Woman's Secret Relationship With Married Man Takes A Dark Turn After Friend's Sudden Betrayal

DEAR ABBY: A close male friend, "Will," ended our friendship without warning. I didn’t know he had such strong feelings about my current arrangement. I have been dating a married man, "Bart," whose wife suggested he get himself a girlfriend if he wanted sex/intimacy/companionship. She also told him she would “never want to sleep with him again”.

At first, I was taken aback by the unusual setup, but I have been honest with Bart about my feelings and intentions. I know that some people might view this as wrong or even immoral, but I have tried my best to navigate this complex situation. After all, Bart’s wife acknowledged her loss of desire for intimacy and gave her blessing for him to seek it elsewhere.

However, my friendship with Will has now been compromised. He cut ties with me abruptly, and I'm left wondering what triggered this sudden change in behavior. I'm still trying to understand what went wrong and whether there was something I could've done differently.

The situation with Bart has also made me realize that there may be more at play here than initially meets the eye. I've started questioning whether I've been naive to believe that I'm not causing any harm in their marriage. Perhaps Will's sudden departure from my life is just the tip of the iceberg.

This experience has left me grappling with a mix of emotions - sadness, guilt, and even anger. On one hand, I feel betrayed by Will's quiet departure, yet on the other hand, I'm beginning to realize that our friendship may have been based on unspoken assumptions and expectations.

As for my relationship with Bart, I've started asking myself some tough questions. Am I being selfish by pursuing this non-traditional romance? Am I inadvertently contributing to the breakdown of their marriage? Or is it possible that I'm simply fulfilling a need that Bart’s wife can no longer provide?

Whatever the case, it's become apparent that keeping secrets and navigating complex relationships can be emotionally draining. As I move forward, I'll be forced to confront these difficult questions head-on and reevaluate my priorities.

Perhaps it's time for me to take a step back, reflect on my actions, and consider the unintended consequences of my choices. After all, relationships are a delicate balancing act, and sometimes, it takes a few wrong moves to truly understand what we want and need from others.