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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Smitten ‘friend’ won’t let go….

192 replies

turnedworm · 24/06/2022 10:11

Grab coffee - might be a long one!
I met a man a few years ago - and became friends. He already had a (slightly older) female friend and we all did weekend social stuff. I soon noticed she was living her life around him - not even seeing her family locally in case she missed out on a moment in his company. FOMO. Our other friends have for a long time taken the piss out of her obvious smitteness.
Long story short - he and I got together last summer. She wasn’t happy - declaring she ‘knew that would happen’ & was jealous and wished it was her. There was a confrontation. He said no one was to be allowed to come between us. He didn’t want to end that friendship but it couldn’t continue as it was.
As a resut she and I have never seen or spoken since, which I’m ok with as that’s a better option than being in the company of someone who is not an authentic friend & is jealous of me.
Soon after he stopped mentioning her (purposely) allowing me to think the friendship had been scaled back or ended - but I had suspicions - & asked him. He got very angry and defensive said he wanted to see her as they are friends and things are different now & that she now accepts ‘& supports’ our relationship. (I’m not convinced - just think she’s wily enough to want him to think that or risk that he’d not be friends with her) He said he didn’t tell me as I ‘hate’ her. I don’t hate her at all but I think she is toxic to our relationship. He agreed it was an error of judgement not to tell me.
I was massively upset at the omission & we agreed if he was to see her he has to be open with me.
When we’re not together (and we are together for up to 4/5 days a week) he has maybe once a week (I’m not certain that he does tell me) been going to hers as she ‘has always relied on him when she ‘needs help’ with jobs & they have catch ups & food at hers.
I think they still text every day - she texts him good morning, updates about her day, and goodnight - and they speak but never when I’m around.
I am starting to feel very pissed off - that there is 3 in this relationship. He says I’m being very unreasonable as they were friends before I came along & he refuses to acknowledge that she fancies the pants off him. As that would be an acknowledgement their behaviour is not on. He says she has Lost out on so much as she doesn’t get to join us any more and she doesn’t see as much of him as she would like / needs to whilst I get to spend loads of time with him. My view is that her jealousy is what got us into this situation. He has other friends - even exes - that we are both friends with and I don’t feel any concerns about them.
They hug & She pecks him on the lips when they greet and leave! she is so besotted she’s never had a relationship since she became friends with him - about 9 years ago. - as no man matches up to him.
I think she’s very toxic and waiting in the wings to pick up the pieces if we don’t make it through.
they have never had a relationship as he has never fancied her. Is it his ego? Am I missing something?
I am starting to feel like the situation is uncomfortable and may be a deal breaker and yet he is amazing in so many other ways. Last time I raised it he told me I was ‘on thin ice’ but he is the one on thin ice with me. Don’t want to be raising it again unless I’m on solid ground!
do I just need to get over myself?
Any advice please?
AIBU?

OP posts:
safetyfreak · 24/06/2022 12:45

Two grown ass petty women fighting over a man, eurgh.

Mangogogogo · 24/06/2022 12:48

I’m sorry, they kiss on the lips?

WishILivedInThrushGreen · 24/06/2022 12:48

Just walk away with your head held high.

SurpriseSurprise · 24/06/2022 12:50

Don’t walk away, run very very fast!

Tractordiggerdump · 24/06/2022 12:54

YABU - you all sound like you are 15 yo

nahnothanks · 24/06/2022 12:56

I think I’m going against the grain here, but to look at it from her perspective - she’s been friends with him for an incredibly long time, you knew this when you became friends with him, and you certainly knew it when you became romantically involved with him.

I think expecting someone to shelve an existing relationship in favour of a new one is a bit shitty tbh. Romantic relationships shouldn’t automatically be assumed as having priority over other kinds.

That said, he certainly shouldn’t have lied by omission about still being friends with her and still seeing her. And it does sound like he’s managing everyone’s needs badly.

Some people can and do have romantic relationships where one or both partners have other relationships that kind of overspill from platonic. He needs to be honest that that’s what he has with this woman. And you need to decide whether you’re ok to continue the relationship if their relationship continues, because it’s unlikely to change. It’s ok to not want this - but be honest about it and figure out where your boundaries are. It’s incredibly unlikely that he’ll stop seeing her to focus on you.

11Hawkins · 24/06/2022 12:56

They kiss on the lips?

Walk away.

wellhelloitsme · 24/06/2022 13:00

Your boyfriend sounds like a right prick.

He knows how she feels and still spends time with her alone frequently, messages her every day and even kisses her on the bloody lips!

That'd make him a dick even if he was single and not interested in her. The fact he's with you just makes it even worse.

Of course she thinks she's got a chance with him. Because he's behaving in a way that indicates she has!

And in doing so, he creates a situation where all your mutual friends laugh at her.

I think you need to ask yourself why you're so keen on being with such an absolute tool...

SirVixofVixHall · 24/06/2022 13:05

shropshire11 · 24/06/2022 10:24

This is a tough situation. Your boyfriend is not dealing with it at all well. However, in his defence, when you have been close friends with someone for the best part of a decade, it is not easy to just call time on it - even if it is just a close friendship and not romantic.

What crosses the line here is a) his dishonesty about seeing her and b) the regularity of seeing her. If you can agree that he will be totally open with you, and maybe see her 1-2 times a month, then that would seem more reasonable.

it also strikes me as fairer on the other woman - she needs to move on with her life and centre it less on a man who is a) committed elsewhere and b) doesn’t seem romantically interested in her. It would be a kindness to de-escalate the friendship. If he’s reluctant to do this, it implies that he likes the attention and stringing her along, and he likes having the two of you competing for his attention. Not good.

I wish you the best of luck with it.

I totally agree with this.

WhenISnappedAndFarted · 24/06/2022 13:05

You've got a boyfriend problem. You seem to be putting more of the blame on her rather than him.

He knows she's smitten, he's still messaging her everyday, still seeing her, still leading her on. Yes, you're in a relationship and she should back off and maybe she is waiting in the wings but this is all on your boyfriend to be stopping it, backing off and letting her move on.

He isn't, he doesn't want to. He wants you both fighting over his attention and he's probably loving it.

IncompleteSenten · 24/06/2022 13:08

He's the problem. He must be loving keeping this woman around, knowing she loves him and is hoping that one day he'll realise he loves her too.

I honestly would walk away from him. He's not worth it.

Badger1970 · 24/06/2022 13:08

He's not interested in her, else they'd be together. It wouldn't bother me, but if it bothers you, then it's a problem.

He's acting very unfairly to you and her by all this secrecy, which then makes it look something that it isn't.

Staffy1 · 24/06/2022 13:09

You noticed all of that before you got together and they have been friends longer. Seems a bit off to expect him to stop contact with her now.

bubblesbubbles11 · 24/06/2022 13:09

OP can I ask what the respective ages are in terms of you, your boyfriend and the other woman? If you don't want to state the age specifically can you give an indication of the age gap between you, your boyfriend and the other woman? Just curious because of the dynamics here.

TFPNeighbours · 24/06/2022 13:11

Fuck that for a game of soldiers bin and walk

badhappening · 24/06/2022 13:12

Why on gods earth are you putting yourself through this.
Have a bit of self-respect and dump him.

ALoadOfCodswallop · 24/06/2022 13:17

Almost 100% they were FWB before he got with you, with him stringing her along about a proper relationship. My guess is they are probably still shagging on those date nights at hers. Get rid.

ILikeHotWaterBottles · 24/06/2022 13:21

PetersRabbitt · 24/06/2022 10:44

His initials are not SL are they? If so, pm me! 😂

Oh I so hope they are...

He's an arrogant knob or a complete oblivious moron. Either way, neither are attractive. Dump him. I'd guess this is why his ex's dumped him too.

catandcandle · 24/06/2022 13:21

You are in an open relationship. Whether you accept that or move on is up to you. I have been in an open relationship, many years ago, at the end of a long marriage, we decided to try this. It didn't work in our situation, but they can sometimes, I know people for whom they have.

If it was me, however, the "thin ice" comment would have been the complete end of it.

Kezzie200 · 24/06/2022 13:30

Your relationship is you and him.

She is single, his friend, and doesn't have to do or change anything.

Your DP is an arse and I'd have moved on before this. Drop him gently if you want the whole friendship group thing to continue, or dump him unceremoniously, if you don't. Control the situation and move on to someone who cares about you.

StopStartStop · 24/06/2022 13:32

OP, he's been taking you for a mug for years. Aren't you tired of it by now? Move on.

NotMyselfWithoutCoffee · 24/06/2022 13:37

He's shagging her behind the scenes.

loupiots · 24/06/2022 13:39

He sounds insufferable. The ego on him.

I expect you don't want to ditch him because you think it will mean the other woman has won and it will dent your pride?

He's so not a prize worth winning, though.

Honestly, move on to someone worth your time and let them fester in their weirdly toxic, co-dependent mess.

viques · 24/06/2022 13:39

Have you heard the phrase an heir and a spare? That’s what your gentleman ( I use the word loosely) is maintaining. If I were you I would cut him loose, the spare wasn’t good enough before you got together , let’s see if she has improved her chances while you were the heir.

AngelinaFibres · 24/06/2022 13:42

Guiltypleasures001 · 24/06/2022 10:16

His ego must be the size of a mountain

He's the common denominator op leave them both too it's too much agro to go throw

I was going to say exactly this. He is very much enjoying all these women competing for his attention. Get rid. He loves himself and the drama more than he will ever love you.

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