Former “Side Pieces” Are Confessing Why They Started Dating A Married Person, And Oh…My God

21.

“To clarify, I am not trying to justify what I did and fully acknowledge it was wrong. I’m just trying to explain what factors led to the situation. I had just started a new job and, after a few months, ended up completely falling for my married boss. I knew it was wrong, and I tried to keep my distance, but we had a bunch of business trips together, which resulted in a lot of one-on-one time. Mentally, I was in a really dark place. I had a string of dates that didn’t go anywhere where I felt rejected and used. I gained 40lbs, and my self-esteem plummeted. Meanwhile, I had this super attractive, successful guy at work lifting me up, telling me I was smart and beautiful and that any guy who isn’t into me is an idiot. Anytime I was with him, I would finally feel alive again, and I felt like we just had magnetic chemistry. He also admitted to feeling the same way towards me.”

“We tried not to do anything, but after a year of tension, we finally ended up hooking up. I knew he was married, and I knew it was wrong. I never met his wife, but I thought she must be a much better person than I was. 

My colleagues had met her, and I knew she was beautiful, fit, and seemed really kind. I was at such a low point in my life that I would take the scraps just to be with him. It was a tumultuous relationship, and I tried to end it many times, but because we literally worked together in a tiny office, and I still had intense feelings for him, it would start back up. 

I tried dating other people to take my mind off things, but I couldn’t because I was so in love with him. I felt trapped and would frequently cry in the office bathroom, knowing I needed to get out somehow. I ended up breaking it off with him, resigning, and taking a $70K pay cut just to get myself out of the situation ASAP.

Then COVID hit, and the new company scaled back their operations, and because I was a new employee, I was laid off. I then spent the next year in a super-deep depression but eventually managed to get myself out of it.

So, I honestly didn’t set out to have a relationship with a married man; I just kind of fell into it over time and made a series of poor decisions. The wife ended up finding out after I had already resigned, and I know she is the main victim here, and I feel terrible that I hurt someone innocent. 

I have since landed back on my feet, gotten a new job, and am feeling far more confident in myself. Obviously, I stay far away from married men, and if the situation had happened now instead of at such a low point in my life, I would like to think I would make better decisions.”

—henriettasthrowaway