How Real-Life Affairs Began
Everyone has a reason for cheating...and as it turns out, they make for some pretty compelling stories.
1. Too Much Info
My father talks in his sleep, and one night, my mom climbed into bed a bit later than him and he started mumbling another girl's name. My mom asked him if he was cheating on her, and in his sleep, he answered yes.
The next day, my mom went to the girl's house, since she recognized the name, and asked her if it was true. The girl confirmed it.
That’s when my mom came up with a plan. While my dad was at work, mom packed up all his stuff and canceled their wedding plans. A few days after kicking him out of the house, she found out she was about eight weeks pregnant with me. My father tried to claim she cheated on him and was trying to baby trap him, but the whole family laughed at him when I was born since I clearly resembled him.
20 years later, I get a phone call from my stepmom saying that she was leaving him as well. She'd given him time to tell everyone himself before she started making calls. She caught him receiving texts from some club dancer at 2 am. I blasted him for the disrespect he showed my mom, my stepmom, and his children. But the cherry on top?
I pointed out that the club dancer he was seeing was my age, which made him a predator. We haven't spoken to him in almost 10 years, and he's never met my kids; that is, his grandchildren. Even his parents have cut him out of their lives.
2. A Hoarder's Secret
I was stuck in a non-physical marriage with a hoarder who didn’t keep up with house repairs. I spent four months drinking bottled water because the well wasn’t safe enough to use.
I couldn’t get out because I was 20 kilometers from anywhere and the car that I was given didn’t run. My co-worker usually picked me up for work, or I walked to the closest carpool lot.
I eventually cracked under the stress of loneliness when my coworker told me he found me attractive. Turns out, my ex was really, really closeted. I wasn’t running on all cylinders after all that either. He’s got a roommate now, the house is fixed, I’m still with my co-worker after 10 years. We all get together every so often.
3. Guilty Conscience
We met at work and we started having fun with my wife. One thing led to another and we started hanging out without her. Thankfully, my wife forgave me and we were able to reconcile. It was the dumbest thing I’ve ever done.
If you’re considering cheating, let me assure you—you will either get caught or (hopefully) be so consumed with guilt that you will rat yourself out.
4. The Encourager
She started telling me about relationship troubles. We grew closer over time, sharing our insecurities with one another and whatnot. Eventually, we developed feelings for each other, on which we could not act...
but eventually, those feelings became too strong and we caved. It lasted for one and a half years.
I tried not to commit to this new thing we developed, but I could not completely let go and neither could she. She jumped between me and her partner. Eventually, I realized my commitment to her was unhealthy.
And I realized (too late) that I didn't want to be the person that made someone else cheat.
