All Comments on 'Trust is Earned, Not Given'

“Trust is Earned”, in tandem with “When Everything” is really a nice tignt study of selfishness, condescension and rationalization. Great portrait painting. Thanks, well done. *****

Readers from Romance were right, cheating isn't romance, but there is nothing but a wimp in this story anyway so 1*

You hit that dick doctor right on the head when she said isnt she the same as his ex. And as assholes who go after married women always will say , No this is different or similar because its them getting it. Men like that doctor are selfish cowardly little cock suckers. Good stories , well told. I think you know my thoughts on the matter. That has nothing to do with the good job the writer did

She might not have cheated for the reasons that most wives in these stories cheat (omg, what a big penis you have, random douchebag whose name I don't know), but it's still just about the worst thing a spouse can do to the other, and the bitterness, insecurity, and self loathing will stick with him for a very, very long time. Yet this thing gets wrapped up like the plot to an episode of a half hour sitcom. She learned nothing, she earned nothing, and he presented himself as a doormat.

You finished up nicely.

But I'm not sure about what kind of footing her marriage has been on or will be on. What drew her to Conrad as a mate to begin with, considering the differences in their education and ambition? I have trouble imagining spending a lifetime with someone who is not my intellectual equal and who doesn't share similar interests.

But your story sucks, because she is somehow not out on the street where she belongs when it is over, Why?

Romance or LW, it makes no difference as far as this writing is concerned. 4 *s and 🤓🤓🤓🤓.

AMerryman

I see your dilemma. It did read a bit like a romance novel. I'm glad you posted it in Loving Wives, though, because it had believable characters and a believable ending. Finally confronted with the depths of her betrayal the wife doesn't try to sugarcoat or justify her actions but takes responsibility and does the right thing. You can't help wishing them luck.

Abrupt ending, too many open questions

I had expected the diverse reactions I received from this story and the first one (When Everything Isn't Enough). You can't please all the people all the time. Of course, like most writers on this site. like most writers period, I write first for me, creating characters that I care about and stories culled from life's many conflicts, some of them very unpleasant indeed. Warm and fuzzy Hollywood/Hallmark greeting card stories bore me to tears. Of course, entertainment, like beauty, is in the eyes of the beholder.

To err is human , to forgive devine, but to trust again???

Very realistic but too hurried at the end. Unequally yoked oxen will never plow a straight row. They have nothing lin common but the kids. Unfortunately the children will bear the burden of this emotionally painful relationship. Her husband tells her that they'll take it one day at a time. This will last until the mistrust turns to resentment.

Not much hope for a future.

4*

This looks like you think it is a finished story. It is not. The phrase "To be continued" at the bottom would have pushed it to 4*.

But it seemed lacking something vital?

Too quick?

Too smooth?

Not bad at all but satisfaction, fullness and equity are important elements.

one must reluctantly accept what life has left to try and maintain dignity, TK U MLJ LV NV

She is a horrific human being, I'm sorry I read this.

First of all, she's shown herself to be just as bad as Brayden's wife.

It's not enough that he's fucking her, he's upset that she's still fucking her HUSBAND?!

He's such a hypocrite! He bad mouths his wife for doing just what he wants Jenny to do!

Her own queasy feelings are giving her the answer - she either has to leave her family or break it off with Brayden COMPLETELY! No dinners, no meeting in bars, and CERTAINLY no fucking! Deleting his contact info and demanding that he never contact her also has to happen.

As far as the "missing" passion, it's easy to have passion when you're divorced from the minutiae of everyday life.

"More important, she still isn't sure if she's ready to break things off." - She's better get sure in one fucking hurry!

I like the fact that she's breaking it off with a phone call, with Conrad listening, not one of those, "I have to go tell him in person" break-ups that inevitably results in a fuck.

I "love" that he's throwing what Toni did to him in her face! He's trying to get her to do the same thing to Conrad! I know I said something similar earlier, but it bears repeating!

While this veers dangerously close to RAAC, I think that when push came to shove she showed where her loyalties were. It WILL take time to regain his trust, but hopefully she can.

He opened his arms too quickly. I get that he may want to reconcile for the kids benefit but she should feel some pain for a while. This is very unfinished. What do we really know about the good doctor? Is he really separated? Is he really a doctor? This could be an interesting story. So far it isn't.

For some reason I didn't notice the tense. I don't know why, I usually do!

I think it works here because we don't know where they're going from here. If this were in the past, we should know what happened later.

Minor point, I wonder if the doctor really had a wife, or if they were really separated?

Crap like this.

I agree with Anon "Abrupt ending, too many open questions" Going thru his head obviously was what he would have to give up if he didn't "forgive" her. In the light of morning she'll realize that she needn't give up the good doctor, but continue to be the slut of a shared wife that she's become. Conrad has no options at this point and her cruelty is off the scale when she realizes this. Very well written but needs a follow-up.

I gave this a 4 for good writing and wrote a generally positive post.

If this one isn't deleted, I will give feedback.

she fucks some guy for months and it`s romance because the player played her

how beautiful a love story that is sob sob

she is a lying cheating piece of shit and he is an idiot to keep her because she will do it again and again

good luck to you when she goes to dc again on buisiness

i m sure you will have no problems with that are you?

Is she needs to say sorry. Get caught say sorry. She didn't stop, she got caught. We know little about how Connie feels.

Good add on to the first story. The ending is o.k., but like many others would have liked to seen a bit more. How do they deal with her complete betrayal of her marriage? Conrad should know by hearing them on the phone that it WASN'T just sex. Her lover states very clearly ' I fell hard for you'. Jenny lied to Conrad and he needs to call her on that. Which is of course, typical cheating behavior. The cheater will try to minimize aspects of the affair that make them look bad. Yes, it marginally protects the innocent spouse, but now Conrad knows. Then there's the HUGE challenge of how can Conrad ever trust Jenny again. She has to travel for work. So seeing how they would work that out would be very interesting. Good thing for Conrad that he actually had a friend with enough guts to call him and let him know what he had seen.

Enjoyed it, just felt like it was 3/4 finished. Of course there could always be another chapter. Maybe?? You are kind of leading us on.

You know how it is Trigudis. If you don't BTB you get hammered with low scores no matter how good the writing. I gave it a five.

A poster here questioned whether Brayden Walberg was really a doctor. Okay, you got me there. He's really an auto mechanic posing as a doctor. COME ON! Yes, he's really a doctor. And yes, he's really separated from his wife, which he thinks gives him moral license to carry on with a married woman.

From many of these comments, I can see that a sequel is needed. Not that I'm complaining, because it shows that my characters possess enough flesh and blood to draw emotion out of people, much of it angry. Guess I'm doing something right.

A happy -- as happy as is possible -- ending! Suggesting that our unruly sexuality and our loving decencies in conflict with each other don't necessarily have to destroy each other! Shocking! Immoral! How ... how hopefully civilized! Five ***** , for courage as well as rare common sense.

You actually treated the whole subject in an oddly humane and adult fashion, and even made it believable! Would have earned that fifth star if only the resolution were somewhat better defined - but you most probably chose the better finish (which makes me feel a bit mean for only giving you four pointy things!).

This story could go either way, he throws her out, or they'll split eventually, or he and she will recover from her cheating.

It was a good, well-written story.

you know how it is if you give it a low score your an idiot or with the b.t.b. crowd can't be that you just didn't like it. what a bunch of idiots most of your comment giver are.

The Romance commentators didn't much like your first chapter. Why would you think a MUCH tougher crowd in the LW section would like this messy, unfinished story? To begin with, switching categories is always a bad choice. And then you write a story with a lousy cuckold in it. Conrad must still be searching for his spine. This was typical cuckold garbage. A wife decides she wants to have her cake and eat it too. She never considers what will happen if she finds a man with a bigger cock, a man with more money or a man that she deems "her soul mate". Which automatically makes her a self centered, manipulative bitch. When her husband just whines a little and goes forward, we know why she might stray. He's a wimpy, simpering turd. Nothing and no one to like in this story. NEVER continue.

1 star

The story stopped before it finished.

The issue is one of narrative focus and balance: You spent so much time on how great the relationship with Brayden was that her deciding (only after being put on the spot) to end it and the couple immediately deciding to stay together felt anticlimactic.

Basically, the first arc of your story was the relationship with Brayden, which wallowed in how much she enjoyed that. The second arc of the story was the reconciliation with the husband, which started when the husband found out and then almost immediately ended. The two were out of balance.

Yeah, you're going to have people pan a story because it's not BTB/RAAC/extramarital fun forever or whatever their preferred conclusion is, but by and large, what a lot of readers want it simply a well-developed conclusion.

In this case, to me, the only plausible ending for a story like this is a "husband walks away in sadness, wife lives in misery after divorce" one, simply because that's the simplest and most straightforward conclusion, and you haven't laid the groundwork for anything more complex than that.

My post appeared.

Definitely interested in your characters and how this is dealt with.

My previous comment is still where my mind is at with this story.

Still enjoyed the turmoil and problems. It does incite anger for the cheater and empathy for the cheated.

I don't think that's true at all. I think the scores are low because it has no ending again, everything is just left up in the air. The story's title suggest it is about earning or possibly failing to earn her spouse's trust but there is NOTHING in the story about earning trust. She cheats, he finds out about it, and from there everything is left up in the air. That's why the scores are low.

The story ended too soon, it feels incomplete. Just all of a sudden Conrad goes from finding out about her infidelity to forgiveness is very unrealstic. This story had the makings of a good story that fell flat at the end. I do love reconciliation stories but this one just missef the mark.

The ending was pretty well done, not BTB by any means, but not RAAC either.

And it was just loose enough for the reader to wonder which way that relationship was going. A bit like real life. I'm glad there was no epilogue to spoil those questions.

Yes, a sequel would be nice, but if you're just going to waste your writing talent on another inconclusive segment, what's the point?

Either Finish The Damn Story, open it to allow others to do so. You got a hell of good beginning here, but to be honest your current ending didn't really reach the middle.

If you do continue, the whole scene from WNTT on could bear rethink/rewrite so it can flow into something that can end the beginning and set up the middle.

BTW, FOAD to.me and all the other critics,. To be clear, it is a very good story, you managed to skewer the foibles of the cheaters, which is often lost in the thrust to address their more serious moral failings. Engaging and Eliciting

This is a story with a hanging end. It has all the segments of a cheating wife, a mix of guilt and pleasure with the eventual loss of trust by Connie. What happens in the end? Not every such story ends with a BTB although in many cases revenge is sought and especially in this case when Brayden is so arrogant. Besides, we really don't know for sure that he is really separated and did his wife cheat. It's a good story line for a seduction.

Interesting but a bit too shallow.

T.T.

You’d have been better off with a bluntly ambiguous ending in which it’s unclear what happens. The end was rushed so you could get to the title line.

Most have already stated this is unfinished rushed and unworthy finish to a seemingly interesting start.

Different storyline no BTB. Very entertaining read. Thanks for sharing.

The details of how she builds up his trust will be tough going. But the spirit of the tale is that of happy endings.

Why are you so insulting to those who question Brayden? YOU know all about him because you created him.

We only know what you wrote. Is it THAT hard to believe that a pussy hound would lie about himself? That's in their nature!

The story seemed rushed and she seem to have certainly changed her mind quite quickly. Initially she wanted him to be her guilty pleasure but now suddenly she grows a conscience? Seems very incomplete and very one sided. I guess I am a BTB or are RACC fan more than I am this cuckold crap.

Frankly I don’t see how anyone can rate this below a 4 and personally I think it rates a 5+. However, I realize we are all different and have different tastes.

I do have one question maybe someone can answer—what is a first tense? Did the commenter by some chance mean 1st person, or maybe present tense?

I saw the story as being written in the 3rd person past tense and a few times the 3rd person narrator slipped into the ‘God viewpoint’ and told what was happening as it happened. This isn’t a plus for any story, but I think you’ll find it is an acceptable way. It was used an awful lot in the early novels. Otherwise, all 1st person POV I spotted was part of dialogue and perfectly acceptable. Of course I could be wrong.

As for those who complain about unfinished story, that’s a case of just how sophisticated a reader you are. Here the author leaves us room to write our own ending. (I see it as they finally live a long happy life and could quote cases from actual life. Another could see them floundering in distrust until the kids finish school, or get a few years old, then the marriage blows up.) It depends on what life has handed the individual.

One thing is for sure—the person who demands perfection is sure to be disappointed.

GOOD WORK trigudis. I’m going to look up more of your stories now, but I really should be finishing one of my many half-finished stories. cd

I like seeing authors I'm not familiar with drop stories here. You have a nice body of work. I look forward to checking out some other stories.

I happened to like this story, and would also like to see a third (and final?) chapter. If it doesn't happen though, the story isn't incomplete though. I'd want one because even though this story seems headed for reconciliation, I'm curious to see how you get them there. I consider what it takes for reconciliation one of the harder things to pull off, from my perspective as a reader.

On a minor note, you did something in your story I've rarely encountered in this genre. Conrad hears his wife is at a restaurant with another man and immediately confronts her. That's actually a rare response in this parts.

Usually there's putting on a brave face while gathering more evidence for a divorce, or someone hoping to catch them go further for another reason. That reason is usually watching from a closet while masturbating.

You did neither. It's such a normal reaction when hearing something like Conrad heard to be upset and ask his wife about it immediately. Normal, but rarely done here. So I thank you for that.

Pretty good. 4 stars.

This couple has a long way to go. Even without any future cheating activity, hubby has a lot to digest and work through and contend with moving forward.

I feel so bad for her husband because he's going to try to forgive her and he's not really in a place to something else without real problems. What a complete kick in the balls.

Fantastic Story with a Realistic Ending! Thank You For Sharing This Brilliant Story With Us★★★★★ WOOF!

This is just begging for a third chapter.

the wife seducer doesn't realize what a lowly piece of shit he really is.

same goes for the wife, if we're being real here. guilt wasn't enough for her to end things, but she had enough to look stupid when questioned. that alone made her confess, which isn't easy. but she did confess more so because she sucks at lying than her guilt. the story was pretty specific about that.

i think it's harder to confess when you're good at lying. i don't think the wife is bad like the shitty doctor, but she's not good. hubby needs to get some strange also. it's not like she's gonna get prettier. still don't get why women cheat on decent husbands. i get why young women with no husband cheat...that makes sense.

Thanks for reading and commenting. You're one of the few people here who seem to get it, perhaps because you're a writer as well (I plan to read some of your work). Short stories don't need neat little endings tied up in a bow - happily ever after, miserable ever after, whatever. Much of the time it's up to the reader's imagination to "write" their own ending. I do plan to write a sequel, although, as noted, it can stand on its own. "Endings" in life are often inconclusive until it's truly Over when it's over.

Point of View and Tense: This was written in the present tense with one point of view, Jenny's. I use past tense only with narration that describes something which happened in the past.

. . . the story wasn’t finished, but I thought that you left it at a realistic point. After many discovered affairs, there’s a period of uncertainty, as to whether the marriage can be saved, even if both spouses want to save it.

This one is complicated by the fact that Conrad really can’t kick her out. Whether the author was just trying a reversal on the housewife who can’t support herself, or it was sort of unintentional,I don’t know, but it’s a mitigating point for readers who say he’s not a real man if he doesn’t kick her out and then find a younger, blonder, hotter new wife; he’s really in no position to do so. In real life, the victim is much more frequently the housewife, who winds up a working in a diner while saddled with two kids, and not enough child support and alimony on which to make it.

Was generated, for me, in the characters to be invested in them enough to be curious about how this is dealt with.

The story could be done here. My interest was earned by this writer and I have become genuinely curious about them.

My comments about something being missing are a compliment to the development of these characters.

They aren't two dimensional. If they were, this story would have earned my 2 instead of 4.

. . . FirstwithU and Reindeer58, noted that Conrad and Jenny's marriage was between 'unequal partners,' because Conrad was a househusband while Jenny supported the family financially. I have to wonder: would they have looked at it that way if Conrad was the breadwinner, and cheater, while Jenny was the housewife, a stay-at-home mom rearing the children? Her as a housewife would have been a traditional, expected -- well, maybe not so much today -- role, while the househusband role is very much not expected. The author gave an excuse for the man taking this role, that he was handicapped, though I have to wonder: did that non-traditional role leave Jenny -- and the readers -- with a little less respect for him?

One discordant point: in When Everything Isn't Enough, Jenny is depicted as being annoyed when "her husband (is) whining about his arthritis," and in this story it is noted that "his arthritis precludes him from engaging in vigorous exercise," yet we also read that Conrad "fucks her doggy style, pile-driving his hardness into her and whopping it up." Vigorous exercise indeed!

if you're getting into role play then maybe this is not just a little fling.

Thanks for commenting, You've always posted kind feedback to me and I thank you for it. I didn't mean to insult anyone. But some of the comments here cry out for sarcasm. If Brayden was a bogus doctor, I would have sketched that in. He was being upfront with his status, but he was a no goodnik in other ways, such as carrying on with a married woman, and then rubbing her infidelity in Conrad's face over the phone. A sequel is in the works. Stay tuned.

This one was enough, don’t beat ded horse

These two were a totally mismatched couple. I remember as a kid playing video games and when you picked different characters they had different point values for different characteristics (less powerful, but had magic powers, etc). Well, in this relationship she had the looks, the drive, the education, the intelligence, the high income, wit and personality. He was short, pudgy, average looking, uneducated, intellectually uninterested and lacking. I'm not going to put the illness in there as that can happen to someone, but before the illness he had so much lacking. What the fuck were these two doing together? Second, a woman needs to look up to her man. I'm a man and I cannot have a relationship with uneducated, dumb women (unless for like a one night stand or something). What the fuck is she doing with Conrad? If you are an intelligent person how can your partner in life lack so much in that department. Honestly, if it wasn't for the kids, I can't see how she would choose to stay with Conrad over the doctor. Even without the doctor in the picture, I can't see how she tolerated staying with Conrad all those years. Again, for the kids I'm glad she is choosing to stay, but don't know how she made it past a few dates with Conrad.

The story would be much more reasonable, if at least intellectually he was someone she could respect, but he was short, ill now, househusband not holding his own financially. Then I can see her choosing the husband realizing what he had to bring to the table. Now, it just seems like she is sacrificing her happiness and a chance to be a complete human being just for the sake of the kids. Which I would still applaud and encourage, but feel sorry for her.

the person reading this has to have a brain and they have to have a spine.

Which is something that Carolinafreamer does not have

TRUGDIS... Carolinadreamer is one of the principal people and frequent commentators in LW genre who always supports All reconciliation no matter what the wife has done. and every case no matter what actually happens in any story.... the first thing he does is attack and blame the husband.

If you're thinking so high of him than any attempt by any of the readers to get you to realize what's wrong with the story is pretty much a lost cause.

The beginning of the story is actually quite well done. We see how the wife gets pulled into the affair which obviously is sexual but obviously becomes emotional. And using the same hotel that the wife and husband had an anniversary celebration in.... Shows that she's losing her bearings and her ability to keep her priorities straight.

what's the actual confrontation scene which again starts off very realistic turns into a massive klusterfuck.

why would the husband simply believe the wife would not call up the doctor the next day and make an excuse and trying resume the relationship?

why is there no discussion at all of the clear and obvious in balance of the marriage relationship which has occurred to so many readers in the story. The husband is small short fat physically unattractive boring and has arthritis.

it's obvious that the wife views the husband as not four equal and his current condition compounded by the arthritis is a big part of the sexual affair with the doctor. unfortunately this aspect of the story is never discussed because the reconciliation begins three paragraphs after it is discovered that she's having an affair!?

it's not that the ending is just rushed. It iscs that the author is so shallow that even though he develops his characters this way he doesn't understand the implications of the type of marriage has developed in the story.

There is something to be said for allowing a reader to fill in their own conclusion. I do that on stories that just end. This is one though, I want the writer to do that. My first story I started was a reconciliation one. It is still incomplete. I find those hard to write. I admire the authors who pull it off. Not many can convincingly. I'd love this to be one of those times.

I hate cheaters, but I hate their affair partners more. Hopefully, she sees Dr. Braydon for the shallow asshole he is. A lot of work needed to repair this marriage. Not sure she is worth it.

So many posters here can't understand what Jenny and Conrad were doing together in the first place, never mind after her affair with Brayden. First off, Conrad isn't a bad looking guy. In fact, on some level, Jenny is still attracted to him. He's not dumb either - he just doesn't have a college degree, isn't "book smart" like she is.

Second - and I wasn't going to reveal this but for these criticisms - I based Jenny and Conrad on a couple I know very well. She's a college-educated corporate climber; he never went to college, doesn't work because of a medical condition, and stays home with their daughter while also doing handyman chores around their house. This woman never cheated on him (so far as I know) and their marriage appears to work. I sense that he feels a bit insecure about his wife being their sole source of income - and a healthy income it is. He's never told me this, but how could he not when it's her income that paid for their nice house in a nice area? That said, they seem to compliment one another, accept their respective roles in their marriage.

To write a reconciliation story in this tumultuous category. There is a 'meaning' up

happening to society at present. Perhaps it has always been under the surface, but, especially now has become more apparent.

The story is very daring in that the romance part of it does read as a condoning of selfishness. and adultery. The guilt was always lurking in the shadows but not prevalent enough to prevent any sliding into salacious actions. Jenny is not bad per se (she is not good either!) She is selfish, flawed, human.

Thank you Author for having the courage to write a story and not pander to the sub cults in this LW category. Please always write for yourself. Five stars easy!

You say here, he's not dumb. Maybe not, but take this quote from the first story: "I read, he doesn't, and on the rare occasion that he does pick up a book, he looks at the pictures, skips the narrative."

Now that may not be saying that he's dumb, but he just "looks at the pictures?" Come on, can you be any more condescending?

Just as an aside, why the big deal with all the comments about the differences? In many marriages the husband is the professional and the wife isn't, maybe even a stay-at-home mother. Other than bucking tradition, what's the big f-ing deal?

Thanks for reading and commenting and pointing out that not all men (or women for that matter) would grab a gun and blow their cheating spouse away. Some, after their initial outrage, would try to save their marriage IF the cheater is sincere and contrite enough to convince them that it might be worth saving. Conrad is not yet ready to call it quits, and neither is Jenny. Stay tuned for part 3. I'm curious myself what they'll do next.

Forgive those who trespass against us. But don't trust 'em.

This is begging for a follow up chapter where Conrad cleans himself up and has an affair with a soccer mom. He's around milfs all day being the stay at home dad... It would be fascinating to see how Jen deals with that, knowing his affair is all her fault.

Thanks for reading and commenting.

If Conrad followed Jenny's example, he'd be lowering himself to her level and then you'd have two antagonists, with no one taking the moral high ground. A what's good for the goose is good for the gander plot line might work in a different story, not this one.

You can have not gone to college but be intelligent and intellectually curious and engaged. Conrad is portrayed as neither. The exact opposite, in fact. She literally says that all their discussions are shallow and touch on the most basic. He looks at only pictures in books. That would be extremely frustrating and exhausting for someone intelligent and intellectually curious. It may be cute for the first year or two of dating, but extremely exhausting and frustrating after a while.

JohnAdp

You certainly have the pot boiling, don't you? Lots of intriguing elements here: her (possibly long-latent?) disrespect; his insecurities; is he really what she thinks he is? (we only see her perspective so far); her trying to regain his trust without telling the whole truth. Your characters (and you) have some work ahead of them. I'll be interested to see where you take them. Or where they take you... Well done so far!

GA.

Really good and realistic story, definitely needs a second chapter to see how it works out.

Real people make mistakes and sometimes they straighten out again. Real men make sacrifices for their family. Maybe he wouldn't reconcile if there were no children. But there are and they always suffer in a divorce.

Also after you've lived with and loved someone for years your lives are all tangled up with each other and untangling them will damage both in ways you don't imagine.

It's kind of like removing a brain tumor.

There will be pain on both sides. It's hard to forgive betrayal and it's hard to give up the chemical rush of falling in love. But grow ups can get through it.

R.

People want a sequel because you didn't finish the story. Not because you are good. How conceited do you have to be to think you did a good job? When you write a good story then you will know. It won't be from having a couple of authors coming and trying to soften the blow telling you you did a good job.

Thanks for reading and commenting.

You hit the nail right on the head - it's more where the characters take the reader than the other way around. Only people that write fiction such as yourself can fully understand this.

Why would he forgive that easy. She even gave him sloppy seconds and he knows. Then he has to hear this guy on the phone talk about fucking his wife . I’d clearly go find this guy sneak up on him and smash his hands with a bat and see if he can still use them for work with them. I could make many sacrifices but not to have to live with a lying sneaky cheating cunt. He could kick her out maybe get the kids with child support and alimony because she makes lots of money and he’s a stay at home dad. The poor bastard has to live with the humiliation of a high paid wife who people will now think that she has no respect for him.

"If Conrad followed Jenny's example, he'd be lowering himself to her level and then you'd have two antagonists"

Jenny is the protagonist of the story, Conrad is just her stupid, uncultured, unemployed, stay-at-home, arthritic husband. She even calls him "Connie"... a girls name.

There's no respect there, she treated him with contempt having her affair with Doctor Douchebag. That Conrad forgave her in no time at all shows just how weak he is. Jenny fell in love with another man, having much more in common with the doctor. She also had much better sex with him, even bringing home sloppy seconds to her husband. That would be devastating for any man to take, but for an emasculated house-husband like Conrad, his self-esteem would be totally crushed.

Jenny basically shit on his entire existence. I think most men's reaction to the "power wife" having an affair would be far more extreme than just instantly forgiving her. When housewives get cheated on, it's a well-known cliche that they often get themselves in shape, then have an affair with the gym instructor/pool boy/gardener/etc. Conrad is on his own for 8+ hours a day with nothing to do (kids at school). A dalliance with a single mom he knows from the school runs to rebuild his self-esteem would be almost inevitable...

It would be an interesting twist on the role reversal of the story you've got going on here. Especially with Conrad having the close relationship with the kids and no income, so Jenny would be likely to lose everything in the divorce (the usual nightmare scenario faced by the husband... now faced by the career wife).

Conrad needs to give her the boot. She is another cheat waiting to happen. Conrad should not wait until the next "trip" and find out she is at it again

Not necessarily. The story ("Our Rome Will Rise Again") ends with Jenny gaining a heightened level of awareness of herself and Conrad's sense of grace and power to forgive. Readers can draw their own conclusions of what might come afterward. I'd like to think her cheating with Brayden is the first and last time she'll do it. Marriage is built on trust, and there's no question that Jenny's actions have shaken Conrad's trust to the core. But, as she says, their Rome will rise again, at least that's her ambition. Only time will tell.

nicely written, sort of civilized, still that doesn't alter the fact it's about 2 duplicitous shit stains. him bleating and whining about how his wife betrayed him, how he could never trust a cheater two faced cunt!

and her? "oh i just couldn't cheat on conrad" then talking on the phone "i love you conrad" presumably still wallowing in her lovers cum, sloppy seconds for the father of her children, she must've kissed her kids goodnight with her lovers cockbreath, insidious bitch.

great story, i love a good betrayal with some truly unpleasant characters and you nailed it 5*

Despite being well written, Conrad remains an underdeveloped character; and Brayden, enigmatic. Saying Jenny was different than his cheating wife because Jenny had “her own reasons” is a huge cop out. That alone should have twigged Jenny’s bullshit detector.

Then there is Conrad. He says (mostly) the right things, but is immediately forgiving? Why give her a hug, after she betrayed him? Why not send her to the guest room, at least long enough to digest the evening events, or to consider how things should change?

Probably his best action would be sending her to the guest room until SHE can explain what was missing in their marriage, with a detailed proposal to deal with it, and an explanation of why her plan should reassure him.

At 11 and 13, the kids would react badly to the truth... but they are also old enough to understand the importance of trust and the impact of betrayal. It can be an age where they learn the importance of loyalty, and that lies don’t always remain hidden.

I agree with WhoGivesAShit

I am completely a BTB guy. But I understand Conrad, disabled, two young kids, can't work, being almost terrified if the cunt leaves. After all, how many times does this happen to women, who swallow pride to help their children survive.

she really didn't show any true remorse. This ending is all too clinical. She says sorry, he says ok, they continue on like nothing happened?

Just like that he takes her back? The stupid slut shows no remorse and cries when shes breaking it off with lover. Aargh I didnt like this at all.

this was a SWACC a sad wimpy ass castrated cuckold. This was about as believable as the avengers movie and mega mind.

So the lover tells husband about a role play and her idea to smooth things out is to go to the bedroom with hubby and replay the role play but with husband? Is he a sicko for keeping her or what! He can get alimony, child support, 100% full custody!

Dump the bitch!

It's not RAAC because they never actually split. Sometimes sex is less important than other aspects, especially when you're reliant on a breadwinner and have most of your persona invested in your role in the family.

I would have taken her back if I was in his shoes. It would give me more power in the relationship. It's not like she's a serial player. Moreover, once you're old and fat, which is the overwhelming majority of you, who really cares?

Drop. The. Bitch.

Nice

So he has authritis. People do bad crippling authritis. Self respect. Can live with diseases but not without self-respect. Just wimpy cuckold if he takes her back without her having genuine remorse. Right now she is not there. jtwheels

Not the ending that would have Closed this story right. one way or the other I think the Author is better than this that bis why it only gets a 2 stars

Kick her ass to the curb. She strayed not only physically but also emotionally. She would have left if there were no kids, it's not the love for the husband.

No don’t kicker her out. Then weasel Brayden will get her which was his entire reason for hitting on a Jenny. No turn Jenny into a subservient wife!

Yes, Dr. comment about the fake medical exam is rather crude, very below his "refined" persona and meant to deeply hurt her husband. good 2 part story, anatomy of a cheater or a "cake eater"

He is letting her off too easy. It shows his self-esteem is very low. He needs to retain his dignity, throw her out and find a better woman. They are out there.

Ending was pretty rushed and unconvincing, gotta say.

Barf!

Sure, honey, you cheated on me and I forgive you!

Maybe, if I'm really good, you will treat me like you did HIM!

What a load of CRAP!