Relationships,CouplesJUN 23, 2025

“[Am I The Jerk] For Not Believing My Wife Didn't Intentionally Cheat On Me?”

There are many reasons why people decide to be unfaithful to their partners. They might have unmet needs, feel resentful toward their significant other, simply have the opportunity to be unfaithful, and more. When caught in the lie by their partners, some might admit to the truth, earnestly deny it, or… find any excuse to shift the blame.

Internet user u/NumberFantastic4992 bared his heart to the AITH subreddit, asking for help after his marriage imploded. The man shared how he found out about his wife cheating on him. However, she claimed to have been hypnotized into stepping out on him. Scroll down for the full story. Bored Panda has reached out to the author for comment, and we’ll update the article as soon as we hear back from him.

One of the most painful things anyone can do is cheat on their significant other. However, far from everyone takes responsibility for their actions

Image credits: Mikhail Nilov/Pexels (not the actual photo)

One man reached out to the internet for help after his unfaithful wife claimed her colleague was hypnotizing and mind-controlling her

Image credits: cottonbro studio/Pexels (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Timur Weber/Pexels (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Timur Weber/Pexels (not the actual photo)

Image credits: NumberFantastic4992

Nearly half of all workplace romances involve infidelity

Image credits: Ron Lach/Pexels (not the actual photo)

Workplace romances are far more common than you might think. Based on the data collected by Forbes during a recent survey, a jaw-dropping 40% of workplace romances involve cheating on an existing partner.

What’s more, they lead to an increase in workplace gossip and may promote favoritism. 50% of workers said that they flirt with their colleagues.

According to the survey, 57% of employees say that their workplace relationships impacted their work performance. Over a third (35%) of respondents said that they don’t report their relationship to their employer. On a more positive note, 43% of these romances lead to marriage.

The main reasons why people seek out workplace romances include:

Comfortability (65%);
A lack of time outside work to meet romantic interests (61%);
Shared workplace experiences (59%);
Convenience (58%);
Similar passions and interests (56%);
Compatibility (52%);
Seeing what the other person is really like under stress (44%);
A more enjoyable work day (38%);
Clear communication (28%).

Sudden changes in your partner's behavior, including increased secrecy, may be a sign that they're unfaithful to you

Image credits: Alex Green/Pexels (not the actual photo)

Forbes notes that 52% of respondents reported that their colleagues treated them differently at work due to their workplace relationships. Meanwhile, 33% said their colleagues were jealous.

47% of employees claim that they have changed jobs just to date a colleague they’re romantically interested in. Moreover, nearly a third of respondents admitted that they create breakup plans with their colleagues so that they’re on the same page about what will happen work-wise if they ever break up.

It’s not always clear that your partner might be unfaithful. A good rule of thumb is to see how much their behavior has changed. To put it bluntly, sudden changes are suspicious. If it’s a significant shift in behavior, they might be stepping out on you… or there might be something else going on in their lives.

According to Shadow Investigations, some red flags that your significant other may be cheating on you include things like secretive, distant, or indifferent behavior, superficial, argumentative, or defensive communication, and an increase or decrease in intimate behavior.

Other suspicious behaviors include closely guarding their phone or computer, changing passwords, using social media more, and deleting call logs or messages. Other signs to look out for include unexplained absences, a sudden increase in workload, new interests and social groups you’re not included in, and changes in spending habits.

What are your thoughts about the entire bizarre situation, dear Pandas? Do you buy the woman’s excuse that she was mind-controlled into being unfaithful? How would you have reacted if you were in the husband’s shoes? What is the most bizarre explanation you’ve ever heard for someone cheating on their partner? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.