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Is it ever ok to message the OW

242 replies

Dorothyy · 10/03/2025 10:49

So my partner and I split last year and within weeks he was with this new woman, obviously part of me believes it was going on before and they used to go out together frequently whilst I was at home looking after our children (not on their own but as a group of colleagues) I feel so stupid as I did question it at the time and she was just a friend apparently. I had a few wines the other night and stupidly messaged her just asking when this started, obviously didn’t get a reply

OP posts:
kitchentablegardentable · 10/03/2025 12:59

Chuchoter · 10/03/2025 11:11

She could lie and say yes he was cheating on you with her if she's the bitchy sort!

Or she could lie and say no she wasn't when he was!

You have absolutely no idea that she could be telling the truth or what her motives are!

Thankfully she behaved with dignity and has not lowered herself to your level and replied.

"Thankfully she behaved with dignity and has not lowered herself to your level and replied."

You lost me at this bit.

How, exactly, has she behaved with dignity? And do you think it's appropriate to kick the OP when she is down?

Ffs 🤦‍♀️

OP, one of the cruelest things men can do in these situations is refuse to give the full, honest truth.

It's really shitty and no wonder it led to you sending that message.

But, as tactless and unnecessary as the above poster was, she is correct in that, if the OW does get back to you, you will never know if she is telling the truth.

As hard as it is, you need to just try and move on.

xxx

CautiousLurker01 · 10/03/2025 12:57

Dorothyy · 10/03/2025 11:14

Nothing dignified about a home wrecker though

True, by if MN is anything to go by, if your exH has done it once, he’ll do it again and she’ll get her comeuppance in due course. I’d leave it to fate/the gods/karma to redress the scales and focus on yourself now. Knowing for certain it was going on back then doesn’t help anymore than knowing it is highly likely, is it? It won’t give you closure, just open new wounds and rub salt in existing ones.

We’ve all ‘drunk’ texted. Just forget about it for now.

LoveWine123 · 10/03/2025 12:54

The only thing you will accomplish by messaging the OW is to create drama for yourself and end up in a situation where you will be feeling embarrassed. While none of what happened is your fault, digging into your ex's life will bring you nothing but negative feelings. If I were in your position, I will be trying to move on and figure out why you allowed someone to treat you so badly for years before you decided enough was enough, Use this as an opportunity to understand yourself better so you don't let anyone treat you badly ever again.

LoztWorld · 10/03/2025 12:53

It’s fine. You are grieving the loss of your marriage. Don’t do it again because it will only make you feel worse. But don’t beat yourself up about it either.

Globules · 10/03/2025 12:47

I did. I messaged her to say she had 24 hours to tell her husband, or I would.

I got a sob story from her about how marriage is hard and how my husband gave her the comfort and attention she needed. And how my husband was more into her than she was into him.

No apology.

But boy, it made me feel better.

mrsmiggins78 · 10/03/2025 12:44

I have done this but did not ask any questions or invite any sort of response. Just told her what I thought of her. Felt much better.

Epidote · 10/03/2025 12:44

Depends of how much drama you want to add. I would pass.

MargoLivebetter · 10/03/2025 12:32

Don't do this to yourself @Dorothyy . The OW is really neither here nor there. Your partner cheated on you and she was simply the vessel that facilitated his actions. Who knows what bullshit he told her. The point is he was in a relationship with you, that you presumably believed was monogamous and exclusive and he lied to you, deceived you and through his actions broke up your relationship and also your family. Those are the facts and very little about her actually matters.

You are understandably grieving and bewildered but trying to strike up a conversation with the OW is not the way to go and deep down you know this.

Focus on yourself now and on your DC. You have to heal and take the time to do that. Do everything you can to care for yourself in the best way possible. Treat yourself like the amazing person you are and the amazing mum that you are and take each day at a time. If you don't feel you can do it on your own, get some counselling or rant away on here, but don't ever get in touch with the OW again. I say all of this as someone who found myself in your shoes 20 years ago and wished that someone had said these things to me.

tallhotpinkflamingo · 10/03/2025 12:31

Mrsttcno1 · 10/03/2025 11:34

Except even that really depends on the circumstances doesn’t it? How many men do you think honestly approach an OW and say “I’m married with kids but I really fancy you, do you want to be my bit on the side”? I’d bet on that number being close to zero.

Most men do the “we’re separated” or “we’re in the process of getting divorced” or even just point blank deny there ever was or has been a wife/other person in the picture so the OW could end up equally blindsided. My friend was unfortunately in that position not too long ago, met a lovely man via a dating app (so of course you’d assume SINGLE), went on plenty of dates, went on a lovely weekend trip together, she had met his friends, he came out with us and met her friends, I like to think I’m a pretty good judge of character and I thought he seemed a nice guy! A few months down the line she received a message request on facebook- from his wife.

It completely depends on where the woman is at and what she wants, I have a friend who likes no strings sex and prefers married men because she doesn't want commitment and knows they just want sex too.

If they think the woman wants a committed relationship then yes they will lie.

But some women just meet someone they're attracted to and want to have sex with them and that's it. My friend can't stand clingy men.

Ihopeyouhavent · 10/03/2025 12:30

Chuchoter · 10/03/2025 11:11

She could lie and say yes he was cheating on you with her if she's the bitchy sort!

Or she could lie and say no she wasn't when he was!

You have absolutely no idea that she could be telling the truth or what her motives are!

Thankfully she behaved with dignity and has not lowered herself to your level and replied.

The OW has dignity? How is that then?

And the OP lowered herself? Again, hows that?

SilverDoe · 10/03/2025 12:27

Mnetcurious · 10/03/2025 12:08

Sorry but it was your ex-husband who was the home wrecker, one way or another. Even if they were together before you split, it was him who was married (although obviously carrying on with a man you know is married is also wrong).

All you’ve achieved by texting her is to show her that it bothers you that they’re together and you’re still hung up on it rather than graciously moving on. She probably wouldn’t have told you the truth anyway.

Not being funny but why would it be a problem to be "bothered" by the fact that your marriage has been ended and your ex husband has shacked up with a new partner within a matter of weeks?

What high school games are we playing where it's considered somehow inappropriate for the OP to have negative feelings about how the situation has transpired?

If I was the OW or the ExH I would fully expect the ex wife to be fucking bothered.

treesandsun · 10/03/2025 12:27

You can talk to who you want, when you want about what you want. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. Whether it is going to be productive is a different matter. Is there anything that she could say which would make you feel better/satisfied ? It is unlikely. Be glad she has got the cheating twat to deal with now and she will likely lose him the way she gained him.

Errors · 10/03/2025 12:23

I think it’s a shame that so many people need to rely on other people to gain closure. That’s giving all of your power away. It should be enough to know you’re well shot of an unhappy relationship and you deserve better.
I have tons of questions for my last ex, even a few months down the line but I will never give him the satisfaction of thinking I give enough of a fuck to even ask them. As time goes on, I care less about why it ended and care more that it DID end because now I am coming out of the thick of missing someone, I can see all of the flaws and issues that meant it would never work.

BeHere · 10/03/2025 12:20

It's morally ok, but it's probably unhelpful.

boxtop · 10/03/2025 12:18

It doesn't help, particularly, but it's a pretty normal thing for the wronged ex-wife to do. Shag a married man, you can't be surprised when you get an aggro text! Don't be embarrassed OP, you're not the first and you won't be the last.

Don't be like my dad's OW though and turn up unannounced and pissed at my mum's new flat late at night to show text messages from my dad and gloat. Now that's embarrassing!

PandaTime · 10/03/2025 12:16

There are no rules about this type of thing, but it is pointless. They're together, so she's hardly going to say anything to cause him trouble. And if they had split up she might say anything to get him into trouble. So really you're never really going to know the truth unless he admits something.

5128gap · 10/03/2025 12:15

Your exes new partner will be team him. Unless he's already blotted his copy book with her, you can safely assume any communication you have with her will be through a filter of her love for him and desire to protect and promote his interests. If she had replied it would be almost certainly to assure you that he kept his feelings under wraps for her until you'd separated. It may even be true. She may have insisted that he ended things with you before she'd start a relationship with him. A lot of women would because they wouldn't want to be the OW.

stayathomer · 10/03/2025 12:15

I’d probably have done the same op but as others say better to look forward than back. Hugs x

HouseAshamed · 10/03/2025 12:14

@Mnetcurious , OP and her XP have children together.

@Dorothyy , I contacted the OW because XP was violent.

Mnetcurious · 10/03/2025 12:08

Dorothyy · 10/03/2025 11:14

Nothing dignified about a home wrecker though

Sorry but it was your ex-husband who was the home wrecker, one way or another. Even if they were together before you split, it was him who was married (although obviously carrying on with a man you know is married is also wrong).

All you’ve achieved by texting her is to show her that it bothers you that they’re together and you’re still hung up on it rather than graciously moving on. She probably wouldn’t have told you the truth anyway.

tipsandtoes · 10/03/2025 12:06

workshy46 · 10/03/2025 11:42

I don't know why the OW gets absolved of all responsibility. They may not have taken vows but is there no requirement now to behave like a decent person anymore ? The whole "she doesn't owe you anything " trope.
Are our standards so low now.
Op he was most certainly cheating but she won't reply or tell you the truth.. she can't spin the yarn that she didn't know he was married so what does that leave her with ?
I totally get where you are coming from but I would try as best you can to look forward , not backwards and focus on your future.

She may well have not known he was married.

Dorothyy · 10/03/2025 12:03

Thank you ladies

OP posts:
GiveMeSpanakopita · 10/03/2025 12:03

Don't beat yourself up OP, you've done nothing wrong. It's human nature to want to know, it sounds like you've been very dignified thus far. You haven't "lowered yourself" or anything like that.

It doesn't sound like she's going to reply so I think you just need to delete her number and move on. Best of luck xx

tipsandtoes · 10/03/2025 12:03

Chuchoter · 10/03/2025 11:11

She could lie and say yes he was cheating on you with her if she's the bitchy sort!

Or she could lie and say no she wasn't when he was!

You have absolutely no idea that she could be telling the truth or what her motives are!

Thankfully she behaved with dignity and has not lowered herself to your level and replied.

Stop being a bitch. The OP hasn't lowered herself
The world really doesn't need your sort

tipsandtoes · 10/03/2025 12:01

Dorothyy · 10/03/2025 11:09

I’m just really struggling to work out how they can be together now after me questioning him and he was obviously lying to me!

Because they were being deceitful all along. He lied to you every single time he saw/slept with her by pretending to you that there was nothing going on. So he's good at lying.