A Tangled Web Ch. 01

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.

******

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.

******

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.

Dan and Cindy married shortly after she graduated college, and their first few years of marriage proved to be an exciting adventure both in and out of the bedroom. Their honeymoon in St. Barts was not only the first time Cindy had left the United States but also the Midwest. Cindy was enthralled by one of the nude beaches, and there was little time spent during their honeymoon when the couple wasn't on that beach or in their hotel room. Dan and Cindy made love on that beach in the pre-dawn hours. The discomfort of the sand was far outweighed by the pleasure Cindy felt being taken in such a beautiful and public place. Dan didn't much care where they had sex, but he was happy to accommodate anything that put Cindy's arousal into overdrive. By that trip's end, both felt like two people had become one.

Six and a half years have passed since then, and Cindy now sees much less of Dan. Their time together is still amazing, but the demands of his job often leave her feeling lonely. She knows he is working hard to make sure they are well-prepared to start a family, but she can't help but secretly resent him for not being with her more.

She keeps telling herself that she is being unfair and tries to push the thought from her mind. However, Cindy has never questioned that she is anything other than the love of Dan's life, and she knows he would do anything for her.

******

"Fuck! Goddammit! Not again!!!" Bruce yelled at the computer screen on the desk in his office after reading the first line of the email.

"Mr. Webb, we regret to inform you that we have selected another firm for our project."

"How could this be?" Bruce thought. After years of winning almost every contract, he was now reeling from a string of significant losses. However, this one hurt the most as the nearly $400 million contract would have carried the firm for the next few years and earned him the respect of his colleagues.

Luckily for Bruce, his father was Foundstone's founder and majority owner. Over the past twenty-six years, Jack Webb had turned a $50,000 loan into a multi-million dollar architecture firm that was one of the largest in the Midwest. Jack was well-respected in the industry and known to treat his employees well.

Bruce was the only child Jack had with his ex-wife. Well, technically, Eric wasn't Bruce's biological father, but he was the father who raised him and the only one Bruce knew. Jack learned his ex-wife's pregnancy was the product of an affair several years after Bruce was born, and the news had devastated him. But when his ex-wife turned to drugs to allay her guilt, Bruce decided to go for full custody and finish raising the son he loved with the help of an au-pair. Fortunately, neither his ex-wife nor Bruce's biological father informed the court that Jack wasn't Bruce's father, or Jack wouldn't have gotten custody. Unfortunately, Jack never got over his ex-wife's betrayal or made time for another serious relationship.

While Jack pinned all his hopes on Bruce one day taking over the firm, he wasn't blind to Bruce's faults. His son had been lazy at school and work, quick to anger, vindictive towards those he disliked, and a womanizer. Not exactly Time Magazine's Man of the Year. But Bruce was a fast learner and a savvy negotiator, and he always stood up for his father when needed. Jack kept waiting for him to grow up, but he was beginning to fear that might not happen anytime soon.

Bruce had been slacking off with prospective clients all year and lost a couple of them. Jack also noticed he was taking long lunches to spend more time at the gym. He suspected Bruce was cheating on his wife, Maggie, and feared the eventual repercussions. As his father and boss, he had counseled Bruce many times, but it was never long before Bruce reverted to his old habits. He hated to see Bruce inherit the same bad traits his biological parents had.

Jack didn't have much leverage. No matter how bad things got, Bruce was confident he would always retain his role as heir-apparent.

Bruce didn't typically follow up with prospective clients once they'd signed on with another firm, but this morning wasn't a typical day. Bruce could hardly contain his fury as he dialed the Senior VP of SRG Enterprises, a major auto manufacturer. The phone was answered on the third ring, and the man on the other end spoke first.

"Bruce! Sorry for the bad news, but we appreciate your team's effort to be competitive."

"Really, Jerry? You can take your apology and shove it up your ass! We've been your firm for the past ten years, and I never once heard you complain about our work. Now you give a $400 million contract to a firm you've never worked with. I want to know why!" Bruce seethed.

"Fine, Bruce. I'll tell you why." Bruce took note of a change in Jerry's tone.

"It's true that we've been happy with your firm's work on many projects, but over the past year or two, we've noticed that we're no longer a priority for you. It takes days to hear back whenever we have a question or need help, and you didn't pay close attention to some of the design requirements we said we wanted for the new project. In fact, it looked like you may have recycled some prior plans rather than creating a new design tailored to our needs."

Bruce knew he had to deny the claim, even if it was partially true.

"Jerry, your team didn't seem to know what it wanted, and my guys did the best they could under those circumstances. If you now know what you want, let us have another shot. We'll even draw up the plans at our expense." Bruce doubted he'd change Jerry's mind, but he at least had to make an attempt.

"Sorry, Bruce. That's not going to happen. We need to move ahead quickly with this project." As he said the words, Jerry felt a little guilty about ending the long relationship between the two companies. He quickly tried to reduce the sting of his words by offering a little advice.

"Word of caution, you need to reinvest in your client relationships because you've got tough competition. The winning firm, MW Designs, has an architect named Dan Caddel who practically lived in our offices to learn our business while he designed a stunning building that fixed problems we didn't even know we had."

After a pause, Bruce replied, "Well, I expect an apology when you come running back to us to fix whatever mess that firm creates!" He disconnected the call.

Bruce had no reason to think the rival firm wasn't up to the job, but he had wanted to sow doubt in Jerry's mind. MW Designs had been a longtime rival of Foundstone. Eric Tangle worked for Foundstone for almost ten years until he fell out with Jack and started his firm. Almost no one knew what happened, but everyone knew not to mention Eric or his company around Jack.

"Fuck that asshole!" Bruce said aloud, but he was no longer thinking of the Senior VP.

Dan's name had come up several times from clients he lost, and he had now officially pissed Bruce off. He needed to get out of the office. He would stop by the gym to take out most of his aggression and later visit Paddy's Pub to drown the rest.

Bruce arrived at Atlas gym by 11 AM. Over the years, he had found it a great time to scope out married, frustrated moms who had a short reprieve from their children during school or summer camps. He enjoyed seducing married women, even when he wasn't particularly attracted to them. He got off on seeing that look in their eyes that told him he could have his way with them. The thrill of the conquest was addictive. It was always a significant boost to his self-esteem to know he was better than their husbands. When he could get them to admit that, it felt like his cock could remain hard for days.

When he arrived, he stopped by the front desk to say "hello" to Jayce. He had flirted with her for weeks, ever since she returned from college to start her summer job. He enjoyed teasing her for now, but he made a mental note not to let the summer end without closing the deal.

He had no idea that his decision to flirt would lead to life-altering changes. While Jayce was rolling her eyes at Bruce's banter, he saw a cute blonde come up beside him at the desk. She wore a white t-shirt and pink yoga pants that did little to hide her well-toned body. She looked at Jayce and announced she was there for her 11 AM massage appointment. She also apologized for running a few minutes late.

"What's the name?" Jayce asked with a sympathetic tone.

"Cindy Caddel." "I'm booked with Jason for a sports massage."

Bruce, who had at first been annoyed by the blonde interrupting his conversation with Jayce, lost all concentration while his brain tried to process what it had just heard.

"It just couldn't be." Bruce thought. "What are the odds?!"

This had to be a crazy coincidence with someone with the same unusual last name. He was sure she wasn't related to his new nemesis Dan Caddel, but he had to be sure.

"You're not by any chance related to Dan Caddel, the architect, are you?" Bruce had thrown caution to the wind, expecting her to say no.

"Why yes, he's my husband."

Cindy responded instinctively before her brain kicked into gear. She lamented how she responded before knowing what the man thought of her husband. She had picked this gym not only because it was downtown near her husband's office and made the albeit increasingly rare lunch with him easier but also because it offered her some anonymity. Friends and neighbors loved gossiping about everyone at the gyms closest to her home, which she found unsettling.