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AIBU?

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DH lied about trustee

79 replies

SheSellsSeaShellz · 07/11/2024 23:16

DH is chair of a board of trustees for a charity. I’ve found out that he’s lied over the past few years about how much time he’s been spending with one of the female trustees. It’s dinners, lunches etc with her alone, and he’d be implying he’s been with a group of people, lying about train problems while he’s been chatting for hours with her. I found out he’d invited her to a black tie dinner, asked him directly and he denied it, when I said I had found out, he says she’d been busy and hadn’t gone with him, so it’s apparently not a lie.

I don’t think it’s a physical affair, she sees him as a mentor for her career apparently, but I feel heartbroken to be lied to so persistently. He’s been quite panicky and saying I can’t tell anyone as he’d have to stand down in his role as chair of trustees. I don’t want him to work with her anymore , but he says she’s a good trustee and he wants to continue working with her, that I shouldn’t rock the boat.

We have four DC, two young adult, two are young teens. If it wasn’t for the children I’d leave.

I would like to make his untrustworthiness known to the board. AIBU?

OP posts:
LookItsMeAgain · 08/11/2024 09:21

FiveShelties · 07/11/2024 23:31

To be honest I would not worry about the Board, I would be looking to end the marriage.

This.
So sorry that you've discovered his dishonesty.
Can you deal with the dishonesty or has the trust gone from your marriage?

Stravaig · 08/11/2024 08:30

You have the personal and the professional thoroughly muddled up here!

It's not the job of a board of trustees to make your husband stay in his marriage, or to help you punish him for any suspected dalliances outwith the marriage. That's for you and him to figure out.

If you have something concrete and professionally relevant, by all means inform the board, but with a simple factual sentence.

The fact you intend to stay with him anyway makes it seem like vindictive lashing out.

You leave him. Because you suspect he has betrayed his vows, because he has lied to you, because he has no personal or professional integrity, because the marriage isn't working anyway.

Don't try to offload responsibility for your relationship choices onto others.

OrwellianTimes · 08/11/2024 08:23

10 hour lunch and no one is suggesting this could be a full blown affair?

I wouldn’t report to the board, but I’d struggle to believe anything he said about the matter.

JustWalkingTheDogs · 08/11/2024 07:54

Several things stand out to me, the first one is it's highly likely he is having an affair, even though you've spoke to the lady, don't let that fool you into sinking that nothing is going on because she was nice and honest with you.

Secondly, it's not you that could cause him to resign. It's his own actions. Don't let him push the blame onto you, if he hadn't of lied he wouldn't be in this position.

And thirdly, I would be expecting him to stand down from his position, for the sake of your relationship!

5475878237NC · 08/11/2024 07:40

There is no way he's panicking because he went to lunch. Clearly there is more to it. He had proven himself to be untrustworthy and I'd be rethinking the marriage for sure.

YouveGotAFastCar · 08/11/2024 07:38

I wouldn’t report him.

But I wouldn’t stay either, he’s taking you for a mug and he’s not concerned about how you feel, just that you don’t impact on his opportunities to “mentor” this woman.

Realistically, if she’s ever interested, he’ll leave anyway, so staying for the children is an awful idea all round.

I wouldn’t deliberately inform the board but I’d leave and I’d be honest as to why, if people asked.

GiraffeTree · 08/11/2024 07:35

IME most charities find it very difficult to recruit trustees. If your DH is a good chair they may not be too worried about his private life.

As others have said - your marriage is the main issue here. Focus on that. Do you think couples counselling would help?

MsDogLady · 08/11/2024 07:25

@SheSellsSeaShellz, you’ve been in a greatly unequal marriage. Your H’s faithless behavior is truly appalling, and I don’t believe for a minute that this is a ‘mentoring’ friendship.

His recommending this OW for the board was a perfect cover to conduct an illicit relationship. For years he has been conniving and lying to you — duping you as he enjoyed their lunch and dinner dates, engaged in chatting for hours, and invited her to important events. As for the 11 hour ‘lunch date’, there are no words. Was she referring to this marathon day/evening of togetherness when she gushed about spending ‘a few hours’ getting career advice from him? Surely you don’t believe that guff. They are making a fool of you.

Now he is bricking it because his double life has been rumbled and his affair cover blown. @SheSellsSeaShellz, if you’re going to consider staying with this practiced liar, you need to require his resigning and cutting all contact with OW. Personally, it would be game over for me, and I’d be consulting with a solicitor. The dishonesty, contempt, and callous disregard he has perpetrated against you as he prioritizes OW is beyond the pale. He clearly believes he is the Great I Am who controls the narrative, but I would show him different. What a sorry husband and father/role model for the children he is.

SweetSakura · 08/11/2024 07:25

Getamoveon2024 · 08/11/2024 06:52

As a trustee of a charity, I wouldn’t expect this to be brought to my attention. As a wife I would be fucking furious. And I would give him two choices. He resigns, with immediate effect, of his own volition, or I would end the marriage. I would make it very clear that his resignation in no way means I would even consider staying in a relationship with a serial liar but if he wanted any chance of remaining married, he resigns.
And the “ panicky” bit worries me op. I don’t think he’s panicking about his trustee role, I think he’s panicking because you have found out and he bloody well knows he has crossed the line. Panicking is the universal response of unfaithful people everywhere and I honestly think you don’t know the half of it yet. I’m sorry he is such a massive twat.

Yes, I don't think you've been told anything like the full story yet op.

And I would be clear that, as a minimum, he resigns immediately. And I wouldn't just say the marriage is over if he doesn't, I would threaten to tell the board about his affair if he doesn't (because it was/is an affair,. whether it has got physical or not yet is somewhat academic)

And then I would reflect on what the marriage is like aside from this and whether I remotely want to give him another chance or whether actually it wasn't great anyway and not worth fighting for

Nina1013 · 08/11/2024 07:10

Probably an unpopular opinion, but I have been in a not completely dissimilar situation a long time ago with an ex, and the common theme was his self interest rather than the relationship and his betrayal.

I was far more concerned about finding out what had actually gone on than about his role (which was his only concern), so I told him that if he was completely honest with me, I wouldn’t report him. I then did report him, but that’s a different story! I got the facts I needed to move on.

You might consider trying the same - closure comes so much faster when you know the full breadth of the score. I have absolutely no doubt he’s not telling you even half of it.

Getamoveon2024 · 08/11/2024 06:52

As a trustee of a charity, I wouldn’t expect this to be brought to my attention. As a wife I would be fucking furious. And I would give him two choices. He resigns, with immediate effect, of his own volition, or I would end the marriage. I would make it very clear that his resignation in no way means I would even consider staying in a relationship with a serial liar but if he wanted any chance of remaining married, he resigns.
And the “ panicky” bit worries me op. I don’t think he’s panicking about his trustee role, I think he’s panicking because you have found out and he bloody well knows he has crossed the line. Panicking is the universal response of unfaithful people everywhere and I honestly think you don’t know the half of it yet. I’m sorry he is such a massive twat.

SoozyWoozy5 · 08/11/2024 06:48

I honestly think your focus is misdirected. I agree with others that pursuing the moral stance regarding his role as a Trustee and wanting to ‘out’ him comes across as punishment driven by jealousy. Keep your dignity.. Focus on the fact he clearly has feelings for another woman and likely would have acted on it if she was willing. Thats the key issue.

thepariscrimefiles · 08/11/2024 06:25

SheSellsSeaShellz · 07/11/2024 23:56

I agree about the romantic involvement not mattering to the board. It’s the history of persistently lying. My H and I are married. He’s lied persistently. He introduced this trustee to the board and I think he overstated her skills because he wanted to spend time with her. If I- his wife- can’t trust him, what else will he lie about?

If he introduced this trustee to the board, how did he know her beforehand?

If he lied about her skills and experience to get her on the board just so that he could spend time with her, this could be something that should be reported.

TriangleLight · 08/11/2024 04:06

Honestly, he’s obviously having a relationship with her. I wouldn’t bother with the board, you’ll look vengeful and it’s the least of your worries. Leave him, regardless of the DCs.

Womblewife · 08/11/2024 04:00

That would be a no more scenario for me I’m afraid. He is a natural liar - looks you in the face and lies outright. You can’t trust him, and the only reason he is not having a physical affair is because she is not interested.

Wordsmithery · 08/11/2024 03:56

Reporting him will end your marriage, which may be what you want, given that he's repeatedly betrayed your trust.
Also, though, reporting him will smack of airing your dirty linen in public. Is that what you want? If he's done nothing wrong in terms of trustees and governance, you'll have over shared very private matters, things you might prefer others not to know.
Why not just leave him? If he has behaved inappropriately, this may well come to light during the divorce, as the rumour mill starts to turn.

PaminaMozart · 08/11/2024 03:21

Don't get side tracked by the Trustee issue.

Focus on getting divorced

Staying for the children is never a good idea.

BreadInCaptivity · 08/11/2024 02:44

YouZirName · 08/11/2024 02:30

Let's call it what it is. You're upset because you feel jealous of another woman, and want to hurt your DH under the guise of 'honesty'. How lovely.

Utter rubbish.

He's been dishonest about his relationship with this person and deliberately hiding how much time he is spending with her from the OP.

He's possibly overstated her credentials to get her on the Board and I'd suspect, if true this is what he is most worried about if the OP rocks the boat.

Personally I wouldn't report him as a first step, but I would say he needs to resign, drop contact with this woman and invest in his marriage or the alternative is that I'd be speaking to a divorce solicitor ASAP.

Him deflecting and putting the onus on the OP is classic cheaters behaviour. Has he been unfaithful? Maybe not physically but sure as hell emotionally and he's gaslighting the OP into protecting him.

It's not the OP's fault if he loses this position. It's his, because he overstepped, lied and has potentially been fraudulent in respect of Board appointments.

Gymnopedie · 08/11/2024 02:43

YouZirName · 08/11/2024 02:30

Let's call it what it is. You're upset because you feel jealous of another woman, and want to hurt your DH under the guise of 'honesty'. How lovely.

We've found the female trustee.

OP is upset because she's been lied and lied and lied to. At best this is an emotional affair on the part of her DH. She only has his word that it's not more. Damn right she's upset. But not because she's jealous.

Let's call it what it is. You're upset because you feel jealous of another woman, and want to hurt your DH under the guise of 'honesty'. How lovely.

Let's call this what it is. You want to put another woman down and hurt the OP under the guise of 'honesty'. How lovely.

SomeSuperhero · 08/11/2024 02:43

Nolan principles of public life apply to him, about being honest etc.

You say if it were not for the children you’d leave. Leave anyway. Leave to show the children not to tolerate this behaviour from a partner.

SheSellsSeaShellz · 08/11/2024 02:37

YouZirName · 08/11/2024 02:30

Let's call it what it is. You're upset because you feel jealous of another woman, and want to hurt your DH under the guise of 'honesty'. How lovely.

I’m upset, sure, but I don’t feel jealous of her.

OP posts:
YouZirName · 08/11/2024 02:30

Let's call it what it is. You're upset because you feel jealous of another woman, and want to hurt your DH under the guise of 'honesty'. How lovely.

Howdiditgetsobad · 08/11/2024 01:27

If your DH is not having an affair and he hasn’t lied in the course of his trustee role then the marital issues between you and his lack of transparency or dishonesty about his interactions feels like the least relevant part of this scenario and not necessarily a matter the board needs to be advised of. That’s a matter for the two of you to resolve. I don’t think it would be sufficient to declare it as evidence of dishonesty or not being a fit and proper person.

If he is having an affair then there is the potential for perceived or actual conflict of interest as he could influence her votes at trust board potentially, especially as the chair. That is something that ought to be known.

MrsTerryPratchett · 08/11/2024 01:06

TheTigerWhoCameToEatMyArsehole · 08/11/2024 00:15

He's worried about stepping down but not worried you might leave him, says it all really doesn't it.

Yup.

Confusedmeanderings · 08/11/2024 01:04

F