Million Dollar Question - Why do Women Cheat ?

While most of us spend hours gossiping about how awful men get when they turn infidel, nobody pays heed to why the fairer sëx (females) resorts to cheating on their male partners?

It may sound surprising, when women cheat, as they are usually considered poised creatures socially blessed with a unique power to balance their professional and personal life.

Be it a chance encounter with a past lover, getting tempted to go around with the boss, seeking financial and emotional security in a trusted male friend or finding a fulfilling physical relationship - we bring you some 'committed' (read married) women who share what actually drove them to step out of their present relationship and turn infidel.

The Green Eyed Evil : Most women would deny, but jealousy is a major turn on! The mere thought of hanging around with someone else making your guy feel envious is a commonly deployed tactic. A lot of women indulge in this ploy, seeking more attention, care and of course getting the ultimate feeling of, 'Yes, I made my man jealous!'

Housewife Shalini Gupta, 28, shares, "It used to happen in college when my then boy friend, (now my husband) stopped me from making male friends. Being in a co-ed institution, I loved wandering around with guys as I knew he'd get jealous, so in a way that worked for me, as it brought all the attention to me."

Career Caresses : When the boardroom becomes the bedroom, it's natural to get into a relationship (secret) with an office colleague. Some say that 'flirting makes the workplace more interesting', others would agree that a fling with bosses is an easy short cut towards professional growth. Not just this, few women won't even mind dumping their hubby for a successful head honcho because power is a huge turn on for women.

"I didn't know initially that I'll end up cheating on my husband. It was an impulsive decision that I slept with my reporting manager. I tried not to go far in this relation, but after I got everything I desired in my job (the much needed salary hikes and a bumper promotion), I felt satisfied with this relation and let it continue further," quips Kriti Chauhan (name changed), a 32-year-old software professional.