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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:
PennyLaneisinmyheartandmysoul · 10/01/2026 20:50

WhoGrant · 10/01/2026 20:48

I don’t understand why Sarah’s husband hadn’t stopped them speaking to each other.

Because he’s normal 🤷‍♀️

This. Because he’s a rational human who can see a man can speak to a woman and vice versa without palpitations!

rainbowsandraspberrygin · 10/01/2026 20:51

I’ve just realised as well that you guys getting together lost him his job and he’s struggled to get a new one whilst your career has flourished.

it all seems a bit mean.

getting married anyway - feels likes it a bit of a competition with Sarah?

DarkForces · 10/01/2026 20:52

LoveWine123 · 10/01/2026 20:49

So you had an affair with your boss (probably still married at the time), started living with him within a couple of weeks and then demanded marriage so he proposed within six months. And now you are wondering why things are not going well for you…

It's a mystery 😂

Tdcp · 10/01/2026 20:52

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.

Seconded.

loislovesstewie · 10/01/2026 20:53

When I saw ' my husband is in love with another woman' I was prepared to be sympathetic to a poor woman whose husband was playing away. Now, I feel sorry for her poor sap if a husband.

Livelovebehappy · 10/01/2026 20:53

Gahr · 10/01/2026 20:46

I don't think that OP was the reason he broke up with his first wife? That's not how I read it, anyway.

Well OP has kind of admitted earlier on this thread that they got together before his marriage broke up…

ponytailcapbadge · 10/01/2026 20:53

I'm sorry - I'm not a crazy,. I'm a nice rational person. I do a responsible job. I dont understand why I just cant get this bit of my life sorted and its tearing me apart. Maybe I shouldnt have given the back story but I didnt want to drip feed.

OP posts:
ZookeeperSE · 10/01/2026 20:54

It’s an absolute mystery as to why the husband prefers Sarah, isn’t it?

DarkForces · 10/01/2026 20:57

ponytailcapbadge · 10/01/2026 20:53

I'm sorry - I'm not a crazy,. I'm a nice rational person. I do a responsible job. I dont understand why I just cant get this bit of my life sorted and its tearing me apart. Maybe I shouldnt have given the back story but I didnt want to drip feed.

It's ok. We don't need the whole story. Stay if you like to be miserable, obsess about another woman and behave badly at funerals. Leave if you want to try to regain some sanity and perspective. You married a shit bloke too fast and ignored the red flags. It happens. The only question is where you go next and how much you enjoy 'tempestuous' relationships

SomeCStoleMyName · 10/01/2026 20:57

I think you need to be done with the marriage and maybe don't shit where you eat next time.

My ex did this, ran off with someone who reported to him. People genuinely don't realise that in majority of companies relationships with subordinates is against policy.
Anyway this girl who is same age as our oldest kid saw him flashing his money, taking her out paying for hotels, he was charismatic etc. But once caught lost his job and ended up similar to your husband. Went from high 6 figure salary to Uber eats and struggling. Now the shine has gone from the excitement of him spoiling her but they're stuck together out of stubbornness because she cheated too so they're staying together to prove they were right which is immensely satisfying to know just how far they fell from where they began. Karma can be a wonderful thing.

Even if he had been totally single it was against policy so that side of it is irrelevant.
I do think you rushed moving him in (another thing people do in these situations because the one kicked out "has nowhere to go"). She was abusive? He told you this or you saw it first hand.... The answer to that will highlight the truth here.

Leave him to fantasise about this woman and be more sensible with your choice of men next time.

Mrsblobby88 · 10/01/2026 20:57

'He called out her name during sex' that is just grim 🤢

sounds like you got with your mates ex or you had an affair with him which is why he got the boot. Either way he sounds like a dead beat and my advice is to leave.

TheSparklyShark · 10/01/2026 20:57

Sorry, but if you want to kill a woman you've never even spoken to because she went to a couple of funerals, and sent a HNY text...I think you need help!

FortnumsWeddingBreakfastTeaPlease · 10/01/2026 20:58

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.

@ponytailcapbadge

I think you've had some really harsh responses. His first wife wasn't imagining it, and neither are you. Women like Sarah are sly pieces of work.

I worked with one. Obsessed with this guy she had been friends with since childhood, but he never wanted more than friendship from her. Saying how they were "best friends." Announcing her own relevance and importance, because she was going to make sure she was a woman in his life, because she couldn't accept she wasn't the woman in his life. She wasn't letting him go and she hated anyone he was with. If it wasn't for her one sided initiating, with a good dose of "omg, we've been friends since forever, you need to relax" to the guys wife, the guy would have lost contact with her years ago.

The question here, is what responses is your DH giving? Why isn't he closing it down?

Arlanymor · 10/01/2026 20:59

ponytailcapbadge · 10/01/2026 20:53

I'm sorry - I'm not a crazy,. I'm a nice rational person. I do a responsible job. I dont understand why I just cant get this bit of my life sorted and its tearing me apart. Maybe I shouldnt have given the back story but I didnt want to drip feed.

I think you were bold to give the back story and I give you kudos for that. But honestly, you aren't coming across as particularly sane at present. As I said before, you are being driven by insecurity and you need to seek the root of that.

SeekOIt · 10/01/2026 21:00

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.

She was abusive....yeah, course she was. That's what most of these cheats say. A lot of them even believe it. I guess it must be easier to be a cheating snake when you've convinced yourself that you're being abused and you're doing nothing wrong by 'getting away from your abuser'.

BitOutOfPractice · 10/01/2026 21:02

Genuine question op. Why are you furious that she went to the funerals. These were clearly people she’d known all her life.

I was with you until that.

I'm sorry but sounds like Sarah hasn’t done anything wrong.

Moveoverdarlin · 10/01/2026 21:03

She’s known his parents far far longer than you have. Why shouldn’t she attend their funerals? What has she done so wrong? Yes she told your DH not to marry you, but in hindsight that was good advice wasn’t it? You’re not happy, you got married quickly? She was probably right.

Blueandsunny · 10/01/2026 21:04

ponytailcapbadge · 10/01/2026 20:53

I'm sorry - I'm not a crazy,. I'm a nice rational person. I do a responsible job. I dont understand why I just cant get this bit of my life sorted and its tearing me apart. Maybe I shouldnt have given the back story but I didnt want to drip feed.

Because you started dating a married man, and you knew his wife.

I suggest you look for therapy and why you look for these sort of complicated relationships.

I still don’t know what Sarah is doing. If they have been friends for a long time I don’t see the issue with the message; if your husband is in love with her that is another issue.

arethereanyleftatall · 10/01/2026 21:04

Is it that you can’t bear the fact that this women who’s ’not much to look at’ has beaten you hands down?

Pinkissmart · 10/01/2026 21:04

OP
Do you feel your husband loves Sarah?

This seems to be the root of it all.

Hegharty · 10/01/2026 21:04

ponytailcapbadge · 10/01/2026 20:53

I'm sorry - I'm not a crazy,. I'm a nice rational person. I do a responsible job. I dont understand why I just cant get this bit of my life sorted and its tearing me apart. Maybe I shouldnt have given the back story but I didnt want to drip feed.

I’m not so sure about the first two sentences.

You got together with a married man so are terrified he will cheat on you after he cheated with you, and are placing your insecurities on Sarah.

Sarah has done nothing wrong and it’s frankly astonishing you made his parents’ funerals about you and your insecurity. Horrid behaviour.

Sarah really isn’t the problem here.

MNLurker1345 · 10/01/2026 21:05

ponytailcapbadge · 10/01/2026 20:53

I'm sorry - I'm not a crazy,. I'm a nice rational person. I do a responsible job. I dont understand why I just cant get this bit of my life sorted and its tearing me apart. Maybe I shouldnt have given the back story but I didnt want to drip feed.

Do you OP, understand what PPs are saying though, that due to you giving back story Sarah comes across as a life long family friend (and maybe childhood sweetheart).

What gives your the impression that it is reciprocated by Sarah? Maybe there is more back story here.

Has Sarah destroyed your marriage? Honest answer here!

NormasArse · 10/01/2026 21:05

ponytailcapbadge · 10/01/2026 20:53

I'm sorry - I'm not a crazy,. I'm a nice rational person. I do a responsible job. I dont understand why I just cant get this bit of my life sorted and its tearing me apart. Maybe I shouldnt have given the back story but I didnt want to drip feed.

I disagree- you sound absolutely unhinged. You are telling your husband he isn’t allowed to speak to someone he’s known most of his life?

If he called out her name during sex- that isn’t her fault!! Save your ire for him.

jan2310 · 10/01/2026 21:05

She didn’t insert herself into ‘your family grief’. She went to the funerals of people she had known and loved all her life.
There is nothing wrong with sending a happy new year text to someone you’ve known all your life.

if there is a problem, then it’s with your husband not Sarah. But if I’m honest, the problem is you. You seem irrationally jealous.

EchoesOfOurDreams · 10/01/2026 21:05

Mrsblobby88 · 10/01/2026 20:57

'He called out her name during sex' that is just grim 🤢

sounds like you got with your mates ex or you had an affair with him which is why he got the boot. Either way he sounds like a dead beat and my advice is to leave.

I actually don't think the post is real because of that detail. People don't actually do that outside of movies/TV do they?