The other night I read a story about a woman who is catching feelings for her boss. When I read it I laughed in pain because the same thing happened to me. This is my story. I hope someone reads it and picks a lesson or two from it. James and I met in college when we were both young. Neither of us had done it before so we agreed not to do it until marriage. Our relationship was a smooth ride. How could it not be? When I was with such a loving man as James.
He is the kind of man you wouldn’t easily find fault with. You would have to say ten good things about him before you get one bad thing to say about him. While we were in school, I didn’t joke with my books. I was determined to graduate with a good class so I would get a good job. And we graduated with a good class. James got a job after school, while I didn’t.
When he proposed that we get married, I worried that my lack of financial independence would pose problems in the marriage but James proved me wrong. Right from the time we got married in 2014, to 2019, I was unemployed. While he took good care of me and our daughter, I was unhappy. I wanted to work so I could also earn my own money. Five years into the marriage, I finally got the job. He was even happier about it than I was. By then we had our daughter, but I found a way to make motherhood, being a wife, and a career woman work. I was able to do it all because I had the support of my husband. Three months into the job, I started getting close to the boss.
First, it started with compliments, then it graduated to flirtations. I don’t know when it happened but along the line, I caught feelings for my boss. It got to a point where we started sending each other dirty texts late at night. I started sending him regular pictures of me, then pictures of me provocatively dressed, and then nudes. One night James asked me out of nowhere, “Are you cheating on me?” I was so shocked I said no. I asked him, “Why are asking?” He didn’t answer me. He just went to sleep. I didn’t think much of it and carried on with my life. Things with my boss continued getting more intense until one night we were in his car when he kissed me. I liked it so I kissed him back.
We drove to a motel that night and did it. I felt very bad when I realized that I just cheated on my good husband. When I got home, James was waiting for me with questions, “Where are you coming from?” I lied, “Traffic was very bad today so I delayed.” He got angry and called me a liar. Earlier that day, I called him to come and pick me up from work because my car broke down. But he said he wouldn’t be able to make it. So I asked my boss for a ride. It turned out James changed his mind and showed up, only to find me entering my boss’s car. He said he saw us in the car kissing.
To my horror, he showed me pictures on his phone. It was pictures of me and my boss doing it in the motel. Honestly, I don’t know if he took those pictures himself or if he got someone to take them for him. To date, how he got those photos remains a mystery to me. To say that I was ashamed is an understatement. I knelt down and begged for my husband’s forgiveness but he didn’t want to see me. He only kept on saying, “The two of you will regret what you have done.”
My husband is also a big person in Accra so he has influence. Soon, word spread in my workplace that my boss slept with a married employee and there was pictorial evidence. My boss was forced to resign while I got fired. All this happened within a week.
The following week my husband served me the divorce papers. I begged and begged but he wouldn’t change his mind. He was a completely different man from the person I married. I hated the man he had become. And I hated myself more for the role I played in his change. We got divorced and he was given custody of our daughter. Actually,, he blackmailed me with those motel photos, so I let him have her. I only see my daughter once or twice a week. But recently, James allowed us to spend more time together so I hope things will get better.
It wasn’t easy for me to get a job again. It seemed everyone in our industry knew my story. As for my boss, he lost everything; his job, his connections and reputation. James met another woman and they got married in this year January. I see them and I get jealous. I hate myself for pushing away a good man just for the sake of my selfish desires. Honestly, I still love James.
I don’t think I ever stopped loving him. A few days ago I decided to risk it and I told him I was still in love with him. He responded, “So why did you cheat on me?” I had no answer. I just broke down in tears. I lost a good man because I thought I could have it all.
