All Comments on 'Every Picture Tells a Story'

To the commenters here, you either believe you are worth something or not. If you are worth something, depriving your ex-spouse of that is burn enough in most cases. You move on. Life finds a way. Cheaters are just more collateral damage from casual sex, and when that damage comes your way, you route around it.

4 Stars on this one from GW . Maybe a little more intro on the MC's would have helped a lot

4/5

Amy/ Josh age not mentioned in the story, maybe they were both too immature for married life and concepts of love and faithfulness. Neither loved or respected their spouse - 12 sober couplings are not drunken accidents or situation spinning out of control. I can understand Josh - whatever he felt about his wife, he was about to loose family (children). Amy's initial reaction makes little sense... unless it was about safety net she was about to loose. Her crying when observing Ben&family I suppose is related to children she did not have, not Ben (whom she never loved)

Well done Ben 5*

Reading previous comments I am amazed at the amount of people calling them cowards for refusing to speak to a cheater. I feel that that dialogue should happen, but I don’t feel that the lack should be called out as cowardice. 5 stars.

Bill S.

RE: Helen1899, Fredbrown, and the latest Anon. Helen's contention that avoiding the offending spouse is cowardly is bull. Betrayed spouses can be psychologically 'wired' differently to this kind of trauma, and trauma it is, even physical. This happened to a sibling, who with his wife were very close to me and my wife. She has an extended affair, and my brother just chose to end their marriage and refused to communicate save thru his attorney, save for certain practical considerations. My SIL tried talking to us many times to intervene with him on her behalf, and our refusal was extremely painful. She was a nice person, but too misguided. Both their pain was physical, but the bond was shattered, and he wasn't a coward. Just wanted to end it and put it all behind him, while she was in denial that they could somehow 'salvage it all'. He didn't want a confrontation over something he knew was already over. His decision was then to cut his loss and move on since they had no children. It's not about cowardice or its opposite but simply about two different choices on how to proceed.

To Fredbrown, the insinuation that many of 'us' are potentially just as 'a-holes' as the offending spouses here is also bull. Marital partners always have choices regarding loyalty and fidelity. You CHOOSE. Their choices and actions made them 'a-holes'. My wife and I have been married for 37 years with two adult children, and we have both had 'opportunities' we rejected. We even spoke of those situations with an eye of avoiding compromising ourselves. Such propriety is also a form of respect to each other, and those around us also married. My wife is Colombian-American and her expression of those who violate this is 'gentes sin respeto'. People without respect. That is what these offenders were. Qhml1 is like Ohio, Laptop Writer, and some others in capturing this dynamic beautifully.

I agree with anonymous. Helen, you have a strange way of presenting your point. The wars you refer to are horrific but they hardly compare to two people getting their rocks off regardless of who gets hurt, ignoring vows and promises.

A tale that should be required reading for all newlyweds. Thank you Q!

somewhere east of Omaha

@Helen1899: I get where you are ecinung from, but the author wrote a character in Ben, who steadfastly refused to confront his wife at any cost. There are people like that. It sounds like he did ok for himself. Not sure what rhe wife would have said anyways, besides it was just sex and I only live you. She and Josh together 12 times in his office and did it because of lust. Hard to defend. It probably occurred over multiple months. Usually the stake through the heart of the marriage especially since she did not confess but was discovered. Also they had no kids. Many men will never try to rebuild their broken marriage if there are no kids and the adultery was repeated over time. I would have personally liked to see a one off conference at the lawyers prior to signing. Just for some closure. But again some guys will steadfastly refuse. The btb crowd sees that as a strength. Personally I see it was an act of cowardice. But if one is to go that way, his opening salvo certainly deranged everything the cheaters might try. Doubt counseling would have done anything. Some cheated upon spouses would rather just cut all ties that relive the pain. As you said some confrontation would probably give some long term closure but others weigh the short term 'apparent' benefits of just dropping the mic and exiting the marriage. People are complex. Lot of the rest of it rang pretty realistic.

Kinda sad, but how many of us a-holes would be in the same boat as Josh and Amy - if the spotlight fell on us ......

We are in the middle of two horrific wars,,in Ukraine and Gaza, if they can be stopped and peace attained it will be through dialogue. I like this story, shows how there are no winners in these kind of situations. However I despise people like Ben, who refuse any type of dialogue, it doesn't mean you will reconcile, most times you won't. However you just might learn something about yourself, that will make you a better spouse when you move on in to another relationship.

Almost stopped reading this; glad I didn't. Very good, well written but very sad story. 2 people who thought they could cheat & not be found out were, as I suppose generally happens. And lives are changed, 4 stars Bob

Sorry JPB, don't agree with you. Rarely do in fact, not that you care. It was short, tight, impactful, and heartbreaking. Nice story.

Four stars. The plot was okay, but the narrative driven telling was too weak to merit five stars. Frankly, it shaded closer to three stars.

JPB

Started well, but the filing for the divorce under "irreconcilable differences" was a simp move. Gotta do like the Y&T song, Go for the Throat..

Plus the fact that there was no comeuppance or atonement from the cheating slut leaves this offering "meh"....

"she only fucked him once if you must know, and he didn't even cum inside her "

'and you believe her?"

"Eh yeah I do, because she hates semen"

Another little gem of a story. Well crafted and balanced. Said it all in a very short space. This could easily have been padded out for a full length version. Again this story shows that you don't need to explode someone or commit obscenely excessive violence to make someone pay fir betrayal. Life will often do that for you. Most people who cheat are normal everyday folks who go stupid for a while and stop thinking and just act. When they wake up and smell the roses they realise how bad they've been and live with that regret fir the rest of their lives. I'm so enjoying your writing Q. Regards from a fan BardnotBard

4 Stars on a good story. I really enjoyed the start of this story. I also had taken pictures of My ex and her Boy Toy

Great opening. Not sure how the damning pictures were taken but hey! some typos but well crafted

Honestly, just that beginning email would make a good flash fiction piece.

Actually, anybody can sue anybody for anything. They are civil suits rather than criminal proceedings, so there is not a codified book of exactly what is allowed. The almost truth in "you can't sue for that" is that you're likely to lose or have the suit tossed. However, what often happens in these stories is that companies settle, not because they think they are going to lose, but because they don't want the publicity. Defending even a frivolous lawsuit costs time and money while allowing the accuser a podium to attack the company. Offering a settlement that includes a non-disclosure agreement may cost more in actual dollars but saves the company time and reputation. Reality is that it's a lot easier to restore lost money with time and reputation than to restore time and reputation with money.

Now, as the story itself. This story suffers from one of this writers common quirks. Non-reconciliation stories, whether full BTB or simply living happily ever after post divorce, are most appreciated by those who have been impacted by a cheating wife. They are here for a cathartic release, whether because they got shafted in a divorce or because they reconciled and are stuck with them. Thus, when the author turns around and gives the cheaters their HEA as well, it detracts from the catharsis of the experience. I haven't read all of this author's stories, but of the ones I have, I have noticed a trend. The story starts out from the perspective of the cheated on spouse and continues up to the point of the divorce. It then switches to the cheating spouse's perspective to give you a brief "woe is me" moment as they watch the cheated on spouse attain their HEA in front of them. That's an okay way to do it, but then they get their HEA as well and we're supposed to accept the "it's not as good as what I had before" as suitable punishment for their behavior? Sorry, but I'm not buying what you're selling and my ratings drop accordingly.

In many cases, if it can be shown that the company has a Code of Conduct in place, AND management was aware, the offended spouse CAN sue.

That's a pretty brutal bit of maths.

It is a popular idea on this site, and I don't know where it comes from, but the notion that if your spouse cheats with a co-worker that you then get to sue that company, with a good chance of success, because your spouse violated a morals clause in the employee handbook, or for any other reason, is just plain silly.

Just goes to show, do dumb things, win dumb prizes.

Sorry I did mean to say that you use the women in your stories to faint when shown something bad, it just doesn’t happen

5 star hell no, 10 stars

This is a short well described real event, many many times over,

Never really liked reading the cheaters perspective! Hard to have any sympathy.

Never been fond of a story from the cheater's viewpoint.

The use of electronic means was very effective and it destroyed any possibility of sweet talking her way out of the evidence. That is a cute revenge that Any and Josh brought on themselves.

5*

BJ

lol nice

A story that has been repeated many times, in one form or another. The one thing I always question, is why the women refuse to accept, the consequences of their actions? I know that contrary to what is portrayed on this sight, women have pride too. If the woman cheats, and hubby goes all nuclear on her, most women will just let him walk away. In fact, she will probably be talking to her friends for years, about how childish and immature, his refusal to talk was. And sending the pics, to everyone. The thing to remember is, women usually do very well in a divorce. And most women have been dumped before, and will usually get over the effect faster, than a man. And here is a news flash. She cheated, because she could. She wasn’t happy in the relationship. You got rid of the Narcissist slut. Move on with your life.

When you're sneaking around and getting some on the side, you feel so untouchable, that you have outsmarted the system but someday is payday. This story brought that home so eloquently. Very touching and sad and yes, nobody wins and many suffer...!

A very telling equation; x hours of sex versus years of marriage.

"They had had sex about twelve times, thirty to forty five minutes on average. Using the high figure, it came out to about nine hours, balanced against years of his family suffering and the destruction of Amy's marriage."

very sad story no one wins in the long run

It’s extra hard to keep a story short & still cover all that’s needed for a complete story.

This one did it well.

Bill S.

Sunny could have sued her Husbands EX business for "Alienation of Affection" as well as long as she could keep a Divorce suit running in the Court.

Intriguing, but I feel we got the synopsis and not the story, more to come?

Awesome story. This author is sublime.

Not this author's best, I'm afraid. OK as a vignette, I suppose.

I'm starting to agree with some stories, "why" doesn't matter. The only exception is being for forced or drugged as far as I know.

Great story, very realistic. The age old question is WHY ?

Les

This deserves a 5 from all commenters! Those commenters who didn’t like it are just idiots!

A most excellent neat slice of reality unfortunately misunderstood by far too many critics.

Anonymous4 months ago

Disappointingly one dimensional fare from a usually top quality writer. Going to prison rather than ever speaking to his wife again is the act of an idiot and a coward, not a decent and honorable man. She had an affair. She didn't kill anyone, or try to ruin him or rub his face in her infidelity. She behaved like a flawed human being, he behaved like a petulant child.

LA:

In what world does ignoring a proven liar equal being an idiot and a coward? Why would anyone waste their time listening the words of a PROVEN liar? You're the kind of idiot and coward who hides behind the title of anonymous to blame-shift and make excuses for liars and cheaters.

Adam Schaefer posting as anonymous.

Helen, you were right in one sense - dialog IS important but it should have happened when SHE felt the need to go outside of the marriage for sex. How dare you blame the wronged party (guessing you did the same thing as Amy!)

Cold concise and utterly brutal. Loved it!

One of your better efforts .

I live how some blame Ben but they never consider that the cheaters had sex 12 times, not once. So if Ben didn't expose them do you really think they would have stopped?? No they wouldn't. Sorry but there is absolutely nothing to talk to the cheaters about. They ruined lives and the only way forward us to move on without them.

Helen: you can dislike Ben but keep in mind seeing images knowing it wasn't "one mistake" but several "mistakes," there was nothing to solve or reconcile. What there be there to talk about? Trust was absolutely shattered not to mention utter disrespect in the name of work place fun. Once that trust is shattered, it's long gone. Ben was right, new it was dead, did what he had too, left and moved on. At least the cheaters learned from it to start a new.

If someone is your life and claim to love them "so much" yet cheat because it's fun, then them being your life is a lie to yourself. That solution is quite simple, don't cheat, don't give in to temptation. Yes it is that quite simple, don't do it. You only do it if they don't really mean that much to you and you have zero self control, period.

I loved this story, and that the wronged spouse got his due. Just one point, however small. I wish you dealt just a bit more of why Ben got suspicious from that one picture, however damning, so to speak. I know I would've been totally on it, I just wanted to know what this author had to say about it. Like I said, a small point. The story was concised, no wasted word like many authors throw in to lengthen a story.

A story giving an insight from all sides, I liked that. I think most work place affairs are like that, the perpetrators unthinking and stupid. They think they won't get caught, so don't consider the consequences, Amy got what she deserved and, yet I ended up liking her, she would have been as good a wife to him given the chance, like Josh turned out to be husband. Ben was the only one I disliked, behaved like a spoiled brat, nothing in the world gets solved without dialogue.

Creative story, exposing the aftermath of cheating more clearly than most do. a little proof reading could be used. Clever and well put story.

Disappointingly one dimensional fare from a usually top quality writer. Going to prison rather than ever speaking to his wife again is the act of an idiot and a coward, not a decent and honorable man. She had an affair. She didn't kill anyone, or try to ruin him or rub his face in her infidelity. She behaved like a flawed human being, he behaved like a petulant child.

LA

People never consider the downside until their world explodes. It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for the collateral damage. I can only wish to create stories as well as Q, Randi, JPB, Hooked and HDK among a few others. My life and I'm sure the lives of others would be less without your contributions - thank you.

somewhere east of Omaha

Like the story, but!! AAA++

Liked plot but no meat to the characters.

Too bare boned to not make it up with more sex.

Bill

Time??! Cost of temporary pleasure against lifetime! So few stories handle it this well. Good story and I enjoyed.

Very good and actually realistic. A good and easy read. Thank you. Keep it up.

I see the cucks and "sophisticates" are down voting this. Pathetic.

Wrote;

"Interesting that he remarried immediately the divorce was final. Really couldn't have been that much in love with Amy to be able and go out and find another wife that quickly."

It takes the same length of time for a heart to beat, as it takes to fall in love. There is no time limit on it, no rule that says you must know someone for x amount of time before you can fall in love. He could literally walk down his driveway and turn the corner, and run into the girl of his dreams.

And given the right circumstances, ie, seeing your wife getting ass fucked by her boss, it takes an equally short time to fall out of love.

What did you want from him? To sit in misery and pine away from her for twenty years before you'd allow him to move on? Would that satisfy you?

The dialogue between the cheaters seemed very contrived and unnatural. Nobody actually would speak that way to someone they had banged 12 times according to the ending.

What I expect from your stories: well written, interesting, good guys & bad guys. Thanks.

Interesting that he remarried immediately the divorce was final. Really couldn't have been that much in love with Amy to be able and go out and find another wife that quickly. Wonder what the author was thinking when he wrote this. Also, interesting that the women, Sunny, forgave her husband but Tommy couldn't forgive Amy. Like I said I wonder what the author was thinking when he planned this story out.

""""BeauReadyBeauReady8 months ago

Wrong Ending

I hate martyrs - self-proclaimed ones, anyway. That's exactly what this husband was. An immature, selfish, self-centered, wimpy, weeping "victim" - just another martyr. Oh, how he cared for her and was always home, never neglected her, blah, blah, blah. Bullshit. Only a weasel pulls this kind of stuff. She may not realize it yet, but she is far, far better off getting away from that loser than not. Her mistake was in not just getting a divorce, instead of trying to satisfy the loser and herself at the same time.

Be honest with yourself - if it's time to bail, it's time to bail."""""......This from the lips of a femiNazi, I will venture to say. I bet she would have a different tak, if it were her 'wife' ( or do they call them 'husbands' too? ), who pulled this shit on 'her'.

RAAC???? What is this? TIA

RAAC trash

for the opposite couple

A simplistic rehash of a previous story. Not worth the effort, but will probably appeal to readers who like their men vindictive, self righteous and inflexible.

Would he go for irreconcilable differences to avoid embarrassing anyone? Ok, so the pictures couldn't be used in court. Plenty of people had seen them and could testify as to what they had personally seen. I love his scotched earth approach though.

Got off really easy .

Josh got off too easy. So did Amy, in my opinion. Cheaters deserve everything that the wronged parties can do, short of murder.

cheaters just don't care enough about anyone. They get bored with their spouse for whatever reason, sex isn't exciting any more. The husband works hard providing for the family. There's no real communication until she says she wants a divorce, end of of story. Why do you think 60% of marriages wind up divorced? Good story.

@Helen1899, I disagree with the "falling in love." Falling in love isn't instantaneous. First, there's the attraction, then there's the conversations and lunches, getting more and more intimate. Then it's drinks after work, then dinners, then dancing, the slow dancing getting closer and closer. At any time, a loving spouse would recognize what was happening, and pull back, long before "falling in love."

I liked it, but left me drained and sad, why do so many happily married people want that bit extra on the side. I can understand people in unhappy marriages making the mistake. I can even understand people falling in love with another, it is an impossible thing to stop. But for a bit on the side, never.

Within a year he remarries? Seriously? I know it may help the story but that is fast, And she settles for someone as he apparently is the only one who would marry a cheater? And a loveless marriage at that.

When the cheaters reflect on how it was just suppose to be a little fun, that speaks volumes. Someone who truly appreciates their spouse can't do that. There is a remarkable degree of immaturity in these two and it comes out so clearly. And yet, I know it happens just like this. Good job.

Great no second chances, the best get even is move on and have a great life, witch is what he did.

Great story. Rings true. Never go back to the dog that bit you. Never! 45 years married to a faithful girl. I never assumed no one would want a roll in the hay with her. Trust but verify any opportunity to be alone with another man. She never knew how "protective" I was. Plus, I treated her with the love and respect she deserved. I don't know what I don't know, but I know my wife as much as I could.

I would wager that Beaueady is a feminist.

I hate martyrs - self-proclaimed ones, anyway. That's exactly what this husband was. An immature, selfish, self-centered, wimpy, weeping "victim" - just another martyr. Oh, how he cared for her and was always home, never neglected her, blah, blah, blah. Bullshit. Only a weasel pulls this kind of stuff. She may not realize it yet, but she is far, far better off getting away from that loser than not. Her mistake was in not just getting a divorce, instead of trying to satisfy the loser and herself at the same time.

Be honest with yourself - if it's time to bail, it's time to bail.

I would have done the same thing .. I wonder how much He got from the Company in the Suit ?

Serves both the cheating assholes right!!! His wife should never have reconciled with the cheater... Maybe Sunny is getting a little payback sex!!!

Good story

A nice story fully detailing the consequences of an affair, how affected all partys involved.

I liked this story, a very good story about a guy that didntbdo the angst thing. She messed up bye. 5 stars.

I love your writing but feel the lack of a confrontation or a chance for the cheat to talk to her husband or beg for forgiveness (even if he never forgives) leaves the story a bit short of 5 stars. However, I am not a writer and really admire you for your imagination and prolific writing. Looking forward to reading more.

the husband sounds like a stand up guy that knew his limitations. Not all men need to know why. Most don't care for an explanation. Its just over.

But an important one. It seems strange to see some of your writings on a porn site, for you show the bad side of affairs, which many think porn instigates. Keep writing honestly. You may save someone's marriage or even life.

Great story! Nice and neat.

an excellent, well thought out story. Well done! As always 5*s.

Straight forward story, no real surprises. Well told.

Cheating for fun ruins a lot of lives. Good for Ben, no prisoners taken. Good for Sunny,.making the assholes suffer too.

Grammer Nazi's are out in full on this story. 5 stars!

I gave you a 5 even if you did have a few boo-boos, probably with the typing or maybe just careless proofing.

When I look at your story list, with all those red H's, all I can say is Hot Dang! And you did most of it in Loving Wives. I didn't think it possible.

4 stars

Hit couple of your also ran so was glad to read this

It's sad when people have to cheat to find out if they had only talked to there source maybe they could have had that great sex if they would have talked instead of cheating.

I have to assume by the atrocious grammer and incoherent rambling by the anon below me, he/she doesn't comprehend sarcasm.

While I was doing missions with my deal Team for The CIA, what a bullshit! I Mean really? Did. You See a Thriller before You Went writing? Thank god's it was Not independance Day ...

Seriously, his wife was giving it up to another man, yet she was ready to start a family by having her husbands child? Oh fuck, that is one nasty, undesirable, disgusting woman.

...you are a really good writer. I've enjoyed them all. Another 5 stars. Thanx!

Loklie