Some say honesty is the best policy, but in a love triangle, the truth can be as slippery as the romance itself. When you’ve got too many people trying to fit into a two-person relationship, things can get a little too crowded and a lot more messy. Someone’s always sneaking around, another is left clueless, and there’s that one person who just can’t decide where they belong.
Just like our Redditor’s husband who’s playing both sides of the field: he’s got an almost ex-wife he can’t let go of, and a mistress on the side.
More info: Reddit
Cheating is like trying to ride two bicycles at once; eventually, you’re going to fall
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
One woman found herself in the middle of a love triangle with her almost ex-husband and his new lady friend
Image credits: Drazen Zigic / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Despite being separated from his wife, the man keeps trying to initiate romantic time with his wife while maintaining a relationship with his mistress
Image credits: Any-Departure337
Image credits: Timur Weber / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The wife posted an update saying they are not divorced due to financial issues, but they live in separate houses, and she doesn’t want to get back together with him
Image credits: Any-Departure337
The wife considers telling her husband’s mistress he is still trying to hook up with her, hoping she would leave him, as she doesn’t want her around her kids
The OP (original poster) of this story was almost free of her husband’s messy escapades. They separated, stopped playing house, and even put therapy sessions on ice after the OP found out that her man was still keeping his “friendship” alive with the other woman. But the divorce? Not quite signed, sealed, or delivered, thanks to some nagging financial issues.
Oh, and just to clarify, the husband wasn’t playing solo. Nope, he had a mistress to keep his bed warm, who was pretty experienced in the fine art of infidelity herself. She had her fair share of “in sickness and in health” vows, with more than just one partner and had developed a habit of flipping the blame onto them. And, because her own marriages crumbled, she cozied up even closer to our leading man. Classy.
But this dude just couldn’t seem to let the OP go. He stopped by her house with gifts, tried to play the romance card, and even attempted to rekindle things in the bedroom. But when she mentioned divorce, it was like he was allergic to the idea. Oh, the irony.
The mistress was convinced she’d won herself a real prize, yet hubby was still trying to sneak back to the missus. But why couldn’t he just let her go and move on? Well, emotional attachment comes from the basic human need for closeness and connection that everyone experiences, but sometimes it can be a tough knot to untangle.
The pros say that if people form an unhealthy attachment to other people in their lives, it’s probably because they couldn’t find the connection they were looking for with someone else, so they often end up lonely or disappointed. Which makes sense in our story, as the OP’s husband doesn’t seem to want to commit to his side chick and keeps going back to his wife.
So, our Redditor considered cluing in the mistress. Yep, she was pretty tempted to send a little reality check her way and let her know that her “one and only” was still making moves on the very wife he had cheated on. Is it petty? Maybe a little.
But sometimes, when you’re caught in a love triangle like this, a splash of petty justice feels oh-so-satisfying. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure I would have paid the mistress a little visit myself at this point.
Image credits: yanalya / Freepik (not the actual photo)
But this was not just about the OP and her husband—it was also about their kids, who were dragged through the mud by the mistress and her crew. Not only has this woman tried to weasel her way into their family, but she’s also rallied her friends and kids to “stalk” and stir up drama.
The OP just wants a break for herself and her kids, who text her upset every time they have to spend time with Dad and his new “friend.” I, for one, can’t blame her for wanting to blow that truth bomb right in the side chick’s face.
So, to spill or not to spill? That’s the question. On one hand, letting the mistress know her “boyfriend” isn’t as loyal as she thinks he is might feel like sweet revenge. And on the other, there’s the temptation to just walk away and let the two lovebirds revel in their own dysfunction.
But, if protecting her kids from a toxic influence means stepping into the ring one more time…maybe it’s worth it. Because obviously, there’s nothing more important to the OP than her kids.
While infidelity stings like lemon juice on a paper cut for a betrayed spouse, when there are kids caught in the middle, you just know things will get messy. According to experts, kids are emotionally affected by a parent’s infidelity. They may become angry and confused, or even develop abandonment trauma.
When kids get caught in their parents’ conflict, they might even feel responsible for the issue in the relationship, which can cause huge emotional distress. So, it’s natural for the OP to do anything to protect her kids from getting hurt after everything they’ve been through.
What do you think of this story? Is the wife a jerk for wanting to rat out her husband to his mistress? Drop your comments below.