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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

After the affair: What to do next?

31 replies

mothy99 · 27/06/2014 18:14

Hi all. I'm a stay at home dad with a 5 year old son. My wife recently confessed to having a couple (not sure how true this is) of one night stands and to being in a relationship with another man for almost a year.

I feel devastated. My chest hurts all the time and I get pins and needles.

I cannot believe what would possess her to act this way. While we've had our fair share of problems, this does not give her the right to do this.

How do I move on? I feel so numb.

OP posts:
HerdyHerdwick · 27/06/2014 19:06

What prompted her confession? Did you have suspicions and confront her, or did she just come out with it?

mothy99 · 27/06/2014 19:21

I discovered the other man talking about his girlfriend on a social network and the description matched my wife. She also liked the post, confirming it was her.

OP posts:
handfulofcottonbuds · 27/06/2014 19:22

mothy - I'm so sorry you are going through this.

Is she still living with you? Has she ended it with the OM?

I'm sorry to have to say but you probably need to book an STI test, I did that after my stbxh left for OW.

You don't move on just yet I'm afraid, you need time to digest this and let this sink in first. Small steps will get you there, this is still so raw for you.

mothy99 · 27/06/2014 19:23

After I discovered it, I confronted her and she confessed to everything.

OP posts:
handfulofcottonbuds · 27/06/2014 19:36

Do you have RL support mothy?

arsenaltilidie · 27/06/2014 19:50

Call your friends and have a drink.
Think about the future.

But she shagged another man and had lots of ONS.
Not only that she disrespect you by liking his post about her.

You need to man up; not all, but SAHDs tend to be submissive and that is never attractive in a man.

For now call your friends

neiljames77 · 27/06/2014 19:54

Yeah, great advice that, arsenaltilidie. Ffs.

merlincat · 27/06/2014 20:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

handfulofcottonbuds · 27/06/2014 20:05

arsenal - are you for real??! Hope I never come across someone with your attitude.

WellWhoKnew · 27/06/2014 20:11

I think arsenaltilidie is more arse than anything else.

You do not say when you discovered this - just now; in the last twenty four hours; days ago.

If it is very recent, I suspect you will be panicking. What about the kids? If you've never divorced before - what is that about? What about the finances? How am I going to get a job after x amount of time out of work. What job can I do and and what about childcare? Will I lose the kids? How will I cope on my own?

It is a truly awful time for you, irrespective of whether or not you are the primary carer, or primary earner.

You will be in profound shock. In my own experience, the physical pain lasts much longer than the shock. Anger will emerge, and so will endless tears. For you, I have a lot of empathy.

What you need to do now is speak to a solicitor, if you can afford one (you being 'as a matrimonial unit' not as a SAHD'), or the CAB if you cannot as that will reassure you of what happens next, and what steps can be taken to ensure your immediate future is looked after from a pragmatic point of view.

It does not matter whether or not you file for divorce, or your wife does. I did not have to kick my husband out of my home, but hopefully others will be a long soon, who can explain more about this side of things.

Do not, under any circumstances, take revenge against your spouse. There is too much at stake for rash behaviour now.

Once you have spoken to a solicitor, it will help you see that whilst the emotional pain is still very raw, (I'm afraid only time heals), your life is a process of staged independence. In other words, your world becomes a matter of dealing with the pragmatics (calmly) and coping with the endless extreme emotions (which take time).

I hope this has been of some help to you. This is not about your decision to be a SAHD, it is not a gender issue. This is about being extremely hurt by the person you trusted the most. As I say, I do understand a little of what you are going through.

AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore · 27/06/2014 20:17

You need to man up; not all, but SAHDs tend to be submissive and that is never attractive in a man.

WTF???

fairylightsintheloft · 27/06/2014 20:19

bit concerned about the posts that assume that the OP WILL be leaving his wife. How about the idea that he takes some times to explore options and consider whether he wants to end it, or whether she is worth fighting for / forgiving/ working on the relationship? OP, I have no idea if your wife is interested in pursuing a future with you, if she is contrite etc but infidelity does not have to be the end of it. Regardless of how many posts you get on here that project their own relationship experiences on to yours, every situation is unique. You need time, honesty, practical info from CAB about your options and some more time. I witnessed a couple go through this. The wife behaved appallingly callously for a while, moved out, was determined it was over. He hung on, told her to take her time deciding what she wanted, was able to keep things open until she got her head out of her arse, realised what the hell she was losing and went back. They are now very happy. It may be game over, but it is not a foregone conclusion.

WellWhoKnew · 27/06/2014 20:53

Fairy, I fear your post shows my post is easily misinterpreted, since my post is the only one that used the term 'divorce'. I did not assume divorce is the only option, but that it will be a consideration at this moment in time.

Speaking to a solicitor allows you to consider breaking up the marriage, rather than doing anything you can to hang on to it because you fear the change.

I hope that any projection I am having is rather an understanding that this may be what the OP is going through, because that is what I went through.

I do not advocate LTB, any more than SWTB. However, I wanted to express an understanding of his situation, and if it in anyway relates to what I have had to deal with in recent weeks, then hopefully it will make sense to him.

If not, then he should read and ignore.

neiljames77 · 27/06/2014 21:01

She's had one night stands and a year long relationship behind his back.
I'm not projecting anything but I couldn't possibly forgive something like that.
Get as much advice as possible op.

mothy99 · 27/06/2014 21:18

Thanks for the advice. I only learnt of this on Wednesday night. I haven't even told my family yet - the thought terrifies me a little.

I don't know what I'm going to do next. It feels like I'm a bad dream only this time I'm not waking up.

OP posts:
handfulofcottonbuds · 27/06/2014 21:29

Where is your wife now, staying in the house with you?

The bad dream does end but sadly it is something you have to go through. IME, it is important to start telling family, you will need their support.

Take time to cry, scream, feel numb but do look after yourself and eat little and often.

How is your son, is he with you?

I'm so sorry for you.

mothy99 · 27/06/2014 21:54

She's still at the home (not in right now, perhaps with the other man). Our son is ok, seems unfazed by it all.

Thanks for the kind words

OP posts:
YellowTulips · 27/06/2014 21:59

In your place i would go see a solicitor to understand my position. Knowledge is power.

Then as the stay at home parent I would ask her to move out whilst I considered my options.

If she refused, quite frankly I would start divorce proceedings because clearly her needs are always going to top trump yours.

If she agrees I would use the space to really evaluate the relationship and if I felt the trust could be rebuilt and what it would take to achieve that.

YellowTulips · 27/06/2014 22:01

Actually have been a bit to kind in my last post - honestly I'd ditch her.

She's not a prize worth fighting over - she's trash to be recycled to the man who's scum enough to sleep with a married woman.

HerdyHerdwick · 27/06/2014 22:09

"perhaps with the other man" ?
OP, ask her to move out and take some time to give your future some thought. You can't live like this, knowing she's out on a Friday night but not knowing if she's out shagging someone else!

WellWhoKnew · 27/06/2014 22:12

Mothy99,

My biggest regret about my abandonment (aside from being abandoned) is that I didn't tell anyone for two and a half weeks. My first acknowledgement to my situation was making a post on MN.

A big mistake. As hard as I found it to tell people, once I told, it was the instant that I found out the brilliance of people. Everyone wants to walk with you to get through the worst of it.

So don't keep quiet. Tell the bloody world. You have nothing to be ashamed of. People will understand.

We all make choices. I chose to not say a word. He chose to do what he did. Not me. People understand the difference.

Take care.

mothy99 · 27/06/2014 22:26

Thanks for all the support. That means a lot :)

YellowTulips - I love your posts. Your last one made me smile a little

WellWhoKnew - great advice. I'm going to let people hear me roar (thought I'd slip in a Katy Perry reference there, lol)

OP posts:
WellWhoKnew · 27/06/2014 22:57

I let my solicitor roar. I keep stumm.

But I'm a little a head of you.

Best wishes.

merlincat · 28/06/2014 14:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

arsenaltilidie · 28/06/2014 16:55

I'm not t kicking him when he's down.
His wife cheated and thought it was okay to publicly humiliate him on FB.
She has lost all respect for him and it's time for him to build himself up.
He needs to man up, be decisive,have a drink with his friends and 'kick the Skank to the curb'

If OP you are a decent guy, you will not have a problem meeting new partners.
But for now it's time to throw away the calm steady man persona.