Andrea, 35, always felt secure in her marriage to Paul, a smart and successful engineer. He often mentioned his colleague Alyson — a beautiful, intelligent woman he jokingly called his “work wife.” Andrea never felt threatened; she trusted him completely and believed their eight-year relationship was too strong for jealousy or insecurity.

That changed after a company trip. For three days, Andrea felt like a third wheel as Paul and Alyson spent most of the time laughing and talking together, ignoring their spouses. At dinner, Alyson publicly mocked Andrea’s career as a beautician, implying she wasn’t intelligent enough for “their” conversations. Paul didn’t defend his wife — he just laughed.

Days later, Alyson’s husband contacted Andrea. He had checked Alyson’s phone and sent Andrea screenshots of conversations between their spouses. Alyson repeatedly insulted Andrea, calling her shallow and stupid — and Paul played along. Sometimes he tried to soften it with comments like “But I love her,” but he also wrote things like “I love your brain” to Alyson.

Heartbroken, Andrea now doubts everything. She has always been proud of being self-made and successful in her field, but seeing her husband laugh at her behind her back — while admiring another woman — shattered her confidence. Unsure whether she’s overreacting or ignoring red flags, she now seeks advice: has her husband’s “work wife” relationship crossed the line?