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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To have confronted DH's cousin for flirting with him?

543 replies

Temporaryusernamename · 05/05/2026 13:56

My husband and I have been together for 18 years, married for 12. We have two children, aged 15 and 13.

Years ago, long before our relationship, when DH and his female 1st cousin were teenagers, they had a brief, secret relationship with each other.

At first, I thought they just slept together, but over the years DH confided in me that he had slept with her once while staying at her house for a week during the summer holidays when they were both 16, but that they also wanted to be together but knew they could never tell anyone.

They lived in different parts of the country and rarely ever saw each other.

My DH has told me he's actually quite angry with his parents for putting them in this position. They were teenagers, who didn't grow up together, rarely saw each other, and yet when the family would meet up once or twice a year, they would always stay over and the kids would be put in the same room, on bunk beds and camp beds, without any thought of the fact that they were developing and going through puberty, just assuming they were innocent kids. He says the curiousity and strong feelings were inevitable and his parents and other adults should have been more responsible.

Anyway, noone at all knows what happened except DH, the cousin, and me.

When they reached young adulthood, the cousin emigrated to a different country and DH and I have only seen her twice in the last 15 years.
However, we are all currently all Holiday together! MIL recently won a large amount of money and took the whole extended family, 17 of us in total, away on a huge Holiday. Cousin is here.

We have been drinking every night and cousin, who is now in her late 30s, and doesn't have a husband or kids of her own, keeps relentlessly saying flirting with DH. Telling him he looks great in shorts, whistling when he takes his top off on the beach, making silly sexual jokes, and hugging him by coming up behind him and resting her head on his shoulder. Noone else seems to notice and DH says not to worry about it as he doesn't feel anything for her and nothing is going to happen and she's just being playful.
But I've noticed she's not like it with any other males here. Just DH.

The final straw for me came last night when she sat on DH's lap while we were all sitting around drinking and put her arms around his neck, and kissed his cheek.

DH just laughed and told her to get up then got up himself and went to the bar.

Again, we had all had quite a lot to drink.

A few minutes later, I went off to the toilet and she was coming back towards me. She was quite drunk and came over with her arms out in front of her to give me a hug. I stepped away and looked her right in the face. I said "Stop flirting with my husband. Don't think I don't know your history. If you come anywhere near him again, I will tell everyone about you two." She looked utterly shocked. I walked away. She must have gone straight to bed.
Today, she's been really quiet all day. Everyone's commented on it but they've just assumed she's really hungover.

MIL and I were sitting on the beach and she commented that this trip has been good for her. She's had a hard time lately as a bloke she was going to marry cheated on her with his ex wife and then went back to her. She's really benefitting from being with family to support her as she's so alone out there.

I feel really guilty for saying that to her last night. I just got so jealous seeing her sitting in his lap, looking amazing in her tiny sundress, knowing their history and she was probably his first love, and felt so insecure. The stupid fling they had was so long ago and they were young and I know at least DH deeply regrets it and is embarrassed about it.

I'm worried I've now ruined her holiday. I didn't know she was going through that. I've been chatting to her to be friendly and get to know her but she never mentioned it

Was I unreasonable?

OP posts:
EverydayRoutine · 05/05/2026 16:59

I imagine there is a certain genre that includes numerous stories of this sort. Maybe look there? 🙄

shuggles · 05/05/2026 16:59

LoyalMember · 05/05/2026 16:57

You watch incest porn, a lot of it, don't you?

"Incest porn" is almost always between completely unrelated actors...

Porn isn't real. Did you not know that?

Walkyrie · 05/05/2026 16:58

SorcererGaheris · 05/05/2026 16:57

@sunflowersandsunsets

I'm a bit of a weird person. Not in every way, but I diverge from what people might call 'normal' at times.

You’re telling me

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 16:58

shuggles · 05/05/2026 16:56

You are talking about sexual abuse of children, which is always abusive and non-consensual.

Other posters were talking about incestuous relationships between adults...

No, I am not.

Familial relationships don't suddenly become equal when one party reaches 18. My parents still view me as their child even though I'm in my 30's, for example - it's not an even playing field and never will be.

Why are you arguing in support of incest anyway? 😩

SorcererGaheris · 05/05/2026 16:57

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 16:56

It's still incredibly weird to come online and talk about being supportive of incestuous relationships.

@sunflowersandsunsets

I'm a bit of a weird person. Not in every way, but I diverge from what people might call 'normal' at times.

StasisMom · 05/05/2026 16:57

Temporaryusernamename · 05/05/2026 15:20

Like I said, I didn't know she was going through that until MIL told me today.
That's why I feel so bad

I still don’t think it excuses her being flirty and possessive with him though!

LoyalMember · 05/05/2026 16:57

shuggles · 05/05/2026 16:52

How does an incestuous relationship always have to be abusive?

And how would this relationship be abusive if it actually materialised? You think the DH is abusing the cousin, even though it's the cousin choosing to sit on his knee and kiss him?

You watch incest porn, a lot of it, don't you?

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 16:57

Temporaryusernamename · 05/05/2026 16:56

He told me near the beginning of our relationship. I don't remember why. It's not something he brings up, ever.
He expanded on it and said that they actually had feelings for each other and wanted to be together and he hated that he was in that position many years later, in context because we were discussing our teenagers' relationships and protecting them from poor decisions

And you married him anyway? 😩

shuggles · 05/05/2026 16:56

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 16:53

It's abusive because families aren't equal playing fields. Parents are in a position of power over children, older siblings over younger, aunts over nieces, etc.

And it would be abusive because this woman is, for all intents and purposes, assaulting her cousin in public.

You are talking about sexual abuse of children, which is always abusive and non-consensual.

Other posters were talking about incestuous relationships between adults...

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 16:56

SorcererGaheris · 05/05/2026 16:55

@sunflowersandsunsets

I wasn't initially going to mention it (as the issue for me was less about the fact that the cousin was a family member and more that she was openly flirting with a married man right in front of his wife) but after seeing some people bring up the incest in isolation, I thought I'd give my view/reasons.

It's still incredibly weird to come online and talk about being supportive of incestuous relationships.

Temporaryusernamename · 05/05/2026 16:56

Walkyrie · 05/05/2026 15:58

Yes.

I would absolutely hate this and be very angry HE wasn’t the one to put her in her place and tell her to back off. Who the fuck lets an ex sexual partner (and cousin 😷) sit on their lap in front of their wife? That in itself would be a major argument for me.

You did the right thing though, removing the husband from it for a moment. You have nothing to feel guilty about.

OP - I don’t want to plague you with suspicions and I’m not delighting in this, but why did he tell you about his ‘secret relationship’ with her? How often had this come up over the years? In my experience men only want to talk about ‘exes’ if there’s something still unresolved and they just want to say something about it out loud. He could easily not have said anything (after all they were 16, nobody reasonably needs to tell their spouse about an ex lover from decades ago especially if they live overseas).

He told me near the beginning of our relationship. I don't remember why. It's not something he brings up, ever.
He expanded on it and said that they actually had feelings for each other and wanted to be together and he hated that he was in that position many years later, in context because we were discussing our teenagers' relationships and protecting them from poor decisions

OP posts:
SorcererGaheris · 05/05/2026 16:55

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 16:52

Honestly, some people seem to be posting to push a very pro-incest view. 😩

@sunflowersandsunsets

I wasn't initially going to mention it (as the issue for me was less about the fact that the cousin was a family member and more that she was openly flirting with a married man right in front of his wife) but after seeing some people bring up the incest in isolation, I thought I'd give my view/reasons.

ImFinePMSL · 05/05/2026 16:54

user1471600850 · 05/05/2026 16:45

It is not incest to have sex with your cousin don't be so ridiculous - legally you can marry your cousin - but it is not advised or what is considered normal but it is not illegal! Stop with all the stupid cousin shagger comments - it is childish and unhelpful in this context! The Ops DH should have put a stop to her behaviour and the Op is not unreasonable for calling her out but stick to the helpful comments not the unhelpful, stupid ones!

It is not incest to have sex with your cousin don't be so ridiculous

This is the most grim and disturbing thing I’ve read on here in ages.

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 16:53

shuggles · 05/05/2026 16:52

How does an incestuous relationship always have to be abusive?

And how would this relationship be abusive if it actually materialised? You think the DH is abusing the cousin, even though it's the cousin choosing to sit on his knee and kiss him?

It's abusive because families aren't equal playing fields. Parents are in a position of power over children, older siblings over younger, aunts over nieces, etc.

And it would be abusive because this woman is, for all intents and purposes, assaulting her cousin in public.

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 16:52

Walkyrie · 05/05/2026 16:51

I wonder why

Honestly, some people seem to be posting to push a very pro-incest view. 😩

shuggles · 05/05/2026 16:52

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 16:48

There's no such thing as two consenting adults in an incestuous relationship - by its' very nature, incest is power play.

How does an incestuous relationship always have to be abusive?

And how would this relationship be abusive if it actually materialised? You think the DH is abusing the cousin, even though it's the cousin choosing to sit on his knee and kiss him?

SerafinasGoose · 05/05/2026 16:52

HazelMember · 05/05/2026 16:29

I think your DH sounds pathetic. He should have dealt with it. He had plenty of opportunities.

You have acted like a dog that urinates to mark its territory.

Agree with your first statement.

As to the second, if anyone was pissing all over their territory it was the cousin, albeit in the vein of 'I know something you don't know'. She wasn't banking on the fact that his wife actually did. I'll bet that surprised her.

They're both grotesque. Her behaviour is reprehensible and truly tawdry but the husband's is worse. He's the one who made the marriage vows to the wife who was sitting right there whilst these two flirted under her nose.

It's just rather sickening seeing women constantly blamed for the same behaviour that always gets men a free pass.

I've held back on 'LTB' - it's such a MN cliche - but I think in OP's shoes I think I'd seriously reevaluate this realtionship.

Walkyrie · 05/05/2026 16:51

SorcererGaheris · 05/05/2026 16:51

@Walkyrie

It certainly won't be normalised any time soon, as the vast majority of people are totally against it. I'm very much in the minority with my outlook.

I wonder why

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 16:51

SorcererGaheris · 05/05/2026 16:49

@sunflowersandsunsets

I don't think that's true 100% percent of the time, though I accept that that's probably the case in the majority of cases of incest. I do think it would only be small number that are genuinely non-exploitative/consenting - I just think that small number of people should be left to conduct their relationships free from legal interference.

I simply don't believe there's any such thing as a non-exploitative, consensual relationship where incest is involved. There is always a party who is older, more dominant and abusive.

Chilly80 · 05/05/2026 16:51

Her behaviour was inappropriate. Her recent trauma has no bearing on that.

SorcererGaheris · 05/05/2026 16:51

Walkyrie · 05/05/2026 16:49

Ffs if we normalise this then it will make vulnerable people (and I mean actually vulnerable not just those who have been cheated on) ripe for family abuse.

@Walkyrie

It certainly won't be normalised any time soon, as the vast majority of people are totally against it. I'm very much in the minority with my outlook.

Lmnop22 · 05/05/2026 16:50

Temporaryusernamename · 05/05/2026 14:58

I don't know why. DH and I are great. We have never one, in all these years, had any issues with jealousy. No suspicions or suspicious behaviour. He never comments on other women or flirts even a little bit. I've always felt he's totally loyal to me and I to him.

Most of me thinks he simply doesn't take her seriously. Thinks she's just drunk and silly.

But a tiny niggling doubt is making me wonder if maybe he is into her and is enjoying it, knowing people will never suspect.
She's absolutely gorgeous, and wild and fun and seemingly carefree and wears bikinis and tiny shorts and tight little dresses and there's me, a dumpy mum of two.

But then I think surely if he is into her he wouldn't be so obvious on front of me, knowing I know the history? So maybe he just thinks it's nothing.

So there's this back and forth in my mind, mixed with alcohol and heat which she (probably deservedly) got the brunt of.

I need to talk to DH don't I?

I reckon it’s more likely that he can’t really shut it down without admitting that there’s either a past or he suspects a romantic interest now, both of which he’s really not keen to do and raise suspicions in the family.

Easier for him to roll with it a bit with everyone else thinking it’s bound to be innocent family banter because nobody would suspect he had shagged his cousin.

On her part though, gross! If she was really ashamed of having sex with her cousin because it was years ago and they were young/didn’t know any better etc (slight raised eyebrow at this anyway even for teenagers) - she would be mortified and be as chaste as anything with him now! The fact she’s still flirting with and pursuing her first cousin as an actual adult is wild!

SorcererGaheris · 05/05/2026 16:49

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 16:45

Incest by its' very nature is exploitative and one person will always be a victim.

@sunflowersandsunsets

I don't think that's true 100% percent of the time, though I accept that that's probably the case in the majority of cases of incest. I do think it would only be small number that are genuinely non-exploitative/consenting - I just think that small number of people should be left to conduct their relationships free from legal interference.

Dweetfidilove · 05/05/2026 16:49

Megifer · 05/05/2026 14:24

Cant believe your DH is blaming everyone but himself (and her) for this. Ick factor 10000 for the cousin-shaggers 🤢

And why didn't your DH tell her to do one?

Urgh, I need a shower after reading that.

I was thinking exactly that.
Poor diddums can't contain himself without the help of his parents and now his wife 😢.

Yuck!

Walkyrie · 05/05/2026 16:49

SorcererGaheris · 05/05/2026 16:47

@Walkyrie

We have a different moral perspective on the matter. To the majority, probably vast majority, of people, non-procreative incest between consenting adults is as unacceptable as coerced, abusive, harmful incest.

My view is that non-procreative incest between consenting adults does not result in offspring with birth defects, and there's no sexual abuse because it's between two consenting parties. So I see it as harmless/victimless.

Ffs if we normalise this then it will make vulnerable people (and I mean actually vulnerable not just those who have been cheated on) ripe for family abuse.