My husband and I appear to have the perfect marriage and family that everyone wanted. In fact, many people said so. The truth is, it was not as great as they or I thought. He is successful in his job and his colleagues speak very highly of him. By chance, I discovered that he had been sending sexually explicit photographs to a woman he works with. I had met her a couple of times but never thought she could rival me for my husband’s affection. He says he has broken off contact, but I still think about her all the time. How can I trust him again. He would describe other people doing this sort of thing as very seedy, so why would he do it. If he had been going out with her, that would have made more sense. I hate the thought of him sending pornographic photos to another woman. I now ask myself, do I really know him. How can I move on.

My father, who is in his 60s and not well, has always been irresponsible with money. He has been bankrupt twice and I have bailed him out in the past. My parents divorced five years ago after 36 years of marriage, when he ran off with a woman half his age. They married, but are now also divorced. He committed adultery many times while married to my mother. They are still good friends, but she does want him back. He lives comfortably on his pension and disability benefits, squandering his money as soon as he receives it.

All couples argue from time to time. As a matter of fact, the idea of people being permanently sweet-tempered, never displaying any irrational behaviour smacks of unrealistic happy-ever-after romantic stories. Of course, the degree of dissent varies from couple to couple—some show only occasional, short-lived hostility, while others live in a world of constant bickering argument and retaliation. Sumbo and Ishmael are in their late 30s, and have known each other for 12 years. They went out together briefly when they first met; separated and were then reconciled six years ago. They have been married for five years and have a son. “Ishmael and I quarrelled about very minor things and the arguments always arise out of his obstinacy and my demanding nature”, Sumbo said. She is a civil servant and her husband is an accountant. “My husband says I’m spoilt and he won’t give in because he thinks it’ll make me even worse.

Wales qualified for their first ever major tournament semi-final in their debut at the European Championship by coming from behind to beat Belgium 3-1 in Lille on Friday.

I am having an affair with my husband’s best friend. They met at university. My marriage is reasonably good and I like my husband, but there has never been any great passion between us. Our children have left home, as have my lover’s. I am in my 50s and think this is probably my last chance to have a romantic connection with great sex. His relationship with his wife is platonic and my husband and I don’t have sex very often. Our families are close and we see a lot of each other socially, so I feel constantly guilty. I know it’s wrong, but I can’t end the affair – I have never been happier. I know that if our spouses found out, they would be devastated. I don’t know how it’s all going to end. In tears, probably.