Is cheating bad?

so I've been dating my partner for a few years now. it's generally been great, but I've started having this nagging feeling lately. they've been texting this coworker late at night and being kind of secretive about it too. honestly, I might just be overthinking it, but something doesn't sit right with me. I accidentally overheard a part of their phone conversation the other day, and I can't shake this uneasy feeling. they were laughing together about some 'inside joke' from work, which felt way too familiar for my liking.

i know communication in relationships is key or so all those self-help columns say anyway. still, I'm not sure if bringing this up makes me look paranoid or if staying quiet just sweeps problems under the rug. you hear these stories where coworkers develop emotional connections that lead to other things and trust gets broken down incrementally before anyone realizes… but am I reading too much into a couple of texts? maybe I'm letting personal biases skew my perception here.

I tried looking up reasons why people should talk through suspicions like these without sounding accusatory but I'm stuck trying to balance being honest and maintaining peace. work dynamics can be intense; especially if you're working on projects well past regular hours, everything blurs together sometimes… all-nighters become bonding sessions naturally turned a bit flirtatious(maybe). they often talk about how stressful their deadlines are; what if chatting's their way to vent as well?

this coworker's kind of a new addition to their team though, even been referenced as the "team morale booster" during dinner with mutual friends who've mentioned harmless office banter more than once(and giggled). anecdotal evidence can be misleading though: sometimes facts get lost in the sensational bits... sigh 😅 any advice on how to approach this without stirring unnecessary drama? doubting intentions feels invasive yet something spells trouble here.

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