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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Found something in van

85 replies

Lemon22 · 16/09/2025 21:11

Hi so basically I wanna know what you lot think about this.
About 6 years ago partner went out for drinks with his work lot when our son was a newborn ,He came home obviously very drunk and fell asleep next to me while I was bf our son ,his phone was right next to me on the bed buzzing like maddd ,I tried to wake him up but he was way too boozed up to actually be awake ,I saw a text pop up on his screen “when do you want me to come” I was like erm what somebody better not be coming over in the middle of the night so I unlock his phone and find multiple messages saying the same sorta thing ,I’m like what the F ,all unknown numbers. I start googling all these numbers (21 of them he’d made outcalls too) they’re escorts. Right so after pacing about not sleeping when he finally wakes up I question him he says a work friend (this person was actually dodgy af) used his phone bc he had restrictions on his etc and was on a family plan or whatever with ex misses can’t remember the exact reason ,anyway I believed it for the most part when he profusely apologised and it sorta made sense like why would he ask them to come to ours ?? When I’m there ,anyway so we moved on until I scrolled through his gallery on the laptop one day ,we have kids together and I scrapbook so I was looking for things to print off done this so many times never had an issue with it and then he got real mad at me all of a sudden I was like erm what ? Suss bc this is new behaviour. I questioned him on why he was acting weird he said cause he’s ordered me stuff for Christmas ,okay nice so I drop it then Christmas comes round and I kid you not Xmas eve he’s panicking asking what I want for Christmas right ? So I tell him oh just get me some choccys I like ,Xmas day comes all I get is those choccys and an IOU ,Wouldn’t bother me at all accept obviously the situation either the gallery came flooding straight back ,I get suspicious I check his gallery again and he’s got screenshots of escorts on this booking site. I go to the booking site make a new account with his email ,Ofc it’s already registered I question him and he’s saying he was just looking bc the girl is someone he knew from school and was showing the lads. I’m actual dumb enough to believe this! Honestly anyway I took a picture of it myself and then some doubt popped in naturally so I go to the date that this thing was taken ,It was a day I’d fell out with him and stayed at my mums!!! Curiosity gets the better of me I check the box of condoms ,ones missing and some time had passed but I literally remember how many was in the box bc he got a vasectomy and I joked when he was given the go ahead for unprotected sx that we wasted money on the box now and there was this many left ,it really stuck out so I started doubting him ,anyway the trust issues were killing me so I left him ,when I left him his whole family thought I was horrible cause nothing was proven saying I’m being dramatic etc after about a year I end up getting back with him and I said obviously slow steps and I need to trust you again etc etc ,The kids were happy he’s a good dad aside from this he’s been good ,anyway so people got in my head and I thought okay I’ll give him a proper second chance cause like everyone said ,nothing was proven? Now I’m like erm what else could it have possibly been ?? Anyway the other day we had a BIG row because he accused me of cheating bc I got home from drinking with friends and I turned life 360 off ,We have it for the kids anyways I was drunk I wasn’t answering the phone bc it was loud (30th birthday party for a close friend) and he looked on there realised it was off it was off cause my battery was like 14% but I’d have thought he’d know that since it shows your battery status etc anyways we had a big row and he decided to leave for work ? In the middle of the night.luckily the kids were at his mums or he’d have left me drunk with them ,Okay whatever he goes to work then he comes home acting overly nice, way too nice ,I go to get something out the car and see he’s left like Maccies rubbish in his van and it was a weekend so I just use the van key (attached to the car key) grab the Maccies rubbish to put in the bin. He came running outside in just his boxers “WHY YOU GOING IN MY WORK VAN” I’m like erm to get this why you ran out like that ? He’s like cause I wanna make sure you lock it up properly ? So weird anyway so I’m like okay that’s suspicious af I leave it I don’t say anything or act in anyway suspicious I’m just like oh no problem sorry ,Then the next day when he’s out I go in the work van ,Ofc I find something weird. Condoms? Why would a man who’s had the snip in a 10 year relationship have those ?? I ask him and he says he don’t know. I said tell me honestly why there there he says must be someone who had the van before him. I remember everything about the escorts. I say show me your call log he shows me ,nothing weird there ,I say okay show me your online banking and he starts calling me a psycho ,Anyway I kick him out bc sorry but yeah you’re up to no good AGAIN I should’ve learned my lesson but hey ho,he keeps pleading to come back and I’m like no show me your banking. He says no then out of the blue he says oh I forgot but me and (work friend) got some food and I had to give him the cash. I was like okay I don’t really care then about a week after he says to me okay fine you can see my banking I just wanna come back you’re being unfair and shows me his bank and on that day that he left for work in the middle of the night after our row he widthdrew some money ,quite a lot. Now he’s saying it’s not suspicious bc he already told me about the dinner they had. Like how dumb does he think I am ,anyway I totally threw him out and once again everyone’s giving me the “there will be an explanation you’re being way too hard on him and he’s probably telling you the truth but knows how it’ll look so didn’t wanna show you his banking” bs and basically I know I haven’t proven* what happened but surely I’m right in suspecting and coming to the conclusion I have. Which is that he was mad at me for “cheating” bc he probably is and not only that he left and got some action off an escort?? And clearly has used them before. Surely I’m not being paranoid bc that’s clear as day from my perspective? I don’t feel I need to prove it any further ,that’s what it looks like ,Or am I being too hard 👀 sorry this is so long but I’m sick to death of him and his and my family making me out to be cruel and I wanna hear what you guys would do or think ,p.s he had his location off too which is ironic

OP posts:
Throwmoneyatit · 16/09/2025 21:14

He's paying for sex. You know this.

You know what you need to do.

DorothyStorm · 16/09/2025 21:17

Bloody hell that was a difficult read.

he fucks prostitutes. What more do you want to know? Tell anyone who questions you that and if they are difficult ask why they think you should accept a Partner who has sex with prostitutes.

after about a year I end up getting back with him and I said obviously slow steps and I need to trust you again
You dont need to trust him again. He cannot be trusted.

Lemon22 · 16/09/2025 21:20

Thank you. People keep saying you need to prove it but I feel I have all the proof I need ,someone even said to me he wouldn’t have left them in his van if that’s what he was doing. In my head it’s clear as day. Sick of people saying I’m too quick to jump to conclusions. I don’t need to know the ins and outs I already bloody know enough ,you know ?

OP posts:
Lemon22 · 16/09/2025 21:21

That’s what I mean that’s why I’m kicking myself for actually thinking okay we will try again but slow bc he’s obviously not changed ,The fact it’s not a one off and people are still taking his side is wild

OP posts:
fivetriangulartrees · 16/09/2025 21:24

You're not jumping to conclusions. Other people might not want him to be a shit, but unfortunately he is. That's his fault for being a shit, not yours for being suspicious.

crocodilesandwich · 16/09/2025 21:25

You know he’s paying for escorts. Don’t let him gaslight you anymore! I had very similar with my exh, they lie to your face and make out you’re the crazy one. You’ll be so much happier without the head fuck all the time and once the trust has gone there’s no coming back from it. Don’t listen to family, you know the truth and they’re choosing to believe what they want to believe

Lemon22 · 16/09/2025 21:29

His mum actually came to the school when I was doing pick up and said to me oh you may not know this but he got you a new ring to replace your old engagement ring and was gonna propose and I’ve ruined it now ,honestly if my son was doing that I’d be mortified not freaking tryna guilt trip the woman he’s bloody hurt… unbelievable

OP posts:
101WaysToFail · 16/09/2025 21:33

No more chances. You’ll spend the whole time being gaslit into questioning what’s clearly going on. Be firm, stay strong.

You don’t need anyone else’s approval not to be with him btw, let people think what they want.

Dinosweetpea · 16/09/2025 21:41

You need to kick him out and never look back, he is paying for sex. Stop listening to his family, you dont need to catch him in the act to know he's a cheating liar.

keepmeright · 16/09/2025 21:46

You don't need proof to leave him. You know in your heart he is cheating. You deserve better

Lemon22 · 16/09/2025 21:46

Thing is my dad was a rat since seen first hand the damage it does to kids and how he disrespected my mother ,I won’t let my kids see that happen to me ,my dads on maybe wife number 4 now and that’s only times he’s been married ,constantly cheating and it breaks my heart being his daughter seeing what he’s like but my poor mum blaming herself always tryna do better for him always being insecure and 3 wives later and multiple gf in between after she finally left him I wish I could go back in time shake her and say it’s not you dads just a rat,at least I have that experience to keep me strong and not go back or let if effect my confidence,it did the first time round it really did but it doesn’t now I’m upset Ofc but also been through it already so it’s easier to just cut him off for good now ,he won’t learn. Wish I knew the science though behind why men cheat on women they really love ? Weird isn’t it

OP posts:
johoho · 16/09/2025 21:51

There’s a lot of men to choose from op

HartleyH · 16/09/2025 21:58

I can't read what you've said so I can't advise.

My brain hurts from trying to read this long stream of text with no paragraphs and missing punctuation.

Laura95167 · 16/09/2025 22:03

Im sorry. Hes phoning escorts. Escorts are phoning him. He has a profile on an escort website. When hes out he takes out large amounts of cash. Hes carrying condoms.

What evidence is required? Do you need photos? To walk in? To blue light the back of the van?

Hes cheating. Hes paying for sex. And it seems like he doesnt want to stop.

Additionally you can leave him for any reason you like - maybe he makes awful beans on toast or the way he chews is annoying... you dont have to justify your choice to not be with him to anyone. And if the reason is you believe hes sleeping with escorts you dont have to prove to your family and friends that he is to leave him.

Sorry hes such a pig

Shewasafaireh · 16/09/2025 22:04

He obviously has a habit of cheating, lying and hiring escorts and has no intention of stopping.

I’m confused about what more proof does everyone need?? Do they need you to see him in action or something? Enablers.

HartleyH · 16/09/2025 22:05

This reply has been deleted

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FuzzyWolf · 16/09/2025 22:07

He’s paying for sex. You’ve ended things so just make sure it stays that way.

Seeyouincourtkeith · 16/09/2025 22:15

I feel anxious just looking at the wall of text and only got a few sentences in. OP you need to use paragraphs!

Lemon22 · 16/09/2025 22:15

Sorry it’s hard to read I’ve got adhd and I’m dyslexic lmaoooo can you tell ,It’s impossible to just type something simple,I’m just shocked I managed too without telling you stories that are totally irrelevant ,posting my life story or putting too much detail into what people were wearing etc 🤣🤣🤣🤣

OP posts:
Lemon22 · 16/09/2025 22:20

A little mean ,I know it’s long and waffly I did apologise for that already but appreciate those who have given an input ,it’s especially hard with kids involved ,You have to really make sure you’re being fair ,I already knew I was but sometimes when people have strong opinions it’s hard not to let them get in your head ,especially if you’re impulsive like me ,I do value others opinions

OP posts:
LinedOverLatte · 16/09/2025 22:22

I am sorry you are going through this, particularly as you experienced similar growing up and no doubt hoped your children wouldn’t.

You know you know the truth - these incidents aren’t a coincidence. He’s a cheat and at the very least is paying for sex with strangers, if not having a full on affair.

He’s paying strangers for sex. Strangers who may - or may not - be willingly selling themselves. They could be trafficked and ‘owned’ by other men, forced into this and its people like him that provide a market and keep an awful ‘industry’ alive.

He doesn’t respect women. He doesn’t respect you and is a shit role model to your children and spends family money paying for sex.

For your own sanity and a chance of a decent future for you and your children, kick him out and keep him out. The trust is gone completely. You gave him a chance to change and he didn’t, they don’t generally.

Move on before he completely erodes your sense of worth and self esteem. You and your children will be so much better off without him, mentally, emotionally and financially. This is 100% his fault - he ended your relationship the day he first cheated.

I wish you all the best as you work through all of this - it’s a lot to process but you are strong and deserve better. You don’t have to protect him by keeping this a secret either so don’t be afraid to tell other people what he’s really like.

Laura95167 · 16/09/2025 22:24

Lemon22 · 16/09/2025 22:20

A little mean ,I know it’s long and waffly I did apologise for that already but appreciate those who have given an input ,it’s especially hard with kids involved ,You have to really make sure you’re being fair ,I already knew I was but sometimes when people have strong opinions it’s hard not to let them get in your head ,especially if you’re impulsive like me ,I do value others opinions

You dont have to be fair. You don't owe someone a relationship.

You dont have to see him in the act to trust your own judgement

Screamingabdabz · 16/09/2025 22:25

Oh ffs op. Just why are you wasting your life with this low life? It doesn’t matter what his family say or do. You know the truth.

Your poor kids have a lying misogynist sleaze for a dad and a mum who just puts up with it. What stunning role models for life. Prostitutes ffs.

🙄 pfft.

goingtotown · 16/09/2025 22:27

HartleyH · 16/09/2025 21:58

I can't read what you've said so I can't advise.

My brain hurts from trying to read this long stream of text with no paragraphs and missing punctuation.

This.

Frankenpug23 · 16/09/2025 22:56

Why are you listening to other people? just kick him out - he is a fucking lowlife and get yourself tested for STI’s