Cheater's Gallery Ep. 01: Wendi

I drove off in a state of confusion. Why did Adrestia want me back at 9:30 tonight? Is Wendi cheating on me? If so, with whom? And, I wondered, should I mention this to her when she calls? Or should I let this play out to see what is going on?

I managed to make it through the rest of my day - don't ask me how - and got home a little after 5:00. The phone rang as soon as I walked in the door. It was Wendi. I thought about confronting her, but decided otherwise, at least until I had more information.

"Hey, sweetie," she said. "I miss you so much. How was your private showing?"

"It was, uh, eye-opening," I said. "I may go back to see what else they have to offer."

"Good," she said. "You could use a little culture, you know."

"So how is your trip so far?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"Not too bad," she said. "Mostly dry lawyer-talk, you know."

"Meet anyone interesting?" I asked.

"Oh, one or two people, but nothing like you," she said.

"Got any plans for the evening?" I asked.

"Oh, a few of us are going to grab a bite to eat and a couple drinks," she said. "We might do some dancing, but that's pretty much it. How about you?"

"Not much, just going to eat, maybe watch a little TV, but that's all," I said.

"Okay," she said. "Just so long as you're not out partying."

"Yeah, that's me, one big party animal," I said, laughing. She laughed with me.

"Talk to you tomorrow," she said. "Love you."

"I love you, too," I said. We ended the call and I sat there, looking at the phone wondering if she truly meant what she said. I ate, and watched a little television, but my mind was on that painting. There were just too many questions but no answers. I knew it would take me a good 45 minutes or so to get to the gallery, so I kept a close eye on the time and left about 8:35.

I got to the gallery at 9:25 and let myself in. The inside was darker than before and it appeared as though I was the only one there. It felt a bit creepy to me and I looked around, almost expecting to see eyeballs follow me as I moved. I went to the room holding the portrait and opened the door. Adrestia had apparently covered the painting after I left, so I uncovered it and got the shock of my life.

The picture had changed - completely. Wendi was now standing, her back to me, and she was next to another man, who had his arm around her. His right hand rested on her ass, and her left arm was around him. As in the previous picture, her rings were missing. They appeared to be walking away and Wendi was looking back. The look on her face told me everything - it was her, "I'm horny and I want to fuck" expression. I had seen it many times.

I grabbed the magnifying glass that was sitting on the small table and looked at the watch on her arm. The watch read 12:00. If this was in real time, that would have been about 35 minutes ago or so. How was this even possible, I asked myself. I covered the portrait and sat down, putting my head in my hands.

Could this even be real, I asked myself. Was Wendi cheating on me? And if so, why? None of this made any sense to me. I thought back and couldn't recall any indication that she had been unfaithful. In fact, she had made it clear to me that she hated cheaters. Surely, I thought, this had to be some kind of a cruel joke.

After sitting there for about 30 minutes, I decided to take one more look. I had to know who this guy was. I got up and uncovered the painting again and nearly fell back into the chair. The painting had changed yet again.

This time, Wendi was naked and riding the man reverse cowgirl, the way she had done with me so many times. Her eyes were closed and I could see the rapture on her face as she rode the man's cock. I looked and saw him buried in her pussy. The man was laying flat on his back and I could make out his face, but I didn't recognize him. Tears fell down my cheeks as I looked at the painting. How could she, I asked myself. Adrestia's voice cut through my thoughts.

"It's always shocking to learn the one you love is cheating on you," she said quietly. Until that moment, I didn't know that she was even in the building. She walked to the painting and covered it back up before sitting next to me.

"How is this possible?" I asked. "Is it real? Please tell me it's not real."

"I'm sorry, Joe," she said. "But it's very real." I shook my head.

"No," I said. "It can't be. She'd never do something like that to me."

"Actually, she would," Adrestia said. "And she is. I'm sorry to say, but it's not the first time." I looked at her, shocked.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"This is actually the fifth time the two of them have gotten together since you were married," she said.

"You know about this?" I asked. She nodded her head.

"Yes, I do," she said.

"How?" I asked. She looked down for a moment before answering.

"I don't think you're ready to hear my explanation just yet," she said. "Perhaps after you've had a night to sleep on it, you will." She uncovered the painting one more time and the portrait had changed yet again. This time, Wendi was flat on her back and the man was between her spread legs, preparing to stuff his large erect cock inside her. I looked close and could see her rings sitting in an otherwise empty ashtray on the nightstand. I broke down, sobbing. Adrestia covered the portrait and came to my side.

"I'm so very sorry you had to see that, Joe," she said, placing her hand on my head. She kissed me on the forehead and I suddenly stopped crying, the initial shock gone. "Tonight, you will sleep and dream of happier times. Come back tomorrow after you get off work and all will be revealed to you."

I nodded my head and got up, feeling somewhat shaky. She led me to the door and wished me good night. I drove home, feeling a whirlwind of emotion. Part of me was sad, but another part of me wanted to kick some ass - both hers and the asshole she was with.

Strangely enough, I slept quite well that night, my dreams filled with images of Wendi and I in happier times. I got through the next day of work and went straight to the gallery afterward. Adrestia met me at the door and ushered me to her office.

The office I walked into was nothing like the rest of the gallery. There were shelves filled with what looked like ancient books and scrolls. A computer monitor sat on her desk and another large monitor was attached to the wall. She made a cup of tea, handed it to me and sat behind her desk as I took a sip.

"I trust you slept well last night," she said as she opened a large folder.

"I did, thank you," I said.

"Are you ready for the answers you seek?" she asked.

"I am," I said. She nodded her head and referred to her folder.

"The man you saw your wife with was Carl Hempstead, an old flame from college," she said. "I believe you've heard that name before."

"I have," I said.

"He is with the same firm as your wife, only he works in their New York office," Adrestia said. "They've spent the conference together last year, and they've met up here, in Los Angeles, four times in all, the last time about six months ago. He's the man her father originally wanted her to marry." That made sense to me, given what Don had said back in '87. "They are planning to set you up for divorce," Adrestia said. "It's their intent to frame you, to make it look as though you cheated on her so she can use the pre-nuptial agreement against you."

"What?" I asked. "I've never cheated on Wendi. I've never even been tempted to."

"I know," she said. "That's why I reached out to you."

"How do you know all of this?" I asked. She motioned to all the books and scrolls around her.

"I know everything about every marriage," she said. "It's my job to know. I can help you if you want, but you have to ask for my help first. It's a rule I've followed for years. Do you want my help?"

"Yes, of course," I said. "But I still don't understand how you can possibly know all of this. And why now? Why not when it first happened?"

"The reason I didn't reach out to you earlier is simple," she said. "They didn't start talking about framing you until just recently. Her father is also part of the scheme." I looked at her, shocked.

"And you know this for a fact?" I asked.

"Absolutely," she said. "Watch." As I looked, she fired up the large monitor on the wall. As it came up, I saw what looked like two videos next to each other. One video showed Wendi in her hotel room on the phone. The other video showed Don, who was also on a phone in his home office.

"Is everything set up?" Wendi asked.

"Yes, it is," Don told her. "I've got a hooker lined up to meet Joe at that bar he likes to visit every so often. You know the one." There was a bar I sometimes liked to visit on Fridays after work for a quick beer with some of my techs. It was just a way to blow off some steam after a long week. I usually bought them a beer as a way of thanking them for their work. It was nothing serious and we never stayed very long.

"Yes, I do," Wendi said. "But you know Joe never stays there very long. He typically only has a beer with his techs and then leaves."

"I got that covered," Don said. "A little additive to his beer and he'll be out for the count. Once he's out, she'll take his pants off and pose for a few pictures and voila, the deed is done. Your prenup kicks in and you'll be a free woman."

"Oh, Daddy," she cooed. "You're so wicked." He laughed.

"You have no idea," he said. "I've already got the divorce papers written up and they'll be filed and served the same day you just happen to get pictures of his so-called infidelity. He'll have no defense and no way to prove they're fake."

"What would I do without you, Daddy?" she asked.

"Well, you should've listened to me and married Hempstead like I told you," he said. "Instead, you fell for that goddamned jarhead."

"Joe's a good man, Dad," she said.

"Maybe so," Don said. "But he's beneath you and you know it. He's a goddamned repairman for Christ's sake. He'll never be good enough to run in the same circles as you and he'll certainly never be able to support you the way you deserve."

"So, when is this going to happen?" she asked.

"This Friday," Don said. "Tonight, you tell your husband you have to stay till Monday. Tell him you have to meet with clients. He'll believe you. Friday, when he goes to the bar to meet his techs, the girl I hired will come on to him. When he's not looking, she'll slip him the drugs and it's a done deal. Then you and Carl spend the weekend at our place in the Hamptons. By the time you get back Monday, we'll have him dead to rights. You confront him with the pictures and we'll have papers served on him that day."

"I hate doing this to him," she said.

"It's got to be done and you know it," Don said. "The sooner it's done, the better."

"I guess you're right," she said. "Just don't hurt him."

"Don't worry," Don said. "You just stick to the script and I'll take care of the rest."

"Okay, Daddy," she said. "Talk to you soon. Bye." They both hung up and as I watched, Wendi turned to Carl.

"It's going to be done this Friday," she said.

"Good," Carl said. "Then it'll just be us. I can't wait," he added, kissing her on the cheek.

"I'd better call Joe and let him know I won't be back till Monday," she said. "He's expecting my call."

"Make it fast," Don said. "We have reservations, you know." She nodded and placed another call. I could hear the phone ringing in the background. Then I heard our message machine pick up.

"Hi, baby, it's me," she said. "Sorry I missed you. Some of us are getting ready to go grab something to eat. I just wanted to let you know I'll be meeting with clients this weekend, so I won't be back till Monday. Love you. Bye-bye." As I watched, she hung up the phone and smiled. The video ended and I sat there, stunned. I looked at Adrestia.

"How did you do that?" I asked. "How did you get those cameras set up and just at the right time?"

"Trade secret," she told me.

"So what do we do now?" I asked.

"Would you like to confront your wife? Tonight?" she asked.

"Of course I would," I said. "But I don't have a plane ticket to New York."

"That won't be a problem," she said.

"So how do I do this?" I asked.

"Go home, listen to her message to prove to yourself this is real," she said. "Then be back here at 9:30. I'll take care of the rest."

I agreed, and went home. I had to hear that message, if, in fact, there was a message to hear. Sure enough, when I got home, the machine said there was one message, so I let it play, and heard the very same message I had seen her leave earlier. Damn!

I was back at the gallery at 9:30, having showered and changed. Adrestia met me at the door and we walked into the room with her portrait. I looked, and saw Wendi on all fours on the bed, with Carl plugging her from behind. I looked at Adrestia.

"Are you ready?" she asked. I nodded my head.

"Yes," I said. She took my hand and looked at me before speaking.

"Remember, they won't be able to see or hear you at first," she said. "I'll let you know when they can." I nodded my head in understanding. "Get ready," she added. Soon, the room we had been in was gone and was replaced with a dark hotel room.

After my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I could see Wendi and Carl in the bed. Wendy was now on her back and Carl was pumping into her. I could tell from the way he was jerking that he was ejaculating inside her. Soon, he withdrew and stood at the foot of the bed. Wendi laid there, her legs splayed wide. I could see his cum dripping from her.

"Fuck, that was great," he said.

"Yes, it was, wasn't it?" she asked in response.

"Better than your husband?" he asked with a smirk.

"Of course," she said with a little laugh. "You always were better than him. You don't even need to ask."

"I need a cigarette after that," he said, grabbing a robe. "Wanna join me?" Wendi got out of the bed and put on a short silky robe.

"Why not?" she asked. When did Wendi start smoking, I asked myself. As I watched, they opened a sliding glass door and stepped out onto a small balcony to light up.

"Go ahead," Adrestia whispered to me after they leaned on the balcony to smoke their cigarettes. "They can see you now." I nodded my head and stepped forward. Wendi turned around and her eyes opened wide as she saw me step up to the sliding glass door.

"Joe," she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" Carl turned around and leaned against the railing, a smirk on his face.

"Why, Wendi?" I asked. "Wasn't I good enough for you? Didn't I love you enough? Why did you feel it necessary to plot against me with your father and lover-boy here?"

"I... I don't know what you're talking about, Joe," she said.

"Bullshit!" I yelled, causing her to lean back against the railing. "I heard you plotting with Daddy Dearest to set me up with a hooker so you could file for divorce."

"Joe, it's not what you think," she started. I cut her off with a wave of my hand.

"I don't want to hear it," I said. "I've seen and heard enough. I just want to know - why? Was all that shit you fed me about not caring how much I make just a lie? How many other lies have you told me?"

"No, it wasn't," she said tearfully.

"So, tell me, why did you do it?" I asked. She looked down, sheepish. Carl stood up, a smirk still on his face. He was a bit taller than me, but I weighed more than he did, and I had the benefit of training. Plus, I was more than just a little bit pissed off.

"Look, jarhead," he said. "You'll never be up to her standards and you know it. You're just a fucking repairman. You'll never be able to give Wendi what she needs. Now, just go back where you came from and let a real man take care of her."

"You fucking piece of shit," I said. "I oughtta rip your goddamn head off." Carl got pissed, which is exactly what I wanted. He came at me with a wild swing, but never connected. I throat-punched him and began pummeling him with my fists. Wendi started screaming at me to stop, but I was too mad.

I kicked him in the groin, hard. Then, as he doubled over, I gave him an upper-cut to the jaw and pushed him away from me. Somehow, he tripped over his own feet and before I knew it, he had gone over the low railing on the balcony. Somewhere along the way, he reached out and grabbed Wendi, who went over with him. I couldn't get to her in time and the last thing I saw was her face, locked in the knowledge that she was about to die. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was open as she fell 20 stories to the concrete below.

Adrestia pulled me back from the edge and the next thing I knew, we were back in her office. I was shaken and shaking. Two people had just died, one of them the woman I loved with all my heart. I hated what she did, but I certainly didn't want any harm to come to her. Adrestia sensed this and held my face in her hands as she chanted something in a language I didn't understand.

"You should go home now," she said, handing me a tea bag. "Drink this when you get home. It will help you relax. The police will probably be at your house in a couple of hours or so, and you need to get yourself together."

"I... I killed them," I said. She shook her head.

"No," she said. "They killed themselves. It was their own greed and avarice that did them in. Do not blame yourself. Do you understand?" Suddenly, I felt much calmer and nodded my head.

"Yeah," I said. "What about her father?" She smiled.

"Let me take care of him," she said. "Trust me." She walked with me to the front, but stopped in the viewing room on the way. Adrestia looked at me before uncovering the portrait.

"This will be her final entry," she said, uncovering the picture. When I looked, I saw Wendi's face as she went over the railing. Her eyes were wide and her mouth open in a silent scream. It was clear from her expression that she knew the end was coming. I wondered if she had any regrets. As if sensing my thoughts, Adrestia spoke.

"Your wife regretted everything at the end," Adrestia said. "Unfortunately, those regrets came too late to save her. This will now be her final entry in my gallery." She took the painting off the easel and put it on the wall between two other portraits. I looked and saw the same fear and regret on the other pictures.

"Are all of these..." I began.

"They were all cheaters," Adrestia said. She turned to address me. "You should go now. Remember, Joe, I will always be with you, here," she said, touching my chest. "Live, love and be happy."

"And Don?" I asked.

"As I said, justice will be done," she said. "I promise." I drove home, shocked by the evening's events. When I got home, I made a cup of tea using the bag Adrestia gave me and found that it helped calm my nerves. About two hours later, I heard the doorbell ring. Answering it, I found two uniformed police officers and a man in a rumpled suit holding a badge.

"Mr. Joe Neely?" the suit asked. I nodded my head. "May we come in, please?" I invited them inside.

"Mr. Neely, I'm Detective Smith with the Los Angeles Police Department," he said. "I'm sorry to inform you, sir, but your wife is dead."

"Dead?" I asked, trying to act surprised. "How? When?"

"A couple hours or so ago," he said. "It appears she fell from her hotel room in New York. The NYPD is still investigating. They're not sure if she was pushed or if she committed suicide. Do you know a Carl Hempstead?"

"No, I don't," I said. "Why?"

"He died with her," Detective Smith said. "It appears they may have been having an affair." I put on the best act I could. It didn't take much as I was still in shock by her death. "Her body will be returned after the Medical Examiner is finished with the autopsy, Mr. Neely. If you know anything, we would appreciate any assistance you can provide."