A mother identified only as Susan has revealed how she felt trapped in her marriage after discovering her husband's infidelity, ultimately finding happiness by having affairs herself after realising she couldn't afford to leave.
The Shattering Discovery
Susan's world collapsed when she discovered her husband was having an affair shortly after she gave birth to their twins. The betrayal had begun over a year earlier, shattering what she had believed was a perfect, happy marriage.
The mother realised she couldn't afford to leave her spouse and provide a good life for her children, quickly understanding she was trapped with a man she could no longer trust. The affair continued around a year later, marking one of several sexual betrayals Susan would endure while raising their young children.
"I thought we had everything. I was madly in love. I would have died for him - I would have done anything," Susan told the Daily Mail, reflecting on her devastation.
Reclaiming Her Life After 50
Years passed with no physical intimacy, the couple sleeping in separate parts of the house. The turning point came after Susan's 50th birthday, when she began chatting with a man in a bar and realised it was time to reclaim her life.
Her first full affair lasted approximately eight months, ending when her partner became single and demanded more time than she could give. Undeterred, Susan saw an advertisement for Illicit Encounters, the UK's largest dating site for married people, and decided to join.
"I thought at least people in that situation are in the same situation as me, who have other commitments and things like that," she explained.
After meeting several people for coffee, Susan connected with a "lovely guy" with whom she's been happily involved for several months. She's even planning a weekend away with him, telling her husband she's attending a training course.
The Financial Trap of Modern Marriage
Susan's situation is far from unique. A heartbreaking new poll conducted by Illicit Encounters reveals that 58% of people are trapped in unhappy marriages because they cannot afford to leave their partner.
Of those financially constrained individuals, an overwhelming 84% admit they would leave their spouse tomorrow if they weren't fearful of the financial consequences of divorce.
Relationship expert Jessica Leoni from IllicitEncounters.com commented: 'Financial entrapment is one of the hidden drivers of modern infidelity. Many people feel they have no real option to leave - the cost of housing, childcare, and living expenses means they're effectively locked into their marriages.'
Susan confirmed she would leave her loveless marriage immediately if finances allowed, but the cost of divorce keeps her stuck with her spouse. Despite her actions, she feels no guilt.
"I don't feel any guilt whatsoever," Susan stated. "We sleep separately; we have done for a long, long time. He pretty much lives in one part of the house and I live in the other."
She added: "I'm at the stage where I'm not going to tell [my husband], but if he ever found out I'd just be like, well, pot and kettle."
A Parallel Story: Anthony's Experience
The survey also uncovered Anthony's story, a 53-year-old business consultant who has been cheating on his wife for several months after years of feeling "invisible" in his relationship.
Like Susan, Anthony would prefer a divorce but fears his spouse would take "half of what I've spent my life building."
"I've worked hard to build a career and a comfortable life, but divorce would mean losing half of everything," Anthony explained. "I'd have to essentially start again at 53. That fear keeps me in the marriage, even though the love is long gone."
Anthony described his affair as both emotional and physical, emphasising that the emotional connection was what he had been missing most in his marriage.
"The physical connection is incredible, of course... it reminds you that you're still alive," he said. "But what I was truly starved of was the emotional intimacy."
Despite feeling some guilt, Anthony believes his actions are justified after years of trying to fix his broken relationship.
The Illicit Encounters survey of 2,000 members confirmed this pattern is widespread, with financial concerns being the primary factor keeping people in unhappy marriages.
For Susan, her new relationship has brought genuine happiness. "I am very happy now. I wasn't happy when I wasn't having an affair," she revealed. "Now, I smile all day, all the time, and I can't wait to get up."
Her lover is also married, and while they're not making definite plans, they haven't ruled out a future together when Susan's children are older.
