Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app
Continue in app Continue in browser

The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here.

Woman Discovers Her ‘Perfect’ Marriage Was A Lie After Opening A Text From ‘Internet Company’
Woman looking shocked at phone screen on couch, reacting to man hiding a secret second family revealed by phone.
37

Woman Discovers Her ‘Perfect’ Marriage Was A Lie After Opening A Text From ‘Internet Company’

52

ADVERTISEMENT

Every healthy marriage is built on a solid foundation of trust. If you can’t be honest with your partner, your relationship is doomed. And once you’ve survived over a decade with your spouse, you might assume that it’s smooth sailing from here on out. Nothing could tear you apart now!

But 11 years into her relationship, one woman had a startling revelation that turned her world upside down. Below, you’ll find a post she shared on Reddit detailing how she found out about her husband’s secret second family, as well as some of the replies concerned readers left her. 

RELATED:

    Spouses vow to always be honest and open with one another

    Image credits: Dimaberlin/Envato (not the actual photo)

    But this woman’s world was turned upside down when she found out that her husband had been living a double life

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Image credits: MikeShots/Envato (not the actual photo)

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Image credits: Anonymous 

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Later, the woman responded to several questions readers had and provided more background information

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Infidelity can cause irreparable damage to a marriage

    Image credits: Getty Images/Unsplash (not the actual photo)

    Marriage is intended to be until death do you part, and couples tying the knot are filled with optimism and excitement for the next stage in their lives. Unfortunately, however, we all know that the honeymoon phase can’t last forever. Somewhere between one third and one half of all marriages will end in divorce, and one of the most common issues that splits up marriages is infidelity.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    According to the Institute for Family Studies, about 20% of married men and 13% of married women admit to cheating on their spouse at some point. When it comes to when people decide to betray their spouses, wives are most likely to cheat between the ages of 60 to 69, and husbands are most likely to cheat between the ages of 70 to 79. 

    As far as why people choose infidelity over ending their relationships, PsychCentral notes that some cheat for revenge or attention. Meanwhile, others might end up cheating when under the influence of alcohol or substances. And many people stray from their partners when they feel bored, dissatisfied or lonely in their relationship.

    PsychCentral also reports that about one fifth of cheaters never get caught and never confess to their infidelity. But when the truth does come out, it can cause irreparable damage to relationships. In fact, Osbornes Law says cheating is the number one reason why marriages end in divorce.

    And it’s no secret that being cheated on can be devastating for a spouse to accept. BetterHelp reports that finding out that your partner has cheated can cause emotional turmoil, trust issues, low self-esteem and even PTSD. It can also significantly impact how a person behaves in future relationships. 

    ADVERTISEMENT

    A secretive spouse is a huge red flag

    Image credits: Fred Moon/Unsplash (not the actual photo)

    ADVERTISEMENT

    In this particular situation, however, it’s not only that this woman’s husband was cheating but also that he was living a secret double life. As crazy as that might sound, this is apparently not unheard of. And Global Investigations notes on their site that they’re experts at spotting the signs that someone might be living a lie.

    The first red flag is if someone is often away from home. Outside of going to work, seeing their friends, going to the gym and running errands, they should probably be at home for the most part. 

    It’s also a bad sign if they have unusual boundaries. For example, if they won’t let you follow them on social media, won’t invite you to meet their friends and family or are unwilling to discuss certain topics, they might be hiding something.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    If your partner avoids simple questions, that may be a red flag as well. They should be open and honest with you. And if their stories don’t add up or they’re extremely protective over their devices, there’s a good chance they’re concealing something that they don’t want you to see. 

    Everyone should feel comfortable opening up to their spouse. And as Verywell Mind warns, keeping secrets from your partner can violate trust and turn a relationship toxic. 

    We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. How would you react if you were in this woman’s shoes? Then, you can find another Bored Panda article discussing similar issues right here.

    Readers were appalled by the husband’s behavior and encouraged the woman to cautiously get out of the marriage

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    After finding out more from her husband’s girlfriend, the author shared an update on her situation

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Image credits:  YuriArcursPeopleimages/Envato (not the actual photo)

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Finally, she shared one last post updating readers on the status of her marriage

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Image credits: Impactphotography/Envato (not the actual photo)

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Poll Question

    Total votes ·

    Thanks! Check out the results:

    Total votes ·
    Share on Facebook

    Explore more of these tags

    Adelaide May Ross

    Adelaide May Ross

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    Howdy, I'm Adelaide! I'm originally from Texas, but after graduating from university with an acting degree, I relocated to sunny Los Angeles for a while. I then got a serious bite from the travel bug and found myself moving to Sweden and England before settling in Lithuania about three years ago. I'm passionate about animal welfare, sustainability and eating delicious food. But as you can see, I cover a wide range of topics including drama, internet trends and hilarious memes. I can easily be won over with a Seinfeld reference, vegan pastry or glass of fresh cold brew. And during my free time, I can usually be seen strolling through a park, playing tennis or baking something tasty.

    Read less »
    Adelaide May Ross

    Adelaide May Ross

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    Howdy, I'm Adelaide! I'm originally from Texas, but after graduating from university with an acting degree, I relocated to sunny Los Angeles for a while. I then got a serious bite from the travel bug and found myself moving to Sweden and England before settling in Lithuania about three years ago. I'm passionate about animal welfare, sustainability and eating delicious food. But as you can see, I cover a wide range of topics including drama, internet trends and hilarious memes. I can easily be won over with a Seinfeld reference, vegan pastry or glass of fresh cold brew. And during my free time, I can usually be seen strolling through a park, playing tennis or baking something tasty.

    Ilona Baliūnaitė

    Ilona Baliūnaitė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

    Read less »

    Ilona Baliūnaitė

    Ilona Baliūnaitė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

    What do you think ?
    Mari
    Community Member
    8 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is a very sad story. It's good for her she didn't have kids with him, so she has never to see him again in her life. I hope she will find new love, with someone who really loves her.

    Paul C
    Community Member
    8 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Thank you. You summed up my thoughts on this perfectly.

    Load More Replies...
    🇺🇦 🇵🇸 TribbleThinking
    Community Member
    8 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Attagirl. That was the best move, to get rid of the sociopathic carbuncle. You can reasonably look forward to more than half a century of life, all clear of him. And you're a catch.

    Anthony Elmore
    Community Member
    8 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    *Psychopathic carbuncle. Sociopaths don't hide their sociopathy. Either way, the guy's f*****g dangerous in more ways than one. I honestly still feel a little sorry for the other girl, too. Psychopaths are skilled manipulators. You'd be surprised (or maybe you wouldn't, iunno) at how many psychopaths are able to rope in normal people and warp them into accomplices. The situation would be horrible enough even if he felt bad, but that level of detachment is alarming on multiple levels.

    Load More Replies...
    ADVERTISEMENT
    Load More Comments
    Mari
    Community Member
    8 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is a very sad story. It's good for her she didn't have kids with him, so she has never to see him again in her life. I hope she will find new love, with someone who really loves her.

    Paul C
    Community Member
    8 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Thank you. You summed up my thoughts on this perfectly.

    Load More Replies...
    🇺🇦 🇵🇸 TribbleThinking
    Community Member
    8 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Attagirl. That was the best move, to get rid of the sociopathic carbuncle. You can reasonably look forward to more than half a century of life, all clear of him. And you're a catch.

    Anthony Elmore
    Community Member
    8 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    *Psychopathic carbuncle. Sociopaths don't hide their sociopathy. Either way, the guy's f*****g dangerous in more ways than one. I honestly still feel a little sorry for the other girl, too. Psychopaths are skilled manipulators. You'd be surprised (or maybe you wouldn't, iunno) at how many psychopaths are able to rope in normal people and warp them into accomplices. The situation would be horrible enough even if he felt bad, but that level of detachment is alarming on multiple levels.

    Load More Replies...
    ADVERTISEMENT
    Load More Comments
    You May Like
    Related on Bored Panda
    Popular on Bored Panda
    Trending on Bored Panda
    Also on Bored Panda
    ADVERTISEMENT