why would the cheater keep the AP around if they claim there’s no feelings there?
like, why would they fight so hard to keep the AP in their life if they supposedly only see them as a friend or have no feelings towards the AP and wants to be platonic?
especially if they also wouldn’t come clean to the partner they are cheating on and the cheater still talks to the AP a lot?
are they suppressing the true extent of the feelings they have, almost keeping them sweet should their main relationship fall apart, like a back up plan of sorts?
because they could finally admit they both have feelings for each other but also won’t leave the original relationship