OBSESSED WITH MY EX-BOYFRIEND (THE SHADOWS OF INFIDELITY)

Rose remained silent for a moment and told Tony that she would call him later to let him know when they could meet. Tony began to thank her, but she hung up immediately without waiting and put down the phone. She started talking to herself, unable to understand the effect Tony had on her, until she felt a carnal excitement just by hearing his voice. She decided to freshen up before continuing what she was doing and headed to the bathroom.

Meanwhile, her two friends were talking in the living room, and their conversation was far from pleasant. Mariam strongly disagreed with Anita’s constant remarks about Rose, and Anita didn’t want to hold back, knowing full well she shouldn’t say such things to a married woman, especially one pregnant by her husband.

— Anita, you might take what I’m about to say very badly, you might even consider me an enemy. But I really want you to stop planting those ideas in Rose’s head. I know very well that if she is like this today, it’s because of you. Rose and I knew each other well before you arrived, and since that day, everything has changed between us. You did everything to implant your ideas in Rose’s mind, and she let herself go with anything. I know you’ll say I’m telling you this because I’m uncivilized, but if being civilized also means losing your value, then I’d rather stay the way I am. Have you seen what Rose has become? It looks like she’s become a nymphomaniac, asked Mariam.

— Mariam, why are you condemning me? Am I the one accompanying her to men so she can indulge in sexual pleasures? replied Anita.

— I never said such words, but you’re the one encouraging her, and you continue to do so. How can you tell a married woman that if her husband doesn’t give her what she desires, she should cheat on him with someone else? It’s like you want to help your friend destroy her home so that he comes to you, so you can both become hardened singles again like before, right? But you must know that I will never allow such a thing. If you don’t want to get married, we want to get married and live happily in our homes. So please, keep your words to yourself. I hope you understand?

Anita was upset, and knowing that Mariam had a closer bond with Rose than she did—since Mariam is related to Rose’s mother—she decided to go home to avoid any conflict. Because of how Mariam spoke to her, the situation could have worsened.

Mariam didn’t even stop her from leaving, and she left the house, overwhelmed with anger.

At Daniel’s place...

Charles had come to visit his friend Daniel, who lived a few meters from his own house. Daniel, also a businessman, was married and lived harmoniously with his wife Bella. Charles felt overwhelmed by Rose’s incessant remarks and had decided to discuss the matter with his friend to see if he was facing the same problem. After finishing talking to Daniel, the latter began to laugh.

— Brother, I didn’t talk to you for you to make fun of me, did I?

— Brother, how can you think I’m making fun of you? How could I do such a thing? I was just joking about what you told me about that woman, it makes me laugh. I hope at least your wife isn’t like that, huh?

In reality, Charles had told his friend everything to get advice on this matter, but he hadn’t mentioned that it was about his own wife. He didn’t want to expose the marital problems he was facing to others.

Charles knew perfectly well it was about him and his wife. However, he preferred to keep this situation to himself because of the upbringing he had and the way he had seen his parents maintain their marriage. It is not wise to expose all the problems of your home to friends or even to your own parents. If you are not ready or able to handle your household problems with your spouse alone, then don’t get married. Marriage is not simply about making choices and walking away; it is the building of a house based on solid foundations erected by two founding partners. You and your partner are the only architects of this house, so why involve others in this universe you have created? Why let them show you the keys or the plans of this house?

“Therefore, it is essential to keep everything about your home to yourselves, because you are both the problems and the solutions within it.”

— My friend, I’m talking to you about a very serious matter, and you seem to be laughing. Why are you like this, and why don’t you take me seriously from the start? Do I have to talk, talk, and talk again before you understand?

— No, my brother, don’t get angry and don’t take it the wrong way. I’m not laughing to mock you, but if I laugh, it’s simply to tell you that the wife of your brother you’re talking about has a serious problem.

— I don’t understand you. How so?

— It’s simple, my brother. You know, it’s often women who have had multiple partners who hold such views. How can she expect her man to make love to her the way her exes did? She has already been with several men to the point of knowing who are good in bed and who are not.

— Brother, the problem isn’t that her man isn’t performing in bed; she just wants him to behave like one of her exes, to show her all the sexual positions, to spend hours making love. I hope you understand me now?

— But she could simply show her husband how she wants things to be, don’t you think?

— That’s the problem, you know perfectly well that habit is a second nature and that sex isn’t a passion shared by all. Can a businessman like you and me marry a woman who can no longer even control herself when it comes to what we call sex?

— Impossible, my brother. You know very well that trips come to us unpredictably, and we cannot take our wives with us every time, because even if we do, there will come a time when they won’t be able to accompany us, especially when the children are born. That’s actually why I completely changed my way of making love with my wife. You know me well; before, I used to have sex every day with other women. But now, I do my best to simply abstain. I don’t want, in my absence, for my wife to lack that so much that she turns to the guard or the driver to satisfy her needs. I hope your wife doesn’t behave like the wife of your brother you’re talking about?

— Not at all.

— That’s good then. I’m the second man to have seen my wife naked, and she’s not addicted to sex. She’s like you, I would say. I would never have imagined you would marry and have children. Among all my friends, you are the only one who doesn’t like to talk about sex.

— Daniel, it’s normal; it has to do with the upbringing I received. I simply promised myself to never seduce a girl because of sex. Have you forgotten that Rose was the first girl I ever had sex with?

— Moreover, she loved the way you made love to her; she complimented you, and I heard you’re an expert in this area. Did I lie?

— How do you know she complimented me the first time we made love?

— Have you forgotten I was with you when she called you that day?

— Oh, I see.

— I wonder why you came to see me alone when it’s the weekend?

— She went shopping with one of her friends, that’s why...

— Speaking of this matter with Anita, right?

— Yes.

— My friend, you should have started by asking your wife to avoid those kinds of friendships. A married woman no longer has the right to have friends who aren’t interested in marriage, and Anita is one of those women.

— My friend, stop with that.

— You should tell your brother to have a serious talk with his wife, or worse things might happen. Women are capable of anything; they could very well be at your place while another man is having fun with her.

— Okay, I will pass your message to him.

— I hope at least your brother didn’t marry a porn actress, for example?

— No, you too!

— Very well, I hope now we can go back inside and enjoy what my wife has prepared.

— Okay, perfect.

After a long discussion, the two friends went back inside, as they had gone out into the garden to talk in peace.