Aphrodite sat in her window thinking how she could fix this mess, when she was forced to Marry Hephaestus her father, Zeus, didn't listen to her. She didn't have time to explain that Heph was meant to marry another, so now she was stuck in a marriage that was not supposed to be. With a man that thinks he is worthless and Aphrodite isn't a person that can change that.
What few realize is that even though she loves Heph, she lusts for Ares and many of those other lovers she has. Aphrodite reflects what mortal most follow and seek, and while mortals prefer lust over love she has to follow lust, leaving Heph to think that she doesn't care about him, and wants nothing more to be rid of him because she can't reflect her inner beauty and love, while mortals seek outer beauty and lust. She only hopes the time comes that she can truly be who she wants to be, when she can just cuddle up to Heph and tell him what she really feels, what she really thinks, and make love to him.
There are times where she lusts after Hephaestus, the times when he gets angry and protective, she loves how protective he can be over his children, and she wonders if it was possible for her to have his child. The few times she lusts after Heph he refuses her advances because he believes that she will only make fun of him, that she'll just pretend to care then be repulsed by the way he looks. He like so many others think that she only show's outer beauty and isn't capable of having inner beauty that she is just vain, but she doesn't blame him, he's been hurt and rejected too many times to see the truth.
The time finally comes, they were in the middle of a meeting and the demi gods were there, when Hera started going on about family and how one should treat them. Aphrodite blew up on her, but what happen just before was that the demigods in the room truly believed in inner beauty and her favourite couples love, Percabeth, was strong enough to reveal her true nature. When Aphrodite with no make-up on and just pure natural beauty started defending Hephaestus everyone was surprised, the rest of the gods truly started wondering if what they thought of Aphrodite was correct. She didn't revert back to her other form, the fake one.
She truly talked to Heph that night and they made love. She told him how before their marriage he was destined to be with another but that had changed now. She told him how she loved him, how much she cared and showed him that she didn't care about what he looked like. That night was truly the best night Aphrodite ever experienced with a man before, even if Heph was unsure, he managed to pleasure her like she wanted without asking her what she wanted and she gave him everything he wanted and everything he needed just that one night.
Things are much better for Aphrodite now, she isn't isolated from her husband anymore, he doesn't have the same trust issues as before and he understands how she feels and why she acts the way she does. She doesn't question him when he seeks mortal lovers, she is not Hera, and she understands that even though he loves her, she isn't always around and she doesn't mind him seeking to be loved. Aphrodite finally stopped seeing Ares, but she still visited mortal lovers, though not until 24 months after her and Hephaestus first night together because she was blessed with his child. They only sought out each other for those 24 months. When the babe was old enough to be away from his mother for a while she sought her mortal lovers again, she is the Goddess of love and lust not fidelity, her lust element needed fulfilling.
Heph and Aphrodite's relationship worked, they hardly argued and their child grew up loved, they always returned to each other after seeking their mortal lovers. They truly loved each other.