Sadly I have to repeat Chaos's outline...
I will also note that my scale of 1-10 has changed. For instance, after d-day 1 I would have said a 10, but compared with d-day 2, d-day 1 was only a 6. So my scale uses d-day 2 as the benchmark for a 10.
Dday-1
1.) How long before D-day did you suspect an affair?
Within 2 weeks of them talking - probably about the time it went physical. Dday-1 was 4 months later (and only because I was living out of state temporarily at the time so catching him was difficult).
2.) Were you initially caught off guard?
At d-day...no. I knew it in my gut and via his behaviors. It was still traumatic. I confronted him with a credit card bill and he confessed to the A (he admitted when it started but claimed it had already ended - it had not).
3.) If you had suspicions prior to D-day, what were signs that led you to believe your WS was having an affair?
We were living apart temporarily due to my work so most was telephonically. He was less interested on phone calls, was not always available when I called (normal with his job) but took a LOT longer to get back to me some days. He stopped booking flights to come and see me (he had 3 day weekends so it was usually him flying - we were flying back and forth every other weekend previously but the first month of his A he didn't come at all - three was 8 weeks between trips and when he finally did come during his vacation with his daughter he stayed for 3 days when he had 3 weeks off).
About 3 weeks into his PA we had a call where he said he wasn't sure he wanted us to stay together, he wasn't happy, blaming his unhappiness on me, blah blah blah. I asked him if there was anyone else and he said "no" - and then he said he needed to take a few days to think about things (2 days included his birthday - which were spent largely with her in-between work). We then talked for about 8 hours after the 2 day break where he said he didn't want to end things and that he felt "better." Then off and on for the next 3 months he told me at least 3 times that he "wasn't sure" about us but that he thought it would be better when I was home (we had started as a long distance relationship years before so this didn't sit right with me as we'd done long distance before with no problems).
He had changed his password on his phone - when asked he told me "because someone at work knew it and he wanted to change it" which was stupid and I didn't believe him. He then offered me the new password but seemed rather pissed off about doing it. The phone had been wiped clean of all kinds of stuff - he was "smart" in that he didn't just wipe out conversations with her and claimed he had done a phone update and he had lost all kinds of stuff - conversations, photos, etc across the board.
Saw an email (he left his email open on my laptop) when he was visiting for 3 days about 8 weeks into his A from the AP. The email was short but sounded like he told her he could not talk while he was away and telling him to have a good time with his daughter (no mention of me although she knew where he was).
4.) If you didn’t have suspicions, looking back from D-day do you now see any of the signs of an affair?
I did.
5.) Did your WS have sex in the marital bed?
Yep - and his AP/OBS former best friend's marital bed too. Also in his car, on my couches - pretty much everywhere I'm guessing. I haven't asked much as I don't care - they are just things to me but I get the question.
6.) Did your WS show signs of being in the “fog” so often mentioned on SI?
During the A - not really to me. We had a talk about 3 weeks into his A where I point blank asked him if there was someone else and he said a very stern "No" and told me he wanted to work things out. Afterwards, yep - apparently more than I thought as he was back at it w/in 2 weeks of d-day 1. He NEVER talked about her to me at all unless asked.
7.) On a scale of one to ten, how traumatized were you on D-day and beyond?
6 (see explanation above). Strangely I had more PTSD symptoms (forgetfulness, severe weight loss, difficulty focusing) before d-day then after. I think my mind felt like "Ah Ha - you were right" and the stress level lowered as weird as that seems.
Dday-2
1.) How long before D-day did you suspect an affair?
I suspected it off and on over the course of a year, but I ignored my feelings about it.
2.) Were you initially caught off guard?
No. By the time I caught him I knew. I also knew I would not get a confession w/out proof. As it would turn out, not only did he fall for the trap I set but he talked to her on speaker phone so I had the entirety of their conversation - I love yous and all. I still couldn't believe it when it happened - I couldn't believe that someone could purposefully do this to someone else - willingly after full well knowing all the hurt and trauma they had caused. (For example, my WH actually drove me for a few days as he was concerned about me driving - I'd turned and driven the wrong way down a one-way street by our house several times, had driven off with the fuel pump nozzle still in my car at the gas station twice in a week...yet he was still doing what he was doing).
3.) If you had suspicions prior to D-day, what were signs that led you to believe your WS was having an affair?
I still occasionally got the "I don't know if I want to do this with you anymore" crap and that would set me off. By the time I caught him (VAR - set a trap - it worked on the first try) I was about 99% sure something was going on. He seemed distant, never really reconnected for long periods. Sex life remained relatively unchanged but he was less affectionate than before. Seemed more irritable more frequently and was very frustrated that I wanted to talk about the A at all after about 3-4 months. He "put up with it" but it was obvious. Allegedly they ended it several times during this year period so I have no way of knowing if any increase or decrease of affection coincided with the A or the off-times.
4.) If you didn’t have suspicions, looking back from D-day do you now see any of the signs of an affair?
I did.
5.) Did your WS have sex in the marital bed?
After d-day 1 they stopped having sex or much of any encounter outside of work at all (phone calls etc were all made while he was at work unless I was out of the area - hence the VAR trap). I read a lot of their messages to each other and they talked about the last time they had sex (how much they wish the could again but somehow they decided that sexting and mutual telephonic masturbation was "not as bad" as actual sex). The masturbation happened mostly in his car but when he was 100% sure I was gone (to the store or whatever) who knows. I don't care where.
6.) Did your WS show signs of being in the “fog” so often mentioned on SI?
I don't know as he didn't ever talk about her. He talked about being unhappy at work and talked about work a lot but avoided her name at all costs. Post d-day 2 - no - he seemed 100% committed in his own mind to convincing me to give us another chance...and that lasted about a month. Then it waned slowly - and 3 months later (and after the OBS had been told by me and a no non-work contact or you'll face a restraining order letter was sent), he went back to it again.
7.) On a scale of one to ten, how traumatized were you on D-day and beyond?
10+ I was absolutely astonished that he could put me through false R after all he had seen. I simply could not believe how much MORE this hurt than the first time - this was not a mistake or an error in judgment - it was done purposely to trick and deceive me AND he convinced me to come back from my temporary job and try to work things out when he was already back at it. That was THE time to tell me not to return - at d-day 1 - as I could have looked for another position elsewhere and moved on from there must more easily than now. Gutted completely, even though I knew in my heart of hearts that he was doing something, there was a little part of me that would not believe he could be so horrible to me after everything. He was...and more.
Dday-3
1.) How long before D-day did you suspect an affair?
About a month. Admittedly I wasn't paying much attention anymore - nothing like before. All I had to do was look at his phone bill and it was plainly clear he was still in contact.
2.) Were you initially caught off guard?
Initially when I saw the signs of it being back on I had that moment of "No, it can't be - after the AP messaged me saying horrible things and him admitting that she was a very ugly person on the inside" but again, I knew.
3.) If you had suspicions prior to D-day, what were signs that led you to believe your WS was having an affair?
Distance, shortness, just an off feeling. Nothing overwhelming as he NEVER used his phone to contact her from home after the VAR incident. No late nights. No strange incidents. Honestly, he just seemed happier and simultaneously more down.
4.) If you didn’t have suspicions, looking back from D-day do you now see any of the signs of an affair?
I did - more than I remember probably. I just couldn't put myself through looking too hard. When I finally figured I was right I asked him for the phone bill password (we don't share a phone) and he gave it up and knew what was coming. He had switched to whatsapp a few weeks before but the contact was still there from beforehand. I made him give me his phone to have it forensically analyzed again but never did it. When I asked him what I would find he said "You won't like it. It's ugly." but he didn't fight giving it up.
5.) Did your WS have sex in the marital bed?
No - not then. I think they had some version of masturbation in his car based on the messages I saw. They were only back at it for about 10 weeks so they didn't have much time.
6.) Did your WS show signs of being in the “fog” so often mentioned on SI?
See question 3
7.) On a scale of one to ten, how traumatized were you on D-day and beyond?
5. He's a dirtbag and I already knew he was capable of it, so somehow it wasn't the same as finding out (any of the gory details I had already processed from d-day1 and the realization that my WH would throw me under the bus wasn't new).
[This message edited by ThisIsSoLonely at 2:15 PM, August 27th (Tuesday)]