Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To feel really betrayed?

247 replies

BearPearDare · 22/12/2024 23:24

I’m friends with a group of women I met in the first year of uni in halls when I was 18. We’re all 28/29 now, so have been friends for a good while. We’re all married/in relationships, and we all have babies/toddlers. There’s 4 of us in the group.
Beginning of this month, I noticed one of the friends, “Hannah”, put up an instagram story, tagging in our entire friendship group, of them all out for lunch, including the babies/toddlers. This was a Saturday (we all work Monday to Friday), so they all knew I’d be off, but I wasn’t invited, and nothing about the lunch was mentioned to me. I decided to ignore this. A week later, a similar instagram story from Hannah, this time showing them all out with the babies/toddlers meeting Father Christmas. Again, nothing was mentioned to me. I decided to text one of the other women, “Meghan”, to see if everything was ok. She replied saying that Hannah invited me to lunch but I ignored her, and because of that Hannah didn’t feel comfortable inviting me to the Father Christmas meet-up. I replied saying Hannah never invited me to the lunch and that I had no idea about it. Meghan read my text but never replied. I then put a message in our group chat that we’re all in, asking if anyone was free to meet up soon for a coffee. Everyone read it but only one person, “Heather”, responded saying yes.
I met up with Heather later that day, who was acting really sheepish. I asked her if everything was ok and she ended up telling me that Hannah doesn’t like me, and made a group chat without me in it. I asked her why Hannah doesn’t like me, and she said that Hannah thinks I’m stuck up and annoying. Heather then showed me this secret group chat and it had so many messages from Hannah commenting on my weight, how pathetic I am, how my house isn’t decorated nicely, how my job is embarrassing, etc. None of the other women ever responded to any of this, but none of them stuck up for me either.
I don’t know what I’ve done to upset Hannah, but I feel so hurt. But more so, I feel hurt that all of my other friends are happy to be Hannah’s friend despite how she’s treating me.

For the 10 years we’ve been friends, we’ve done secret Santa on December 23rd every Christmas, before then not seeing each other until New Years drinks. It’s my turn to host it this year and to be honest I just want to cancel and be done with this friend group. I mentioned wanting to cancel to Heather and Meghan on the basis that I don’t feel comfortable being around Hannah anymore, and also that I feel hurt that I’m being treated like this and neither of them seem to care. They said that they have every right to be friends with both me and Hannah, and that it’s not their fault she doesn’t like me. I told them I get that, but I feel like I can’t be friends with them if their comfortable being around someone who can be cruel to me. I feel betrayed by them. AIBU to feel this way? I’m really hurt but I’m being portrayed as dramatic. I haven’t cancelled tomorrow yet, I feel at a loss.

We lived together the whole 3 years at uni, we were all each other’s bridesmaids. I feel unbelievably hurt and like I’m grieving the loss of the people I thought they were, if that makes sense. They were all a huge part of my life

OP posts:
ThePollutedShadesOfPemberley · 23/12/2024 06:31

NotOneOfTheInCrowd · 22/12/2024 23:42

I’d send one last message saying, “have cancelled secret Santa after heather showed me your little secret group. Good luck to whoever Hannah takes against next.”

This is the only way to go with this.

If you rant and rave, you are playing into Hannah's totally fabricated version of you.

Send this and then step back entirely and forever. They are nauseating and shallow but eventually everyone will see everyone else for what they all are.

spotddog · 23/12/2024 06:32

The fact that the other two "friends" agreed to form a separate group chat says it all.

Hanna is obviously jealous of you. IME people like that are jealous of everyone.

What I tend to do is up my grooming etc so I look my best at all times. Rub their bitchy noses in your success. New slim, higher earner you has moved on.

Dodgydodgydodgy · 23/12/2024 06:34

Cancel and leave the friendship group.

As soon as Hannah no longer has you to bully she will choose another victim.

You don’t need people like this in your life.

EmsSummer · 23/12/2024 06:40

How horrible!

I live the saying ‘when someone shows you who they really are… trust them’ You don’t need people in your lives who don’t have your back. Ghost them all and go and make some lovely friends. There are horrible people in this world. But also some bloody lovely ones too. Try and join a group or find a hobby that will have you meeting new people with the same interests. This lot sound like a bunch of yes men. Not a good look

heartsinvisiblefury · 23/12/2024 06:44

SleepPrettyDarling · 23/12/2024 00:27

I’d message something along the lines of ‘cancelling our annual Secret Santa get-together as the friendship dynamic has changed over the last x months, to the point that I’m excluded from your meet-ups. It isn’t right or fair on me, so I will leave you to arrange amongst yourselves.’

I like this one. Says what needs to be said.

heartsinvisiblefury · 23/12/2024 06:46

Gitfeatures · 23/12/2024 00:46

Secret Santa is cancelled. Hannah's a cunt and the rest of you are cowards. Merry Christmas.

Actually this is the best!!!!!

Powderblue1 · 23/12/2024 06:47

That's really sad. I'd be more hurt that my friends let Hannah dictate I wasn't invited rather than by Hannah too.

I'd be tempted to take a step back too. You won't enjoy your nye drinks and they don't deserve you hosting and sorting for them.

RedSuedePump · 23/12/2024 06:48

While i get the desire to send a dignified message, i wouldn't say friendship dynamics have changed as this could be seen as "just one of those things" ie no one's fault and gives them an out on their nastiness!

i would also have to let them know i know about the second chat/bitching - to put the cat among the pigeons as a PP says

"After being shown the messages about me on your other group chat - thanks Heather for the heads up! - unsurprisingly i won't be hosting Secret Santa today. Just as an FYI despite what Hannah might have told you i wasn't invited to lunch and i would never stand by and let another "friend" bitch about you to me - that's the difference between me and you all though i guess 🤷‍♀️ Merry Christmas and Happy New Year."

marshmallowbum · 23/12/2024 06:48

BenditlikeBridget · 23/12/2024 00:43

Dear all,

This is really hard to write, but i’ve recently been made aware of your meet ups without me, some lies that have been told about me and have been shown the whatsapp group where you talk about me in some pretty horrible terms.

We have been close friends for a decade now and I’m sure you can understand that I am devastated by these recent revelations. I’m just too hurt to be able to pretend everything is ok and so I think it’s for the best that i cancel our plans on <date>.

This exactly.

Call them out. And then leave.

You have much better things to do in your life than deal with these toxic women.

TurqoiseJasper · 23/12/2024 06:49

This reply has been deleted

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

Are you implying the OP is not being truthful?
They're all a bunch of bitches, the lot of them. Dump! 😘

ThePollutedShadesOfPemberley · 23/12/2024 06:49

What @Dodgydodgydodgy has said is correct here. When you leave the orbit of a narc like Hannah, they lose you as their 'supply' and have to move on to treat someone else badly. The more times they do that, the more likely it is that decent people around them see this repeated behaviour and recognise it for the toxic assholery that it is.

We have had to drop the rope with my DH's DIL. We were villified for this at the time but two years on, others are beginning to 'see' her and understand why we did what we did thankfully.

Hottoffeesauce · 23/12/2024 06:54

This (virtually identical) scenario happened to me many years ago. I completely cancelled the 'friendships' and moved on - I'm worth more than that type of shit behaviour. Looking back, the 'queen bee' of my friendship group was jealous of the lifestyle I had married into. At the time, I didn't say anything, didn't call anyone out on their shameful behaviour because I didn't want them to have the satisfaction of them knowing they had hurt me, I just dropped them, ignored them and moved on with my life. But in hindsight, I wish I had said something to them. Nothing emotional or showing how much they had hurt me but letting them know that they were weird and nasty and were no loss to me.

Hurryuphumphreygeorgeiswaiting · 23/12/2024 06:59

I would step back from this friendship OP. It hurts because you have known them since uni but good friends wouldn't leave you out and communicate in a different whatsapp group. Hannah is jealous of your achievements. You should feel proud of yourself with your promotion and weight loss. Healthy friendships would be pleased for you not bitching behind your back. They wouldn't go along with excluding you. I would cancel the Christmas get-gether at your house. The friendship isn't the same anymore and shame on them. Friendships should be easy, not difficult. You will be fine but it hurts.

IdgieThreadgoodeIsMyHeroine · 23/12/2024 07:04

I'm so sorry, this is such a horrible situation. Absolutely ditch them- no friends is better than these 'friends'.

GeorgeMichaelsCat · 23/12/2024 07:05

I recently got promoted at work and lost some weight

This will be the root cause. Jealousy. Time to find new friends OP. Onwards and upwards. True friends support you in good times and bad. Hannah is behaving like a jealous cow and your other two friends are happy to go with the flow so clearly do not care enough to stand up for you.

Jellycatspyjamas · 23/12/2024 07:08

I'd probably consider the friendships over, but I'd just maintain open lines of communication with the other two. Life is long, and they might pull themselves together and side with you.

There would need to be one hell of an epic apology for me to consider continuing a friendship after someone allowed me to be the subject that kind of behaviour and took part in it themselves. They already decided to side with Hannah, when the OP didn’t even know there was a side that didn’t include her. I’d be done with the lot of them, and I’d be telling them exactly why.

MzHz · 23/12/2024 07:10

SleepPrettyDarling · 23/12/2024 00:27

I’d message something along the lines of ‘cancelling our annual Secret Santa get-together as the friendship dynamic has changed over the last x months, to the point that I’m excluded from your meet-ups. It isn’t right or fair on me, so I will leave you to arrange amongst yourselves.’

I like this. I’d also be tempted to add that you can judge a person by the company they keep. real friends don’t sit by when someone else bitches about them, and people who do this will eventually move on to someone else.

ciao Wendy, enjoy your little bitching groups

TheaBrandt · 23/12/2024 07:13

Well op can’t have been that bad if they’ve happily been friends for a decade 🙄.

How dreadful you feel betrayed because you have been. I like the short simple message wishing luck for the next victim. Calm resigned and flagging to the group whose work this has been. It will plant a seed.

Op you can meet new friends in later life I have a brilliant group met through the kids our kids aren’t really friends anymore but we are.

rollon2025 · 23/12/2024 07:16

I'm so sorry this has happened.

OP send them the link to this thread.

TheaBrandt · 23/12/2024 07:17

This happened to Dd when she was 16. It was really weird. Her old primary school friend just went quiet odd silent on group chats and ditched her.Dd is a calm thoughtful type who had never really fallen out with anyone and was baffled by it.

She tried to take the rest of the friendship group with her but brilliantly they all stuck with Dd which was so lovely to see. Ex friend has now left the group.

EmsSummer · 23/12/2024 07:20

TheaBrandt · 23/12/2024 07:17

This happened to Dd when she was 16. It was really weird. Her old primary school friend just went quiet odd silent on group chats and ditched her.Dd is a calm thoughtful type who had never really fallen out with anyone and was baffled by it.

She tried to take the rest of the friendship group with her but brilliantly they all stuck with Dd which was so lovely to see. Ex friend has now left the group.

That must’ve been so hard to watch 😢 Good on her friends though…they’re all keepers 🤩

Calmhappyandhealthy · 23/12/2024 07:22

I agree with PPs

Send a message saying "good luck to the next victim and goodbye"

I would also say "my door is always open" HOWEVER, would you be able to trust any one of them again?

A clean break is perhaps safer for you

ChampagneLassie · 23/12/2024 07:28

NotOneOfTheInCrowd · 22/12/2024 23:42

I’d send one last message saying, “have cancelled secret Santa after heather showed me your little secret group. Good luck to whoever Hannah takes against next.”

This. Dont over dramatise. Let them fight amongst themselves. I’d consider reconnecting with Heather and Meghan if they came back very apologeticly recognising that behaviour out order and they’ve dumped Hannah

SallyWD · 23/12/2024 07:32

They're not good friends. I was in a friendship group and one of the women turned on another one, bitching about her behind her back. I told the friend what was going on and ended my friendship with the women who was bitching. If your other friends like and respect you, they wouldn't tolerate this.

Jeregrettetous · 23/12/2024 07:38

I’m so sorry OP, this is horrible. I’d definitely cancel but make the message even shorter than some of the suggestions here - and would give NO reasons or feelings as that will only give them more fuel.

”Hi everyone, I won’t be hosting today. Wishing you all merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”

And then leave the group. They don’t deserve an explanation.

I hope you find something lovely to do today - and find time to return the secret Santa gift!

Swipe left for the next trending thread