AITAH for exposing my ex-fiancé mistress 12 years later?

A Reddit user recounted a situation from 12 years ago where they discovered their fiancé, Karl, was cheating on them with Camilla, a new hire at his job. After ending the engagement, they moved on with their life. Fast forward to last year, and the user meets Camilla again, this time as the wife of their husband’s new colleague.

After a tense encounter, Camilla tried to cover up her past, leading the user to tell the truth to her husband. Now, the user is being criticized for exposing Camilla’s affair. Was this act justified, or did the user cross a line? Read the full story below and decide.

‘ AITAH for exposing my ex-fiancé mistress 12 years later?’

12 years ago, I (36 F) was engaged and about to get married to Karl (fake name). Everything in my life seemed perfect until I found out my fiancé was having an affair with a new hire of his job called Camilla (20s F). Both of them were in serious relationships. I broke off the engagement with Karl as soon as I found out and told Camilla’s boyfriend about the cheating.

Well, it was hard for me, but I moved on after months of therapy and the help of my friends and family. Now I am married to Henry (41 M) my amazing husband and father of our four children (9F, 7M, 4M and 4F).
I moved to the other side of the country years ago, and I never thought about my ex-fiancé or the cheating again.

My husband works in a law firm. Last year they hired a new lawyer, Daniel (34 M), who moved with his family to live in our area. He and my husband became very good friends, as they have similar interests and personalities. Henry asked me to invite Daniel’s family to our house to help with adjust to the new city and job.

When Daniel came to my house for a play date for our kids (his kids are 4M and 2F) he introduced us to his wife, Cam (30s F). Well, Cam was Camilla. I really didn’t know how to react when I recognized her, I had the impression that she also recognized me. Our husbands didn’t understand why everything seemed so tense, and we pretended to not know each other and made failed attempts of small talk. After an hour, Cam made up an excuse and her family left.

Henry noticed my behavior and asked me what was happening. I told him everything. He already knew about my past with Karl and the affair. Later that day, I received a text from Camilla begging me to not tell Daniel about “our past”. I read the message and didn’t reply. But I decided to not say anything and mind my business. This was not my problem anymore.

After a week of silence, Daniel shows up at our doorstep looking very agitated. He talked to my husband alone and after, Henry asked me to tell Daniel my version of everything. Like my husband, Daniel realized something weird happened on our meeting and spent the week trying to get answers from his wife. She refused to tell him what happened and then tried to say I was her ex-boyfriend side chick and that’s why we were so tense. Daniel didn’t buy her story, and they had a massive fight.

After the fight, he realized I was the one that could tell him the truth. And I did tell him everything after he asked. I even showed him the text message Camilla sent me. I didn’t feel the need to sugarcoat things, since Camilla was out there telling lies about me.

Daniel was in complete shock because cheating is a trigger for him. His father cheated on his mom for years and left the family for his mistress, which made him hate cheaters. Camilla knew about this since their first date.
Daniel left our house looking defeated, and in the same day I received a call from Camilla accusing be of being a revengeful b\*. She said I was trying to destroy her life.

I don’t think I was wrong for telling the truth, but this happened last year and I received calls and random messages from people close to Camilla saying I am an a**hole for exposing Camilla’s past to her husband. AITAH?
UPDATE: 

Check out how the community responded:

MrPKitty −  NTA. You told the truth after she told lies. Did she expect you to go along with what she said so you could be the bad guy for as long as your husband and daniel are work mates?

NanaLeonie −  NTA. The former side chick tried to lie to her husband and say *you* were the side chick? Nope. You were under no obligation or kindness to let her keep telling that lie.

Liu1845 −  I would only reply, “If Camilla hadn’t lied about *me* being *her* fiancés side chick when it was the other way around, I wouldn’t have needed to defend myself and my reputation with the truth.”. NTA.

NoahVail2024 −  NTA. You did nothing wrong: karma came for Camilla.

LincolnHawkHauling −  NTA!! You are the hero of the this story! Actions have consequences. You did nothing wrong and merely stated facts and truth about what happened between Camilla and your ex-fiance. It would have been wrong for you to lie to Daniel as he deserved to know the truth to make an informed end decision. If it were you, I’m sure you would have wanted the same consideration as I know I definitely would have. Text Camilla “sorry to hear about you and Daniel but hey, maybe you and Karl can get something going again.”

Plenty_Associate5101 −  Does her husband know she called you names and have her friends and family attacking you?

dogdays05 −  NTA – Telling the truth will always set you free. Never feel bad for exposing a lie.

Chojen −  NTA, she had a ton of chances to possibly salvage her relationship but chose the absolute worst option at every turn.

mspooh321 −  Camilla begging me to not tell Daniel about “our past”. I read the message and didn’t reply. But I decided to not say anything and mind my business. Daniel realized something weird happened on our meeting and spent the week trying to get answers from his wife. She refused to tell him what happened and then tried to say I was her ex-boyfriend side chick and that’s why we were so tense.

NTA…… You literally tried to help her by not revealing her secret. Which is kinder than most people because I know I would have told her the second I see her face in my house, “you’re not welcome here.”

But she had the chance to be honest with her husband multiple times: on the first date when he reveals his feelings about c**ater, when he first asks and then afterwards, but she still kept lying, which means she hasn’t grown healed nor improved, who she is as a person since she was the mistress of your former fiancé, she literally is still trash.. I just hope Daniel is doing okay.

Fantastic_Lynx_5149 −  she shot herself in the foot making you out to seem the bad guy because it looks like you weren’t planning on airing anything out. NTA. she shouldn’t have lied to her husband at all, she should’ve told him the truth from the first time they broached the cheating topic.