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The rat who got trapped

A slip of the finger, and Chris was in trouble...


Published by: Jemma Gillard and Rachel Spencer
Published on: 30 August 2012

Looking up at the screen, I saw it was my boyfriend's turn to bowl. ‘Your go,' I grinned at him.
Jumping up, Chris, 43, popped a kiss on my head before picking up a ten-pin bowling ball.
Soon, he was showing off by pretending it was too heavy for him. I rolled my eyes.
Of course, he knocked down all the pins.
‘Strike!' he roared, giving his daughter Ella, 10, a high five.
I couldn't help but grin. Looking around at my boyfriend and his five kids from a previous marriage, I felt so protected, so safe. He'd come with a big family, and I was so happy and grateful to be a part of it.
He'd given me a real sense of security, something I'd been crying out for since my last relationship.
When I'd met Chris, I'd been in a relationship with another bloke, Ian, 27. Childhood sweethearts, we were about to get married.
Well, that was until I'd walked upstairs to find him in bed with another woman at our engagement party - my best friend, Marie, 25.
Even now, after a whole year of being with Chris, I could still feel the sting of the betrayal as if it was yesterday, picturing them writhing around together.
‘How could you?!' I'd shrieked, throwing my ring
at them. Then I'd run. I hadn't wanted to know the details. I'd just wanted to disappear.
I shuddered now, as I thought back to that time. I'd felt so hollow and empty. But Chris had been there to pick up the pieces.
‘You'll find your Prince Charming,' he'd told me, wiping away my tears. ‘I hope so,' I'd sniffed.
As I watched Chris joking about with his kids, I recalled that first time we'd met, many years before.
I'd been working at my local pub when Chris, a decorator, had walked in with his paint-splattered overalls, dark hair and unshaven face.
Even though he was 16 years older than me, we'd had loads in common.
‘Who fancies a Chinese?' Chris asked suddenly, interrupting my thoughts. ‘Of course,' I grinned. ‘It's our Saturday night routine.'
Later, after putting the kids to bed, we snuggled up together on the sofa.
‘I'm so lucky to have you,' I whispered. ‘So am I,' he grinned, kissing me.
As he sat watching the TV, I daydreamed about all the things we had to look forward to. Maybe we could take the kids away on holiday? Perhaps marriage was on the horizon? Life really couldn't be better.
My career had really taken off now, too. I had also just started a new job as a party planner.
The following morning, in fact, I was just doing some work from home and browsing my emails when my phone vibrated on the kitchen table. Seeing it was Chris, I couldn't help but grin. He was always sending me cute little messages.
That's odd. He'd sent me a picture of an attractive, dark-haired woman.
Is this Chris's idea of a joke? I gasped.
The woman was lying seductively on a bed in black sexy lingerie, with only a dressing gown to cover her modesty.
The more I looked at it, the more puzzled I got. Then suddenly, I froze when I read Chris' words underneath. How fit is this bird? The colour drained from my face. Shaking, I angrily typed back. What the hell is this?
It's just a joke. It was meant for my mate Kristian. He pulled this girl at work, he replied.
So he hadn't meant to send it to me then? I was so confused. There had to be some kind of explanation, though. But for the rest of the day, the half-naked girl kept playing on my mind.
Later, Chris strolled through the door, whistling cheerily. I was so pent up I burst into tears.
‘What the hell was that picture about?!' I cried.
‘It's just a bit of banter,' he shrugged. ‘Kristian is next to you in my phone book, it's an easy mistake to make.'
My head spun. Had he always been so sure of himself, so cocky? ‘I want to see your phone,' I sobbed.
‘No,' he said, looking me straight in the eye.
But I knew Chris. He was hiding something. As the tears trickled down my cheeks, I remembered how I'd consoled him a year before when he'd told me his marriage was over.
‘I'm having trouble at home,' he'd admitted, propping himself up at the bar. ‘Me and my wife are going to separate.'
My heart had gone out to him. Later, I'd provided him with a shoulder to cry on.
‘You're the perfect guy,' I'd told him. ‘You'll make someone very happy.' But as I'd comforted him, I'd realised my feelings had changed. It seemed his had, too.
‘I love your smile,' he'd grinned, walking me home one day. I'd gazed into his eyes and gone all gooey inside.
I'd told myself it wouldn't work because he was much older than me, but no matter how much I tried to deny it, I knew my feelings were genuine.
He had it all - stability, life experience, trust...
‘I like you, too,' I smiled back. ‘But I think you already know that.' Then we'd kissed on my doorstep.
So that's why, four days after receiving the text, I found it so hard to believe that I was looking at the same person now. He'd carried on as normal while I was tortured by thoughts of that woman, and if he was telling me the truth...Was I making too much of it all? Had I overreacted?
Despite what Chris had told me, there was still a nagging doubt in my head.
‘I just don't know what to think,' I told him, tears welling up. Until finally, he cracked.
‘She was a customer who came on to me,' he admitted, head in his hands. ‘I'm so sorry, please give me another chance...'
My whole world came crashing down around me as I realised what this meant.
The life of security I thought we'd had, the future we'd planned together had meant nothing to him. He'd slept with another woman.
‘Get out of this flat!" I screeched, breaking down.
I just couldn't believe it. Chris was worse than my cheating ex. He'd known what I'd gone through before, yet he'd still betrayed me. That's why I knew there was no going back.
Now, three months on, I haven't seen him again. It's still so hard to believe that I thought being with an older bloke would mean another level of security.
Chris definitely wasn't my Prince Charming. I just wonder if I'll ever get my happy ending.

Chris, 42, said: ‘I feel really bad about what I did. Yes, I admit I slept with the girl.'


Krystal Stuart, 26, Leeds, West Yorkshire