Jessica's Epiphany

This story comprises of 16 short chapters (all written) that will be released in turn as I edit them.

Like many of the submissions on here this could have been placed in a variety of genre's; Loving Wives, Fetish, Novels & Novellas but I felt it was best suited to Exhibitionist & Voyeur.

As always constructive comments are welcome but please don't tell me where the story is going after reading one chapter.... You might be wrong!

Please remember it is just a story and like with so many of them, there are always a few liberties taken with reality.

Enjoy

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Jessica's Epiphany

~~~ Chapter 9 ~~~

Content, at least for the moment, I cuddled in against my husband and waited for sleep to take me.

Waking late the next day I took the following morning off, only coming in after lunch so that I managed to avoid Richard Danville.

At least that headed off any further disagreement with my husband for the moment. It also meant we even managed to have a reasonable conversation over dinner that night although he still steadfastly refused to discuss what had happened after my photo shoot.

The next couple of days passed calmly enough and by the Thursday morning I was misguidedly beginning to think we might be starting to weather the storm.

Checking through the mail I was sitting at my desk when Richard unexpectedly walked in through the door.

"Hello Jessica. I missed you on Tuesday, I hope you weren't ill?"

"Oh... err... hi Richard. No, I wasn't ill, I... err... I just had a few things to do at home."

"Good, good." He smiled and sat himself on the corner of my desk.

"If you're looking for my husband I believe he's in his office."

"Actually, I really called in to see you."

"Oh." I sat back in surprise, "Was there something you wanted?"

"You mean apart from me taking you to dinner tomorrow night?"

"I'm not going to have dinner with you, I'm a married woman Richard."

"That didn't stop you posing for me the other weekend." He smirked cynically, "Or sleeping with me."

"The sex was a mistake. It shouldn't have happened." I swallowed nervously, looking around to make sure no one could hear our conversation.

"As I recall Tom wanted you to do it and you hardly objected."

My cheeks coloured. He was right my husband had wanted to watch him fuck me but if I had really been opposed to doing it I could have said no.

"That's as maybe but it isn't going to happen again."

"I never said anything about sex." He gave me a disappointed look, "All I suggested was that we have dinner together."

"Anyway, I can't. I'll be at home cooking for my husband." I said rather tartly, "I'm sure you remember him?"

Richard grinned knowingly at me, "Somehow I don't think so, he'll be out tomorrow evening having dinner with Grace Cartwright."

"What.... how do.... he never said anything...." My mouth opened and closed several times as I tried to form some sort of coherent response.

"Grace and I go back a long way." He informed me, smirking, "In fact I was the one who suggested she contact Tom about her new campaign, and I understand that she's very impressed with him."

"Does he know you recommended us?"

"Of course he knows. Just like he knows about his arrangements for tomorrow evening." He leant a little closer and lowered his voice, "Now about our dinner?"

I sat in silence my brain in a state of turmoil, unable to believe how my husband and the man sitting in front of me had continued to deceive me.

Was there some reason Tom hadn't told me of his dinner arrangements?

'Perhaps he was intending to sleep with Grace?'

My stomach lurched at the thought and I felt a wave of nausea sweep over me.

Should I just give in and agree to have another meal with Richard?

"I.... I don't think so." Recovering a little composure I eventually managed to answer him.

He simply smiled back at me, "As you wish."

Watching him walk towards Tom's office I managed to keep the anger that was bubbling up inside me under control as I started to contemplate what was going on with my life and my marriage.

Getting up I collected my bag and started for the door.

"You going out Jess?" Our receptionist Melissa asked innocently.

"Yeah. Before I murder someone."

I snapped back at her before storming out of the front door, leaving her staring open-mouthed after me.

With no specific destination in mind, I headed to a nearby coffee shop, buying myself a cappuccino and finding a quiet seat in the corner where I could reflect on what Richard Danville had just told me.

It was a good hour later, with no resolution to my life's problems, I went back to work determined to speak to my husband and get some answers.

However, walking back into the office I was stopped dead in my tracks as Grace Cartwright breezed out of Tom's office with him.

"Oh, you are here Jessica. You don't mind if I borrow your husband for a couple of hours." Her gleeful smirk sent another pulse of anger surging through me, "I need to go over some things in the contract with him."

I glared angrily at Tom, "No, that's fine. I don't need him."

"I'll try not to keep him out to long." Her smile got even more exultant.

Standing looking sheepishly between the two of us he shuffled nervously and avoided my eyes.

"Well, have a nice time." I turned away biting back what I actually wanted to say.

The rest of the day was a total loss and I got very little done before leaving early and heading home to open a bottle of wine and have a glass or two as I made our evening meal.

To annoyed to have any sort of conversation with him it wasn't until we were sitting down to dinner that I finally spoke.

"What's going on between you and Grace?"

He snorted, "Nothing more than what you're doing with Richard."

"There's absolutely nothing going on between me and him."

"I'm supposed to believe that?"

I glared at him, "At least he isn't throwing himself at me like that old slapper."

"After what happened the other weekend and the way he keeps asking you to dinner I find that hard to believe."

I stared at him disbelief, "That was something that.... you.... you wanted me to do.... to do with him."

"I know but I got caught up with everything that was occurring.... You posing like that and.... and I could see how much you were into it."

"And you weren't? With Peta?"

Suddenly the conversation we had needed to have several days ago was happening but not as I imagined it. Instead of us calmly discussing what had happened and trying to sort out our future together we were screaming at each other in anger.

"She didn't exactly give me a choice and besides Richard was already screwing you."

"Whatever." I spat back at him, "It got you the fucking contract you wanted and saved your precious business. I hope you enjoy it."

Pushing my chair back from the table I threw my cutlery onto the plate and started for the door.

"And don't bother joining me in bed." Turning around I snarled irately.

"Don't worry I won't, I'll sleep in the spare room."

"Why not just ring your girlfriend. I'm sure she'll put you up."

"Now you're just being fucking stupid." Was the last thing I heard as I started up the stairs.

Lying in bed that night I sobbed in the darkness, trying to work out where everything had gone wrong. I knew it was because we hadn't talked but that was down to my husband, wasn't it?

Or was it because of my new found exhibitionist tendencies?

Did it all mean that Tom didn't love me anymore?

As the tears rolled unchecked down my cheeks and soaked into my pillow all I could do was think of questions to which I had no answers.

Sleep eluded me for ages and I watched the hours roll slowly by until I eventually fell asleep sometime after two o'clock in the morning. It meant I overslept and when I eventually woke up Tom had already left for the office and I had the house to myself.

Taking my time, I made myself a coffee and sat in the kitchen to drink it while I thought about the day ahead.

Trying to talk to my husband would be difficult given the way we had argued the previous evening but, if I didn't, how could I confront him about his dinner with Grace.

Mulling everything over I decided that the best thing to do was let events unfold on their own and wait to see what occurred. With that in mind, I put my empty mug into the sink and went to get ready for work.

Stepping under the shower I tried to relax; there was no point getting all worked up about things until I had a better idea about what was actually happening.

Stopping off at the sandwich shop on the way in to the office I bought my lunch so I could work straight through and eventually made it to my desk by a quarter to eleven.

"Must be nice being the boss's wife." Melissa grinned at me as I walked in.

"Not all the time." I smiled half-heartedly.

"What's up? You haven't been yourself lately Jess." Our receptionist asked somewhat perceptively.

I shrugged and lied, "It's nothing, it doesn't matter."

Even as I said it I wondered how everyone at work would react when they found out about my nude picture's appearing in Richard Danville's online magazine X-plicit.

A small shiver went all the way up my spine as I thought about the graphic photographs I had posed for and I felt a warm flush of arousal radiate out from my rapidly moistening pussy.

Still, I knew they wouldn't be published for a while so I had time to prepare myself.

"Well, as long as you're ok." There was real concern in her voice when Melissa said it.

"Thanks, I'll be fine." I forced out a smile and headed across to my desk with a heavy heart.

Having come in late I had a bit of catching up to do and I was completely focused on my work when a voice next to my desk startled me.

"Hello again Jessica."

Looking up I found Richard standing there, grinning at me.

"If you've come to ask me to dinner again the answer is still no." I told him firmly.

He chuckled, "Oh I don't believe in pressuring anyone although the offer's still there if you change your mind."

"What is it then? I'm busy."

"I just wanted to let you know." The debauched smirk on his face immediately concerned me, "Your photos are going out in this weekend's issue of the magazine."

"What!"

Stunned by his announcement all I could do was stare at him open mouthed.

"I thought you would be excited."

"But I.... why is it..... how...." Blustering I could feel myself starting to panic at the thought of the candid images of my body being on public display.

He grinned back at me, "Everyone at X-plicit was so excited when they saw your pictures that they decided to bump this month's centrespread and use yours."

"I'm not ready.... I need more time.... I...."

"More time for what? As I recall you were pretty keen to show everything to everyone when I took the photos."

Of course he was right. I was excited by the prospect of appearing in his online publication in such a blatant and uninhibited way. However, I hadn't given much thought to people I knew well; like my colleagues at work, seeing the pictures.

'How would they react?'

'Would they think of me as some sort of slut?'

The arousal that surged through me at the thought of my soon to be appearance on the internet was tempered by a concern at how some people might view me.

If I didn't have enough problems with my marriage falling apart around me I now had another thing to worry about.

'Grace Cartwright.'

Another thought suddenly sprang to mind.

If she didn't already know about what I'd done she would certainly find out soon enough and then how would she use it to manipulate my husband.

"Have you told Grace? Does she know?" I mumbled.

Richard chuckled almost evilly, "No, I haven't said anything but I'm pretty sure she knows. After all she's part owner of X-plicit with me."

"She's what?"

As I said it I glanced across towards Tom's office only to find him standing in the doorway glaring at me.

"She owns half the online operation."

"I think you'd better go." I hissed quietly, biting back my anger, my eyes fixed on my husband.

Turning to wave at him, Richard said a quick goodbye and, giving me a totally unexpected kiss on the cheek, walked out of the office. It left me feeling utterly flustered as I watched Tom go back into his room and close the door.

Could things get any worse?

Even though I had only been at work a short while I knew I needed to get out and clear my head so, picking up my bag, I made for the door.

"I'll be back in a bit Mel." I told our receptionist and hurried away before she could say anything.

Finding myself outside the nearby coffee shop I went in and bought a cappuccino before settling myself at a table in the far corner.

Sitting well away from the few customers that were in there I stared into my cup and considered what I was going to do. My marriage was falling apart around me and everything I did only seemed to make the situation worse.

Taking a sip of my drink I thought about my husband and Grace Cartwright. It was obvious to me she desired him and he was doing nothing to discourage her. But was that just to get her to sign a contract or was there something more to it?

Then there was the not insignificant matter of Richard Danville.

In the beginning I had been prepared to sleep with him to save the business. Instead, to my surprise, he had wanted me to pose for his new venture, an online men's magazine.

Spending a weekend at his large house he had taken some very explicit pictures of me and I had ended up having sex with him while Tom had spent the night with a very attractive brunette.

Now, with Richard's disclosure that he and Grace were actually partners, I began to wonder if this was just some sort of game to them or was it something more sinister.

Finally, there was my new found desire to show off my body. Where had my exhibitionism come from?

I had no clue as to why I enjoyed flaunting myself but the more I did it the more of it I craved.

By the time I finished my coffee and got up to leave I was still thoroughly confused with no idea about what I was going to do. The one thing I was sure of though was that I wasn't going to sit around and watch my marriage disintegrate.

Instead of going back to work I made my way home. I didn't want to be in the office when Grace Cartwright turned up or when Tom left to go to dinner with her.

The hours dragged slowly by, the afternoon giving way to the evening, and as each one passed I became more miserable. There was no phone call, no question as to where I had gone.

Where was Tom? What was he doing? Why wasn't he talking to me?

I made myself dinner, even though I wasn't particularly hungry, and opened a bottle of wine in an attempt to drown my unhappiness.

Unable to concentrate on anything I sat watching the clock and slowly got drunker as I waited for Tom to come home, finishing the bottle and opening another.

It was well past midnight when I finally gave up and, more than a little worse for wear, made my way up to bed.

Falling asleep almost instantly the sun was up, early morning shafts of light streaming in through the gap in the blinds, when I woke.

'

Tom?'

My eyes were barely focused when thoughts of my husband sprang into my head.

I hadn't heard him come home. What time had he come back? Had he slept in the guest bedroom?

Slipping out of bed I pulled on a long baggy t-shirt and headed to the bathroom a little puzzled as to why I couldn't hear any noise from downstairs.

It was only seven o'clock. He must still be asleep. Surely he hadn't gone out already?

Checking the guest room, it was clear the bed hadn't been slept in and, starting to panic, I rushed downstairs.

Everything was just as I had left it. He hadn't come home, that much was obvious.

Making myself a much-needed cup of coffee I sat down and tried to work out what I was going to do next. Clearly my marriage was over and now I had a choice as to whether I should stay or go.

Hurriedly making up my mind I took my cup upstairs with me and started to pack. Cramming as much as I could carry into two cases I quickly showered and dressed before scribbling a note for my husband;

Tom,

I love you so much despite everything that's happened but it's very obvious to me that things have changed between us.

Staying and watching our marriage fall apart will break my heart so I've decided it's best for both of us if I just leave.

Please just be happy and get on with your life.

I'll always love you.

Jessica XXXX

PS: Please don't try to find me.

Placing the note on the table along with my car keys I collected my laptop and handbag just as my cab arrived.

"Where to love?" The driver asked once he had loaded my cases into the boot.

Unsure of where I would go I gave him the address of a small hotel across town and slid into the back seat wondering if I was doing the right thing.

It was barely an hour later, I had checked in and had just closed the room door behind me depositing my bags on the floor, when my mobile rang for the first time.

I declined the call without even looking to see who it was, only for it to ring again almost immediately. Not wanting to speak to anyone, especially my husband, I just turned my phone off and tossed it on to the bed.

With no idea where I was going to go I needed some time to think and I had a few things I needed to do; drawing money out of the bank, buying a new phone and anything else that came to mind while I was out.

By the time I had done everything I wanted to and got back to the hotel it was well past five o'clock and, once I was back in my room, I picked up my phone and turned it on.

There were at least a dozen missed calls from Tom and a similar number of texts, all of which I ignored. He had made his choice when he spent the night with Grace.

Deleting his messages unread I blocked his number and disconsolately threw the phone back on the bed before I went to take a long hot shower.

It was a good couple of hours later when, dressed and with my make-up on, I decided to head out to find somewhere quiet to eat. I had seen a small restaurant not too far from the hotel which, despite it being a Saturday evening, was half empty.

The meal was pleasant enough and as I sat there, alone, I found myself, once again, contemplating just what I was going to do. I had to get away, that much I was certain of. Staying to watch my marriage fall apart around me was not an option I was willing to consider.

However, I also knew there would be no way I could give up the embryonic exhibitionist streak I had so recently discovered in myself?

Finishing my dinner, I paid the bill and set out for nowhere in particular, just strolling aimlessly and thinking about things, when I found myself outside of a busy brightly-lit bar with the name Electricity above the entrance.

Pausing I read the poster on the window advertising a wet t-shirt contest that evening.

"Going to give it a go?"

A voice startled me and I looked over at the man by the door who had spoken.

"What.... no, I don't think so."

Even as I said it I felt a familiar flush of warmth between my thighs at the thought of what it might be like exposing myself to a room full of men.

"Why not darling. A looker like you." The way he eyed me up sent a shiver along my spine, "You might even win."

"I'm too old for one and second these..." I hefted my boobs, "... these are hardly big enough."

"You know what they say, more than a handful's a waste and you can't be more than what.... 22, 23?"

I giggled and blushed, "I'm almost 27 thank you."