Married coworkers clash when husband refuses wife's PDA on the clock, putting professional boundaries over feelings: 'She never felt so humiliated'

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Ely Bulnes • Writer and Editor
Oct 12, 2025 1:00 PM EDT

We've all heard the phrase, "Don't fish in the company pond." Well, you've probably heard the more popular (and slightly less polite) version of that saying, but the sentiment is the same: work and romance really don't mix well. I've seen even the best of couples accidentally make their coworkers uncomfortable, either by sneaking in some smooches by the coffee machine or having a whispered argument that everyone pretends not to hear. It's one thing to flirt over coffee breaks or share inside jokes in the office group chat, but things can get complicated fast when your personal life and professional life start overlapping. I've had the misfortune of witnessing even the best of couples 

One couple found themselves in a tricky situation regarding their own boundaries in the office. The two have been together for seven years and even met on the job, but they've always kept things professional at work, meaning no PDA, no pet names, no nothing. That is, until their boss's wife joined the team and started openly showing affection toward her husband in the office. Seeing that apparently sparked something in our narrator's wife, and when she tried to show a little affection herself, things didn't exactly go as planned. 

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  • 01

    Aita for moving away when my wife tried to kiss me at work?

    Cheezburger Image 10563142912
    via Lipik Stock Media

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    So my wife and I work in the same office, we've been together for 7 years, we met at this work.
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  • Seven years working together as a couple with no issues? Well, it’s about time something went wrong.

  • 03
    We never hid the fact that we were together, but there was no PDA either. When someone new at work asked me if I had a partner, I'd reply simply, "Yes, I'm
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    with (my wife's name)." But we never kissed, held hands, spoke affectionately, or hugged while working.
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    via Jupiterimages from Photo Images

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 06
    Three months ago, our boss's wife joined our team. Well, technically, she's always been with us, but until now, she did
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    everything from home and only showed up for meetings once a month. Now she's in the office
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    full time. She and our boss often show affection for each other; quick kisses are the norm when he leaves our office, for example.
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    Anyway, I mention this because I think it was this sight that sparked a change in my wife.
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    via shironosov from Getty Images

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

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    At first she ignored it, and then, when we got home, she brought it up several times. First, she brought it up as, "I can't believe
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    they're acting like this at work," then she started joking about it. But she never said she wanted to do the same.
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    And then came Monday, October 6th. I was talking to a client (he was in the office) when my wife came over and handed me the
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    documents I'd requested earlier. I thanked her and returned to my conversation, but out of the corner of my eye, I noticed her leaning toward my face, and... well, instinctively, I moved away.
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    Which ended up being an awkward scene - me pressing my head into the chair and her hovering over me before she straightened up, apologized, and walked away.
    via u/Sufficient_Year_8844

  • After years of having no PDA, it’s pretty understandable to feel jarred by a sudden display of it without any warning!

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    It was a bit strange, but I ended up focusing on work and when we got home I didn't think about it anymore.... but she was. And
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    she was still angry. She told me she had never felt so humiliated and that two other people in our
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    office had seen it and were laughing about it during their break and apparently one of our co-workers even went so far as to ask if we were having problems in our marriage.
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    via BLACKDAY

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

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    I apologized to her and told her that I simply didn't expect it and reacted instinctively, but honestly, I feel like she's still quite cold
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    towards me and that my response has actually made things worse. So I would like to know if it really looks that bad?
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  • 22
    Solardreadlocks you reacted to an unexpected move in a professional setting. She chose the wrong time and place
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  • 23
    ChaunceyPhillips1962 Exactly. There's a time and place for affection, and work isn't it. It's understandable she felt embarrassed, but that reaction was normal given the setting.
    via u/ChaunceyPhillips1962
  • 24
    Southern_Street_2420 Nta a lot of work places like offices have a no relationship in the workplace rules and some have a no pda rule to keep the workplace professional your wife overstepped a boundary
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    Sadie2022 That was so unprofessional to do in front of a client as well as bizarre. And blind sided you after what she said about your boss' kiss good bye during the workday. She embarrassed herself and needs to move on.
    via u/Sadie2022

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relationship advice boss marriage job Professional At Work work coworkers wife married life relationships husband couples love workplace
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