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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

He’s still involved with his ex. Should I move on?

19 replies

walkingback · 11/05/2024 21:24

I was widowed 8 years ago. 4 years ago, I met a fellow widower similar age to me. His wife had died 8 years previously and he had met someone shortly afterwards who he was with for 5 years. They had parted ways but remained friends. He is still in contact with her and when I first met him he went on a prearranged holiday with her where they shared a room although he said there was no sexual relationship. Since then he has been away with her once every year to visit her family but they apparently no longer share a room. He takes her because she can’t drive. He also sees her regularly as she is his friend but he refuses to introduce me to her. I do believe they are friends but it annoys me that he still visits her and does jobs for her but won’t introduce us. I now feel like I don’t want to meet her anyway. He lives 2.5 hours away from me. We’re both retired and see each other in person every other week and video call every day. In most other ways we have a great relationship. I enjoy his company very much but I don’t understand his need to keep so in touch with his ex. He has said he considers her as family and will continue to see her but he has also told me he doesn’t mention when he’s been to see her as he knows it upsets me. He says they split because she has multiple health problems and is not well so he feels obliged to help her. I found out today he has gone to a party at her house this evening so she can’t be as poorly as he’s making out if she can host a party. I feel like maybe I should look elsewhere. It’s sad because we could have a really good thing but I now feel he’s taking me for a mug.
Should I just ignore it or say farewell to him and move on?

OP posts:
Nuttyputty · 11/05/2024 21:27

I dont know one person who would put up with this. Its far too much contact. Holidays every year? What a pisstake. He can hardly build a bond and relationship with you, when he's got all that with her, apart from he sex- apparently.

WhatAreYouOnAbout · 11/05/2024 22:16

The fact he said he’s not with the other woman cos of her poor health is a real red flag. Keeping you on standby. Get rid!

Elieza · 11/05/2024 22:39

Dump and move on. He doesn't appear to be single.

He hasn't moved on from her, possibly because they are still married and in a sexless relationship which he is hoping to supplement with a bit of sex on the side. Meanwhile neither of you know what the truth is with the other woman. And she won't even know you exist.

He sounds like a right love rat.

Beezknees · 11/05/2024 22:40

Of course you move on! It's not even a question.

allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 11/05/2024 22:56

@walkingback maybe because I am vengeful, but I would perhaps turn up at his house one day unexpectedly! are you sure they are not actually in a relationship?? if he considers her family, what happens when he has a family function of his own to attend? do you get invited or does she?? does he go on holiday with you? I would certainly make sure that she finds out about you!

SamW98 · 11/05/2024 23:00

Yea OP you’re being taken for a mug. There’s no need to be so enmeshed with an ex that he doesn’t share children with.

Hold your head high and move on. He wants to have his cake and eat it - walk away

walkingback · 11/05/2024 23:09

Thanks for your comments. He says she knows about me and that she has asked if she was ever to bump into us should she speak to him or not. awhich is weird. I have no problem with introducing him to any of my exes. They are exes. I definitely get invited to all his family events and we go on holiday together. His family are lovely and I get on well with them all. I will be sad to lose them because of his strange behaviour.

OP posts:
Brandyb · 11/05/2024 23:10

The thing I take issue is with not allowing you to meet her. And I'm a person with lots of contact with exes and male friends. My husband has no issue with this as he knows them all and trusts me. But I don't prevent him meeting them. Massive problem with this alone.

Copperoliverbear · 11/05/2024 23:10

I would call it a day, I would not say you have a proper relationship, you are wasting your time, you live far apart and he does what he wants the rest of the time, with another woman and that's the one you know about, wake up and smell the coffee you are being taken for a fool.

Brandyb · 11/05/2024 23:11

Why on earth aren't you at this party with him?!?

MsDogLady · 11/05/2024 23:14

@walkingback, they sound codependent and overly invested in each other.

I would remove myself from his ego validation triangle and move on.

Beezknees · 11/05/2024 23:17

allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 11/05/2024 22:56

@walkingback maybe because I am vengeful, but I would perhaps turn up at his house one day unexpectedly! are you sure they are not actually in a relationship?? if he considers her family, what happens when he has a family function of his own to attend? do you get invited or does she?? does he go on holiday with you? I would certainly make sure that she finds out about you!

I'm sorry but that's just ridiculous. Stop game playing and just bin him off if you don't trust him! This is very immature.

StormingNorman · 11/05/2024 23:23

He is creating a weird dynamic between the two of you and both you and the friend are feeling it.

I would push for a meeting. If she is important to him, it’s important you as his partner get to know her.

If that can’t happen, you have your answer.

TeeHu · 12/05/2024 01:41

I think it's disrespectful to your feelings the way he is acting, how would he feel if the shoe was on the other foot? In any case, it's not normal at all imo..move on asap

Aquamarine1029 · 12/05/2024 01:46

He is still in contact with her and when I first met him he went on a prearranged holiday with her where they shared a room although he said there was no sexual relationship.

He must be related to the men who have affairs and tell their mistress that although they still live with their wife, the marriage is completely over and they no longer have sex.

🙄

CulturalNomad · 12/05/2024 01:56

He sees her fairly frequently, vacations with her, goes to parties at her home....

She's not his "ex", not really. They're still in a relationship. Is it romantic/sexual? Who knows, but it's certainly a relationship.

Save yourself a lot of heartache and move on.

he has also told me he doesn’t mention when he’s been to see her as he knows it upsets me

So basically he's lying to you " for your own good"? That's what they all say...

Mellowautumnmists · 12/05/2024 04:00

I found out today he has gone to a party at her house this evening so she can’t be as poorly as he’s making out if she can host a party. I feel like maybe I should look elsewhere.

@walkingback did he ask you to go to the party with him as his partner?

How far away does this lady live from him? Is that some distance too?

WinterFaye2 · 12/05/2024 04:05

I think this is all disrespectful towards you. It’s fine if they want to remain friends etc but you should be part of that too. You should have been invited to the party tonight for example.

I know you say you don’t want to meet her but would you consider it? I’d be asking to all do something together have an introduction and see what your gut says.

ultimately you can’t be in a normal long term relationship with someone and not have met their closest friends.

OfficerChurlish · 12/05/2024 04:39

I'm all for staying friends with exes, when it works for both people, and all for male-female platonic friendships. I can even understand the sharing a room on holiday IF he's the type who would do that with a male friend to save money (you probably have an idea if that's likely for him or not), especially if all the planning was done while both of them were single.

But these are red flags, IMO:

  1. He "refuses" to introduce you. Why, according to him? And when his friend asks what to do if she sees the two of you on the street together does he also tell her "please ignore us because you're not allowed to meet my girlfriend"? Also, "refuses" is a problem. He's not willing to discuss the matter or compromise, just NO?
  2. He is making things incredibly, artificially awkward. It would be one thing if the friend lived far away and he was resisting making big travel plans just so the two of you could meet. But if he can go to parties at her house and risks running into her on the street, it's weird to try to keep the two of you apart.
  3. His claim that he can't talk about her because you supposedly get upset is patronising bullcrap, but very convenient for him. If there's not something going on between him and this friend, could he be using the smokescreen of "having" to spend time with her but not being willing to talk with you about it (and therefore never sharing any plans or details) as a cover for something else he doesn't want you to know about, possibly not even involving her? All of this erodes trust.
  4. He says they split because she has multiple health problems and is not well... I would worry that there's no closure on their relationship - they would still be together if she weren't ill, and therefore he would not be with you. Is he in love with her? Does he second-guess the break-up? And what happens if she gets better?
  5. ... so he feels obliged to help her. This strikes me as horrible, sorry. It's great to help a friend - although it sounds like she also has family to help, if not other friends - but out of friendship, love, and reciprocality, not out of guilt and obligation. I hope she doesn't know he says this about her (assuming it's true, and not a cover).
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