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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To have told him?

142 replies

Badnewsoracle · 12/06/2022 14:54

7 years ago DH and I went through a tough patch and he started an affair with my best friend. I suspected from very early on and caught them before they slept together (I'm absolutely certain of this). I ghosted her, we cut contact with her and her husband and stopped attending group events (large close-knit friendship group of interlappping friends from uni days) beyond weddings and funerals. Some of these friends cut us out for my "unreasonable behaviour" and others didn't. Best friend and her husband "kept" the friendship group iyswim. I never told anyone about the affair and reason for us stopping being friends.

DH and I got counseling, DH was incredibly remorseful and we made amends and are doing very well.

Yesterday we attended mutual friends wedding, DH was best man. Ex best friend and her husband were there. We were civil but kept away from them as much as possible. In the evening I was at the bar getting a drink and ex best friends husband came to the bar. I said a polite hello - he and I had previously got on well. He initially blanked me, fine I just ordered my drinks but then he turned to me and said "I just don't know what happened between you, how you could just stop talking to her like that. You were inseparable". To which I responded with "she had an affair with my husband, I don't think I was unreasonable". His face. Oh my god. He didn't know. After 7 years. No one told him. I had assumed, that like us they had chosen to work through it.

I feel absolutely awful. At the time I was really ill with PND and was barely functioning myself, I didn't really have the mental energy to worry about him (I was hospitalised shortly after). But now thinking back, the only people who knew were her, DH, DHs best mate (the groom) and the bride - because I told her. He's since text me asking to talk about it and I don't know what to do. Wibu to tell him after all this time? I'm going to talk to DH tonight once the kids are in bed.

OP posts:
Shinyandnew1 · 12/06/2022 18:23

I would definitely talk to him and tell him what you know-this it clearly a big shock for him.

What does the evidence you have on the hard drive show?

Badnewsoracle · 12/06/2022 18:26

Shinyandnew1 · 12/06/2022 18:23

I would definitely talk to him and tell him what you know-this it clearly a big shock for him.

What does the evidence you have on the hard drive show?

WhatsApp messages (almost all of them), the hotel booking -in DHs name, but he can cross reference the date with the excuse they were using (it's identifiable). The WhatsApp messages themselves are sufficient enough though.

OP posts:
Unsure33 · 12/06/2022 18:31

I agree just give him the facts, especially as they did not actually sleep together , even if intended , as everyone has their own moral compass. He just deserves the truth.

Graphista · 12/06/2022 18:56

Kinda on him too to not even consider possible reasons for the falling out especially if she was less than forthcoming!

Would have seem fairly obvious to most I'd have thought.

Op has done nothing wrong.

And yes affairs needn't involve penetrative sex, they can be emotional, involve physical contact that isn't penetrative sex or as pp said phone sex or via messaging apps etc - all still a betrayal of what is supposed to be a monogamous committee relationship.

That poster is either a cheat themselves or has had the wool pulled over their own eyes I suspect

HappypusSadpus · 12/06/2022 19:34

OP are you from the North West? I think I may have been at this wedding yesterday 😅

Badnewsoracle · 12/06/2022 19:36

HappypusSadpus · 12/06/2022 19:34

OP are you from the North West? I think I may have been at this wedding yesterday 😅

I am!

OP posts:
CandyLeBonBon · 12/06/2022 19:38

HappypusSadpus · 12/06/2022 19:34

OP are you from the North West? I think I may have been at this wedding yesterday 😅

Ooh intrigue!

Shinyandnew1 · 12/06/2022 20:09

HappypusSadpus · 12/06/2022 19:34

OP are you from the North West? I think I may have been at this wedding yesterday 😅

How intriguing! What made you think it was the same wedding?!

TolkiensFallow · 12/06/2022 20:20

OP, you chose to work through this. If you talk to the partner it’s going to take you back years and force you to relive things you’ve worked through and moved on from. Please take yourself into account when deciding what to do.

HollowTalk · 12/06/2022 20:47

So @HappypusSadpus that's a huge coincidence! What made you ask that question?

BakedTattie · 12/06/2022 20:56

Good for you. poor guy. He deserves to know and not be forced to unwittingly live with a liar and cheat.

What happened after you said it? Did they leave?

Happyplace88 · 12/06/2022 21:05

YANBU. Gobsmacked nobody has told him sooner.

EnjoyingTheSilence · 12/06/2022 21:14

Sounds like an interesting wedding for you to think that @HappypusSadpus

@Badnewsoracle I think your plan to keep it factual is the right way to go. Good luck

HappypusSadpus · 13/06/2022 06:21

Badnewsoracle · 12/06/2022 19:36

I am!

Roughly what area was the wedding?

Ladybug14 · 13/06/2022 06:32

Gracious! The plot thickens 🙂

GalactatingGoddess · 13/06/2022 06:37

He needs to know.
You sound like you've been extremely dignified during the whole event , I'm not sure I could've stopped myself telling her husband everything as soon as I'd found out all those years ago

wheretogoplease · 13/06/2022 06:50

@HappypusSadpus

What was it about this thread that made you link the op to the wedding you attended?

Is the issue the op refers to actually one of those open secrets?

Op has acted impeccably in all of this and intends to continue to do so in her approach to passing on the facts to the poor husband. (Who will probably keep it to himself and carry on with his life as normal)

Teeturtle · 13/06/2022 06:53

You have already told him, you might as well finish the conversation and I think a bit unkind not to.

But for heavens sake, stop pretending you thought he knew! It was very clear from what he said you that he didn’t know. He literally said he didn’t know what happened or understand.

Oligodendrocyte · 13/06/2022 07:46

I feel for the guy, and also think it was pretty obvious he didn't know. You withdraw from group gatherings and just stopped talking to them. He's watched this and you move house, have another baby, all whilst probably thinking it was a spat between 2 friends and doesn't understand why.

WhatsTheWeatherLike11 · 13/06/2022 07:52

You must have known that he didn't know because he actually said the words
"I just don't know what happened between you".
Maybe this is a conversation he now needs to have with his partner about what happened.

yousexybugger · 13/06/2022 08:04

It's a bit unfair to say shes pretending she thought he knew. I read it as OP had assumed prior to the conversation that they had decided to make a go of it and not tell the world their business then was caught on the back foot at the wedding after a couple of drinks and in the moment came out with the truth. She had no obligation to lie at all. Who here would cover for someone who had had an affair with her husband?

WhoAre · 13/06/2022 08:17

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

LavenderfortheBees · 13/06/2022 08:48

Yes the facts and nothing further is what he needs right now.

DiamondBright · 13/06/2022 08:50

It seems pretty clear that he didn't know, I don't necessarily disagree with telling him, but the sounds brutal.

Baconandmaplesyrup · 13/06/2022 08:57

I also think you knew fine well he didn’t know. And this was seven years ago you clearly haven’t moved on or forgiven either.

I think it’s fine to tell, but I don’t think thr man deserved to be told in the manner he was.

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