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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

my husband is in love with another woman.

359 replies

ponytailcapbadge · 10/01/2026 18:59

Sorry this is a name change and a long one so as not to drip feed. I would like to hear people’s opinions as I am considering leaving my DH as he is in love with someone else, lets call her Sarah. He has known Sarah since they were 4 years old. Their parents and grandparents were all friends.She is who is parents thought he should and would marry and she is utterly adored by his who family. She called his parents mum and dad. My husband claims they were never an item (although he wished they were) and they have only kissed once when they were teenagers. She’s nothing to look at but has done very well in her career. We are now all in our late 50s.
This is a second marriage for both me and DH. I met him and his DW at work. I was friends with his DW1 and she would often speak about Sarah and how much she hated her and how she had banned her husband from ever contacting her. When DH marriage broke up, I was already divorced and we started seeing each other. Unfortunately in the job we do this is utterly banned and within 2 weeks we were discovered and he was sacked on the spot. He also lost his home at the same time as it went with the job. I was protected because he was my boss and so was considered a victim. DH had to move in with me and I supported him while he searched for a new career. I wanted a commitment from him and he proposed in a very theatrical way within 6 months of us getting together and it was wonderful – or so I thought.

It turned out that he had immediately got in contact with Sarah when his marriage failed and was messaging her several times a day. They also met up at her house. She told him not to marry me. At this point I understood why DW1 hated her. We got married anyway. It’s fair to say it’s been a pretty tempestuous union. My career has skyrocketed and I’ve moved up through the ranks. He’s struggled to find work and earns now a fraction of what he did when we worked together. I knew that he still thought about her and once he called out her name during sex.
When his mother died Sarah turned up at the funeral. I was furious that she should insert herself into our family grief. When DH father died a few years later she also came to that funeral and had the cheek to bring her husband and child as well. I told him in no uncertain terms that if he spoke to her there that the marriage would be over. She glared at me the whole time.
After the funeral I said he could never speak to Sarah again and told him to remove all social media links to her. I don’t understand why Sarah’s husband hadn’t stopped them speaking to each other.
It’s been 6 years and I really thought she was out of our lives and then on NYE his phone pinged.I checked his phone and it was a text from Sarah saying HNY. I then realised she is never going to be gone from our lives. Our respective kids are almost grown up. AIBU to think now is the time to call this a day. I’ve never even spoken to this woman and yet I want to kill her. I hate what she has done to my marriage. Do I really want to spend the last part of my life with a man who is in love with someone else?

OP posts:
Jellycatspyjamas · 10/01/2026 19:30

He didn’t “need” to move in with you, he took a risk in starting a relationship with you and lost his job and his home. If he hadn’t had you to fall back on he would have had to stand on his own two feet. Elaborate proposals 6 months in is a huge red flag but it sounds like you wanted what you wanted. I’d have warned my friend off in those circumstances.

Did you speak to him about saying her name during sex? That would have been the end for me but not because of anything she did, she’s behaving as a long term friend would. I think you need to look much closer to home for the source or your marital problems.

FrodoBiggins · 10/01/2026 19:31

CanSeeClearlyNowTheRainHasGone · 10/01/2026 19:29

Their parents and grandparents were all friends.She is who is parents thought he should and would marry and she is utterly adored by his who family. She called his parents mum and dad.

  • And you are incredibly jealous of that I think.
... I was friends with his DW1 and she would often speak about Sarah and how much she hated her and how she had banned her husband from ever contacting her.
  • Cool move, I'm sure a divorced wife has no axe to grind.
... She told him not to marry me.
  • Sounds like that might have been sage advice.
... When his mother died Sarah turned up at the funeral. I was furious that she should insert herself into our family grief. When DH father died a few years later she also came to that funeral and had the cheek to bring her husband and child as well.
  • yeah, not like she thought of them as parents ... oh, wait, what was that she called them
... I told him in no uncertain terms that if he spoke to her there that the marriage would be over.
  • that sounds like rational behaviour at a funeral
She glared at me the whole time.
  • really? you didn't do the glaring? but apparently never took your eyes off her.
After the funeral I said he could never speak to Sarah again and told him to remove all social media links to her.
  • another rational move (classy!)
... I don’t understand why Sarah’s husband hadn’t stopped them speaking to each other.
  • perhaps because he's not an irrational dick?
... I’ve never even spoken to this woman and yet I want to kill her.
  • yeah, that's a rational point of view.
... I hate what she has done to my marriage.
  • I think it's what you've done with your irrational behaviour fueled by DW1's opinion of "Sarah"

You've never talked to her.
You mention nothing about them getting it on together
Her husband seems full aware.
Oh, and as you put it, "She's nothing special to look at"

You're not just being unreasonable. You're being Carslberg level unreasonable.

I think you should leave him. You obviously consider yourself to be far superior to him with your much better career. And I suspect he'd feel much more relaxed in your absence.

If the sexes were reversed here, I think everyone would be aghast at how controlling you're being and advising him to secret money away and telling him how he's entitled to 50% of your (undoubtedly large) pension.

Every word of this

ThejoyofNC · 10/01/2026 19:31

Sorry OP but you sound unhinged.

Especially saying she's "nothing to look at".

Lemondessert · 10/01/2026 19:32

He lost his wife, job and home. He moved in with you as he had no where else to go and you wanted commitment. None of that has anything to do with Sarah. Of course she will message him they are friends a teenage kiss doesn’t mean they love each other. Something isn’t right in your relationship I would look at that. The red flags waving in the beginning that you ignored. Plus you married your friends husband quite quickly.

Ophy83 · 10/01/2026 19:32

It doesn't sound like she is in love with him. She's married with a child. She's probably entirely unaware of his feelings for her, and certainly unaware that he said her name during sex.

Her advice to him not to marry you was probably sensible advice to take some time from an old friend seeing how it was a whirlwind following on swiftly from two broken marriages and tied up with a career implosion. It's also normal she would attend the funerals of close family friends.

She isn't the problem

Passingthrough123 · 10/01/2026 19:34

It's not Sarah torpedoing your marriage, it's you, with your destructive attitude towards her. She's known your DH's parents since she was four years old - of course she'd want to attend their funerals! Giving him an ultimatum on one of the most gut-wrenching days he'll ever experience as a grieving son was appalling behaviour on your part.

He risked and lost everything to pursue a relationship with you. Doesn't that show you how much he loves you? If they were going to be a couple, it would've happened decades ago.

Let go of the resentment and stop being controlling before it ruins your marriage even more than it already has.

ItsPronouncedThroatwobblerMangrove · 10/01/2026 19:34

All Sarah’s done to you is exist. Literally that. Any good friend would warn a dick off a quickie rebound marriage/marrying the other woman (I’m not that convinced by your timeline of that bit, tbh). Surely if she’d wanted him, she’d have had him well before you got to him? Your husband, though, sounds like an arsehole from the start. But you have made it worse by issuing petty ultimatums and attempting to control him by controlling his access to Sarah. It sounds doomed on both sides.

shhblackbag · 10/01/2026 19:35

CanSeeClearlyNowTheRainHasGone · 10/01/2026 19:29

Their parents and grandparents were all friends.She is who is parents thought he should and would marry and she is utterly adored by his who family. She called his parents mum and dad.

  • And you are incredibly jealous of that I think.
... I was friends with his DW1 and she would often speak about Sarah and how much she hated her and how she had banned her husband from ever contacting her.
  • Cool move, I'm sure a divorced wife has no axe to grind.
... She told him not to marry me.
  • Sounds like that might have been sage advice.
... When his mother died Sarah turned up at the funeral. I was furious that she should insert herself into our family grief. When DH father died a few years later she also came to that funeral and had the cheek to bring her husband and child as well.
  • yeah, not like she thought of them as parents ... oh, wait, what was that she called them
... I told him in no uncertain terms that if he spoke to her there that the marriage would be over.
  • that sounds like rational behaviour at a funeral
She glared at me the whole time.
  • really? you didn't do the glaring? but apparently never took your eyes off her.
After the funeral I said he could never speak to Sarah again and told him to remove all social media links to her.
  • another rational move (classy!)
... I don’t understand why Sarah’s husband hadn’t stopped them speaking to each other.
  • perhaps because he's not an irrational dick?
... I’ve never even spoken to this woman and yet I want to kill her.
  • yeah, that's a rational point of view.
... I hate what she has done to my marriage.
  • I think it's what you've done with your irrational behaviour fueled by DW1's opinion of "Sarah"

You've never talked to her.
You mention nothing about them getting it on together
Her husband seems full aware.
Oh, and as you put it, "She's nothing special to look at"

You're not just being unreasonable. You're being Carslberg level unreasonable.

I think you should leave him. You obviously consider yourself to be far superior to him with your much better career. And I suspect he'd feel much more relaxed in your absence.

If the sexes were reversed here, I think everyone would be aghast at how controlling you're being and advising him to secret money away and telling him how he's entitled to 50% of your (undoubtedly large) pension.

Absolutely agree with this.

Thoseslippers · 10/01/2026 19:36

YABVU
You need to leave him. You have manoeuvre him into a position where you have the power. This is not love. Have some self respect. He doesn't love you you just pay for his life. I'd feel sorry for you and be on your side if it wasn't for the fact you seem so invested in controlling the situation completely that its almost coming across as abusive tbh.
You do not live this man and he doesn't love you. It sounds like you just want to keep him because you hate this other woman so much and you can't stand the thought of anyone possibly being happy.
Please stop. This will eat away at you abd its a waste of the life you have left.
Leave him. Block him on all channels and never think of him and this woman again. Get on with your own life. It sounds like you have a wonderful career and lots of interests. What are you doing here? Stop pouring your energy into trying to control a man.

FrostyFlo · 10/01/2026 19:37

She called them a 2nd mum & dad so it would be very odd that she wouldn't attend their respective funerals . You are in the wrong there .I
Maybe they see each other as brother & sister like , but I get that would be a bit yukky due to the calling out / sex .
Do you have a life time friend ? I'm sure the relationship can be completed especially male/ female .
If you love him and he loves you ( and obviously is with you ) can you not just accept he might love her ( in that complicated brother / sister vibe ) and stay together .

sprigatito · 10/01/2026 19:38

I think you’re projecting all your hurt and disappointment towards your husband onto Sarah, because it’s easier to demonise and blame an external hate figure than it is to face the fact that your marriage is built on sand and you committed yourself to someone who isn’t worthy of you.

Your husband sounds flaky and disloyal. You knew that from the outset. I think you should start making concrete plans to split - then it won’t be your problem any more whether he’s carrying a torch for bloody Sarah or not…aren’t you pig sick of it all? I would be.

Cantbelieveit888 · 10/01/2026 19:38

Am I just reading all kinds of crazy…. Referring to the OP!

TheSmallAssassin · 10/01/2026 19:38

I can't see that Sarah has actually done anything wrong here? Or that there is evidence that your husband and Sarah are anything other than friends. I think your husband would be better off without you though.

2chocolateoranges · 10/01/2026 19:38

Iim not what ‘Sarah’ has actually done.

my ds has a female friend, myself and her mum are best friends and ds and this girl are more like brother and sister than anything, I really hope neither of them meet insecure partners that spoil their friendship as they have been friends since they were babies and are now mid twenties.

Muffinmam · 10/01/2026 19:38

Sarah doesn’t want him.

He only married you so that you would financially support him. Why don’t you see this??

ilovesooty · 10/01/2026 19:39

She didn't "insert herself into our family grief". She was far closer to the deceased than you were and had every right to attend the funeral.

DeepBlueDeer · 10/01/2026 19:39

Wait, what?

There is nothing in your post that suggests DH is in love with her.

Her only "transgression" is saying not to marry you...which seems reasonable advice in the context of a proposal after only 6 months.

She was very close to his parents, and called them mum and dad.

Anyone is entitled to attend a funeral, and it's understandable she attended both. There is no "nerve" in her inviting her husband and child - what is your issue with that?

And then, shock horror, after 6 years she send a generic holiday greeting?

What on Earth is your problem?

newname284056 · 10/01/2026 19:40

outofofficeagain · 10/01/2026 19:03

I was with you for the first half. But of course she would turn up to the funerals if she had known them all her life. It sounds like there is much more wrong with this relationship than Sarah

Well this sums it up in the first post..

ponytailcapbadge · 10/01/2026 19:40

ok I admit we did get together when technically he was still married ,but their marriage was over, she was extremely abusive towards him and I was a shoulder to cry on and developed from that. What I'm struggling with is why wont Sarah just leave him alone. She knows I dont like her. She knows that he is meant to be no contact with him. Why doesnt she stick with her own husband rather than messaging mine? i cant sleep since I saw that text. It makes me wonder what else is going on.

OP posts:
DeepBlueDeer · 10/01/2026 19:41

I think this a reverse - why add the "she called them mum and dad" detail otherwise.

If not a reverse, this is absolutely batshit.

reversingdumptruckwithnotyreson · 10/01/2026 19:41

YANBU in wanting to leave

YABU about the funeral (if anything she had more of a right to be there than you) and BVU to think this marriage would have played out any other way if you even knew his first wife. This guy is a parade of red flags.

ItsPronouncedThroatwobblerMangrove · 10/01/2026 19:42

ponytailcapbadge · 10/01/2026 19:40

ok I admit we did get together when technically he was still married ,but their marriage was over, she was extremely abusive towards him and I was a shoulder to cry on and developed from that. What I'm struggling with is why wont Sarah just leave him alone. She knows I dont like her. She knows that he is meant to be no contact with him. Why doesnt she stick with her own husband rather than messaging mine? i cant sleep since I saw that text. It makes me wonder what else is going on.

Oh don’t tell me, his wife didn’t understand him and they hadn’t had sex for ten years? so as I suspected, then you were the other woman. Doesn’t cover you in glory, does it?

reversingdumptruckwithnotyreson · 10/01/2026 19:43

ponytailcapbadge · 10/01/2026 19:40

ok I admit we did get together when technically he was still married ,but their marriage was over, she was extremely abusive towards him and I was a shoulder to cry on and developed from that. What I'm struggling with is why wont Sarah just leave him alone. She knows I dont like her. She knows that he is meant to be no contact with him. Why doesnt she stick with her own husband rather than messaging mine? i cant sleep since I saw that text. It makes me wonder what else is going on.

lol a tale as old as time: it’s her! She’s crazy! The evil mean naggy wife!

Wherever the ex wife is, I hope she’s having a great, great time far away from this drama.

CraftyMintHedgehog · 10/01/2026 19:43

@ponytailcapbadge your relationship was doomed from the start.

Sarah was right to tell him not to marry you. It was way too soon. Sounds a bit of a rebound thing and he wanted drama given he knew he could lose his job.

If he wanted to marry Sarah he would have done so.

I think he would pick his friendship with Sarah over your marriage by the sounds of it.

shhblackbag · 10/01/2026 19:43

ponytailcapbadge · 10/01/2026 19:40

ok I admit we did get together when technically he was still married ,but their marriage was over, she was extremely abusive towards him and I was a shoulder to cry on and developed from that. What I'm struggling with is why wont Sarah just leave him alone. She knows I dont like her. She knows that he is meant to be no contact with him. Why doesnt she stick with her own husband rather than messaging mine? i cant sleep since I saw that text. It makes me wonder what else is going on.

They're friends. You really need to get over this or leave. Stop hating on that woman. It's unhinged.

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