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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

How Do I Get Over the Deceit?

17 replies

Marge69 · 13/07/2012 15:01

I recently found out my husband was meeting up with a friend of mine for coffee, cuddles and exchanging intimate emails and texts. We had been together for over 20 years and were at a very low point in our relationship and had pretty much agreed that we were passing time until our children left home and then would split up.
The meetings never progressed past emails and occasional kisses and I can understand how he felt as I was equally as unhappy and lonely in my marriage. The suprising thing to both of us however was than when I became aware of what was going on we were both overwhelmed with how strong our feelings are for each other and we have thrown ourselves completely into restoring our relationship.
The meetings only went on for a few weeks and ended immediately I found out - he hasnt even spoken to her since. Our relationship has been fantastic since and we are like newly weds again, sending flirty texts, meeting for lunch and having a fantastic sex life.
The problem is that the whole experience has left me totally and utterly devastated. My so called friend is equally as unhappy, is overweight and frumpy with a miserable husband and so was obviously taking the opportunity to flirt and get attention that she wasnt at home. My husband knew she was a safe bet as he could never run the risk of establishing any feelings for her beacause physically she was so unattractive so she was an easy target for him when looking for the attention he craved from me.
The difficulty have is that I keep exploding with rage at my husband to the point of violence, I insist on dragging up the details of their meetings and mails in a bid to hurt and embarrass him and these rows are now in danger of destroying the new start we have made.
He has been nothing but open supportive and helpful, he is desperately sad and ashamed of what he has done and is having to deal with his own guilt and what he has put me through - so I have no reason to react in the way that I am. I had totally pushed him away in recent years and had even told him I didnt love him (which wasnt true)
I am frightened that this will now mean we cant move forward and that my outbursts will end up destroying what we have.
I dont care about the friendship - she is obviously shallow and devious and out for her own ends so I am better off without her - and I understand exactly why my husband did what he did - I was close to it myself at times - so I dont know why I insist on torturing me and him on a regular basis.
Can anyone offer any advice on how I can move forward with the great start we have made.

OP posts:
KirstyWirsty · 13/07/2012 15:34

Sounds a bit to me like you are putting all the blame on the wrong person's shoulders .. why is he not shallow and devious as well??

lazarusb · 13/07/2012 16:54

He picked her because he feels she wasn't attractive enough to sleep with and so she was 'safe'? He sounds lovely. Kirsty is right - your h is the person who was primarily responsible for deceiving you here.

Do you think some relationship counselling would help both of you?

Jemma1111 · 13/07/2012 17:11

So your H tries to downplay his actions with this woman by making you think he was unattracted to her ? So therefore nothing much went on ?

Could be wrong but I would guess he's slept with her and they've only calmed things down because you have found 'something' out and she may well be worried you'll tell her H.

MadAboutHotChoc · 13/07/2012 17:39

Yes, both your friend and your H are to blame for betraying you.

However your H is the one who made those wedding vows to you so he is the one who needs to deal with his behaviour.

He is not taking full responsibility for the affair - he made the choice to cheat on you instead of talking to you, suggesting relate, or even writing to you about his issues.

My husband knew she was a safe bet as he could never run the risk of establishing any feelings for her because physically she was so unattractive so she was an easy target for him when looking for the attention he craved from me.

Yuk, he sounds very shallow as well as devious.

You know all this deep down and that could be why you are very angry - and quite rightly too.

I would really suggest you get SHirley Glass's Not Just Friends - you both need to read it.

MsKayGee · 13/07/2012 17:41

My husband knew she was a safe bet as he could never run the risk of establishing any feelings for her beacause physically she was so unattractive so she was an easy target for him when looking for the attention he craved from me.

Told you that himself did he? Bit of sexting with a fat ugly bird gave his self esteem a boost and he knew it was 'safe' because she was so minging he could never fall for her?

He sounds like a charmer. What a catch. Yep, best hang on tight to that one Hmm.

Dprince · 13/07/2012 17:42

I don't mean to be harsh. But he sounds awful, she was attractive enough to kiss but not shag?
He is at fault as much as her. You understand his reasons but not hers? Even though they sound similar. He was risking ruining 2 marriages by meeting up with her and is that mean behind her back?
Also your post doesn't make sense. You say things have been great but you keep exploding to the point of violence? Doesn't sound great tbh.
I think you need to take a long hard look at the situation. She is devious, but he is forgiven because you understand? Doesn't make sense.

pennymixup · 13/07/2012 17:46

Sounds to me like you are being very harsh on your 'friend'... saying she is overweight and frumpy therefore your DH could not possibly develop any feelings for her? Surely feelings aren't just based on physical attractiveness and your DH is just as much to blame as she is for betraying you

amillionyears · 13/07/2012 17:47

I may be about to disagree with the posts you have had so far.
I think the problem for you is that you have multiple emotions going on,and that makes any situation complicated.
When that has happened to me before [my complicated emotions were nothing to do with my marriage],I wrote down all the emotions I was feeling and gave them percentage points,just so I could qualify it all in some way.
So,you for instance might want to write
30% dont trust him
10% utter surprise
20% shock
30% anger at DH
10% anger at so called friend

SucksToBeMe · 13/07/2012 17:48

I have never got over the deciet tbh. If i didn't have children with him i wouldn't give my DH another thought. Depends on the individual.

SaraBellumHertz · 13/07/2012 17:50

So let's get this straight! He was willing to risk his marriage for a liaison with someone who he was totally unattracted too??? Talk about hearing what you want to....

fiventhree · 13/07/2012 18:13

agree with Amillionyears.

Is this a good point to go to Relate for an overhaul?
I discovered my h's infidelity during relate and couldnt have coped without it. It enabled us to look a bit wider than the infidelity and get tools/strategies for future behaviour, and to explore feelings more fully.

kittyfishersknickers · 13/07/2012 18:16

The thing is - when you both agree that you are basically only together until the kids leave home and then you'll split up, it's not really a proper relationship any more is it?

Also - did he say that about her being too frumpy to fall for himself or is that your reading of the situation?

Are you sure you have the whole story? Sounds like something's missing - maybe they did have sex?

izzyizin · 13/07/2012 18:58

By your own admission I had totally pushed him away in recent years and had even told him I didnt love him

The pair of you had pretty much agreed that we were passing time until our children left home and then would split up

In addition, you understand exactly why my husband did what he did.

After your discovering that your h was secretly meeting up with your friend, your relationship has been fantastic since and we are like newly weds again, sending flirty texts, meeting for lunch and having a fantastic sex life

Seems to me your now ex friend has done you a favour.

Given that you were close to it myself at times, are you pissed that he stole a march on you?

ImperialBlether · 13/07/2012 19:24

There's a term I'm trying to think of - can anyone help? It's when you are living with someone you don't love, you feel you're going to lose them and suddenly it's as though you're on your honeymoon with them. There's a psychological (or MN) term and I can't think what it is.

OP, I felt the same as you when my (now ex) husband was my boyfriend - he had been unfaithful before but then had an affair over several months. Without thinking whether I wanted him, I used all my powers of persuasion to get him to realise he should dump her and as a reward I married him. It was a couple of years later that it started again and I realised actually I shouldn't have married him anyway.

You can blame your friend all you like. You actually say you were ready to do the same as her, so she can't be all that bad, can she? You don't blame your husband at all.

Why don't you remember your earlier feelings about why you two should split up and stop rewarding him for his bad behaviour.

MsKayGee · 13/07/2012 19:30

Hysterical bonding?

ImperialBlether · 13/07/2012 19:57

Yes, thanks, MsKayGee!

Look it up, OP and see whether you think that's what's happening with you.

izzyizin · 13/07/2012 20:01

she was an easy target for him when looking for the attention he craved from me

If your h was craving attention from you, why didn't he come to you first before honing in on your friend?

I somehow doubt that you're engaging in hysterical bonding because you've seen the light and realised that your h is the one for you.

I suspect that you don't want him but you don't want anyone else to have him.... until you find an om.

You have been so bitchy disparaging about this woman's physical attributes that I'm wondering why you were friends with her.

Don't you know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder... and that all cats are grey in the dark?

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