After reading some of the posts, and pondering the matter. I had to bring something up. One of the most famous OW's was Nicole Brown Simpson. OJ Simpson's second wife. I believe that he killed her, but that's not my point. And, least we not forget Leona Helmsley the tax evading OW from Hell. But, I won't go there. On with Nicole.
You didn't read about him being abusive to his first wife. I thought that this was odd. He was abusive to Nicole, but not the first one. Why?
Because he could trust his first wife. Nicole did indeed have a brief affair with Ron Goldman, the kid that was killed with her.
This really begs the question:
How do they really treat the OP, and how are they treated when we aren't around to see?
Yes, in the beginning they get treated like they are angels, and treat us like we're the devil himself. But, think about it for a moment. If they're really so happy, then why can't they treat us with dignity and respect while with the OP? They treat us like we deserve whatever they do to us, even though they are the ones in the wrong.
Why the abject cruelty that many of us have been faced with? I mean, if they're really so happy, fulfilled, etc...then why not just leave without all the fanfare? Why the limbo of Clinging or Vanishing?
I read on another website about a woman who has stayed with her OM for the past 17yrs and regrets leaving her XH. Why did she stay with the OM?
Because she didn't want to be alone. So, I don't think that any who stay with the OP does if for love, or because they're happy. Based on everything that I've read, it's due to desperation. Pure and simple. By the way, XH is thriving now that she's gone ( pay attention gentlemen, success is truly the best revenge ), and she's the one miserable.
They had a good spouse, and left because they didn't want to deal with themselves, and got stuck. They're miserable, and they can't get out. They stayed because there was no where else to go. When there's no where else to go, you have no choice but to stay put. They didn't want to humble themselves and admit that they made a mistake, and worse: were wrong. They don't want to have to face that fact that it was their inner demons that caused this, and now the demons have won.
Just my 2cents.
-You just can't make this s*it up.
-Not my circus, not my monkeys!