Photo captures Paula Broadwell gazing at 'Peaches' Petraeus as the ex-CIA director arrives at a hearing with his wife

PUBLISHED: 18:43 EST, 11 November 2012 | UPDATED: 12:04 EST, 12 November 2012

The woman at the center of the David Petraeus cheating scandal was caught gazing at the former CIA director as he entered a congressional hearing with his wife in a photograph from 2011. 

Petreaus resigned in disgrace from his post at the CIA last week after it was revealed that he had an affair with Paula Broadwell, who is shown smiling and looking up at him in the image.

Petraeus's now humiliated wife of 38 years, Holly, is also shown in the photograph, walking slightly ahead of her husband.

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Love triangle: A June 23, 2011 photo shows Paula Broadwell gazing at Gen. David Petraeus as he arrives at a congressional hearing on his nomination to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency

The image was taken during a June 23, 2011 Senate Select Intelligence Committee hearing on Petraeus's nomination to be director of the CIA.

The affair was discovered when Broadwell, 40, sent a spate of threatening emails to 37-year-old Jill Kelley, who works for the State Department, warning her to 'stay away' from Petraeus.

Kelley notified the FBI of the emails and their investigation revealed a number of sexually explicit emails between Broadwell and Petraeus, one of which referenced 'sex under a desk.'

Broadwell often referred to the 60-year-old general as 'peaches' in the emails, which was Petraus's nickname in high school that stuck with him through his cadet years at West Point.

Nickname: Broadwell often referred to the 60-year-old general as 'peaches' in her emails to him

The nickname was a reflection of his wholesome character, according to a biography on him written in Vanity Fair.

At the time of the photograph it is thought that the affair between the 60-year-old four-star general and his 40-year-old biographer was still continuing despite both being married with children.

Petraeus issued a statement acknowledging the affair on Friday after President Obama accepted his resignation, which was announced by the CIA soon after.

Jealous: Broadwell sent Jill Kelley, far right, threatening emails warning her to stay away from Petraeus. Pictured with Kelley is her husband, Scott, and Holly Petraeus at a party hosted by Kelley

‘After being married for over 37 years, I showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair,' he said in the statement. 'Such behavior is unacceptable, both as a husband and as the leader of an organization such as ours. This afternoon, the president graciously accepted my resignation.’

After being sworn in as CIA Director on September 6th, 2011, Broadwell broke up with Petraeus, but he continued to pursue her, sending her thousands of emails over the last few months - raising questions about his judgement which led in part to his resignation.

Broadwell, who spent three years doing researching for her book, had extensive access to Petraeus in Afghanistan.

Love affair: Broadwell, who spent three years researching Petraeus for an autobiography she wrote on him, had extensive access to the exCIA chief in Afghanistan

In the biography, Broadwell revealed she first met him during his visit to Harvard in spring 2006 when he was a Commander at Fort Leavenworth.

'I was among the students invited by the school to meet with the general at a dinner afterward, because of my military background,' she explained.

'I introduced myself to then–Lieutenant General Petraeus and told him about my research interests; he gave me his card and offered to put me in touch with other researchers and service members working on the same issues.' 

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