2008 They say that the first year of marriage is the worst and the most decisive for every newlywed. But our first year was wonderful. I decided that I would only start college the following year and Carlos received a raise, so we managed to buy our own car. I took a German course to occupy my time. The good part is that the two of us always had time to be together. We did all the meals at home and looked like two rabbits, now with a little more moderation, although it was difficult for me to uncouple my hands from him. But it was like I said… our first year was incredible... at least until that wedding anniversary dinner. — Happy two years! - says Carlos, kissing me while the waiter serves the red wine in my glass. —Happy two years!- I answer, lifting my cup. I savor the curious dinner to know what he is up to, because we had agreed to spend every wedding anniversary at home with an intimate celebration. — The dinner is wonderful. —I’m glad you’re enjoying it. - replies Carlos,
Just like the other promise, that he would be closer to me, failed. Just like all the others after an argument, many are in our relationship. To avoid wear and tear, I avoided conflicts and focused more on other things, such as the RLC.Red Light Center is a paid game, if you want something in the game you have to buy the VIP package, but when you are new, they entitled you to a VIP month, and to have the sex you need to be a VIP. After a month, you have the option to pay the monthly fee or annuity.I confess that when I signed up, I did not expect to meet anyone. I was just curious to know how virtual sex worked between avatars. However, I ended up spending a month talking and meeting new people than doing virtual sex. When the free month ended, I bought a VIP pass for another month, since I had made many friendships that were just friendships. I spent most of the time playing in the morning, going to college in the afternoon, and the night waiting for Carlos to arrive and eventually
About a week later...Boredom... this word sums up my Saturday morning. No college, German course and especially without Carlos, who is working, as always. And to keep the routine, I turn on my computer that already logs directly into the RLC. I notice that Mr. X is online, but I prefer not to call him , I still need a good dose of caffeine to wake up. I put Talia in a club to dance, and I’m going to prepare my coffee.After I have my breakfast, I go back to my computer and notice that there’s an open dialog window:Mr. X (online) — Good morning or good afternoon... maybe a good night, Talia.Mr. X (online) — How are you?Mr. X (online) —??Mr. X (online) — Are you there, Talia?Mr. X (online) — Why aren’t you responding?I take a deep breath, smiling, and then I write,Talia (online) — Hello, Mr. X, sorry if I didn’t answer earlier, I was having a nice breakfast. I’m very well, and you?Mr. X is typing...Mr. X (online) — I am very well, but intrigued by your profile.Talia (online)
Great, now that we were going to talk about it, he just leaves. I face the screen for a few moments and decide to go out and do something… but what? A weekday, a vacation, without Carlos, the tidy house… there’s nothing to do.Mr. X (online) — I have a surprise for you. Take your avatar to my house.I do what he asked, his house is the most elegant I’ve ever been in the game. I only come here when he asks, since I can commit the rudeness of finding one of his partners at other times. Your avatar holds my hand and leads me to the second floor. Opens the door of one of his rooms surprising me: The designer is romantic makes me laugh. I can’t believe Mr. X is trying to be romantic with my avatar.Mr. X (online) — You didn’t like others because it was just sex without content. I want to show you the game from another perspective.Talia (online) — I didn’t need any of that, really.Mr. X (online) — Talia, just relax, okay? Turn off the automatic mode of your avatar and forget everything ar
About a month later…I believed your words. I can have virtual sex with anyone and have pleasure. A few days later, I entered the game and let myself be carried away by several partners, but the feeling before my first time with Mr. X remained. I didn’t feel anything with any of them. I even had sex with the most popular avatar of the RLC, who seemed to be a wonderful conversationalist. But it was just like before mechanical, no emotion, just words played… Deep down, I knew I was looking for the feeling I felt with Mr. X, and so I would never find anything I was looking for because it is with him. Although I feel that way, I decided not to tell him. I do not want him to know and treat me as one of his numerous partners and throw me away.Mr. X (online) — Bonne Dame du Matin (Good morning, ma'am).Thalia (online) — Good morning. I have news for you.Mr. X (online) — Talk.Thalia (online) — Tomorrow wins my VIP pass, and I decided not to renew it. It was good while it lasted, but I thin
Three months later in…After the Wonderful night I had with Carlos, our routine changed a bit, at least in the first weeks. Then Everything returned as it was before, including the tickets saying that I would arrive very late, not to wait for dinner. So, filling in Carlos’s Absence, I Started Talking to Mr. X more often.Mr. X Always had the right thing to Say at the right time and seemed to have the Answer to all my doubts. Although our age difference was Fifteen, our conversation flowed as if we knew each other all our Lives. Months passed, and our friendship became Stronger… and our “Jokes” more frequent:Dalia Penedo Salazar says:I suck your cock with pleasure, with every lick I feel you stiffer.Mr. X says:Ah… Dalia, you’re too hot. I shove my penis in your velvet mouth, hard down your throat.Dahlia Penedo Salazar says:Your member fits perfectly. Suck harder while massaging your bag, you're delirious with pleasure.Mr. X says:Smiling satisfied, I finally managed to make X en
My college paper is killing me. I haven’t been able to sleep properly in days, and I haven’t been able to write two pages of everything I need. That job irritates me to the point where I actually consider it more serious to drop out of college.— Hi, love. - says Carlos, entering the room. He puts his hand on my shoulder and goes to the bathroom.— Okay?—No, it is not. - I reply, angry, closing the file. — Right is not for me.— Why do you think that? - Asks Carlos in the bathroom.— Because I can’t do anything they ask me to do. I find everything boring...- I shout for him to listen. I bite my lips while I think about the idea I had during those days.— I think it’s best to drop out of college.— What? - asks Carlos, emerging from inside the bathroom and stopping at the door. — Why are you giving up your course?—Because I don’t think it’s for me… I don’t know… things are getting complicated, and I don’t … I’m not good at it.—Dahlia. - says Carlos, turning my chair and looking at my
Four months later...Over time, we became accomplices, and every day my feeling for Mr. X increased. His words warmed me and made me happy.Mr. X says:I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you yesterday. To make up for it, a poem."You’ll know that I don’t love you and that I love yousince in two ways is life,the word is a wing of silence,The fire is half cold.I love you to start loving you,to restart the infiniteand to never stop loving you:so I don’t love you yet.I love you and I don’t love you as I havein my hands the keys of fortuneand an uncertain fate, unfortunate.My love has two lives to love you.That’s why I love you when I don’t love youand that’s why I love you when I love you."Pablo Neruda.As much as I didn’t want to admit it: I’m addicted to Mr. X. He always gave me good morning and good night, always kept himself present, and when he could not, always found a way to talk to me.Mr. X says:Good night, Doce.Dahlia Penedo Salazar says:Good night to you, Mr. X.Mr. X
BRAZIL, MARCH 31, 2015.I'm engrossed in my phone, just a few lines away from finishing the book I'm reading, which, as incredible as it may seem, resonates with many aspects of my marriage. I'm so engrossed in the plot that I disconnect from everything else:"Dália!" my husband calls, drawing my attention. I look towards the wooden door from which he emerges with his charming smile. "Come see."I put down my phone and walk to the door, stepping outside where my husband stands on the sidewalk, looking at the facade. I join him and also start to admire the bold letters:Carlos's Delicacies"It's perfect!" I compliment, admiring the front of our restaurant.Yes, a lot has changed in my life... in our lives. After flying to Paris, we made some decisions. The first was Carlos quitting his job. He insisted on throwing his phone from the top of the Eiffel Tower when he finished his call with Rubens. I did the same with the real estate agency. However, I didn't throw my phone because we need
"Passengers of flight 357 to Lisbon, boarding will take place at gate C... Attention, passengers of flight 357, bound for Lisbon, boarding will take place at gate C..."This was what the announcement was saying when I arrived at the airport just a few minutes before my husband's flight was due to depart. Unlike what you see in movies, buying a ticket to enter the departure area isn't as difficult as it seems, because there wasn't a huge line in front of me, to begin with for buying a ticket."Good morning, ma'am, how can I assist you?""I need a ticket for any international flight departing right now.""Right now? Ah, well..." the young man starts, opening his screen.However, the clerk who attended to me wasn't very fast."Young man, I need to enter the departure area in thirty minutes," I say, looking at the departure and arrival display screen.Knowing my husband, it was unlikely he bought a first-class ticket or even a VIP one. As he always used to argue: at the moment of death, t
After leaving my children with the nanny and taking a shower, I head to the address of the summons, which happens to be Elson's office address. I press the elevator button that takes me to the penultimate floor in a matter of seconds. The panoramic view of the city welcomes me, and then I approach the receptionist:"Good morning, I'm Dália Penedo Salazar and I received a summons for today.""Good morning, Mrs. Salazar. Just a moment to inform Dr. Elson that you're here" says the receptionist.She smiles in my direction, raises her index finger, and then turns to speak on the phone. The receptionist exchanges a few words amid fake giggles and hair tosses, then turns to me, saying:"Dr. Elson is waiting for you in the conference room. Please follow me."She stands up from her seat, adjusting her tight but elegant purple dress, making me question my choice of wearing wide-legged pants and a white shirt. The receptionist says a few things, but I don't retain anything in my mind because al
X...As always, the night with you was wonderful and unforgettable. Your touch, your scent, your kiss, and the way you make love to me will always be etched in my mind. As well as your words...You were very important in my life. I tried to fight the desire I felt for you all these years, and lost the battle several times. You are a part of me; my life didn't make much sense until you appeared, and I'm grateful to you for being my friend, confidant, my lover...It's undeniable that we are perfect for each other, that we have harmony and chemistry... in bed.Our relationship boils down to the bed, to sex, and it has always been that way...A few years ago, I would have given anything to live this relationship beyond the bedroom door, but today I understand that it's not possible, and I know you will understand that too.When you said that you wanted me and couldn't live without me... I didn't feel what I wanted to feel when I heard those words. I know the first thing that came to your
My eyes search X's face for any trace of falsehood. His jaw is relaxed, and his eyes are serene... He turns towards the table where he tossed the envelope and retrieves it. Then he turns towards me, holding it up in my direction.“Open it, so you can confirm what I'm telling you,” he says.I take the envelope while taking a deep breath. My trembling hands struggle to tear the paper... or some greater force didn't want me to discover the truth. I press harder, and finally, it gives way, allowing me to see the report that I unfold calmly. There it is: according to the examination conducted using Carlos's blood, Juan was his son. I breathe a sigh of relief, but then the feeling of regret hits me. I could have avoided the dinner with Carlos if I had opened that damned envelope.“So? Am I right or not?” X asks.“You are,” I whisper as I let my body slide into one of the chairs. I stare at X and then ask what came to my mind. “How is that possible?”“I was born with a lack of reproductive d
Carlos wipes away his tears as he looks at the paternity test. His hands smooth the paper before he places it back on the table, taking a deep breath. His brown eyes lock onto mine, and then he says:“I don't want to know.”“Carlos, please,” I whisper.“Juan will always be my son, and no piece of paper will say otherwise,” Carlos says, pressing his index finger against the paper repeatedly. He hands me back the envelope, wiping his face. “He has been my son for four years, and he always will be. Juan Carlos is my son, he is a Salazar, and he always will be.”“Whatever you say,” I agree, putting the envelope away once again.“Does he know?” Carlos asks, looking at me seriously. His gaze is a sea of disappointment that I can't bear to meet.“No,” I reply, wiping my face. “He has no idea.”“If I were in his shoes, I'd want to know if I have a child out there,” Carlos claims.“Carlos, please...”“He has the right to know, Dália,” Carlos argues. “Tell him.”“Alright, I'll do that,” I affir
“What? How? When?”The sommelier approaches with our waters, pouring them into our glasses while pretending not to notice my tear-streaked face and the tense atmosphere. How did my husband know everything? How? I couldn't comprehend...“Africa,” Carlos reveals, withdrawing his hand from mine and then sliding his fingers through the cutlery without looking at me. “You always had the terrible habit of leaving your things open. When you traveled, I decided to use the home computer for work... I saw it all. Your conversations, your emails, you're asking him to call you...”“Why didn't you...?”“Why didn't I tell you? Or why didn't I leave you when I found out?” Carlos questions, thoughtful. “Simple, I loved you, Dália. When I read everything, I felt guilty. I threw you into his arms, but I wasn't ready to lose you... Give up on you. I was sincere when I showed up in Africa. I really wanted to be the husband you deserved, because if I could manage that, I knew I'd forget that man once and
La Barca looked as beautiful as that day when we came for the first time; that's what I was thinking as the concierge led me to the reserved table on the terrace. He pulls out a chair for me, and I sit down promptly. He steps away, and I find myself admiring the nighttime view of Barcelona while my mind wandered, considering the possibilities. There were chances Carlos might not come or might come with someone else. Even the possibility of being followed, and X showing up there. Regardless, I tried to convince myself to see it through. I place my hands in front of my face, repeating to myself: I needed to put an end to this, I needed to...“Dália?” Carlos calls, standing in front of me. “Is everything okay?”“Hi, Carlos,” I say, adjusting my hands on the table. “Yes, it is.”“Would you like something to drink before choosing your dishes?” the sommelier asks.“Just water, please,” I say, nervously unable to look at the young man.“Wow...”“What?” I ask quickly.“For you to order water,
I spun the envelope in my hands. I had buried that desire to know who Juan's father was many years ago, even now with everything that's happening. However, as they say, the truth always comes out. My fingers would glide over the edges in a simple gesture, and everything would be revealed. All it would take is my fingers coming together and tearing open the edge, and that's it. Simple... easy... Yet, I didn't feel like I was the one who should open the envelope. I didn't feel entitled to do so. I take a deep breath and then place it on my coffee table. Furthermore, I stand up and walk to the hallway, where I grab my purse, open it, and take out my cell phone. I scroll through my call list until I reach a specific number—the number of the person I believe has the right to know. After a few rings, the line is answered.“Hello?”“Hi, Carlos,” I say calmly.“Is something wrong?” Carlos asks, concerned.“We need to talk...”“Dália, if it's about the summons, know that it's for the best this