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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To worry about DH's secret friend

176 replies

WhenCheeseIsLife · 18/07/2019 19:18

My husband has a secret friend (not so secret now) that I found out about by accident.

Would it bother you?

I saw a text on his phone from this female friend. Nothing bad just they were meeting for lunch. I brought it up there and then. I wasn't horrible or accusatory. (Just to point out before anyone does, I have no problem with him having friends, male or female! He has many and does meet up occasionally with both male and female friends. I also don't insist he tells me exactly who he spoke to. What bothers me is that he's kept her a secret and then lied about it).

My words to him were simply "oh, are you meeting a friend for lunch tomorrow?" When I saw the text. He got very defensive about it saying that yes he was, she's an old friend he's known for a long time and he had done nothing wrong, he can meet up with whoever he likes. Which is true! And I would never stop him.
He's never been like this with any other female friends.

The really strange thing happened when a few months later we decided to book a day off work to spend together. There was only one day available that I could take, asked DH if he was ok with it and booked it. A few days later I brought up this day off trying to plan what to do and he said he couldn't do that day because he thought he had business meeting. Got out his work phone and said this meeting was with this woman. I asked him if he would be able to rearrange the meeting for another day since she's a friend and as it was the only day I could have. There were too many people off for the next few weeks. WIBU to ask??

We had a massive argument about it because I didn't see how he couldn't even ask...if she had said no then I told him that's fair enough because his work is important. He told me her dad owned some huge company that he was trying to get work from for years and made me feel incredibly small and pathetic for even asking. (I googled it and their family don't own it at all! Complete lie!) I did tell him what I found and he just said that he owns another company but must have forgotten the name. Yes! He forgot the name of a company he has desperately been trying to get work from for years.

I don't think he's having an affair with her but probably more likely an emotional affair.

So my question is AIBU by being bothered by this? He just acted so strangely and defensively when I asked. I am very ashamed to say that I peeked at his phone after though! I don't know what came over me. It was a complete invasion of his privacy and I've never done it since. I know I was completely unreasonable doing that. He had texted her saying she was a good friend and how lucky he was to have her in his life. I haven't brought it up since and have no idea if he still meets up with her. I'm happy that he has her as a friend to talk to but I don't understand why he would never mention her. Am I being batshit crazy?!

OP posts:
BlueSuffragette · 18/07/2019 22:50

Sorry OP he's having an affair and telling lies. You can't trust him.

Durgasarrow · 18/07/2019 22:51

Yup. This is weird.

Finnyhaddock · 18/07/2019 22:52

What difference does an Uber make?
🤔

Sneezeandooops · 18/07/2019 22:52

Like you have said already it's fine to have a female friend, not fine to get defensive and lie. Hope you can keep your cool and find out. Like the idea about changing her number in his phone to a pay as you go one then you can find out. I would end up blowing my top before gathering all the info. Keep us posted op!

WhenCheeseIsLife · 18/07/2019 22:54

@MyOtherProfile yes, they do know I exist. I've briefly met some of them. Only a quick introduction though.

@TherapistInATabard sickening isn't it. It makes me wonder if it hasn't gone full on affair yet with a message like that but if it's actually just infatuation from his side and she might just love the attention.

OP posts:
WhenCheeseIsLife · 18/07/2019 22:56

@Finnyhaddock your past trips are saved on the app so I'll be able to see where he got it from

OP posts:
TherapistInATabard · 18/07/2019 22:57

Yes he might just be testing the waters, as they say. Good luck with your sleuthing!

WhenCheeseIsLife · 18/07/2019 22:57

@Finnyhaddock also any other stops on the way back...🕵️‍♀️

OP posts:
bookbuddy · 18/07/2019 23:02

It doesn’t sound good. Flowers

wizzbitfartface · 18/07/2019 23:02

I've been in your position. It was a work colleague he was meeting for drinks in the pub at night (when he'd told me he was out with the lads). It was all secret, never mentioned nights out, never mentioned she would text him when I was at work, never mentioned that they were even friends. Now I know he never physically cheated on me, because I knew this woman myself and that she was desperately trying to get back with her ex, but he was obviously hoping that if he was her shoulder to cry on things would eventually progress. He wasn't cheating but he was preparing to. We split up when I found out about their secret friendship as I knew my gut instinct was right. They are got together shortly after we split. They seperated a few years later when he did the same to her.

I really hope you get to the bottom of this, but on the surface of it, his behaviour is worrying. With no history of jealousy or irrational behaviour over friendships with women, what possible reason would he have to keep this one particular woman a secret from you. Listen to your gut.

SirVixofVixHall · 18/07/2019 23:03

I also think affair op, otherwise why the deceit ? You are happy for him to have female friends, there is no other reason at all to lie.

kateandme · 18/07/2019 23:04

do you know where he is going,or could you ask what restaurent? then phone them pretneind gyou need to know timing of it or something that will gt you info on how many people or who is there etc?

Finnyhaddock · 18/07/2019 23:05

I get it...and I also think he’s up to no good. Sorry 😐

C0untDucku1a · 18/07/2019 23:06

He doesnt sound like a keeper

Jojowash · 18/07/2019 23:09

This would never be acceptable to me. He feels he's doing something wrong hence the way he's acting.

I would go into his phone more often. Needs must. If her texts are deleted that's suspicious too.

You've been so good so far but don't wear blinkers, don't worry about him accusing you of being paranoid, you know the truth and so does he.

Good luck

MarvellousMonsters · 18/07/2019 23:16

This is how my ex used to behave regarding "friends" and he was a serial cheater. If he's being secretive with his phone contents he's got something to hide.

BananasAreTheSourceOfEvil · 18/07/2019 23:19

Could you change her number in his his contacts- keeping it under her name- to a payg sim on a spare phone? To see what he texts her on a daily basis?

lilypoppet · 18/07/2019 23:22

He is certainly not putting you first, which is worrying and unfair.

groundanchochillipowder · 18/07/2019 23:27

I'd snoop around on his lying arse. And yy, he'd never tell a male friend who 'lucky' he is to have him in his life.

INeedAFlerken · 18/07/2019 23:27

if he's not doing anything wrong, he wouldn't be hiding it and overreacting when you found out.

user1471449295 · 18/07/2019 23:31

Shady as hell

TwistyTop · 18/07/2019 23:32

This whole thing is very suspicious. I'm surprised you've been so calm about it. I'd have kicked off at the first hurdle - finding out he had a secret female friend. That's not normal. If he has other female friends and you don't act jealous and weird about it then why is she different? Why lie?

Everything else you've said here that took place after you found out would just confirm my suspicions.

lilypoppet · 18/07/2019 23:34

In my opinion, when men and women are friends, there is always one of them that would like it to be more.

WhenISnappedAndFarted · 18/07/2019 23:35

Both my DP and I have friends of the opposite sex, no attraction at all and we've not met all of each others however he's made this suspicious. His reaction and the lies aren't good and do suggest an affair of some kind especially considering he knows you're fine with him having female friends.

kateandme · 18/07/2019 23:39

BananasAreTheSourceOfEvil
wow mastr undercover work there :)

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