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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To suspect DH has a (secret) 2nd phone?!

260 replies

QueenOfTheXtrainer · 10/01/2020 17:10

DH has been glued to his phone for the last few months including spending lots of time in the loo with it. Even taking it in the bathroom when he showers. He was also on Viber a lot while at work and until late at night at home.

Obvs I’ve been very suspicious because he’s also been losing weight and generally improving his appearance.

We have had numerous discussions where I have asked him if there’s OW but he swears blind there’s not and I’m nuts of courseAngry.

Since I’ve asked him he now leaves the phone around a lot, leaves it downstairs when going to the loo (still spends ages in there), even when popping to the shops which is very unusual!

The other night was peculiar as he was in the main bathroom for a long time and his phone was in our room, so I hung around on the landing pretending to sort out the dirty washing basket to see if he had anything with him when he came out. As he walked into our bedroom, I could clearly see a phone shaped object in his pocket. He then quickly went into our en suite for a shower. I was quite shocked but kept my mouth shut. When he came out he had his dirty clothes in a bundle and walked out to put them in the washing basket but also went into our (sleeping) DS’s room and hung around there for a few mins. I decided to check DS’s room when he was asleep but found nothing. Searched everywhere. I woke him up and told him I’d seen a phone shaped object in his pocket but his phone was on the bed at that point but he denied it and said it must have been his wallet, so I asked him to show me his wallet then but it was downstairs in his jacket ( he hadn’t been back downstairs). I am 100% sure he had something in his pocket.

Also noticed he is hardly ever on Viber at the moment when he was on there constantly a few weeks ago.

Starting to think I was hallucinating! He has no chance to cheat but worried he’s talking to someone.

Another thing is quite often he wants to be intimate but will often turn me down if I instigate it. A few days ago, we had out first day at home when we were both off work and all DC at school in weeks, usually we spend it in bed as it’s the time we can make any noise! I had to go out in the morning but told him to be ‘ready’ when I got back but he was just sitting watching TV. I decided to wait for him to instigate it as I’d already mentioned it but he didn’t. Totally ignored me! Then just before the DC had to be picked up, he said why you in a mood, did someone upset you? obviously knowing I was upset. We had a row and he blamed me for not asking him to go upstairsConfused.

This is a real headfuck. Any ideas how could find out if he has a 2nd phone, obviously PAYG. I have checked his car and he knows that I have!

OP posts:
SunshineCake · 10/01/2020 18:38

I am sorry to say some men do have time to cheat. They just need a plausible reason for why they are in so and so place or later home etc

Nifflernancy · 10/01/2020 18:39

It doesn’t sound great. Sorry. But I’d stop asking him and keep checking secretly.

SunshineCake · 10/01/2020 18:42

Great contribution there Otter Hmm.

Brig93 · 10/01/2020 18:42

Yep definitely something is goi on.. just wait it out.. i did.. i saw the message on his phone on Christmas eve 6 am..
look more signs.. try to hugg him and kiss him,talk to him a lot, ask about his work.. mine wasn’t bother to talk to me.. sex yes obviously he wanted it so badly.. but otherwise i was like invisible or try to see when he is making plans and make up an emergency why he cannot go like over a weekend or exactly ehen he is finished at work.. and believe your gut feeling its right.. mine was for sure..
One more thing, be ready for pain and anger and sadness and all of it.. because you won’t be just angry but you will be devastated.. it’s normal to feel like that.. and no they won’t change and no he won’t tell the full story you will not know the truth snd you will be blamed for as it happens usually.. good luck and i hope it won’t turn out as I expect it will.

Strongmummy · 10/01/2020 18:42

This sounds like an awful way to live OP; you can’t relax in your own home. If your DH is not being open about this I think you may need to check how many devices are using the WiFi then confront him with your evidence (if there is any). Being blunt it sounds to me like he may be sexting someone.

redbullgivesyouflings · 10/01/2020 18:44

The thing about cheaters is that time isn't something that's going to stop them. If they really want to cheat, they'll make time, unfortunately.

Starlink · 10/01/2020 18:46

Yeah def cheating.

hazell42 · 10/01/2020 18:47

You dont need proof.
I wish I had known this
You dont need proof.
You know that something is going on
He is behaving very oddly.
Demand an explanation and if you dont get a satisfactory one, tell him your relationship is over
At least that will.force his hand and he Will have to tell you what he is up to if he wants to keep you. Which will.put him on the backfoot
What he is doing atm is denying what you know to be true and daring you to do something about it

HowDoIhelp321 · 10/01/2020 18:48

You didn't imagine it.
Don't let him fool you.

Beansandcoffee · 10/01/2020 18:53

My ExH has a second phone. My gut feeling was that he was having an affair. I had asked him and he said no. He didn’t work late. One day he came home and for some reason I thought I would check his jacket pocket and there was a phone. He didn’t need to work late as OW lived on his way home so they would leave work early, go to hers and then she would give him a lift to our train station. He is an ex now.

Psychologika · 10/01/2020 18:53

I don't think you need "evidence". How you feel is enough. I'm sorry, you must feel dreadful.

TimeForPlentyIn2020 · 10/01/2020 18:55

It really doesn't sound like paranoia!!

Cohle · 10/01/2020 18:56

If you're this suspicious and paranoid then all trust has gone. Your marriage is over regardless of whether or not he's cheating. Neither of you should live like this.

Frankola · 10/01/2020 18:59

I'd be suspicious. He's behaving really shady!

crustycrab · 10/01/2020 19:03

You need to stop showing him your hand if you really want to know. He's not going to tell you the truth, ever. He has time to cheat, everyone does

doritosdip · 10/01/2020 19:07

My ex had a second phone. It wasn't a smart phone and he's hide it in his laptop bag and gym bag. Ow and him used to shag at lunchtime, before and after work.
He was also shagging me loads too and started going for runs and dieting.

cakeandchampagne · 10/01/2020 19:08

Considering the direction this appears to be heading, your time might be best spent getting some professional legal advice about divorce.

QueenOfTheXtrainer · 10/01/2020 19:10

I must say I’ve NEVER been suspicious of him like this before in the 25 years we’ve been together. He is saying I’m hormonal due to being perimenoupausalHmm. He’s had plenty of offers during our marriage so he says which I believe as I’ve been aware of it.

I told him that if he didn’t have something in his pocket, then I need to go to the doctors because obviously I’m losing it, and he agreed!

OP posts:
JinglingHellsBells · 10/01/2020 19:10

@QueenOfTheXtrainer What is Viber? Is it a dating site? Never heard of it.

DollyDaydreamss · 10/01/2020 19:12

Viber is just another version of WhatsApp - exactly the same really

WildChristmas · 10/01/2020 19:13

Unfortunately yes I recognise the patterns. It’s a bit of a control thing too so watch out that your mental health hasn’t been suffering.

My Ex:
Always spent ages in the toilet. One hour a day sometimes!
Always had his phone on him.
Always had control of the WiFi.
Would be often up for sex, wanting sex. He’d be quite confident but sometimes say odd things during sex like ‘I really like having sex with the mother of my child’ - .... like what?! (Later realized this was probably because he was obviously telling other women he liked having sex with them for different reasons... you just wouldn’t say this if there was only one person you were having sex with. So watch out for ‘slips’)
However I was often left totally hanging when I initiated sex, and sometimes felt totally humiliated. Then he’d complain a bit and say that I never initiated sex.
Working late.
Working but coming home looking happy.
Not taking a lot of annual leave (he was taking it and pretending to go to work)

This is really rubbish OP. He’s treating it like a game. Your adrenaline and shock will have you tracking down what is happening in reality. Which is what you need but you probably won’t get.

Later you will feel the crash and the loneliness of being so ruthlessly treated.

But you are not alone. So many of us have gone through it. Do as much as you can for YOU. The problem with cheating is that inevitably the attention is still on HiM for a long time. But turn it to YOU. Your life. Your wants. Your needs. Don’t get too distracted for too long. But also do take care of yourself and accept you will feel quite upset for a while.

But you will get through it.

doritosdip · 10/01/2020 19:13

I was the same. I studied our bank account as I thought drugs or gambling over adultery.

He gaslight our son and me. We knew he was being shady and probably cheating but he'd go ballistic when it was brought up. Our son is NC with him now- he's never had an apology for being gaslighted.

helberg · 10/01/2020 19:14

You don't need evidence of another phone. You don't need to find anything out.
You don't trust him.
Decide what you want to do about the marriage.

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 10/01/2020 19:14

Viber is a VoIP and messaging service.

DollyDaydreamss · 10/01/2020 19:15

OP - hmm. I think you're on to something here for sure but questioning him further isn't going to result in proof I don't think. It'll only make him more careful.

It all depends. Do you need cast iron proof? I'd be so angry about being told I was hormonal and imagining things when you clearly know what you saw in his pocket

I'd either play the long game here and try and get inventive or I'd pin him down and say ' you know I know what's going on and I don't appreciate you treating me like I'm an idiot and hallucinating. Respect me enough to tell me the truth ' and then wear him down.

Trouble is, doubt that'll work