All Comments on 'You Can Go Home Again'

This is a well written story, but I didn't like it. I agree with some of the comments, the guy has his heart ripped out of his chest and the girl has a "don't be a coward and take it like a man" mentality. She fully doesn't understand the amount of emotional damage she's inflicted and doesn't have that much regret or sympathy. Having had an ex wife that ripped my heart out I have a lot of empathy for Kaine, and I thought he should have stuck to his guns instead of caving into female bullying.

I really like this story, though the Alien names are a bit distracting. The only thing that pulls me out of it is that his parents were in touch with him and decided to not tell him about his daughter for 3 years. That just seems bonkers.

I love this story , my Friend 5th reading

I think I've read this story 7 times now. Awesome

Second time around, guess what?

Yep, l really appreciated this story, in fact loved it.

In the end it was a great romance.

This time l never looked back

Regraded the score from 2/5 to 5/5

Ripley is straight up toxic.

Firstly, and most importantly, moving past toxic relationships requires true acceptance of the fact that you can’t force toxic people to change and in reality they don't want to change. They only goal is to control and manipulate you. Toxic people are not motivated by what’s good for them or for their relationship with you. Toxic people take without giving. Toxic people try to control you. Toxic people aren’t honest. Toxic people love to be victims. They’re motivated by their own complex problems and needs. When you give up the desire to change them, it’s much easier to let them go for good.

Manipulative and toxic people drain your resources by constantly pushing you to work harder to please them, making you compromise more and more of yourself for their own selfish needs. This is exhausting and transgresses all acceptable relationship boundaries.

Toxic people often make it seem like they “need you” because they’re always in crisis. But the important thing to know is that these are crises of their own making.

Toxic people create drama deliberately in order to attract more attention and engage in manipulation, so remember this the next time you’re asked to run to their side. Never feel bad for telling toxic people NO and always remember that you’re not dealing with a genuine person in real distress.

Cutting toxic people out sends a key message to yourself. You’re saying: “I have value.” You’re prioritizing your happiness over someone else’s dysfunction.

Set boundaries, enforce those boundaries. Cut those toxic people out of your life and keep them out even if they show up were a cute little girl that they claim is yours.

Would of been so much nicer if he had disowned his parents for knowingly hiding important information and it would of been much more intriguing if he came back from Alaska with a wife and child, or better yet, if he came back ahead of them and only after stalking him for a few weeks does she start seeing the woman with the babystroller.

That would have been much more interesting.

I loved it.Need more stories like this.

So tired of the cuckold stories that are so prevalent here.Sorry that's just how I feel😌

Where did the preamble end and the 'story' begin?

This was a fun story from a very talented writer. I enjoyed it and gave it five stars. Kaine had to forgive Ripley for walking on on him all those years ago and he had to learn to trust her again before he could trust his heart to her once more. She stayed with him and proved that she was worth that trust and the rebuilt a life together with two loving, young children. Kaine will have more challenges coming as Ripley is a famous star now but they will have to work together to learn how to manage this and have a family together at the same time. At least Kaine could be sure that Ripley would not cheat on him with other men. He would just have to learn how to deal with her celebrity and she would need to learn how to keep him with her as much as she can while basking in that celebrity status. They have many challenges ahead as long marriages with celebrities are rare.

Anonymous would have been,

Oh HELL yes! 🤣

One of my favorite stories from one of the best editors. Randi, I have read this story so many times. We need to emotionally feel good about life and this story really does it. A simple B2B makes at least one person a loser, usually everyone, even the vic. There is no infidelity here, yes a marriage ended because one side was immature and insensitive and the other overreacted. Ripley and Kaine were young and emotional but they loved each other and you helped them find each other again. Thanks

It's kind of hilarious how many people in these comments are painting Ripley as just another frivolous cheating whore when literally EVERYTHING the author tells us about her in the actual story directly contradicts it, not to mention completely ignoring the part early on where she clearly says that she tried to explain that she just wanted some space and to remain fully exclusive yet practically every critical comment says she "left him." Not sure if this is just plain old misogyny, proof that reading too many LW stories rots your brain, or (most likely) a combination of both...

Good story, but I’d kill a guy like this in real life. What a grinder, in a bad way. Overthinks everything while the world passes him by. Can’t figure out why anyone as kinetic as Ripley would have the slightest interest in him — bitter, sulking, depressing, cowardly, can’t get past shit, notwithstanding the fact that she fucked up, as she admits a hundred times over. “Hey dude., people do stupid shit, even good and people who love you. Get over yourself wussy boy and retrieve your life before it runs over you one last time.” Geez, I’m exhausted from this dude’s overbearing, can’t get over shit, angst.

@abdtsre — true observation by you, even though I think the truth is even more simple than your thesis. My view is that this site is fertile trolling ground for all the angry, aggrieved guys who women don’t give the time of day to, and so they’re angry and vent here at any opportunity, real or perceived. In reality what they’re actually doing (but not self aware enough to realize) is demonstrating that Womens’ lack of interest in them is a sign of their good individual and collective judgement. In other words, angry and bitter doesn’t sell. Surprise. Surprise. These knuckle drag gets are every bit as bad as the shrill feminist crowd, just the other end of the gender spectrum, just as annoying and insufferable.

Amazing story. Odd that there are so many commenters who believe Ripley is toxic. She was having a (minor) mental health issue and wanted space. He dropped the mic, and exited the stage to Alaska. He has his own psychological issues.

Delightful. Five stars

Fantastic real life type story. Very good read

Great, great, great story. Bravo!!!

5 stars again. Just a sucker for stories with little children and happy endings

Here is the issue for me on this recent read: The woman who ran away from her marriage without discussion does not get to complain about her abandoned husband running away from her.

Never understood the . . .

my ex is famous and everyone knows everything about her except I dont know about her child

+

everyone knows I have a kid, but no one tells me

+

she loves me so much and wants me back so she screws other men where our daughter can hear her

+

now that I'm back in town she still treats me like shit

. . . so of course I'll marry her again despite her abandoning me story lines that seem so prevalent on this site

I read all the stories on your site in alphabetical order. I didn't leave comments until now. Just wanted to tell you that I enjoyed them thoroughly and appreciate you writing them. You have a real talent, thanks for sharing it with us.

Jim

Is there ANYTHING this tale could get except a "5" ?

You are DEFINITELY one of the "legends"... a well-deserved descriptive.

I hope to continue to see new stories from you for a long time to come.

EastCoaster

One of the best stories that I’ve read.

I reread this story often. To me it is the best example of a LW story

Ripley wants out, Ripley gets out. Ripley should have moved far away never to soil his life again. Play stupid emotional games, win a life of lonliness.

Almost the perfect love story (jaybee186)

I am going to be a little rough, but this is a really good story.

I reject our hero as cowardly, in fact, the only really cowardly aspect of him is that he lets Ripley call him a coward and half believes it himself. That almost took me out of the story. That Ripley thinks he is a coward, or that she thinks that she can manipulate him by calling him a coward, is a huge red flag.

Clearly, also, Ripley had a full life ("after the divorce") looking for a Daddy for her girl, and was not a good judge of character. This is a continuation of her poor choices that drove away our hero. Why would she suddenly make better choices now? Stalking him, getting his parents SECRETLY on her side, showing up at his house, "making" our hero listen to her, dangling a cute child (okay, this is semi-legit, but still manipulative), trying to seduce him, playing on his emotions, having a mock-kidnapping when she will not let loose the keys for the boat so they can go back, and, as mentioned above, calling him a coward, clearly, manipulation is really her bag.

Have a man pursue Ripley's course of actions (without bringing a previously unknown child of the union into it, obviously), put a man in the place of Ripley, and instead he is pursuing a woman who had divorced him, and those are suddenly "toxic" or even criminal actions.

Because Ripley is a sexy, beautiful, rich, successful woman, has a gorgeous kid, and just needs a good man, or "her" good man, it's all good.

There IS something incredibly special about the fairer sex (an awful lot, really), and women do, or can, legitimately use a lot of the tools in their toolbox (so to speak). But if you swapped roles and a man does the actions of the plot, that the lead female had performed, and the result would be toxic or criminal, then the story has not really plumbed its own depth, perhaps.

I do enjoy your work, I swear.

Mug

Not entirely my carton of worms (poor fly angler), but super well written. Repetition of theme was a bit thick in spots.

A sequel's in order What's next for Kaine, Ripley, and their little, (or growing), family?

Toxic feminity is a real thing. Sooooo

If you want to be happy for the rest of your life

Never make a pretty woman your wife

So for my personal point of view

Get an ugly girl to marry you

… A pretty woman makes her husband look small

And very often causes his downfall

As soon as he married her and then she starts

To do the things that will break his heart...

There's a sweet spot on the hot-crazy matrix for everyone and knowing where it is for you will help you avoid so much unnecessary pain.

3th read, still 5 stars... i loved the story!

I’ve read this several times and it’s always damn near perfect. If I had my way, there’d be more chapters…but I think the author knows best! A great painter always knows what the last stroke is. A great writer knows the last word. 👍🏻

Anon Toxic,

Awesome references. Kid Creole and the Coconuts along with Dana McClendon and the hot crazy matrix. Both should be considered vital to a young man's education.

Best LW story ever? WTF? Good yeah but best? Too flawed to be be the GOAT.

Good writing. The story flows well and has excellent imagery. Dialog is extremely well written. 5 for technical writing ability.

Premise and characters are tough to suspend disbelief over.

I love you, you coward, let me stalk you, you asshole. Now take me back or run like a bitch. Versus I wana be left alone and I hate you. So let me fold and let you manipulate and run roughshod over me at every turn. Awesome codependent couple. They should be perfectly miserable together. Except this is a fairytale so it just gets magic happily ever after instead.

Married at 19. Feeling suffocated at 24. I have a real hard time with the idea that she would spring it on him that she was moving out and had already secured an apartment just a week before she moved. She wasn't just stupid. She wasn't just impossibly selfish and narcissistic. She was unlike most women.

A woman would have shared her feelings. Even to the point of driving him nuts. She would have talked and talked and talked. Long before making all the decisions attendant to moving out.

When she said she was moving out, he would have enlisted the help of both sets of parents. Someone would have insisted on counseling. I'm not saying the counseling would have changed her feelings. Changing a woman's feelings requires an act of God.

But she would have been under no illusions that she was demanding a divorce.

To me, that's the weakest link in this story. It's a written well, it grabs the reader's heart, it works as long as one suspends disbelief that a woman could do what she did to establish the setting of the story.

As for him having a 3 year old child without anyone communicating that fact to him? It's been done in various LW stories. JPB has used it, too. Not very likely in the real world, but we can run with it in LW. If my parents kept the fact from me, it wouldn't go well.

A quality story. I almost bought it except for her unfaithfulness after the divorce. She obviously had their daughter around that time and was planning on getting back with him. Why fuck other people? Just because a piece of paper went through a judges hand? If it was my wife that did this, that's a no. It indicates her real state of mind. She didn't care enough to stay faithful. Poison. Also, his parents not saying anything? For more than three years? Talk about betrayal. Are they his parents or hers? Could have fooled me. I understand for a week or two, while they might be working on the relationship, but to miss out on the first THREE YEARS of his daughter's life. That's permanent non-recoverable damage right there.

Just a thought. Her naval stud could have been made from her old engagement ring. That would have been funny.

Beautiful. A masterpiece.

One of my all time favorites!

So much potential to be a great story, but Randi had to make the main female character a complete bitch. I mean, how hard is to recognize that having a character say that they were stupid and wrong only to restate that it is still all the man's fault for not being a doormat and letting her walk all over him is a contradiction? While the story should have been a nice tale of an immature girl growing up to become a decent woman who truly regretted her mistakes and is atoning for her past, instead it was a story about an immature girl growing up to be an even bigger bitch and finally breaking the good man she failed to break 3 years ago.

I am a sucker for the dad (re)connecting with his child story lines, so I gave you a point back for that.

A lot of holes in it.

The biggest one for me was his parents not telling him about his daughter.

That would not happen.

Just read this story a second time after a year of reading it initially.

Without a doubt in the top 1% of all stories here at Lit!

For the love of a little angel. A very well thought out and written story. I definitely look forward to reading more of your work. I appreciate your and your Muse's imagination and abilities to bring it to your story. Thank you for sharing your vision and talents.

Ridley’s method was to lure her husband into a frenzy of love (and arguably lust), go away and ignore him because her life interests were more important than his presence in her life, and then call Kaine an ass for his reactions repeatedly until he believes her. Who is really loving whom here? Ridley never is destroyed by developments. Her heart id not on display. Or maybe this is all she has. She never explains herself, which is typical for those who depend on ravenous good looks to be all that is offered to the man that this type of woman supposedly loves. The author could have shown us how a woman grows up to reconcile with the longings of her heart, her need for an identity, and her need for true love. Does she really have true love for Kaine? She discusses nothing with him. She only apologizes in summary form. That’s a good place to start, but it’s a bad place to stop. It seems that Kaine is the safe shelter she needs to continue the life she keeps hidden from Kaine. And it makes Kaine look weak when he does not press for full disclosure. Ridley’s method is still to piss Kaine off so that he leaves and does not see her activities and ask questions. She certainly doesn’t tend to his hurts as if he is someone she loves. He got her to the hospital. Why didn’t she do the relational parallel of seeking healing for him? She just calls him an ass and leaves him to work out his feelings. // Having said all this, I affirm that the author has the talent to draw out the emotions that accompany this topic. Maybe the author provided flawed characters and weak plots for discussion sake. The deep problems that harmed the two main characters and destroyed a marriage were not solved. No wisdom was provided on these points. With this writing talent, such insight could have been delivered remarkably. I was really hoping for this.

Helluva tale but start hiding assets

Wow ! 5 stars

Great story.

Aww!

A surprisingly beautiful story by this fine author. 5 stars

Too much drama not enough sex scene

A beautiful story, well written but the MCs are both frustrating in their individual ways, Ripley swans off away from the relationship without anything remotely resembling a reasonable explanation then gets all bent out of shape because Kaine doesn't put his life on hold until she's finished with her adventure and when she does finally get him back in her life she spitefully and repeatedly snarks at him for 'running away' and calls him a coward. Nobody appreciates being constantly reminded of their own shortcomings, real or perceived in this way. Meanwhile Kaine is a man who jumps to conclusions without examining all the facts and then chooses his own facts to fit the conclusion he has already arrived at. Not the smartest pair of cookies but for all that this is a solid five star offering.

I reread this one on occasion just to remind me how great Randi is.

I love this story, and it's one of my favorites. This is the kind of story we need more of in the LW forum.

what a great read

Kind of flimsy on too many points. There's a 3-year hole after the child was born, with who knows how many men in her life besides the aggressive jerk radio manager, and who knows how many STDs. Wouldn't want to touch that. Just another story about how it only matters about how the woman feels, doesn't matter what the self-centered and selfish attitudes do to everybody else.

The writing is very good. It’s descriptive and you can see those flashing eyes and innocence in Makenna. I agree that the characters aren’t perfectly fleshed out, but it’s a short story, not a novel. My critique is some of the dialogue. It feels a bit stilted at times, especially Makenna’s lines. Solid story.

I will say though, Randi is not only a fantastic writer and editor, but she organizes a lot of these events. It’s an understatement to say that she has been a very good thing for this community.

So Randi, keep coming back because even us anons can appreciate your hard work.

A very good writer, but these characters are just too unlikable. No doubt people like this exist, and would perhaps even take this path and make these decisions, but I couldn't feel empathy for them, or agree with those decisions, so it fell a bit flat for me.

I greatly enjoyed reading this story, shedding many tears. This is a story of love and the many difficulties we overcome. Love is the greatest and you excelled in demonstrating it, in this story. Thank you so much for writing and sharing.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t she decide to run away to ‘find’ herself, leaving him with no idea of when, or if she would ever return? There was never any remorse on her part for her actions and the constant accusations by her that he was running away seemed hypocritical. Immaturity on her part doesn’t grant her anything but the consequences she met.

So what if she wasn’t with another man until the child was born? She claimed that she loved only him yet she wasn’t celibate by her own admission. Her actions only seemed to confirm that she still hadn’t matured sufficiently to be a life partner.

The second reading was even better than the first. In my book, you're one of the best! Good Luck in all that you do. thecarolinadreamer PS I'd give you 5 more stars if could.

A study of manipulation, gaslighting, abuse, and lack of accountability. Everyone in this man’s life, including his parents, betrayed him.

To all the hundreds who scored this highly, and left comments praising it, I ask you to switch the sexes of the MC and the spouse. What is your score if a man “left to find himself”?!?

ZK

4th time reading... still 10☆... this should be a movie!

Meh 8bhavr issues qith the the male character family. They knew he had a kid and did not tell him. Necer mind thw qife or what ever she is. She left hi. Had a kid says she only loves him but is dating other people. This is her fault well written story in just find the female lead very unlikeable

Quote:

"A study of manipulation, gaslighting, abuse, and lack of accountability. Everyone in this man’s life, including his parents, betrayed him.

To all the hundreds who scored this highly, and left comments praising it, I ask you to switch the sexes of the MC and the spouse. What is your score if a man “left to find himself”?!?

ZK"

100% this!

My second time reading it, I love stories that show real love, so obviously I would give this 5* every time. However I read it more slowly, digesting it much more and found more holes than a sieve, but I loved Ripley and the two, then three children, I loved all the loving feelings, so I find it easy to ignore the flaws.

A really good story. The characters had their flaws, which the author captured well, and it made them more realistic and appealing. While the plot was more “when” than “if,” they would get back together, the plot hung together and their motives for their actions were consistent with their character as you described them. I really liked it.

Still one of my all time favs.

Interesting plot, a brave choice to write such an unlikable character. To be honest I didn't like either of them and as a male, were Ripley a man I would have outright hated them. However a good writer makes you feel something for their characters and in that yet another successful story.

The story was good, I actually gave it a 5* rather than a 4* simply because some commenters seemed overly butthurt over issues related to 'culture war' rather than a story about two people.

My sole point of contention here is that for years the MC had known that his ex wanted to get in contact and had gone to great extents to avoid it, to me that was a real red flag as to his immaturity and poor communication skills, which made me wonder why his ex was so desperate to reconnect and if it were purely for the sake of the child then wouldn't they have resorted to official channels, or even left it up to the grandparents after the first 2, 3 years of trying. That she spent 4 years actively trying to get back in contact to the extent of stalking him and staking out his house and place of work is a major personality obsession that should have answered most of the MC's questions straight off, but also been a massive red flag for the future relationship.

As for many of the commenters, It's such a shame that some people can't get over their prejudices and accept that people are individuals and don't follow scripts set in stone. I didn't find either of the main characters to be excessively dislikeable ... and the argument that if you switched it around so that the man left to find himself does nothing but beg the question "did you think this was some ideological treatise and not a just story about two people".

Likewise, "To be honest I didn't like either of them and as a male, were Ripley a man I would have outright hated them." This doesn't even make sense and gives off a real creepy vibe.

I needed this story. I only wish I could give it more than 5 stars. Well done, well done indeed!

He's delusional if he thinks he can ever really trust her. But whatever... it's your story, it doesn't have to be believable, or even have likable characters, clearly.

Enjoyed another re-reading of a fine work where a good guy did not lose.

Oh Ripley ....... RUN YOU POOR WOMAN, KAINE IS A TEENAGER IN A MAN'S BODY!!!!!! Kaine is going to give Ripley 9 yards of bullshit after all the pleading and apologizing she did, but when a douchebag threatens her and calls his daughter and her insulting names Kaine gives him a kind and almost caring warning to stop that kind of behavior????? If it were me just before the cops took me away I would have asked Ripley to please visit me in jail and get me a lawyer! lol I mean WHAT THE LITERAL FUCK!!!

And McKenna saves the stupid but successful young couple from instant death by over reaction.

The famously beautiful and talented Ripley decides she isn't getting enough of whatever out of her marriage

and proudly announces to her forlorn hubby she is going on an extended walkabout...Then he like wise over

reacts and bails without a trace to of all places Alaska! Damn! Even after she makes her triumphant return, her

tendency to self patronization continues as she blatantly disses him at a party. Sadly even with the adorable kids

and cuddly dog, there is certainly more peril coming down the pipe for our dear 'Citizen Kaine'

applesauce!

Why was she drinking wine. I'm sure she was still on pain medication. Don't they tell you nothing drink while taking medication.

Brandi is just amazing.

Will be read again! Thank you!

Another re-read for me. Unsure as to whether this is the third or fourth time. Anyhoo, see ya back here next time. Lol

Why does she love him still? Kaine is such a drama queen, doesn't hear nor comprehend what she is saying, didn't grow up, doesn't know how networking works and throws a hissy fit and storms out....he is exhausting for real. Couldn't finish it. In my head Riley got wise, found a better man and she shares custody with Kaine. His parents approve.

This author is an excellent writer (and editor from other author credits). But I would amend the title to this tale to "NO, You can't ever go home again." These were two different person as the author plainly writes. They essentially REcreated a home again rather than resuming an old one. And to think that people that immature would ever have gotten married in the first place. Makes one think that those places that require a couple to get counseling BEFORE getting married have a point. But then again, my first wife and I got married when we were 21 and 23. Just big children really, and we lasted 7 years before growing up and grew along different ways. But it was amicable, partly because of smart in-laws and a lovely older couple friends. Our product - one 5 year old daughter- came through it rather nicely. So I did enjoy the central concept of this author's story. It's just much, much harder to grow up together when you marry too young. My neice married at 22 and we communicate weekly via phone and email which is always shared with her husband. No hard feelings because it's always about how I can help them where their parents are too self-involved to engage, my wife and I have no children, and they are our heirs. So reading one where the families help support a young couple touches my heart. Thanks, Blackrandi!

In regards to the charity event, one annony reader said Kaine didn't understand how networking works. I'm pretty sure at his age he did/does. But that wasn't the point. The point was Ripley could have have done her schmoozing without him there. Why bother getting Kaine to come AT ALL, when all she does is dance with him once and then ignore him so she could eff off to 'network'? In all honesty, I'd have just left after an hour or so, letting Ripley find out when she got back to the empty table. I'd also have turned off my phone and not gone home so she couldn't find me. Is that immature? Maybe, but she really wasn't much better the way she went off on him, both at the event when he pulled her aside or at his place when she dropped off his coat. Ripley said she loved and needed him, but she sure as hell didn't show it that night.

To the Annony calling Kaine a cuck: you DO realize that term would be correct *if* Ripley had slept around while they were married, during the separation or during the divorce, right? She outright says she waited until after it went through to have a relationship. So no, Kaine is NOT a cuckold. Look up the definition.

Lol @ the anon below. You have a daughter but she's not your heir? But your niece is, sounds strange.

Lots of ppl get married earlier than 23 and last the term, because they made the right choices and made sensible decisions and weren't twats.

Ripley says she loves Kaine, she wanted to get back together with him to explain that everything was just a misunderstanding, but she took advantage of the time they were apart to have sex with other men... In the end, Ripley had her adventure with other men and managed to keep her idiot husband.

AT LEAST this man was smart enough to demand a dna test

This view of the "natural rights" of a woman, no matter how duplicitous and self absorbed, is unpleasant to behold. And, of course, the male character is written to illustrate how obsequious and pitiful men need to be to function in her world. One more time when one wishes negative number voting was enabled.

Not really understanding some of the comments....I found her far more likeable than him. Her explanation of stupidity not disloyalty made sense. He ran too fast like a little....

Great story.

All the time that Ripley was stalking Kaine to get back together with him , she was living with Jeff Conley. That is not very single purpose and amounts to her trying to cheat on Conley. Both Ripley and Kaine have hideous communication skills, both in hearing and speaking.

Great story, but I think Kaine should have gotten himself an Eskimo

Well written story. The characters were great. A true 5 star story.

You are a very talented writer.

A few suggestions: build the characters so that they don't contradict each other: if he says no, he has to stick with it. if she insists, he has to insist more. THE CONFLICT is what moves the story forward. Solved so simply, the story becomes bland and predictable.

Another issue: involving a girl in a reconciliation when there is cuckolding in the way is depressing. The treatment you have done is too elementary.

But I repeat, you are a very talented writer.

I enjoyed it for what it was, a really well written story. Sure there was conflict and hurt, and anger, but there was also love for the child, and his dog. It really seemed that both Riley and Kaine needed to grow up some more. Yes, I agree that both of them need to work on their communication skills, especially to one another I gave it 5 stars, and it's one of my personal favorites, and in my favorites.

I very much enjoyed the story, thank you for sharing it with us. I did not, however, enjoy Kaine having to repeatedly apologize for going to Alaska. Getting away from a toxic situation caused by others is NOT automatically a bad decision. Call him out for repeatedly running away, that’s fine, but to keep ragging him about Alaska is just wrong.

Again, a great read! Thank you.

This woman is a bundle of inconsistencies. At 21 she is a celebrity with all the things she wanted in life and has to go off an "find herself." Having been married three times I admit to having no clue about what goes on in a woman's mind when they start playing games with their husband's mind. For any woman to make a decision to move out of her home with no warning to her husband and move out on the same day she tells him cannot be called anything other than cruel. She made a decision, made all the preparations necessary and then hit him with it without being willing to discuss it at all. Any thing she can say in justification for this behavior is an attempt to make her feel better about what she did. Did she really think she could do this and not hurt hm ? Or was she so self-involved that she never thought about what it might do to him. She was a celebrity with money. Did it never occur to her to hire a good Private Investigator to find him ? Sorry but it sounds like BS. She wastes four years "finding herself." She poses as a good communicator but she could find it in her head to sit down with her husband and ask for a time out on their marriage ? It would have been more believable if she had just been unhappy with her marriage and gone off with a boy friend the come back to ask for forgiveness.

She loved him so much and was searching and trying talk to him. Yet was dating and having sex with others?

Hmm a major plot hole.