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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think he's hiding something or just being a complete b@stard

133 replies

allthestars · 18/03/2018 18:40

Sorry this is long as don't want to drip feed, things have not been good with my husband and I for a while. I love him so, so much and really feel/felt like he was my soulmate but over the last 6 months or so things have really changed. He's become distant, we hardly speak, sex is almost non-existent and we can't go more than a few days without arguing about things - we can't seem to communicate properly.

I'm not suggesting it's all his fault, my work has been ridiculous, I've been working every hour god sends and am also pretty short tempered so know I'm not the easiest to live with.

We had a massive row last month and it ended up with me moving him out for a week because I just felt like we needed some space. We sorted things out and I came back and things have been ok, not brilliant but much better than they were.

This afternoon he's upstairs on his laptop, I go up to give him a cuddle and an email flashes up in the corner all I can see is the name of who it's from and it says "sounds like you need to get your head sorted. If I was next to you in bed..."
That's all I could see because it was the preview pane and as soon as I said that's weird who is xxx he slammed the email shut and told me to go away. Cue the last hour of me asking to see the email and him saying no. To the point he's put the laptop under his pillow and took it into the bathroom with him when he went to the loo!! He says it's spam and I've said I'm sure it is but in that case why can't he show it to me. He says he shouldn't have to and I've tried to explain it's his reaction that is weird - if it's spam then just show it to me.

To be clear I've never asked to see his messages/emails etc before and I wouldn't have even thought to if I hadn't seen that flash up. He says I'm behaving like a mad woman and should just trust him.

Am I mad? What the heck do I do now? AIBU to think that's not normal behaviour?

OP posts:
BoobleMcB · 19/03/2018 07:14

As if the laptop is still hidden despite apparently having deleted the email(s), yet he claims innocence?!

I'm so sorry OP, it must be awful. But you need to stay strong, put your foot down and tell him he either gives you free access to the laptop and his phone he will have email access on there surely?

Check his messages/whatsapp/Facebook messenger/images etc

MiniCooperLover · 19/03/2018 07:41

OP, do you know his password? If so you can load his email account to your phone (if a smartphone) and view the emails that way?

Peachyking000 · 19/03/2018 08:12

Try and get into his email from your smartphone. If you don’t know the password, reset it - there’ll usually be an option to have a reset code sent by text to his mobile phone, which hopefully you can get access to while he’s asleep.

Even if he’s deleted the emails, check his sent box, bet he hasn’t deleted those. Or check the recently deleted folder.

allthestars · 19/03/2018 08:16

Morning all. He's still maintaining I'm mad, but I've told him to move out. He says he loves me and doesn't want to go but when I say all he has to do is show me the laptop he says he's not going round in circles again and fine he'll go.

I've found where he's hidden the laptop but I don't know the passwords and he's at work with his phone so I can reset it anyway.

I feel awful. I just want to stay in bed and cry but I can't because I have to go to work. I'm so angry with him I could scream

OP posts:
allthestars · 19/03/2018 08:16

Can't reset it

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 19/03/2018 08:19

'He's still maintaining I'm mad,'

Oh, that ol' gaslighting bullshit. Don't fall for it.

flobella · 19/03/2018 08:19

You're better off without him - it won't feel like that now but in time you will be glad you sent him packing x

Bluntness100 · 19/03/2018 08:49

He'd rather leave than prove to you he is innocent and he's hiding the lap top . I'm not sure he could act any guiltier. No one would do that to avoid showing a spam email. It's crazy.

Peachyking000 · 19/03/2018 09:15

I feel so sorry for you, I’ve been there myself. What about calling his bluff, act like you believe him, wait till he lets his guard down then do some serious snooping. Although tbh it sounds like you already have enough evidence

N2986 · 19/03/2018 09:28

Aw I'm so sorry op Cake (cake is nearly always better than flowers). I'd put his lying arse out unless you are allowed to read the messages.

Could he be more manipulative than cheating? Trying to make you jealous to (boak) make you want him more? Just a thought as I know someone who did similar Hmm

Quandary2018 · 19/03/2018 09:29

If he’d rather move out than show you the laptop that’s all the answer you need

Sorry

SparklyMagpie · 19/03/2018 09:46

Gosh he is one cheeky bastard calling you mad isn't he?!

The fact he'd rather leave then show you the laptop, despite the messages being deleted, shows you exactly who he is and someone who doesn't deserve you

Eliza9917 · 19/03/2018 10:24

You can recall deleted messages if you can get in to the account.

aaaaargghhhhelpme · 19/03/2018 10:29

He would rather move out than prove his innocence? Sorry op. That says everything you need to know

Hope you're ok at work today. Can you get someone to come round tonight for some support? Flowers

BoobleMcB · 19/03/2018 10:51

Well out of leave or prove innocence, only one of those is actually possible for him to do.

You know he's trying to gaslight you, remember that and stay strong!

LimonViola · 19/03/2018 11:01

Good for you OP.

I'm sure you don't feel strong right now but you've shown massive strength in standing up for yourself here and making him leave.

The fact he'd rather leave than let you see his laptop proves his guilt.

Although it's difficult, maybe it's better to be at work ATM. I know when I've had awful break ups and shock sometimes it helped me forcing myself to carry on as normal as it made me see life carries on and moves on and put things into perspective for me despite the pain, if that makes sense.

I have so much respect for you taking the road that's more painful short term but the best thing for you long term. You could so easily have been weaker and let it slide and then dealt with the crushing knowledge every day you'd sacrificed your own dignity for a cheater. But you respected yourself even when he hasn't. You're inspiring 💐

ravenmum · 19/03/2018 11:21

I know it is awful when you don't have "proof" but the bloody obvious is staring you in the face. I let myself dream that his blatant lies could somehow be true, but looking back he was really taking the piss. I got proof in the end via his email account (password found written down, accessed online) but it was really not worth hanging around for months on end having such thoroughly disrespectful behaviour forced on me every day. It's not good for your head.

As the link I suggested and basically all other such lists say, "you are mad" is a classic. And so, from my experience, is acting as if you are just going to move out because of your partner's "unreasonable" accusations.

It does feel marginally better when they are not there rubbing it in your face. Hope you get your dignity back soon.

Westiegirl3 · 19/03/2018 11:31

Oh that's not good at all. I hope you get to the bottom of it, I would be doing my best to get into that laptop today

Sparklesocks · 19/03/2018 11:45

He’s trying to gaslight you into believing you’ve lost the plot, or you’re being paranoid/overreacting. You’re not, and frankly it’s disgusting he would sink so low to cover himself. The fact he’d rather move out than show you the laptop, and continue to lie to your face despite being caught, shows the complete lack of respect he has for you and your relationship. You deserve so, so much better. That isn’t a man, that’s a snivelling coward.

Get out as soon as you can. You’ve been so strong in all this, you’re amazing. One day I promise you’ll be OK again.

KarmaStar · 19/03/2018 12:18

Flowersfor you OP,what a horrible shock.
Sadly all the signs indicate that he has/is been/being unfaithful .
He knows you have no proof so will continue to lie in the hope of wearing you down so you end up questioning what you saw.
You deserve so much better than this.You are right to throw him out imo.

NorthEndGal · 19/03/2018 12:22

If it's down to 'show me the truth or leave ' And he chooses to leave, it means there was likely a lot more than one message he wants to hide.
He is a sick. I'm sorry you have to go through this.

justilou1 · 19/03/2018 12:30

I think you need to brace yourself for the likelihood that it's someone you know and trust as well.... This is probably why he wants this info hidden from you as well. What a knob. Can you take the laptop to a computer place and get them to reset it without losing the information?

letsdolunch321 · 19/03/2018 12:35

Get the door keys from him. Pack his clothing & make sure you keep the lap top. Leave his shit on the doorstep for him to collect.

If he loves you so much he has to prove this to you. Clearly he is cheating and you will be hurting

Do not be taken in by his crap.

Been there. Hugs to you x

Have you got RL people to confide in. Cut all contact from dh for a few days, let him wonder what your next move will be. If you have one car to share make sure you keep the car

ChickenMom · 19/03/2018 12:44

So sorry OP :( what a horrid thing to be dealing with :( that message was definitely not spam. I’ve never ever had spam like that. He’s chatting online to somebody and moaning about you. Unless he shows you all of the emails and admits it then make him leave. You can’t trust him anymore. His behaviour before you split last time is prime guilt. He’s distancing himself because he wants you to be the bad guy and break it off. He’s a coward and a cheat. Honestly, don’t let this go. You deserve better than being involved with a liar.

Loobyloomicles · 19/03/2018 12:50

Oh God, poor you. I really hope that going to work has provided at least some distraction and you've got support in real life.

I've had similar (gut feeling, checked ex's phone whilst he was in the shower (having never done anything like that before) - found text that he'd sent whilst I was asleep next to him). I put the phone back, gave him a chance to come clean and he used the 'you're completely mad' line. I swear they must get taught that at school.

I completely understand the need/drive to know what has actually been said and done - for a while after textgate I went a bit crazy and almost rivalled MI5 in how deeply I then went to eventually find multiple other women, blogs, dating accounts, false Facebook profiles etc), but I think you'll have to accept that you'll never get closure in that way. Him acting as he did with the laptop is an absolute admission of guilt - if you were wrong surely he'd have shown you the evidence as a way of one-upping you and proving that you were being jealous. I think you have to treat it exactly the same as if you'd found absolute proof of cheating emails, act as you would have gone for that (as you have done) and then don't allow him to make you doubt yourself.

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