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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To feel like I was made a fool of by DH again

1000 replies

MonicaGeller010203 · 28/06/2026 22:55

Almost nine years ago, DH started getting mentionitis and a pretty obvious (to me) crush on a neighbour of ours. We frequently hung out together and DC's played. Got really awkward, she knew how I felt and I always believed it highly entertained her and gave her a sense of power. She was unemployed, cash strapped and with both DC in kid , she was under pressure from her H and family to find a job. She used my DH for a lot of small favours and help and used me and the DC at times too.

Cutting to the chase, moved to a new neighbourhood to upsize to the suburbs 4-5 years ago. Lost touch with them. Last week was our 20th wedding anniv and I decided to invite them too.

H had always maintained it was a good familial friendship that i ruined with suspicion even though there was nothing there. In our new community I have a fab gang of girlfriends while he has struggled to make any, he gets along like on an acquaintance level only with their husbands, and hasn't made any other friends

I genuinely thought we had moved on from all that re 8-9 years ago low key drama. But no. He swears when I tried calling him inside to plate up his food that I was seething that he was talking to her (I swear I did not even notice who he was talking as they were sitting out in the garden in a circle, everyone else had their BBQ, and other food on plates, only he had not started yt). His friend asked me why H was not eating with the rest of us. I wish to God I had plated up food for him and taken it to him rather than call him in (for just a minute to take his food).

Later for the rest of the party, he avoided me - I had planned games in the garden for the 6 couples - like musical chairs, a couples duet singing competition that our teen kids were meant to be judging us on (all in fun) - he bailed on the whole thing , took the husband of this lady (not the other men, though one tagged along behind, and the other 2-3 were at a loose end) for a walk, and left us ladies to it, though I had told them the plan was going to be couples stuff, maybe even a little music and dance.

He sulked for the next couple of hours, though was back to something like normalcy by the time the last couple who stayed back (not the ones from the old neighbourhood) to chat and share silly stories, tea and some laughs before leaving. But for me the afternoon felt spoilt

I am not sure what my question is I think the main one is Am in AIBU to feel I was trying to do something nice for him , to show him I was more secure now or I trusted more and to feel like I was made a fool of again. Or was he somehow in the right.

OP posts:
heartsinvisiblefury · 29/06/2026 09:08

I agree with previous posters, this whole thing was very weird. Very much a ‘look at us now, 20 years of marriage and we’re playing couples games with all our friends’ - quite a challenge for your old friends and your husband as he hasn’t moved on and made lots of new friends like you have and it just seems like you’re peacocking around.

MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 09:08

Speakeasier · 29/06/2026 09:00

I’m sorry but kids know an awful lot more than you might think. For example I knew at 10 that my dad was desperate to sleep with my mum but she used us as a human shield to avoid it, even making me sleep in her bedroom for a while. I knew she fancied the guy at work who came round to do ‘odd jobs’. I knew he was flattered even though he didn’t really fancy her that much back. I knew my dad was a beta male playing at being an alpha male and he put up with way too much and then erupted in a ridiculous way that resolved nothing.

I could go on but I think you get the drift. Certainly teenaged kids would have caught on. I’m not saying this to shame you but because you think you are being discreet and managing people but really they’re all seeing through you. Your husband knows you’re trying to prove happy families which is embarrassing because he definitely had a massive crush if not affair with your neighbour. At the very least he feels shown up if not wistful. She won’t see you as sophisticated and classy with all your new friends, she’ll see you as playing and failing at oneupmanship. Your kids are also seeing the subtext and as kids are both terribly self conscious but also deep down want their parents to have things together they will find this really destabilising.

Rather than trying to pretend this hasn’t happened or prove something to everyone else try to recognise that you have been deeply wounded and hurt. Allow yourself to feel sad. Accept your relationship is not what you dreamed of and mourn that. When you’ve taken time to do that (over weeks or months rather than days) rather than have pointless recriminations with your husband - he won’t be honest and he won’t be feeling what you want him to feel- then and only then - you can decide what you want to do next.

Thank you, for every line of this post. Yes this is what I shall do.

OP posts:
MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 09:10

Chlorpool · 29/06/2026 08:39

Do you think op that what is really upsetting you is you have been an equal dp financially and done more than 50% of everything else and yet the person your dh has a crush on is perceived by you to be having an easier life, her dh does more than your dh.
And you know that your dh would be upset if you were a sahm, made him pull his weight more. Expects you to be happy with your lot whilst dancing round the ndn.
Is this what's going on?

Yes to this , for the second time

OP posts:
happywifeandlife · 29/06/2026 09:11

ChickenBananaBanana · 29/06/2026 09:05

Wow you're making yourself look a twat.now op. How dare he fancy such a pleb as a cleaning lady.

How dare he fancy anyone, he’s a married man. At least have the decency to keep it to himself unless he’s prepared to leave the marriage. He shouldn’t be allowed to have his cake AND eat it!

Passingthrough123 · 29/06/2026 09:11

Yeah, you lost me at denigrating other women for the jobs they do or don’t do. Maybe your DH sought comfort from other women because his wife was a bitchy snob? Or maybe this whole thread is a load of bollocks designed to whip up outrage the more you “drip feed”. Either way I’m out.

heartsinvisiblefury · 29/06/2026 09:11

Just read your cleaning lady comment!!!!!

Maybe your husband liked her as she wasn’t judgemental and thought she was something special. Maybe she was actually something special because she wasn’t like you.

HelpMeGetThrough · 29/06/2026 09:12

MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 09:03

Thank you this is exactly how I feel

He got too close with a female colleague of sorts (She was a cleaning lady in his office!!, does that count as a colleague or what in 2007/08 ish, We had not been married long at all.

Same thing really except she moved back to her home country I think
Mentionitis, late evenings at work, Coffee chat.

I know people are going to hammer me for this. But we are both in middle/upper management - the cleaning lady? And yet again I do recall my Dsis asking so if she had been a rocket scientist or human rights lawyer it makes the disrespect less?

Think you deserve a hammering. Guess you think you are far better than a “cleaning lady”.

Upper and Middle Management means fuck all and doesn’t make you any better than anyone else.

BeardySchnauzer · 29/06/2026 09:13

it’s very clear that your marriage is breaking down and it’s not just about this ‘crush’.

arrange some marriage counselling and use it to either try again or split amicably.

the way you are going it is really going to mess with your kids heads and that isn’t fair

MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 09:14

happywifeandlife · 29/06/2026 09:04

@MonicaGeller010203 you can’t stop someone’s feelings for another person but you need to decide whether you can live alongside those feelings.

Many people in marriages may have crushes on others, I know I do, Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy for instance, but even if it was in real life I would never, ever want my DH to know of my passing crush as it would crush him and that’s not what you do to someone you love.

Your DH didn’t hide his feelings for her 9 years ago. That is on him, not you. Sorry @MonicaGeller010203 that you’ve had to go through this, it must be heartbreaking to have your DH desire someone else too. 3 in a marriage is 1 too many.

Look at Charles, Diana and Camilla. Poor Diana.

Yes it does feel hearbreaking
Cried a lot last night

OP posts:
MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 09:15

HelpMeGetThrough · 29/06/2026 09:12

Think you deserve a hammering. Guess you think you are far better than a “cleaning lady”.

Upper and Middle Management means fuck all and doesn’t make you any better than anyone else.

He would not marry me till I had finished my course at a top uni and gotten a job that made XXXX pounds. He doesnt get to screw the cleaning lady now, and if he does he should be open about it at the very least, so I can leave

OP posts:
dairydebris · 29/06/2026 09:16

I see the drama is continuing this morning.

pinkdelight · 29/06/2026 09:16

Between the cleaning lady nastiness and calling him a sulking bitch, you're now really sounding vile as well as unhinged (which you started off and have got increasingly so). I'm with your kids on the drama queen angle and because of that and this font of bitterness that's spewing out now, it's impossible to tell the rights and wrongs of it all, but the one thing that's clear is you need therapy. Lots of it. Now. This is not about your anniversary party nonsense and 9yo grudge. There's a whole world of shit going on inside you that's channelled into this. Maybe you'll end up leaving your marriage, maybe you won't, but this is just the current symptom not the cause.

MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 09:17

With me he was ALL ABOUT THE money

But with these women he isn't. They are pretty you see and he must think I am reaching. He thinks me average looking on a good day and fat and dowdy otherwise

He is the superficial one. One woman to fuck, one to earn the money, one to cook, he can go fuck right off. I am going to be strategic from now on and put myself first. 40pc saying YANBU isn't that bad, esp since I agree I should not have invited her, it just does not justify his twatishness then or now

OP posts:
HelpMeGetThrough · 29/06/2026 09:19

MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 09:15

He would not marry me till I had finished my course at a top uni and gotten a job that made XXXX pounds. He doesnt get to screw the cleaning lady now, and if he does he should be open about it at the very least, so I can leave

I think the best thing he could do is leave you.

GirlFromMontmartre · 29/06/2026 09:20

This isn’t real?

MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 09:21

HelpMeGetThrough · 29/06/2026 09:19

I think the best thing he could do is leave you.

I agree. Its him who wanted a spouse who earned 100K plus and still look like a bikini model 24/7

Thats just not me, and since he feels he deserves it all, he should go. He would have wrecked his marriage over a woman who will be highly entertained by all this , while she cuddles up to a real man all night who goes out earns the money because she wants him too and treats her like a queen

Fuckking twat H...fucking Ahole

OP posts:
Andepeda · 29/06/2026 09:22

GirlFromMontmartre · 29/06/2026 09:20

This isn’t real?

No.

HelpMeGetThrough · 29/06/2026 09:22

GirlFromMontmartre · 29/06/2026 09:20

This isn’t real?

Comedy gold though.

MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 09:22

GirlFromMontmartre · 29/06/2026 09:20

This isn’t real?

Which part feels most surreal?

Fucking H....fucking made a really cringey soap of my life for two plus decades, ppl cant even believe this shit is real

OP posts:
XiCi · 29/06/2026 09:23

MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 09:15

He would not marry me till I had finished my course at a top uni and gotten a job that made XXXX pounds. He doesnt get to screw the cleaning lady now, and if he does he should be open about it at the very least, so I can leave

Christ, the more you write the more awful both you and your DH sound

MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 09:23

HelpMeGetThrough · 29/06/2026 09:22

Comedy gold though.

I am going to take this as no woman would have stood for this right? That is why it is unbelievable, that any women would be THIS MUCH OF A DOORMAT

OP posts:
HelpMeGetThrough · 29/06/2026 09:24

MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 09:22

Which part feels most surreal?

Fucking H....fucking made a really cringey soap of my life for two plus decades, ppl cant even believe this shit is real

Musical chairs and singing “our song”. Seriously what sane and sensible adult would do this?

cornflakecrunchie · 29/06/2026 09:25

There are some cruel posters here.

MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 09:26

XiCi · 29/06/2026 09:23

Christ, the more you write the more awful both you and your DH sound

I wasn't always like this Xici, a bitter bitch myself

I was once very different

OP posts:
Thepeopleversuswork · 29/06/2026 09:27

cornflakecrunchie · 29/06/2026 09:25

There are some cruel posters here.

Possibly. These threads can bring the worst out in people.

But the OP does need a wake up call and sounds like she is veering over the edge, but she is continuing to act in a disturbingly self destructive way.

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