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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Please please help … messages to another woman

16 replies

alwaysleftoutt · Today 02:35

Please help me in spiralling.

I’m in a relationship with someone I’d thought I’d spend the rest of my life with. He proposed to me a year ago. I’ve embraced his kids and his problematic ex and I’ve struggled with insecurity issues from this. I don’t know what to think anymore

My partner has always been vocal about how much he hates cheating. Says it’s abhorrent and if there’s someone else you like you should just end the relationship. His dad had a whole other family with another woman behind his mums back and tore the family apart. I’ve always trusted him 100%.

Last few weeks my minds been screaming at me “he’s cheating”. It came out of nowhere until I noticed he’d followed a random (very pretty) girl on Instagram. Insecurity got the better of me and I asked who she was. He said she was his little sisters friend and he knew her briefly as they’d grown up in the same area when younger. Told myself I was being insecure and moved on.

The thought kept coming but I tried to ignore it. The other day I noticed her story at the top of his instagram page whilst he was showing me reels, again I asked, and he said “oh yeah me and Tina (not real name) are a thing”.

Today again he’s showing me stuff on instagram. He clicks on his messages and I see her name. I asked to see his phone, he grabbed it back off me but eventually gave me it and said I could read it.

They’ve been messaging for 2 weeks ish. Catching up about life. She started it sending him a picture of them from when they were younger (she’s not his little sisters age like he told me). Then she said she’s just ended a 10 year relationship and rediscovering life. Talking about a “group reunion” with the friendship group.

I asked him why he’d told me she was his sisters friend, he said they were in a friendship group but she was younger so assumed he was his sisters age (his sister is 12 years younger than him wtf).

The messages go on and he talks about his kids and his time in the army but there’s zero mention of me.

I asked why? He said “it didn’t come up” and “she can see pictures of you on my page anyway”

She most recently sent voice notes on Friday but he didn’t reply. In them she’s talking about how she nearly came by our city for a trip with her sister and she should have just come because a “reunion is needed”.

I lost my mind and said he was massaging his and her egos and it’s not what people in committed relationships do. This is the man who constantly says men and women can’t be friends as they always end up sleeping together.

He said he didn’t think it was weird but said he did think it got weird when she sent voice notes so didn’t reply.

I asked why I wasn’t mentioned. He said well she’d just told me she’d ended a 10 year relationship so it didn’t feel “kind” to “rub in her face our happiness”

He threw his phones at the wall, grabbed my wrist to get his phone, broke the fan and threw it at the wall leaving a dint.

Am I reading too much into this - is it my insecurity? I would never have expected this from him, I really wouldn’t. I just don’t know what to do.

OP posts:
alwaysleftoutt · Today 02:37

Sorry I pressed too soon, he also said I was “tapped” and “this is all your insecurities”

OP posts:
Teatime2025 · Today 02:40

You're not reading too much into this. Your partner not being able to regulator his temper beyond a kindergarten level is a massive RED FLAG. Please be kind to yourself and your gut feeling. If I could, I would remove myself and see how this plays out.

TheHatTrick · Today 02:47

You are not overreacting. I’m so sorry but this is a really bad sign.

GooseyGee · Today 02:47

"He threw his phones at the wall, grabbed my wrist to get his phone, broke the fan and threw it at the wall leaving a dint."

Even without the messages this is enough to let you know you should leave.

alwaysleftoutt · Today 02:57

the messages weren’t flirty but they were overfamiliar, like with emojis and he was asking questions to keep the conversation going. We’ve had a rough patch tbh so it feels like a punch in the gut.

part of me thinks they are just friends and reconnecting.

but another half thinks why the secrecy, denials of friendship, why omitting he was engaged to someone??

i am very insecure and recently this has got worse, I’ve been feeling ugly and just unattractive.

OP posts:
TheHatTrick · Today 03:02

The whole picture together is not acceptable. It’s the behavior of a man you cannot trust.

His physical reaction shows you what he’s like when he’s angry. He can’t/wont control his temper.

Do not marry this man.

Teatime2025 · Today 03:02

alwaysleftoutt · Today 02:57

the messages weren’t flirty but they were overfamiliar, like with emojis and he was asking questions to keep the conversation going. We’ve had a rough patch tbh so it feels like a punch in the gut.

part of me thinks they are just friends and reconnecting.

but another half thinks why the secrecy, denials of friendship, why omitting he was engaged to someone??

i am very insecure and recently this has got worse, I’ve been feeling ugly and just unattractive.

Maybe you're 'very' insecure but a honest partner would do everything and anything to make you feel secure.

You have obvious past trauma and for you own sake should seek profession help so that you can in future have a healthy relationship.

Enrichetta · Today 03:08

The fact that you are even asking suggests you need help and do some serious work on yourself.

TheHatTrick · Today 03:21

You would surely not do this to him. You have a right to a partner that has the same values and treats you with the same respect you treat them.

Your self esteem repair can start now, if you choose. Stand up straight, take a deep breath, square your shoulders and tell yourself “I’m not going to stand for this.”

meringuenests · Today 04:12

his "problematic ex " was probably not the problem

alwaysleftoutt · Today 04:25

I’ve got leave for work in 2 hours, not had a wink of sleep. Just threw up. It feels like a nightmare. I’m sitting here waiting for an answer on what to do but I can’t think straight

OP posts:
Igmum · Today 04:46

He’s violent. At the moment this is to the fan and the wall, but these things always escalate. The messages aren’t good but the absolute red flag is the violence. Please walk away from this man. And I agree, I don’t think the ex was the problem.

alwaysleftoutt · Today 05:05

I can’t excuse the violence. He’s thrown stuff before, he’s never grabbed my wrist or touched me at all in anger before tonight (well last night)

OP posts:
Gall10 · Today 05:17

alwaysleftoutt · Today 05:05

I can’t excuse the violence. He’s thrown stuff before, he’s never grabbed my wrist or touched me at all in anger before tonight (well last night)

Run! Now… not tomorrow or next week or the ‘next time’ … now!

NavyNorris · Today 05:21

The messages aside (yes, it does all sound dodgy), you need to get out of this relationship now. Have you got support from family/friends? I know it's hard to leave but do it now before he hurts you badly.

NChangeorama · Today 05:27

The messages are problematic but IMO not (yet) a dealbreaker; the violence on the other hand should be the very hard boundary in your life. It is not ok, not ever, and it is time to leave, however complicated it is, whatever your housing situation.

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