Here's a crazy scenario that I'd like to get other people's perspective on...

"C" has a long (18 month) adulterous but semi-long-distant affair - met 5 times in that time, the first 2 were only visits/walks/lunch/movies - the last 3 meeting were for intimacy. This was 4 years after C carried on an emotional affair with same person.

C is discovered by their spouse, X. Initially they discuss the terms of their separation but after 12 hours of discussion, X amazingly poses this question to C, "Can this work out after all this?" C decides that yes, if X can work through this, it can work and it will be worth saving the marriage - and C breaks off the affair and they start counseling.

After weeks of discussion and being on a whirlwind tour through every emotion possible from affection to rage, and getting to the brink of separation on numerous occasions, X, who has worked hard to work through this to maintain focus on goal and not give in to the paranoia and rage, comes up with a scenario: Divorce but live together and attempt to rebuild the foundation of a good marriage together.

At this point in the the relationship X has the upper hand. Adultery, in their state, is grounds for instant divorce and separation without cohabitation is not necessary. A year from now, if it doesn't work out, X would have lost the advantage and a long separation would be required.

Divorced folks all over the country are finding themselves living together for monetary, childcare, or convenience reasons...but they all had the fact that their relationship was over and done with in common. C and X never heard of people divorcing while trying to actually trying to work it out. Like X states: "Its a legal move. More importantly it is a symbolic gesture. The old marriage was broken. It was a house that was burned to the ground and we are going to salvage what is left and try to rebuild a bigger and stronger house."

Thoughts?