<human>: Background: I am a 25 year old female, my partner is a 24 year old female. We have been together over 4 years, and live together.

Recently we have been having some issues in our relationship. She has been very depressed, and I had a freak out about the direction of our lives (we are on track to be buying a house in the Spring, and freaked out about what came next - kids). In the midst of all of this, I have been turning to one of my exes (I am friends with most of them) as a friend. This particular ex is a a sore spot for her. Well the talking turned into a bit of flirting, and she went through my phone and found out. She confronted me before I was going to be going home for Christmas, when I was also going to see said ex. I will freely admit, I did lie about seeing the ex, because I know that she is such a sore spot for her. She found out about the lying and the flirting when she read the texts.

I love my partner, and even though we are going through a rough time I cannot see myself with anybody else but her. The flirting was a distraction from all the issues. Does not excuse my actions, but that is my reasoning. I don't have the best track record with previous relationships, but I have not cheated on her in the 4 years we have been together. My partner is so hurt that it is killing me. She is questioning all of my motives, and thinks that something would have happened if she had not confronted me.

I am so afraid of losing her over this, I just really don't know what to do. I am doing everything in my power to reassure her that I want to be with her, and only her, and try to explain why I did what I did, but I really think she might leave me. Probably a culmination of this flirting issue, and all of the other things going on. 

Turning to internet strangers may not be the wisest choice, but I thought maybe someone would have some insight.

Can you provide a brief rundown of the text in within 3 sentences?
<bot>: Relationship has issues, I started flirting with an ex as a distraction. No intentions of anything more happening, but now current partner is hurt, upset, paranoid, and very well might leave me.