ABreak Up: End the relationship immediately and begin the process of moving on. This involves cutting off contact, seeking support from friends and family, and focusing on personal healing and growth. This is a clean break focused on self-preservation and avoiding further potential hurt.
BOpen and Honest Discussion with No Immediate Decision: Communicate your feelings of hurt, betrayal, and anger. Ask her to explain her actions and motivations without interruption. Focus on understanding the 'why' behind the infidelity. Then, take a few days (or a week) of space to process the information and consider your options without pressure. After this period, revisit the conversation and decide on a course of action (breakup, conditional forgiveness, or further discussion).
CConditional Forgiveness with Therapy: Express your hurt and anger, but state that you are willing to consider forgiveness *only* if your girlfriend agrees to individual therapy to address the underlying reasons for the infidelity, and couples therapy to rebuild trust and communication. This involves setting clear boundaries, expectations for transparency, and a timeline for assessing progress. Re-evaluate the relationship after a defined period (e.g., 6 months) based on demonstrable effort and improvement.
DTrial Separation with Focused Communication: Suggest a temporary separation (e.g., one month) to gain perspective and evaluate your feelings independently. During this time, both of you should refrain from dating other people but commit to honest and open communication about your individual needs, expectations, and whether or not you believe the relationship can be salvaged. At the end of the separation, reassess your feelings and make a final decision.