The beauty of
MHB lies in its exploration of a potential life path that, while highly unlikely, still guides the reader into a believable scenario. I think the story is very strong in psychological terms, as it’s easy to immerse yourself in it.
Story-wise, it’s a great game. I agree with Xert13 and Chaotic Justice. The NTR aspect here is not about cuckoldry. Hutch doesn’t like it. On the contrary, he loathes the situation and feels that his world is falling apart. The sad truth is that there are people who are spineless, so while the possibility of a similar story happening is slim, it still lies within the realm of possibility. One example would be polyamorous relationships. In most cases, it is the dominant spouse who initiates this situation, with the submissive spouse agreeing because they don’t want to lose their dominant partner. While the odds are small and most people would not act this way, this is still something that exists in the real world.
Luc77, the chances of anyone acting as you suggested are very slim. Here, I agree with
JoeBlogs that there are many other more realistic outcomes to explore. These could include saving until one finds a better job, starting at a lower-paying position and working your way up, taking out student loans, etc. Regarding Vivian’s behavior, she loves her husband, but her actions show a flaw in her personality and might suggest she is also a submissive type. There are people like that. They might seem formidable on the outside, but if you press the right buttons, they can be like "clay in the hands of the creator".
I’ll start from my household: If Christian had tried this with my wife, he’d probably need surgery, as my wife would kick his balls to oblivion (she’s a martial artist and now a triathlete). Moreover, she would press charges and sue him for sexual harassment. So, I believe most women would react to this situation with anything from complete silence (including not telling their spouse) to a full-blown rage attack on someone like Chrstian.
From my personal point of view, if my wife did what Vivian did, I’d divorce her in a heartbeat. Moreover, if my wife ever suggested an open marriage or polyamorous relationship, that would be the end of the line for me—and I would expect the same if I suggested something similar to her.
Having been married for 30 years, with the usual ups and downs of any normal couple, the scenario you presented is simply outside the realm of possibility.
Returning to the story, good storytelling makes us emotionally invested, which is why you and I have such strong reactions to it. It touches a nerve, albeit not a real one. We think about it and explore the "What If" scenarios (a normal fantasy for a few minutes, with no real connection to real life). We introspect, express our emotions, and then move on.
Now, here’s my take on the story: Hutch feels self-defeated, and due to his lack of social skills (specifically social awkwardness), he feels hopeless and in a dead-end situation. Bear in mind, he has professional self-esteem and would not agree to work in a lower-grade or lower-paying job (a normal reaction to the situation). From his perspective, he feels inferior to Christian and prefers that his wife continue meeting Christian. Eventually, he begs Vivian to return to him at the end of the day. This is not just self-defeating behavior—this is an inability to stand up to Christian. The most striking example of this, without the sexual context, is George McFly relationship with (his boss) Biff Tannen in
Back to the Future.
Having said all of the above, I want to enter the realm of speculation about how dark (yet still realistic) the story could get, and suggest some potentially satisfying endings, ranging from happy to tragic.
Before doing so, don’t forget Addison. She has strong feelings for Hutch and could play a crucial role in the events to come. Unlike Vivian, who succumbs to Christian, Addison strongly loathes douchebags. So, Christian’s so-called charm doesn’t work on her—in fact, it elicits the opposite response. She is much more in favor of guys like Hutch.
One way the story could unfold is that Christian corrupts Vivian to the point where she leaves/divorces Hutch. This would be devastating to both Hutch and Vivian. Eventually, Christian would likely replace Vivian with a younger "toy," casting her aside. This would be a dark, satisfying ending to the story. Hutch would never recover from Vivian’s betrayal and would be alone for the rest of his life (if you want a final dramatic event, he could end his life). Vivian would be tossed aside, knowing that Hutch would never forgive her, leaving her to mourn the loss of both her husband and lover. She’d have time to reflect on her actions. But to make things worse, she might either end up alone (unlikely and unrealistic), marry someone like Hutch (thus repeating the vicious cycle), or end up with a douchebag who would throw her out (karma, right?). This is a potentially satisfying dark ending.
Another option, also dark but more intense, is that Vivian loses her mind as Christian introduces a new woman into his life. In a fit of jealousy, she kills him—only after he has treated her terribly, humiliating her both sexually and mentally. (This humiliation could happen without the jealousy-driven act of violence as well.)
On the other hand, there could be a happy ending. The relationship between Hutch and Addison grows stronger as Vivian becomes more corrupted by Christian. This leads to an inevitable divorce, and Addison eventually becomes Hutch’s girlfriend, later wife, empowering him to stand up to Christian and change his life.
Another happy option is that Vivian leaves Hutch, and Addison becomes the shoulder to cry on, eventually becoming his new wife and turning his life around. A nastier option is that Hutch realizes the situation is unhealthy, "man-up" with Addison’s help, and divorces Vivian, starting a new relationship with Addison while Christian dumps Vivian for another woman.
I have to admit, I can’t see any ending where Hutch and Vivian stay together unless it involves misery and humiliation for both of them.
That’s my two cents.
What are your 5 or 10 VN´s? Question to all who feel addressed
