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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

Is he cheating on me?

134 replies

anoldchestnut · 11/10/2006 09:53

For those of you that haven't followed my DH and porn thread here here is a very brief synopsis.
A few weeks ago I discovered some gay porn images that dh had printed off the internet. I was obviously concerned as I thought it might mean he was questioning his sexuality, but (thanks to mn!) got my head around this and began to view it as something potentially exciting as a way of spicing up our sex life. However despite trying to talk to dh about what he wanted in the bedroom dept. got nowhere.
A few weeks later I discovered more pictures and a pack of condoms with some missing from the pack. Obviously I thought he had taken this 'fantasy' a step further and was cheating on me - with either a man or a woman.
Well I confronted him last night, and I can tell you it was the most difficult thing I have ever done. I was shaking, heart pounding etc etc. However I did it and managed to remain calm. He went as white as a sheet and denied that he was sleeping with someone else. He basically said he was bored with our sex life as we usually do oral sex (cos he doesn't like condoms LOL - I have just gone on the mini-pill ironically to try and improve things) and used the condoms when he was masturbating. He kept on denying there was anyone else, and I kept saying 'how can I believe you with the evidence' to which he just kept saying 'well it's the truth so it's up to you whether you believe it or not'. I said if he was honest with me I was prepared to try and sort our relationship out, but unless he was totally honest there wasn't much point. He said he didn't want to leave me or the dcs or our house and I said 'well the next move's up to you'. Basically he then went to bed. He didn't put his arms round me or anything to re-assure, just got defensive and kept denying it.
This morning he re-iterated that he wasn't sleeping with anyone else and reminded me that he had got suspicious when I started wearing thongs and waxing my bikini line. (FWIW I did this cos I lost a lot of weight and started to feel good about my body and wanted to feel sexy too). I said 'yeah but I never hid those things from you'. He then said he's just been feeling really bad about himself and I said if that was the case he was suppose to talk about things with me, not hide them. We couldn't really talk much this morning as the dcs were around.
So basically where do we go from here? Has anyone ever heared of a man masturbating using condoms????? Sounds dodgy to me I have to say although I want to believe him.
There seems to be three possibilities:
1 That he was telling the truth, in which case why hide things from me, and why buy more condoms when there's plenty at home?
2 That he is questionning his sexuality, but again surely that's something he ought to tell me about?
3 That he has been cheating (don't know much about body language but if he was embarassed about the porn or w&nking surely he'd have gone red not white? Going white is a sign of guilt isn't it?)
Whichever is the case he has been keeping things from me, being deceiptful(sp?), and there is no communication, all of which I think speak volumes for how he regards both me and our marriage.
The trust has gone and it will take a long time to build back up, if it does at all.
So what do Mnetters think - is he cheating or not?
Gosh that was long - apologies and well done for getting this far!

OP posts:
Glassofslime · 16/10/2006 18:39

You know what - you are all going to hate me for this, but I quite like Peter for his honesty. Yes, what he says worries the hell out of me, I'd hate to think DH was up to the same thing, but you know I;m not that convinced Peter's that way off the mark.

While I don't like what he is saying, I don't think he's that unusual. I have many male friends and only one or two have admitted to using prostitutes and one or two old boyfriends said they 'accidently' used a prosititute. ie. they thought it was a one night stand untill money was asked for so logic tells me that there must be more who wouldn't tell a female friend.

Don't get me wrong I wouldn't want to be Peters wife and it would make me sick if all this was true of my dh. Peter has a point though, what man would admit to it, wouldn't they say they stuff like why would I need to when I have you etc. I think we have to get real. My DH works long hours and travels abroad a lot - there have been loads of times he's called from abroad saying that he's back from a night out early and the other men have gone off on the pull. Obviously that reassures me and I really don't believe that he would sleep with someone else, but itsn't that because thats what I want to believe.

MellowMonsta · 16/10/2006 18:47

Oh no I do believe that there are men like Peter. Does not mean I have to like them though. Pure and utter sleaze..................

Elf1981 · 16/10/2006 19:29

PMSL @ Peter. Sorry, but the "Marital sex is, for the most part, like NHS healthcare: costs you a fortune and you get what they feel like giving you at a time of their choosing, but if you really want quality on demand, you have to go BUPA" really made me laugh. Not that I agree with him, it just tickled me, but then I do have an odd sense of humour.

anoldchestnut - I'm glad that you and your DH are getting back on track. I'm afraid I agree with the posters who mentioned about not using spyware etc. Both DH & I look at porn on the computer, separately. It used to upset me, and then I thought about it and decided it wasn't worth it - how bad of me to look at porn myself and know it meant nothing, yet be offended when DH did. Just because we look at porn on the odd occassion, it doesn't mean that either of us want to have an affair. I have a few guys I email / joke, some say "flirt" with, but again, I'm not looking for an affair. I might get the odd jokey email from a friend which other people may raise their eyes at, but my DH knows me, he knows I'd never cheat, he trusts me and more importantly, I trust myself.
My sex life is 100% my DH and I would imagine his with me, aside from the porn aspects!
Talking to your DH is key, keep it up, in more ways than one

missymoosal · 17/10/2006 05:14

Peter you protest too much self praise is no recommendation.
For the record YOU ARE A LIFE SYSTEM FOR AN ANUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spagblog · 17/10/2006 07:43

God, what an unpleasant and morally reprehensible little caricature of a man you are Peter.

Now piss off troll and go tell your "stories" to people who think you are clever, because we all just think you are a complete wanker.

"The bad news is that I am an Oxbridge graduate and a qualified professional. I bring in major money because I do not wish my OH to work. We have cleaners 3 times a week, a gardener, two cars and three holidays a year. Every evening after work, I cook a family meal from scratch, and then I bath the children and put them to bed. Once a week, I order the groceries off Ocado so my OH doesn't have to traipse round the shop. I fix my MIL's car, computer and central heating. I am the SIL she always dreamed of, especially considering the workshy parasites her other 2 daughters married. "

Aren't you wonderful, aren't you just the perfect catch.

Judy1234 · 17/10/2006 08:10

One answer is for women not to put themselves ever into a position of economic dependence on men from which many problems can stem, to earn more than their man and if they so choose (although it's not nice for either party) take their sexual satisfaction elsewhere than the marital bed, as do many women.

mumbleslikeazombiechum · 17/10/2006 08:28

Mmmm, I wish I was Peter's wife, he sounds yummy!

All I have to do now is dump my husband (VP in biggest pharma company in the world), leave my £1.4 million home in Bucks, and resign from my part time job as a lawyer.

Hang on, Peter, I'm coming! I'd luurrvve to have a threesome with your fabulous wife and you...oh, actually, I wouldn't, you're a wanker.[childish emoticon} Maybe we should start a Peter Fan Club thread.

Judy1234 · 17/10/2006 08:37

Quite a lot of married men email me, on- line who I reject. I'm not interested in being someone's temporary distraction. These comments are not unusual. I get essays (up to 500 - 1000 words) on how they're doing the unselfish thing in staying with their wife and children and keeping their moral obligations despite the bad sex life. They also know if they divorce their position will be like mine on divorce (as the higher earner) - that it costs a fortune, a fortune they (I) built up.

The fact that so many stories and plays as far back as you can go is about sexual jealousy of men and women just shows it will always be with us. Only comfort to women is it's a very gender-neutral issue.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 25/10/2006 20:13

ROFL at PNF!

A qualified professional what exactly?

I'm sure your household has a balance. No doubt about it. Most likely the gardener/personal trainer/cleaner/mechanic/private tutor/all of the above is/are "stuffing" your wife. The fab thing about that is, you are paying for it! Sounds like a good deal to me. I'll have some of that.

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