Intro from the Author
Hello everyone. This is only the second story I've written, so my apologies for any plot or grammatical errors. I have not used an editor, so please get in touch with me if you enjoy the story and want to improve it. I'd consider reposting the story and giving you credit for your work.
I must confess that how some readers viewed my first story, "Broken Vows," was a bit disappointing. I tried to write a short story with what I thought was a novel ending, stopping before the protagonist had to decide between BTB or RAAC. Some readers seemed to struggle with that and wanted a more definitive conclusion. Other readers thought it was a true confession, presumably because I didn't initially lead with an author's note. Anyway, I encourage you to look at that story and welcome any thoughts or feedback.
This story is a long one, with over 32,000 words. While I have read many stories in the Loving Wives category, I tried to be as original as possible with the storytelling and plot. Nevertheless, some cliches were hard to avoid. If you want protagonists with no weaknesses or villains with no redeeming qualities, this story is probably not for you. People are complex, and I've tried to reflect a little of that in this story. That said, the story has themes of BTB and revenge, although only some of that revenge is directed at the protagonist's cheating spouse. There are also elements of redemption in this story, so hopefully, everyone can find something they like.
There are not many sex scenes, but I included a couple to help develop relationships in critical parts of the story. Also, one character gets off on drugging, degrading, and humiliating another character. You might want to skip this story if that's not your cup of tea. And as the author, I recognize that using a morning-after pill does not medically constitute an abortion...but to one or more of the characters in this story, it does.
I write about several things I'm not an expert on. There are undoubtedly aspects of architecture firms, gyms, churches, state laws, police procedures, legal processes, medical conditions, pharmacology, technology, and other story elements that are not entirely accurate. That's okay. For the purposes of this story, all of these things are true in my imaginary Midwest. Anyway, I hope that you enjoy it. I appreciate votes and comments—even the negative ones if they include an explanation.
Legal Caveat - This is a work of fiction. The characters, plots, narratives, etc., have all been created from my imagination and are in no way intended to represent real people or situations. All characters are 18 or older.
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A Tangled Web
It had been a half-hour since the sun dropped below the horizon. The fiery palette that had engulfed the sky was fading, and the after-work crowd was starting to pile into the riverside bar. Dan knew it was time to say his farewells and head home. But, of course, his colleagues wouldn't let him go without a few more congratulatory pats on the back. So when he finally reached his car, he texted his wife Cindy to tell her he'd be home later than anticipated.
The happy hour celebration had been a welcome surprise. Dan Caddel had worked for nearly six years at MW Designs, one of the largest architecture firms in the Midwest. He had helped the company win numerous design awards and had attracted dozens of clients for high-profile projects. Most of Dan's work over the past few years involved bringing to life some of the largest high-rises in Chicago. But despite these accomplishments, Dan had little success convincing Eric Tangle, the firm's founder and CEO, to make any significant increases in his salary. Eric was nothing if not stingy; he had built his company through grit, determination, and years of 14-hour workdays.
It had been almost 16 years since a car accident took Eric's wife from him. The police told him her car had left the road and slammed into a tree. They speculated that an animal might have run out into the road as they could find no weather or drug/alcohol-related cause. Eric knew more about what happened than he shared with the police, but he also knew telling them the whole story would add to his problems and wouldn't bring his wife back. In the months following the accident, he threw himself into work to avoid his emotions. Even now, after all these years, he had never really grieved.
Eric recognized that he sometimes placed unhealthy demands on his employees and rarely offered praise for a job well done. But today, Dan had landed a contract worth north of $400 million, and even Eric couldn't hide his gratitude.
"I don't know how you did it, but that was incredible! You landed the biggest contract we've ever bid on, and I never thought we stood a chance." Dan smiled broadly at Eric's unexpected praise.
"It was a team effort. Molly and Jake made sure I was well prepared for the bid."
'Nonsense!" Eric exclaimed.
"It was you living and breathing their day-to-day business that led to this outcome! Effective immediately, I am increasing your salary by 30%."
Dan took a deep breath and smiled. Finally, he and Cindy were one step closer to having the financial foundation they wanted to start their family. Having grown up without siblings close to his age, Dan's dream was to have a large family with children who shared Cindy's impressive genes.
When Dan's colleagues insisted that he celebrate with them after work, Dan agreed but lamented that it would delay his telling Cindy the excellent news.
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Dan met Cindy when he was a junior at a prominent Midwestern college. He'd never forget the day they met. Cindy was walking out of the college library and heading towards her dorm. Dan often sat on the stairs leading to the library to people-watch—well, to be honest—to scope out hot chicks. But out of the hundreds of girls he had seen, none compared favorably with Cindy's cute, toned body and gorgeous smile.
When Cindy was about 20 meters from the library, Dan saw something fall from her backpack as she continued walking toward her dorm. Dan saw his opening and did not hesitate. Within seconds he found what turned out to have been a hair scrunchie and raced to catch up to Cindy.
"I'm sorry, Miss, I think this fell out of your bag."
"Oh, yes, thank you. Well, aren't you my knight in shining armor? I probably would have been looking for that forever." Cindy flashed an appreciative smile and took note of Dan's rapid breathing. He had made a significant effort to return such a trivial item, and Cindy suspected he was looking for an excuse to talk to her. He was quite handsome and endearing. She wouldn't mind learning more about him.
"Dan. Dan Caddel."
"Nice to meet you, Dan. I'm Cindy."
"How ever can I repay you?" She quickly added playfully.
"How about meeting at this time tomorrow for coffee at the campus Starbucks?" Dan was surprised at his boldness and half expected to be turned down.
"I'd love to meet tomorrow, but can we make it an hour later? I'll still be in class at this time."
"That'd be perfect! I'll see you then, Cindy." Dan now had a new favorite name in the English language. He wondered why he hadn't recognized the beauty of the name before.
The coffee date went well, and within two weeks, Dan and Cindy had become almost inseparable. Dan attended not only Cindy's gymnastic meets but also her daily practices. He'd sit in the gym's stands and study on his laptop, except when he was distracted by Cindy's tight body in her leotard tumbling across the mats. Cindy later joked with her friends that Dan hadn't seemed to study much there at all.
At 5'4" tall, Cindy was the tallest gymnast on her team, and her shoulder-length blonde hair and C-cup breasts made her even more of a mismatch for the sport. But Cindy had performed better than her teammates in nearly every exercise, and she seemed to have ice in her veins during competitions. Cindy's talent had been recognized when she was ten, and, except for a few weeks following two injuries, she had practiced six days a week ever since. She was well-liked by her teammates, despite the jealousy those who didn't make the competition teams felt. As a sophomore, Cindy was the youngest team captain anyone could remember and was committed to helping her team succeed.
Cindy grew up the youngest of three siblings. She was a "welcome surprise" ten years after her older sister Judy was born and 12 years after her brother Tom. The strict rules her parents had enforced on them never applied to Cindy. She was her parents' favorite child, a fact that was not lost on her siblings. Still, Cindy had a strong relationship with both Judy and Tom. They babysat her when she was young, and she now returned the favor by babysitting their kids when home for the summer. She adored the children and longed for her own one day. But sadly, she knew it wasn't something she could soon entertain, given her competitive athlete role. She also didn't have a committed partner, a role she had begun fantasizing Dan might fill.
Cindy had four previous boyfriends—a term she assigned anyone who had lasted more than a couple of weeks—and none of those relationships could compare to the excitement and love she felt with Dan. He was intelligent, funny, emotionally available, and a shy but talented lover. She felt safe with him and told him more dreams and secrets than she had shared with her closest friends.
Their sex life was incredible. Cindy seldom wore clothes in her dorm or at his place. The constant temptation of looking at her body kept Dan perpetually aroused, and they were having sex an average of twice a day. Missionary, doggie, cowgirl, and oral sex were on their menu. Nothing too kinky unless you count Cindy's drive for having sex outdoors. Dan could make Cindy orgasm both by stimulating her clit and by repeatedly probing the depths of her pussy. He had never had a girl orgasm from penetration before, so he knew their lovemaking was special.
Dan was often jealous of Cindy as it seemed she was hit on everywhere she went, even in front of him. Dan's parents divorced because of an affair, which shattered him at 12 years old. He told Cindy that he valued faithfulness above all other vows and to let him know now if she had any reservations about his insistence that they both remain faithful. She assured him that she shared his view and that he would be the only lover she'd ever have. Neither ever saw a reason to question their partner's faithfulness.
