Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Sisters, ex brother in law.

16 replies

Kerry2450 · 09/03/2025 23:59

Ok, I have 2 sisters in their early 60’s, I’m late 50’s.

One sister never married, and chose to stay at home with our parents, who passed away a few years ago.

One sister married, had 3 kids who are now grown up and married. We’re a close family, and I’m very close to my 2 sisters. (Well I thought I was close to both of them.)

Sister 2 got divorced around 20 years ago. Her ex husband is Italian and went back to Italy, but he would come over to see his kids from time to time, and always stayed at sister 1’s house (late parents) as it’s big.

He came over before Covid, but couldn’t get back to Italy, so ended up staying at sister 1’s house for a year. (So, staying with sister 1 at late parents house where she still lives). Now he’s over here 10 or 11 months of the year, and nips back to Italy to check on his house and olives.

Sister 2 and him got divorced as he can be a nasty guy (to his family) lovely to everyone else mind you. Him and his ex wife (sister 2) are sociable, although he is sometimes very nasty with her, shouting and balling etc. and all the family get together for meals, Christmas, birthdays etc. Me and my better half (of 25 years) used to go, and it was great, witty banter, just really daft, silly and good fun.

So, a couple of years ago sister 1 told me and my better half that her and our ex bil had kissed passionately, wanted to be together, and she pleaded with us every time she talked to us about it, not to tell my other sister (his ex wife).

Sister 1 has, in the past, attempted to take her life, and so we ALL tread VERY carefully with her for obvious reasons.

She said if we told sister 2, that it would cause HUGE upset in the family, his kids would NEVER talk to him again, or talk to her again (and she really, really loves our nieces and nephew).

My sister (his ex wife) had / has absolutely NO desire to EVER re-kindle a relationship with him. Especially as he was so vile, abusive and cruel to her in the marriage. Hard to believe when he’s laughing and being the charming Italian. No one would ever guess what he was like behind closed doors.

So, a few weeks ago sister 2 and I had a falling out, partly as me and my better half no longer go to the get togethers, and so we haven’t seen my nephew and nieces for a long while. It was very heated, and I told her WHY we had stopped coming; because we couldn’t stand the deceipt of what was going on with sister 1 and her ex, and that it sickened us. She wasn’t upset, as she has no feelings for him other than affection and obviously still cares about him, but she was surprised. She actually really laughed about the thoughts of it, as it seemed so ridiculous and very eeeeew. 🤢

So, sister 1 who is very intelligent, super manipulative, lies and misleads by omission, has told sister 2 that my better half and I have completely lied. 🤯🤯

We knew “things” would start falling into place though, as my other sister et al, thought about it.

Sister 1 does not know, that sister 2 has told me that just 2 nights ago when she asked her about it again, she has called me a complete liar, but, sister 2 does believe me, because as I said, things have really clicked into place now. Dates, events etc.

So, now I’m in a difficult position. I have said to sister 2 that I’m happy to meet with sister 1, 2, and ex bil, because I have nothing to hide as I know truth is on my side. I think if someone lies / accuses someone of lying everyone concerned should meet to discuss it calmly.

We have to tread so carefully with sister 1, so I don’t know what to do.

  1. Confront her and clear my flippin’ name, as my nieces, nephew, their wives, husbands, in-laws are not sure if I have lied. But, if I do this it could cause a massive rift between sister 1, 2, ex bil and his kids… which would be awful. BECAUSE they would be infuriated at the lack of loyalty to sister 2, from sister 1 and their dad.

  2. Just leave it, to keep the peace, but always be (possibly) thought of as an absolute liar. If so, I’ll just stay away from them all, as me and better half are really happy on our own. And, sister 2 does believe me.

My better half and I are ABSOLUTELY gobsmacked that sister 1 has completely denied it, as has ex bil. who is living there at the moment. Funny, it was only a week ago that sister 1 told me “how much she loves me”. Wow. 🤯

Sister 2 and me don’t want to hurt sister 1.

Yes, I feel awful I didn’t tell sister 2 at the time. I did try, but I kept thinking what sister 1 had said about the hurt and the family trouble it would cause, and I was worried that, when ex bil went back to Italy and she was alone that she might “do something” if no one was bothering with her… and, as I said, sister 1 said it would completely destroy the family, so I didn’t say anything. Bearing in mind I knew sister 2 had NO desire to EVER be in a relationship with him again.

So, would it be unreasonable to talk to sister 1 and ex bil and ask them to tell the truth? BUT If I do, yes, my name is cleared but it might cause a huge rift. Is it worth it just to “clear my name”?

OP posts:
Isittimeformynapyet · 10/03/2025 00:07

YABU to keep calling your husband/wife your better half.

Edited for possible misgendering!

RogueFemale · 10/03/2025 00:09

I think it would be best not to get involved.

Sunnydays25 · 10/03/2025 00:12

As DS 2 - the ex-wife - knows, and as it's been going on for so long, I think his children should be told, better to find out from parents rather than cousins

Once one person outside of the couple knew, it wasn't a secret anymore.

DS1 is so disloyal.

Sunnydays25 · 10/03/2025 00:13

But it's not on you to tell them, their Dad should do it.

Kerry2450 · 10/03/2025 00:17

No, it isn’t my place to tell them. Their mum has told them what I told her, but they aren’t quite sure if it’s true. I would dream of telling them, you’re right, of course it isn’t my place. xx

OP posts:
DoYouReally · 10/03/2025 00:23

Sister 1 might be a complete fantastist and made it all up and that's why she's backtracking now. You said she has form for lies and manipulation.

I would drop it anyway because if it's true, it's crap and if it's even worse.

Sister 2 knows, believes you so what's the point in bringing it any further. If you are dealing with liars anyway, you can't prove much.

Kerry2450 · 10/03/2025 00:23

Yep, my sister has been disloyal actually, to my other sister and to me, by lying she’s trashing my relationship with my nieces and nephew.

Thankfully, my sister doesn’t feel hurt by him, she always wanted him to find someone else and be happy. (Possibly just not her sister.)

OP posts:
Kerry2450 · 10/03/2025 00:28

We did wonder about that, (fantasist) but no, it’s true. Also, if it wasn’t true, surely when my sister asked him about it, why hasn’t he confronted me for lying? If it wasn’t true he’d be absolutely livid? It was clearly true the way they were / are around each other though. xx

OP posts:
Kerry2450 · 10/03/2025 00:30

When I say tell the truth, I mean for them to tell my sister the truth.

OP posts:
Merrygoround8 · 10/03/2025 00:35

Isittimeformynapyet · 10/03/2025 00:07

YABU to keep calling your husband/wife your better half.

Edited for possible misgendering!

Edited

Same, I couldn’t get past this in the long post?!

StillLifeWithEggs · 10/03/2025 00:38

You all sound insanely melodramatic, with all the confronting, and denials, and sister-swapping, and evil Italian playboy.

Personally what I’m taking away from this is the utter horror of living by peacefully yourself in your deceased parents’ house, and suddenly having your ghastly ex-BIL as an enforced houseguest for a year.😱

When you say he’s now over here for ten months a year, surely you don’t mean, he’s still living all that time with Sister 1?

Kerry2450 · 10/03/2025 00:43

Yes, he’s lives at sister 1’s house when he’s over.

OP posts:
Kerry2450 · 10/03/2025 00:45

Sister 1 wants him there. Sister 2 thought it was a bad idea to start with, as it was plain weird.

OP posts:
StillLifeWithEggs · 10/03/2025 00:46

Kerry2450 · 10/03/2025 00:43

Yes, he’s lives at sister 1’s house when he’s over.

And it has escaped everyone’s attention that these two people are cohabiting for most of every year, hence quite likely to be in a relationship? I mean, isn’t everyone assuming this? Why else do they think Sister 1 has her former BIL living with her?

Kerry2450 · 10/03/2025 00:48

It’s a big house, 8 bedrooms, so it was easy for him to stay there initially, especially as that’s where the whole family always met, so still do, cos of the space.

OP posts:
Poppyseeds79 · 10/03/2025 00:53

Kerry2450 · 10/03/2025 00:48

It’s a big house, 8 bedrooms, so it was easy for him to stay there initially, especially as that’s where the whole family always met, so still do, cos of the space.

Edited

Containing just sister 1 presumably... You all sound a bit bonkers to be honest.

Dsis 1 - Daft for being so melodramatic it would break the family apart.
Dsis 2 - Daft if she hadn't suspected there was a rabbit off with him living with Dsis 1.
You - for only "spilling the beans" due to falling out with Dsis 2. You clearly brought it up to try and stir shit.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page