"I do…" Lisa and Richmond said in unison, their voices carrying the weight of love, commitment, and hope as they completed their vows.
Both sets of parents beamed with happiness. The wedding, after all the turmoil and planning, was finally over.
As Lisa walked out of the ceremony, her eyes widened in shock and delight.
"For me...?" she screamed, overwhelmed with excitement, as she saw a brand-new car, the very one she had been admiring for months, gleaming under the sunlight. Richmond had bought it as a gift for her. She was thrilled; he had been so thoughtful.
That night, in the quiet privacy of their honeymoon suite, the tension between them grew palpable. Richmond, inexperienced and shy, didn't know what to do. His entire life had been devoted to studying and becoming the man his father expected him to be, leaving him unprepared for intimacy.
Lisa had no choice but to take the initiative, guiding every step herself.
Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, but Richmond's inability to improve left Lisa frustrated and increasingly dissatisfied.
"Dad… I need to talk to you about Richmond," Lisa confessed one evening, her voice heavy with confusion and exasperation. She felt helpless and unsure how to navigate her marriage.
"I'm all ears," Richard replied, his expression calm and inviting.
At first, Lisa hesitated to share all the details. Yet, the deep bond she shared with her father, combined with her desperation for a solution, compelled her to open up fully.
Richard listened patiently, nodding as she poured out her frustrations. After a moment, he spoke reassuringly:
"These are all minor challenges in marriage," he said. "With time, patience, and communication, they can be solved."
His words offered Lisa a small measure of relief, and she felt hope that life with Richmond could improve.
But as months passed, nothing changed. Richmond remained distant and unresponsive, leaving Lisa increasingly irritated. She sought solace in the calm of the beach, spending hours gazing at the waves, trying to clear her mind and think through her feelings.
"Heyyy…" a familiar voice called, breaking her thoughts.
Lisa turned and saw Jasper standing a few feet away.
"Why are you here? Are you following me?" she asked, frustration lacing her tone, though her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him.
Part of her missed him, the comfort and chaos he brought into her life. Despite herself, she allowed him to sit beside her.
Conversation flowed naturally. She felt herself relax, sharing thoughts and feelings she hadn't shared with anyone in months. Jasper stayed nearby, appearing wherever she went, their paths crossing repeatedly.
Lisa couldn't ignore it any longer. The pull she felt toward Jasper, the feelings she thought she had buried, returned with an undeniable force.
She wanted him.
And she knew it.
Jasper and Lisa began communicating as friends.
"Can I take you out on a date?" read a text message from Jasper to Lisa.
Looking at how frustrating her marriage and life had been, she agreed.
She went on the date with Jasper, drank more than she should have, and couldn't drive herself home.
"Take me to yours instead…" Lisa said, her voice heavy with both frustration and surrender.
Jasper's face lit up with relief and excitement. He took her to his place.
Out of the weight of her marital struggles and the frustrations piling up, she let herself be vulnerable with him. She enjoyed every moment, feeling free in a way she hadn't in years.
"Oh my gosh…" Lisa gasped the next morning, waking and hurriedly dressing to leave.
"Why… what did you do?" she asked, shock and confusion battling in her voice.
"I thought you wanted this… I'm sorry," Jasper said quietly, watching her leave. Lisa ignored him and drove home, her mind a chaotic swirl of emotion.