I found myself in a real trap and did not understand at all what to do I am a fairly successful businessman and I know that my wife with whom I have lived for many years is cheating on me I love her but at the same time I don't want to be deceived I understood that I had to act carefully and in the end I made the most fateful decision of my life is this Mr Chris Watkins damn I thought but I didn't show any reaction or miss a beat in my convers ation with Kevin the
bartender I had only returned to Texas 6 months ago after a self-imposed Exile of 3 years how did she track me down and more importantly why I didn't turn around or acknowledge Him in any way I was just about to deliver the punchline to a particularly dirty joke when I felt a hand on my shoulder Mr Watkins my name is Rob Morgan I've been hired to find you I raised an eyebrow Kevin and turned my head ever so slightly do you want to keep that hand Robbie I felt his hand leave my shoulder and I
turned back to Kevin delivering the punch line he laughed heartily popping another Shiner Bo for me and told me it was on the house as he ambled down to the other end of the bar still chuckling Mr Watkins we have business to discuss I interrupted him my name isn't Watkins and I have no business with you unless you want to hire me to wel something if not well we have nothing to discuss Mr W Das that was all he got out before he hit the floor I put 20 bucks on the bar massaged my right
hand waved to Kevin and Rose to leave Mr Watkins you are a hard man to find and I have no intention of starting my search over again I looked down at the taser gun he was aiming at me at my crotch no less the little Pest and even though he was sprawled on the floor at the time it was pretty intimidating as he stood he wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth I have no qualms about using it so sit your ass down and let's have a chat I noticed Kevin approaching
so I gestured for him to stay back he paused acknowledged with a nod and said let me know if y'all need anything Bill thanks Kevin I will I turned my attention back to the guy with the taser who carries a taser in Texas I chuckled and leaned in a bit closer do I know you boy Mr Watkins your manners could use some work son you can't be from Texas call me Bill and tell me who you are and what you want bill is it okay Bill Kevin get us a couple of beers and put it
on Robbie's tab I smiled settled into the nearest booth and asked so why don't you fill me in on who this Walkin guy is and why you've got such an issue with him all right Bill we'll do it your way for now anyway Mr Chaz Watkins was a successful wealthy Dallas businessman who vanished Without a Trace over three years ago he's married to Mrs Amy Watkins and they have a 23-year-old daughter named Sarah my name as I mentioned is Rob Morgan I've been hired to locate chz Watkins and bring him back to Dallas really 3
years no Trace what's that got to do with me you seem to have mistaken me for him but I'm neither Chaz Walkins nor a successful businessman I'm Bill Grant I weld for cash play some guitar badly and travel a bit I had taken meticulous precautions prior to my departure I invested a substantial sum of money in acquiring an entirely new identity over time I altered my appearance by growing my hair and beard approximately 30 lb of fat and gaining around 20 lb of muscle if I were to encounter Amy again she wouldn't be able to
recognize me even if I tested it by spitting on her upon leaving Dallas I embarked on a 3-day Journey heading north and west eventually I found a trailer for lease enrolled in a welding class at a local community college and began rebuilding my life I abandoned everything in Dallas except for cash a lucrative job two homes cars credit cards Keys a cell phone clothes and a deceitful spouse in my new identity I purchased a used Ford F-150 with cash registered it and then proceeded to a music store where I acquired a used yet Exquisite Martin
dreadnut I departed with nothing but the clothes on my back I adopted a transient lifestyle rarely staying in one place for more than 6 or eight months always using cash I operated without credit cards or a cell phone working under the table avoiding tax filings and steering clear of trouble whenever possible Sarah however remained a part of my life I couldn't completely cut her out approximately 15 or 16 months after my departure I sent her an email to assure her of my existence before each relocation I continued to send her updates from a public library
computer expressing my love and thoughts for her I never disclosed my a or the reasons behind my departure and I refrained from responding to any inquiries she had about those topics she could extract that information from her own mother damn damn damn Robbie sneered as I was mentioning a little over three years ago Mr Watkins simply vanished and nobody seemed to have any information about it in the initial year or so the police pursued the matter rather nonchalantly in my opinion many suspected he either looped with another woman or fell victim to foul play at
the hands of Mrs Watkins it proved to be a challenging year for Mrs Watkins on personal professional and financial fronts she attempted to liquidate some of their assets but lacked power of attorney and couldn't legally declare Mr Watkins dead leaving her in a bind although there was money in the bank few new funds were coming in and she depleted those quickly she hired a lawyer to help in getting her husband declared deceased unfortunately around 16 months after her husband's disappearance the daughter Sarah received an email from someone claiming to be Mr Watkins naturally the daughter
was overjoyed but this complicated the process of declaring Mr Watkins deceased at that point the police closed the case and Mrs Watkins engaged my firm to locate Mr Chaz Watkins and bring him back to Dallas to face charges of fraud this would enable Mrs Watkins to secure Soul access and control over the marital assets poor dear I chuckled she seems to be in quite a predicament so Robbie enlighten me how do I play a role in this little made for TV movie well Mr Watkins may I call you Chaz you can call me Bill like
everyone else I am authorized by the state of Texas to if necessary forcibly escort you Chaz Watkins to the Dallas County Sheriff to answer charges of Fraud and abandonment I burst into laughter much to his irritation that's quite a tale for such a little guy Robbie your story is charming but what kind of fraud are we talking about here since when did leaving a troubled marriage become a crime in Texas and why would the Dallas County Sheriff care your argument just doesn't hold water Robie if you ever track down this Chaz Watkins you might want
to up your game and threatening him he doesn't strike me as foolish convincing him to return to Dallas seems like a long shot and if he left abruptly there's likely a good reason let me assist you with a little role play Robbie why should he come back what's in it for him I'm guessing you'll need to delve deep to find answers to those questions I finished my beer and swallowed you can stash your little laser pointer now Robbie beneath the table I pulled back the slide on my glock he really should pay more attention to
people realizing there was a round in the chamber of the 9 mm now aimed at him he ped slightly and carefully placed his taser where I indicated on the table let me share a story with you Robbie it's one A friend of mine recounted to me about 3 years ago are you listening good how about a couple more beers and a basket of wings Kevin my man Robbie here is on an expense account so there was this guy I met about 3 years ago let's call him Chaz he was married to a woman will call
her Amy and coincidentally they had a daughter named Sarah this is the story my friend Chaz shared with me I can recount the moment my marriage fell apart or at least the moment I realized its impending demise it happened on Amy's 50th birthday we had decided to celebrate it at our weekend home in the countryside Just the Two of Us Amy had always been a reserved woman with no inclination for parties or extravagant events being fairly affluent she already had everything she needed and desired this posed a challenge for giftgiving but I spent months contemplating
the perfect present I suddenly probed her preferences in conversations and consulted her friends and I felt content with my choices however she evidently did not share my sentiment the moment she laid eyes on the gifts her expression changed her face briefly fell before she hastily masked it with forced appreciation while thanking me by that point we had been married for 24 years and I believed I knew her well it was evident to me that she had expected something entirely different after pondering this Revelation I asked her about her true feelings she reassured me that she
was happy but her smile seemed strained pressing the matter she finally admitted that the gifts weren't what she had anticipated and she had hoped for something more well she couldn't quite articulate it just not what I had chosen if she with her familiarity with me didn't know how was I supposed to I apologized for spoiling such an important occasion for her and promised to make amends while she acknowledged that I could make it up to her if I wished she expressed surprise that her 50th birthday hadn't received more thoughtful consideration from me I attempted to
clarify my rationale behind each of the gifts to her but the more I spoke the more irritated she grew eventually I promised to make it up to her to which she retorted if you had given me enough consideration from the start you wouldn't need to make amends how do you make up for such a colossal mistake I'm not turning 50 again following this she mentioned feeling unwell and expressed a desire to return home to Dallas we rode home and silence both of us seething with frustration our almost non-existent marriage almost never happened during my college
Years we maintained a long-distance relationship she being 3 years older and already graduated on a visit during a long weekend I discovered Amy's infidelity while strolling downtown we were approached by a tall older man likely around 50 who warmly hugged her Amy introduced us and when he shipped my hand he smirked a weak handshake a trait my father warned me to be cautious about I became instantly weary and disliked him nice to meet you Dan are you a friend of Amy's father though I couldn't pinpoint it something felt off Amy seemed flustered and he exuded
smugness while she was at work later that day I investigated and discovered they had been seeing each other for about a month I even found their love letters with no attempt to conceal it we had agreed to be exclusive but when I confronted her she predictably denied it claiming they were just friends I told her to go to hell and left immediately I refrained from calling or writing to her and avoided answering her calls I discarded her letters without reading them and when her friends reached out I chose to ignore them even when my friends
pleaded her case I instructed them to convey that she was free to pursue relationships and marry whomever she pleased including her Grandpa being deceived is something I despise eventually she sought me out and over time she managed to persuade me to give our relationship a second chance although I agreed I maintained tight control over the situation for an extended period making it clear that any repetition of infidelity would lead to the end of our relationship two years later we tied the not despite our marriage lasting 11 years any threatened divorce my excessive drinking work commitments
and frequent travels had taken a toll on our relationship and she was no longer interested in sharing her life with me we argued and I offered to cut back on work and control my drinking for the sake of our young daughter Sarah Amy reedly agreed imposing significant restrictions while gradually separating our finances and lives she insisted that she was just preparing for the inevitable I expressed frustration that she seemed indifferent to making things work but she simply Shrugged and left the room I was Resolute nonetheless and in the following couple of years she became more
at ease primarily I believe this was due to my significantly higher income in fact I paid more in taxes than she earned in a year and maintaining separate finances only Favored Me enabling me to pursue my own interests without consulting her I acquired a couple of motorcycles a sizable sailboat took flying lessons and purchased a Cess I adorned myself in designer suits and drove a recent model BMW our second home a 50 acre weekend retreat in the countryside was acquired without any financial assistance from her I consistently contributed to household expenses and funded all family
vacations yet still I was living a life she desired a larger share of consequently she eased up I'm uncertain if we ever truly recovered from that period 2 years ago I contemplated divorcing her over time Amy became more confrontational with me she transformed into a shrew and I felt like her subordinate our intimacy dwindled perhaps occurring twice a year and when it did happen it felt more like a mere scratching of an itch for both of us there was no closeness no love I suspected she might have cheated on me but lacked concrete proof I
don't believe she engaged in long-term Affairs just knew one night stands during her work-related travels she became Adept at concealing her infidelity our daughter had recently departed for college and after a particularly harsh and public assault on my character and attractiveness one evening I reached my breaking point I issued an ultimatum either we actively strive to become a stronger more affectionate couple with improved communication and a satisfying sex life where we part ways I no longer wish to exist like two people merely tolerating each other's presence I had to formally serve her with divorce papers
before she agreed to engage in a conversation we argued for days marking the first meaningful Communication in years surprisingly she expressed a reluctance to divorce which caught me off guard in response she vowed to recommit to our relationship and actively contribute to the marriage skeptical I suspected her motives were tied to my financial situation but because of my love for her I eventually acquiesced we established new rules for engagement and communication embarking on the journeys to mend our marriage taking the lead I encouraged her participation yet it felt like I was the one steering the
ship while she remained a passive Observer after a year I expressed my desire for her to take a more active role even occasionally driving although she agreed she continued to stay in the background despite her own grievances which I listened to and acknowledged I made efforts to address each concern I had deep feelings for her and although she rarely took the initiative to enhance our marriage she willingly engaged in everything I suggested leading to improvements our communication improved and we started having more fulfilling and frequent intimacy perhaps twice a week sometimes more while she wasn't
as sexually adventurous as in the early years of our marriage she agreed to try new things and appeared content I felt at ease believing we were content but I sensed she was holding back after her 50th birthday a few weeks passed and our connection seemed to cool off affection particularly on her part dwindled and our sexual intimacy gradually decreased when I inquired she attributed it to work stress promising a return to normaly Once her schedule calmed down however that didn't happen initially I didn't find anything alarming about her late night work hours during projects as
it was a common occurrence however it started to become apparent that it was more excessive than usual and I found myself spending more weekends alone at our country home despite plausible excuses I decided to wait it out and the next 6 weeks we only had sex twice both times at my insistence on both occasions she seemed to be merely tolerating my advances after one session in which she hardly participated she rolled over to sleep and another time she simply left the room during evenings and weekends she went out of her way to avoid me when
avoidance was impossible or challenging she appeared bored at best but more frequently she seemed irritated I recognized The Familiar pattern the Shrew had returned over the past 2 years part of our effort had been dedicated to addressing any arising issues before they escalated into full-blown conflicts even when conflicts did arise we aim to handle them more constructively keeping it impersonal steadfastly pursuing resolutions and attempting to understand each other's perspectives we had zero tolerance for avoidance excuses or nonparticipation our Focus was solely on acknowledging and addressing the feelings of the aggrieved party no more deflecting responsibility
avoiding discussions or placing blame however when I brought up concerns about her schedule lack of affection and our stagnant intimate life she resisted discussing it despite my attempts over several days she disregarded our greed upon Rules of Engagement and communication instead she bluntly told me to disregard the rules and leave her alone suppressing my anger I reminded her that we had deemed these rules important and non-negotiable in response she told me to go negotiate with my right hand and leave her be her message was loud and clear was she Unfaithful possibly while Texas is a
noal state I desired the truth though it seemed our marriage was irreparably damaged and her infidelity might not make a significant difference legally I abored being lied to and this time she would face consequences I had consistently emphasized my stance on Fidelity and honesty I acknowledged that attraction is beyond one's control but insisted that actions are a choice I informed her that if she was so drawn to someone else that she couldn't resist we should divorce first while it would be painful I would appreciate her honesty and respect for waiting until we were legally separated
we could part ways amicably to some extent I promised to extend the same courtesy to her I needed certainty and had tasks at hand approximately 8 years prior to merging our finances I diverted some of my money into an investment account without informing my wife additionally I had arranged with my employer to direct all my bonuses into this newly created account the reason for keeping this information from my wife stemmed from her desire to manage our finances as I believed I could handle Investments more effectively than she could as it turned out my Investment Portfolio
had flourished despite my wife's insistence on filing taxes separately a practice initiated 13 years ago thanks to my long-term employers tax preparation Services we never reconciled on this matter suspecting that she might be concealing money I Justified keeping the investment account secret my intention was to surprise her with the funds during our retirement assuming we reached that milestone in my perspective if she weren't Unfaithful and we decided to divorce I'd willingly divide our assets however if she were cheating that changed the game I needed to find a way to safeguard my finances betrayal and dishonesty
shouldn't be rewarded additionally I had to strategize on gaining control of our joint accounts and selling our Dallas home even though it was in my name she had a strong attachment to it while trying to keep our country property I cherished that place envisioning it as our retirement spot and I was reluctant to hand it over or sell it if it seemed impossible to retain it for myself I was determined to sell it before allowing her to take it after all I had invested a decade in paying for Furnishing and maintaining it as far as
I was concerned she had no entitlement to it I was willing to give her the Dallas house if it meant preserving my country home even though I had initially considered selling it just because she loved it this process would require time and given the uncertainty of whether she might serve me with divorce papers soon I got to work immediately my first task was Consulting a lawyer I reached out to an old college friend who happened to be a corporate lawyer in Dallas we met at a nearby Roadhouse that evening and over for dinner and a
couple of beers I laid out my situation I sought a referral to a family law attorney and his personal and legal insights into my predicament the legal advice he provided was disheartening essentially I was in a difficult position if I pursued a divorce there was no viable legal means to Shield my assets from her despite the lingering influence of Texas's traditional Network that disapproved of Unfaithful wives the concept of no fault meant a potential 50/50 split and a minor alimony payment to Amy regardless of the circumstances it seemed that in the eyes of the law
if she was cheating it was a case of no harm no foul the suggestion was to give her half of everything and watch as she moved in with her boyfriend while I continued to pay alimony he suggested that from a legal perspective affecting my marital status I should refrain from taking any action I looked at him in disbelief he grinned and advised advised don't go for a divorce change the Dynamics instead investigate if she's being unfaithful and if so confront her and her partner make a clean break taking whatever you can with you let her
bear the financial burden of a divorce and try to salvage anything you manag to secure he directed me to a formidable family lawyer someone he considered a shark the only Legal Professional he would fear in his own divorce scenario so plan be it became Amy's free ride was over she continued to avoid me and I let her I stopped inquiring about her schedule weekends or our diminishing intimacy and she seemed to interpret it as a concession it was as if I had resigned myself to the new reality I spent most of my time at our
country home and seldom crossed paths with her strangely it pleased her my new divorce attorney guided me through changing beneficiaries on my my will and insurance policies she also recommended hiring a private investigator saying while Texas may be a no fault state some Visual Evidence can steer negotiations in the right direction I agreed and she suggested an exop with a successful track record her assistant arranged a meeting for me that afternoon and I opted for the comprehensive surveillance package wiring our entire life for sound and video in a matter of days they identified the who
when and how long and began working on obtaining the video evidence my lawyer believed could be crucial in case of divorce a week later I sat reviewing the gathered evidence I experienced more Devastation than I had anticipated and even my backup plan plan be faded from my thoughts the intimate encounter didn't seem particularly special he wasn't better in doubt or in better shape than I am his techniques weren't Superior and most of the time he couldn't satisfy she engaged in the same activities with him as she had with me but her lover took every opportunity
to criticize me verbally she enthusiastically suggested they engage in Intimate acts in my bed which they did she didn't insist on him using a condom and even contemplated a way to involve me in a cream pie scenario since I hadn't shown interest in her for a while they discussed overcoming that obstacle initially he had proposed cutting me off but now the idea of me being intimate with her after he had been excited him as well as Amy I realized I didn't truly know this woman a profound emptiness consumed me discovering your spouse's infidelity and witnessing
it firsthand are entirely different experiences I had no strength left to fight I secured the video evidence and entrusted it to my lawyer for safekeeping specifying that it should be passed on to my daughter in the event of My Demise I prepaid my daughter Sarah's College tuition from our joint savings account later liquidating my investment account planning to sustain myself without restraint I would live off the funds from my investment account for years however our joint savings account was significantly diminished two weeks later I took a final look around the house side and accepted my
decision leaving my keys cell phone and wallet on the foyer desk where I always place them I removed my wedding ring placing it on the pillow of what used to be my side of the bed I departed without speaking to anyone or leaving any letters I walked out the front door without bothering to close it proceeded around the corner entered my new pickup truck and drove away 2 weeks later a married man in his 40s and a father of three was brutally mugged after leaving a Motel 6 ironically known for its affordability although he would
eventually walk again it would take some time and he would have a noticeable limp a month after the assault his wife received a FedEx package containing a video revealing him in a compromising situation with a woman who appeared to be in her early 50s a year later they divorced and he was left financially destitute following my departure I aimlessly drove for 3 days without a concrete plan eventually I stopped in a small town for lunch and decided to stay for a while and rolling in a small community college offering welding classes I pursued this field
and after 12 months I secured a welding job at an auto body shop while lacking official certification I found plenty of opportunities for cash jobs as many people preferred the affordability of an uncertified welder for smaller tasks that certified welders were not interested in taking on I found satisfaction in my job for an additional 4 months before realizing it was time for a change over the following 2 years I traveled across the country occasionally stopping in small towns to engage engage in personal Pursuits and pursue my welding hobby it was a period of enjoyment a
stark contrast to the previous years my position in Dallas had been a source of resentment despite the lucrative pay and my natural proficiency The Daily Grind became a struggle to face each morning I endured it for the sake of my family Amy anticipated My Sacrifice and Sarah deserved the stability Amy valued the financial benefits allowing her to maintain a virtuous image working for a nonprofit organization albeit receiving minimal pay to assist others in reality the organization was predominantly staffed by wealthy businessmen's wives seeking purpose and visibility their high-profile fundraising events were featured in the local
social scene and the staff's extravagant dresses cost more than most patrons earned in a year of hard work it was disheartening as a significant portion of the funds raised merely fueled the next charity event primarily they were helping themselves feel better about their own lives meanwhile I toiled in a job I despised because of my love for my family and the societal expectations placed upon me upon leaving I resolved to prioritize personal fulfillment in all future endeavors over the course of those three years I engaged in intimate relationships with several women while I derived pleasure
from these encounters and genuinely wished for their enjoyment as well my primary focus was on my own satisfaction I had no intention of settling down and if any of them became Overly Attached or posed challenges I easily ended the connection my goal was purely physical I wasn't Seeking a friend or a life partner since then I've moved forward and have no desire to revisit the past I have no knowledge or concern about what happened to Amy the house or the 50 acres in the countryside she made ches in her life and if she's content with
them I can accept that although I Harbor a secret hope that she's miserable and financially struggling I won't actively pursue such an outcome there's a part of me that wishes to reunite with my daughter someday but only if she can assure me that Amy won't be informed unfortunately she's finding it challenging to make that promise and I continue to hold on to that hope as far as I understand Robbie my friend is currently content he left behind an Unfaithful partner and a miserable job and he doesn't spare a thought for his Troublesome ex-wife why would
he return to a situation where he'd end up being deceived and made unhappy again it simply doesn't make sense to me he's now happy healthy and prosperous in all the important aspects of Life his marriage and his wife were the sources of his misery when he finally woke up and let go he realized that the only two positive outcomes of that relationship were his daughter and eventually his freedom he came to the conclusion that he was the only one truly invested in the marriage his wife only brought physical intimacy and nothing more interestingly he mentioned
that after leaving and experiencing relationships with other women he realized that even the physical intimacy she provided wasn't all that great looking back he understood that she never brought her best effort to the marriage not even once she played him for staggering 24 years that doesn't sound like a situation worth sticking around for or returning to hey Kev how about a couple more beers he confided in me that he believed his wife was a certified narcissist so he thought the cruelest indifference became his strategy he believed that would be the ultimate blow to her but
how could he maintain indifference if he remained around her he concluded that by leaving everything behind he would not only convey his indifference towards her but also towards their entire shared life he understood it might take years but he was confident that she would eventually falter and fail and in that he would emerge Victorious Robbie sighed and nodded saying you're quite the Intriguing character Bill and that's quite a story where's your buddy these days I nonchalantly raised my shoulders who knows Robbie probably off somewhere getting lucky or welding something definitely not breaking his back for
an ungrateful cheating woman my guess is he's in Wisconsin he mentioned wanting to visit there wherever he is I bet he's content and not looking to change a thing by the way why doesn't Mrs Watkins just file for divorce on grounds of Abandonment wouldn't that give her control over the marital assets she seems to desire so much it seems like an easy solution to her problem and you could stop searching for this Chazz guy avoiding unnecessary confrontations with strangers in the process Bill there are no assets left to control she attempted to file under abandonment
but by the time she got around to it she lost the house the rural property and her job really what happened and why are you still on the hunt for this guy well she ran out of money couldn't sustain the properties on her income and since she couldn't sell them both places went into foreclosure the house was bought by an elderly couple in the country estate by a company called called cww LLC some kind of metal Arts consulting firm Mrs Watkins lost her job when her affair with a married colleague was exposed damn she sure
seems to have a turbulent life doesn't she Robbie he nodded well bill I apologize for wasting your time but I did find our meeting almost enjoyable he pulled out $40 from his wallet tossed it on the table stood up and offered me his hand no hard feelings none I replied but be more cautious about who you upset in the future consider yourself lucky that I'm a patient guy he chuckled as he turned away after taking approximately six steps he halted and without facing me inquired Bill yes for whatever it's worth Amy still Harbors love for
him she expresses remorse and had hoped to reconcile with him she's in a state of depression indulging in excessive drinking and isn't fairing well women like her truly don't comprehend the essence of Love Robbie their affection is directed towards themselves and the benefits others provide they are opportunistic and capable of considering others driven by greed and exhibit an unsightly nature deserving of any misery they bring upon themselves through mistreating others if she were genuinely sorry she wouldn't continue engaging with other men her remorse course is solely about not being provided for fearing exposure of the
truth about her she's sorry she got caught and that the financial support has diminished if she were truly repentant she might contemplate her daughter's feelings and the suffering caused by the absence of a relationship with her father she might reflect on the pain she's inflicted on her husband and leave him be she doesn't deserve him but she refuses to acknowledge that in her distorted unhealthy world she perceives herself as the the center of the universe where reality responsibility love respect and honesty only matter when they align with her agenda don't you think he and his
daughter deserve better he slowly turned to address me Chaz yes Bob Wisconsin experiences harsh Winters but I do know that Sarah enjoys it there perhaps cww LLC should consider relocating their office to Rylander thank you Bob that's certainly a possibility it just might happen