Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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

Unknowingly cheated on for over 15 years

357 replies

iamnotwhat · 20/02/2016 14:10

I'm so confused and I'd like to know what others think. Be easy on me though please, this is my first time posting a thread

I'd been away with the children between Christmas and New Year as my husband was having to work and didn't want us to miss out on seeing family. I'd gone away at Christmas thinking I was happily married, but my husband had changed when we got back.

I left it a couple of days - partly to see if I was imagining things but largely as he went out with work friends after work so I hardly saw him. After a couple of days I asked him what was wrong and he said he was fed up of trying to change me - he was/is into really kinky stuff that I just didn't want to be involved in. After a week he told me he'd need to go away for a few days every month to "get things out of his system" so he could be a good husband and father the rest of the time - the trouble was he was a pretty rubbish husband at the best of times, and I wasn't willing to share him with God knew who so I said no.

A day or so later the truth came out - he'd been having sex with other women from three days after we first got together right up to the present day. He'd had sex with someone who liked similar stuff to him after Christmas while I was away with the children, as she'd said it would make our marriage stronger if he shagged her behind my back.

I've had my doubts about things throughout the 15+ years but every time I asked him about anything he'd make me feel stupid and manipulative. He made me doubt my own mind.

We'd stayed together for over 15 years (10 married) as I thought we loved each other deeply. I coped with the bad things that kept coming our way as I thought I could deal with anything while we had each other. I now realise that our whole relationship was built on lies.

It turns out that the other woman is pregnant - allegedly by my husband - and now she wants nothing to do with him. He keeps telling me how much he misses her and how thinking of life with/without her makes him feel sick, while also hoping to get back together with me (telling me he's started the process of "changing" his ways).

Basically I think he's a sex addict. He's got a very addictive nature and I think he's addicted to this other woman too, rather than being in love with her. I moved out of the family home with the children pretty much straightaway but said I'd support him if he got help for his addiction. Am I wrong to do this? My family want me to keep him at arms' length. They're concerned as he's at my new house a lot, phones and texts a lot - I see more of him now than I did when we were together!

I hope this makes sense... I'm just getting bits out of my head while typing...

OP posts:
iamnotwhat · 25/02/2016 16:45

Great suggestion, thanks. I'm going to leave it a little longer to see if he gets the message as I really don't want things turning nasty for the children's sake, and I think that that would be like red rag to a bull... But if it's still going on I'll give that a go, thanks

OP posts:
NameChange30 · 25/02/2016 16:48

You're welcome. The other, less direct option would be to just ignore the messages you don't want.

iamnotwhat · 25/02/2016 16:50

So far, I've tended to just not to respond to those ones.

My heart sinks a little when one comes in, and then I just get on with things.

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 25/02/2016 17:45

if he loved you he would respect that you need space

he has no respect for your boundaries...that is not "love" that is control

AnyFucker · 25/02/2016 17:46

I would ignore him. ust the fact that you might respond is fuelling his continued mithering. Ignore completely.

AnyFucker · 25/02/2016 17:46

*just

BitOutOfPractice · 25/02/2016 17:57

The best answer is no answer.

FuckYouChrisAndThatHorse · 25/02/2016 18:01

You're doing so well.

Not responding is probably the best response. But if you do find yourself wanting to say more, I would go with, "I have asked you not to contact me, to give me some space to heal. Every time you send a message it shows just how little respect you have left for my wishes, and just how unwilling you are to listen. I'm not going to be responding to anything that isn't relevant and about the children from here on in."

FantasticButtocks · 25/02/2016 18:10

Sorry, but things have already 'turned nasty'. If you go with AnotherEmma's idea I have asked you not to contact me unless it is regarding practical arrangements for the children. Please respect this. (and sending it each time he sends a text) then that is polite, but direct and absolutely clear. That is not nasty. He may turn nasty. But then that is in his nature. There's nothing you can do to prevent him turning nasty. He will do so once he realises he's really not going to get what he wants. You can make him realise that now. Or you can continue to be plagued by these texts until he realises later, and then turns nasty.

He hears it, but then hours later or the next day it's as if I never said anything. He doesn't think you mean it. And the fact he can get you to respond 'proves' it, confirms what he thinks.

iamnotwhat · 25/02/2016 18:19

Thanks everyone.

FantasticButtocks - yes, I meant him/the situation turning nasty. I do see what you mean about being direct, but I do think that ignoring is the way to go for now. I'm thinking of my children here especially.

OP posts:
FantasticButtocks · 25/02/2016 18:23

Yes, ignoring is good.

iamnotwhat · 25/02/2016 22:37

Well, I've had to explain it to him again. It was horrible. He just doesn't seem to understand why I need him to back off. He doesn't even seem to get why I don't want to get back together with him. I was very blunt. I'd like to say he can be left in no doubt, but I've thought that before.

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 25/02/2016 23:20

He isn't listening because it doesn't suit him to

Stop explaining now and use those two magic words that will save you a whole lot of wasted time and energy...

FantasticButtocks · 25/02/2016 23:23

Are those the words 'fuck' and 'off' AF?

NameChange30 · 25/02/2016 23:26

He understands, OP. He just doesn't give a shit. What you want, what you think, what you feel - NONE of that matters to him. Not if it doesn't fit in with what he wants.

AnyFucker · 25/02/2016 23:26

I like to think of them as a story that tell a thousand words...

You could substitute "piss" if you want to sweeten the pill a tiny bit Smile

iamnotwhat · 25/02/2016 23:28

That's becoming more and more obvious every day. How could I have been so blind to it? When I said I needed him to back off as it wasn't helping me or the children get on with our lives he said "but it's helping me".

OP posts:
NameChange30 · 25/02/2016 23:28

Well of course.

AnyFucker · 25/02/2016 23:29

He nailed it there

iamnotwhat · 25/02/2016 23:30

I think I'll use both phrases AF, to mix it up a bit Wink

OP posts:
iamnotwhat · 28/02/2016 12:15

I'm exhausted. I keep having to go through it all again and again with him. He's just not getting it.

He says he can't live without seeing me, that he's only seeking help so he can change to prove to me that I'd never have to worry about him straying again etc. I've told him all I want is for him to back off, give me space and stop pushing. I'm not holding my breath...

OP posts:
NameChange30 · 28/02/2016 12:20

Stop explaining. Stop engaging. He gets it, he just doesn't care. So you need to ignore him now.

iamnotwhat · 28/02/2016 13:25

Hi Emma. I know. But if I don't explain then I feel as if I'm just leaving him to believe it's ok. A friend who knows us both has said she thinks I'll just have to keep repeating it until it finally sinks in.

OP posts:
mumsonthelash · 28/02/2016 13:26

You are being played. The more you have to explain the more contact he is having with you. Stop explaining yourself to him. Are you secretly enjoying the power and attention. I know I did and look back and cringe.
Have no contact. You owe him nothing.

iamnotwhat · 28/02/2016 13:28

I'm definitely not enjoying it. On Thursday (when I thought I'd finally got through) I felt as if a weight has been lifted.

OP posts: