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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

DH ‘sexting’ colleague he only met at work party

382 replies

Jaydee92 · 07/12/2025 18:32

Feeling a bit fragile about this but I feel I need a sanity check. DH started his current job at the beginning of this year, goes into the office twice a week and has a lot of colleague who work remotely and he hasn’t seen before. Christmas party on Friday meant he met most of these in person for the first time as the company paid for them to travel and stay over. He was very drunk and I picked him up at the end of the night from the venue as pre agreed.

He was hungover on Saturday and in bed for most of the morning. Last night sat watching TV I noticed notifications on his phone (instagram messages) from a female name I didn’t recognise. I didn’t say anything but kept noticing it.

We have each others passwords for our phones and when he was in the shower this morning I looked at his messages. The message history only went back to yesterday. But basically the messages were sexual in nature. She posted a photo of her before the party, sat on a sort of sofa/stall. DH said to her he’d seen it and wished he was the stall. She said he was more handsome than he seemed on screen and that she couldn’t stop staring at his ‘bulge’ and suggested his trousers were too tight. DH said he couldn’t stop staring at her ‘tits’ and said sorry if she caught him talking to them.

I confronted DH immediately and he was initially really defensive before apologising, said he still felt drunk the following day and got carried away and had the ‘horn’.

I told him this is cheating and he said that’s nonsense as nothing happened.

My AIBU is whether I’m wrong to consider this cheating.

OP posts:
Treatingmyself · 07/12/2025 18:56

Do not have a baby with this man!!

LoudSnoringDog · 07/12/2025 18:57

I would be incandescent with rage at this. How disrespectful to you. Idiot

Maryberrysbouffant · 07/12/2025 18:58

👆🏻 what they said. He cannot be trusted and if you hadn’t caught him out they’d probably be sleeping together before long.

Chilesstanton · 07/12/2025 18:59

In my experience, if he could sext so easily with someone he hardly knows, it won’t have been the first or last time.

FloorWipes · 07/12/2025 19:00

In all honesty, I see this as cheating and it would be over for me. I think potentially this is a blessing in disguise that you got to see the behaviour before going ahead and having children. I'm really sorry though.

Oxo01 · 07/12/2025 19:02

God if that's what is said by both of them on the 1st time meeting in person what will they be doing by next week or so !

Ask him if she knows hes married, if so I would text her, actually i would text her either way as she may not know and lalso to let her know your on to them.

Jaydee92 · 07/12/2025 19:03

Oxo01 · 07/12/2025 19:02

God if that's what is said by both of them on the 1st time meeting in person what will they be doing by next week or so !

Ask him if she knows hes married, if so I would text her, actually i would text her either way as she may not know and lalso to let her know your on to them.

She will know because there are photos of us on his instagram.

OP posts:
AwfullyGood · 07/12/2025 19:09

Whether you classify it aa cheating or not is irrelevant.

It's beyond disrespectful and not acceptable behavior for a married man.

If he's doing this now, he will be far worse if you have children and they are a draw on your time, post birth recovery or if your libido dips etc.

Don't have children with this man.

Goditsmemargaret · 07/12/2025 19:10

Stop TTC obviously l. I would kick him out for a week so I could gather my thoughts and if he won't go I'd start engaging with a solicitor re separation and sleeping separately.

Basically I'd let him know I was serious about this.

And people always say rise above it but personally I don't see why you should. I'd message her and tell her how pathetic she is engaging with a married man, he's mainly to blame but she played a part too.

Four years ago I discovered flirty messages between my DH and another woman, not explicitly sexual but definitely suggestive and going on for months. I went absolutely nuclear, he was in the spare room for months and I told her exactly what I thought of her too.

He did everything I requested to the letter to earn back my trust and it was still hard to give it.

Think long and hard about whether you want to continue with this disgusting man.

Crikeyalmighty · 07/12/2025 19:11

To be honest OP he’s done you a massive favour, clearly showed his true colours before you are tied by kids etc , I would be ending it I’m afraid and sending his family snapshots too explaining why you are ending it

Oxo01 · 07/12/2025 19:13

Well I would def contact her she may lay off once she knows your on to them.

I'd be saying you to both of them you are going to contact her husband / partner as well

As for you husband I would not be ttc now
I wouldnt go near him untill you sort this out one way or another

Them flirting has probarly been going on for a while when they are online at work leading up to the party.

justmyluck1234 · 07/12/2025 19:15

You’re not being unreasonable at all. I wouldn’t class as ‘cheating’ but it’s definitely crossing a line and not something I would put up with. For me the trust I had would be gone. How you move forward is completely up to you but please do have a good think about how he’s treated you as that was beyond disrespectful. No one deserves that.

WhereIsMyJumper · 07/12/2025 19:17

Of course it’s cheating. And disgusting at that. For me, it’s the speed at which they are speaking to each other in this way. It’s like he didn’t even ponder for one second that it would be wrong of him to speak to another woman in that way.

Please do not have a baby with this man. He doesn’t respect you. It may be the first time (although that’s doubtful!) it definitely won’t be the last. Get out while you can.

overthinker97 · 07/12/2025 19:17

ample290 · 07/12/2025 18:48

Oh god please don't have kids with him.

What a sleazebag. Of course sexting is cheating, cheating isn't just full sex.

Yes. This. You deserve better. I bet my bottom dollar that other woman is nothing special.

BeMellowAquaSquid · 07/12/2025 19:21

Jaydee92 · 07/12/2025 18:55

I doubt she’ll care, I looked on her page and she’s also in a relationship.

Contact her partner let them know she’s also a cheating piece of shit.

DallazMajor · 07/12/2025 19:24

He has no respect for you.

ThinIceSkater · 07/12/2025 19:26

@Jaydee92 - I'm sorry this has happened. You deserve better. Think deeply, about the advice you'd give your best friend if she was in this situation.

On reading, this man does not respect or value you. Is that something you're happy to base your marriage on?

Jaydee92 · 07/12/2025 19:29

ThinIceSkater · 07/12/2025 19:26

@Jaydee92 - I'm sorry this has happened. You deserve better. Think deeply, about the advice you'd give your best friend if she was in this situation.

On reading, this man does not respect or value you. Is that something you're happy to base your marriage on?

He is sleeping in the guest bedroom tonight. I’ve an important interview I need to prepare for which is this week and don’t need this huge distraction at the moment. He knows how angry I am.

OP posts:
buttercupcake · 07/12/2025 19:30

Do not have children with this man

Missj25 · 07/12/2025 19:31

Jaydee92 · 07/12/2025 18:32

Feeling a bit fragile about this but I feel I need a sanity check. DH started his current job at the beginning of this year, goes into the office twice a week and has a lot of colleague who work remotely and he hasn’t seen before. Christmas party on Friday meant he met most of these in person for the first time as the company paid for them to travel and stay over. He was very drunk and I picked him up at the end of the night from the venue as pre agreed.

He was hungover on Saturday and in bed for most of the morning. Last night sat watching TV I noticed notifications on his phone (instagram messages) from a female name I didn’t recognise. I didn’t say anything but kept noticing it.

We have each others passwords for our phones and when he was in the shower this morning I looked at his messages. The message history only went back to yesterday. But basically the messages were sexual in nature. She posted a photo of her before the party, sat on a sort of sofa/stall. DH said to her he’d seen it and wished he was the stall. She said he was more handsome than he seemed on screen and that she couldn’t stop staring at his ‘bulge’ and suggested his trousers were too tight. DH said he couldn’t stop staring at her ‘tits’ and said sorry if she caught him talking to them.

I confronted DH immediately and he was initially really defensive before apologising, said he still felt drunk the following day and got carried away and had the ‘horn’.

I told him this is cheating and he said that’s nonsense as nothing happened.

My AIBU is whether I’m wrong to consider this cheating.

You can’t trust him OP , & that’s exactly what those messages show you .

letshavetea · 07/12/2025 19:32

He’s being mentally unfaithful. It’s as bad as being physically unfaithful to you. Sorry, but it’s get rid.

rwalker · 07/12/2025 19:33

There’s no need to label or class it as anything
it’s inappropriate no matter what you want to call it

Cardinalita90 · 07/12/2025 19:34

Utterly disrespectful. Be on your guard because this won't stop, they'll just get smarter at hiding their messages. He needs a short sharp shock to understand you don't tolerate this shit and what he might lose so I'd tell him to leave for a few days.

Justgorgeous · 07/12/2025 19:35

Arlanymor · 07/12/2025 18:37

It’s not cheating (in my eyes) but it’s not nonsense as he says either - it’s full on flirting. Being drunk or having the horn is no excuse. You don’t talk to anyone in that way if you’re in a committed relationship, full stop. I’d be furious. Really furious.

If you accept this just by being furious the next time will be a physical sexual relationship.

MyrtleLion · 07/12/2025 19:35

Jaydee92 · 07/12/2025 19:29

He is sleeping in the guest bedroom tonight. I’ve an important interview I need to prepare for which is this week and don’t need this huge distraction at the moment. He knows how angry I am.

When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.

This is who he is.