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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

So what now?

29 replies

JustCarryOn · 25/07/2012 10:10

I apologies in advance - this will be a long and probably quite jumbled post, I am looking for somewhere to get my thoughts out and some advice really:

My husband and I have been together for 5 years, married for 2.5 with a DS.

6 weeks before we got married I found out he had been emailing an ex, it was sexting via Facebook - including some stuff about fantasising about her etc. I confronted him, he apologised, we moved on - I thought it was a blip due to all of the big changes we had happening in life. We got over it.

About 6 months after we got married my husband fell very sick. He was hospitalised and put on a cocktail of medicine after a total of 6 weeks in. When he came out and we got back into a new normal life - he was quite often sick or ill, having to cut down his work hours etc.

About 3 months after I thought things were back to normal He showed me a text on his phone from the same ex - but this time it said that she was worried because she had cause to believe that her 7 y/o DS was my husbands and not her own husbands. We spoke about it, we were both upset but we decided we would go ahead and take the paternity test, on the condition that if my H was the dad we would want access to him, to get to know him and bring him into our family - she said fine. Fast forward a few months and she texts H to say that she can't be bothered to test but she is now sure he's her husbands. We say ok, fine - don't contact us again, you've tipped our lives upside down again - my H was upset and angry but there was nothing we could do.

So we're getting on with our lives, it's a good 18 months later and H gets a new phone - we are sitting in the living room doing normal evening stuff and I ask to look at his new phone, it's an iPhone so I wanted to explore etc - he gives it to me but there is a lock in it - I am messing about trying to unlock it, jokingly saying "I'll lock it" etc and the next thing a message comes in from ex - it does that thing where it gives you the first line of the text and it says "mmm, yes dilf I'd love it..." I ask him to unlock it, he won't - I get up, get my keys and leave the house - he phones me to say "come back I'm so sorry" and I tell him in no uncertain words that if I catch him doing it again I will leave, I will take DS and I will leave.

Things start to get back to normal - he has to go away with work so I realise that I miss him when he's not here and this kind of makes me think that it's worth fighting for.

Then a week ago Friday we were out shopping, we had to nip home to put some shopping away and then go back out - he asked me to grab his iPod from the kitchen - as I do I see another message from this girl. I read the whole fucking thing "hey milf, just looking at your pictures and wanking, I wish you were here I'd be doing x y and z" and so and so forth back and forth, I read them and I make a note of the times, dates etc - turns out he actually didn't stop emailing her - we have a huge row, he's crying and I'm shaking with rage. I tell him to pack his bags but he wouldn't - he said he wanted to fight for our marriage.

I calmed down and asked him what he had been doing, I asked him if he has had an affair and whether or not they had been exchanging photos - he said no affair and that she sent him a photo. We calmed down - I look around and I just don't know what to do.

We talk it out, he changes his number and deletes his email address - I am not convinced so check his phone - he has sent photos, he has sent one where he is in fucking bed next to me - with the message "this was risky but you are worth it"

I honestly don't know what to do.

I am in my early 20s and have just finished uni - I don't want to be 25 and a divorced single mum - but I don't want to be 45 and thinking "why am I still with this man"

The last 6 months have been a nightmare, I have lost a very close family member and just found out that I have failed a module in my final year at uni - we have a couple of debts (car loan, student loan the usual). He makes me shake with anger because he won't admit to anything until I have hard evidence to prove it - so I can't trust when he says he hasn't had an affair.

I just feel so broken. I look at my DS and I just don't want to be the one that has broken his family - he's only a toddler but is very quick to pick things up, we have had to be very careful not to talk about it in front of him but I just don't know where to go from here. I've told 2 people in rl and they both think it's time to leave but I don't think im strong enough to do that.

I emailed the ex, I told her that I knew her name and all of her contact details I also told her I knew her husbands and that if she tried to get back in touch I'd be using them to destroy her life like she has mine.

She replied saying that she knew more than H was letting on but that she was loyal to him and that she would cut contact also - I know I'm not supposed to blame her but she's a fucking bitch - how do I get past that?

He has broken my heart

OP posts:
ChelseaGirl86 · 25/07/2012 10:25

I'm not sure what advice we can give? Obviously there will be lots of us who will say you deserve so much better for your life and that your partner is a complete cnut, but you're not going to leave him are you?

By the way, the OW is not to blame (yes she played her part) but she hasn't cheated on you, lied to you, disrespected you and made a fool of you - your partner has.

Please find some strength within yourself and realise that life is too short. I'm the same age as you and I wouldn't put up with this from anyone, not even Johnny Depp/David Beckham/other sex god because I know that there is someone out there who deserves to be with me and will never treat me badly. If I don't happen to meet him, I'd rather be alone forever than trampled on, like your partner is trampling on you.

Hope you're ok.

thebestisyettocome · 25/07/2012 10:29

If you do seperate it's not you who caused it to happen. It's him.

JustCarryOn · 25/07/2012 10:34

Chelsea - as I said I know it's not the ex, but she is also married with 2 kids so she knows what is left to lose.

I think I want to leave him, I just don't know where I'd start or where I'd end up

OP posts:
ChelseaGirl86 · 25/07/2012 10:37

Ok then let's think practically - do you own a house together? Are you currently working or waiting for your degree to finish?

Local council/citizens advice could give you free advice on your options.

Hyperballad · 25/07/2012 10:44

I think you need to leave him, you have given him enough chances, and he keeps choosing to mess around with this women instead of prioritise you and his family.

The fact he crys when you catch him out makes me feel sick, he seems like a poor excuse for a man, and you can do a whole load better than this, it won't feel like it but you really do have youth and time well and truly on your side.

You can be really happy again sometime soon, but listen to your gut, I doubt it tells you the future happiness is with this man.

JustCarryOn · 25/07/2012 11:02

We rent together, I work part time - he pays all of the bills except my phone, our sofas and nursery - I think I might go to the citizens advice, I need to make myself realise everything you're saying Hyperballad.

I just needed a push and actually seeing it all written down like that was it. I've been so stupid

Thanks for the advice re:CAB

OP posts:
ChelseaGirl86 · 25/07/2012 11:07

Have you got family/friends you could stay with in the meantime? At least until you can sort out any financial/childcare help?

ChelseaGirl86 · 25/07/2012 11:09

Also, stay angry OP. You need all the strength and resolve. Just remember you and your little one deserve a happy and fulfilling life. There might be a crappy few weeks/months ahead but a fresh start is on the horizon - get excited for it!

Doha · 25/07/2012 11:20

He has had chance after chance after chance. He has lied many times.
I think now is the time to leave.
You are young and have plenty time to make a new life for your DC and yourself.

MadAboutHotChoc · 25/07/2012 11:31

So sorry - he is cheating on you, even though its not physical. This man has been given far too many chances and yet he keeps pissing on you Sad

You are very young and have a whole future ahead of you.

confusedgypsychick · 25/07/2012 11:37

I have nothing to add that everyone else hasn't said, I just wanted to respond to this one line from your post:

"I look at my DS and I just don't want to be the one that has broken his family"

You aren't the one who has broken his family. His father is. Don't for 5 seconds blame yourself!

Stay strong and good luck. You're still young and the world is your oyster. :) -

Dahlen · 25/07/2012 11:47

I'm so sorry you're going through this. Please don't worry about about being 'the one that has broken his family.' Sadly, your family is already broken. The trust has gone, the intimacy has gone, the fun has gone and in its place is anger, guilt and uncertainty. Leaving can only improve that by giving you back control, self-respect and providing your DS with stability.

ChelseaGirl86 · 26/07/2012 08:55

How are you doing OP?

ImperialBlether · 26/07/2012 12:05

Oh god what an awful situation.

OP, you have to leave him. He's clearly been carrying on with this woman for years.

I would be really tempted to tell her husband, too. In his position, I would want to know.

tallwivglasses · 26/07/2012 12:15

Well done for looking at the bigger picture - you at 45, life wasted with a man who feels entitled to lie and cheat on you continuously, while you nurse him through his illnesses and mop his fevered brow.

Or you at 25, a dc who won't even remember living with his dad, open to a future possibly including a man who will be honest, faithful and respectful towards the mother of his future dc...

FireOverBabylon · 26/07/2012 12:25

OP, a slightly different situation but my mum's getting divorced from a mentally, finacially and verbally abusive tw*t, after 20 years together. I saw her this morning before I left for work and she just seemed really deflated. When I asked her what was wrong and gave her a hug, she said that she'd just been thinking back over "all the wasted years". You don't want your son to be doing the hugging and hand holding in 20 years.

This guy has had sooo many chances and keeps going back to this woman and dabbling again. Get him the hell away from your boy and your sanity. If she wants him, and her child may be his, let her have him.

JustCarryOn · 26/07/2012 13:05

I'm still confused as hell to be honest, Chelsea. I don't think I know even 5% of what's been going on and I'm torturing myself with things that might not be true at all - my head is wrecked, it's basically all I can think about.

I had a look online last night about divorce - it seems like something I could do with the support of friends and family - I know it won't get any easier, or better - in fact we had a huge row last night because he has now put a new pin on his phone and won't tell me it - he knows that, whilst not incapable, I'm just not as technically literate as he is so he can hide stuff easily.

It sounds so stupid but I want to find him doing it one more time so I can actually justify throwing him out - I feel like it has gone off the boil now but then I keep thinking what else don't I know! I hate him for this, I have given him the most important years of my life, I gave up so much because I saw how passionately he wanted to be a father when I found out I was pregnant - I thought we had it all, we've been through such a lot in our short marriage and now instead of the option of having another child, renewing our vows, buying our house - I just can't see anything, I feel like I can barely make arrangements for next month let alone our future - or my future.

Imperial, trust me I was tempted, especially when she sent me the twisted reply - I honestly don't know how I managed to keep my cool - if she lived closer I would probably have confronted her face to face but she's over 100 miles away (the only saving grace is that I can tell myself they had nothing physical)

Fire I have an auntie who has put up with her complete prick of a husband for 30 years and I just do not want to be her. But I don't want to throw something away and regret it, not that I think I will but - well, I don't really know

OP posts:
FireOverBabylon · 26/07/2012 13:20

Yes you do. Most people who say "I don't know" generally do, but don't like, or don't want to face, the answer they're coming up with. You know whether you want to stay in this marriage.

Remember the adages "you can't change other people's behaviour, only how you respond to it" and "if you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got". He isn't going to change, and if you stay with him, you know how your life's going to be as he obviously doesn't want to change. Do you want that or do you want to change how you respond to him?

Floggingmolly · 26/07/2012 13:33

After all of that - he has now put a new password on his phone and won't tell you what it is?

Walk now. He has no intention of fighting for your marriage, tears or no tears Sad

kittyfishersknickers · 26/07/2012 13:42

I would just get out.

You have tried many times. If he hasn't got the guts to cut contact with this girl once and for all, then really what is the point?

Also, re 'this was risky but you are worth it' - Shock Sorry, that is awful. I don't think he is really that bothered about whether you find out - he's hardly being careful is he? And she is married, so it's not like it's going to be easy for him to be with her (that's probably not even what he wants).

You are young. You can divorce him with help from friends and family. Don't waste any more time, he clearly doesn't care enough. And she sounds weird - all this 'my kid might be yours' stuff. Sounds attention-seeking and a drama queen.

I don't think there's much left to throw away tbh. Your DS can have a perfectly decent life with divorced parents. Better than having a miserable mother.

kittyfishersknickers · 26/07/2012 13:43

Also, with respect, you have not given him 'the best years of your life'. I am about your age but I think (hope) my best years haven't happened yet.

Malificence · 26/07/2012 13:43

However hard your life is going to be in the short term away from him, it's not going to be hard as years of this same old, same old with him - he will never change, he has no respect for you, for himself or for your son, he will grind you down if you let him, how many chances does one person need?

He's proved himself incapable of a normal, healthy relationship - decent men who love thir wives and family do not do this, it wasn't a one off incident, his secret, sordid little online life is more important to him, otherwise he wouldn't keep doing it.

Turquoisecat · 26/07/2012 13:49

Hi Just, so sorry to hear about the crap that your H is putting you through. I went through similar last year - not quite to the extent that your H has done, but still FB sexting with an ex.

We did manage to work through it, but only when he showed he was willing to do anything to fight for the marriage. He gave me all of his email accounts/phone for me to check, he deleted his FB account, and we went to Relate. It hasn't been easy, but we are now in a place where I can trust him fully again.

I think that if your H isn't giving you access to his phone, especially if he is actively discouraging you from having access to his personal correspondence, then you should get out as soon as possible. Marriage has to be based on trust, and under these circumstances, I can't imagine that you will ever trust him again.

CAB is an excellent idea - it will at least give you a very good idea of the practicalities of divorce, etc.

Is it at all possible to get him out of the house, or to stay somewhere else for a while? I would have thought him still being in the house it must be really difficult emotionally, and with a DS to look after it might help you to cope better to have some physical distance from him (H, not DS obviously)?

JustCarryOn · 26/07/2012 14:18

He is away next week - I think we will talk tonight and make a decision once he is back - I just don't think it's worth fighting for anymore, I've faced a lot of stick for marrying and having a baby so young but I always thought I'd be able to sit back and enjoy life -

I just wanted to say thanks for all of the advice, I read the relationship boards when they crop up in active convos, I never thought I'd be on this side of a thread (have name changed for this thread) - But then I've seen that said quite often too.

OP posts:
oldwomaninashoe · 26/07/2012 15:33

Op I got married young (!st marriage) and it was a disaster, not because I was young but because I married a disrespectful scumbag.
When I got married the second time (just a little older) I made damn sure I didn't make the same mistake again. On 29th of this month I will have been married , happily for 35 years.

You will find happiness I'm sure, but life is really too short to spend time with someone who shows you no respect.

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