H was 35, several degrees, great job, future. She started going to him with her problems with her unemployed, drunken loser boyfriend. All the while telling H what a great guy he was and she would love to find a guy like him, if only he wasn't married. We went through a bunch of stressful things, H was very stressed at work. He started to fall into clinical depression.
Misery loves company.
I'm sure he started to commiserate. She was let go and went to a new job. He eventually said yes. OW was more than happy to be his drinking buddy. As far as what her family would think I didn't get teh impression that she came from a background where anyone would care about stuff like adultery.