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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

Am I mad- is another man texting my wife 'hey beautiful' acceptable?

106 replies

Husband99 · 26/02/2015 17:50

My wife has a male friend whom she has known before we got together. Nothing ever happened between them, but he did confess to liking my wife in a way beyond friendship to her. He, along with other female friends he has, takes them out for dinner (including my wife- he always pays), and has bought my wife expensive gifts. For example, before we were engaged he bought her a mobile phone for over £200. I have always found this a little odd, but accepted it. I too have very close friends who are female- indeed, my two best friends are female, and we are just that- friends- and I do not lavish them with gifts- certainly no more than any other friends. I then saw on my wife's phone that he texted her 'hey beautiful, how are you?'. I was mortified. It made me snoop (it saddens me to admit this) further in which I found an email in which my wife was seeking his address to send him a birthday present. He replied - 'What's are you sending me? Roses on Valentines Day? xx'

Am I mad? I think this is completely out of order, and a genuine betrayal of trust between two men, and makes me reconsider the acceptability of him taking my wife for dinner and purchasing gifts. Am I wrong to feel this way? Please- tell me your thoughts.

OP posts:
Fairenuff · 27/02/2015 20:30

This is a friendship she had before she met you and it has nothing to do with you unless they're shagging or lying to you, neither of which has happened.

That's not true actually. Many emotional affairs are played out right in front of the partner's eyes purely because it is so hard to argue against an innocent friendship.

But there can be emotional intimacy, thinking about each other a lot, turning to that person to discuss your problems, fears, hopes, worries, etc. All the sorts of things you would normally share with a partner. There can be an emotional connection, an attachment that makes the bond so strong that it can interfere with the primary relationship.

Sometimes people even take their children along to their meet ups, as often it's a good excuse to get together and it all looks totally above board. Eventually, of course, this will often lead to a physical affair, especially if the marriage partner is relegated to the sidelines in favour of continuing the emotional affair.

We can't tell you OP what it is. We don't know because we are not one of the three people involved. But I would say to go with your gut feeling. If she doesn't respect you enough to listen to how you feel and reassure you, by her actions that your relationship really is the one she wants, then you may have more problems to deal with yet.

Hopefully she will rein it in a bit now she knows it bothers you. One thing she could do is agree to not accept any more expensive gifts, for example and not to use flirty language when she communicates with him. That would be easy to do.

However, now that you have expressed concerns she should cool it off with him to show him that you are more important to her. I would ask her to do that and see what she says.

GreyjoysAnatomy · 27/02/2015 20:50

I dunno, my best friend calls me such things and it is totally platonic. He is also friends with my dh and it's not an issue at all for us. But you can't help the way you feel I guess Wink

PacificDogwood · 27/02/2015 21:01

Without trust there is nothing.

This. Yes.

Husband99 · 27/02/2015 21:15

PacificDogwood I agree. Based on his actions I (now) don't trust him, which is sad. Had I from the very start of our relationship had an issue with their friendship, I would understand this notion of being 'possessive'; but I didn't. I trusted them both. But he is not important. My wife and I are, and our relationship.

OP posts:
PacificDogwood · 27/02/2015 21:33

You misunderstand: trust between your DW and yourself.
The other man does not really have anything to do with that.

BitOutOfPractice · 28/02/2015 00:12

You don't need to trust him. You need to trust your wife.

Op stop all this macho chest beating territory marking male-proving shit and talk to your wife about how you feel

You have got this all arse about face

How does your wife feel about you emailing her friend?

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