Reddit Stories - BETRAYED Bliss_ BETRAYAL on a Dream GETAWAY_

Episode Date: September 25, 2025

#redditstories #askreddit #aita #betrayal #dream #getaway #relationships #drama  #friendship #trust #conflict #vacation #hurt #discussion #community #perspective #revenge #forgiveness #communicationSummary:Bliss turned to betrayal on a dream getaway. In this AITA story shared on Reddit, a tale of heartache, trust shattered, and lessons learned unfolds during a vacation meant for joy.Tags:redditstories, askreddit, reddit, aita, tifu, betrayal, dream, getaway, relationships, drama, friendship, trust, conflict, vacation, hurt, discussion, community, perspective, revenge, forgiveness, communicationBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reddit-stories--6237355/support.

I hope you enjoy this story. Spouse brought his colleague on our special vacation while I looked after my unwell mother. I handed him separation documents during our meal. Presently, he is facing significant losses. It's something I never anticipated. Be in this situation, but here I am. My name's Ava, I'm 27, and I've been married to John, 28, for three years. We met back in college when I was studying education.

and he was working toward his law degree. It was a pretty complicated romance, and after a few years of dating, he proposed. Everything seemed perfect. Our wedding was beautiful, and the early years of our marriage were everything I could have asked for. We were that couple, always laughing, supporting each other, and talking about the future. But over the last year or so, things started to shift. John became more and more obsessed with his job at this big law firm. I get it, he's driven, and I've always admired that about him. But lately, it felt like he was married to his work, not me. At first, I tried to be understanding.

I knew being a lawyer was demanding, so I made excuses for his late nights, the dinners he missed, and the weekends he spent in the office. I thought it was a phase, something temporary, and that we'd come out of it stronger. I even started planning a special vacation for our anniversary to help us reconnect. I hoped it would be a way to rekindle what we had lost. Then, about six months ago, John started talking about this new hire at his firm, Molly, 25F. She was young, ambitious, and according to him, a breath of fresh air in the office. He said they worked well together and could bounce ideas off each other like magic.

I didn't think much of it at first. I've never been the jealous type, and I trusted John completely. But as the months went on, John seemed to be spending more time at work. And with Molly. He'd drop her name into conversations casually, like, Molly thinks we should take a different approach with this case, or Molly made a great point in the meeting today. At first, I shrugged it off, figuring he was just excited about work. But then I started to notice changes in him. He began dressing better for work, going to the gym more often, and he'd be glued to his phone even when we were

supposed to be spending time together. I'd ask him what he was doing, and he'd always say, just work stuff. I confronted him once, jokingly asking, should I be worried about Molly? He laughed it off and said I was being ridiculous. But something inside me told me there was more to this than just a harmless work relationship. Around this time, our own relationship began to deteriorate. We stopped going on dates, and our conversations became robotic, all about bills, and day-to-day logistics. There was no spark, no excitement, and worse, no intimacy. I tried to bring it up, but every time I did, he brushed me off, saying he was just stressed from work. I was patient for a while, thinking things would get better on their own. But the more

time passed, the more distant he became. He started working even later, and when he was home, he was distracted, scrolling through emails or texting on his phone. I knew something was wrong, but I didn't know how to fix it. Every time I tried to talk to him, he'd tell me I was overreacting and that everything was fine. I wanted to believe him, but deep down, I knew something had changed. Then there was Molly. Molly with her bubbly personality, who apparently made John's work life easier. I started noticing that whenever John mentioned her, he had this.

Look. I can't describe it, but it made my stomach turn. The final straw came when he missed our date night to attend some work event with her. I tried to talk to him about it, but he insisted I was imagining things, that she was just a colleague. But I knew better. I finally confronted him directly, asking if something was going on between them. He looked at me like I had just accused him of murder. Are you serious?

Molly is just a friend. You're being paranoid. I wanted to believe him, I really did. But there were too many signs. So, I thought maybe a romantic getaway would bring us back together. Our anniversary was coming up, and I planned a beautiful vacation to the mountains, just the two of us. No distractions, no work, no Molly.

I was determined to save our marriage. But just as we were packing our bags, I got the worst news possible. My mom fell seriously ill and was hospitalized. I was devastated. But I told John he should still go on the vacation, that it would be good for him to relax while I stayed behind to take care of my mom. He was hesitant, but after I insisted, he agreed. I thought it would be a chance for him to clear his head,

and when he came back, we could talk about everything. I trusted him to make the right decisions while he was away. The first two days of the trip, we texted and FaceTime, like normal. But then things started to get strange. He became distant again, only sending short, vague replies and often taking hours to respond. I chalked it up to him wanting to relax, but something just didn't sit right with me. Then, one of my friends who was also vacationing in the same area sent me a picture. It was John. With Molly. At the restaurant we had reservations for. I couldn't believe my eyes. He had taken her to the vacation that was supposed to be for us,

our anniversary trip. While I was back home, worried sick about my mom and holding out hope that this trip would help fix our marriage, he was there, enjoying the romantic getaway with her. I was crushed. Since he's been back, I haven't confronted him yet. I honestly don't even know what to say. I've been playing it over and over in my head, trying to figure out how to handle this. Part of me wants to scream at him, throw his things out, and file for divorce. But another part of me wonders if I'm overreacting, if maybe there's a reasonable explanation for all of this, though I doubt it. I haven't told anyone except my best friend, who is urging me to leave him. Update 1, after stewing in my emotions for days, I finally decided to confront John. I rehearsed

what I would say over and over in my head, imagining every possible reaction he could have. Would he apologize? Deny everything? Or worse, gaslight me into thinking I was overreacting. The anxiety was eating me alive, and I knew I couldn't hold off any longer. I picked a Saturday evening when we were both home. I wanted to do it in person, no way I was going to let him wiggle out of this overtext. He was sitting on the couch, glued to his phone, as usual, when I came in and sat across from him.

John, we need to talk. He looked up, surprised by the seriousness in my tone. What's up? I took a deep breath and went for it. I know about Molly. I know you took her on the anniversary trip. His face went pale. For a second, he looked like he might deny it, but then he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Ava, it's not what you think. I scoffed. Really? Because what I think is that you took your workwife on a romantic vacation that was supposed to be for us. Our anniversary vacation. He shook his head. It wasn't romantic.

She was just, she was having a hard time at work, and I thought it would be nice for her to get away, too. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. So you decided to play hero and take her on our trip. Did you even think about how that would look? How that would make me feel? I didn't plan it like that, he said defensively. You told me to go. I didn't want to cancel, and it just, happened.

Just happened? Did it just happen that you were holding hands in the picture my friend sent me? Did that just happen too? He stared at me, at a complete loss for words. He knew he was caught. After our confrontation, John left the house, saying he needed time to think. That was fine by me, I needed time to plan. The betrayal felt like a slap in the face, and the longer I sat with it, the angrier I got.

I wasn't just going to sit around and be disrespected like this. If he wanted Molly, he could have her, but I wasn't going to make this easy for him. I called my lawyer the next morning. I didn't tell John about it yet, but I knew I had to start preparing for the worst. I wasn't going to be one of those women who stuck around, hoping their husband would change after such a blatant betrayal. I needed to protect myself. A few days later, I asked John to meet me for dinner at an ice restaurant. I thought maybe being in a public place would keep things calm. He showed up looking nervous, probably expecting another argument. I, on the other hand, was calm. I had already

made up my mind about what I was going to do. Once we were seated and had ordered, I slid a manila envelope across the table toward him. What's this? He asked. Divorced papers, I said flatly. I've already spoken to a lawyer. John's face turned a shade of red I'd never seen before. Eva, are you serious? You're going to throw away our marriage over one mistake. One mistake. I nearly laughed. You've been emotionally checked out of this marriage for months, John. And then you took her on our anniversary trip. I don't know how you define mistake, but that's not something I can forgive. He looked around the restaurant, probably hoping people weren't listening, but I didn't care. Eva, please, let's just talk about this. You can't seriously want a divorce.

I didn't want this, I said, but you've given me no choice. I'm not going to be the second option in my own marriage. That night, John tried calling me over and over, but I didn't answer. I was done talking. He'd made his choice, and I was making mine. I called my best friend, who immediately came over with wine and ice cream, and we spent the night going over every detail of the confrontation. By the time John got home, I had locked the bedroom door and fallen asleep.

I could hear him pacing in the hallway, probably debating whether or not to knock. But he didn't. I guess he realized it was too late for that. Since then, things have been tense. John is still staying in the house, but we barely speak. He keeps trying to apologize, to tell me that he made a mistake, that he doesn't want to lose me. But I'm not sure I care anymore. Update 2. It's been two weeks since I handed John the divorce papers of the restaurant,

and honestly, part of me feels like I've taken back control, but another part of me is devastated by how everything has crumbled so fast. After that night, John tried to act like nothing had happened. He's still living in the house, which makes everything a hundred times more awkward. We barely speak, and when we do, it's tense. I don't even know how to describe it. He's either trying to apologize and guilt-trip me into taking him back, or he's sulking like a child. I'm not giving in, though. I've made it clear that this is what I want, but I don't think he fully believes me yet. I met with my lawyer again to start the official process. We discussed dividing up our assets, which hasn't been easy. We don't have kids, thankfully, but we do have a house, two cars,

and joint savings. John is trying to drag it out, though, because he keeps saying he wants to make things right and that we don't need to involve lawyers. I also found out that John has an exactly been honest about our finances. While reviewing our accounts, I noticed some weird withdrawals and expenses I didn't recognize. Turns out, he's been paying for Molly's stuff, dinners, trips, even her apartment rent on a couple of occasions. He was essentially funding her lifestyle while claiming they were just friends. I was livid when I found out, but at this point, it just confirmed what I already knew. What's even more frustrating is that now that I've served him with divorce papers, John is trying to win me back. He's pulling out all the stops,

flowers, love letters, promises to be a better husband. It would be almost laughable if it didn't hurt so much. A few days ago, he sat me down and told me he's cut off contact with Molly, that she meant nothing, and that he only realized how much he loves me after I handed him those papers. He actually cried, which is something I've never seen him do before. It was hard not to feel anything, but at the same time, I couldn't shake the betrayal. I don't think he truly gets how deeply he hurt me. It's not just about Molly, it's about the months of neglect, the lies, the fact that I've felt like a ghost in my own marriage for so long. I told him that I couldn't forgive him, and I still want the divorce. He looked devastated, but I had to stand my ground.

He asked if we could go to counseling, but honestly, I don't see the point. I feel like we're way past the point of fixing anything. Of course, the fallout hasn't been limited to just John and me. Our families are now involved, and it's been a mess. My parents are furious with John. They never liked how distant he had become over the last year, but this whole situation has pushed them over the edge. My mom keeps calling me to make sure I'm okay, and she's already told John he's not welcome at family events anymore. I didn't expect her to go nuclear like that, but I appreciate the On the other hand, John's family. Well, there's another story.

His mom called me last week, begging me to reconsider. She said that marriages go through rough patches and that we just need to work through it. She even had the nerve to suggest that I was overreacting. I couldn't believe it. I told her that if she wanted to take sides, she could go ahead and support her achieving son, but I wasn't going to be guilt into staying in a broken marriage. Then there's the whole Molly situation. Word has gotten around at John's law firm, and now people know about their little fling.

Some of John's co-workers, who I've met at social events over the years, have reached out to express their shock and sympathy. It turns out Molly isn't exactly popular at the office. There are rumors that she's been inappropriately close to other male co-workers before, and now people are gossiping about her and John. I've heard that Molly has been avoiding the office ever since the news broke. Speaking of Molly, from what I've heard, things between her and John have cooled off significantly. He's been avoiding her ever since the divorce papers were served.

I think he realizes now what a mess he's made, but I also think he's not fully ready to let go of her. There's been no grand breakup between them, but I can tell John's trying to figure out what to do. I've started looking for a new place to live. I need to get out of this house. Being here, surrounded by memories of what used to be, is suffocating. Every corner of this house reminds me of a time when I thought John and I were happy. Now it feels like a monument to all the lies and broken promises. Meanwhile, John seems to be unraveling.

He's still going to work, but he's a shell of the person he used to be. Some of his friends have told me that he's been distant and distracted, and there's even talk that his performance at the firm has taken a hit. I don't take any pleasure in this, but I'm not surprised. You can't live a double life without it eventually catching up to you. It's clear that his relationship with Molly wasn't worth the price he's paying. I think he's starting to realize that, but it's too late for me. He's tried to talk to me a few more times, but I've been firm in my decision.

I deserve better than this. Update 3. It's been three months since I served John with divorce papers, and honestly, things have only gotten more complicated. I thought I was making progress, moving on from the betrayal, but now everything feels like a giant mess. When I first served the divorce papers, I thought it would be a straightforward process. We didn't have kids, and the assets were fairly simple to divide. But, of course, John had to make everything more difficult. After trying to win me back failed, he's now contesting almost everything, our house, the cars, even our joint savings. His lawyer has been a nightmare, yet he hired one because divorce is not his cup of tea.

They're fighting tooth and nail to minimize what I get in the divorce. The worst part is, John is trying to act like I'm the one being unreasonable. He's even hinted that if I drop the case, we could start over and work through this. He doesn't seem to realize that we're past the point of reconciliation. What really set me off was when he tried to claim that the house should be is because he's the primary breadwinner. Never mind the fact that I contributed just as much financially when I was working, or that I sacrificed my career for the sake of our marriage. His entitlement is unbelievable. My lawyer has been great, though. She's helped me gather evidence of John's infidelity,

and we're using that in the divorce proceedings to fight for a fair division of assets. I've also found out that John has been funneling money into a secret account, which he claims is for work expenses. Needless to say, we're digging into that too. Mediation attempts have completely failed. John's still clinging to the hope that I'll back down, but I'm not going to let him bully me out of what's fair. Every time we have a meeting, it's like a war zone, and I can see the frustration on his face when he realizes I'm not budging. While John's dragging out the divorce, things at his law firm are being spread. Word of his affair with Molly has spread like wildfire, and it's causing a lot of tension.

I heard from mutual friends that some of his colleagues are questioning his judgment, especially since Molly has a bit of a reputation for getting too close to the men she works with. John's bosses aren't happy about the drama either. Apparently, they've had clients ask if John's personal life is affecting his work, which isn't a good look for the firm. There are even rumors that John's position could be in jeopardy. If this gets any worse, he might face professional consequences he never saw coming. It's ironic, really, he gave up his marriage for Molly, and now he might lose his career too.

As for Molly, she's jumped ship. I found out she transferred to another firm after the gossip about them became unbearable. I guess she didn't want to deal with a fallout either. I'm not sure what's going on between her and John. now, but from what I hear, their relationship isn't the fairy tale he imagined. While John's world is crumbling, I've been trying to rebuild mine. I moved out of our house a month ago and found a small apartment in the city. It's been strange adjusting to life on my own, but in a way, it's been liberating. I don't feel like I'm walking on eggshells anymore, and the space has

allowed me to focus on myself for the first time in a long time. But, it hasn't all been smooth sailing. I'm still a wreck some days. I thought I'd be farther along in the healing process, but there are times when the betrayal hits me out of nowhere, and I just break down. I've been trying to push through it, going to therapy, journaling, leaning on friends, but I won't lie, it's been harder than I expected.

The thing that's really shaken me is John's family. After months of silence, his mother reached out to me again. She was polite, but I could tell she was struggling. She told me that John's falling apart and asked if I'd consider speaking to him again, even just to give him some closure. I didn't know how to respond. Part of me felt bad for her, but another part of me was furious that she would even ask me that after everything her son put me through.