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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to think fiancée meeting another woman and lying about it crosses a line?

62 replies

Middlelifecrisis · 09/11/2025 13:15

Apologies in advance for a very long post.

I have been with my fiancée for over 20 years now, we got engaged a long while ago but never married (did not feel the need to, our mutual choice).

Our relationship is generally ok however we are both very busy and I started to notice we are drifting apart for a while. Some of that was due to both of us not prioritizing time together enough. He works Monday to Saturday and I work Monday to Friday. Due to the nature of my finances work he finishes very late in the week (10pm, sometimes later) Sundays were always ‚our’ day we usually spend doing something together. Our sex life isn’t great at the moment, I have a very low libido due to combination of me being on the pill for 30 years and my brain always overthinking everything which does bring my arousal down, and I struggle to get in the mood a lot of the times. He doesn’t always care for foreplay or creating a mood ‚for my head’, which sometimes leads to painful sex for me as I’m not quite aroused enough but he does frequently complain we don’t have sex enough. He has a very healthy sex drive.

He has met a girl a while ago through his work as she was his customer, she is significantly younger thank both of us (late 20s, we are both in early 40s). I guess from there they started getting closer and started chatting frequently on the phone and over messages. Previously and as far as I know they have always met in a group of friends together from my OH work. She is very attractive, fit, obviously very young, very well done (extensions, lashes, lips, facial aesthetics, boobs, typical ‚Instagram’ and OF aesthetic),l, she does quite a lot of influencing work and she frequently posts photos in very risqué outfits, showing a lot of flesh, if you got it you flaunt it and I seriously don’t blame her, that’s how she gets work although it’s not to my taste, I know men do like that kind of very out there visuals.

My fiancé liked all of the photos and posts on her IG. He has a professional account and doesn’t post anything private.

He is thinking of leaving work and opening his new business. I know the girl has been helping him a bit with that, drafting some emails for him to send, stuff like that. I was a little bit hurt tbh that he didn’t ask me because I would gladly help.

Ordinarily, I wouldn’t mind a female friendship if it was purely platonic. However what happened today left me feeling very uneasy. I was looking at my OH iPad just reviewing some photos from a holiday that we just came back from when a message popped up from this girl that she was coming downstairs. Not thinking much I clicked on the message and saw he arranged for them to meet for smoothies and a walk with her last night.

My problem is that my fiancé left not long ago telling me he was just going to run an errand and come back, so essentially he lied and did not even mention that he was going to go and see her. Messages earlier in the thread were about him not enjoying the holiday much (no mentions of me whatsoever) and that he wanted to come home already. I also found out he’s previously gone to her apartment to help her move and to the new apartment to help mount a mirror. He even text her he couldn’t sleep at night thinking the mirror will fall down. Some of the other messages from him in my view have flirty undertones (I was hoping you were missing me🤣, ‚I Don’t know who’s more lucky, you getting a promotion or me having you🤣’)

As far as I can see the messages from her side are friendly but not flirty.

I text him the screenshotted message about them meeting up now and asked him why he lied to me about where he was going, he replied with 🤦🏻.
he’s still not home.

Am I overreacting?
what would you do?

OP posts:
TheTaupeMoose · 09/11/2025 13:18

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Ponoka7 · 09/11/2025 13:20

He's hoping to fuck her for free, so is befriending her. She'll play him like a fiddle. He's cheating even if he hasn't actually done anything with her yet.

Goditsmemargaret · 09/11/2025 13:20

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OP is this your fiance? What a horrible reply.

Honestly though I think this relationship has worn down your self esteem as none of this is acceptable and you don't appear to realise it.

No time together, painful sex, blatant flirting, publicly liking her photos, meeting her behind your back - leave him. You get one life. Don't waste it with him.

MyAmusedPearlSquid · 09/11/2025 13:48

This isn't ok for him to be doing this he has clear intentions to cheat I would throw him out op you deserve better

ThatChristmasMug · 09/11/2025 13:59

You are drifting apart, you are not married, it's not impossible he's starting to move on without noticing it.

Sometimes it takes someone else to realise you are not happy in a relationship.

You can't force someone to stay attracted to you, do you want to save the relationship or are you just in it because it's easy?

TidyCyan · 09/11/2025 14:02

Come on. You know exactly what's going on. It's a tale as old as time. Imagine telling a friend or female relative this in person and what their face would would look like!

If they haven't had sex yet, he wants to.

LordBummenbachsMagnificentBalls · 09/11/2025 14:06

Why would you want to be with someone who isn’t interested in making sex enjoyable for you but complain you aren't willing to do it more, even when you describe it as painful?

He sounds like a selfish pig. Let him go and get some counselling to understand why you are willing to be made to feel your needs don’t matter

Seedlings2o25 · 09/11/2025 14:07

Oh this is so awful for you...however once someone exposes how they really are to you...believe them

Im sorry if anyone encourages you to stay, talk it through etc etc
Please don't.
You can spend the next 10 years trying to convince yourself that "nothing happened and that they are just friends" you can absorb blame for not being sexy enough or present enough..beat yourself up etc etx or accept that he has chosen to pursue someone else and disrespect the relatuonship.
Itll hurt... but move on.
He has already started to.
Give yourself time while still so young to find happiness on your own or maybe meet someone who would never act like this x

JaneEyre40 · 09/11/2025 14:12

Middlelifecrisis · 09/11/2025 13:15

Apologies in advance for a very long post.

I have been with my fiancée for over 20 years now, we got engaged a long while ago but never married (did not feel the need to, our mutual choice).

Our relationship is generally ok however we are both very busy and I started to notice we are drifting apart for a while. Some of that was due to both of us not prioritizing time together enough. He works Monday to Saturday and I work Monday to Friday. Due to the nature of my finances work he finishes very late in the week (10pm, sometimes later) Sundays were always ‚our’ day we usually spend doing something together. Our sex life isn’t great at the moment, I have a very low libido due to combination of me being on the pill for 30 years and my brain always overthinking everything which does bring my arousal down, and I struggle to get in the mood a lot of the times. He doesn’t always care for foreplay or creating a mood ‚for my head’, which sometimes leads to painful sex for me as I’m not quite aroused enough but he does frequently complain we don’t have sex enough. He has a very healthy sex drive.

He has met a girl a while ago through his work as she was his customer, she is significantly younger thank both of us (late 20s, we are both in early 40s). I guess from there they started getting closer and started chatting frequently on the phone and over messages. Previously and as far as I know they have always met in a group of friends together from my OH work. She is very attractive, fit, obviously very young, very well done (extensions, lashes, lips, facial aesthetics, boobs, typical ‚Instagram’ and OF aesthetic),l, she does quite a lot of influencing work and she frequently posts photos in very risqué outfits, showing a lot of flesh, if you got it you flaunt it and I seriously don’t blame her, that’s how she gets work although it’s not to my taste, I know men do like that kind of very out there visuals.

My fiancé liked all of the photos and posts on her IG. He has a professional account and doesn’t post anything private.

He is thinking of leaving work and opening his new business. I know the girl has been helping him a bit with that, drafting some emails for him to send, stuff like that. I was a little bit hurt tbh that he didn’t ask me because I would gladly help.

Ordinarily, I wouldn’t mind a female friendship if it was purely platonic. However what happened today left me feeling very uneasy. I was looking at my OH iPad just reviewing some photos from a holiday that we just came back from when a message popped up from this girl that she was coming downstairs. Not thinking much I clicked on the message and saw he arranged for them to meet for smoothies and a walk with her last night.

My problem is that my fiancé left not long ago telling me he was just going to run an errand and come back, so essentially he lied and did not even mention that he was going to go and see her. Messages earlier in the thread were about him not enjoying the holiday much (no mentions of me whatsoever) and that he wanted to come home already. I also found out he’s previously gone to her apartment to help her move and to the new apartment to help mount a mirror. He even text her he couldn’t sleep at night thinking the mirror will fall down. Some of the other messages from him in my view have flirty undertones (I was hoping you were missing me🤣, ‚I Don’t know who’s more lucky, you getting a promotion or me having you🤣’)

As far as I can see the messages from her side are friendly but not flirty.

I text him the screenshotted message about them meeting up now and asked him why he lied to me about where he was going, he replied with 🤦🏻.
he’s still not home.

Am I overreacting?
what would you do?

You're really asking? Re read your post for God sake.

Middlelifecrisis · 09/11/2025 14:23

ThatChristmasMug · 09/11/2025 13:59

You are drifting apart, you are not married, it's not impossible he's starting to move on without noticing it.

Sometimes it takes someone else to realise you are not happy in a relationship.

You can't force someone to stay attracted to you, do you want to save the relationship or are you just in it because it's easy?

Leaving would be easy.
The house is in my name and I pay the full mortgage because I have a well paid job and I’m quite successful. His pay is very poor at the moment however he is working on it by opening his new business. I also contributed the full deposit so his share are just some home improvements we’ve done in the last 5 years. I also pay all of the bills and majority of the shopping which means he’s quite dependent on me for his lifestyle.
I usually also pay for all of the holidays when we go abroad. I guess that doesn’t paint quite a favorable picture.

I do love him, and our lives after 20 years together are quite enmeshed. My parents adore him. I feel scared to consider what my life would look like without him.

I am feeling very betrayed though.
you’re right though, we’ve not been happy for a while. The realization alone is very hard to reconcile.

OP posts:
TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 09/11/2025 14:28

He sounds dreadful and he's about to be unfaithful to you.
Also he has hurried and painful sex with you.
Do yourself a favour and end it.

Goodadvice1980 · 09/11/2025 14:35

OP he sounds awful and needs a short sharp shock.

If it were me I’d pack his bags and tell him to come and pick them today. Leave them on the doorstep. He needs to understand what he’s lost. I wouldn’t put up with this, he is now a proven liar. If this other woman was interested he’d be unfaithful like a shot. Don’t put up with this.

And stop financially subsidising him!

Endofyear · 09/11/2025 14:36

Well he's either cheating or trying to cheat with this young woman OP. Of course meeting her in secret and lying about it is crossing a line.

But honestly, the fact that you casually say he doesn't bother with foreplay and that you find sex painful is a much bigger red flag to me - you're basically saying that he's not bothered if you're aroused at all when you have sex, has no interest in making sure that it's a pleasurable experience for both of you, not just him. I can't imagine my DH of 35 years being so selfish and uncaring. This is the real problem in your relationship.

Crochetandtea · 09/11/2025 14:41

He doesn’t love you anymore and he wants the younger model. Chuck him out now and change the locks. You are deserving of someone who loves you and wants to be with only you. He doesn’t and the fact he was messaging her on holiday shows such a lack of respect for your relationship. Also the Barbie doll aesthetic is very demeaning to women and so obviously fake. He should take her swimming . He might change his mid quickly when he sees what she really looks like.

crocodilesandwich · 09/11/2025 14:43

Middlelifecrisis · 09/11/2025 14:23

Leaving would be easy.
The house is in my name and I pay the full mortgage because I have a well paid job and I’m quite successful. His pay is very poor at the moment however he is working on it by opening his new business. I also contributed the full deposit so his share are just some home improvements we’ve done in the last 5 years. I also pay all of the bills and majority of the shopping which means he’s quite dependent on me for his lifestyle.
I usually also pay for all of the holidays when we go abroad. I guess that doesn’t paint quite a favorable picture.

I do love him, and our lives after 20 years together are quite enmeshed. My parents adore him. I feel scared to consider what my life would look like without him.

I am feeling very betrayed though.
you’re right though, we’ve not been happy for a while. The realization alone is very hard to reconcile.

So you do everything for him, including paying for his holidays and he’s on said holiday slagging it off to try and get in someone else’s knickers?! He’s checked out im sorry. Leave him now, find someone who wants to turn you on and spend time with you

Crochetandtea · 09/11/2025 14:44

I’m so happy to read that you have the upper hand. I would enjoy telling him you’re not happy and would like to break up. Ask him to leave and watch him squirm. Bit so not give in and take him back . If he doesn’t shag this bimbo he’ll shag the first one who will have him.

SirRaymondClench · 09/11/2025 14:46

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Nasty.

Doubtless you're the shit-in-bed fiancé desperately sniffing round someone half his age 🙄

Kick the cock-lodger out OP. You deserve so much better 💐

FuzzyWolf · 09/11/2025 14:47

Middlelifecrisis · 09/11/2025 14:23

Leaving would be easy.
The house is in my name and I pay the full mortgage because I have a well paid job and I’m quite successful. His pay is very poor at the moment however he is working on it by opening his new business. I also contributed the full deposit so his share are just some home improvements we’ve done in the last 5 years. I also pay all of the bills and majority of the shopping which means he’s quite dependent on me for his lifestyle.
I usually also pay for all of the holidays when we go abroad. I guess that doesn’t paint quite a favorable picture.

I do love him, and our lives after 20 years together are quite enmeshed. My parents adore him. I feel scared to consider what my life would look like without him.

I am feeling very betrayed though.
you’re right though, we’ve not been happy for a while. The realization alone is very hard to reconcile.

You ask “what would you do?” and I would tell him to leave when he gets back.

Tell him you want some time to think about things and whether you want the relationship to continue and he needs to do the same.

TheTaupeMoose · 09/11/2025 14:48

SirRaymondClench · 09/11/2025 14:46

Nasty.

Doubtless you're the shit-in-bed fiancé desperately sniffing round someone half his age 🙄

Kick the cock-lodger out OP. You deserve so much better 💐

I’m a woman and this is very much projection. My comment was clear, OP is a clown for putting up with all this.

I’m sorry that something’s clearly happened in your life, where you’ve dealt with cock-lodgers such as the OP described. Good luck to you in life.

SirRaymondClench · 09/11/2025 14:51

TheTaupeMoose · 09/11/2025 14:48

I’m a woman and this is very much projection. My comment was clear, OP is a clown for putting up with all this.

I’m sorry that something’s clearly happened in your life, where you’ve dealt with cock-lodgers such as the OP described. Good luck to you in life.

You were just plain nasty to the OP and now you're backtracking. Sticking the boot in, I think it's you that's projecting.

I've never been with a cock-lodger in my life thanks 😂

TheTaupeMoose · 09/11/2025 14:53

SirRaymondClench · 09/11/2025 14:51

You were just plain nasty to the OP and now you're backtracking. Sticking the boot in, I think it's you that's projecting.

I've never been with a cock-lodger in my life thanks 😂

Look at your comment again. So because I said OP’s a clown, it’s me who is the man “sniffing around women half his age.” Very strong reaction in response to my comment. And only projection does this. Goodbye!

Bonniegirlie · 09/11/2025 14:54

You're not overreacting at all. Painful sex more than once due to him being bloody inconsiderate would have done it for me. With all you've written, I'd be putting him out on his ear. Especially if he didn't come home immediately to try and sort it out with you. If he stayed anyway after your text, that's just another nail in his coffin IMHO. Sounds like you're not happy anyway, but I would kick him out for sure. Good luck

The13thFairy · 09/11/2025 14:58

He is not your fiance. A fiance is someone you plan to marry, and you are not planning this.

ThatChristmasMug · 09/11/2025 15:04

Middlelifecrisis · 09/11/2025 14:23

Leaving would be easy.
The house is in my name and I pay the full mortgage because I have a well paid job and I’m quite successful. His pay is very poor at the moment however he is working on it by opening his new business. I also contributed the full deposit so his share are just some home improvements we’ve done in the last 5 years. I also pay all of the bills and majority of the shopping which means he’s quite dependent on me for his lifestyle.
I usually also pay for all of the holidays when we go abroad. I guess that doesn’t paint quite a favorable picture.

I do love him, and our lives after 20 years together are quite enmeshed. My parents adore him. I feel scared to consider what my life would look like without him.

I am feeling very betrayed though.
you’re right though, we’ve not been happy for a while. The realization alone is very hard to reconcile.

someone who is not trying to drive you wild (in the most positive term) but actually HURTS you having sex..

what exactly is he bringing to you, when you are the one financially in charge also? (not that you should accept any of it even if he was 100% the breadwinner) but what is he actually bringing you?

Just not being "single" when he's actually stopping you to meet the right person?

skyeisthelimit · 09/11/2025 15:08

The sex thing is awful OP, he should not be having painful sex with you, he needs to learn more about foreplay by the sound of it.

He has crossed the line with this woman, and lied to you, and doesn't give a shit about your feelings. You are paying for everything and he treats you like this? I would think that it is over now?!

You sound in a good position, thank god you aren't married. Ask him to move out, give him a deadline and change the locks that day with bags outside if he hasn't gone by then.

I know it will be a scary thing to do, but surely you don't want to be treated like this for the rest of your life? If you decide to stay with him, then at least get him to pay 50% of all the bills and food! Stop being used by him.