He recommended that, considering the closeness of her relationship with her affair partner, she should cut off contact with Jason. I asked if he thought it was necessary to tell my children, but he explained that he couldn't assess the mental state of my wife and my children. He also mentioned that it might not matter much because Jason might inform my children himself; nonetheless, what mattered most was that I control the narrative. He had no strong opinion on that, but suggested that if I chose not to inform my children, I should instruct my wife to tell Jason that they had been exposed and to never contact her or any of my family members again.
He recommended considering a two- to three-month probation period to see if my feelings about divorce remained the same. He also suggested individual counseling for both of us and, when asked about couples counseling, noted that it could be beneficial for her to express herself in front of an impartial observer.
After the therapy session, I was uncertain about how I felt regarding the whole situation. However, as I contemplated the well-being of my children, the long-standing relationship I had built with my wife, and the happiness we had shared as a family, I concluded that it wouldn't hurt to give the two- to three-month probation a chance.
That night, I discussed the conditions with my wife. I conveyed that she needed to cut off all contact with Jason and never communicate or meet with him again. I also informed her that we would disclose the affair to my son and my oldest daughter, who would then also cease contact with Jason. I made it clear that if she violated these terms, I would proceed with the divorce process that I had already initiated. She acknowledged her mistake and expressed her willingness to do whatever it took to salvage our marriage. Recognizing that the truth would eventually surface, she feared how our children would perceive her, but agreed not to divulge explicit details and to accept the consequences.
Following the discussion with my wife at the restaurant, tension in our household began to subside gradually. My children were curious and uncertain about whether we were still going through with the divorce, but they hadn't asked me directly. At this point, my kids started having dinner together as a family again, and things were slowly returning to normal in the household, although my wife and I were still sleeping in separate bedrooms.