The Subterfuge of cheating

"Are we doing this, Jamie?" she asked

"Yes."

"Now I can ride out the revenge, James."

"Yes, we will need this."

"I understand." They kissed a lot, wanting it desperately.

That evening they sat in a restaurant and texted Vanessa and David with short updates. Then they texted each other. Victoria said that Brad was also in Miami and they are having drinks again, at his place. James almost immediately had Vanessa quiz him regarding Brad. James then texted Victoria that he was having dinner with Tammy, and enjoying her company a lot. Neither Vanessa nor David could quiz them about Tammy because her 'presence' in James' life had not been revealed officially.

"They are together, those two." Victoria giggled and kissed James softly. "Jamie, can we do slow?"

"Yes," He kissed her softly. "I like us respecting each other."

"We can have sex later, but I want to fall in love." Victoria searched his face, he was not dissapointed.

"As do I," he replied, feeling his masculinity return as he realized he gets to have a second chance with one of the most beautiful women he had ever met.

They flew back three days later, arriving together, so James and Victoria shared a ride.

Vanessa made love to him that evening, and later he woke as she stole his phone. He grinned. The texts would be unretrievable, because of the app they used. It would be clear that texts were deleted though. He heard her groan in frustration when she could not get into the burner. The next morning he woke with a text from Tammy.

'Good morning, honey.'

'Good morning, sweetie.'

He deleted the texts, Vanessa's spyware on his regular phone would deliver the messages to her phone. He texted Victoria's burner from his burner, warning her that she needs to keep it anonymous. They decided to start another fake text string.

***

'Next time I want to go with you to Seattle' Tammy texted.

'That would be nice. Maybe hop over to Canada for dinner?'

'Hell yes,' They deleted the texts.

Then he became Brad.

'Miami was too short, Victoria, I wish we had another week. We are so different now.'

'Yes, Brad, we are. Maybe we should have stayed together? But I am married now.'

'Sadly, and I will respect that. He is a lucky man.'

'We can keep talking Brad. Something about him is off.'

'Is he cheating?'

'I don't want to guess.'

'Let me know.'

***

James asked David to lunch after the texting. They met at the place James and Victoria were 'caught'.

"James, how are things. We have not had much chance to speak since that other thing," David asked. It was clear he was on task to find out who Tammy was.

"Yeah. Maybe I was overreacting, but the history is raw. It hit me hard."

"That was stupid, so we will not be doing that again."

"Thanks. I might have a thing brewing," James leaned forward with a little grin, and David also leaned in.

"Oh?" David almost whispered.

"I was in a real dump after it felt like she was ripping my heart out again, it hurt me, experiencing all those memories again."

"I really am sorry my friend," David said again.

"I met someone two days after that."

"What?" David acted shocked.

"We are just messaging right now. It feels good, David. Vanessa still has me doubting, but Tammy is easy-going. I like chatting to her and not worry about my words." James intentionally lied, knowing David knew he met 'Tammy' for dinner.

"So, you have not met yet?"

"We did, at my gym."

"Fuck James, what does she look like?"

"Similar to Victoria actually, with larger breasts and a little more curve. I know it sounds like I am projecting Victoria, but your wife is absolutely beautiful. I would never do anything though. I respect you and Vick far too much."

"How far have you gone with this girl?"

"Tammy, and we are just texting. We will eventually meet up because she seems to be like a counselor. There is something, I truly like her."

"Are you considering stepping out on Vanessa?"

"No....fuck, maybe. Having my own fling can restore my self-esteem."

"Don't do it bud, not to Vanessa. We often speak about your pain. But you never saw how deeply she felt when she saw what she had done to you."

"Is that what you guys speak about?" James barely hid his disgust.

"Yes. Plus, I think Victoria is chatting with an old flame."

"Okay," James did not commit to knowing just yet.

"She met him four weeks ago, and then again in Miami. She has not changed, but I sense there is a shift in her." David swallowed hard. "I cannot handle her cheating on me."

James barely caught the smile he wanted to smile as he saw David's doubts start to take over. He knew exactly how much David's thoughts will hurt him.

"She told me, we do text."

"What did she tell you?"

"Just that some residual feelings have been woken, and she needs to put them to bed. But she does sound a little upbeat about him, Brad."

"Yes, Brad. Says he looks like you."

"He does, I met him. He is very nice, and a smooth talker too. I did warn Victoria once about the boundaries. She later told me that was why she wanted me there."

"She was alone with him in Miami."

"Fuck." James tried his best to look worried.

"I would lose it if she starts having an affair."

"Fuck bud. I hope you are wrong. I would not wish the shattering of my soul when I found out on anybody. Just the thought of Vanessa doing that to me again. I will kill myself before I want that pain again." James touched David's shoulder as he spoke, seeing David was near tears.

"That bad?" David looked at James in worry.

"Yes, I lay on the kitchen floor for almost two days, she was on a 'business trip'. I got the notifications from our credit card which was used locally at a hotel, nowhere near where she was supposed to be, and then a few calls confirmed she was booked into a hotel with a co-worker. Suddenly all the red flags appeared. Looking back, I saw all the times she lied. I could almost build a timeline for when she would go to fuck him."

James started to cry, the tears were real, "She found me there on the floor, I had not moved for two days and she realized I knew. It took a month before I actually spoke, not even she could get me to speak. I lost forty pounds because I threw everything back up from the pain. She was frantic, begged me to do just basic things."

"Jesus, James, that is terrible."

"I eventually started to eat, she started counseling on her own, and she learned some stuff. She managed to draw me back in, I was happy to die, David. I really hope Victoria never does that to you."

"Do you love Vanessa?"

"With everything, but there is this absolute fear that she will do that to me again because she did it so easily the last time."

"She won't, James. You have no idea how she praises you, how she admires your strength."

"She tells me, but part of me rejects it. Have you any idea how it feels to live in fear of the one you love the most because she has shown you what she is capable of."

"No, I don't. She said it meant nothing, just fun."

"And for me it was everything. It took me almost eighteen months to open my laptop and write, and that stuff should never be seen. It is monstrous writing. Even now my writing is completely skewed."

"What do I do with Victoria?"

"Talk to her, and give her space so she can find her way to you by herself."

"If Vanessa would do it again, what will you do?"

"Disappear. Suicide is high up on the methods. That is no bluff, David. It is not that I cannot live without her, it is that I cannot take that pain again."

"James, fuck buddy. I now understand why that fucking incident had you in such a bad way." James watched David, saw him buy it hook line and sinker.

Now he would also see where Vanessa was in this, which will determine if he will burn her world or just leave. They finished lunch and James went home, where he started texting 'Tammy' again, telling her of the lunch with David. She replied with kind and supportive words, and James made sure it seemed like he was being reeled in emotionally. None of their texts were too inappropriate, but always carried hints at more.

Vanessa would only have the fact that he was deleting their texts as any form of evidence, nothing saucy. The texting between the burners was a different story though, and James loved that Victoria was clearly as in love as he was. They planned their next getaway, deciding that they will go to the same city this time, Boston. Again their timelines did not match fully, but Vanessa and David seemed relieved that they decided to stay at the same hotel, even encouraged them to get a double room.

***

David and Vanessa saw them off and then drove to his house where David barely had time before Vanessa had herself impaled on him. They fucked frantically, then lay in bed.

"He is talking to a Tammy, but they delete texts. Nothing screams affair, but I still have doubts," Vanessa said. She loved David's blonde hair and blue eyes, and the fact that he was four inches taller than James.

"He did say she was very understanding, Ness, and she is stunning. He says she has hints of Victoria's face."

"Oh fuck David, could James and Victoria be attracted to each other, with this Brad looking like James' brother?"

"Does their texting hint at that?"

"No, they do not even discuss Brad and Tammy at length, but they are friends in a good way."

"Then what the fuck is it, Vanessa?"

"I cannot say, but I feel James is starting an emotional affair. That is how you and I started."

"He told me how much it broke him, your first affair."

"That was awful, David. But he made it. He is strong."

"He said he will kill himself if it happens again, what if he finds out about us and does just that?"

"He won't, not James."

"I hope not." David mused, not feeling like he would mourn for James, but he would definitely mourn the loss of Vanessa's prime pussy.

"And Victoria?"

"This guy bugs me, and I am half expecting he will be in Boston. I am glad James is there."

"Yes. But fuck David, the idea of James with another woman is just a terrible thought. I will watch this interaction between them." Her phone beeped, it was the spyware app.

***

'Hey James, I just landed in Boston.'

'Hey, Tams, brilliant. I am so happy. I have a friend with me, she is the wife of one of my best friends.'

'Nice, I cannot wait to meet her. How are you?'

'Fine. I did speak to the other guy, tried to get him to understand the damage they will do to me. I just hope that they stop their thing if there is one.'

'Shit, James, I cannot imagine never trusting even yourself again.'

'I was getting there, but just the way she answered felt like a hammer blow to my soul.'

'Are we eating at the hotel, so we can talk?'

'Yes, Victoria is very sweet and wise. She is a good friend to me. You remind me of her, just as beautiful'

'You are so sweet, Jamie. See you in an hour, I also have a room in the hotel.'

'Good, we can have a sleepover, me and two very hot girls.'

'Is Victoria hot?'

'Yes, ex-model. But she is an amazing human, you will love her, Tams.' Vanessa watched as the texts disappeared and looked at David.

"Fuck, Vanessa, that is big," He said, his fear evident.

Vanessa frowned, "He still thinks we have something going. We will need to be careful"

"Yes. If Victoria hides anything we know that there is a lot more to it."

"I will call her in the morning."

"Vanessa, do you think they will cover for each other?"

"No, fuck....Maybe." They lay together with their doubts now and then fucked again. This time it was clear that something was different, missing.

They both called their spouses, then commiserated that neither Victoria nor James revealed that Brad and Tammy were with them.

The next morning David called Victoria again, and she confirmed meeting Tammy this time and said that Tammy and James seemed intimate. She said that Tammy seemed to touch James a lot. David met Vanessa for lunch, and they were now very worried. It was clear that their spouses are hiding a lot.

"I do think they would cover for each other David. But the texts are not raunchy, and yet the undertones are clear."

James and Victoria kept texting each other as Brad and Tammy, whilst they were cementing their love for each other in real life. Back home Vanessa and David started to implode as planned. James and Victoria both went off to work, texting on the burners as Brad and Tammy. The texts were innocent but also alluded to the excitement of meeting again that evening. It would be a double date, a fact that riled Vanessa up badly, and then David as she shared it with him. They were frantically voicing their concerns that evening, not even considering sex now. And yet, none of what they read was conclusive proof of a physical affair. James and Victoria were hitting them over the head with the red flags. James stayed an extra day in Boston for Victoria, but the texts said he spent the day in the city with Tammy, touring the city. Victoria texted his phone as herself.

'How was the day with Tammy?'

'Very good, it felt as if the last few years did not matter. Her presence was cleansing. You and Brad?'

'Same, I love the walk down memory lane. We saw museums and two art galleries. He had become so sensitive, and it is not an act. He loves that you are a writer, and said he would love to pitch an idea, maybe write it, and have you look at it. I think it might be about me?'

'How come?'

'It is about a hero that loses the love of his life, then meets her again. They fight through all kinds of hardships and obstacles to eventually get old together.'

'That is a classic romance, is that what you want though?"

'James, I am not sure. David is amazing, but Brad keeps unlocking feelings in me that realized I have repressed.'

'Don't cheat, Victoria, please. I cannot tell you of the devastation it caused to know I am not good enough, and I know I still am not. I am just sensing that she is deceptive, and you have seen how terrified I am when she calls or texts, expecting her to confess to something that will shatter me again.'

"I will help you, my friend. I love our friendship.'

'Thanks, Vick, the last time I was isolated and she had twisted the narrative even though our private narrative was different.'

'I remember. We will see each other at home James, can we make regular lunch plans, just to catch up?'

'Please. I would love to not feel so lonely again. David is an ass, and you know why.'

'I do, and part of me hates that I love him for being like that to you. He is not your friend, and rarely says nice things about you.'

'I can see the disrespect when we talk. Luv you, Vick.'

'Luv you too, my friend.'

After they returned from Boston, David got on Victoria's case, and she revealed her irritation at Vanessa for hurting James.

"Are you and her still talking on that level, David?" Victoria's tone was cold, accusatory.

"From before, baby, we both realized how much pain it triggered in James."

"Just stay in your lane, David. She is a married woman with a husband that barely trusts the money from the ATM. Sniffing around her will see me and you in a very different place. Every time he gets a text from her I can see the absolute fear in him. You fucking around with her, however innocent was a very cruel thing to do. Believe me, if I ever find out there was more, I will fuck you up, David. I will show no mercy," Victoria was angry, and she saw his fear at her rage. This was very new.

"Jesus, Victoria. James is my best friend. There is no way I would do that to him." David was panicky as he realized he had already met her criteria for leaving him.

"You already did, David, but he is recovering. We talk a lot now and it has fuck-all to do with you, so don't even ask," She dismissed him as she turned away.

***

Victoria picked up the burner when David was in the shower, and shared the conversation with James' burner. James praised her and again told her how proud he was of her.

'James, I am starting to despise David. He declares his love for you, and yet will willingly destroy you for her pussy.'

'Do you now see how incredibly heartless a cheater really is?'

'Yes, James. Sleep well.' They logged off and James walked to the bedroom. He surmised by Vanessa's pained look that David had updated her.

"Are we okay, James?" She asked.

"Yes, Ness. I am getting better every day. The trust will come too."

"Are you working on it?"

"Yes, actively."

***

James and Victoria started to travel together, meeting 'Brad and Tammy' on each business trip, but nothing seemed more than friendship. James and Victoria started to share selfies with their spouses, with kisses to the cheeks, and often with James' naked torso or Victoria in her underwear as they now always booked double rooms because it was cheaper. It would always be a photo of breakfast or such, but the background clearly showed them being very comfortable with each other.

After one of the trips, Vanessa became adamant that James reveal the extent of his relationship with Victoria, and also said that Victoria said she liked Brad.

James confirmed, saying Brad is an upgrade to David, calling David an asshole.

"He is not," Vanessa responded.

"Yes he is, I have tried to be his friend, but I can't. He is a spineless cunt, and you screwed around with him."

Vanessa tried to defend David, and then love-bomb James. He revealed to her he was talking to 'Tammy'.

"Are you in love with her?" Vanessa asked, her heart dropping.

"Not really, I just love talking to her. I did tell David about her. I am surprised he did not tell you."

"So you love her a little?"

"Just like Victoria, Ness. She helps me see things differently which will help our marriage in the long run. I will never cheat."

"David and I do not talk that much anymore, James."

"Okay."

"Victoria and this Brad fellow?" Vanessa asked.

"I have never seen her smile as much as she does around Brad. I do not see David and Victoria being married for much longer if he does not stop being a cunt."

"I will try to get him to understand. But I really hate that you talk to someone else."

"You spoke to David," James stated, and saw her face fall, "So you understand that sometimes outside input could help." James watched her process, realizing that she cannot really comment without incriminating herself.

"Please, James, choose for us. We can grow old together, and I will do my best to get your trust back."

James shrugged and started to prepare dinner. He texted Victoria and shared the conversation. Later he saw that Vanessa was visibly upset that he shared their conversation with Victoria, who later wrote back that she had a proper blow-up fight with David because he kept trying to impose limits on her, and she told him to get fucked.

'He has become controlling and toxic, James. Every time he opens his mouth it demeans me because he thinks I am a cheater like Vanessa.'

'Think carefully, Vick. Sign up for marriage counseling. I sometimes wonder if that would have helped had we caught it soon enough. I also believe that Vanessa and David would have started something had I not caught them.'

***

She then texted him on the burner.

'Fuck, James, we are escalating nicely.'

'Yes, Brad wants to text you.'

James switched phones

'Hey Vick, when can we meet again? I think we have something.'

'I agree. David is being sneaky'

'Cheating? On you? Dumb fuck.'

'Well, you saw how beautiful James is and his wife cheated on him.'

'Yeah, I cannot get that. Is there something between you and James?'

'Not really. We are very close, and he helps me. David is becoming insufferable.'

'Shit, so if you are single would I have to worry about James as competition?'