I Followed My Wife to Catch Her in an Affair on Video, but What I Found When I Sneaked In Was a...

I followed my wife with the intention of catching her infidelity on camera, but what I discovered when I sneaked in was beyond shocking. My name is Jonathan, and the anger I'm feeling right now is unlike anything I've ever experienced. It's a kind of fury that no one should have to endure, and I found myself wanting to confront both individuals involved.

So, what's behind this intense anger? Let me explain. It all started around five weeks ago when I noticed a significant change in my wife's behavior.

It was as if she was morphing before my eyes. She began to reject intimacy, including physical closeness. This immediately raised my suspicions, especially since I had a previous experience with infidelity.

Though I never shared this past with my current wife, I doubt it would have made a difference. By the second week of her changed behavior, I decided to investigate further. I'm not one to hire a private investigator; I prefer to handle things myself.

So, I followed her during her lunch break. When she parked at a motel and headed straight for room 4, I knew she was cheating on me. Her job involved no external customer interaction, so this was completely out of the blue.

Finding out about her affair was painful, but the insults and disregard I had already endured from her were even worse. The man she was seeing was a coworker from a different department who was rapidly advancing in his career. After observing their meetings over the past two weeks, I decided to confront them directly.

I'm too practical to spend extra money on confirmation, so I waited, knowing that my wife was just behind that door with another man. It was going to be a critical moment. I needed to confront them and gather evidence, and with my current emotional state, I could still consider a legal claim for alienation of affection.

Her employer would face consequences for allowing this, and the ambitious coworker might soon find himself out of the picture. I needed photographic proof and then to serve divorce papers to my soon-to-be ex-wife. I had already taken steps such as changing the locks on our house, dividing our finances, and canceling our credit cards.

With all these preparations made, the final confrontation was approaching. I'm unsure how Simone will react. She might feel relief rather than anger, though guilt might linger.

My lawyer, experienced in divorces, believed that any guilt she feels will diminish once she hires her own attorney. Do I still love her? At this moment, I deeply despise her, though I'm also struggling with the notion that she might still love me.

Perhaps this is a severe misstep on her part that could be fixed, but logically I know that's unlikely. I can't accept a betrayal of trust. The love I have for her is part of me still grappling with the shock of this sudden and complete change.

Update: The motel manager handed me the room key, a $1,100 bill, and a promise not to damage the place, which served as the price for obtaining the key. He's a decent guy, and I'm sure it's not his fault that my wife and her lover chose this location for their secret meetings. He also mentioned something about his ex-wife and how there were some similarities between us.

Inserting the key, I quietly opened the door and stepped into the room, leaving it slightly ajar. I aimed the camera and entered the room completely. I love this digital camera, I thought to myself.

I'm so grateful she gave it to me for my birthday three months ago. She was shouting at the guy to get off her, and he was furious, trying to get up. I took several more pictures, capturing her in a compromising position.

Simone was crying, attempting to cover up while he persisted in his foolish actions. I secretly hoped he would make that choice, which made my next move feel quite natural. "Who are you?

Get the heck out of here before I kick your behind! " I declared. "I am her soon-to-be ex-husband; whose behind is getting kicked is up for debate.

I don't think you're going to kick mine. " I moved to one side as he approached, setting the camera down and turning slightly to the right. I allowed him to come up on my left.

Releasing the camera, I began to turn rapidly, and in doing so, I swung my arm forcefully. My fist connected with his face; his feet lifted off the floor from the force of my anger, pain, and just a hint of fear. I was afraid I would lose control and hurt him, and he simply wasn't worth it.

I must have been angrier than I realized. I bent over and checked for his pulse. There was a pulse, so I eased up.

I heard Simone going on and on about something, and then I turned to face her. She suddenly fell silent, fear choking her voice. I could tell she had never seen me like this before, and I must have appeared significantly different from the man she had breakfast with that morning.

"Well, enjoy this situation; he's all yours now. I want nothing to do with your cheating ways anymore. " She sat there, tears streaming down her face, trembling and hugging herself.

She couldn't meet my gaze. I had noticed it happening more frequently lately, but now she knew that I knew the game was over. She glanced at me standing over her lover, and I saw her shudder.

However, her eyes didn't linger on me for long. "Here are the standard divorce papers. I'm filing for divorce.

The locks on my house have been changed. I've set up a bank account with your share of everything. You've been served, and we're done.

Thanks. " I turned and left, hearing her plead with me as I walked out the door. "Wait!

Let me explain, please! " "Jonathan, please. I kept moving; I couldn't let her see my eyes.

At that moment, they were filled with tears, and I knew that if I turned back, I might weaken and deviate from my plan. Too much had happened, and I had too many issues to reconsider. What once was is no more.

When I got home, I found the locksmith patiently waiting. He had changed all three entry locks, and the garage door opener had been reprogrammed. I thanked him for the quick job and gave a $20 tip.

Sitting inside the house that used to be our home, I sat at the kitchen table, reflecting on the years we spent together. I couldn't fathom why Simone had changed or why she suddenly saw me as less than what she once did. I couldn't find a single reason for her actions.

What I did know was that our relationship had come to an end. In the span of five weeks, the pain and words had transformed me into a different person. Unfortunately, Simone seemed to have missed the change as it occurred, just as I had overlooked the changes in her.

The phone rang, and I checked the caller ID to see that it was Simone's mom. I answered, and she inquired, "John, what's going on? Simone came over here in tears, saying that she's ruined your marriage.

What's happened? " I replied, "Well, Doris, it's like this: Simone will need to tell you the details, but in summary, I found her at a motel today and served her with divorce papers. " Doris sounded perplexed.

"Why, John? I don't understand this at all. " I explained, "Look, I'm really sorry, Doris.

You know how much I love you and Sam, and this whole situation is tough on all of us, but it has to be this way. " Tears streamed down my cheeks now; I genuinely cared for Simone's parents. They had been incredibly kind to me throughout the years we were together.

Hearing the pain and confusion in Doris's voice deeply affected me, and I was grateful that this conversation was happening over the phone. I didn't want them to witness my emotional state. Doris persisted, "John, can't you two work it out somehow?

" I replied somberly, "I don't think so, Doris. This is a significant issue—one of those life-altering events that shatters everything. " A solemn silence followed on the other end of the line as Doris tried to come to terms with the sudden and distressing news.

I sympathized with her, especially since we had just had dinner with Doris and Sam the previous night, and Simone had acted affectionately in front of her parents. It had been surprising to me; we had argued on the way to their house, and naturally, I received the cold shoulder on the way back. However, while at Doris and Sam's, we had portrayed the perfect couple.

I didn't want our fight to be visible, as I wanted to shield Sam from the hurt caused by his daughter's actions. Now it seemed I should have somehow forewarned them before taking the steps I had just taken. Sam's health wasn't in great shape given the years of demanding jobs and his history of smoking, which had taken a toll on his well-being.

Although Doris was in good health, she was always concerned about Sam. I felt regretful for not having given them some form of a heads-up regarding this chaotic situation. A few days later, my phone rang once more.

Glancing at the caller ID, I saw that it was Simone's father. I answered the call, and he began, "John, I need to discuss something concerning my daughter's unfortunate relationship. Simone revealed everything to her mother last night, and I was present too.

Can we meet? I want to share with you the exact details of what happened to her. " I had a genuine affection for Simone's parents, so I agreed to meet.

Simone's father then recounted Simone's conversation with her mother when they spoke about me and my decision to serve her with divorce papers. Simone's mother had asked, "Well, Simone, I'm your mother, and John is like a son to me. I'm sorry to hear that John served you with divorce papers; however, you have to tell me what happened.

It's not enough to mention that John found you in a motel room. I want to know all the details. Why were you in the motel, and who were you with?

" Simone explained, "Mom, Jonathan and I weren't getting along as well as we did when we first got married. He had been swamped with work, juggling several projects, and it was taking a toll on our personal life. We had discussed it since it was significantly affecting our relationship.

I knew that in a few months all his hard work would likely result in a promising promotion. Meanwhile, at my job, Greg discovered an error I had made with some employee records. It wasn't a major mistake, but it was a serious oversight on my part that could have jeopardized my upcoming promotion, raise, and career progress.

Greg, being the kind of man he is, used this information and essentially blackmailed me into meeting him for lunch one day. This eventually led to a closeness as a one-time arrangement to prevent the consequences of my mistake. I wasn't thrilled about the situation.

One thing that made me agree was the fact that Jonathan and I hadn't been getting along well, and our intimacy had dwindled over the last six months. It wasn't until that first meeting with Greg that I realized I had also been feeling like I was missing out on some life experiences that others had had. Jonathan had been my only partner, and I had never been with any other man.

Our first encounter with Greg took place in his office during lunch. Everyone had left, as usual, and I stayed behind. Greg had been waiting.

" For me, he had even brought a small bottle of my favorite wine, along with some cheese and crackers. Typically, our lunch breaks lasted an hour, and colleagues would go to local restaurants or street vendors to eat. I usually grabbed something quick from a street vendor's cart and then found solitude at the park.

That first day, nobody seemed to notice our absence. Greg turned out to be much kinder than the initial impression I had of him as a mean blackmailer. That first encounter was a sort of liberation for me.

After that day, I found myself desiring it more, despite knowing it was wrong. Even though I still loved my husband Jonathan, Greg treated me differently, like his possession or something. With him, I could let go and be a completely different person.

By the end of that lunch, I had engaged in activities with Greg that I had never done with my husband. We had just managed to straighten things out before our colleagues returned, and I left his office feeling less angry toward him than when it all began. Later that day, as I tasted his presence on my lips, I couldn't help but think about the next time.

It was an unexpected thought that revealed my desire for Greg once more. Greg also wanted more than just one encounter. The next day, he approached me about it, and we once again engaged in an office affair.

During those encounters, he began making negative comments about Jonathan. Over the next two weeks, a pattern emerged; while we were intimate, Greg would say hurtful things about Jonathan. He even suggested that Jonathan might be cheating on me, given the state of our relationship at home.

I gradually adopted Greg's perspective. Over time, I started belittling and criticizing Jonathan to everyone except you and Dad. I was afraid that you and Dad would see right through me, so I pretended to be a loving wife when you and Dad were around.

Just before the motel rendezvous, Jonathan and I were distant and Greg and I had transitioned from an affair to a full-blown relationship. Greg suggested that using a motel would be a safer way for us to meet until we could figure out a better plan. His wife was becoming suspicious, and he believed someone at work might have noticed how often we were together.

Given that we worked in different departments, we never discussed leaving our spouses; it never crossed our minds. We were simply meeting for physical satisfaction. I failed to recognize that with Jonathan there was love, respect, and understanding.

I abandoned those qualities for physical gratification, lust, and the way Greg dominated me. Jonathan respected me and would never take anything without my full consent. Greg, on the other hand, took whatever he wanted and ordered me around, devoid of any genuine love.

His wife provided the emotional support he needed, while I let my emotional connection with Jonathan wither in favor of the excitement I experienced with Greg. Looking back, I now realize I made the biggest mistake of my life ten weeks ago, and there's no way to go back and fix it. When Jonathan entered the room that day, it took me by surprise.

I panicked, attempting to conceal myself and push Greg away. By the time Greg got up, I looked at Jon's face and saw a complete stranger. There was a look in his eyes that I had never witnessed before.

Jonathan began taking pictures of us while Greg stepped off the bed, muttering something I couldn't catch. Jonathan calmly placed the digital camera on the nearby table where he stood. What happened next left me stunned: Greg began advancing toward Jonathan, making threats.

The next thing I witnessed was Greg soaring about two feet into the air before landing on his back. Jonathan's gaze met mine, and I couldn't bear to look at him any longer. I attempted to cover myself with the sheet, feeling frightened, embarrassed, and, most of all, deeply ashamed.

Jonathan called me a derogatory term and tossed some folded papers onto the bed. I overheard something about divorce papers being served. I stared at the bed sheets, unsure if my husband was going to harm me too.

I was scared, embarrassed, and overwhelmed by shame. Suddenly, Jonathan turned and started walking out, taking the camera from the table. I cried out to him, though I can't recall what I said.

I just remember feeling that whatever I uttered must have sounded hollow. Later, I took a long shower without checking on Greg. I no longer cared whether he was alive or not.

The motel manager came to check on the room; that's when I learned that Jonathan had purchased a key from him. The manager regarded me with disdain. He shared that he had caught his wife with another man in a room similar to the one Jonathan had rented, which was the real reason he had given Jonathan the key.

He informed me that I had really messed up. He didn't need to tell me; I already knew I had just thrown away the best thing I ever had in my life, all because I got entangled in my affair and foolishly believed I had something special. The following day, I arrived at work, and three men were waiting in my office: the company president, the human resources manager, and a man whom I assumed was the company lawyer.

They inquired about how Greg and I had become involved, and I explained everything, holding nothing back. I could see the expressions on my colleagues' faces as they passed by the office—the same looks I had seen when I arrived that morning—and I knew I would be terminated by the end of the day. However, I was mistaken.

First, the HR representative ensured that the initial encounter with Greg had been a form of blackmail. Then they made. .

. "Me sign some documents about Greg and me. I was out of the office and on the street before lunch.

The company couldn't retain me, but due to Greg's initial blackmail, they had to provide me with severance pay. Apart from that, I was let go. Greg was escorted out of the building by security and handed over to the police.

It turned out he had been involved in other illegal activities, which emerged during questioning. Greg was in serious legal trouble. Later, I discovered that Greg had been embezzling from the company in various small ways, such as manipulating receipts from business trips.

In total, it amounted to enough to charge him with grand larceny. Greg's wife left him, taking their three children and returning to her parents' home in the East. Greg was in jail awaiting trial.

Initially, I was asked to testify, but when I spoke with the district attorney, she realized that my testimony would likely do more harm than good; consequently, they decided not to use me as a witness. Greg's lawyer inquired if I would testify in Greg's defense. Once I explained that I would testify about how Greg had initially coerced me into closeness and subsequently drove a wedge between my husband and me, he concluded that I wouldn't be a valuable witness.

"Mom, I honestly don't know how I managed to make such terrible decisions," I admitted. Her mother replied, "Simone, you've committed one of the gravest mistakes possible. You've not only disappointed your parents and yourself, but you've also betrayed your husband.

You, young lady, have completely ruined two marriages and shattered your husband's love. Your actions have sunk to the lowest of lows. I still love you because you're my daughter, but I've lost all respect for you.

" Sam informed me that Doris and he had allowed some son to move in with them. He sounded distraught, which brought tears to my eyes as well. They were good people, and I felt sorry that they had been dragged into this mess.

Update: I understood that if I had warned her parents, Simone might have received the heads-up, and I wouldn't have obtained the necessary pictures. Well, I didn't really need them for court unless her lawyer became confrontational. In case of any confrontations, the pictures would be presented along with sworn testimony from six different individuals regarding their involvement.

I hesitated to call it an affair. I'm uncertain if Simone was genuinely in love with this man or if she initially participated willingly. Her father's statement suggested that Greg might have had some leverage over Simone at the beginning.

My lawyer was making the most of the case against Simone's employer, which had already been filed. While I was preparing to visit the motel room, he filed the case in court and then, within 20 minutes, was on the phone with the company's lawyers, who were quite agitated. Naturally, they were also in denial, but my lawyer mentioned the sworn statements, and suddenly the company took a different stance.

Based on what my lawyer told me, I knew that Simone, her lover, and possibly others involved were likely to be terminated from their jobs the next day unless they could provide a reasonable excuse for their behavior. As for me, I knew that the case for alienation of affection against Greg was strong given his employer's actions. We had sworn statements from three of his co-workers and one of hers about their clandestine activities at work.

Some supervisors at the company had also speculated about them, but no one had confronted them or informed me. We had affidavits from the motel owner and a cleaning lady as well, making it a total of six witnesses of sorts, along with my pictures as concrete proof of the affair occurring during company hours. Their use of the motel had been an attempt to avoid the prying eyes of co-workers.

As Greg had realized, they were becoming too conspicuous. He was also aware of the company's policies regarding workplace relationships and ethics, and my lawyer had gathered plenty of information on that front. I learned that Simone and the other man had been together for a little over five weeks by the time I sensed that something was amiss.

So, Simone had been involved in this affair for just over ten weeks in total. When I confronted them at the motel, the moment I found out about it five weeks earlier had been one of the most challenging times in my life. I'd experienced three of those moments so far, and by now, I hoped I'd never have to go through another as long as I lived.

Leaving the motel room that day left me feeling more numb than ever. Simone was still on the bed crying, and Greg was still unconscious. The motel manager met me in the hallway, and I handed him the key.

He offered some kind words of comfort, placing his hand on my shoulder. "It's tough right now, but it will get better. Better move on, find yourself, and then find someone else.

You'll be okay," he said. I knew it was going to be painful for a while, depending on how much I had loved her and cared for her. "Thanks, I had already figured that out.

" Update: Simone didn't put up any fight during the divorce proceedings. It all went incredibly smoothly. My lawyer and hers I believe were surprised.

She seemed completely resigned, and although I could see she was suffering, at least she didn't attempt to justify her actions. Once the divorce was finalized, the case against her former employer was wrapped up as well. They just wanted me to disappear, and they were willing to cover my lawyer fees, court costs, and offer a substantial sum to ensure that.

Since then, Simone has been facing difficulties. She's alone, jobless, and living with her parents, who have been profoundly affected. " By her actions, adding to her stress, the stigma of being an impostor lingers over her, and it will take a long time to shake it off.

Nonetheless, she has the chance to start anew. I hope that eventually she can move forward and not carry this pain with her every hour. Perhaps she's learned a painful lesson, and only time will reveal.

Greg ended up in jail, and I relished that moment; now he'd experience a different kind of intimacy, hopefully from the receiving end this time. I have no sympathy for him. To me, he's not a man; he's nothing.

He had a wife and three kids. I met her once during the chaos of the divorce, and she was an attractive woman. What a foolish decision Greg made!

He had everything and threw it all away in pursuit of some thrill he must have believed he couldn't get from her. I resigned from my job, which left my employers in shock. They made every effort to convince me to stay, but my personal issues were too overwhelming to continue working effectively.

After doing what they could, they offered me a well-crafted letter of recommendation, which I accepted. I have since found a new job on the West Coast, and I relocated about a year ago. I met a wonderful young woman who's a real keeper.

I still struggle with trust issues, but she has an ex-husband who cheated on her, so we share a common understanding. Story Two: I, a 33-year-old female, met my husband, a 36-year-old male, on a dating site. Not expecting much due to my previous experiences on the platform, which had all been disappointing, most of my encounters on the site had led to casual relationships purely based on physical attraction.

However, when I met my husband, things were different because he had long-term plans and goals. As we talked more, I discovered that we had common goals, such as coming from small families—him having one brother and me being an only child. This similarity made us desire a large family to provide multiple sources of support for our children.

We went on numerous dates, and our conversations were constant. I felt heard, safe, and genuinely happy when I was with him. At this point, I had already stopped using the dating site and cut ties with the people I had been talking to.

I was content and felt like a better version of myself when I was with him. He always encouraged me to improve. I was thrilled when he proposed, but as the wedding day approached, I began to feel increasingly nervous and had doubts about whether marriage was the right decision.

Even close friends told me I was too young to get married and that I might be wasting my youth on one person. On the other hand, my mother assured me that feeling nervous was normal and that my husband was a good person who would take care of me in all aspects of life. This confusion and pressure led me to reconnect with a person from the dating site with whom I had previously engaged in a casual relationship.

We met up, and one thing led to another, reigniting our passionate connection. I never discussed my wedding jitters with my husband; instead, I continued my secret relationship with the guy from the dating site. Even on the day of our wedding, a few months after our honeymoon, I discovered I was pregnant with our first child, who is now 10 years old, and we were thrilled.

My husband was consistently involved in every aspect of our son's life, to the point where I sometimes felt left out. I assumed it might be postpartum symptoms, but instead of seeking professional help or discussing it with my husband, I turned to the person from the dating site for comfort, and our affair resumed. Over the next few years, we welcomed two more sons, currently 6 and 3 years old.

Our family was a source of great happiness, and we were on track to achieve our dream of having a large family. The only thing missing was a baby girl. There were no girls in my husband's family, and I had no sisters, so having a daughter or two would feel like the final piece of the puzzle.

My husband was particularly eager for a daughter, but I wasn't getting pregnant. As time went on, things became frustrating, and intimacy started to feel like an obligation rather than something enjoyable. It became stressful, and I had no one to confide in after my affair partner had to move to another state due to a job promotion.

After attempting to conceive for almost a year without success, we decided to seek help from a specialist. Following a series of tests, the doctors confirmed that I was healthy and fertile, but they suggested testing my husband. To our surprise, it turned out that my husband was infertile, unable to father children.

This revelation raised a concern I had never considered before: the possibility that our kids might not be biologically his. My husband remained silent for a while, clearly processing the implications of what I had just mentioned. The car ride back home was filled with silence, and I was too apprehensive to speak.

When we arrived home, he still hadn't addressed the issue with me; instead, he called my mom and asked her to come pick up the kids. Once they were gone, he confronted me about the identity of their biological father. I attempted to reassure him that they were his children since he had raised them, and I had no knowledge that they were not biologically his.

I made it clear that I would never force him to raise kids who weren't his own, as this was news to me as well. However, he erupted in anger, and we began arguing. He accused me of betraying his trust.

Trust and jeopardizing his health, implying that I had been unfaithful. In my anger, I admitted to the affair, explaining that it was a way for me to cope with feeling trapped and stifled in a relationship, providing me with a sense of vitality and control. I know I'm not the only woman who has faced these emotions.

It's clear that my husband wants a divorce and is planning to pursue paternity tests; however, I don't want to break up our family. If I had known my husband was infertile and that our children couldn't be his, I never would have continued the affair. I feel like I've completely ruined my life and my children's lives by trying to have another child.

I know I've made terrible mistakes, but my children are innocent and deserve a stable family; they deserve a father. I married my husband because I truly loved him, not just for the security he provided. The other man was the only other person I was involved with.

I believed having multiple partners would complicate things; I didn't love him the way I loved my husband. My relationship with him was purely physical. He knew I was married, and we had clear boundaries; we didn't want anything more from each other.

I never imagined that my children could belong to anyone other than my husband, as we used protection most of the time, and I couldn't picture anyone else being their father. My husband is moving forward with the divorce, and we are deep into the process. He refuses to listen to my pleas when I try to talk about the impact on the children.

He insisted on getting custody, arguing that since he's financially supported children who aren't his, he should ensure he gets his money's worth and sees them as his retirement plan. This upset me deeply, and I cried, but he showed no sympathy. My friends say these are the consequences of not heeding their advice and wasting my youth on a man.

I admit my betrayal, but his desire to take the kids away is where I draw the line. I still love him, but his actions are far worse than my mistakes. Things have rapidly deteriorated, and it seems we've reached a point of no return.

We initially planned to settle the divorce out of court, but he refuses to provide alimony and belittles me whenever we meet. He insists he won't pay alimony because he blames me for betraying our marriage and believes our sons shouldn't be raised by someone he sees as promiscuous. They're my sons; he wants to take them away from me, and he has even turned our oldest son against me.

My eldest now treats me with an attitude I've never seen before. Although we were never particularly close, he always saw me as his mother. He insisted on living with his father, and when the judge awarded me full custody, given that they have no biological connection to their dad, he started having issues.

I suspect my ex-husband has influenced him against me. My life is spiraling, and I'm constantly stressed and frustrated. This subreddit is the only place where I feel understood.

I haven't received any alimony payments yet, and my son continues to act out, wanting to be with his dad. I'm at my breaking point. I've managed to keep the house for the kids' sake, but it's getting harder to manage expenses on a single income.

I filed for child support since he's the only father they've known. Initially, he agreed, but now he's contesting it in court. I've insisted that I can't afford another legal battle, and I feel like a failure for having to rely on him again.

At the same time, I miss what we once had.