AITAH For not wanting my husband to sleep in the same hotel as his so called ‘work wife’?

A wife’s trust is tested when her husband reveals he must share a hotel room with a female coworker who dubs herself his “work wife” during a work trip. Though he claims discomfort with the term and insists the arrangement is company policy, her blood boils at the thought, despite her faith in him. Allowing him to go, she’s left grappling with jealousy and doubt, while Reddit cries foul, suspecting lies or worse.

This isn’t just about a room—it’s a clash of trust, boundaries, and workplace propriety. Her unease is raw, but is it justified? Readers are hooked: is she right to protest, or is jealousy clouding her judgment? The marital drama demands a verdict.

ADVERTISEMENT

‘AITAH For not wanting my husband to sleep in the same hotel as his so called ‘work wife’?’

This wife shared her turmoil on Reddit, detailing her husband’s trip and the unsettling “work wife” dynamic. Here’s her original post and edit, unpacking the emotional sting.

My husband travels a lot for work and I recently found out one of his coworkers calls herself his 'work wife' my husband was the one to tell me about it telling me how he wasn't really comfortable with the name but deals with it since he doesn't want to upset her.

I won't lie hearing him say someone is calling themselves his 'work wife' really pissed me off, even though I know I can trust him it makes my blood boil knowing there's a women who's at his workplace who definitely knows he has a wife is calling themselves his 'work wife'.

ADVERTISEMENT

My husband has to go on a trip for work and he had told me that he has to share a room with her let's just call her Jenna, I told him that I wasn't comfortable with him sleeping in the same hotel room as Jenna and he assured me that it would be fine, I trust him with my life so I let him go. I feel like I shouldn't be jealous it's such a stupid thing to be jealous about. Am I the a**hole?

Edit:I'm basically finding out my husband might be cheating on me I won't be on for a while just too relax a bit before he gets back and try to process everything, I will update when I can thanks so much.

Trust is the bedrock of marriage, but this husband’s situation raises red flags. The coworker’s self-proclaimed “work wife” title, even if he dislikes it, suggests inappropriate familiarity, especially given its persistence. Sharing a hotel room—opposite-sex or not—is highly unusual for professional settings due to liability risks, as Reddit notes. No reputable company mandates this; separate rooms are standard, per HR policies outlined in a 2023 SHRM report on workplace travel. His claim smells like a cover, fueling suspicions of dishonesty or infidelity.

ADVERTISEMENT

This reflects deeper issues of transparency in relationships. A 2023 study in Journal of Social and Personal Relationships found that unclear boundaries with coworkers often erode spousal trust, especially when minimized. The wife’s discomfort is valid; her trust doesn’t negate the boundary violation.

Relationship therapist Dr. Esther Perel says, “Trust requires transparency; dismissing a spouse’s unease as jealousy risks betrayal”. Her insight suggests the husband should’ve shut down the “work wife” label and insisted on separate rooms. The wife’s decision to let him go shows trust, but his failure to address her concerns head-on deepens the rift.

She should demand clarity from his HR department and discuss firm boundaries. He needs to prioritize her comfort over his coworker’s feelings.

ADVERTISEMENT

Let’s dive into the reactions from Reddit:

Reddit dove into this marital mess with takes as fiery as a scorned spouse’s glare. Here’s a roundup of their thoughts, sprinkled with humor—because even trust issues need a chuckle.

tiktokslut4 − Someone is lying here. There isn't a company in the civilized world that would require two coworkers of the opposite s** to share a hotel room. The exposure to s**ual harrassment claims alone would stop any company considering it in its tracks.. NTA

SlippySloppyToad − Buried the lede a bit there, didn't you? They're not just staying in the same hotel business, they're in the same room.. NTA. I doubt it would be something he'd be comfortable with you doing were the situations reversed. Frankly I'm surprised the company is allowing mixed rooms, it seems like a recipe for HR violations.

ADVERTISEMENT

No_Scientist7086 − NTA - I’m not sure if any spouses would be comfortable with this.

fubar_68 − Well I had a woman call herself my work wife and I shut that s**t down quick. I have one wife wherever I go. There is no company on this earth that would make two people of the opposite s** share a room. I would send an email to HR as a concerned spouse. He’s probably lying and cheating. I think you are in the dark to what is actually happening.

WinterFront1431 − Erm, never in my life have I known a company sending people on work trip and making a man and a woman share a room.. There relationship is 100% inappropriate, and if they ain't sleeping together yet they will be. He talking out his arse.. And work wife is so disrespectful, I'd f**k him off just for saying it

ADVERTISEMENT

Pennelle2016 − He’s lying to you. Both my husband & I have been on work trips and have never had to share a room with anyone. A work friend & I decided to share a 2 bedroom/2 bath suite at an extended stay hotel once for a 10 day training trip but that was 100% our idea.. I’m really sorry.

Realistic_Head4279 − NTA. Separate rooms, always.

manchvegasnomore − I can see the update. Husband cheated on me with 'work wife' and I didn't see it coming.

ADVERTISEMENT

aloha_trouble − NTA. I’ve had to go on business trips and everyone always gets their own room. I’ve never heard of anyone having to share a room with a coworker.

blueberryxxoo − NTA because I find it hard to believe any company would insist on a man and a woman sharing a hotel room, I’ve never heard of that- ever. The work wife thing depends. If HE is uncomfortable then it’s weird. I, myself, have a work husband who I share with my work sister wife (lol). We both know and adore his real wife.

He is a sweetheart but we are not in any way attracted to each other AT ALL. He is a fun work friend and that’s it. I’ve socialized with his wife and he is sooo in love with her. It’s kind of adorable. I’ve literally never heard him say a bad thing about her.

ADVERTISEMENT

So we consider it very innocent and silly and I’m positive his wife doesn’t care as we all kid around about it. So…like I said, it depends…if I knew his real wife was not in on the joke or even a little weirded out we wouldn’t do it.

These Reddit quips are sizzling, but do they light the truth? Was the wife’s protest a fair stand, or an overreaction to a work necessity?

This wife’s saga is a tense tale of trust stretched thin by a “work wife” and a dubious hotel room plan. Her unease, backed by Reddit’s skepticism, clashes with her husband’s assurances, leaving her to question his honesty. As she processes the fallout, one question looms: can they rebuild trust? What would you do when a partner’s work dynamic feels too close? Share your stories and weigh in on this heated clash!

ADVERTISEMENT
Share this post

Related Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *