About a month ago, I was going shopping with friends and my phone wasn't charged so my Dad let me use his. Whilst I was shopping he received a text that was fairly explicit. I was scared to look but I did and saw he was definitely cheating on my mum who he has been married to for 24 years. There were some photos of him and some women together (all ugly, and he totally downgraded, my Mum is beautiful)I took a screenshot of everything and sent it to my own phone along with these other womans numbers. In some way I was quite relieved it was several women rather than just one.
The day after A-Level results day my Dad took me out to a restaurant we always used to go to when I was little as a 'congratulations'. Whilst we were waiting for our food, I confronted him about it. He denied it at first until I showed him everything that I had sent to myself. He admitted that he has been cheating on my Mum for about 6 months with different women. I think it has obviously been a lot longer, but decided that part was irrelevant at this point. He told me that he would never do it again - obviously I didn't believe him, and he begged me not to tell my Mum - he was actually on the verge of tears. It made me feel very uncomfortable.
He said he would do anything for me not to tell her and for me to just 'forget anything happened' - I told him with no emotion in my voice that I would forget everything if he paid my accommodation fees for university and put £150 every month in my account until I graduate . If he defaulted on any of these things then I would tell her without hesitation. He happily agreed and we changed the topic.
This afternoon when I got home, there was a new laptop on my bed with £2,500 in an evolope - and a note signed by my Dad telling me that this wasn't included in our agreement. And it was at that point that my heart sunk, and I felt like I was betraying my Mum and that I was just as guilty as him. I hate myself quite a lot right now. Im sure my Mum would leave him if she knew what he was doing.
Is it wrong for me to accept these things in return for my silence? , Should I refuse to take anything from him and tell her ? or should I not tell her but refuse his pay offs? I'm not sure what to do, I feel bad, especially because my Dad is acting like nothing happened.