Unveiled Secrets: Day 24 of a Month-Long Literary Quest
In the treacherous landscape of human relationships, where screenwriters like me have mined drama for decades, betrayal remains the most potent narrative device. Imagine discovering not just that your spouse strayed, but that the other party was someone you considered a friend. Now, the question at the heart of today’s real-life drama isn’t just about the affair itself, but about the aftermath — the need for closure, for confrontation, or perhaps, a sit-down for purgation? When the ex-friend, who was both your husband’s lover and part of your close circle, avoids your attempts at discussion, how far should one go to seek that eye-to-eye exchange? Is knocking on her door the beginning of a scene from a thriller, or is it the final act in your own personal tragedy? As we peel back the layers of this complex emotional onion, let’s ponder together: at what point does the right to closure intersect with overstepping boundaries?
This is the 15th year in a row I’ve run this series in April.
Today’s story idea: “An Ex-Friend Had an Affair With My Husband. Doesn’t She Owe Me a Sit-Down?”
A few months ago, I learned that my husband had an affair with one of his colleagues, with whom we were also friends. This coupling happened before and during the pandemic. The friendship fizzled out as lockdowns ended — and long before I was told about their relationship.
She and I texted a little after I learned of the affair. I told her I knew and that she had done a terrible thing. She offered to meet me, then stood me up, suggesting that I would be better prepared in a few weeks’ time. This annoyed me. Who is she to decide when I am “ready”? But I gave it six weeks and emailed her asking to talk. I made it clear that I didn’t want to yell at her or to tell her what a horrible person she is, but that I wanted to talk about how she betrayed our friendship. It has been over a month, and she hasn’t replied.
If the circumstances were different, I wouldn’t pursue “the other woman,” but I had a separate friendship with this person. As my husband and I go through the process of mending our marriage, I feel as if I’m struggling to get closure with this hanging over me. The fact that I was betrayed by both a partner and a friend has made it very difficult for me to feel as if I can trust anyone.
Would knocking on her door be a step too far? I know she’ll ignore me as long as she can, but we live in the same area and running into each other someday is inevitable. I don’t want to be caught off guard when that happens. I don’t expect a meaningful apology, but at the very least I feel she owes it to me to look me in the eye.
A lover scorned. Who can forget the 1987 hit movie Fatal Attraction.
Logline: A married man’s one-night stand comes back to haunt him when that lover begins to stalk him and his family.
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