isn't it true that if it comes out in the daylight it will burn out faster? Doesn't the game of secretive keep it going longer?
I agree with Michael. There is no way to know.
What I do know is that you can't "unring" a bell. Once the word is out, the reputation of the other person is soiled. This is why I have not told anybody about my wife's infidelity. Oh, I plan to go public with it. Just not right now. I need to give her one final opportunity to come back and make ammends.