A man who cheated on his partner of nine years went to lunch with her and their kids, and realized ‘I was the one who ruined it’

A TikTok creator has sparked discussion online after opening up about the regret he feels for cheating on his partner of nine years. The creator, who goes by @edgaralandough2 on TikTok, said that while childhood trauma influenced some of his past actions, it is no excuse for being unfaithful.

The story gained traction when reported by The Daily Dot, and the video has since drawn tens of thousands of views and hundreds of comments. In it, the creator detailed the events that led him to cheat and how those choices affect him today.

He said he was worried about judgment before sharing his story but was clear that his actions were wrong. He believes his childhood trauma played a role in his behavior, but said he should have worked through his problems instead of choosing to be unfaithful.

A family lunch made the consequences hit home for him

He recalled a lunch outing with his brother, his sister-in-law, who is also his ex’s best friend, his ex, and their children. During that meal, he said he understood the full repercussions of his actions.

He enjoyed feeling like they were a family again, even if just for a moment, but knew he had broken that dynamic. “I was the one who ruined it,” he said, per The Daily Dot. He added that he feels especially bad for his two children, who no longer get to see both of their parents together every day.

He says he does not go a single day without regretting what he did and wishes he could go back in time to change it. While he does not think he would still be with his ex, he believes things could have ended on much better terms if he had not cheated.

Viewers were divided on whether cheaters genuinely regret the pain they cause. Infidelity stories regularly spark that debate online, like the one about a woman who learned her boyfriend had a wife and that she was far from his only mistress.

Some commenters appreciated his willingness to be vulnerable and take responsibility. One wrote, “Unless you’re a narcissist. They fully believe we deserved it. But I appreciate seeing this perspective because I was fully convinced no man felt remorse for the damage they caused.”

Another commenter added, “Good for you blaming yourself for why your family’s not together. My ex says it’s my fault cause I could have chosen to stay with him and work on us. He cheated ALOT, mind you. Not once.” For some viewers, his perspective offered a measure of understanding.

Other viewers were not convinced by his regret. One person wrote, “I don’t think any cheater ever actually regrets the pain they caused because it’s like well you didn’t think of that before so why be sorry now,” while someone else wrote, “Unresolved trauma,so let’s give some to the mother of our children!”

Another commenter argued that cheaters often regret the consequences of their actions more than the pain they inflicted on others. They wrote, “They regret the consequences of cheating and feel sorry for themselves and how THEY ended up feeling as a result… but those tears are not for how she felt or what he did to her or his children.”

Attack of the Fanboy was unable to independently verify the claims made by @edgaralandough2 or hear his ex-partner’s side of the story, as this account originates solely from his TikTok video.