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Why is my wife protecting the affair partner?

12K views 101 replies 37 participants last post by  Hopeful Cynic 
#1 ·
To start I had an affair. Then I found out that when I had mine she went and had one. Where I came clean about all and everything she still has not. She does not want to discuss it with me. I don't understand why my wife is defensive or protective of her affair partner and his family. She seems to put them and what would happen to them over us and me.

I also know she has talked with two of her female friends and one guy friend that is older and told them about her affair and mine. She wont even admit she told them when I said something after one of the women and the guy at different times slipped up about it and let info out. I just do not understand why she wont talk to me and tell me the truth when I tell her what I know about her affair and the little I know they know.

Any advice to help my racing mind
 
#5 ·
Mine was emotional after my father passed not a real excuse but she had also lost her father just a few months before. . Not sexual at all. She has not had multiple affairs. She just has told other people the female and male friends about both of ours. It is the her wanting to protect them that is what bothers me most.
 
#25 ·
he just has told other people the female and male friends about both of ours. It is the her wanting to protect them that is what bothers me most.
Really? You're not royally ticked off that she's blabbing about marital infidelity to a number of people?

So she refuses to discuss her affair with YOU but doesn't mind hashing it out with "friends." Got it.

Jeesh! Disrespect much????
 
#8 ·
To start I had an affair. Then I found out that when I had mine she went and had one. Where I came clean about all and everything she still has not. She does not want to discuss it with me. I don't understand why my wife is defensive or protective of her affair partner and his family. She seems to put them and what would happen to them over us and me.

I also know she has talked with two of her female friends and one guy friend that is older and told them about her affair and mine. She wont even admit she told them when I said something after one of the women and the guy at different times slipped up about it and let info out. I just do not understand why she wont talk to me and tell me the truth when I tell her what I know about her affair and the little I know they know.

Any advice to help my racing mind
Because she was getting even. Getting even doesn’t work if she suddenly starts acting like she has something to make amends for. I’d say she feels fine about it and really, there’s nothing you can say. I think your ruined the marriage and she just euthanized it. You both need to move on.
 
#9 ·
To start I had an affair. Then I found out that when I had mine she went and had one. Where I came clean about all and everything she still has not. She does not want to discuss it with me. I don't understand why my wife is defensive or protective of her affair partner and his family. She seems to put them and what would happen to them over us and me.

I also know she has talked with two of her female friends and one guy friend that is older and told them about her affair and mine. She wont even admit she told them when I said something after one of the women and the guy at different times slipped up about it and let info out. I just do not understand why she wont talk to me and tell me the truth when I tell her what I know about her affair and the little I know they know.

Any advice to help my racing mind
Care to tell us more about what YOU did? The specifics of the affair?
 
#10 ·
Yep, @QuietRiot nailed it. You're being punished.

Going further, she may think she's in love with the guy, while at the same time hating you for what you did.
Which means she will protect him instead of you until the bitter end.

Your marriage is toast.
Go to a lawyer and get the ball rolling.
 
#11 ·
We meet on a site for grieving the loss of a parent. She was just there for emotional support which she excelled at. Understood my fathers and my relationship completely. We meet less than a ten times over 8 months. We only talked a few times a week when she or I were struggling with our losses. I cut it off when I started realizing we had started flirting instead of just being supportive.
 
#13 · (Edited)
Doesn't sound like much of an affair as those things go, but only you know where your heart was. And apparently, your wife agreed with you.

This makes me wonder... her affair... was your EA the opportunity for her to boldly continue something that was already started?

Who was the guy? Someone she already knew I'll bet.

Either way, your marriage is toast.
 
#14 ·
Yes it was. It happened right before I ended mine. She came to me 9 days after and told me who it was and that it had happened. But in that 9 days and I guess leading up to it happening is when she discussed it with her friends I mentioned.
 
#18 ·
Yes we never got physical but I would say that before I ended it that it was heading that way. Hers started before mine ended and I told her. She did say she knew about mine before I told her.
So now you are plan B.
She's protecting her plan A.

What she says about it now doesn't matter, she is showing you what's important to her.
She loves him and will not allow you to hurt him.
Thus she has to protect him.

Your marriage is toast.
 
#27 ·
To start I had an affair. Then I found out that when I had mine she went and had one. Where I came clean about all and everything she still has not. She does not want to discuss it with me. I don't understand why my wife is defensive or protective of her affair partner and his family. She seems to put them and what would happen to them over us and me.

I also know she has talked with two of her female friends and one guy friend that is older and told them about her affair and mine. She wont even admit she told them when I said something after one of the women and the guy at different times slipped up about it and let info out. I just do not understand why she wont talk to me and tell me the truth when I tell her what I know about her affair and the little I know they know.

Any advice to help my racing mind
You cheated first, so I guess she figures she doesn't even have to play by your rules anymore.
 
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#36 · (Edited)
OP’s actions converted the closed marriage into an open marriage. There was no longer a monogamous marriage upon which to cheat.

EDIT: I suspect that she knew all along that you were secretly meeting with this flirtatious woman. She felt certain that you were having an affair with her. She had a revenge affair. She told you first to hurt you.
 
#40 ·
Let me ask you a question, if she does tell you whatever it is you want to know about him, will it make it OK? Or will there be something else that you become fixated on?

my point here is that it is very common for people to fixate on something and not be able to let that go and lay awake nights obsessing about that one thing and even if their WS tells them why or who or how or where or when, it really doesn’t help them.

I knew a guy who’s wife cheated and he became fixated that she wore a certain pair of earrings and he couldn’t get passed it and would grill her on why she wore those earrings when she got with the other man.

a cousin of mine’s marriage was crumbling down around them and he knew they were headed for divorce and he strongly suspected she was getting with someone else and he really didn’t care that much and it didn’t bother him that much……. Until he noticed she had painted her toenails bring red and she hadn’t done that in many years prior to the affair and now he was livid.

So I’m not saying you don’t have a reason or even a right to know. But I am saying that your marriage is a dumpster fire and you have a ton of issues and problems and getting the answers you want on this issue will not make a substantive difference in the rest of your problems.

If you two want to remain together and have a healthy and somewhat happy marriage, you will likely need professional intervention and guidance in ALL of the areas of dysfunction in your marriage and not just what the OM’s middle name is.
 
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