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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:
CATSNDOGS · 19/03/2013 10:15

pure, very wise words.

AnyFucker · 19/03/2013 10:15

No woman should be forced to go through a termination on her own, with no discussion brooked. I don't care what she has done. It is abhorrent, and it is despicable. I also think OP will regret her actions here.

ike1 · 19/03/2013 10:16

Green, look, you are asking the impossible for the op or myself to have any empathy for women who screw other people's husbands. End of. Sorry if you find it scarily vindictive. oh well.

ike1 · 19/03/2013 10:18

The OW can pay for third party counselling AF, like the OP will have to do I expect.

Greensleeves · 19/03/2013 10:18

sorry ike1 but you don't KNOW the OP. You're projecting. And do you really think you are the only other person on this thread who has ever been betrayed?

Actually it is NOT normal to be this vindictive towards a woman who is facing an abortion on her own. It's vile.

AnyFucker · 19/03/2013 10:19

OP is blocking her H's contact with the OW for the wrong reasons. She is blocking it because she is terrified he will choose her. She is colluding in her H's terrible mistreatment of a woman who has been just as badly fucked over as she has. A decent person will regret this when the dust settles.

And this despicable man is sitting pretty.

ike1 · 19/03/2013 10:20

Whatever Greensleeves ...I did say that I might not be the best person to suggest advice...but I have complete empathy with the OP.

ike1 · 19/03/2013 10:21

Logically I understand what you are saying AF but... it is extremely difficult to have empathy for a woman who has also conspired against you.

freddiemisagreatshag · 19/03/2013 10:22

You are angry and lashing out at the wrong person. I agree with AF. He's a vile excuse for a human being and you would be well rid of him.

ike1 · 19/03/2013 10:24

I am not arguing against those who are suggesting empathy but I am saying it is asking a great deal of someone in the OP's circs.

Lavenderhoney · 19/03/2013 10:24

Op , I have read your posts and feel very sorry for you. It's a dreadful shock finding out as you did, catapulted into it by the ow dh.
I think you have been given some excellent advice on this thread. I do think its harsh not to allow him to speak to the ow though, in this circumstance. It's all happened very quickly, the finding out, and won't just all go away after Thursday.

I don't see how you can live happily together in future, with this memory. It's very hard to laugh together and make love, share life and bring joy to each others lives, you becoming independent, driving, working, your dc leaving him for good, just the two of you. It might take years to get there, or do you think you and he will stay in separate rooms , with bitterness and misery souring the atmosphere?
After how he treated you and the things he wrote and said, I couldn't do it.

Controlling him like this wont make you happy. It only really punishes you, it doesn't matter what happens to him - only you. Get yourself on the road to happiness and get him out. Or leave yourself for a bit.

AnyFucker · 19/03/2013 10:24

ike...do you think no-one else has empathy with the OP ?

some of us are trying to point out that she is now acting in ways that collude with the damage her appalling H has already meted out....to the OW and to her

the best way, the only way to save some part of yourself from this absolute mess is to do the right thing, and act with dignity

dignity is all we have left really, when we take away everything else

will OP look back and think she did the right thing ?

I think not

Mosman · 19/03/2013 10:25

The OW isn't pregnant I'd bet my last penny on it.
However the reaction of the husband tells you all you need to know about him as a human being.

AnyFucker · 19/03/2013 10:28

sorry, ike, we are cross posting repeatedly

I don't OP think should extend any hand of empathy/sympathy/understanding/whatever to the ow

ABSOLUTELY NOT

but she is colluding in her H's appalling behaviour

she should step back and stop protecting him from the almighty fuck-up he has created, and stop shielding him for the consequences of his actions

this is for her long-term good....because all of her actions now are storing up future hurt for her

not giving him consequences, making excuses for him, blaming a predatory woman, attempting to control his actions and his thoughts etc

none of these will work towards getting what she (thinks she) wants

ike1 · 19/03/2013 10:31

Did I say noone has any empathy with the OP AF ...certainly not! But I am suggesting that it is very difficult under these circs to ask the OP to have any empathy for a woman who has been complicit in ruining your life.

I am suggesting I understand entirely where she is coming from. Now people might not like to hear that, yes, vistims such as the OP feel vindictive, but for some that is certainly the case. By all means I hope the OP is able to take on board logic. But I understand her feelings.

BarredfromhavingStella · 19/03/2013 10:32

OP if you're not going to get rid then at least ask him to move out for a period of time in order for you to look at the situation clearly without his influence & get your head together.
The situation you are in is truly appalling & I really feel for you but I honestly don't believe that you can now make the marriage work, sorry-I think that given time alone you will see this too.

AnyFucker · 19/03/2013 10:32

I doubt the pg too, actually. But, frankly, it is immaterial at this moment in time. All the damage is still ongoing, whether she is lying or not. This man let this woman into their lives, and now it is all supposed to just disappear.

It can't. Why the hell should it ?

MadAboutHotChoc · 19/03/2013 10:32

ike1 - I have been where OP has been. Yes, I was angry with OW who was a mutual friend so understand that feeling but there is no way I could have colluded in such disgraceful and vile treatment Sad

Remember the saying re revenge - be prepared to dig two graves.

AnyFucker · 19/03/2013 10:33

Fair enough, ike. Will stop cross posting with you now.

ike1 · 19/03/2013 10:36

Sure AF it would be preferrable that she should stand back and let dominos fall as they will...that takes mighty, mighty strength! I understand that people see she is COLLUDING and yep great to have that pointed out...but I certainly dont blame her for not wanting to get sonme form of revenge...that may be unhealthy in the long run ...we dont know.

ike1 · 19/03/2013 10:37

Sure Mad...maybe you are a better person than me. Its all right AF re cross posting.. we will sort it out in the end I am sure.

Strangemagic · 19/03/2013 10:41

AF is right,when you have babied him ,policed him,covered up for him,forgiven him,let him walk all over you and you're on the floor emotionally and mentally,he will walk with out without a backward glance because you have given him all the ammunition he needs by your behaviour,in his head there is nothing he can't do because he will always be forgiven.
I feel dreadfully sorry for you,your children and the OW,she is having to deal with reality and your "husband"is hiding and you are letting him,I cannot believe that this is going to end well for you.

Midwife99 · 19/03/2013 10:49

She is lying about the abortion. There is no way it could have been arranged that quickly & she wouldn't be able to go alone for it anyway. She can't drive after a GA. Anyway, the point is what about you Janey? Let's focus on what you need/want not her.
You need support & the courage to know that YOU deserve better than this public humiliation & character assassination by your H (sorry can't add the D!). So you have his kids, get a bit older, develop fibroids making sex painful & are awaiting surgery & he shags someone else because you are boring? No he shagged someone else because he is a bastard. You will recover from the hysterectomy very quickly honestly. Then it will be time for YOU to enjoy your life with people who respect, love & care for you. He doesn't. I'm sorry Sad

ike1 · 19/03/2013 10:54

Totally agree Midwife!

PlasticLentilWeaver · 19/03/2013 10:55

What Mosman said re the pregnancy. Seems like a hell of a coincidence to me that OW announced she was pregnant just after being told it was over rather than at the hotel they had been at together earlier.

Maybe underlying his callous attitude, he does know that OW isn't really pregnant? And is trying to call her bluff in some way to try to salvage the bloody awful mess he has created?

Marriages can survive adultery, and although it is easier to say leave, I am not sure