Part 2/7:
Alex believed he had a healthy marriage with Laura, who promised to cut ties with her ex-boyfriend, Benjamin. For years, he trusted her assurances that she had moved on from a toxic past. Yet, unbeknownst to him, Laura had been lying. She maintained contact with Benjamin while painting him as a toxic figure, something that many women tend to do—diminishing past relationships as harmful while simultaneously keeping the door open.
The couple’s history was unconventional from the start. They both entered their respective marriages with open relationships and later formed their current bond. This foundation of non-monogamy set a troubling precedent, as it indicated a lack of commitment that would later rear its head in their marriage.