured us some wine and got the popcorn ready. Freya snuggled up to me when I sat down next to her.

‘What are we watching?’ she asked excitedly.

‘It is a surprise,’ I told her.

I pressed play and footage of Freya fucking Kyle appeared on our television. I felt Freya stiffen next to me.

‘Switch it off!’ she whispered in a desperate voice when she called Kyle ‘baby’ on the television. ‘Switch it off!’ she said louder and more panicked. When I didn’t, she completely lost it. She leapt from the sofa, throwing her wine glass at the television and turned to me wild and wide-eyed, ‘SWITCH IT OFF! SWITCH IT OFF! SWITCHED IT OFF!’ she screamed over and over again.

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Our Special Night

My wife Gwen took a sip of wine, took a deep breath, and looked at me straight in the eye taking on a serious expression after we had finished our Valentine’s Day meal together. We took Valentine’s Day seriously ever since we married twenty-two years ago. It became our special night. We always ate at home, a tradition started due to the meagre beginnings of our marriage meaning we couldn’t afford to eat at restaurants, but we always dressed up to make the occasion special. I was dressed in a tuxedo and Gwen looked stunning as she did every year, wearing a tight red dress that hugged every curve of her body. Her dark brown hair was done ornately by the hairdressers earlier in the day. She appeared to be more beautiful every year.

After the kids arrived, Valentine’s Day became even more important to us. We used it to reconnect with each other and bring romance back into our marriage from the chaos our kids brought to our lives. I think Valentine’s Day was what helped our marriage work.

Our son Jake was at Gwen’s parents for the night and our daughter Charlotte was away in her final year at college.

“Matthew, we need to talk,” Gwen said to me. I knew she had something serious to say because she called me Matthew instead of Matt. She always called me Matthew when she needed to have a serious discussion, “Matthew, I love you”, “Matthew, I’m pregnant”, “Matthew, we need to marry before the baby is born”, “Matthew, I’m pregnant again”, “Matthew, I want to be a stay-at-home mom”, “Matthew, I want to go back to work.”

You get the idea, so it was a little trepidation that I asked, “What’s up?” with a furrowed brow.

“Well, we have been married a long time now and recently I have been thinking a lot about my past especially when it comes to my sex life,” she began.

“Okay,” I said slowly. The hairs on the back of my neck began to stand up on end. I had a horrible feeling that something big was coming especially as she was referring to her sex life and not our sex life.

“As you know you have been my only sexual partner, and you took my virginity. You on the other hand were experienced sexually when we met.”

“I only slept with two other girls before we got together,” I laughed incredulously. “I only had sex three or four times in total, so I was never experienced sexually. I think I was pretty crap in bed the truth be told, anyway go on.”

“Well, the point is that you did sleep with two other girls, and I got pregnant with Charlotte only a few months into our relationship,” Gwen continued.

“The only mistake I never regretted,” I smiled. The truth was that at the time, I panicked. I was young, dumb, and terrified that I had knocked up my girlfriend at an age where I was far too young to be a father.

A brutal man-to-man talk from my father put me straight. Gwen and I got married (yeah, a shotgun wedding, except my dad was holding the shotgun). Against all odds our marriage worked. It worked enough to bring Jake into the world a few years later. At least it had but I had a feeling that Gwen was going to throw a spanner into the works of our happy marriage.

 Gwen smiled at my comment, “Me too,” she agreed happily. “Anyway, I have been thinking a lot about what it would be like to have sex with other men, and it is something I would very much like to explore. In short, I would like to open our marriage.”

“Shit!” I whispered and my heart almost stopped in my chest. That spanner she threw was huge.

“What do you think?” she asked me. I was a little perturbed, no I was very perturbed by her lack of nerves when she asked me that question. She dropped a huge bombshell into our marriage, and she asked me without a hint of worry about what I thought.

“Christ, Gwen!” I exclaimed trying to compose myself. “You’re asking me this on Valentine’s Day!? Our special night! Is this a done decision? What if I say no?”

“I truly hope you don’t say no. This is very important to me, but it doesn’t mean I love you any less,” she tried to reassure me without a hint of emotion. “Considering where we started you have made me the happiest woman in the world, so I don’t want our marriage to end. This isn’t about you; it is about me. I only want to experience having sex with other men.”

“How long do you plan to “experience” having sex with other men and how many men do you plan to have sex with before your curiosity is sated?”

“I don’t know. The truth be told on either count. I only know that it’s something I need to do,” she answered calmly.

“Right,” at this point my intuition was starting to smell a rat and I decided to see if I was right. “So, how would this work? If we opened our marriage, you would be okay if I slept with other women?” I asked, putting her to the test.

“Well, no, this is about me, not us,” Gwen said firmly, emphasising the me and us. “I don’t think I could bear it if you slept with other women.”

I laughed hysterically at what my wife had just told me, “Are you serious!?” I asked her. “Are you telling me that you get to sleep with other men, and I have to stay at home waiting humiliated for you like some cuckold, and I’m not allowed to sleep with other women?”

“Don’t be crude, Matt!” Gwen snapped. “This isn’t about us! It is about me scratching an itch. Why are you so difficult about it? It isn’t a big deal. Lots of married couples do this and still have happy marriages.”

“What do you mean no big deal and what couples? Name one?”

Gwen sat there silently not answering with a look of thunder on her face but no longer able to look at me.

“So, where do you plan to meet these other men?” I asked her when it was obvious no answer was forthcoming.

“Well, I would meet them wherever I see a man who takes my fancy, for example, the office or-“

“Do you already have someone in mind?” I asked suspiciously, interrupting her. I didn’t think it was a coincidence that she mentioned the office first. When she flushed bright red, I had my answer. The rat was about to be exposed. Gwen watched me, her eyes narrowing, as I refilled my wine glass with a large serving.

“Do you agree to open up our marriage or not?” she pressed, there appeared to be a little bit of urgency in her voice. I had implied that I was not okay with her terms by my reaction, and I could sense she was panicking at not getting the answer she wanted.

I almost downed my wine in one before I answered her,

“Here’s the thing Gwen, everything you have told me is horseshit, isn’t it?”

“Matt, how dare you! I wanted us to come to a mutual decision together, as a couple!” my wife replied angrily.

“Ha! Mutual, you say,” I retorted indignantly.

“What is the matter with you?” Gwen was now looking furious.

“Mark Taylor,” I sneered, looking at her straight in the eye.

“Who?” Gwen’s anger instantly disappeared and the nerves that were conspicuous by their absence before abruptly appeared.

“Cut the crap!” it was me who was angry now. “Mark Taylor, your work colleague. He joined your company about eight months ago. He must have taken your fancy and you his because you have been seeing each other behind my back, for how long now? Is it three or four months? How’s that for a mutual decision? It looks to me like you have already opened our marriage. I don’t recall permission to have an “experience” with Marky boy.”

In any other circumstance, Gwen’s face, at that moment, would have been picture-worthy. Her mouth hung open, and her eyes were wide with disbelief. I could see her mind working at breakneck speed. How did he know? When did he find out? How much did he know? These were the questions she was asking before composing herself to ask herself, “How can I save the situation?”

“Yes, I admit, I have taken a fancy to Mark,” she said carefully, “and we have discussed having sex together. However, we agreed we would both be uncomfortable doing it without your blessing.”

“Without my blessing? What if I say no?” I asked again.

Gwen didn’t say anything, instead, she sat there with anger boiling.

“Are you telling me nothing has happened between the pair of you? No sex, no kissing, and no dates?” I demanded.

“Okay, we’ve been on a few dates,” Gwen admitted reluctantly. “And yes, we have kissed but not slept together.” Trickle-truthing, I think they call this.

“Right,” I said sounding unimpressed. “Is Mark’s wife okay with this?”

Again, disbelief and surprise crossed Gwen’s face before she answered confidently, “Yes, she is. Mark practices polyamory and so does his wife. Clarissa is perfectly okay with it. She has a secondary partner too. Polyamory is something I also would like to explore.”

“Just you, not me,” I stated flatly.

Gwen started to get flustered. She realised I was tying her up in knots, but she still wasn’t sure how much I knew.

“Well, open relationships and polyamory aren’t for everyone, and I knew it wouldn’t be for you.”

“Open relationship or polyamory, which is it?” I was now toying with her. “They’re different things.”

“I don’t know yet, that is why I want to explore both,” she said not knowing which way to turn.

“Both? Open relationships are when you are in a primary relationship but are free to fuck around within agreed and respected boundaries. Polyamory is when you have a loving relationship with more than one person. Does Marky boy know you want to fuck around, or haven’t you told him yet?”

Gwen’s mouth opened and closed like a fish, not knowing what to say. This was too easy.

“No, that’s not what I meant,” she finally said desperately. This conversation was going nowhere near how she wanted it to. She looked dismayed at getting caught with her knickers down.

 “What did you mean then? Also, I don’t remember signing up for polyamory or an open marriage when we got married. Let’s face facts, you only want me to allow you to cheat after you’ve already cheated! You wanted permission to have an affair with Mark while keeping the security of our marriage, making me the perfect cuckold, isn’t that right!” Seeing the blank look on her face when she couldn’t think of anything else to say because I had completely seen through her, I had enough, “God, this has got boring. I thought this was going to be a lot harder than this.”

Leaving Gwen with a confused look on her face, I took my phone out of my pocket and made a call,

“Hi Clarissa, how’s Valentine’s Day in your house? I’m ready to serve.” I gave a small laugh, “I got her to tie herself in so many knots that I don’t think she’ll ever be able to untie herself.” My mouth now dropped open in disbelief, “He said what? Open relationship and polyamory? That is almost word for what Gwen said! I can’t believe they scripted it together……. I’m what now? In a polyamorist relationship with a bi-sexual woman.” I began to laugh hysterically again. I was sure Gwen could hear Clarissa laughing on the other end, too. “Mark is on his knees in tears begging? Good for you….. How is Gwen taking it? You should see her face. She can’t comprehend what is happening. Okay, we should get on with it. Great to talk to you. Let’s catch up once the dust settles. Bye, Clarissa.”

Gwen’s face morphed from confusion to mortification when she saw that I was talking to Mark’s wife and that hers and Mark’s carefully worked plan had blindly walked them into the trap myself and Clarissa set for them. I wonder if all cheaters are this dumb. Gwen started our conversation in control and lost it all in a blink of an eye unaware that I held all the cards. I don’t think I ever felt as powerful as I did then.

I stood up to go to our home office and returned with two envelopes and a pen. I gave Gwen one,

“We were going to have you both served in your office, but you should have seen how much they charge for the service! I think I’m in the wrong business. Clarissa came up with this plan. Behind that sweet and caring personality is a devious mind, I can tell you. Anyway, you’ve been served. There is a separation agreement in there,” I told her as I gave one of the envelopes. “Nothing major, it just outlines that you will be required to move out, the separation of our finances and temporary custody arrangements for Jake. In the meantime, we will be sleeping in separate rooms and will be no more than roommates. It also says that Mark must not come within 100 feet of this house or meet Jake. Charlotte is an adult, so it is up to her whether she wants to meet Mark, or not. Can you sign it so I can give a copy to my lawyer?”

Gwen stared at it blankly before signing it. I was pretty sure she didn’t read it. She just sat there staring blankly and looking numb, unable to comprehend how this was happening.

“How?” was all she could ask, knowing there was no point keeping her charade up any longer.

“Yes, how?” I sat back down with her and took out the contents of the second envelope. “I’m afraid I have known for a long time. I’m not sure exactly when you started being unfaithful, but I can make a guess. Here are some of your text messages between you both. There is a lot of X-rated stuff there. You’ve never said those things to me.”

“You went through my phone?”

“Obviously! Otherwise, I wouldn’t have the evidence.” I then put photos in front of her of her and Mark kissing, cuddling, on dates, having dinner together and looking like a couple. The pictures alone were damning.

“You had us followed?” Gwen asked incredulously.

I nodded, “Clarissa and I shared the cost of a PI. This photo hurts the most,” I said pointing to a photo of Gwen and Mark entering a hotel. “That was on my birthday. You told me that you had to go on an urgent business trip. Instead, you went to a hotel with Mark. It doesn’t take much to work out what you were doing does it? You couldn’t even give me one day! That was low, Gwen. Did I deserve so much disrespect?”

“I didn’t mean to cheat,” Gwen said as she tried to justify herself. “It just happened. You were always working and never with me. I was lonely and Mark became a good friend in the office. I liked the attention he gave me. One thing led to another, and we fell for each other. If you were home more, it probably would never have happened.” She then began to look quizzically at a picture of some text messages, “These are from Mark’s phone!” she exclaimed.

“I didn’t mean to find out,” I said mimicking Gwen. “You received a message from Mark when you were in the shower after you arrived home after you probably had sex with Mark. I was already suspicious of your behaviour and your work clothes became sluttier. I found sexy underwear that I had never seen before. I saw only part of the message, but it was enough to go through your phone, and I hit the motherload. When I worked out who it was I checked if Mark was married. He has three kids younger than Jake, how could you? I then contacted Clarissa through Facebook. She is a very nice lady, no way does she deserve what you both did to her. When she saw the evidence, we agreed to share everything we had.

“I can’t believe you are blaming me for your affair! Where do you think the money to put Charlotte through university comes from? Where do you think the money for the mortgage so we can live in a nice house? Where do you think the money to put food on the table to feed Jake comes from? It’s called responsibility, Gwen! Clearly, I am the only one who takes their responsibilities seriously!” I was furious.

Despite my fury, I was quite calm and didn’t shout. You would have thought I would have been angrier and screaming at Gwen, accusing her of all sorts, or crying and begging her to come back to me, promising to be a better husband. The truth was that I had gone through all that. Clarissa and I had been supporting each other through the whole process. My overriding feeling was of relief. Relief that the nightmare was coming to an end.

A thought occurred to me, and I sent a few short messages. A few seconds later, Gwen’s phone rang. From the shouting coming from the phone, I knew it was Charlotte.

“Honey, sweetheart, I can explain!” Gwen begged our daughter desperately. “It wasn’t like that. Please, no! You don’t have to do that! I love you!”

Gwen slowly let the phone drop from her ear, and she began to sob.

“You told Charlotte! You had no right to! She doesn’t want to see me again. How could you!?” my soon-to-be ex-wife screamed at me looking distraught.

“I had a right to! It’s called consequences, Gwen! I told Jake and our parents too.” I shot back angrily.

“WHAT!” Gwen screamed again at me in dread. Her phone rang once more.

“Mom! Please listen!” Gwen couldn’t get a word in. She looked like she was getting royally chewed up. “She wants to talk to you,” said a visibly chastised Gwen quietly, handing me her phone.

“Hello, Jill,” I said flatly.

“Matt, I am so sorry again for what Gwen has done. It’s not how we raised her. Admittedly we weren’t sure about you when you got her pregnant with Charlotte, but you stepped up and became a man. You became the best thing to happen to Gwen. I am sorry you didn’t get the same in return.”

“I think Gwen realizes that now. Charlotte doesn’t want to see her again. I think Jake should come home tomorrow once we both have calmed down. I’m sure that his mom will try and explain it away. I know he was upset when I went through it with him.”

“Good luck, Matt. Please stay in touch. I would be sad not to see you again.”

“Goodbye, Jill and thank you.”

I gave Gwen a hard stare, “I want you to know that I haven’t told your work about your affair. I know they have a strict no-fraternization policy. I was all up for telling them, but Clarissa persuaded me not to because she was worried about losing child support and any alimony in her divorce,” Gwen breathed a sigh of relief. “I was also all set for moving you into the spare room but I’m not sure I can face sleeping in our bedroom again because you’ve tarnished our bed and yourself. It’s been a shit show of a Valentine’s Day. Thank you for ruining our special night!”

Gwen just stared at me blankly looking completely alone and broken.

I never celebrated Valentine’s Day again.  It became just a bitter reminder of what Gwen did to me. She completely ruined that special night for me.