If your relationship with this woman was truly platonic and it was simply a buddy system for support, why didn't you tell your wife about her from the beginning?
Yes, I agree with this statement. The moment you decided to hide this woman from your wife and talk to her and meet with her behind your wife's back, it was an affair, you were cheating.
So you both were flirting with each other, but it was by accident because you're so innocent, pure as the driven snow, you were not aware that you were flirting and that she was too. But once you realized you both were flirting with each other, you immediately cut off the relationship. You dropped her like a hot potato. If anyone actually believes that, I might have a bridge to sell you! LOL.
None of it sounds innocent or by accident to me. An accident is forgetting to tie your shoe laces and falling. Forgetting about your wife and falling for another woman is not an accident.
Were there not any grieving men on that website -- a man who was also grieving the loss of his father who you may have related to better? But I guess you couldn't accidentally flirt with a male support buddy.
Also, eight long months. I bet the two of you sat in a malt shop gulping milkshakes for the eight months of your relationship.
Such good behavior, especially for a married man who secretly met up with a woman he met online. If I had any stickers, I would give you one.
What happened to make you think it was heading towards a sexual relationship? Also, could you please define what you define as "flirting"?
You make her sound like the big bad wolf and yourself like innocent little red riding hood.
You said you BOTH flirted with each other. Perhaps you led her on by flirting with her. Btw, was she married too? If yes, did she hide you from her husband?
Maybe if you had offered her the same courtesy, she would.