In all the pain and sorrow, P. - THEY LOST MORE!!!!!!
Your ex-friend and your husband, they lost more, than you did:
their dignity, their good name, children loving and trusting them, oh my goodness, how will they live with all this weight of guilt for the rest of their lives - because if they are good humans, this guilt will gnaw on them forever.
I understand,that passion may happen, BUT to give up to it, to destroy the family, friendship, all what is sacred: this is not a way of a good caring loving soul!!!
As it is set up in our traditions, in our culture, and in our social environment, they should have thought about the most important values... and not go with the flow of emotions.
The most important question you have : trust.
I told my teenager-daughter once: if you can tell someone "I trust you" it is even more than to say: "I love you." It turned out she mused on this thought for 1,5 years, as then she came to me and reminded that conversation, saying:"Now I understand. You can be madly in love with someone, but you cannot really trust the person..."
As to me, friendship is paramount, which involves care for the other, and trust over all!
I went through a LOT. To say the least, I am extremely happy in my 4th marriage... something went astray so many times, that I have quite an experience: I will write a book one day (I m serious about it, I will).
NOW,
AS THE TRUST IS ALL SHATTERED,
NUMBER TWO IMPORTANT THING IS H O N E S T Y:
AND THIS IS YOUR CARD NOW,
without quarrel - it won't help,
without accusing - they are already in their 'pit' anyways'
but - having a family to care for, which is everybody's business in your situation, this is what it is to talk about, now.
If this was my situation, P., I would invite both of them for a meeting of three dear souls:
all three of you, him, your ex-friend, and yourself, without kids around, maybe someplace out of home, maybe on the lawn in the woods, or by the creek: to have about half a day of time, not to rn and hurry, to sit down and converse.
Not to blame them - they already know what they accomplished, and after all, you're not their mama, but TO ASK THEM:
DEAR ONES, WHOM I HAVE LOVED FOR YEARS, HOW DO YOU IMAGINE OUR LIFE NOW THAT I KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON? IF YOU LIKE IT AS IT WAS, IT WON'T WORK ANYMORE, AS YOU DO NOT HAVE A SECRET ANYMORE; YOU WANT TO CONTINUE AS IT IS,BUT YOU ARE AWARE OF ALL THE PAIN THAT IT CAUSES ME.
They certainly have a choice, and you will either accept it or not.
I know different families going through similar stuff (stuff, indeed :( ) with different outcomes.
a) she cried through the pain of him walking away, but she loved him to no end , and she said: whenever you decide to come back, I am here for you, and they had a great son. He did come back in about a month, and this is 20 years past now, and they are very happy family. He never cheated on her, and her love saved their situation.
b) he decided to stay with another woman, but they remained friends - relatives anyways, through children - and now each has their own family, but they communicate and converse as cousins, and even meet all together, as one extended family at times. Interestingly, they both still love each other, but they wouldn't wish to come back together, just cousins' option works out fine.
c) they depart and never meet before, which is not a good case for children, as then kids manipulate this situation, and it is hard to raise them without conflicts...
d) ..... e) ....
all the people are unique.
I would suggest you all three to converse, HONESTly, openly, just as it is: it may well be that you all three love each other to no end, (like polygamy-situation, which is not the case of acceptance, probably, but a possible feeling it may be), well, and children... this is one toughest situation that could ever happen, ever!
P., in communicating with them, to get emotional won't help: try to be WISE, as you hold the leading role in all this situation now, they are more messed up in their thoughts as they are in guilt, and you're the only reasonable lady, most caring and loving as you are.
I wish you all the best, and to find a way out of this thing,
because life does not end, all of you need to move on... to decide - how, is a question.
Wish you well, P. !