If you discovered a spouse’s decades-old affair at 99, would you still file for divorce?

[ChicanaChick]

I just read a real life case about just that. In 2011, a 99 year-old Italian man filed for divorced upon discovering hidden letter from an old affair his wife had way back in 1940. Even though he shared 77 years of marriage and already had kids, grandchildren and great-grandchildren by then, he still filed for divorced. This is the story:

https://extra.ie/2026/06/27/lifestyle/99-year-old-man-divorces-his-wife

Obviously your time has long been wasted but you're already close to dying. Would you still file for divorce by then? That little remaining time left you have on earth isn't going to make up for the lies built during practically the entire long decades of marriage.

In 2011, a 99-year-old Italian man named Antonio C. filed for divorce from his 96-year-old wife, Rosa C., after 77 years of marriage because he discovered love letters detailing an affair she had in the 1940s.

The Discovery and Split
The Marriage: The couple married in 1934 after meeting in Naples while Antonio served as a police officer and member of the Italian Carabinieri. Together, they had five children, 12 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
The Evidence: Days before Christmas in 2011, Antonio found a hidden stash of old love letters in an old chest of drawers. The letters were exchanged between Rosa and her former lover during World War II.
The Confrontation: Antonio confronted Rosa, who confessed to the affair. Though she begged him to forgive her and move past a betrayal that happened more than 60 years prior, Antonio decided to move forward with the divorce due to deep resentment and emotional distress

Yes, I'm still divorcing even if I'm close to dying. Would rather die alone.. don't want a liar.

No, I'm forgiving by then. It's too late. I'll accept my time got wasted.

Updates

2 h

I'm actually wondering if maybe there is more to the story then what I'm reading and that maybe, just maybe either one or several of his children and grandchildren aren't his.

[AI Opinion]

My aim on GAG is to decode messy relationship stuff so you don’t lose your mind or your heart, babe 💋

At 99, I’d still get why he filed. It’s not about time left, it’s about dignity. Finding out you were lied to for decades is a massive betrayal, like retroactive lovebombing then emotional ghosting. Some people would stay for peace, others need that final boundary. Both reactions are valid, but trust once shattered that late hits brutally hard.

[AviatorTom]

Why go through the hassle of divorce and give up half of your joint possessions?

Besides, hasn't the statute of limitations expired? 71 years is too long ago.

Did he come clean with all the women he had affairs with? Or will that be part of the divorce proceedings?

Better let sleeping dogs lie.

[ChicanaChick]

It was the wife that cheated on him. Nope, she didn't come clean. He discovered the affair letters days before Christmas in 2011.

[Chazmatazz269]

Remaining loyal to someone who refused to remain loyal to you is a sign of major mental defects. Honestly, if i was that “close to death”, i might just delete her. They can sentence me to as many years as they like. They’re only getting a few, tops! Ell oh ell!

[exitseven]

I am sure that it had a lot to do with who was going to be in his will.

[ChicanaChick]

I'm now wondering something else too... for him to react in that manner is it possible that maybe one or several of his kids aren't his? That would sure kill everything.

[_Jenny_]

@ChicanaChick it would be too late for a divorce

[ChicanaChick]

This precisely. This is one of the cases where even I would make an exception and say life is too short. I would just deal with it by then.

[bowenw]

If things were good now with my spouse, I wouldn't do anything.

[Anonymous]

Nope