To advise my friend to seek family lawyer advice in this situation?

[thecatmother]

My friend is married to her soulmate and they have a perfect marriage, she is SAHM and he is a high earner, and they are settled on having just one DC, who is 5 now. Or so she thought... They have a "best couple " that they go on holidays together, celebrate all the major events together and generally are very close to. The lady in the couple is also a high earner and she works for the same company as my friend's husband. So the "best couple " lady has just had her 3rd baby (roughly 3 months ago), same sex as my friend's DC (yep, that's where its going) and my friend has obviously been delighted, supportive and generally very involved... and so has her DH. My friend is driving herself mad because the new baby has an uncanny resemblance to her DC and her DH. She has been digging a little in her DH phone and did find flirty messages and very caring messages between those 2, but nothing more.... and on top of that her DH is getting a massive severance from his job, so he literally never has to work again.
She is scared to ask questions, and I am advising her to seek legal advice, just in case she might find out that not only her DH has been cheating on her, but also is responsible for another child out there.
I think that forewarned is forearmed.

She could Start with a DNA test - if she’s really that paranoid or thinks he really could be the father?

@FlowerArranger

Wow! Your friend is moving fast. Especially considering she was a SAHM who had to come to you for marital advice.

Paternity test, husband has moved out, she has a job (after not having worked for years!), AND a flat purchase is well under way.

All within ONE month !!!

I have to give it to your friend, she sure doesn't let the grass grow under her feet

I'm telling you, she is quite amazing, I would still be crying. I am wary that she probably just making things happen, and living it a day at the time. She found a job at her local supermarket, it suits her and she is now surrounded by people. As I said earlier, I think she was pretty sure what she was going to do when she started that conversation with me.

‘ I know this is not the point of this thread, but what kind of severance package is so generous you never have to work again 🤔’

I know a few people who have sold their shares/part of their companies to the tune of several million £££. Usually happens when a bigger company wants to buy your independent software/production/media whatever co.
My aunt so her biz and her part of it was over £30m… which she then went off and started another co with…

well as they are all so close "friends" why not just advise her to go down the dna route, pretty easy enough to do i would have thought with a 3 month old, at least they arent going to drop you in it for getting the dna which could be from something such as sucking a dummy etc

@takenforgrantednana
It IS his kid… dirty b’tard!

That financial settlement sounds completely wrong to me. I bet his half of the settlement hasn't been used to buy their child a property. So basically she is then left with nothing and no child support as he isn't working. That's actually quite abusive in my mind even if she were getting the house in lieu of a pension.

Wow, what a rollercoaster!

@Allllchange

That financial settlement sounds completely wrong to me. I bet his half of the settlement hasn't been used to buy their child a property. So basically she is then left with nothing and no child support as he isn't working. That's actually quite abusive in my mind even if she were getting the house in lieu of a pension.

Her family are helping her to go through this (she has told them everything now). My friend and her H have a few properties and other assets, she is not discussing with me the actual division of all the things, she hasn't applied for divorce yet, obviously. She didn't come into the marriage penniless, she had a good job before she had her DC. I know about the flat because that has been decided and the "D"H suggested that post moving out. Her father is very supportive, he is a civil servant and has good friends who can advise my friend what she should do and when.

Brilliant. Just wouldn't want her to get ripped off as have heard that line before.

Wow this was sorted quickly! Sorry to hear it didn’t go well for your friend.

@StayOrGoOrWhat

Wow this was sorted quickly! Sorry to hear it didn’t go well for your friend.

As I have mentioned I suspect that my friend had made up her mind when she started talking to me about her concerns. Her family are brilliant and supportive, they have taken over the legal and bureaucratic issues.

Wow, she doesn't hang about.