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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

Repercussions of an affair

311 replies

Onmyownwith4kids · 09/01/2014 14:19

I threw my husband out in August after I found texts professing undying love to a work colleague..Whilst he'd left me with the children claiming to be "working" or out with the lads he'd been waltzing around having a lovely time with her. The hardest to swallow was that a "stag do" he was attending was actually a wedding. Found it ironic that a man commiting adultery would find it acceptable to watch somebody else exchanging vows a few days before his own anniversary.

Anyway there has been lots of weeping, wailing, I can't live with out you going on ever since but his relationship with the other woman has continued. She's planning marriage and he's living with her family like a long lost son. He's finally going to tell her it's over but I've now found out that he introduced her to his mother. So while he was pleading with me to take him back he was drinking tea and cake with her at his mum's house. For me this feels like the ultimate betrayal. His mum has spent 30 years talking about the evil woman that "lured her husband" away leaving her with a young son but is happy to welcome the woman who destroyed her grandchildren's home round for a cosy chat. I'm not sure if this is a step too far. I was all ready to forgive and try to rebuild my family but feel REALLY betrayed by this..Am I overreacting??

OP posts:
Roshbegosh · 12/01/2014 06:21

Let him and OW have the four children for a few weekends to give yourself a break and let her know what comes as part of the package. The kids will never prefer her to you OP, that simply won't happen. She might find your ex seriously less appealing after a stretch of looking after four children.

AllOverIt · 12/01/2014 06:21

You're doing so well OP. Stay strong.

There's no way they're going to prefer her to you. Your their mum!

CheeseAndFriedMushrooms · 12/01/2014 06:29

Sending you strength and some sort f 'you can get through this' vibes OP. I agree, let him have the children for the weekend to get some time to yourself and for him to realise what he's missing and also so his ow can see it is a complete package. I would be fuming with my MIL too for allowing him to bring some other woman round to see her, what a nasty woman? How did you find out about that?

Right now focus on yourself, a woman with your strength and focus will never be alone, first of all you will always have your kids and it might be better to be single for a while than be with some scumbag like that.

don't know how you haven't got bat shit crazy on him and his mum to be honest

KatOD · 12/01/2014 07:06

It's fair to tell your kids what's going on (in an age appropriate way obviously), it's less fair for them to draw their own, probably inaccurate, conclusions. They won't prefer the OW, you're their mum!! Even if she plays the fun older sister card (which will be hard when she's looking after 4 of them), you will be the one they go to for important stuff.

I think you've done the right thing wrt MIL, she's obviously supporting her son but doesn't mean you need to run around after her!

Wtaf is he doing going away to a hotel with her if he wants to get back with you in the long term.... How much does he think you'll put up with.

Seriously OP, this guy is an absolute selfish twat, get rid you sound lovely and you will get through it. As the other poster said, this is NOTHING to do with you being "unlovable" listen to your friends! It has everything to do with him being a fuckwit and thinking he can treat you like a doormat.

SauceForTheGander · 12/01/2014 09:24

I'm not sure about the DCs spending the weekend with the OW. Will this include her DPs as she lives with them? Or at a hotel?

And is your H still saying he wants to break up with her and be with you but making plans with her. If so is this relationship going to last?

It's too soon to let the DCs witness all of that IMO.

However the DCs have to be told. He can't call the shots. What has he told them while you're not there? He could be playing victim with them too.

As for your MIL - she's shown no loyalty to the mother of her grand children and so why should you be a DIL to her. But we don't know she's cosy with OW, she might not like her either. She might be useful source of useful information (which as we all know is power)...

ScottishPies · 12/01/2014 09:38

If you don't mind me asking how do you know about all the things that he and the ow are doing?

This level of detail (reversing vacectamy, going away for the wknd) this would make mys head turn sumersaults

What you do now in your life is no business of his and similarly it might t help your emotional recovery if you w were werewere able to

ScottishPies · 12/01/2014 09:42

Crap phone

..were able to seperate from his day to day feelings/ actions.

Next time he tries to tell you something personal it may be worth interupting and say "your life is nothing to do with me now, i'll only talk to you about arrangements to do with the children".

akawisey · 12/01/2014 09:47

OP, I've come to your thread late and you've been given some really good advice and support already so I'll try not to repeat it although I would reiterate it. I think this will be a lengthy post, apologies and only take from it anything that might stick Smile.

My original thread here had to be deleted some time ago - 3 years actually - but I went on to post loads and loads about my own situation. I did divorce my ex husband even though I was going through exactly the same self doubt, self-blame, disbelief, fear and uncertainty as you are. Saffysmum was posting at around the same time in similar circs.

What I see in your thread is a theme which was similar to mine. Your husband is essentially a lazy, self centred and manipulative man whom other people have seen through because they don't have the same relationship with him as you. I bet you're hard working, committed, 'other-focussed' and direct in your dealings with other people and yourself. He is, quite simply, no match for you.

Now - whilst I couldn't make my husband love me in the way I loved him, couldn't change his core beliefs and values about his entitlement, couldn't change his manipulativeness - I could do something about my way of dealing with it. He was 'sorry' and 'fucked-up in the the head' had 'told me so many lies he didn't know which way was up'. OK. Well, he had to do the decent thing and act sorry - not because it suited him but precisely because it didn't.

The first thing I did was I bundled up all the belongings of his that I could (20 years worth) and I just made him come and get them. Whether it suited him or not. I contacted all the utilities, mortgage company, pension provider, everyone and put into motion the process which cut across any possibility of me weakening. Each step gave me a bit more focus on me and my DD and what was best for us. It hurt. But it was right. I swallowed the bits that came out after the discovery and used them to my advantage - for example when I discovered he was living with OW and not 'sofa surfing' I contacted CSA and they sent a big, fat bundle of forms to him. That upset him, but so what? He was LAZY and he needed a kick up the arse. It worked because it made my life a bit easier and who cared how much more difficult it made his? He did because he realised that he didn't have quite so much power to manipulate and self-serve that he'd thought.

So. three years down the line. I know he's sorry. I know he regrets not being honest because ironically he'd have had a much easier ride than he did. I know it in his actions to ME. He hasn't essentially changed by the way. He's still lazy, still self serving, still entitled but it has no effect on ME.

I got me a shit hot lawyer (eventually). She took over and made him demonstrate in action (read financial settlement) his remorse. That's what your husband should do now, but you're going to have to take the reins and lead him to a place he doesn't want to go. It will make you stronger.

As a postscript - DD came home this weekend and she said "Mum, I've always thought that dad's stressyness was all down to him betraying you but I've realised that it wasn't - it's just the way he is". She's right.

Sorry for going on about me - I did so to try and show you that as awful as it is, one day you will look back see that there are very effective ways of dealing with such people once you stop allowing THEM to define YOU.

AliceinWinterWonderland · 12/01/2014 10:05

Yes if he is feeding this information to you about what he is doing with the OW, I would cut the communication down to a minimum and tell him that communication from here on in is only necessary in regards to arrangements for the children. Contact CSA and get that started. And if he starts going on about OW when he is there in person, just an airy wave of the hand and "I'm not really interested, thanks. Your private life isn't of any interest to me at all" or something along those lines. Just sound bored and not interested. He's trying to push buttons.

Thisisaghostlyeuphemism · 12/01/2014 10:31

Just checked back on this to see if you had let the lying twat back.

Thank goodness you haven't.

Thanks

Keep being strong, you deserve soooo much better.

DustBunnyFarmer · 12/01/2014 10:52

However the DCs have to be told. He can't call the shots. What has he told them while you're not there? He could be playing victim with them too.

This ^. Don't let him frame the problem as you & dodge his accountability. You don't need to take his feelings into account any more. Yes, you need to be careful how you explain it to your children and not use it as an opportunity to slag him off, but they do need to understand why their Dad isn't at home anymore.

ToffeeOwnsTheSausage · 12/01/2014 15:04

This is not about you. It is about what a TWAT he is. Ignore his bit on the side. She is irrelevant. You don't have to let her anywhere near your children and quite frankly it is too soon for her to playing big sister. He needs to know that whatever decision you make it is for the best for the children as he is a nonentity to you now. Forget his mother. You never have to see her again.

Doha · 12/01/2014 15:23

I would be sending his texts to you to the OW only if you want him back . Although reading this thread you should be grateful she has taken him off your hands.
It won't last I think we all know that but . Please don't be sitting about waiting for him he is not worth it.

skyeskyeskye · 12/01/2014 15:34

Your DC do need to know and if you tell them yourself then you can control what they are told. Keep it simple and no blame, which is difficult. DD is 5 and she understands that mummy and daddy arent friends any more.

His OW is still billed as his mates wife, so she is in DD's life by default and spends half her life at XH's house when DD is there.

I too thought that nobody would want me, but this week have got a man pursuing me... and 2 years on, I feel ready to give dating a go.

There is light at the end of the tunnel, it just takes a while to get there sometimes but everybody is different.

SELondonSwede · 12/01/2014 15:47

How are you OP?

Onmyownwith4kids · 12/01/2014 16:31

He is still playing his little games. He says we could have had a lovely marriage if only I had given him more tine. He's telling me all the details of his girlfriend to explain how besotted she is by him and how terribly difficult it is to extract himself from such devotion. I so appreciate all your posts. It's massively helpful to hear from other people who've been through this. My friends are lovely but all have faithful husbands. They don't know the Raw pain. I will never forget the moment I found those texts. Tried to take kids out for a lovely day and they moaned and argued so not much of a boost! Husband is alarmed by how cold and clinical I have become. Don't think he thought I would divorce him. Would still be dithering without your wise insights. Scared though. These kids aren't easy. About to do reading, washing, school lunches, tea and bed on my own and it all feels relentless and lonely.

OP posts:
Thisisaghostlyeuphemism · 12/01/2014 16:36

Your dh is a complete twat. This was not your fault. Please stay 'cold' with him. He really expects you to be all lovey dovey with him!

Things will get better, op

ToffeeOwnsTheSausage · 12/01/2014 16:37

Why are you still listening to him? He starts with his shit, you tell him to STFU.

Give him more time for what? Fuck her a few more times? More time to make his mind up which one of you he wants washing his dirty pants this week?

Too difficult to walk away from her because she is so devoted to him? No, too difficult to walk away from the adoration and regular blow jobs more like.

Good. Let him be alarmed. I am sure she will soon make him feel better.

Filing for divorce was the best thing you could have done. All you are doing wrong now is listening to the twat still.

skyeskyeskye · 12/01/2014 16:41

Please stop engaging with him. If he tries to tell you anything about OW, then just say that his life is none of your concern now. How dare he blame you for not giving him more time and say that she is more devoted to him. Lets see how devoted she is when she's got kids hanging off her skirt all bloody day long. How long will it take him then to find the next "devoted" one.....

Tell him to fuck off and don't engage in any conversation other than to do with your DC.

Onmyownwith4kids · 12/01/2014 16:46

He's just appeared. He's crying and asking me to help him.

OP posts:
ToffeeOwnsTheSausage · 12/01/2014 16:52

Tell him you owe him nothing.

Would he help you if you had fucked someone else and broke your wedding vows?

Whatever you are saying to him is not getting into his head so you need to get tougher.

cuddlefish · 12/01/2014 16:52

Clearly, he thinks you'll crack eventually. I agree with the above poster, if she's so devoted she'll help him, right?

KatieScarlett2833 · 12/01/2014 16:56

Help him with what, exactly?
Help him to carry on treating you like shit ?
Help him to carry on shagging OW?
Help him to pay for the Hotel he's booked?

Send him back to OW, he's her problem, not yours.

skyeskyeskye · 12/01/2014 17:00

help him with what? perhaps he would like you to drive round and see OW and dump her for him?

Thisisaghostlyeuphemism · 12/01/2014 17:01

Ah the pretend breakdown.

Send him to his mums.

If he starts talking crap about killing himself call the police.

He is incorrigible.