COLDPLAY’S kisscam ‘cheating’ scandal was every adulterer’s worst nightmare - but what really happens on the other side of the exposé?
Here, three people who have experienced affairs first-hand reveal what happened next in their relationships, after .
His wife, Megan Kerrigan Byron, hasbut it’s unclear if the couple will split.
And now three Fabulous readers reveal all on their very different experiences...
After a 10-year affair I told my lover’s partner - I knew he wanted to be with me
Carla Bellucci, 44, from , had a decade long affair with her now husband Gio, 55. They have a three-year-old daughter, Blu, together.
“I’m not proud of the fact my started with an affair - or that I exposed it. But I can’t say I regret it. Our is meant to be.
I think affairs happen when your needs aren’t being met in your primary relationship. I was very unhappily and confessed to my ex as soon as I met Gio.
For Gio it was more complicated. He’s a lovely, kind man, his live-in partner and mother of his child had done nothing ‘wrong’. So he really struggled - he felt guilt ridden and torn apart.
After 10 years I couldn’t live in limbo any more. It was 2019 when I told him he had to tell her, or I would. He didn’t, so I sent her messages and photos of us together.
Unsurprisingly it ended their relationship. More surprising is that Gio wasn’t angry with me, he understood why I did it - I couldn’t share any more. It didn’t break us up and a year later we moved in together.
In 2023 we got married and we’re very happy. It doesn’t cross my mind that he would cheat on me and I’d never be unfaithful either. We’re soulmates.
I think on one level he was grateful. And I suspect a lot of people that cheat want to be caught as it takes it out of your hands. If someone is brazenly out in public, canoodling then they must know the risk. Or they’re stupid!
Equally I think a lot of wives know when their man is messing around and choose to turn a blind eye because they don’t want to disrupt their lives.”
I discovered his affair...and did the ‘choose me’ dance
Jane, 54, from Rugby, found out her husband was cheating while they were on holiday 13 years ago.
“I’ll never forget that moment when I decided to look at my husband’s phone.
We were on holiday in and it was pinging away. I don’t know why but I picked it up and went into messages and saw a sent one that read, “, Happy Birthday, I love you”.
My heart immediately lurched, but my brain took a while to catch up. I even thought it must be meant for me for a moment - despite my birthday being in April.
But that’s how blindsided I was. I immediately confronted him, and he brushed it off, telling me it was to a friend and he sent her the same thing every year.
He was so confident that for a moment I believed him. We went down to the beach as normal - but then my mind caught up, you don’t tell casual friends you love them.
I knew with a sickening certainty it must be more. When the were paddling, I told him I didn’t believe him and asked him questions.
But he still denied it. I tried to grab his phone, but he was having none of it.
It was three months later I went through his phone, and found a number with no name assigned to it. I called it and there was no reply.
But she called me back and it all came spilling out. She had no idea he was married - he was conning her too. It had been going on for months.
With the new information I confronted him. He said it meant nothing and he couldn’t explain why he’d done it, but it would never happen again. He refused counselling.
I wish I’d left, I feel I’ve wasted the last 13 years of my life
Jane
At first I did the ‘pick me dance’, making more of an effort so I didn’t lose him to her. I and ended up on from the strain.
I felt like a fool, for not noticing. But he had a busy job in finance where he worked evenings and had long lunches so it was easy for him to deceive me. And he seemed besotted with me.
I stayed because I was naïve and still in love. I didn’t think I could cope on my own with two young children - I was sure it would be better for them to be with both parents. I had no confidence left - he’d always been my protector.
The pain of his betrayal is always with me, even now. I hate new year and I can’t even wear the sun cream I was using on that holiday.
I wish I’d left, I feel I’ve wasted the last 13 years of my life. My devastation has turned into anger and resentment.
But at 75 he’s much older than me and his is failing so it would feel too cruel. So I’m trapped in a marriage that he destroyed.”
I strayed - it cost me everything
John, 60, from , works in sales. He lost his home and his friends when his affair was discovered.
“I started my affair because I was bored in my 27-year marriage and thought there must be more to life.
I met my lover through work and we saw each other for two years. It felt magical, I yearned for her company and convinced myself it was true love.
Then her husband discovered it, by snooping through her emails. He contacted me saying I had 24 hours to tell my wife or he would. I never heard from my lover again.
When I saw his email the spell was broken. I realised how much I loved my wife and our two sons - who were at the time.
I was a coward and couldn’t tell her, desperately hoping he wouldn’t follow through on his threat.
But he did, forwarding all the correspondence between me and my lover to her.
It was heartbreaking when my wife came to me, shaking and crying. I will never forgive myself for the hurt I put her through.
We tried to patch it up and we went to counselling. But she understandably couldn’t get past it.
We in 2023 two years after she found out. I lost our friends, who couldn’t forgive the betrayal either and my home. I’m now alone, living in a studio flat and I’ve only got myself to blame.
When my life felt boring, I should have made an effort with my wife, not cheated. I’ll regret it forever.”
