A Secret From My Past Life

Ever since my marriage got comfortable and routine, there's been this nagging feeling in the back of my mind. It started a few months ago when I met an old acquaintance at a friend’s party. We used to have a playful flirtation years back before either of us settled down. At that party, things felt different, there was something unresolved between us, a tension that we both seemed aware of but didn't address openly. A week later, we crossed the line, and I can still feel the guilt every time I remember how easily I slipped into old patterns of behavior despite knowing it was wrong. We met in secret once more, and... well, let's just say it wasn't exactly innocent. It was consensual and discreet, but that doesn't make me proud or erase what happened. This is something I can’t share with my wife or talk through, so writing about it now feels like a way to acknowledge the mistake without dwelling too much on regret.