Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Divorce/separation

Here you'll find divorce help and support from other Mners. For legal advice, you may find Advice Now guides useful.

Help please, husband had an emotional affair!

34 replies

user1497077033 · 10/06/2017 08:28

Hi, I am in pieces at the moment. I have a beautiful relationship, or so I thought! I have found out my husband of 10 years is having an emotional affair with a 20 year old colleague for 6 months. He is 37 . We have a 6 year old. I was totally oblivious because sickeningly we were one of those couples who are so in love, amazing friendship and fun and fab sex life. In April I was on his phone and found a whole what's app conversation with this girl that I had my suspicions about. Picture a beautiful sexy thin blonde model! There was a naked photo of her and he was clearly aroused. The conversation went back and forth and mentioned their secret meet up
Location. My whole world stopped. Instead of telling the truth he was angry with me for snoooping and shouting at me. He moved out for a week. We tried to talk. The whole time it was like he never really showed any emotion or reaslised how serious this was. He told me they only met a few times after wrk. I checked his bank statements. Sure enough they met nearly once a week since Feb. He assured me no sex, no kissing just chats. Months have passed. He says he is fighting for me and our life and marriage. There have been some lovely days since, almost like a honeymoon where it seems like we can get through this bog. But last night he cracked, cried for first time sobbing.. only took him 1 month to get this emotion!! Telling me I am too good for him. I can only move on if I know all the facts, all the meet ups then I feel that the slate is clean and we can rebuild. So he announced that in Jan he was thinking of leaving me as he felt hd could never do anything right. He felt he had fallen out of love with me and that I deserved better! His feelings for this 20 year old( 16 years younger) happened in Jan. He finally told me the truth after 6 weeks of asking him to be totally honest with me. They met 2/3 times a week. They went for drinks, they went for a few meals, they sat on the beach after work. They kissed twice, held hands. When I found out in April I messaged her and she was so young telling me there was no love between me and hubby and that he loved her and was going to leave me. Yuk! Since then we have been trying to repair but the lies upon lies are so vast. I am desperate for us to be together as he is literally my love and life. He drinks a lot and smokes.. he is often in a fog and he gets so low and has always had severe depression and talked about topping himself on occasions in our marriage. I know he never will but for me , that is why I am still here. I know he is not his right self, he is so lost and broken that he is doing things and acting like he shouldn't be. He keeps saying " how could I ever do this, I am despicable, I never thought I would be capable of hurting u.".. I just want to shake him and say well move on, focus on us. Even last night we chatted about living apart, he even told me then ... "I am so confused, I want u but I still have feelings for her." When it happened I asked him to stop all contact and delete her, but he still sees her st wrk. Reading this you will probably think well leave him.. he doesn't deserve u. What I haven't said is we lost a baby a year ago. He witnessed all that and years of ivf to get there.. and then I nearly lost my life as I was rushed to emergency theatre and fought for my life. He lives with that every day. I grieved for our loss, I don't know if he ever did. We have been trying for another baby, we have ivf booked for srptember( before any of this shite happened) now he is telling me he does not ever want another child. He has suffered trauma. I just want things to move forward, I keep thinking we are there- stronger and more united than ever before. We have talked this to death, but only now months on is the truth coming out. I miss him. I can move on if I am respected and the love is level but I feel like I am always doing the holding on and fighting to keep us. I am sorry this is soooo long! I would love any advice or experiences. THAnku xxx

OP posts:
mrtumblesmistress1 · 10/06/2017 11:50

I'm sorry but that's not an emotional affair you've described and I very much doubt it was just kisses exchanged.

LTB.

Justmadeperfectflapjacks · 10/06/2017 11:55

Me and dh have suffered similar medical trauma. . Neither one of us has cheated tho. . We turned to each other for support like you do in a marriage - he checked out of yours ages ago.

Ltb..
Seek therapy for your trauma - that will be more useful than he has been to you.
And leave him to it.
And they did have sex. .
Rose tinted specs need thrown in the bin op.

Teddy6767 · 10/06/2017 11:56

There's no way they just kissed if she was sending naked photos and they were meeting up regularly. He's just trying to minimise the damage by pretending it wasn't more than a few flirty dates and a couple of kisses. Please don't be naive here!
I'm not saying you need to end the relationship if you really want to try and work things out together.
what would I do in the situation? Well I certainly wouldn't be sticking around with someone who has so little respect for my feelings that he's (at the very least) been kissing and fondling with someone almost half his age.

crazykitten20 · 10/06/2017 16:29

What I haven't said is we lost a baby a year ago. He witnessed all that and years of ivf to get there.. and then I nearly lost my life as I was rushed to emergency theatre and fought for my life. He lives with that every day. I grieved for our loss, I don't know if he ever did.

It's not compulsory to flirt/exchange naked photos/kiss/be unfaithful/lie when grieving.

I'd suggest grief counselling instead of all the sex stuff -- as it's much more respectful towards you.

He sounds like a twat to me. But maybe you know differently?

PaintingByNumbers · 10/06/2017 17:36

he hasnt admitted the truth, it was a sexual relationship. that lie is between you, corroding your relationship and keeping you apart. whether you will survive or not as a couple, I dont know, but until that truth is told it will be eating away at your relationship and keeping a connection between him and her.
Flowers

Yellowbag · 10/06/2017 17:51

Flowers for you, you are in hell and not of your making. So sorry he's done this to you. I've been through the same recently and am still in the thick of it, so sending lots of support and sympathy.
First of all to echo pp, your husband did not have an 'emotional' affair! He had an affair plain and simple! Naked pictures in a chat and meet ups weekly?! He told her he would leave you?! From what you say he still doesn't know what he wants, it will seem impossible, but for your own sanity you need to separate. Get him out of your space, let him wallow in his confusion away from you. You will remain in hell until you do this. It's too soon to even think about rebuilding trust when by his own admission he is still caught up with her. He is essentially torturing you, and it's not fair!

AnyFucker · 10/06/2017 17:52

I have no doubt inmymindthat they had a sexual relationship. He is still lying to you

You cannot rebuild anything based on sand. Until he comes clean you cannot save it by yourself.

user1497077033 · 10/06/2017 18:29

Ok thanku for all your honest replies. At the end of all this it is incredibly hard and sad as its our marriage. We have an incredible 6 year old and it will devastate her. I realise what everyone of you is saying.. It doesn't make it any less heartbreaking. He is my everything -life is going to be so odd without him as we are inseperatable ( I know not lately over the past 6 months as he was doing the shitty thing) . I have not got rose tinted specs.. I have just been trying to save our marriage. We list a baby and life has been so sad . I get it though that I can not save it alone, it's like sinking sand. That is why I have wanted total honesty, as I can forgive. I just need to know the facts rather than just bullshit. My family is everything to me and to our freinds and family.

The naked photo was sent by her to him... Apparently it was the first one, a come on! And he promises on our daughters life that they have not had sex. Maybe I am a mug, but I find it so hard to not believe him as he is my best mate- again mug!! I know he had an affair I am not naive.
In terms of grief and trauma, I am seeing a councillor and so is he. He promises he loves me but he hates himself and can't move on, like u all said its because he has feelings for her, YUK!
I should let him wallow, I should get out.. But I also want to stay and embrace him.
I am so sad too as we had Ivf booked for September, a huge dream of mine and our daughters is to have a baby.
Thanku for everyone's advice and words and yellowbag I am so sorry for u too. I know I look weak in not chucking him out before , I just can't picture what life is going to look like and I am so scared.

OP posts:
Yellowbag · 10/06/2017 18:47

You're not weak OP, you're in an unbelievable hard place, it's terrifying. And you essentially thought he was with you in saving your marriage, now he's admitted he has feelings, you know he's not there with you now. You just need to keep your dignity and not let him walk all over you. He wants to keep you as an option while he figures things out and that's not right. All your options involve pain now, that's what's so massively unfair about it all.

ImperialBlether · 10/06/2017 18:52

I posted this on another thread a while ago and I think it applies now.

He will probably follow the usual pattern:

Deny
Deny
Deny
Cry
Admit 1%
Cry
Blame
Admit 2%
Cry
Threaten suicide

user1497077033 · 10/06/2017 18:57

Thanku yellowbag. Since it's all happened a month ago when I found the messages.p, We have had some lovely times/ laughter/ fun/ dates. Then at my prodding he finally told me more last night how often they met , that they kissed etc. I am just so torn and scared- we have a child and it all looks so difficult and sCarey being on my own. It is terrifying and not what I ever imagined . He says he adores me and never wants to loose me( even though he was thinking of leaving me in jan!!) , he is just do confused. I know I shoukd make him leave, and not walk over me. Is that what you did? Xx

OP posts:
mineofuselessinformation · 10/06/2017 19:02

He's really done a proper job on you hasn't he?
He has an affair and then manages to make you feel bad.
Tell him to leave, and that if he really wants to make a go of things, he will do anything in his power to make things right.
Don't for a second think I'm saying that glibly - I've been there.

Emily7708 · 10/06/2017 19:19

I'm so sorry to read this but please believe what everyone is telling you. There is absolutely no doubt whatsoever that they had a full sexual relationship. He is lying to you. And swearing on your DD's life means nothing, just like the promises he made in your marriage vows.

PaintingByNumbers · 10/06/2017 19:39

im so sorry, its shit, until he will admit the truth this will ruin everything, all the counselling is a lie and he is tied to her not you because of this lie. if only he would tell the truth. my h finally did, and it was like cleaning out a festering wound, at last - relief. he only did it as he thought we were over, 18 months or so after the first 'confession' of online flirting.

CPtart · 10/06/2017 20:30

Don't be a mug. Forget IVF.
He's the not the kind of man I'd knowingly choose to father any child of mine. You've only been married 10 years and already he's cheated on you both.
The relationships over surely. Tell him. And ask him which 3.5 days a week he wants his DD.

user1497077033 · 10/06/2017 20:40

Painting by numbers. I am so sorry that this happened to you. Do you mind me asking if u are still with him or was it over? I know what u mean about the truth, it was only last night he began telling me the extent of the shite and each time I was like ha I knew it. I am not going mad! When u love do done u know them intimately and can see when they are hiding something. Like u said, even when I found out they had kissed it was relief. I can work with the truth, then I can see if it is repairable. X

OP posts:
PaintingByNumbers · 10/06/2017 20:55

I know exactly that feeling
yes, its only two months on, we are together, in a weird kind of way all the tension between us has gone and we are happy. long term I dont know what I will want, but I feel such relief there is truth between us, that was more important to me than anything. I dont think he will be faithful forever, if I am honest, but next time I feel unhappy because I feel lies between us, I will leave. thats what I have decided in my head. I know people will think I am mad, they do irl too.

Yellowbag · 10/06/2017 21:00

My H had an affair after our second was born, from emotional to physical, while I was killing myself trying to cope with baby and toddler. I suspected for a long time and he denied over and over. I finally got proof and he came clean, (such an amazing feeling! you feel almost jubilant even though what you're hearing is devastating!) he promised he'd end it, he was devastated and a fool etc etc. I thought Yes! truth! I don't mind any hard work if he's honest! So for the last few months we were 'working on our marriage', but a few weeks ago I found he was still calling her! I couldn't believe all the emotional conversations we'd had and he'd put me through that again! I'm still waiting for the detail on that! I told him to forget it, I'd have been a mug otherwise, and we have separated (to put it more correctly, I have separated from him, he is struggling to accept this and is still insisting me and the family are all he wants!) For me it's mostly relief now to have detached from him, living without trust is such a huge burden, and I've done it way too long. But I'm no great example, I haven't even got his stuff out the house yet. He has massive issues, and I do feel really sorry for him as he is in a state. It's really really hard. I just have to keep reminding myself that he is an adult and has to carry his burdens by himself. He's messed me about so much, I have to look after myself now.

user1497077033 · 10/06/2017 21:03

Wow, that is good to hear. Every relationship is so different and I really do feel like we have do much love to just chuck it all away. I really feel my hubby messed up supremely and I know there is more to find out.if he can be 100% truthful then we can see where to go. But when we lost our daughter I was so broken and I don't feel like I can loose anyone else. It tore me apart. I like the idea of that transparency and honesty as that to me is do so important.. Then relief. I hope u keep feeling that hope and happiness. Did ur hubby actually cheat physically or was it online? X

OP posts:
user1497077033 · 10/06/2017 21:05

Sorry above post was for paintingby numbers.

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 10/06/2017 21:05

It makes me so sad to see such lovely young women settling for crumbs from the table of arseholes like these men

It's like feminism never happened Sad

PaintingByNumbers · 10/06/2017 21:07

so many of us going through this shit!
again, I really identify with everything you say Yellowbag, the jubilation is so weird, the relief after all that time with no trust. I am sure you can move forward now knowing you have made the right, the only, decision. if only he had been able to stay honest. why are they so weak??

PaintingByNumbers · 10/06/2017 21:10

ah, I know AF. I try not to be too hard on myself. i'd never want this for my dd thats for sure. life is complicated, I've decided to leave decisions til later on, life is ok right now. tbh the worst for me was the lying beforehand. I stayed through that partly out of stubbornness I think.

user1497077033 · 10/06/2017 21:19

I agree , yellowbags I hope you find some peace in the devestating situation that was out of your control. I am like u, I will work hard on putting our marriage back together If there is total truth between us. I need transparency. I am so sorry you want through it all when u had such a young family. I hope you have lots of support and I know it must be hard as u still care for him. Once I get this truth then I will have to see where we go. Who knows. My hubby has huge issues, battling depression forever so that alone is hard work and takes its toll.. The black dog. I pray for truth and to not be messed around anymore.. People will probably think I am a door mat, but nobody knows a persons relationship really.

OP posts:
MissBax · 10/06/2017 21:24

It wasn't an emotional affair, he broke down and said he still has feelings for her, he's threatened suicide. I'm sorry but you weren't one of those couples who were happy and in love and the best of friends etc. He was off having fun and you were living in a total ignorant bubble. Why do you actually want to stay with him???