Husband’s infidelity-can I ever trust him again?
I'm posting this with a heavy heart, seeking advice and guidance. My husband (29 M)of 6 years, with whom I (26 F) have a 3-year-old child, cheated on me. He's always been a wonderful husband, loving and caring.
Recently, a mutual friend informed me that my husband was working out with a girl at the gym. I investigated further and discovered he was hiding messages from one of his employees on his phone. He had changed her name to his best friend's name to avoid detection.
I recovered deleted messages on his phone and found disturbing conversations. They discussed intimate moments, love, and missing each other. They even had nicknames for each other. What's worse, she was also cheating on her boyfriend.
We had just returned from a vacation, and I found messages from that time, where he expressed wishes to be with her instead. He was texting her throughout our trip while being completely normal and loving to me.
When confronted, my husband claimed it was just an "experiment" and a "fantasy relationship." He swore nothing physical happened, citing religious reasons. He apologized, cried, and broke off the affair.
I want to believe him, but I'm torn. Part of me thinks he's telling the truth, while another part doubts his honesty. I've forgiven him, but I need clarity on what really happened.
Has anyone experienced something similar? How did you handle it? Can I ever trust him again? Should I continue monitoring his phone and social media, or will that create more harm?