Reddit Stories - Betrayer in the Boardroom_ UNCOVERING a SCANDALOUS Affair on a 'PROFESSIONAL' Getaway_

Episode Date: September 1, 2025

#redditstories #askreddit #aita #betrayal #scandal #affair #workplace #professionalSummary:In "Betrayer in the Boardroom: Uncovering a Scandalous Affair on a 'Professional' Getaway," a gripping tale unfolds as secrets are revealed during a corporate retreat, leading to unexpected consequences and challenging ethical dilemmas.Tags:redditstories, askreddit, reddit, aita, tifu, betrayal, scandal, affair, workplace, professional, corporate, retreat, secrets, ethics, dilemma, uncovering, drama, relationships, teamwork, trustBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reddit-stories--6237355/support.

I hope you enjoy this story. Discovered that my spouse was unfaithful with their superior during a getaway that was supposed to be strictly professional, leading to our divorce. Raising our kids alone. I never thought I'd be writing something like this, but here I am, a 38-year-old guy, married for the last 12 years to Rose, who's 36F. We have two kids, Victoria, who's 10, and Travis, who's 8. Up until a few weeks ago, I thought we had a pretty good life. Sure, we had our ups and downs like any couple, but I never imagined I'd be in this situation. I work as a IT guy for a tech company, and Rose is in marketing.

We met in college, dated for a couple of years, and got married right after graduation. Things were great in the beginning. We were young, in love, and ready to take on the world together. We bought our first house, had our kids, and settled into what I thought was a happy life. The first signs of trouble started about a year ago. Rose seemed distant, always on her phone, and working late more often than usual. I chalked it up to stress from her job, she'd recently gotten a promotion and was putting in extra hours to prove herself.

I tried to be supportive, picking up more slack with the kids and household chores. I figured it was just a phase, and things would go back to normal once she settled into her new role. But they didn't. If anything, the distance between us grew. Our conversations became superficial, mostly about the kids or household. Intimacy became rare, and when it did happen, it felt mechanical, like she was just going through the motions. I tried talking to her about it a few times, but she always brushed it off, saying she was just tired or stressed from work. About a month ago, Rose told me she had to go on a two-week business

trip to Europe. She said it was a big opportunity, she'd be visiting several of their international offices, meeting with clients, and potentially setting up some major deals. I was skeptical at first. Two weeks seemed like a long time, and she'd never been sent on such a long trip before. But she assured me it was important for her career, and I wanted to be supportive. The night before she left, I noticed she was packing some clothes that seemed a bit too fancy for business meetings, a couple of cocktail dresses, some lingerie I hadn't seen before. When I asked about it, she got defensive, saying she might have to attend some formal events and wanted to be prepared. I let it go, not wanting to start an argument right before her trip. The first few days after she left were busy.

Juggling work and taking care of the kids on my own was hard, but I managed. Rose would call every night to check in, but the conversations were brief. She always seemed to be in a rush, saying she had another meeting to get to or was tired and wanted to sleep. It was on the fourth night that my suspicions really kicked in. Rose called later than usual, and I could hear music and laughter in the background. When I asked about it, she quickly said she was at a work dinner and had stepped out to call me. But something in her voice sounded off, a bit slurring. like she'd been drinking. The call ended abruptly when she said she had to go. That night,

I couldn't sleep. Something wasn't adding up. I knew I shouldn't, but I couldn't help myself, I logged into our shared cloud account to look at her recent photos. What I saw made my stomach drop. There were dozens of pictures, but they weren't of business meetings or office buildings. They were of rows, in those fancy dresses she'd packed, at various tourist spots around Paris. And in many of them, she wasn't alone. There was a man with her, tall, good-looking, probably in his mid-forties. In some photos, they were posing together in front of landmarks. In others, they were at romantic restaurants, glasses of wine in hand. And then I saw it, a selfie of them kissing in front of the Eiffel Tower. My hands were shaking so bad I could barely hold my phone.

I spent the next hour going through every photo, every detail, hoping to find some explanation. But there was no denying it, my wife was on a romantic getaway with another man. I didn't confront her immediately. Part of me was in shock, part of me wanted to gather more information. Over the next few days, I did some digging. I looked through our phone records, credit card statements, anything I could find. That's when I discovered the truth, this wasn't just a one-time thing. There were texts going back months, charges for fancy restaurants and hotel rooms in our own city. This had been going on right under my nose. I finally figured out who the man was, Matthew, Rose's boss. He was a recent divorcee, known for

being a bit of a playboy. I'd met him a few times at company events and always felt uncomfortable around him, but I never imagined he'd be sleeping with my wife. After a week of this, I couldn't take it anymore. I sent Rosa text with one of the photos of her and Matthew, along with a simple message, we need to talk. Now, her response came quickly, a series of panic texts, begging me not to do anything rash, saying she could explain everything. I didn't respond. Instead, I called her parents and told them everything. They were shocked, of course, but supportive. When Rose finally called, I let it go to voicemail.

She left a long, tearful message, full of apologies and excuses. She said it wasn't what it looked like, that Matthew had pressured her, that she'd made a mistake but still loved me. I didn't buy it for a second. I spent the next few days to care of the kids, but in the same. Inside, I was a mess of anger, hurt, and confusion. I consulted with a lawyer, who advised me to document everything and not to leave the as it could be seen as abandonment and divorce proceedings. Rose was due to return in a few days, and I knew I had to make a decision. Part of me wanted to just pack up and leave, disappear before she got back.

But I knew that wasn't fair to the kids. They deserved better than that. In the end, I decided to stay and confront her. I arranged for the kids to stay with my parents for a few days after she got back. I wanted to have this out without them around. The day Rose returned was surreal. She came through the door, looking tired but trying to act normal, like she'd just been on a regular business trip. The moment she saw my face, though, she knew the game was up.

How long? I asked, my voice surprised. surprisingly calm. She broke down immediately, tears streaming down her face. Between sobs, she admitted it had been going on for about six months. She said it started innocently, late nights at the office, innocent flirtations. But then Matthew had kissed her at a company party, and things escalated from there. I listened silently as she poured out the whole sordid story. How Matthew had pursued her relentlessly, showering her with attention and gift. How she'd felt flattered, excited by the danger and passion of it all.

How she'd convinced herself it was just a fling, that she could stop any time. I never meant for it to go this far, she said, reaching for my hand. I pulled away. I love you, I love our family. It was a mistake, a terrible mistake. Please, we can work this out. I looked at her, this woman I'd loved for so long, the mother. of my children and felt nothing. Just a cold, empty space where my heart used to be. I want a divorce,

I said quietly. No, please, you can't mean that. Think of the kids, think of everything we've built together. I'll do anything, please, just give me another chance. But my mind was made up. I'd spent the last week thinking of nothing else, and I knew I could never trust her again. The woman I loved, the life we'd built together, it was all a lie. I'll be staying with my parents for a while, I told her. I've already talked to a lawyer. I'll work out the details of the separation and custody arrangements through them. She tried to argue, to plead, but I was done listening. I grabbed the bag I'd packed and walked out the door, leaving her sobbing on the couch. The next few weeks I stayed with my parents, trying to figure out how to rebuild my life.

Telling the kids was the hardest part. We decided to do it together. We kept it simple, just saying that Mommy and Daddy weren't going to be living together anymore, but that we both still love them very much. Victoria, being older, seemed to understand more. She asked if it was because Mommy had a boyfriend, which shocked both of us. Apparently, she'd overheard some of our arguments. Travis just cried and asked if it was his fault.

It broke my heart to see them hurting like that. Work was another challenge. I had to take some time off to deal with everything. Rose moved out a month after I confronted her. She got an apartment nearby, so the kids could easily go between our places. We set up a temporary custody arrangement. The kids stayed with me during the week and with her on weekends. It wasn't ideal, but it was the best we could do under the circumstances.

As for Matthew, he faced his own consequences. Once the affair came to light, he was forced to resign from the company. Last I heard, he'd moved to another state to start over. Good riddance. Throughout all of this, I've been surprised by the support I've received. My family has been incredible, helping with the kids and offering emotional support. My friends have stayed around me, making sure I'm not sitting at home alone brooding. Even Rose's family has been supportive of me, much to her dismay.

They made it clear they didn't condone what she'd done. It's been three months now since that discovery. The divorce proceedings are underway, and we're working out the details of custody and asset division. It's not easy, but I'm taking it one day at a time. The kids are trying to process all the changes in their lives. So that's where I am now. Single dad, soon to be divorcee, it's not where I thought I'd be at 38, but I'm hopeful for the future. If nothing else, this experience has shown me how strong I can be, and I'm determined to come out of this better and stronger.

I'll update if anything significant changes. Thanks for listening to my story. Update 1, it's been about three months since my last post, and a lot has happened. I thought I'd give you all an update on how things are going. Rose initially tried to contest the divorce, claiming she'd made a mistake and wanted to work things out. But when she realized I wasn't budging, she changed tactics. Now she's fighting for a larger share of our assets and more custody of the kids. Her main argument is that her affair was a momentary lapse in judgment and shouldn't negate

all the years she's spent as a devoted wife and mother. She's even tried to paint me as controlling, saying I drove her to the affair by being emotionally distant. It's all bull, of course, but it's still frustrating to deal with. The most contentious issue has been the house. We bought it together early in our marriage, and we both want to keep it. I argued that since I'm the primary caregiver for the kids, there with me during the school week, it would be less disruptive for them if I kept the house. Rose countered that she needs the space for when the kids are with her. We're still battling that out. As for custody, we're currently sticking with the temporary arrangement we set up,

kids with me during the week with Rose on weekends. But Rose is pushing for 50-50 custody. Her lawyer argues that her work schedule has become more flexible, convenient timing, right? So she can be more present for the kids. Speaking of work, there's been some drama there too. Remember Matthew, Rose's boss she had the affair with? Well, turns out he didn't just quietly resign and move away like I thought. He's been causing problems.

About a month ago, I got a call from Rose, hysterical. Apparently, Matthew had shown up at her new apartment, drunk and making a scene. He was yelling about how she'd ruined his life, how she promised to leave me for him. Rose called the cops, and Matthew was arrested for disorderly conduct. The whole incident shook Rose up pretty badly. She called me the next day, apologizing again for everything and admitting that the affair had been a huge mistake. She said Matthew had been pressuring her to leave me for months, and she'd been too weak to stand up to him. Part of me felt a twinge of sympathy for her, but mostly I just felt relieved that I was out of that whole mess.

The incident with Matthew did have one positive outcome, Rose finally agreed to a restraining order against him. She'd been reluctant before, not wanting to make waves at work, even though they no longer work together. But now she realized how unstable he could be. As for the kids, they're doing, okay. Not great, but okay. Victoria, our 10-year-old, has been acting out at school. Her grades have slipped, and she got into a fight with another kid who made a comment about her mom's boyfriend. Travis, at 8, is still struggling to understand what's happening. He's become very clingy, especially with me. One particularly tough moment came when Travis asked me if Mommy didn't love us anymore,

since she chose to be with that other man instead of us. It broke my heart to hear him say that. I did my best to explain that Mommy still loved him very much, that adult relationships are complicated, and that none of this was his fault. I'm not sure how much of it he understood, but I hope it helped a little. There have been some awkward moments, though. A few weeks ago, I ran into Rose's sister at the grocery store. She looked uncomfortable and tried to avoid me, but I caught up with her.

To my surprise, she apologized for her sister's behavior and told me the whole family was disappointed in Rose. She even hinted that this wasn't the first time Rose had been unfaithful, though she didn't give details. It left me wondering how much I really knew about the woman I'd been married to for 12 years. The divorce should be finalized in a few months, and then I can truly start this new chapter of my life. So that's where things stand now. I'm still taking it one day at a time, focusing on being the best dad I can be and rebuilding my life. I'll update again when the divorce is finalized or if anything major changes. Thanks again for all your support and advice. It's meant more than you know.

Update 2, Final Update, Hey Everyone. It's been almost a year since my initial post, and about six months since my last update. I figured it was time for a final update to close this chapter of my life. First, the big news, the divorce is finally finalized. After months of negotiations, arguments, and compromises, it's officially over. I'm no longer a married man. It's a strange feeling. The terms of the divorce weren't exactly what I'd hoped for, but I suppose that's the nature of compromise.

We ended up selling the house and splitting the proceeds. Neither of us got to keep it, which was tough, but it was the fairest solution. I've bought a smaller house in the same school district, so the kids didn't have to change schools. Rose is renting an apartment nearby. As for custody, we settled on a 60 to 40 split. The kids are with me during the school week and every other weekend. Rose gets them every other weekend and two weeknights for dinner. It's not perfect, but it's working so far.

The kids seem to be adjusting, though there are still tough days. Speaking of the kids, I decided to get my kids in therapy and honestly they're doing better. Victoria's grades have improved, and she's made some notes. friends at school. Travis is still clingy at times, but he's opening up more in therapy and seems to be understanding the situation better. They both still have moments of sadness or anger about the divorce, but overall, they're resilient kids. I'm proud of how they're handling everything. Rose and I are cordial. We're not friends, and I don't think we ever will be again, but we're managing to co-parent without too much drama. She's still with Matthew,

Believe it or not. They kept their relationship quiet for a while after the incident at her apartment and I had thought they had broken up, but it looks like she took him back and Matthew moved back from the different state. It stung to see them together officially, but not as much as I thought it would. I guess I've really moved on. There was one incident about a month ago that tested our co-parenting relationship. Rose wanted to introduce the kids to Matthew as her boyfriend.

I was against it, feeling that. it was too soon and would confuse the kids. We argued about it for days, eventually taking it to our lawyers and the mediator. In the end, we agreed to consult with the kids therapist, who advised waiting a bit longer. Rose wasn't happy, but she agreed to hold off. On my end, life has been interesting. I've also been focusing on self-improvement. I've lost about 20 pounds, started reading more, and even took a cooking class. It's been nice to rediscover who I am outside of my marriage. And yes, I've started dating again. I'm not being serious yet, but I've been on a few dates. It's been awkward and nerve-wracking, but also kind of exciting.

There's one woman, Erica, who I've been seeing for about a month. She's also divorced with a kid, so she understands what I'm going through. We're taking things slow, but it's nice to have someone to talk to who gets it. The first time I introduced Erica to the kids was an experience. We had planned a casual meet-up at a local park, just a quick hello while the kids played. Victoria was polite but distant. Travis, on the other hand, had a full-on meltdown. He cried and screamed that he wanted his mom, that he hated me for trying to replace her.

It was heartbreaking. Erica was understanding, but I felt terrible. We've had a few more meetings since then, and they've gone better, but it's still a work in progress. There have been some tough moments, of course. The first holidays post-divorce were rough. Splitting up the traditions, deciding who gets the kids when, it was all painfully new. Thanksgiving was particularly hard. It was the first major holiday I spent with it.

without the kids, as they were with Rose. I ended up going to my parents' house, but it felt empty without Victoria and Travis there. Christmas was better. We managed to work out a schedule where the kids spent Christmas Eve with Rose and Christmas Day with me. Seeing their faces light up as they opened presents on Christmas morning, it reminded me of why I'm fighting so hard to give them a stable, happy life, even if it looks different than what we had before. Looking back on this whole experience, I can see how much I've grown. A year ago, I was a broken man, betrayed and lost. Now, I feel stronger, more confident.

Don't get me wrong, I still have moments of doubt. But they're less frequent and less intense. So, I guess this is where my story ends, or rather, where a new chapter begins. Thank you all for your support, your advice, and your kind words to you. throughout this journey. It's meant more than you could know. Here's to new beginnings and second chances. Wish me luck.