One minute I was having a heart racing work fling, then my world blew up

DEAR DEIDRE: A RECKLESS work fling was so exciting - sneaking off to the woods for al fresco sex at impromptu moments.

But then my colleague fell pregnant, my wife found out and now I’m sleeping on my brother’s sofa, with nowhere to go and no money. I’ve lost everything.

My colleague has since given birth to a son who I haven’t even met.

I’m a man of 41 and I’m a first-class idiot. I had everything going for me. A beautiful wife of 38 and we were doing up an old cottage.

I was working long hours in the gardens of a big hotel and then coming home to take the plaster off the walls. It was so stressful and we started bickering. 

At the same time I started getting friendly with a girl at work. We went for a drink one night after work. She’s 29, pretty and soon, I was having a full-blown affair.

She said she couldn’t get pregnant, so foolishly, I never used protection. The affair didn’t last long and my wife and I sorted out our differences.

But I was devastated when my colleague sent a voice note while I was on holiday telling me she was pregnant.

She had a little boy and I paid voluntary maintenance for a year, though I wasn’t 100 per

cent sure the baby was mine and she refused DNA tests.

Last month, I broke down and told my wife. She threw me out.

I’ve since been made redundant and can’t afford to pay maintenance.

I’ve lost everything — and I don’t even get to see my son.

DEIDRE SAYS: If you are still having doubts that this child is yours, please contact the Child Maintenance Service.