I Said YES To An Open Marriage

RACHEL

"In this marriage, there shall be transparency and no form of cheating. Whatever I own is yours, and vice versa. If there's a misunderstanding, it must be cleared up before anyone goes to bed."

When my husband, Jeremy, said those words three years ago, I thought I had the perfect marriage. He was the one who condemned cheating. There was no way he would do it to me.

But alas, it was all a lie. The whole façade crumbled six months after our wedding when his new assistant started working with him. He started coming home late and giving excuses, like he didn't realize how late it had gotten while working.

Like a fool, I believed him. Oh yes, I did. You know, he couldn't be cheating since he was the one who made the rule. But nothing prepared me for the shock and heartbreak when I walked into his office and found him pounding his assistant on the table two years ago.

The music played softly, and everyone swayed slowly to its rhythm and lyrics. It was our college reunion, and most of our friends were gathered at the bar.

Everyone was smiling and chatting, but my eyes were fixed under the table-precisely on my husband, whose hands were roaming another woman's lap. They were laughing and talking while something else was going on beneath the table. I saw everything-and I couldn't move.

"Rachel, what are you looking at?" My college friend, Sarah, tried to follow my gaze, but I stopped her before she could see it.

"Nothing. Just thinking about how everyone has changed after seven years," I mumbled.

Sarah clutched my hand. "That's true, honestly." Her eyes lit up. "I've been looking at everyone, especially the boys, and I can't believe the glow-up. They're all so damn fine," she whisper-shouted, squeezing my hand.

I nodded, my eyes drifting under the table again. I still saw Jeremy's hand on her lap. This time, it was slowly moving closer to her core.

Sarah nudged me. "Rachel, I thought Clara was an art major." She gestured in my husband's direction with her head.

Clara. That was the name of the woman beside my husband. The new bitch he was cheating on me with.

"Yes," I responded, my brows creasing, unsure why Sarah was asking. I just hoped she hadn't noticed what was happening. That would be so embarrassing. Everyone thought my marriage was perfect. They thought Jeremy treated me right. I didn't want them to know it was all a façade. No. I didn't want anyone to see my reality. "Is there a problem?"

"Why did she come to our reunion party? She isn't even in the same major as us. And why is she so close to your husband?" Sarah asked, her tone laced with suspicion.

My breath hitched when she took a closer look at them. "Have they always been this close, or is this their first time together?" Her brows knitted.

"First time!" I replied quickly,