Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To send this to my cheating ex, or to delete it forever

22 replies

Gotosleeeeep · 08/09/2020 03:29

I split up with my ex two years ago. We were together for six years and lived together for five.

I’m happy, have a baby and a partner, but I’ve had this anger recently that seems to have taken over my brain.

He left me while I was in a very bad place mentally and under the crisis team. He left me for a younger woman (21) and then gaslighted me into feeling bad for feeling bad about it (?!). It was an unhappy, sexless and financially abusive relationship and I’ve recently found out he was cheating on me with multiple women while I was struggling.

It’s not even that that bothers me - it’s just the anger I feel towards never getting closure. I don’t even know what closure I needed - but something more than being hurt and ignored and accepting of being left for someone else.

Recently finding out things has definitely erupted something inside me and I just feel like I need to get things off of my chest. But I know also that it is 3:30am and I probably shouldn’t and it will probably be pointless anyway. So I’m also just tempted to delete it because now I have written it out, I feel a lot better.

Anyway, this is what I have written:

I have been umm-ing and ahh-ing over whether to write this for weeks, and I’ve finally found the courage to do it. In fact, I feel like I need to do it.

I know everything.

I know that you were cheating on me with OW, and that you were speaking to her and asking to take her out at least a month before you split with me. I know you made your relationship private on Facebook and deleted photos of us to pretend you were single. I know you told people we had split two months before, and that you were sofa surfing. I know that the night you went out, and didn’t come home, your friend wasn’t in the hospital. I know that it wasn’t a ‘lads night out’. I know you were doing cocaine at work. I know you were sleeping/being physically sexual with at least three other women in your work toilets.

I want you to know that you hurt me and that you treated me badly. I never got a proper apology from you and you gaslighted me into feeling bad for being upset that you had left me for someone else. I want you to know that for years you made me feel worthless, unattractive, lonely and unwanted. I want you to know that you affected my confidence and that it has had long-term affects on how I feel about myself and how I think others see me. I want you to know that I never felt supported. I always did things alone. I was never a priority.

But I need you to know that the way you treated me was not okay. It really wasn’t. And I hope you don’t make another woman feel the way I did.

You lied to me. Over and over again. You made me feel rejected and unattractive. I supported you financially for so long, and as soon as you got a new job and started making your own money you cheated and lied, and came back to our home every night with no guilt. As soon as our tenancy was up, you threw me away, moved on immediately, ignored me, lied continuously, and lied to OW, and left me on my own to deal with everything. You gave me no closure. I didn’t understand, how you’d just turned into someone I didn’t know in such a short time.

I am reaching out to you because I need to give myself closure. While I have moved on, and am in a happy relationship with whom we have a gorgeous little boy together, I am still holding onto anger and resentment that I want to let go of. I know this is because after such a long relationship, I never got answers or even the decency of a proper conversation. I feel I was owed more than that.

It’s in the past and I want you to know I do not feel hurt. I do not feel anything towards you. I am writing this because I need to say these things or I never will.

As I write this, I already feel like a weight has lifted from my shoulders.

I don’t expect a reply or even an acknowledgement. Maybe you’ll delete this email as soon as you see my name, or maybe it’ll end up in your junk and you’ll never know about it.

Regardless of everything, I wish you the best and I hope that you are a good person and that you find happiness (or that you’ve already found it).

Take care,

So, what’s the verdict?

YABU: Delete it
YANBU: Send it!
YABVVVVVU: Go to bloody bed woman!

OP posts:
VodselForDinner · 08/09/2020 03:33

Delete it. He’s not worth the time it’s taken you to type that.

What do you think his reaction would realistically be if he received it? Chances are he’ll laugh and be happy that he’s still under your skin.
Don’t give him the satisfaction.

WhatWouldJKRDo · 08/09/2020 03:34

You’ve written it down to get it out of your head.
Now bin it and move on with your life.

Thack · 08/09/2020 03:44

Beautifully written. I hope you have some closure from it.
I wouldn't let him know that you think of him at all and any reply he sends will be bad for your mental health. You are a stronger person now, keep away from this idiot. (I appreciate this is about you and not him, but you'll be checking your inbox and always wondering)

Print it,delete it and burn it.
Fire is cleansing.

Ernieshere · 08/09/2020 03:44

God no, do not send it.

I could have written it myself. But I never ever wanted him to know how much he really hurt me, instead I saved for a house for me & my baby,
It was the ultimate goal for me whilst he was holed up in his bedsit, as the OW didn't move him in.

My first thought, especially when I got to I never got a proper apology from you and you gaslighted me into feeling bad for being upset that you had left me for someone else is that he will laugh.

For someone to display that behaviour to you, shows he has no feeling.

Also - I wish you the best and I hope that you are a good person and that you find happiness (or that you’ve already found it)

Its a get out of jail free card.

Seriously vent on here, ask for some councelling maybe (I still think I should go for some)
But never be kind to him, your letter sounds far too kind at the end.
Never let him know, all he needs to think is that he is the very worst kind of man you ever met.

Flowers
justilou1 · 08/09/2020 03:54

It will boost his ego to know you are still so attached to him. It won’t hurt him. Delete it. While you delete it, imagine deleting everything that attaches him to you emotionally. Imagine it all unraveling. I bet you feel better.

ittooshallpass · 08/09/2020 03:54

Definitely do not send. Delete it. Delete it now!

Gotosleeeeep · 08/09/2020 03:57

It is deleted. Thank you for your honesty and kind words everyone. I feel much better

OP posts:
AddictedToRadley · 08/09/2020 03:58

If you send that he’s going to be such a smug prick and show it around his friends whilst gloating that he’s unforgettable. He won’t see anything but the fact that even though you’ve supposedly moved on and say you’re happy with your new DP and a DS between you you’re still thinking of him. Please don’t send it, he won’t reconsider his behaviour at all he’ll just see it as proof of how amazing he is that you still think of him and no matter what you now have in life in terms of a family he’s still consuming your thoughts. Please think about why he’s still there in your thoughts because reading that doesn’t sound like you are over him at all especially after all this time. I’m sorry if this sounds harsh (I’m half asleep so my brain isn’t working properly) but this reads to me that you’re far from over him and that you still have feelings for him. Are you really happy with current DP? If so please burn the letter as a final act of closure and forget this waste of space. What he does in the future isn’t your concern, your DP and DS are and I hope you can find closure and be happy with them. Sorry again if this sounded like I’m having a go but to me that letter sound like something you would write within days, perhaps even a week or two of a break up that’s still raw, certainly not 2 years on when you have someone else and a family with them.
Sending you some Flowers as I think you need them.

Aquamarine1029 · 08/09/2020 03:59

You will NEVER get the "closure" you think you're looking for by sending that email. All you will achieve is letting that piece of shit know he still lives rent free in your head. He will have nothing but a laugh knowing you still aren't over him. Don't even think of humiliating yourself like this. Delete it now.

AddictedToRadley · 08/09/2020 04:03

Sorry, cross post @Gotosleeeeep

Well done on deleting it. I hope you can forget him as he’s not worth your time or effort. He’s a sad pathetic excuse of a man who will have karma catch up with him sooner or later. Your best revenge is to forget him, get on with your life and be happy.

Monstamio · 08/09/2020 04:04

Well done for deleting op. Definitely the right decision. Flowers

DrManhattan · 08/09/2020 04:04

You are going to have to do the closure bit all by yourself, as you won't get anything from him. Hope you are ok.

Yeahnahmum · 08/09/2020 04:47

Yabu op
It was 2 years ago
Writing this may help you yes
But sending this ....
(And his response!!!) could actually make things much much worse.

Live in the now. You have a dp
And a baby 😍

You dont need to deal with your ex anymore. It was sucky what he did (understatement) but it was in the past. 2 years ago. Another life time.

Yeahnahmum · 08/09/2020 04:49

Never mind 😎 you deleted it

But seriously op. Print your letter off. Scrunch it up. Stomp on it. Spit on it and burn it. Say goodbye to an old chapter in a book and let it go..

Then ....exhale....inhale... look around and see the amazing life you have now ☺

Gohackyourself · 08/09/2020 04:57

Glad you have deleted Op.

I was in similar situation but also with his young child.
I was so angry for years.
I didn’t ever send “ the email” even though like you, I’d written it.
My reasoning was.. this person didn’t care about my feelings at the time, they didn’t consider anything about their child or me when I was low.... so what’s the point tbh? Your dealing with the “ can’t reason with stupid” person.
Your email will never change this person.

The only thing is I wonder if you were hoping for a reply from it? But you don’t need it,focus on your dc and dp, throw yourself into it.In a year or two this person won’t matter.They will just be a learning tool of what you won’t accept.
Good luck Flowers

ulanbatorismynextstop · 08/09/2020 05:05

You've written it out, now burn it with a lighter so the smoke magically carries the words to his brain. There you go, you've delivered it but there's no evidence to come back and bite you!

Seriously, don't send it!!!!!!! It will make him feel important in your life again.

ulanbatorismynextstop · 08/09/2020 05:07

Sorry I hadn't rtr, well done for deleting 👍

GhostCurry · 08/09/2020 05:16

Hi OP, this is one of those questions where you know the answer before you ask it, right?

I see that you’ve deleted it, but like other posters, I too wonder if burning it would be helpful. A little ritual to get him out of your head.

I also think you should read up on narcissism. The thing that jumped out at me from your letter is : none of this is news to him. He knows he cheated on you and treated you badly. He knows he hurt you. He just doesn’t care.

You are still thinking that he is a good person, and that you can appeal to his human decency by sending that letter. But you can’t. Any energy you send his way - EVEN NEGATIVE - feeds his need for attention. If you had’ve sent it, he would literally gain strength from your emotions. They truly are he original vampire. Please read up on it and begin the work of healing. Good luck, and annoy your lovely family. Flowers

user1471565182 · 08/09/2020 05:17

Definitely right to delete it but I can also understand your desire for him to know the damage he did. Of course you also know you cant expect anything from such a pathetic, dishonourable coward.

Please dont feel like you have to be alone with these bad thoughts and memories-so many others (including me) have had to deal with that awful nagging pain always there in the background

GhostCurry · 08/09/2020 05:17

*enjoy your lovely family! Really unfortunate typo there Shock

fatgirlslimmer · 08/09/2020 05:46

I did this with an ex, in the days before email. I wrote the letter but never sent it. It was quite cathartic and I moved on.

IncandescentSilver · 08/09/2020 05:49

No wonder there are so many badly behaved men around, when they never receive any criticism.

I do not see the point in all this anguished burning and binning of letters.

I told my cheating ex exactly what I thought of him by text, and my goodness, is it a comfort. What I didnt do is admit to how bad he made me feel.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread