20 Questions

Questions to Ask Your Cheating Husband

Difficult but important questions to ask your cheating husband to understand what happened, assess the relationship, and decide your path forward.

1

Why did you choose to have an affair instead of talking to me about our problems?

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Why this works

Helps you understand their decision-making process and whether they considered other options before betraying your trust.

2

How long has this been going on and when did it start?

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Why this works

Gives you a timeline and helps you understand the full extent of the betrayal and deception.

3

Who is the other person and how did you meet them?

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Why this works

Provides context about the affair and helps you understand the circumstances that led to the infidelity.

4

Have you had other affairs during our relationship?

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Why this works

Helps you understand whether this is an isolated incident or a pattern of behavior, which affects your decision about the relationship.

5

What was missing in our relationship that led you to seek it elsewhere?

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Why this works

Reveals their perspective on relationship problems and helps you understand what they felt was lacking in your marriage.

6

Do you want to save our marriage or do you want to be with the other person?

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Why this works

Forces them to be honest about their intentions and helps you understand whether they're committed to repairing the relationship.

7

Are you willing to end the affair completely and commit to rebuilding our trust?

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Why this works

Shows their commitment to the relationship and helps you assess whether they're serious about reconciliation.

8

Are you willing to go to counseling and do the work to repair our relationship?

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Why this works

Demonstrates their commitment to change and helps you understand whether they're willing to put in the effort needed for healing.

9

How do you plan to rebuild my trust after breaking it so completely?

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Why this works

Shows whether they understand the damage they've caused and have a realistic plan for earning back your trust.

10

What do you think I should do now and why should I stay with you?

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Why this works

Forces them to consider your perspective and articulate why the relationship is worth saving.

11

Are there any other secrets or lies I should know about?

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Why this works

Ensures full disclosure and helps you understand the complete truth before making decisions about your future.

12

How did you justify this to yourself while you were doing it?

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Why this works

Reveals their moral reasoning and helps you understand how they rationalized their behavior.

13

Did you think about me or our family while you were having the affair?

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Why this works

Shows their awareness of the impact on you and your family, revealing their empathy and consideration.

14

What would you do if the situation were reversed and I had cheated?

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Why this works

Forces them to consider your perspective and helps them understand the pain they've caused.

15

Are you willing to be completely transparent and accountable going forward?

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Why this works

Shows their willingness to earn back trust through transparency and helps you assess their commitment to change.

16

What do you think needs to change in our relationship to prevent this from happening again?

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Why this works

Reveals their understanding of relationship problems and helps you assess whether they have realistic ideas for improvement.

17

How do you plan to handle temptation and difficult situations in the future?

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Why this works

Shows whether they've thought about how to avoid similar situations and helps you assess their maturity and commitment.

18

Are you willing to give me the time and space I need to process this?

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Why this works

Demonstrates their respect for your needs and helps you understand whether they're willing to be patient during your healing process.

19

What do you love about me and why do you want to stay married?

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Why this works

Helps you understand whether they still value the relationship and have genuine reasons for wanting to stay together.

20

What are you willing to do to prove that this will never happen again?

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Why this works

Shows their commitment to change and helps you assess whether they're willing to take concrete actions to prevent future infidelity.

Best Practices for Discussing Infidelity

Expert tips and techniques for getting the most out of these questions.

Best Practices

Prioritize Your Safety and Wellbeing

Make sure you're emotionally and physically safe before having these conversations. Consider having a support system in place and don't rush the process.

Seek Professional Support

Consider working with a therapist or counselor who specializes in infidelity. They can help you navigate these difficult conversations and make informed decisions.

Take Your Time

Don't feel pressured to make immediate decisions. Give yourself time to process the information and your emotions before deciding about your future.

Question Sequences

The Truth Discovery Sequence

1
How long has this been going on?
2
Who is the other person?
3
Have you had other affairs?

The Future Planning Sequence

1
Do you want to save our marriage?
2
Are you willing to go to counseling?
3
What needs to change to prevent this from happening again?

Common Pitfalls

Don't Blame Yourself

Infidelity is a choice made by the person who cheated. While relationships have problems, cheating is never your fault.

Don't Accept Half-Truths

Insist on complete honesty. Partial truths and trickle truth will make healing impossible and prolong your pain.

Don't Rush to Forgive

Forgiveness is a process that takes time. Don't feel pressured to forgive or reconcile before you're ready.

Conversation Templates

The Truth Seeking Approach

1
Step 1: Start with: "I need to know the complete truth about what happened..."
2
Step 2: Follow with: "How long has this been going on and who is involved?"
3
Step 3: Conclude with: "Are there any other secrets I should know about?"

The Future Planning

1
Step 1: Begin with: "Do you want to save our marriage?"
2
Step 2: Explore with: "What are you willing to do to rebuild trust?"
3
Step 3: Finalize with: "What needs to change to prevent this from happening again?"

Further Reading

"After the Affair" by Janis Spring
"Not Just Friends" by Shirley Glass
Professional marriage counseling and individual therapy resources

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