On the day that Noel started work at the Sofitel Gold Coast, he met Melinda, the hotel's pay clerk.
Three days later, Melinda sent Noel an email to his work address "It's nice to have you on board, let me know if you ever want to go for a drink"
Nathan was suprised as Melanie was married. She must just be very friendly he thought.
By the end of the week, they were swapping emails on the hour.
A week or so later, Melinda asked Noel what he was doing for State of Origin rugby league match that night.
"Going to my local pub" he said. "I might meet you there" Melinda told him. "Whats your mobile number?"
They swapped numbers. She didn't meet him there but she did now have his number in her phone.
They started texting daily until about 9pm each night. (9pm was when Melinda's husband James would arrive home).
That Friday night, they went for a drink after work.
Noel had worked at the Sofitel for only two weeks.
By 11pm, they had separated from their colleagues and were sharing a passionate kiss in an alley behind a pub.
They went back to Noel's house and had sex.
Then Melinda called at taxi and was back in James's bed by 3am.
Over the weekend, Melinda sent Noel as many secret texts as she could manage without being caught.
By Monday am, both of them were filled with the kind of excitement that only an affair can muster.
Huge stomach butterflies and a sense of really, really feeling alive.
They had more chances to be together at work.
They took secret rides in the staff lift, kissing and groping each other whenever possible.
They send 100's of emails about what they would do to each other as soon as they were next alone.
They went to secret lunches and held hands under the table.
He sent her flowers to work but had to take them home with him as Melinda could not explain them to James.
Each day was amazing for Noel, but each night was torture as he waited for her texts when her husband wasn't looking.
Melinda increased her lies to her husband, telling James she was at the gym after work.
She started going to Nathan's house for sex. The kind of sex only a forbidden affair knows.
One night she told James she was sleeping at her friend Helen's house. She stayed the whole night at Noel's so they could wake up together instead of her having to leave by 3am.
Another night she told James she had a work conference but actually Melinda and Noel headed to Brisbane for the night so that they could have dinner like a normal couple. They could have been caught. Noel didn't care.
Weeks went by and the secrecy continued.
People at their work were very suspcious.
Noel started to pressure her to leave her husband. He was in love with her and would take her away from her terrible marriage he promised.
She told him she would soon.
Weeks more went by. Noel started driving by their house. One night he got out of the car and listened at the fence.
He could hear them laughing. Like a happily married couple.
He pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind.
One night, she did leave James.
She told Noel that she had come to live with him.
Noel was so happy. He believed this was his dream girl. He wanted to marry her and took her to meet his mum.
The next day, Melinda went home to James.
She sent Noel lots of texts telling him it was he that she loved, not James and that they would be together very soon but she was worried about what people would think.
She told Noel she would resign from work and get a new job and then she would leave James.
She did that.
Noel was impatient and started to doubt her.
He thought that if James knew about the affair then he would throw Melinda out and they could be together.
He no longer thought clearly.
He was consumed by this girl.
He decided to take a risk.
He printed out all the emails that Melinda and himself had sent each other. Detailing sordid moments of their affair.
He paid a Gold Coast Taxi driver $50 to deliver the emails to James.
Melinda was at her farewell drinks from the Sofitel.
James stormed in and asked the large crowd.
"Who the f@uck is Noel and who else here knows that he is f@cking my wife?"
The crowd was silent. Melinda turned white.
She jumped up and ran towards James.
"It's all lies" "I love you"
She went home with James that night and refused to take Noel's calls.
A few days later, Melinda gave James, Noel's mobile number.
James told Noel that he and Melinda were stronger than this and wouldn't be breaking up.
James put Melinda on the phone and told him the same thing. That she was sorry but she didn't have the same feelings for Noel as she did for her husband.
Noel was devastated.
A few weeks went by.
Melinda turned up at Noel's house and they had sex 5 times.
She told him she loved him and she would leave her husband soon.
She went home to her husband.
Noel knew he had being played.
Melinda and James are still married and they have a baby boy.
