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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

my husband is in love with another woman.

359 replies

ponytailcapbadge · 10/01/2026 18:59

Sorry this is a name change and a long one so as not to drip feed. I would like to hear people’s opinions as I am considering leaving my DH as he is in love with someone else, lets call her Sarah. He has known Sarah since they were 4 years old. Their parents and grandparents were all friends.She is who is parents thought he should and would marry and she is utterly adored by his who family. She called his parents mum and dad. My husband claims they were never an item (although he wished they were) and they have only kissed once when they were teenagers. She’s nothing to look at but has done very well in her career. We are now all in our late 50s.
This is a second marriage for both me and DH. I met him and his DW at work. I was friends with his DW1 and she would often speak about Sarah and how much she hated her and how she had banned her husband from ever contacting her. When DH marriage broke up, I was already divorced and we started seeing each other. Unfortunately in the job we do this is utterly banned and within 2 weeks we were discovered and he was sacked on the spot. He also lost his home at the same time as it went with the job. I was protected because he was my boss and so was considered a victim. DH had to move in with me and I supported him while he searched for a new career. I wanted a commitment from him and he proposed in a very theatrical way within 6 months of us getting together and it was wonderful – or so I thought.

It turned out that he had immediately got in contact with Sarah when his marriage failed and was messaging her several times a day. They also met up at her house. She told him not to marry me. At this point I understood why DW1 hated her. We got married anyway. It’s fair to say it’s been a pretty tempestuous union. My career has skyrocketed and I’ve moved up through the ranks. He’s struggled to find work and earns now a fraction of what he did when we worked together. I knew that he still thought about her and once he called out her name during sex.
When his mother died Sarah turned up at the funeral. I was furious that she should insert herself into our family grief. When DH father died a few years later she also came to that funeral and had the cheek to bring her husband and child as well. I told him in no uncertain terms that if he spoke to her there that the marriage would be over. She glared at me the whole time.
After the funeral I said he could never speak to Sarah again and told him to remove all social media links to her. I don’t understand why Sarah’s husband hadn’t stopped them speaking to each other.
It’s been 6 years and I really thought she was out of our lives and then on NYE his phone pinged.I checked his phone and it was a text from Sarah saying HNY. I then realised she is never going to be gone from our lives. Our respective kids are almost grown up. AIBU to think now is the time to call this a day. I’ve never even spoken to this woman and yet I want to kill her. I hate what she has done to my marriage. Do I really want to spend the last part of my life with a man who is in love with someone else?

OP posts:
PGmicstand · 10/01/2026 23:39

Based on the information here I can't see Sarah has actually done anything wrong. She attended the funeral of some people she was close to/knew for almost all her life. And sent a text to a friend.
He sounds much more problematic- getting sacked because of starting a workplace relationship, proposing "theatrically" after 6 months, and moving in so fast.

ScribblingPixie · 10/01/2026 23:38

Whatever the ins and outs of this, I think it was pretty marvellous of Sarah to come to both funerals of people she loved, despite obvious hostility. Awful of you to try to make her uncomfortable and deny her right to pay her respects.

covilha · 10/01/2026 23:35

Are you this mistrustful in all your relationships? If so then they are doomed, whether you have reason or not.
You Bannned him from communicating with her, banned him, seriously? He is an ADULT and your husband. Not your child palling up with the local hard lad who is going to encourage him to try alcohol!
if you can’t treat him with any more respect than that, draw the line, cut him loose and grin and bear it if Sarah takes him

Dinkydash · 10/01/2026 23:32

BMW6 · 10/01/2026 19:04

Well of course! Sounds like he married you because he needed accommodation and she's always been The One.

Kick him out now, file for divorce. Don't be made a fool of for a moment longer.

They call men like this hobosexual.

neilyoungismyhero · 10/01/2026 23:32

I'm wondering what your husband has to say about all this. Does he still show his love for you? Does he contact her? why has your relationship been tumultuous? How long have you been married?

silverwrath · 10/01/2026 23:31

^^

'ok I admit we did get together when technically he was still married'

Unimpressed Viola Davis GIF
Pippielk · 10/01/2026 23:31

Perfectly normal to attend the funerals. A HNY text perfectly normal too. Obviously we don’t know the full back story but if that’s the only two things she has done ‘wrong’ - then you need to loose this hatred and jealousy of her as that will break your marriage more than Sarah

Scohpahni · 10/01/2026 23:14

ponytailcapbadge · 10/01/2026 20:53

I'm sorry - I'm not a crazy,. I'm a nice rational person. I do a responsible job. I dont understand why I just cant get this bit of my life sorted and its tearing me apart. Maybe I shouldnt have given the back story but I didnt want to drip feed.

You’re clearly insecure and you also picked apart the woman’s appearance as if she’s nothing. You are the problem and also they grew up together she’s entitled to go to his families funerals. Have you read messages where they claim their undying love for one another or is this exaggerated

Dweetfidilove · 10/01/2026 23:14

You married a loser and made Sarah the villain of your story.
The marriage started on rocky ground and has continued on one.

Scohpahni · 10/01/2026 23:12

Quite ironic really you were interested in him and even we’re friends with his first wife. They broke up you got a sniff ditched her for her man. Forced him into marriage and now will cry cause history is repeating itself and you’ll loose him how you found him

usedtobeaylis · 10/01/2026 23:11

I don't really see that she's done anything wrong. She doesn't seem to have overstepped. They have known each other since the age of 4 and she is allowed to have her place as a friend with an opinion on his forthcoming marriage. She absolutely should be able to attend the funerals of people she has known since she was a child, and she is allowed to text her friend at new year. If anyone is the problem, it is him. And you, tbh.

SalmonOnFinnCrisp · 10/01/2026 23:09

I think you should hate the choices you made ... not Sarah.
This was unhealthy from the 6 month proposal onwards amd your posts are giving...I dont know ... Lady Macbeth vibes?

Is his friendship with sarah crossing a line 🤷🏻‍♀️ who knows....

You chose him knowing this was the set up and in a turbulent mix of unethical circs (both married, getting sacked because you broke office policy etc etc)

Only you can know the state of your marriage but sounds like a divorce might be quite financially painful for you though...so id think twice....

YourDearDreamer · 10/01/2026 23:09

ponytailcapbadge · 10/01/2026 19:40

ok I admit we did get together when technically he was still married ,but their marriage was over, she was extremely abusive towards him and I was a shoulder to cry on and developed from that. What I'm struggling with is why wont Sarah just leave him alone. She knows I dont like her. She knows that he is meant to be no contact with him. Why doesnt she stick with her own husband rather than messaging mine? i cant sleep since I saw that text. It makes me wonder what else is going on.

So you and husband cheated on his first wife and now at the back of your mind know if he cheated with you behind his wife's back he may be doing the same thing. The problem isnt Sarah its karma.

caringcarer · 10/01/2026 23:03

Sh would always go to the funerals of people she called Mum and Dad. She had every right to be there. You married a cheat yet seem surprised he wants to cheat again. Let him go to her if she actually wants him. She might just be a good friend to him. A text saying HNY is hardly incriminating evidence.

SugarCoatSandwich · 10/01/2026 23:03

ponytailcapbadge · 10/01/2026 19:40

ok I admit we did get together when technically he was still married ,but their marriage was over, she was extremely abusive towards him and I was a shoulder to cry on and developed from that. What I'm struggling with is why wont Sarah just leave him alone. She knows I dont like her. She knows that he is meant to be no contact with him. Why doesnt she stick with her own husband rather than messaging mine? i cant sleep since I saw that text. It makes me wonder what else is going on.

I can't believe you actually believe that.

Oh wait, I can. Because somehow youve been silly enough to fall for a man in love with another woman, after being forewarned of this by the wife who had no motive to lie and you believe "work found out about you" by chance alwhich meant he suddenly had somewhere to live and someone to pay for him for the rest of his life as long as he love bombed you.

It's really sad.

justasking111 · 10/01/2026 23:01

Lou2026 · 10/01/2026 22:38

Sorry, Sarah sounds nice. Your husband is the issue. Its very clear. Sounds like she has friend zoned your husband and hes in a one sided feelings thing.... surely Sarah's husband trusts her and possibly can see its very one sided.

If i knew or suspected that a man was obsessed with me I'd stay far away. I wouldn't keep his phone number, go to anything he was at. An obsession is kind of icky.

HK04 · 10/01/2026 22:58

You don’t know he’s in love with her. May just be he loves the thought of what might have been, loves that life was simpler then or even just that he’s fond of her. She seems to trigger you more than needed until you know for sure. Why not speak to your DH and let him know you are considering walking away and the reasons. His reaction and response will tell you more than any of us can. Then decide.

Blump2783 · 10/01/2026 22:54

You have never spoken to her? She is not the problem, your husband being in love with her is. If she felt the same they would have got together.

Ilovelifeverymuch · 10/01/2026 22:45

I'm sorry but I don't have any sympathy. You entered this mess with your eyes wide open, and you're massively unreasonable to be upset that she attended the funeral of people she's known since she was 4 and called mum and Dad.

Lou2026 · 10/01/2026 22:38

Sorry, Sarah sounds nice. Your husband is the issue. Its very clear. Sounds like she has friend zoned your husband and hes in a one sided feelings thing.... surely Sarah's husband trusts her and possibly can see its very one sided.

ThePinkPineapple · 10/01/2026 22:34

You’re wrongly thinking - if Sarah didn’t exist we wouldn’t have any problems. I can see why you have all that anger for Sarah. It’s because you feel your DH has settled for you. You know well that if Sarah wanted to be with him she would have because he’s obsessed with her. It makes you feel insecure. You worry if she made a move he’d run to her. The reason he’s with you not her is because SHE chose her husband - that’s why her husband isn’t doing anything because he doesn’t see your DH as a threat. They had their time and chance and a relationship between them never happened so really just relax - she doesn’t want to steal your DH, she friendzoned him

beAsensible1 · 10/01/2026 22:27

You just need to end it honestly. Why would
you want to live like this.

Wellshellsbells · 10/01/2026 22:27

I think if Sarah wanted him,she could have him.She probably feels pity for him, he blew up his marriage and career and then his parents died and that HNY text doesn’t sound very personal, probably sent it to loads of people in her phone.You’re scared because you know what he’s capable of. I bet his first wife didn’t realise it wasn’t Sarah she should be worried about, but her friend.

DeepBlueDeer · 10/01/2026 22:26

Starlight7080 · 10/01/2026 21:43

I think you need to stop blaming the other woman so much and focus on your dh . He is the one who is suppose to put you first. Its always been his choice to stay in touch with this woman.

But he hasnt stayed in touch.

VividPinkTraybake · 10/01/2026 22:26

FortnumsWeddingBreakfastTeaPlease · 10/01/2026 20:58

@ponytailcapbadge

I think you've had some really harsh responses. His first wife wasn't imagining it, and neither are you. Women like Sarah are sly pieces of work.

I worked with one. Obsessed with this guy she had been friends with since childhood, but he never wanted more than friendship from her. Saying how they were "best friends." Announcing her own relevance and importance, because she was going to make sure she was a woman in his life, because she couldn't accept she wasn't the woman in his life. She wasn't letting him go and she hated anyone he was with. If it wasn't for her one sided initiating, with a good dose of "omg, we've been friends since forever, you need to relax" to the guys wife, the guy would have lost contact with her years ago.

The question here, is what responses is your DH giving? Why isn't he closing it down?

Where do you get even a scintilla of that view of Sarah from the information provided?

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