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A married father-of-two has revealed why he repeatedly cheats on his unsuspecting wife - and how it makes their marriage 'stronger'.

Josh, who asked Mirror.co.uk not to publish his surname, has been married for eight years but has had affairs or 'sexual experiences' with around six women over the last two.

His infidelity began on a work night out when he cheated with a colleague and found it 'liberating'.

Josh, who is in his mid-30s, is convinced his relationship with his wife improved after he 'accidentally' cheated.

He says things had become 'stale' in his marriage and the incident with his colleague made him 'less frustrated' therefore 'boosting' the dynamic at home.

Josh, who is from the UK, came to the conclusion that he should cheat again.

(Image: Getty Images)

It was a couple of months after the experience with the woman at work that he turned to Ashley Madison, an online dating service marketed to people who are married or in relationships.

The website's slogan is 'Life is Short. Have an affair.'

Josh insists he loves his wife and that they are very close, but claims their sex drives do not quite match up.

He says he is on the website "to have a good time", to "have good sex" and to "connect with someone."

As far as he knows, his wife - who he has two children with - has no idea about the affairs.

Speaking exclusively to Mirror.co.uk, Josh said: "It's almost a win-win, I can explore my desires elsewhere and then I can be much more attentive at home and less agitated about not being fulfilled.

"I notice a boost in our relationship after using the website.

"I'm not looking to fall in love.

"It's about hedonistic, erotic pleasure, and how we can help each other have an amazing experience while we are in this life."

Speaking about his different affairs, he said: "Some I have met and we have had a fantastic time and done things I would never have done in my relationship."

"Yes it's about sex but it's more complicated than meeting up with a random person. It's more developed than that. "

(Image: Getty Images/Science Photo Libra)

When asked how he thought his wife would feel if she ever found out, he said: "I think my wife would be devastated. I don't know beyond that.

"I have definitely thought 'is this worth doing?' and 'am I being careful enough?'

"I think it's of benefit to me and our relationship at the moment - it's enhanced our relationship and our marriage."

Josh's cheating started off with a colleague on a work night out.

Explaining how it unfolded, he said: "It was a work thing.

"My wife and I were at the stage in our marriage which I think everyone goes through where everything gets a bit stale.

"It was one of those things where people had too much to drink.

"She was attractive and a little bit older. She was being suggestive and flirty.

"The instance was fairly accidental.

"At the time I remember feeling like 'wow, that was incredible'.

"But the other extreme was feeling 'wow, I feel pretty bad about that - and guilty.'"

Josh insists, however, that having an affair somehow had a positive effect on his marriage.

"One of the effects was that it sparked something at home," he claimed.

"In the days and weeks after that, things really sprung to life back at home and in the bedroom.

"I don't think that was out of a guilty conscience but maybe it was, underneath it all.

"Things were really good for a little while and it led me to go back to talk to my wife about what I like sexually."

(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

He claims his wife began to open up as well about what she likes and fantasises about.

"I love her lots and we have a very close relationship," he said, talking about his wife.

Speaking of the incident with the woman at work, Josh said: "It was kind of liberating. I thought 'I might like to do that again'.

"I rested with what I had done and it didn't turn out to be the last time with that woman either.

"I'm happier and don't feel as frustrated or dissatisfied.

"I wanted to not do that but then found it a very intense and amazing experience and for some reason had increased our [Josh and his wife's] relationship."

He said he then considered cheating again - but in an 'orderly way' - and came across the dating site.

Josh explained his tactics while using the dating network.

He said he initially reaches out to someone on the site before meeting them for a drink to see if there is a connection.

Josh says he likes to see the same person for a while as he says the sex gets better.

The longest he has seen someone outside of his marriage is for nine months.

He has 'meet ups' about once a month and rarely stays over so he does not have to cover his tracks.

"I don't like having a one night stand, partly because of the nature of it, I like to be able to trust somebody," he said.

"You also need to be able to talk to someone outside of the bedroom.

"And given the circumstances you're in, you need to be able to trust them."

But Josh has to go back home after his sexual encounters and face not only his wife but his two children.

When asked if he feels guilty around his kids, he said: "I have got quite good at compartmentalising.

"That experience I might have had, that's that.

"Then I go back home and become a slightly different person."

He justifies his actions by saying it then makes his behaviour better towards his partner.

With his wife, he says: "I feel I become more attentive and more present.

"I don't feel like I have to go buy flowers or do things I wouldn't do to make up for the guilt.

"It's more that I feel more relaxed or released."

(Image: Getty Images)

Asking him how he hides his lies from his wife, he said: "I have learnt to be careful about messaging and communicating at different parts of the day."

Josh says he never leaves messages on his phone and if he has perfume on him he 'gets rid of it'.

He says if he has an 'experience' the night before, he gets it out of his mind straight away.

Josh says he would be happy with his wife having 'fun' with other guys if that is what she wanted to do, and said he would find it 'hot' as long as it was not a proper relationship.

But he does not think she would be interested.

Josh says there have been times when he has thought to himself he needs to walk away from what he is doing, but he is yet to.

He accepts if his partner found out it would be distressing for her, but says he 'shuts out' these thoughts.

"I feel there's a positive impact for our relationship in terms of how I am, and that's how I get by with it," he said, defending his actions.

He said he hopes he does get to a stage where he is not using the website and can just be with his wife.

"I hope that in time we will be able to work through things and find common desires," Josh said.

"I have had some fantastic sexual experiences which I wouldn't have done at home and I still have a desire for some of those.

"But I hope one day we can do those things as a couple rather than me doing it outside of marriage."

According to Reuters , Adultery website Ashley Madison’s parent company Ruby Corp agreed in 2016 to pay $1.6 million to settle FTC and state charges that it failed to protect 36 million users’ account and profile information in a July 2015 data breach.

In a separate 2017 settlement, the company agreed to pay $11.2 million in a class-action settlement, which said users with valid claims could recoup up to $3,500 depending on their losses from the breach.