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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Should I divorce him? Husband and a younger ex colleague

55 replies

ByDreamyNavyDreamer · 17/03/2025 06:30

My husband doesn’t make a lot of effort with his friends. He rarely makes plans, and prefers to be a home. He has a few male friends, sees them less than once a year.

Background context- not long after we had our first child- who is now an older teenager, he had an affair with a woman from work and left. I stupidly took him back. There have been a few incidents over the years. One of his colleagues’ weddings where he was really friendly with a woman who he’d never spoken about and then ditched me with his work colleagues for hours- gut feeling about this one. He was super over friendly with a beautiful young neighbour who since moved out. Again nothing more than that as far as I know. Occasionally I’ve caught him looking at women, which he always denies. I haven’t made a big deal out of any of it.

Cut to now, and something possessed me to check his phone. After the affair and when I took him back I made a pledge with myself if I was going to trust him I would. I haven’t looked at his phone for all these years. There is a message there to a younger, beautiful ex colleague asking to meet up for a catch up. He says he doesn’t work near her on her days, but will ‘make an exception for her’. and he calls her ‘lovely’ which he does to women so not out of the ordinary. I told him openly what i’d done and seen. He says they’re just friends. I don’t know what to think but bad gut feeling and things have been up and down between us. I know he would like more sex. I’m exhausted with work and the kids. What should I do?

OP posts:
AmHat1 · 17/03/2025 16:20

MsCactus · 17/03/2025 13:16

He reminds me of a man I used to work with. He rarely cheated but was CONSTANTLY looking for female attention.

We went on a work trip once and he got drunk and then shouted at me for not wanting to sleep with him. He was very good looking and it felt like getting women to fancy him was just part of his personality.

I feel very sorry for his wife, who is beautiful btw, as I'm sure you are too OP.

LTB

MsCactus
I am really sorry to quote you. Is there anyway you could message me?

ByDreamyNavyDreamer · 17/03/2025 17:15

I definitely want a divorce. If I could go back in time and not take him back I would. Except for my kids obviously but then what kind of role model have I been for them and given them? Think I need to start making a plan- no idea what to do we’ve been together that long

OP posts:
bringbacksideburns · 17/03/2025 18:06

I think you’ve made the right decision.
Make an appointment to see a solicitor for advice.

Remember you don’t owe him a massive explanation and a bullet point list.
You just tell him you’re not happy, haven’t been for a while and want him to leave.

Has he got somewhere he could go ?

ByDreamyNavyDreamer · 17/03/2025 18:14

bringbacksideburns · 17/03/2025 18:06

I think you’ve made the right decision.
Make an appointment to see a solicitor for advice.

Remember you don’t owe him a massive explanation and a bullet point list.
You just tell him you’re not happy, haven’t been for a while and want him to leave.

Has he got somewhere he could go ?

No but he’s a high earner. He could afford to rent somewhere I think. I’m completely in the dark about his finances to be honest. I can manage without him just about

OP posts:
arcticpandas · 17/03/2025 19:18

He will have to support his kids through cms and you might be eligible to spousal maintenance if you are having financial difficulties. This will be a major motivation for him to stay in the marriage on the paper while fucking around on the side.

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