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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

Husband's affair - I'm completely broken, please help

445 replies

Janeysbroken · 18/03/2013 20:16

I found out last week that my DH of 22 years has been having an affair. It was with a woman he met online who is also married and ten years younger than me. I found out when her husband knocked on our door at midnight and told me, in a rage. Our 20 year old son heard everything and is inconsolable. When the husband had gone my DH told me he'd already finished the affair a few weeks earlier, he was drunk and it meant nothing. I was shocked and angry and unbelievably sad but he works away a lot and it's something I'd always feared. He swore it was the first time he'd been unfaithful in the 24 years we've been together.

The next morning I was burning up with anger and asked him to leave. I went out. He then phones me to tell me the OW has turned up at our house wanting to apologise and is demanding to speak to me. I was so livid I went home and grabbed his phone and called her. I told her he wasn't leaving, neither was I and he was drunk and she meant nothing to him. What followed has broken me.

She was obviously enraged by this. And told me the truth. He loved her, he hasn't finished it, had been meeting at hotels for four months, he said she was love of his life. Thousands and thousands of FB messages. To cut a long story short me and DH ended up driving down to their house that night as both me and OW needed answers from DH.

We all talked for almost two hours. He admitted he loved her, had told her she was love of his life, best friend and soulmate. He'd told her that morning that he loved her but couldn't leave because he has nowhere to go. He'd bought her presents. Talked to her almost constantly on FB for months. Said he was unhappy, I'm boring, our sex life is rubbish. But because i now knew he told her it had to stop and he's staying with me. She was crying and devastated. He'd told her we were just friends now and he hasn't felt anything more than friendship for me for over a decade. He was clearly besotted with her. And she with him.

I was having panic attacks. Can't eat. Want to kill her, him, myself. She showed me a FB message where he called me a boring twat. I thought we'd had a lovely day that day - we'd even had sex. He took her to a hotel the day after.

She refused to stop contacting him. Threatening to tell our 19 year old daughter (who still doesn't know) and his boss, which would get him sacked as he took her to hotels on fake business trips on expenses. I made it clear he couldn't ever speak to her again and was feeling physically like I might die. She then texts to say she's pregnant. Her husband phoned going mad as he says it's impossible it's his, it's my DH's.

My DH is, to his credit refusing to speak to her and has told her to have an abortion and never contact us again. Her husband phoned pleading for him to speak to her as she's slashed all her arms with a razor over the guilt of having to face an abortion. But I've told him I'll kill myself if he speaks to her again. Our son hates him. Our life is shattered and I'm destroyed.

I can't bear to think he loved her so much. It was plainly obvious. He claims not to now and I know he isn't in contact with her. Could he really have fallen out of love with her in the space of 24 hours? They'd just come back from a hotel when her husband found out and came to our house. I don't know what to do or think. I'm grieving and love him. I'm 48 and don't work or drive. I have nothing without him. He's my life. Please, please help me.

OP posts:
Xales · 19/03/2013 07:39

Stop blaming OW for your H actions.

He chose to do this. He was not forced.

He told OW all the shit about how awesome she was and how crap you were to get her into the sack. He was not forced.

There are too many of you in this. Your son should not be interfering. Why are you both determined she is vile but your H isn't?

If you don't face that your H is to blame this will fester and putrify.

Midwife99 · 19/03/2013 07:42

Also I think it's very damaging to be involving your kids in this way. Get some dignity woman!! He called you a boring twat!

Cooroo · 19/03/2013 07:51

12 years ago my world fell apart when I found my DH was having an affair with someone I thought of as a close friend. It is a terrible, terrible time. I couldn't eat for weeks. It was as if the ground had been taken from under my feet, there was nothing left to hold on to.

I know how long it took me to let go and tell him to leave. Whatever people are telling you, you've been married to him for 22 years and unfortunately you can't just let go - but I bet you will. He really doesn't sound worth the pain and struggle of re-building the relationship.

My sister told me at the time 'You will look back on this and realise it was the best thing that could happen'. She was so right. I am much much better off without him (he married the OW and our DD is a frequent visitor, especially since she got a boyfriend who lives nearby!). I have a lovely, calm and dependable man (occasionally grumpy!) with whom I've built a better life.

You will have to go through so much pain, but really DO take it a day, or an hour, or a minute at a time. It's a cliche but it's so true. Look too far ahead and you can be overwhelmed by the magnitude of the thing.

Take care of yourself, and try to keep some dignity - don't slag him off to your kids (maybe different as they're older - mine was 3 and I tried to keep things normal). You will come out of this much better than they will.

BettySuarez · 19/03/2013 07:59

OP, if you asked your husband to leave now, where do you think he would go?

Straight back into the arms of this OW, that's where.

He would cry and wail and plead and beg, tell her he's sorry. Tell her he loves her and that he always will. That you forced him to stay but he has never loved you etc etc etc.

In short, he is a cold hearted twat who will do/say anything to get what he wants.

Right now, he's planning how to leave you. It might take him weeks or even months to get his plans together but he will leave because he doesn't love you.

Any man willing to abandon a pregnant partner is just the lowest of the low. Utter scum. I could not bare to have a person like that anywhere near me or my children. My skin is crawling at the mere thought of your vile, vile husband.

Get a grip, get him out of your home and as far away from you and your family as possible.

Janeysbroken · 19/03/2013 08:03

Thank you everyone so much for responding. It really does mean so much. I know what you are all saying is the truth, but it's just so impossible not to be with him. And I know all his good points. I know how weak that sounds.

The other thing is this. It's been to painful to admit but the reason we don't have sex much anymore is that it's painful for me because I have lots of fibroids. I'm due to have a hysterectomy soon. He knows this. He didn't tell her, he told her sex with me was boring and going through the motions. When I told her and her DH this when we went round she looked disgusted with him and her DH had to go outside to stop himself hitting my DH. How can I cope on my own after a hysterectomy?

On one of the FB messages she'd asked him if he was missing me. He was away. He didn't say no or not really. He said 'not in the slightest'.

Oh god it's just so painful.

OP posts:
BettySuarez · 19/03/2013 08:07

Your state of health is NOT the reason why he decided to treat you so appallingly. He did what he did because he thinks of no one other than himself.

Stop making excuses for him or looking for 'reasons'

And of course you will cope after a hysterectomy, plenty of people do.

Cooroo · 19/03/2013 08:08

I found I just didn't recognise my DH anymore. Sounds like you feel the same. Someone you've loved and laughed with - how can they turn into someone else? Unfortunately this is what happens when someone (prob women too!) become infatuated with a new person. Friends told me they were shocked at his behaviour, it was so unlike him. Unfortunately we probably all have it in us to behave this badly.

Take your time, you can't just cut off. But i suspect you will have to eventually and in time you will come to see this. The pain is horrible. But you are not alone. Stay here and vent all you like!

CuttedUpPear · 19/03/2013 08:08

OP I am another swelling the ranks of those who have been cheated on like yourself.
My DP had an affair with our neighbour.
When I found out I took the DCs and left the country in an effort to pull myself together. He renounced the affair and followed me there to bring me home to him. The fool I was, I went back with him. The thought of his deception never went away and after a year of my insecurity we split again. I regret every minute I wasted on believing him. A year later he was back with the OP.

I'm sorry but I don't believe your DH's compliance will last.
Forcing him to share all his communications with you will soon wear thin and he will want his own life/privacy back.

kateissotired · 19/03/2013 08:09

You will cope with the support of your friends and your children. You should not rely on your H as support when you are even more vulnerable, he can not be trusted now, let alone when you are recouperating. Ask him to leave, get a counsellor, get your finances in order and put yourself first. Sex was boring, what a mean and cruel man.

AnyFucker · 19/03/2013 08:10

your children can help you after a hysterectomy

And it's not the completely debilitating operation it used to be

My friend was able to care for herself independently following her hysterectomy last year, if somebody got some shopping in for the first few days

Stop looking for excuses

DragonMamma · 19/03/2013 08:12

Ok, so what are his good points?

Good with the kids - he's been shagging around behind their mother's back

Makes you laugh - can't see you laughing now

Works hard - whilst shagging another woman

'helps' around the house - it's not help, it's what he should be doing.

Why are you worried about coping after the hysterectomy? You have 2 grown children and I bet you have friends and family willing to help out. Do you think single women never have ops??

Please grow a spine now, whilst your dignity is in tact.

differentnameforthis · 19/03/2013 08:15

My DH is, to his credit refusing to speak to her and has told her to have an abortion and never contact us again. Her husband phoned pleading for him to speak to her as she's slashed all her arms with a razor over the guilt of having to face an abortion

So he sleeps with her, falls in love with her, gets her pregnant & tells her not to contact him & to get an abortion.

It isn't just your life destroyed. He has played you both & he is leaving her to deal with the fall out.

There is nothing "to his credit" about that. He is a coward who has walked away when the going got tough.

Despicable.

BettySuarez · 19/03/2013 08:18

OP - listen to what people are saying.

grow a spine
get a grip
have some dignity

The fact that your husband is a lying, hateful, low-life scum who hasn't loved you for a long time is not in question here

The question is, what are you going to do about it?

CATSNDOGS · 19/03/2013 08:19

Janey, hope you're ok today. you must still be in shock. how are things with H today? Has he gone to work?

i just wanted to say that i hope you feel strong enough to speak to a sister/brother or a trusted person today about this awful bombshell.

other people are giving solid advice here Janey. the reality is that at the moment, you are in a very hard place which hurts so much but it wont always be like this. you have to look after yourself.

Things will never be the same with your marriage and it would take a very determined H to be able to change and retore your confidence in him. it is very hard to change the fibre of your being Janey. your H has so much to work on. it may be possible to change some things but maybe not everything. he is capable of being so lacking in respect towards you.

can you imagine always looking over his shoulders/ feeling like you're second best/ weren't important enough?

could you start imagining a life where you are independent, free of H and his nasty behaviour? it will take time to get there and it will be a struggle.

just think about the current situation continuing/ mellowing down but still quietly simmering until the next "episode":

  • You can never truly trust H again, can you be truly happy for the next 40 years?
  • He will be angry that you found out and may be resentful to you/things stay stuck in a rut with you two
  • He has treated you with contempt and cruelly insulted you behind your back
  • He could deceive you again and his recent behaviour shows he is fully capable of being like that

there are so many more things i could say.

hope you've had something for breakfast.

differentnameforthis · 19/03/2013 08:23

Look what she's done

I know you are hurting OP, but please stop acting like she forced your dh into this.

THEY'VE caused this, THEY HAVE, not just her.

BettySuarez · 19/03/2013 08:36

There is lots of support and advice on here for you Janey. Plenty of people (sadly) who have been in your position before.

You need to start planning your own life now. Let us help you.

What do you need to know?

Advice about divorce?
Finances?

bringbacksideburns · 19/03/2013 08:43

Can't you at least tell him to give you some space? It will look like you have just laid down on the floor and accepted everything and he hasn't even had to go out of the door once.
I think you should stop thinking about him and think about all this affecting your son. You both need time away from him.
You need to read some of the relationship threads on here to realise it is very far from 'impossible' not to live with an adulterer. No man has to validate our existance, that is so very wrong. Your children are now adults, not babies. You need to focus on getting strong and looking to your future.
I could'nt contemplate a future spent reading his Facebook and messages and constantly worrying he was going to do it again because i would never be able to trust him.

chocoflump · 19/03/2013 08:44

Your daughter will eventually find out- how would you feel if she was going through this in 20 years time? You would tell her to leave him, that she is worth so much more than that... well so are you!

Too much blame is being put on the OW- yes she was in the wrong but so was your DH. OW is paying for what she done- she is now on her own with two young children and possibly a newborn. Yet your DH is back in your family home, and you want to make things work with him.

He WILL do this again. He's seen now that he can get away with it. All he has to do is say he no longer loves the other woman.

Please leave him. I don't know if you have any friends or family, but you have your two children. They will help after your hysterectomy and help you through this hard time. Thanks

CATSNDOGS · 19/03/2013 08:47

Janey, just to say if you can still have a life at your age and wanted to give you a very short story:

my aunt was 68 when she got married for the first time!!

she's the kind of girl who struts her stuff in nice kitten heel boots, skinny jeans and a blazer. she's way more glam than i am!

NandH · 19/03/2013 08:58

I havnt got anything to add to what anyfucker has said! ...honestly, the best thing you could do is take ALL her advise!!!

ike1 · 19/03/2013 09:21

Look I want to intervene here to tell people to STOP with this 'get a grip' 'grow a spine' terminology. I posted on MN after my exH's affair...and I will never forget how upsetting it was to have advice couched in those terms. I made sure he left but not because people on here spoke to me like that. Be gentle with the OP ffs.

Greensleeves · 19/03/2013 09:23

Fucking hell, this man has effectively got two women fighting over him to the point of self-harming! Has he a solid gold cock?!?!

You will feel SO much better if you take control of this situation. Let yourself get angry. Boiling, spitting angry. Like this: Angry Angry Angry This man is not worth the shit on your shoe. Kick him out! Honestly woman, find your centre and kick him out.

Come on, you are better than this!

ike1 · 19/03/2013 09:24

Oh and as a result of that, there is no way on earth that I would seek advice of a personal nature outside of the dating thread...where people are very helpful and lovely. Most depressing to be told to 'grow spine' when your world has been detonated into tiny pieces!

Greensleeves · 19/03/2013 09:24

x-post - but I disagree ike1. Different things work for different people - and by asking for advice on a forum you are inviting people's own responses. This is mine. Angry

ike1 · 19/03/2013 09:30

Disagree if you want but I am saying that I found it DESTRUCTIVE to have advice couched in those terms. Practical advice and being pointed out the FACTS sure but you are practically flaming someone who is on the ground. Anyway dont want to derail the thread. Just suggesting people think before they speak.

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