my wife wanted an open marriage but I gave her a taste of reality that ended our relationship my wife who is 29 years old and beautiful told me she wants to have relationships outside of our marriage she was very clear about it and it was easy for me to understand to start things off I had planned a fancy dinner at one of our favorite restaurants I made sure everything was perfect with nice white tablecloths and a great selection of wine I even bought her a diamond necklace she had been hinting at spending almost $1,000 on
it but I didn't know I would soon need to make that money back during dinner I could tell she was feeling uneasy our usual relaxed conversations had a bit of tension she seemed distracted looking around the room like she was searching for something or someone normally when she looked at me her gaze was steady but now it wandered without Focus finally after we finished the main course and had more wine she brought up what was on her mind honey there's something I've been thinking about for a while now and I think it's time to talk
about it I stopped carefully putting my wine glass down what could she be talking about her tone had changed becoming serious like she does when something important is on her mind I started thinking about what she might say was she going to tell me she was ready to have a baby we had talked about it before agreeing to wait until we were more settled in our careers and finances well we had achieved those goals and I was excited about the idea of starting a family but her avoiding eye contact suggested it was something else normally
when you talk about starting a family you're all smiles and can't look away from each other but that night something was off honey we need to talk Andrea began a serious look on her face that told me this wasn't just any conversation I've been thinking a lot and this is really important to me she continued her voice trembling a bit I need to find out more about who I am outside of us I think it'll help me be a better partner for you in the long run I was stunned my mind spinning what are you
saying I asked trying to keep my voice steady I leaned forward trying to catch her eye but she wouldn't look at me I want to see other people Rob I want us to be okay with this to avoid hurting each other down the line that hit me like a ton of bricks my heart started pounding and I could feel my face getting hot what do you mean by other people I demanded needing her to spell it out for me my voice was louder now filled with a mix of disbelief and anger are you talking about
dating other men she paused biting her lip yes that might be part of it she finally said the room spun around me you're telling me you want to date other men and you expect me to be okay with it I couldn't keep the frustration from boiling over Andrea how could you think this is okay she reached across the table trying to grab my hand but I pulled away I love you Rob that hasn't changed I just need to explore this part of me it's something I have to do her words felt like a betrayal and
no matter how calmly she tried to explain I couldn't wrap my head around it as we sat there the noise of the restaurant faded into the background I realized Our Lives might never be the same again what on Earth are you talking about Andrea I couldn't keep the shock out of my voice you want to have an affair and you expect me to just nod and agree while you go off with other men Jesus Christ my words were louder than I intended and I could feel the stairs of other diners burning into us keep your
voice down honey Andrea hissed we don't need the whole place listening in it hit me then she'd picked this crowded restaurant on purpose figuring I wouldn't make a scene in public she had set me up and I was completely caught off guard my stomach turned and I felt sick like I might throw up everything we'd just eaten the only thing I could think to ask was why Andrea why other men I pressed on needing answers what does explore yourself even mean are you saying you want to sleep with other men are you leaving me she
looked at me her eyes soft but firm no Rob I'm not leaving you there are a lot of reasons why I feel I need to do this please believe me when I say I love you deeply you're my soulmate I see a future with us growing old and starting a family but right now there are things I'm missing things I need to find out about myself I'm asking you just for a few months to let me explore this after that I'll be all yours again I promise her words were supposed to be reassuring but they
hung in the air between us heavy and uncertain could I really accept this could our marriage survive it the thought tormented me as I sat there trying to digest what she was asking of me this had to be the worst thing I could imagine during our fifth anniversary dinner my wife blindsided me by saying she wanted to start start seeing other men she expected me to just accept this nodding as if nothing was wrong and promised that afterward everything would go back to normal like nothing had happened she even claimed it would make her a
better wife I was speechless my mind a complete blank and I couldn't even breathe right feeling like I was in some sort of dream I stood up placed my napkin neatly on the table and finished my wine in one gulp without a word I put the glass down turned around and walked out honey where are you going she called after me I don't know I answered without turning back but you should probably take a cab home I made my way out of the restaurant found my car and just drove I didn't have a destination in
mind I just needed to get away my head was pounding the pain starting from the back of my skull and spreading everywhere making it hard to think about anything else I drove aimlessly lost in the noise of the engine and the blur of the passing street lights time and place didn't matter anymore the next morning I woke up in my car my head pound Ing and my surroundings unfamiliar I got out stretched and looked around trying to convince myself that last night was just a bad dream first things first I desperately needed to use the
bathroom and find a huge cup of coffee I also needed a plan before I could even think about going home after taking care of business behind a nearby Bush I got back in the car fired up the engine and headed out in search of that much needed coffee I found a small Diner ordered breakfast with my coffee and sat down to think things through letting my wife have relationships with other men was off the table it would definitely be the end of our marriage despite everything she said last night I couldn't shake the feeling that
she wasn't the woman I thought I married maybe she was having some kind of breakdown dreaming up ideas that were completely out of touch with reality I'm no psychiatrist just a guy who's incredibly confused right now I checked my phone which I had turned off sometime during the night turning it back on I saw several texts and missed calls from Andrea she was worried about where I was and how I was doing right then I didn't feel ready to go home or talk to her but I knew I couldn't avoid it forever I decided not
to answer her messages just yet after gulping down several cups of coffee and digging into a hearty breakfast of eggs and bacon I sketched out a basic plan for what to do next it was time to deal with the situation waiting for me at home when I pulled into the driveway Andrea rushed out the front door her face filled with worry honey where were you all night I was so scared thinking you might have had an accident or something worse she said trying to kiss me I stepped back and said firmly Andrea I need to
shower and freshen up after that we need to sit down and really talk about this exploring yourself idea you mentioned last night I walked past her and headed straight to the bedroom to get out of the suit I've been wearing all night I took a long hot shower using the time to rehearse what I needed to say doubts swirled in my mind I had to figure out if I still had a wife or if this was her way of saying goodbye maybe this was just a test to see how committed I was trying to understand
what she was thinking was driving me crazy crazy I loved her no question I married her didn't I we had a big beautiful wedding and celebrated with a trip across Europe I had never even thought about being with another woman I was all in but now it seemed like she wasn't on the same page luckily we didn't have kids which made things a bit simpler whether or not that would change depended entirely on how the next few days and weeks unfolded after changing into clean clothes I headed into the kitchen to fix myself another cup
of coffee I grabbed a notepad and a pen noticing is sitting at the kitchen island her eyes locked on me I tried to appear calm but inside my emotions were in turmoil coffee and hand I took a seat across from her all right Andrea could you please explain again why you want to pursue relationships outside our marriage Andrea looked straight at me and said honey I need to experience validation as a woman right now I don't feel like my needs are being met I want to explore what those needs are and see if I can
find fulfillment on my own so you're uncertain about your needs and you're seeking to discover them I summarized trying to keep my tone steady also are you planning to step away from our relationship temporarily to find what you're looking for no honey I won't leave I'll remain here in our home with you Andrea replied quickly however I need the freedom to establish my own schedule and do things at my own pace when do you think you'd like to embark on this exploration and adopt your new schedule Andrea I asked well I suppose any time would
work she responded a hint of uncertainty in her voice do you agree with my decision no I don't agree with any of this Andrea I said firmly when we got married we promised to be partners and lovers for life now you want to seek other lovers what am I supposed to make of this it feels like you're checking out of our marriage honey it's not like that Andrea said her voice filled with frustration I need to find a connection that's been missing for a couple of years now our lives have become all about work I
don't feel appreciated by you like I did when we first got married appreciation my God everything I do I for you I retorted feeling my anger start to Bubble Up I've been busting my back to provide for us and to build the future we dreamed about when we got married we've nearly paid off this house for crying out loud I knew I had to address the most burning issue are you planning to have relationships with other men I asked trying to keep my voice steady honey I can't say for certain what I'll do if it
feels right with the right person I might consider it she responded avoiding my gaze so you're thinking about infidelity then I pressed unable to hide my incredulity it's not infidelity Rob it's not cheating if you know about it she replied calmly my blood pressure was through the roof I took a deep breath and sipped my coffee wishing it were something stronger I needed to keep my cool to handle this conversation right let me get this straight Andrea I said trying to make sense of it all you're planning to meet other men go out with them
and maybe even become intimate meanwhile Youk still be living here with me is that correct honey it's not that straightforward I'm not sure yet Andrea replied replied her voice uncertain it sounds pretty straightforward to me I countered what about us are we just supposed to put our marriage on hold do you expect us to still be intimate while you're exploring this of course Rob we're a family you and me I love you deeply and I want us to stay a family this is just something I need to do for myself she said her eyes pleading
for understanding and how often do you plan on doing this Andrea every weekend several times a week every night just how far are you planning to take this exploration I have decided yet she responded sounding frustrated why are you so focused on the details well I need to know what my life is going to look like while you're out meeting dating and being with your new partner Partners I said bitterly I don't have a girlfriend Andrea at least not yet I added the last part slipping out more bitterly than I intended I took a deep
breath and exhaled slowly struggling to contain my anger Andrea I need some clarity before we leave here today have you genuinely made up your mind about this have you considered what this will do to our marriage Andrea nodded but she didn't directly answer my question it appeared she hadn't given much thought to how I might feel she hadn't considered my opinions then she uttered the sentence that would change our future if you love me you will let me do this I responded firmly if you love me Andrea you won't go through with this this is
my ultimatum unfaithfulness even with prior notice is a marriage breaker now my plan needed to take form here are my conditions non-negotiable if you want to engage with other men you must move out I won't share a home with you while you date and have sex with others bringing them here is out of the question you'll have to find alternative accommodation honey where am I supposed to live she asked perhaps you can stay with one of your friends like Jessica from school you spent time with her she's divorced and alone right ask her if you
can stay with her for a while if that doesn't work you can rent a short-term apartment you'll be responsible for all expenses UTI and your car payment Andrea worked as a Grade Three teacher in an elementary school and earned a substantial income I on the other hand was a chartered accountant specializing in forensic auditing for a large firm also enjoying a good income complete with annual bonuses from what she had said it appeared that I wasn't meeting all her needs in our relationship Andrea seemed to sense my willingness to compromise for the first time as
she made eye contact thinking she had won I continued so if you're interested in having an open marriage I suppose I'll need to be patient while you pursue your extramarital Affairs will you eventually return home to me Andrea honey of course I will I love you deeply you're my husband and I want us to build a family together she countered and what am I supposed to do while you're out having intimate relationships with other men do you expect me to remain faithful to you should I wait for you to finish with your boyfriends and then
welcome you back with open arms and love have you considered the impact on me at all I want you as my husband honey and only you regardless of what I do while I'm away for a while it won't change my feelings for you once I come back I want you to be my husband and the father of my children she said I couldn't help but find this an odd way of expressing her love she had already acknowledged that I wouldn't permit her to bring her boyfriends into our home and she seemed to view that as
a victory she could enjoy her time with other men without fear of my interference all right you need to figure out where you're going to stay and let me know this week but for now we have some things to arrange here I want you to remove your clothes and belongings to the spare bedroom I'm not sure I can share the same bed with you at the moment your plan is too painful and I feel like you're leaving me even if you haven't explicitly said so so tell me Andrea what should I make of all this
Andrea remained silent possibly starting to realize that I wouldn't simply accept this without question she might have been taken aback by my request to have her leave our bed but what did she honestly expect did she think I was a complete pushover ready to passively allow her to run off and have affairs then return home to play the role of a happily married couple eventually having children and carrying on with life as if nothing had happened not a chance Andrea happened to be friends with another teacher Jessica and I suspected that some of these misguided
ideas might be coming from her Jessica a divorced grade four teacher at the same school as my wife was caught cheating on her husband with multiple partners leading to her being kicked out 2 years ago at 35 years old Jessica was an attractive woman with an appealing physique un fortunately she had a pension for sleeping with any man who flashed a smile her way I had a strong suspicion that Jessica was influencing Andrea's desire to explore herself before starting a family for me the reality was simple if Andrea explored too much there wouldn't be a
family at least not with me all that would remain was a divorce I Rose from the table and began walking away Andrea questioned is that all rob you want me to move out yeah for now don't misunderstand me Andrea I don't want you to go through with any of this we made a commitment to monogamy when we got married and you're planning to break that commitment so what exactly do you expect me to do do you think I'll just sit idly by while you engage in relationships with other men or if you want an open
marriage then I suppose I'll have the same option Andrea was left speechless and I departed before our discussion escalated into a shouting match I grabbed my car keys and headed out of the house honey where are you going she called after me I'm not certain right now but don't for get to move your belongings to the spare room and start looking for a place to stay remember you won't be engaging in extramarital Affairs until you've moved out I replied as I left intentionally slamming the door harder than usual while I briefly contemplated driving to Jessica's
apartment and confronting her I knew I needed to set aside my anger and frustration for the time being it was Andrea who had initiated this messed up situation and she could deal with the inconvenience it brought besides I suspected that Jessica might be more than willing to take Andrea in and I had to resist the urge to confront her physically on Monday morning I was up and out of my office before Andrea even woke up I had a significant amount of work to do on my plan considering Andrea's intentions I had no intention of tolerating
her infidelity since she seemed to have made up her mind about our marriage I had to take action it hurt that she believed she could engage in extramarital Affairs thinking I'd foolishly stand by let her do it and then act like everything was fine when she returned what if she came back with an STD or Worse pregnant no way I wouldn't allow it step one was reaching out to my lawyer my lawyer happened to be a friend who handled various legal matters such as real estate and wills I didn't expect him to handle the divorce
directly but he could provide a referral he did just that recommending a competent divorce attorney from his firm I had a meeting scheduled with her that same afternoon it was a tough conversation but my new lawyer was an experienced litigator and well-versed in our state's laws I didn't want this divorce to become acrimonious in fact I was content with a fair 50/50 split of our assets neither of us had much when we married and we both were hard to build a comfortable life together until now so I was willing to divide things evenly I wasn't
completely heartless and battling over assets would only prolong the divorce process the assets weren't worth holding on to if it meant dealing with a cheating wife the necessary paperwork would be prepared and held until I had evidence of my wife's infidelity until then this was just an initial move on my part the week seemed to drag on I made an effort to spend as little time at home as possible going out every evening mostly to the gym to relieve stress I noticed that Andrea was spending a lot of time with Jessica on Thursday she informed
me that she'd be staying with Jessica for a couple of weeks until she found a more suitable place I knew it would be a convenient setup for her to be with her boyfriends without any interruptions from me it seemed like Jessica might be entertaining her own boyfriend simultaneously turning it into quite a mess this situation was just incredibly messed up on Saturday just one week after celebrating our fifth wedding anniversary my wife made her decision to engage in extramarital Affairs evident by packing her belongings into her car and preparing to leave however she hesitated just
before her departure honey I don't want to leave are you absolutely sure we can't find a way to work things out so I can stay she pleaded I love you deeply and I genuinely want to improve our marriage I couldn't help but feel exasperated as I responded and Andrea if you truly loved me and wanted our marriage to improve you wouldn't go through with this I do want you to stay here at home with me but I cannot condone you being intimate with other men while still being my wife I love you but I won't
tolerate that if you won't consider going to marriage counseling to address our issues I'm not sure what else I can say so please go while she loaded her belongings into her car I went to the hardware store in my own car to purchase new locks for the house I replaced three locks and changed the security code for the the garage door opener throughout Saturday night and all of Sunday I remained at home staring at the walls hoping that Andrea would come to her senses and return the following week proved to be exceptionally challenging for me
I visited the gym daily and took up running again in an attempt to alleviate my stress at times I found myself sinking into deep depression yearning to go to Andrea and beg her to come back intellectually I still struggled to comprehend the fact that my wife was leaving me to engage in extramarital Affairs while we remained married it made me feel like a colossal failure was I truly so inadequate that my wife was willing to openly exhibit her infidelity apparently that was the case I turned to the internet to research the psychology of infidelity and
why spouses cheat on each other I was astonished to discover that approximately 40% of married individuals engage in infidelity what was even more surprising was that nearly 90% of them choose to stay in their marriages often infidelity is quietly tolerated by the other spouse espe especially when children are involved making it easier for them to accept the unfaithfulness and continue as if it weren't happening many wives who cheat claim to still love their husbands and families but seek excitement outside the marriage something they feel is lacking at home many women who engage in Affairs Express
that their homes demand a great deal of effort The Daily Grind of maintaining a family juggling kids activities and dealing with mundane chores make sex and intimacy with their husbands seem dull they yearn for excitement with a lover who focuses solely on them without immediate medely discussing kids or errands after sex perhaps the key to a successful marriage lies in treating one's wife as if she were having an affair minus the divorce simply enjoy the physical aspect I contemplated the idea of trying to pick up my wife at the club she and Jessica frequented people
have affairs for various reasons a lack of sexual satisfaction in the relationship an absence of passion or a loss of connection between spouses sometimes even as retaliation for their partner's infidelity some women claim they cheat to salvage their marriages though I'm skeptical about that nevertheless it's what researchers studying marital infidelity have reported marriage is intricate and relationships require effort open marriages where both spouses consent to having other relationships and sexual partners seldom survive in the long run emotional attachments form feelings are inevitably hurt and most couples end up divorcing polyamorous marriages are equally complicated especially
when children are involved the threat of introducing a sexually transmitted disease into the relationship is a constant concern personally I believe monogamy is the best approach in a marriage if both Partners don't agree with it they should reconsider their commitment to each other or look for different individuals to be in a relationship with did I neglect my wife and push her away did I fail to provide her with enough attention while I focused on building a life for us was I mistaken I'm uncertain what I do know is that I felt unhappy about my wife
leaving our home to engage in extramarital affairs she sought things she believed I wasn't providing but I didn't see her actions leading to an improvement in our marriage and so the following week passed by slowly once more I refrained from calling my wife and Andrea only sent one text requesting that I forward her mail to her new address her communication gave no indication of her desire to salvage our marriage it was all business clearly she was actively pursuing her plan to find a boyfriend or possibly even two for some enjoyment the thought crossed my mind
to tailor from her apartment to where she and Jessica were headed just to find out who she was meeting I drove past the apartment multiple times but resisted the urge to stop I realized I couldn't subject myself to that I needed to let her make her decision or she would never truly be my wife again with each passing day the likelihood of her returning diminished furthermore the longer the situation dragged on the less inclined I was to take her back a month elaps with minimal communication between us when unexpectedly Andrea showed up at the house
unannounced when her key didn't work in the the lock she rang the doorbell and knocked I answered the door maintaining a stoic expression Andrea what brings you here today I asked she replied honey my key doesn't seem to work in the lock what's going on I responded matter of factly that's because I changed all the locks I blocked her from entering when she attempted to come inside what do you want Andrea I inquired she replied I came to retrieve a few things I left behind when I moved in with Jess once again her visit wasn't
about seeing me me it was purely business focused on her belongings with little regard for me or the pain she was causing she didn't seem to realize the hurt I might be experiencing was she that naive or deluded to think I wouldn't care about her sexual encounters with other men or that I'd eventually take her back there are some boxes in the garage with your things that I gathered from around the house why did you do that honey she asked I let her inside since after all it was still partly her home we proceeded to
the garage where she saw numerous boxes filled with her belongings ready for her to take how long are you planning to stay with Jessica I inquired she replied Jessica's been really supportive I'll be with her for a bit longer I'm sure it'll only be a few more months and then I'll be back a better wife to you honey then we can start a family together I couldn't help but roll my eyes internally at her comment and feel a sense of disgust how could she believe that her involvement with other men would somehow make her a
better wife and prepare her for motherhood I had entirely different thoughts on the matter so have you found a boyfriend yet I asked bluntly but Andrea blushed in response and I didn't need an answer I already knew she finally admitted Jess and I have been on some dates with guys from the club we go to but that's about it I couldn't resist probing further how's the sex with your new boyfriends Andrea turned even redder and began searching through the boxes for her belongings I left the garage and returned to the kitchen to have my coffee
and read the newspaper a few minutes later she emerged carrying a sizable bag and surveying the kitchen perhaps she expected the house to be in disarray after her departure to her disappointment it was quite the opposite I had Enlisted the services of a cleaning crew to visit three times a week so the place was impeccably clean there were no towering stacks of dirty dishes no heaps of empty beer bottles and certainly no mountains of soiled laundry no the house was in perfect order and I was focused on keeping myself composed despite the fact that my
wife had left me to pursue relationships with other men is there anything else you need Andrea I inquired sensing her curiosity about the situation here without her she replied so honey have you been okay since I started staying with Jess I'm fine I responded I've been quite busy with work and I'm frequently on the road concerned she probed further honey have you been getting out at all or have you been staying home alone and there it was the pivotal question I had anticipated it was time to introduce a small twist into the conversation and observe
her reaction I've been trying to keep myself occupied I explained I joined a Cycling group that meets twice a week for organized rides we start from a designated point and ride together for 40 to 60 mil it's been quite enjoyable and I've met many new people they're a fantastic Bunch typically we head somewhere for a beer and a burger afterward as all that riding really works up an appetite I made a conscious effort to maintain my distance from excessive alcohol as it wouldn't serve my well-being in any way my weight had dropped sted by 15
lbs in recent weeks partly due to exercise and partly due to the stress that her actions had inflicted upon me regular physical activity was perhaps the only thing preventing a complete mental breakdown she responded with a tone that hinted at more interest in my activities than her initial question implied what I gathered was that she wanted to know if I had started meeting other women as Andrea drove away from the house she might have begun to realized that her plan wasn't unfolding as smoothly as she had anticipated it was possible that her loyal husband could
meet someone else and decide he no longer needed to remain married to her her quest to find a boyfriend to compensate for the attention she believed her husband had failed to provide might carry more significant repercussions than she had initially thought I later discovered that Andrea had been dating two men from the club she frequented with Jessica and had engaged in intimate encounters with both on multiple occasions however neither seemed interested in spending quality time with her beyond their rendevu between her legs both men were married and simply seeking casual fun with Andrea being their
source of entertainment a classic case of pump and dump by the two-month Mark I had come to terms with the demise of my marriage and was prepared to initiate the next phase of my plan Andrea had remained out of contact with me for weeks clearly indicating that she had no thoughts concerning me or our marriage she was free to pursue her desires exhibiting no inclination or desire to return home even if she did consider returning it would come with a myriad of conditions and I was uncertain whether I would accept her back adding to my
reservations I discovered that she had taken a vacation to the Dominican Republic with one of her boyfriends during the school break they had indulged in a sun- soaked getaway supposedly working on their Tans and other indulgences if this was her notion of strengthening our marriage through infidelity well it left much to be desired the influence of Jessica's persuasive narratives depicting me as a neglectful husband who had disregarded my wife had taken hold of Andrea's mindset before she decided to abandon our marriage now she resided in a two-bedroom apartment with her discontented divorced friend and her
reputation among fellow teachers and family members was deteriorating rapidly when Andrea's mother discovered that her daughter had ventured to the Caribbean with another man she reached out to me inquiring about the reason for our separation she likely assumed that we had been embroiled in marital conflicts I revealed to her that her daughter had left me to engage in sexual relations with other men a revelation she found incredulous I urged her to speak directly with Andrea to ask her Ain the truth Andrea's mother engaged her in conversation asking Andrea why did you leave your home what's
happening between you and Robert is he mistreating you to this Andrea replied no Mom he isn't mistreating me but he doesn't provide the excitement I currently seek from a man I don't feel desired or attractive to him I need that feeling to feel wanted so I'm seeking it elsewhere for now I want to have some fun before Rob and I start a family I plan to return to him in a few months when he will appreciate me more and everything will be fine you'll see Andrea's mother was taken aback by her response and earnestly cautioned
dear if you engage in extramarital Affairs Robert will not want you as his wife cheating on him is the shest way to end your marriage do you not comprehend that I know that Rob loves me Mom Andrea retorted confidently he understands my needs I'll return home in a few months perhaps a year at most and then we'll start a family dear you must come to your senses and return home now her mother implored or there won't be a marriage or a husband to return to and there certainly won't be any children with him do you
understand me Mom I am confident that Rob loves me Andrea insisted remaining Resolute in her beliefs even her mother's Earnest efforts failed to instill reason in her therefore embracing the what's good for the goose is good for the gander mentality I resolved to explore the possibility of a life without her it had been approximately 3 months since Andrea's departure and it was time for me to move forward summoning the courage I asked one of the women I knew from cycling for a date primarily seeking female companionship and a break from the monotonous routine I had
endured since my wife had moved out my daily routine consisted of work the gym cycling and sleep and it repeated day after day as I waited for this madness to come to an end that was my life a part of me hoped that Andrea would come to her senses and put an end to this absurdity by returning home however that seemed unlikely I had to confront the reality that she probably wouldn't come back at least not as the wife I had married or the woman I once knew it appeared she was savoring her Newfound freedom
and seeking the excitement and validation as a woman that had been missing from our marriage echoing the motivation psychologists attribute to married women who cheat on their husbands so I decided to attempt to arrange a date without coming across as overly desperate or just hitting on someone randomly that might be too peculiar I thought I wanted to become acquainted with the people in my Cycling group and have them get to know me before considering inviting one of the women on a date I wanted it to a genuine connection not a Pity date most of my
cycling friends were aware of my separation from my wife and I suspected that some might even know about Andrea's active dating life in a city not that large word tends to get around when I asked Diane one of the women in the group to join me for tea or a drink I was pleasantly surprised when she accepted I suggested going out on a casual Saturday night to a nice place and plan for us to go kaying on a nearby lake before dinner I had some experience with kayaking from a few years back so I knew
the ropes Diane had never kayaked before but she expressed her interest and we agreed on the plan so it became a date we had a wonderful time kayaking covering around 10 mil over about 3 hours afterward we headed to a Charming restaurant for a satisfying meal and drinks I ordered a craft beer with steak and french fries while Diane opted for white wine with a pasta dish it was a relaxed and informal setting free from any pressure we wrapped up the evening with ice cream from a waterfront Boardwalk stand and I drove her home I
told her I had a fantastic time intending to give her a kiss on the cheek but she surprised me by leaning in and planting a kiss on my lips it was a delightful and unexpected moment I didn't want to appear overly eager so I waited until our regular Tuesday cycling Meetup to arrange another date to my surprise Diane expressed concern that my lack of contact might have meant I didn't enjoy our time together I quickly assured her that the opposite was true I had a fantastic time and truly relished our outing and being in her
company we scheduled a Saturday date this time for a round of golf I had read online about the delicate balance of texting and calling to maintain someone's interest men who excessively message or call women are often seen as overly needy which tends to drive women away so on Friday I sent Diane a text expressing my anticipation for our Saturday golf game and suggesting a time for me to pick her up while also offering the option for her to meet me at the golf club if she preferred she kindly requested that I pick her up so
we settled on an early afternoon time our time on the golf course was a lot of fun even though neither of us possessed professional level golf skills that evening we had dinner at my place where we enjoyed a barbecue and a bottle of wine after our meal as the night grew late I prepared to drive her home however she took the car keys from my hand placed them on the kitchen counter and asked to see the bedroom the following morning I woke up beside a stunning woman with her arm draped over my chest Diane had
gorgeous long dark hair captivating green eyes and Flawless skin in a small scar on her chin from a bicycle accident added character to her lovely face she stood tall at around 5' 11 in maintaining a slender figure she probably weighed around 140 lbs and was in great shape her occupation as a nurse in the pediatric department of the hospital spoke volumes about her compassion for others she came across as authentic exuding a magnetic charm that Drew me to her from the moment we met we enjoyed breakfast on my patio and our conversation eventually shifted toward
my plans and the possibility of divorce it was a sensitive topic but I understood her need to know my intentions before investing emotionally in our connection after all no woman wants to invest time in a man who might reconcile with his estranged wife in a few weeks when I explained the peculiar way Andrea had Justified her departure to Diane her expression confirmed what I had already suspected she believed Andrea wasn't coming back I think that nudge from Diane helped me move forward with the next phase of my plan on Monday morning I contacted my lawyer
and had her assign an investigator to the case I wanted to determine how many men Andrea was involved with before presenting her with divorce papers it turned out she was dating multiple men mostly married and they would often gather at Jessica's apartment to continue their partying after leaving various bars and clubs around the city two weeks later Andrea received the divorce petition marking the beginning of a tumultuous period that night she drove to the house to confront me when I answered the doorbell I was met by my estranged wife holding a large brown envelope her
face filled with distress I inquired Andrea what brings you here tonight she responded honey a guy delivered these documents to me today why did you file for divorce I told you I would be home soon even this week we can start working on that baby we talked about I invited her in and asked her to take a seat in the kitchen stating it's a bit late for that Andrea I told you when you left that I didn't want you to go but you went anyway she attempted to explain honey I told you that I needed
to find out who I was and feel good about myself I interrupted with a hint of sarcasm so do you feel good about yourself now are you validated as a woman have you explored your sexuality in new relationships met exciting people had your fair share of intimate encounters growing agitated I continued because it sure looks to me like you have I've had virtually no communication from you since you left our home you didn't even call me on my birthday probably too busy with one of your boyfriends in the Dominican Republic that week your mother called
me wondering why didn't even call her on Mother's Day have you spent this entire time pursuing physical pleasure she pleaded honey I love you very much and I realize I may have gone too far I'm coming home today I firmly responded no you're not honey what are you talking about I'm still your wife and this is still my house I'm going back to Jess's place to collect my things and I'll be home in a few hours I corrected her ah no you're not did you read through all the documents in that package you received at
the back there's a judge's order specifying that you cannot come within 500 ft of this house until the divorce is finalized technically you're currently in violation of that court order I'm not going to make an issue out of it but you need to leave now and we can address this matter in court to sort out the details Andrea was slowly coming to terms with the seriousness of our wedding vows which included commitments like love honor cherish faithfulness and The crucial aspect of fidelity I made it clear to her that this house held no sentimental value
for me if she desired it that was perfectly fine it's almost paid off so my half is approximately worth $150,000 she could have it for that amount however if she wasn't willing to pay that sum we would sell it and split the proceeds from the sale it was a straightforward Arrangement but for the time being she was not moving back while I remained in the house I escorted her to the door closed and locked it behind her a month later we managed to avoid the need for a court appearance and quietly settled our divorce Andrea
received half of our assets as she was legally entitled to we sold the house and I moved on with my life Andrea resumed her new routine but I heard from a friend that her school a charter school had advised her to keep her personal life more discreet apparently some parents had become aware of her involvement with multiple men in the area and were uncomfortable with her teaching their children especially among the mothers who were quite outspoken about it in private it appeared that some of the fathers might have been among her lovers subsequently Andrea was
diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease not life-threatening but necessitating a year of abstinence this was not a significant concern given that she was already pregnant it seemed that one of her Partners had successfully fathered the child Andrea's negligence in consistently taking her birth control pill frequent alcohol consumption and the absence of condom use were contributing factors the father remained unidentified but bore an uncanny resemblance to one of the teachers at her school a married man my divorce was officially concluded and I was free from Andrea it's been approximately a year since all the turmoil with
Andrea began I purchased a new house received a promotion at work and most importantly Diane and I are now living together we are excited to announce two things first we will be getting married this Summer and second we are expecting to become parents around Christmas
