I (26M) planned a getaway trip with my girlfriend of three years, Anna (25F). We’d both been stressed: work was chaotic, our communication felt off, and I hoped travel would help us reconnect. I put a lot into this—found the perfect mountain cabin, booked hikes and dinners, and honestly thought a change of scenery might remind us why we’re together.
For the first two days, things went well. By the third day, Anna seemed distant, always texting and taking calls “for work” in another room. That night, she said she wanted to explore town with friends she’d met at the lodge. I wanted her to have fun, so I told her to go. She came back late, brushed off my questions, and fell asleep before I could even hug her goodnight.
The next afternoon, I ran into her “new friend” in the lodge café. He looked startled to see me. I tried to make conversation, and he slipped, mentioning something Anna had supposedly done with “us” the previous night. My stomach dropped. When Anna returned, I confronted her gently at first, but she denied, gaslighting me—until I showed her a screenshot I’d accidentally discovered of texts between them. The truth tumbled out: she’d spent much of the trip with this guy, and yes, she’d cheated.
I was crushed. I’d put my heart into this trip, wanting to repair our cracks, but she’d already checked out emotionally. She apologized, swore it was “a mistake” and that she “still loved me.” But her words felt hollow. I told her I needed space—the rest of the vacation was a haze. She begged for forgiveness, saying she’d ruined both our trip and our future. I couldn’t forgive her; the trust was shattered.
Now, friends and even her sister are pressuring me to “give her another chance” because “it only happened once” and “she regrets it.” But all I feel is betrayal—that she disrespected our relationship at a time I was fighting to save it. I haven’t answered her calls. She’s sent long messages about how “the trip meant everything” and how we could rebuild. Maybe I’m cold, but I can’t force my heart to forget.
AITAH for refusing to sweep this under the rug and not taking her back, even if it means being the “bad guy” to her family and friends?
