Australian wife reveals double life with another man, husband unknowingly in the dark

An Australian wife says she has been living a double life with another man, unknown to her devoted husband, after creating a fake Instagram identity named Zoe to explore a different reality. The confession, aired on the Australian podcast Everybody Has a Secret, features Zoe describing how she and her husband once functioned like roommates—“housemates” playing the roles of husband and wife—before her feelings evolved into a parallel relationship with a man named Pete.

Zoe told the podcast hosts Ruby Hall, Annabelle Lee and Charlotte White that she felt she was fading into the background of her marriage and began craving validation. She explained that the new persona grew from a sense of invisibility within the relationship and that she used photos of herself to craft a persona who was younger, more confident and free from the routine she associated with married life. “I created a fake identity, an alter ego per se,” she said, adding that Zoe’s life was intentionally distinct from her own in nearly every respect.

The relationship with Pete began after a string of casual, flirtatious messages. Zoe described daily conversations that grew intense as they shared childhood traumas, fears and even the music that could bring them to tears. She recalled whispers sent as voice notes while her husband slept nearby, and described how she would tell her husband she was heading away for work or a girls’ weekend while in reality she was flying to meet Pete. “I was living out my double life with Pete,” she said, noting that she secretly played both men against one another for periods of time.

Zoe said she kept up the deception by telling stories about where she was and what she was doing, including shaving her legs in public bathrooms and wearing lingerie in hotel rooms under fake names. She admitted that she was fully aware of the moral conflict and acknowledged the hurt that could come from her actions, saying, “Trust me, I do feel guilty.” She explained that her husband, Sean, appeared trusting and unaware, celebrating what he believed was another ordinary trip or accomplishment on the drive to the airport while Zoe was responding to Pete in her fake account with messages like, “I can’t wait to feel you again.”

Eventually, Zoe said she told Pete the truth—that Zoe was fake and that she was married to a man who was waiting at home. She reported that Pete surprised her by saying he wanted to figure out what a future could look like for them, rather than reacting with anger. “I expected him to lose his s---, but all he wanted to do was work out what a future could look like for us,” she recalled. She also acknowledged her own role in the situation, admitting that she never intended to fall for Pete as deeply as she did and that she was drawn to a life she felt she had been missing.

The admission has prompted mixed responses online. Some viewers urged Zoe to pursue a divorce, arguing that a marriage built on deception cannot endure. Others urged caution, writing that falling for someone while being married can be emotionally devastating for all involved. While Zoe acknowledged potential consequences, she said her feelings for Pete were undeniable and that she now faced a difficult crossroads about what comes next.

Zoe also spoke about the social judgment that often accompanies stories like hers, noting that people would likely label her a liar or a manipulator. “I won’t argue with that,” she said, adding that the broader question of how someone can love two people at once is rarely discussed openly. “Whatever happens, someone will get hurt—and it might be me.”

The podcast episode has drawn attention online, with several viewers commenting on what they would do in her position. The accompanying video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times across platforms, and readers have debated whether Zoe should disclose the situation to her husband, seek counseling, or pursue a new life with Pete. The discussion reflects broader cultural conversations about marriage, fidelity and the consequences of digital-era identity deception. Critics and supporters alike acknowledge the complexity of the emotions involved while emphasizing the responsibility each person has to those they affect in real life.

As Zoe weighs her options and the potential fallout, the conversation on Everybody Has a Secret continues to resonate with listeners who say the story speaks to a broader sense of longing and the sometimes blurry line between fantasy and reality in modern relationships.