Caught in a Complicated Web of Desire and Duty

I've been married to my wife Sarah for about seven years now. We have a solid relationship, though lately it's felt like we're drifting apart. I work as a nurse at a local hospital, and the stress from long hours and emotionally heavy situations has taken its toll on me. A few months back, I met Emily, one of our patients who was in for some intense treatments and seemed to need a lot of emotional support. I started going out of my way to help her more than just professionally. Over time, we developed an unexpected connection. Emily is younger and has been through so much that it made me feel protective and drawn to her. We never crossed any lines until one night after she was discharged from the hospital, when she invited me over for a drink under the pretense of wanting advice on coping with her situation. I didn't think it would go further than talking, but once we started, there was an unspoken tension that led to something more. It felt wrong, yet thrilling at the same time. We've kept it secret since then, both of us struggling with our guilt and the reality of what this means for me and my marriage. Now I'm in a crisis: do I continue seeing Emily behind Sarah's back? Can I really justify that while still being a loyal husband to someone who deserves better than this? How can I reconcile these conflicting feelings, especially as I'm also responsible for her care at the hospital? Am I the asshole here for even going down this path with a patient and married woman? Is it common for someone in my situation to feel torn like this, or am I just making excuses?