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I’ve been cheated on, but it’s so much worse.

297 replies

Mumbunmum · 10/03/2022 06:06

I’ve just found out that I’ve been cheated on by my Partner of 12 years.

We have 2 children together, a 7 year old Daughter and a 4 year old Son. We have a house together, everything together and we were due to get married in just under 11 weeks.

What’s worse is that it was with one of my best Friends and he’s been texting her, meeting her for over 6 weeks. Today is day 2 of all of this and I am crushed to pieces, I don’t know how I will ever cope. All I do know is that my heart hasn’t stopped thumping out of my chest for 2 days and I feel sick to the pit of my stomach. Please please help me, I honestly don’t know where to even begin and I’m trying so hard to stay strong for our two children who are just number one in all of this.

I’m so lost, hurt and I’ve been betrayed so bad that I can’t even get my head around it.

OP posts:
Toomuchtrouble4me · 10/03/2022 15:53

Please please don’t trust him not to empty the joint account and turn nasty over the house. He will promise all sorts at this stage but once you are apart for a short time he will get resentful. You need legal advice and you need it right now. Take a decent friend or duster or mum with you and go for him hard, it’s you and the children now. I know he’s promised he’ll support you etc but clearly his promises aren’t worth much. Take control, honestly, I’ve seen it so many times, he will not be mr nice guy for long.

Fluffymule · 10/03/2022 15:57

"he promises that he will not leave me in the lurch. I do actually believe him there"

"As things stand at the moment, I am in no fit state to seek any advice. Financial or not, we've everything sorted with funds anyway all signed up and agreed if anything went wrong'

"What I fear the most is that my poor children will suffer at the lack of respect he’s paid to us 3. I cannot believe that he’s done this to them mainly'

If you fear the potential impact on your children the most, as you say, then you need to quickly get in a state where you are prioritising their, and your, financial and housing security.

I, like others on here, can give you endless examples of adulterous men who struck with initial panic guilt make all sorts of promises about finances and keeping things fair for the children sake, only for them to totally betray these sentiments. All these men you read on here who begrudge even the minimum CSA amount, working hard to avoid even that.

He screwed you over with your friend. He's pretty likely to screw you and kids over in terms of your home and finances given half the chance. Please protect yourself.

Toomuchtrouble4me · 10/03/2022 16:00

@skodadoda

but I keep telling him that I would so much rather he just left me if he genuinely didn’t feel that he wanted to be with me

Men rarely just leave a relationship; they almost always have someone else lined up.

^ This, without the ‘almost’

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Sunnierdays · 10/03/2022 16:01

Remember you have not caused this !! Your friend was not a friend to begin with !! Whatever you do don’t marry him whatever feeble excuse he gives !! Be classy, be cool, be smart !! This is a fling he will regret and I am hoping you will move on to someone who deserves you !! I have been through almost the same but we were married with three kids!! I was distraught but now realise he did me a favour !!

daretodenim · 10/03/2022 16:02

I'm so sorry op. He's an awful excuse for a human.

You've got lots of good advice by people who have been in similar shoes to yours. I know you're in bits, but you have absolutely nothing to lose by getting advice. Maybe you have a family member or friend who you can bring with you? If you don't seek advice you could absolutely lose everything.

He's cheated on you. With your friend. Just before your wedding. You cannot trust anything that comes out of his mouth.

BlueOverYellow · 10/03/2022 16:39

I'm so sorry, OP. They are awful people to do this behind your back.

UniversalAunt · 10/03/2022 16:42

Urgent priorities are booking an appt with a solicitor specialising in family law for advice on where you stand as an unmarried couple with children. If you have heard in the grapevine of a firm who is shit hot then go with them, otherwise ask your mum (not your own friendship group) & her network for any recommendations of a SHL.

In parallel, get back in the house & stay put. Under no circumstances (until a legal order says otherwise) deny yourself & your children the security of living in the family home.

Write everything down in a big diary type notebook. Date/time stamp an entry in that for every phone call, email, chat, row, phone number, reference number, recollections as they happen everything- & keep it safe where it cannot be found. This will help you keep track of what is going on, releases the information load on your stressed mind & will also show you how far you have progressed.

MNet is full of helpful personal stories & important things to do, particularly gathering together all the information about his finances, joint finances & your own £££. Don’t ask him for anything, just get back into the house & find it, make copies & keep somewhere safe.

A very good bit of advice given was to prepare well for the solicitor appointments, keep yourself together because if you do breakdown in the appt/overwhelming blurbs, the solicitor is charging you for that time. It is a useful reminder that there are some times & some matters where you will need to be brisk & business like.

From now on, put yourself first & foremost, do nothing unless it is for your own benefit. This is turn benefits your children.

OW, obviously not a friend any more if ever she was. Put her out of your head - work on that. Any time & feelings spent on her is wasting your own precious time, energy & goodwill.

Do not play the ‘pick me’ dance. Just don’t. Go for a clean break.
He has betrayed you & says to your face that he does not love you - well, that is it!

Donut22 · 10/03/2022 16:42

There's nothing anyone can say to help you with this pain atm, it's still so raw for you. My heart breaks for you, but you will get thur this, take it one hour at a time lovely. Xxxx

UniversalAunt · 10/03/2022 16:44

Also every thing that @Dontbeme has said, some very good advice there.

UniversalAunt · 10/03/2022 16:50

‘ As things stand at the moment, I am in no fit state to seek any advice. Financial or not, we've everything sorted with funds anyway all signed up and agreed if anything went wrong. ’

Please take heed of what pps have said about striking whilst the iron is hot.

Bluntly, why are you trusting an agreement made with some one who is proven to be a liar & untrustworthy, & seeks to advantage himself to the detriment of you & your children?

You need legal advice from an independent lawyer specialising in family law.

Take your mum in for moral support, absolute not any friend who may know or mix with your OH &/or OW.

UniversalAunt · 10/03/2022 16:59

The wedding.
Obviously it is booked & many payments made?
Who paid for that?

If the payments were made from his credit card/bank account, then leave him to sort that out. 😀

Otherwise if you have any financial liability at all for the wedding, get everything cancelled now. Very painful but it must be done. Maybe your mum could help?

Tigofigo · 10/03/2022 16:59

Can't believe they've done this, both with young DC and a wedding in a few months. Awful.

Tigofigo · 10/03/2022 17:01

Sorry posted too soon.

Meant to say that it sounds like OP already had a legal agreement of asset split in place.

Still, that wouldn't stop him from secretly moving assets / spending loads. When similar happened to a friend her exH spent £80k of savings in 6 months lavishing gifts and holidays on the OW.

endofthelinefinally · 10/03/2022 17:12

The thing about the relationships board is that it is full of threads about exactly the same situation with lots of good legal and financial advice. I agree with pp that it really is worth getting this thread moved there and for OP to read some of the other experiences. Generally it is a very kind and supportive board.

DespairingHomeowner · 10/03/2022 17:28

@teaandchocolate1

I don't think this will work out for them.

They will soon find out the reality of being a patchwork "family" with five young children.

On top they will have major financial worries and will be constantly short of money.

No time for sweet romance.

^ this

Make sure her H knows about the cheating

Consider if you want to tell mutual friends about the cheating before they both lie about things (I’d understand if not)

Otherwise just protect yourself financially, including cancelling any joint credit and splitting any joint accounts: if you can’t face it get your mum or another family member to act on your behalf

Agree with all posters who say act now before his guilt & priorities change

He is an idiot: breaking your trust & jeopardising his relationship with his own children- for what, the chance to support his friend’s kids instead of his own??!

DrWankincense · 10/03/2022 17:34

I read something on a similar thread here recently.
The advice was something like...Get what you want/need financially NOW. He'll play nice for a few weeks then stop feeling guilty and stop playing Mr Nice guy because he can say you are acting like a lunatic and spin the story.

You can cry later. It sounds awful but it's very true.

FlowerArranger · 10/03/2022 17:38

Everyhing @UniversalAunt said in her various posts - @Mumbunmum, please pay heed.

I know you're in bits, but this is not the time to fall apart. You need to safeguard your children's interests and yours. You cannot trust him! His loyalties have shifted and he'll be entirely focused on his future with the OW.

I know the idea of your children being exposed to OW is really tough, but please don't get side-tracked into letting this become the focus of your actions. You will have to accept that this may happen at some point as it is not something you can control. If you remain focused on financials, joint property and putting yourself first, you WILL be able to let go of these difficult emotions in due course.

Counselling would be helpful in coming you terms with your new reality. Also read Chumplady's blog, especially the one about losing a cheater and gaining a life. Flowers

Dixiechickonhols · 10/03/2022 17:49

Get this moved to relationships for ongoing support. Get real life support from your family. You have done nothing wrong. Don’t assume he will be decent and do right thing he’s shown he’s a liar and untrustworthy. He’s not on your side and doesn’t have your or your children’s best interests at heart.
Get legal advice. Keep documents safe. Keep communication to a minimum re children and keep it civil. Don’t trust him with access to joint accounts. Don’t be embarrassed to tell people eg school. Best wishes.

CousinKrispy · 10/03/2022 18:00

Oh OP, what a bastard. I'm so sorry.

Take it a step at a time. Try not to think about "I don't want him bringing her round our children." Your priority right now is getting the financial and legal protection in place for you and your children.

You can get through this but I know it feels awful.

Ritashome · 10/03/2022 18:06

You must get your act together.No matter what comes out of his mouth will alter very quickly.Get the money side of things in your name only .Don't be afraid to stand up to him..You have the children to fight for .Let them be your purpose .Please stay strong what ever excuse he gives he is just a fallanderer.

Holdinghnds · 10/03/2022 18:20

@Lunificent

You need to see a solicitor because typically cheats seem generous when they’re first found out but quickly turn very mean.
Absolutely this^
Holdinghnds · 10/03/2022 18:22

I wish I thought of MN when this happened to me. Ask for support whenever you need it, there’ll be times you feel very alone but you will get through this. We’re all here for you x

Christinatherabbit · 10/03/2022 18:23

The shock is going to take a while for you to be able to process things clearly so take everything really slowly. At the moment you need to focus on getting through each day one at a time. I am so sorry. I really hope you are able to get through this quickly and to where you can look back at all this as just a bad memory from a happy place. Because you will be happy again 💐

Mumbunmum · 10/03/2022 18:27

I honestly cannot get over the support on here. Ive never posted on here before but you are all being absolutely amazing.

My heart hasn’t stopped thumping from my chest for 3 days straight now. I can’t eat and keep being sick. He’s ruined everything. And I just hope and pray that he never gets happiness with her.

OP posts:
Blossomtoes · 10/03/2022 18:36

A lot of us have been where you are @Mumbunmum. We understand exactly how devastating it is. A message of hope from the other side - you will be happy again. 💐

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