A Night Gone Wrong with Old Friends

I’m married and have been working as a software engineer for the past five years. My wife is supportive of my hobbies and friends, and I keep up with old schoolmates on social media. Recently, an ex-schoolmate named Emma reached out about attending her sister’s wedding this weekend. We used to be close back in high school but drifted apart after college due to different career paths and life choices. Emma and I chatted for a bit, catching up, and then she mentioned that we’d see each other at the reception later tonight. She asked if I wanted to meet up beforehand at her hotel room to reminisce about old times. After some hesitation, since my wife was out of town on business, I agreed. The meetup went fine at first; just drinks, laughter, and reminiscing over past pranks we pulled in high school. But as the night progressed, there were more touches, lingering looks, and playful innuendos. Before I knew it, we were both feeling a bit reckless and decided to explore something neither of us had ever done before. The next morning, with clarity returning, regret began setting in. I’ve been honest about my mistake to Emma over the weekend email threads; she’s understood but also hurt that someone else was involved even for a night. I’ve come home reflecting on how things could have gone differently, perhaps not accepting her invitation or being more clear about boundaries early on. Overall, it feels like one of those rare moments where all you can do is learn from the experience and move forward, hoping no long-term damage was done.