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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Ignore or Not?

9 replies

midwife99 · 31/05/2011 03:20

My DH had an affair with his married first cousin (yuk!) just before we met. I only found out about this a year ago when he gave me his old phone & forgot to delete the archive. The dates tally so not suspecting it continued after we met. However, just before I found out & when our baby was a month old she sent him a text asking "Have I lost my looks? Do you think I'm as attractive as I was 10 years ago?" to which he replied "Don't worry, you're as gorgeous now as you've always been". He had a new iPhone & was showing it to me when I saw the texts so I wasn't snooping.

At the time I though what a weird thing to say to your female cousin & felt hurt because I was postnatal & needed him to say that to me! But didn't suspect anything. A few months later, found out the history & got really upset. She has had many affairs so this it was water off a duck's back to her.

To cut a long story short he agreed to break off contact with her if I stopped dragging it up. They continued texting & he was slagging me off to her & she was giving him advice to get rid of me & we went to Relate. He then made a promise to cut off all private contact with her.
I deleted her numbers from his phone at that point.

A year later I suspect they are still in contact. They have not seen each other but I think they are emailing because an unknown number sent a text saying "I've just emailed you" the other day (I did snoop this time!)

Should I ignore it or delve deeper? I have asked him if they have had any contact over the last year & he says not. Gut feeling says yes.

If he has continued contact what then? He's not having an affair but is still being disloyal. Not sure what to do. Confused

OP posts:
spiderslegs · 31/05/2011 03:35

Difficult, but...

Stop snooping, no good will ever come of it - you never find anything you want to see.

However, your DH had a fling with his cousin before you met & neglected to mention it???

They had a text conversation slagging you off & she told him to get rid of you??

You went to relate & what??

This is your DH - are you not honest with eachother??

Sit him down, have an HONEST chat, don't shout or get emotional, find out what's going on & why.

You have a DC, act like adults not teenagers.

Sex between cousins is more common than you may imagine - nothing really wrong with that if it's all in the past, an emotional connection with another woman that compromises your relationship is harmful.

However, watch your own paranoia - just as pernicious in the long run...

midwife99 · 31/05/2011 03:45

Yes I don't want to turn into a snooping suspicious nutcase.

OP posts:
spiderslegs · 31/05/2011 03:46

Speak to the fucker man then.

You have a DC.

Stop the nonsense now, before it goes any further.

midwife99 · 31/05/2011 03:52

I have - he denies contact. Nothing I can do then really. I'm not going to turn into the fatal attraction woman. He knows the difference between right & wrong & spiderslegs is right in what she says above.

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spiderslegs · 31/05/2011 04:06

Not judging here, but how old are you both?

In my experience the older you get the easier it is to be honest about yourself.

You realise that the bullshit is just that - if you want a relationship, none of us are perfect or infallible, just human, we have things, feelings, desires that may not chime with the perfect ideal of a relationship but are, entirely human.

If you love each other & can get to a place where you both understand that & can speak openly, you'll probably be ok.

spiderslegs · 31/05/2011 04:08

Try it.

No-one's going to die if you're honest.

midwife99 · 31/05/2011 04:18

Old enough to know better! 41 & 43! Ok will try to accept things as they are & karma will no doubt kick in re the toxic cousin one day!

OP posts:
spiderslegs · 31/05/2011 04:25

Wouldn't say accept - would say have an honest discussion with DH - cousin be damned, DC is surely worth more than a little grubby flirting with an ex??

midwife99 · 31/05/2011 04:37

True. Did very calmly today ask if any further contact & why it would bother me because of the nasty things they have said to each other about me in the past & that our relationship is none of her business. So have been open. Ball's in his court re his future actions & I made a commitment to myself not to spy on him a year ago which I kept until now so I'll get back on track.

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