The woman destroyed

 Monique - she is the woman destroyed. 

She has everything. A successful husband who is a doctor and also a researcher. Two grown up daughters well settled in life. A luxurious beautiful home. 

But one fine day, everything comes crashing down. Her husband confesses that he is having an affair with a lawyer Noelle. She is shocked beyond herself. Never having suspected him, thinking his aloofness to be his busy work, she always was very proud of their twenty years of marriage. And she loves him too much. 

Monique pours her out to friend Diana. Diana suggests that in such cases, novelty is the only thing in affairs. And it will wear off. Monique should just have patience and she will get him back.

So she tries doing that. Bearing and waiting for him to come back. But things get worse. He starts spending most evening with Noelle, some weekends too. 

And when she confronts him, he fights and defends himself and his affair. He defends Noelle, her materialism, her thirst for success. He has changed a lot. 

She tries to take him on a holiday to a nostalgic vacation. Tries to rekindle that love between them. Only to realize that even when he is with her, he is not. 

This is the last novella in the book "The woman destroyed" by Simone De Beauvoir. I love the narration style. I loved the book.