Anger and Vitriol

The title of this story says it all. If you're looking for something warm and fuzzy please do NOT read this story.

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Marci -- my ex-wife -- had had an affair once before. I didn't kick her to the curb because our kids were eight and ten years old and I didn't want to break up the family or become a weekend dad. Looking back on it maybe the kids wouldn't have minded because she always seemed to be their favorite -- she had somewhat of a Svengali effect on them. At least that's the way that I saw it. I have to admit that she was a good mother, however. A concession that I did get from Marci -- in addition to what appeared to me to be crocodile tears -- after her affair was her signature on a post-nuptial agreement which gutted her financial situation if she ever cheated again.

I don't believe in any old adages, such as once a cheater, always a cheater, but maybe I should have in this case and divorced her ass as soon as our youngest, daughter Susan, went to college. However, Marci did provide stability and was definitely a good fuck. The latter is not how a 51 year old man, like myself, Lucas Ridley, should view things. I should have been long past thinking too much with my dick. I guess it is a shortcoming that I never was able to overcome.

In hindsight maybe I should also have told Marci what happened to her lover, but I thought that if I did she would have reacted negatively and despite the disadvantages that would accrue to her might have initiated divorce herself. I didn't kill him, beat him up, have him castrated, or anything of the sort. The thing he most revered in life was his reputation; I had that ruined. I'm the owner of the second largest "security firm" (and I don't mean selling stocks and bonds) in the U S with offices in twelve cities. Through various nefarious means I turned his stellar reputation into mud with a commensurate devastating financial hit!

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Despite my lack of trust in Marci since the cheating incident our married life appeared to be quite decent; that is until our son Charles was 28, married to Brit, and with two kids four and six years old, and our daughter Susan was 26, married to Jim, and with twin four year olds. I liked Jim, and especially Brit. They always impressed me as kind level-headed and empathetic people, although with significant intestinal fortitude (except that Jim was pussy-whipped by Susan).

I think that Marci was able to keep her second foray into cheating confidential despite my lack of trust and resources by fucking me into constant delirium. As owner of a top security firm from operators' reports I had essentially "seen it all." However, her particular enhanced libido was of a type I never came across in thousands of cases that I reviewed as part of keeping tabs on my operators, in addition to my primary responsibility of managing the company. That made it all the more horrible and embarrassing to me when I did find out.

In my experience most cheaters aren't blatant enough to easily be caught. Cheaters who are caught (without a confession due to guilt by the cheater) normally have one or two small blunders or idiosyncrasies. That was certainly the case with Marci, even though hers didn't fit any of the standard ones.

My company has collected and massaged data on the common things that tip a spouse off to cheating. The figures below add up to well more than 100% because often two or more "tells" are present.

Some suspicious information (texts, emails, photos, new password, etc.) on a cellphone -- 43%

Changes in appearance -- 16%

Lies about whereabouts or doesn't report whereabouts -- 23%

Spotted with someone suspicious -- 15%

Change in schedule -- 18%

Changes in non-sexual habits -- 19%

Changes in sexual approach (cold shoulder, new techniques, increased frequency, all with no proper explanation, etc.) -- 24%

Changes in body language (including eye contact) -- 16%

Other -- 3%

Then of course there are the easy ones that aren't tip-offs but proof:

STDs -- 2%

Pregnancy -- 1%

There are many ways to confirm the tip-offs/tells but of course the only one we really deal with is when the client hires my company. With two of the tip-offs above (which is what we recommend before the client hires us although that recommendation is often ignored) 87% of our investigations prove cheating, 10% no cheating, and 3% questionable, emotional attachment only, or can't determine.

In my case there was increased sexual activity but it seemed to have a proper explanation.

Marci explained that she was going through menopause but her doctor had recommended a nutritional supplement that really boosted her libido. According to Marci -- and she had what appeared to be an article from a reputable journal that her doctor had given her to back it up -- 49% of women experience a significant decrease in libido during menopause, 46% no significant change, and 5% an increase. She said that the nutritional supplement recommended by her doctor changed that to 35%, 50%, and 15%, respectively.

[I only found out later that the article was a fake.]

Since there were no changes in our sexual activities except for enhanced frequency and commensurate slightly more amorous body contact -- sex with Marci was always highly rewarding for me -- I swallowwed the nutritional supplement explanation hook, line, and sinker. She often made a big deal of popping two pills into her mouth shortly after dinner followed by a sultry "You're going to get lucky tonight, stud!"

The "tell" was one day when Marci left the nutritional supplement bottle -- which she normally kept in a locked cabinet supposedly to prevent the grandchildren from getting at it -- out on the counter. I was curious so I looked carefully at the label. The label gave no indication that it was for enhanced libido for a woman going through menopause, nor any other useful information. I looked the name on the label up on line and couldn't find anything about it. I took two of the pills and sent them to a lab that my company works with weekly, if not daily.

Imagine my surprise when the assay came back three days later -- sugar pills (placebos).

I put my three best local operatives who Marci had never met on the case. In three weeks they found out what I suspected. Once a week -- the time of day and day of the week changed -- she went into a high class dress shop. She was in it from 71 -- 98 minutes. She came out carrying a box.

The first week a male operative was able to pilfer the box from her car when in our garage -- which the male operative had a key to. It was empty, as it was the second week. The third week a genius female operative was able to sneak into the store. While the downstairs had every appearance of a normal high end retail establishment, there was an upstairs. The female operative snuck upstairs and was able to get several nice photos of Marci being doggy fucked by a guy who turned out to be the 28 year old son of the owner of the shop. The operatives didn't bother to check out the third box she brought out of the shop.

When the leader of the team of operatives assigned to my wife's case brought me the information about Marci's cheating I was livid. I didn't go home that night, and didn't call. The next day Marci was served with her walking papers, which had a copy of the post-nuptial agreement attached.

Of course that wasn't the end of it. Marci begged and pleaded but it fell on deaf ears. I gave her one chance -- to let me talk to the doctor who recommended the nutritional supplement. She finessed not having to deal with the question which made me believe that not only had no doctor recommended the sugar pills (a given) but that maybe she wasn't going through menopause at all.

Marci enlisted our daughter Susan and son Charles in her fight. Some of the arguments they made were very disturbing, but I gave them a pass for saying what they did by chalking it up to their love for their mother. Nothing was going to stop the divorce, however, especially since my attorney was an orca while hers was a tuna.

In view of the post-nuptial agreement Marci was escorted out of what had been our house to a condo we owned in the area and had just been renovated but no renters yet signed up. Although it was somewhat out of character for her Marci never really tried to explain her situation and her attorney's feeble attempt for court ordered counselling was quashed by my attorney's factual presentation and arguments. In our state the divorce would go through in about six months after the papers were filed and served. While Marci would never be in poor shape economically, she definitely was not going to have anything close to her old lifestyle.

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Our son Charles wasn't particularly good at handling money and unfortunately Brit wasn't too much better, and although Susan and her husband Jim did OK they couldn't afford expensive things. Therefore in the past oftentimes Marci and I treated them to vacations with us. Marci no longer had the ability to do so, but since it was a cold winter up North and I really needed a break from thinking about my divorce I offered to take all four grandkids and their parents on a week-long vacation in Orlando, Florida where the weather was warm and I had purchased passes for Disneyworld for two days.

I had lots to do before we left but with help from my staff was ready to go the day of our flight. Brit was a big help in arranging things -- I even gave her my credit card to reserve the accommodations.

I got a text from Susan that everyone else was at the gate as I was checking my bag. I still had plenty of time before the flight took off so I made it through security without problems and got to the gate before they made the first boarding announcement.

As I was approaching the gate with a big smile on my face since I could see some of the grandkids Brit was approaching me with a solemn expression.

"Lucas, I swear to you that I didn't know about it until about five minutes ago otherwise I would have told you," she said on the verge of tears.

"Told me what Brit?" I gently inquired.

"Charles and Susan arranged for Marci come with us; she is taking the same flight and staying at the same resort as we are," she replied, a tear forming in one eye.

Then I saw the succubus herself, with a completely unapologetic expression on her face.

I turned to Brit and said "I understand Brit -- you and the grandkids will get no flak -- I can't say the same for the others."

"If it makes a difference I don't think that Jim knew about it either, but as you know he just goes with everything Susan wants," she said.

My last words were "Please corral the kids someplace else, Brit, while I 'talk' to my offspring."

I went over to where Charles and Susan were standing with Marci and despite the vitriol they had to see in my demeanor Charles tried to lightly say "Guess what, we've got a surprise for you, Dad."

"You and Susan get your fucking asses over by the vacant gate across the corridor," I snarled.

"Don't talk to us like that..." Susan was starting to say when I cut her off.

"I'll talk to you fucking traitors anyway that I want" I snarled, and then walked over to the open gate. When I got there and turned to look it seemed that Susan and Charles were hesitant to join me. I think that they finally concluded that it would only be worse if they didn't talk to me.

When they arrived I asked "How did your cheating mother end up here?"

I guess Susan had been nominated the spokesman because she replied "Don't be mad Dad. We knew that it would be much better for the kids if there grandma was here too. It was not to disrespect you, but for their benefit."

"So that's why you didn't tell me about it, you thought that I'd just fucking lump it for the good of the grandkids; you didn't get any indication that I'd rather eat glass than be with that fucking cheating cunt?" I snarled.

"Dad, we can't have a reasonable discussion with you if you're using that language," Susan said with some exasperation in her voice.

"You have only one way to make this right -- tell the cheating bitch that she isn't coming with us. I'll see that her luggage is returned to her and pay the fee for cancellation of her hotel room. If she gets on that plane you two will not like what happens next," I growled and then turned and walked to our departure gate and tried the best that I could to calm down while I interacted with four very excited grandkids.

Of course Marci did board the plane, giving me a smirk as she did so. I rearranged the seats so that I sat at the window, one of Brit's kids next to me, and Brit on the aisle. The only two people I talked to on the flight were Brit and my grandkid. Brit was a nervous wreck the entire way, and after the third time she apologized to me I said "No more apologies, Brit. I know you; you're the better half of your marriage and always have been. I know that you would never be party to a stunt like this. You and your kids will not suffer, and by his association with you Charles may skate somewhat on the trip. However, I'm sorry for the blowback that you'll suffer in the future for your association with him. Now try and calm down and enjoy yourself. You and I will talk once we land."

When we arrived in Orlando and deplaned I waited until all family members had departed before I got up and exited. When I went to the baggage carousel I pulled Brit aside. "Here is a debit card that has about $4000 on it. Use it for your meals and the meals for your kids and hopefully you can get Susan and Jim to let you pay for their kids' meals too. Under no circumstances, however, are you to pay for anything for Charles, Susan, Jim, or Marci with this. Can you do that?"

Brit was wide-eyed but confidently responded "Yes, Lucas; I will. Aren't you coming?"

"No; here are the Disneyworld passes too, except for mine which I will take with me so that the succubus can't use it. Once I get my checked luggage I'm going upstairs and getting the next flight home. Again, I apologize for any blowback you'll experience in the future but if you and the kids need anything come to me and I'll help you out," I replied, holding her by her shoulders.

Brit gave me a kiss on my cheek, then turned back to find her kids. I went to the carousel and found my bag, removed it and started back upstairs. Charles came in front of me. "Where are you going Dad?"

"Away from my traitorous kids and cheating bitch of an ex-wife," I growled as I pushed past him and started quickly walking up the escalator.

I got a first class ticket for the next flight home, which was leaving in about two hours. I called the resort, talked to the manager and made it clear that the credit card that I had prepaid the accommodations with was not to be charged for anything. She confirmed my instructions with an email. I also called the vehicle rental place (I had rented a 15 passenger van with four child seats). I didn't cancel the reservation but made it clear that no credit card of mine was to be used to pay for the reservation; again I got an emailed confirmation.

I had a drink for the first time in years, and then plotted what I would be doing next.

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I think that Susan and Charles finally started to figure out what a pile of shit they were in when they had to pay for the van and their own food while Brit paid for her and the four kids' meals, on separate checks if everybody ate together. The only reason that the accommodations and the Disneyworld passes weren't cancelled is because they had been prepaid and I didn't want to ruin the vacation for the grandkids.

Susan, Charles, and even Marci, tried to call me over the term of the vacation. When I answered I said "We have nothing to talk about," and hung up. I heard from Brit that the trip became very expensive for Charles, Susan and Marci, and although the kids had a great time the joy of the adults was muted.

Over the next two months I missed regular visits from Susan's kids but there was no way in hell that I was contacting my disloyal children. I did talk to Brit on the phone every couple of days and she brought her kids (and once Susan's) over to swim in my indoor pool and play games in my game room four or five times during those two months. I was very pleased when I got my divorce without having to go to court. I was surprised that Marci left me a drunken message on my cellphone (which I had turned off) that night. Once I heard her voice I deleted the message so I have no idea what she said, nor do I care.

Charles and Susan both left me messages -- I never answered the phone if they were on caller ID -- over that time period mostly telling me that I shouldn't be so juvenile, but never apologizing. I saved the messages to my computer. Jim did call once to apologize, and I think that it was sincere; but unfortunately Jim was a pussy when it came to Susan so while I felt sorry for him his apology did nothing else for me.

Because Charles and Brit didn't handle money well I had always helped them out in the past. I was still working on a way to help Brit and the kids but not Charles when Brit and her kids came over one Saturday at noon. To my surprise Brit's mother Jill was with them.

I had only met Jill three times before because she lived in the San Francisco area. Once was a couple of weeks before Charles' and Brit's wedding, another time at the wedding, and a third time when Brit's now six year old son Billy was born. I had heard that Jill had divorced Brit's father several years ago, but I didn't pry about the details and Brit wasn't forthcoming about them. In total I probably spent no more that 30 hours in Jill's presence and during those times she was always with her now ex-husband.

While I had remembered that Jill was good looking, the other times that I met her I was enamored with Marci so I didn't take any real detailed look. Either I was blind then, or life was really treating Jill well, because I swear that she looked like Brit's older sister, not her mother.

I hope that I wasn't too obvious in ogling Jill while we watched the kids play, ate a late lunch, and had a few adult interactions. There was part of the time that I wasn't doing a good job of watching the kids play, and interacting with them, however. That was when Jill went swimming with them. Even though she had on a once piece suit she was plasma hot; she rocked her bathing suit as well as any 50 year old in the world that I had ever heard of.

I would have to say that the last half hour Brit, Jill, and the kids were there Jill was subtly flirting with me. I was too clueless and unsure to flirt back, but there definitely was action at my nether regions.

As the group was getting ready to leave Jill approached me apart from the others. "You seemed to like my company today, Lucas; why don't you invite me to dinner tonight? Brit only seems to serve food that kids like."

"Uh...sure...I'd like that. Uh...Jill will you join me for...uh... dinner?" I stammered.

"Why what a great idea -- I'd love to," she grinned.

"What kind of food do you like?" I asked.

"Surprise me," she said. "How about you pick me up at 6:30 at Brit's house?"

"As long as I don't have to interact with Charles, that's a great plan," I smiled.

"Just honk and I'll come outside," Jill grinned and then kissed me on the cheek.

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The most unusual night of my life ensued started by my short horn honk at 6:24 p. m. (not that I was too anxious). Within seconds of my honk Jill exited Brit's house wearing a simple but elegant dress and a pashmina. She was smiling widely when I opened the passenger's door for her and she got in. We chatted about nothing and everything on the way to the restaurant and while there. There was never a lull in the conversation and Jill was the most charming woman I had ever met in my life. I couldn't understand how I had never recognized that before.