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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

Emotional affair online going back years

16 replies

Anonforagoodreason · 30/11/2016 13:41

Not sure what to do.

OH is an online gamer. He chats to men and women on and offline. One of them is someone he's been in touch with for years - Rita, Can't be arsed to give her a pseudonym.

Last night I picked up the laptop and his hotmail account (which I know the password to anyway) was open. There was an email from Rita which showed the words "I would make sweet love to you".

So I clicked on it. It was a detailed set of emails going backwards and forwards, talking about joining the mile high club and what they would do to each other.

I searched for other emails. There are emails going back years, to when our last child was born. Some are just newsy, like writing to a friend, others are explicit sexting. The ones I found most upsetting were the ones where he tells her details about how he's feeling about all sorts of things that he flatly refuses to talk to me about - his dad dying and lots of big topics, and referrals to me in faintly derogatory tones - I don't understand how he's feeling, blah di blah,

She's obviously married too and lives in the US. They've never met as far as I can see. She has sent photos of herself and frankly, she's not anything special.

I have been battling an attraction to OH's friend for a few months now. I've not put myself in temptation's way, as I thought long and hard about what I wanted and I wanted to stay married, and if OH was feeling the way I was about one of my friends I'd be really hurt. So I have metaphorically sat on my hands and kept away.

Only now I find he's not extended the same courtesy to me. Fucker. He has talked to her online since before we met 14 odd years ago. The sex emails go in ebbs and flows. Sometimes no communication for months, then a flurry over a few days. It's clearly something they both get a sly kick from, but aren't serious about in that if they were going to meet and shag I would have thought they would have done it by now.

I've logged back onto his hotmail account just now and he's deleted all the emails. Except there is a retrieve deleted items facility on hotmail, and so I've retrieved them and printed them off.

I am so tempted to call his friend and go out with him tonight, leaving the print outs on his pillow. I know that would cause more problems as I'd be (hopefully) actually doing something, rather than just talking about it.

But fuck it. I'm so sad and angry. I have really tried with our marriage, we went through a terrible spell and had counselling, and I thought things had got better. We've just been away for the weekend and (TMI) had amazing sex. For a long time I had no sex drive after the kids but it's been back with a vengeance the last few months.

They were emailing last night about fantasies. Clearly the sex wasn't as amazing as I thought. Then he came to bed and wanted cuddles and to know what was wrong.

Fuck. Don't know what to do.

OP posts:
Adora10 · 30/11/2016 13:53

Well for me OP, that would be the end of the relationship, he's effectively been cheating on you the whole time - it's really pretty disgusting, whether online or not, it's a full blown affair.

I think you both need to split up; how on earth can you ever trust him again, he's got zero loyalty to you or your marriage.

TheNaze73 · 30/11/2016 13:56

Firstly, thinking she's nothing special is frankly absurd as she obviously is to your OH.

I wouldn't put up with this, he's clearly bored & sticking two fingers up to you & your relationship. You're worth more that that

Happybunny19 · 30/11/2016 13:59

I'm not sure I would be able to get over that level of deceit, regardless of them meeting in person or not. That level of emotional intimacy over the duration of your entire relationship would kill it for me. Is he aware that you know now he's deleted all the messages?

Are you in a position to kick him out? What is your housing and financial situation like? At the very least he needs to get out for a while to let you decide if he has a future in your marriage.

NotTheFordType · 30/11/2016 14:23

I would suspect that his deletion of the mails today was a response to your frosty attitude last night. Quite a coincidence otherwise. So I think keep your powder dry for now, get your ducks in a row and don't confront him until you're sure of what you want to do.

Fontella · 30/11/2016 14:40

He's been lying to you and cheating on you for 14 years. Only thing that's stopped him from actually shagging her, is the fact she lives on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

if she lived around the corner, I doubt they'd only be having cyber sex.

You on the other hand have a living, breathing bloke close at hand who you fancy (you don't mention if he fancies you?) and you've stayed loyal to your arse of a husband while he quite frankly, has been taking the piss.

When you're ready, I'd confront him with the emails, tell him it's over and then let the other bloke that you'll likely be single in the very near future.

Vagabond · 30/11/2016 14:58

Do you have kids? Does this other bloke fancy you? How devastated would you be if you broke up?

skilledintheartofnothing · 30/11/2016 15:00

^ Second getting your Ducks in a row.
I know its tempting to lash out and do something drastic but try to keep calm. Use this time to work out what you want and start getting a plan together

danTDM · 30/11/2016 15:10

Please don't jump down my throat, but I don't think it is that big a deal. Although upsetting, granted, He is friends with her precisely because there is no way it could ever be anything else.

I have a friend for years and years, before I got married, we are both married and email all the time, we are friends only. I do tell him certain things and him me, because it is easier to write it down sometimes.

The sex thing is possibly a mild flirtation/joke, no?

You sound like you fancy someone else, do you really?

I think if you want to work this out, you can Flowers

MsGameandWatch · 30/11/2016 15:18

Do NOT do anything with his mate. You will lose the moral high ground. The best bit of advice I was ever given was "always keep the moral high ground".

I'm afraid I agree it's not a deal breaker - wouldn't be for me anyway, if I really loved him, he's just being an idiot and fantasising a lot someone he will never meet.

That said if you don't want to be with him then this could be enough your get you out of your marriage iyswim?

DoinItFine · 30/11/2016 15:20

Your marriage is a lie.

Wait until you have split before you fuck his friend.

bluebeck · 30/11/2016 15:23

I would LTB over this, I could never trust him again. I don't think you should jump into bed with his friend though - you will lose all the moral high ground.

I agree with PP who said you should get all your ducks in a row and maybe get some legal advice?

Why has he suddenly deleted them after all these years - surely this means he knows you have seen them?

danTDM · 30/11/2016 15:23

absolutely, do nothing with his real life, down the road, friend. That would put you firmly in the wrong, it would be far worse than his 'crime'.

GutInstinct · 30/11/2016 15:31

He's living a fantasy, and I hate to say it but this sort of thing is rife in the online world.

What you need to decide though is what you want to happen now. He's talking sexually to this woman because he can, and because he knows he's safe to do so because she's in America and they're never likely to meet.

That doesn't make it ok, but equally if you're talking about having feelings for his friend then it seems your marriage is in trouble regardless.

You need to confront him over the online activity. Chances are that he'll say that he was flattered by the attention. But if you both value your marriage then you both need to invest the time and energy into putting your marriage back on track. That means no online gaming for him for the time being and no flirting with his mates for you.

But this all has to start with a conversation. Without the conversation you can' theave any idea where you're going.

Yourarejokingme · 30/11/2016 15:40

I would see this as cheating because of the sexting friends don't do that.

He's over invested in her not you.

Only you can decide on what to do now.
But a warning do not sleep with his friend no matter how tempted.

I couldn't stay as he didn't value you for the whole marriage but that is me not you

Adora10 · 30/11/2016 15:40

Having feelings for his friend does not even come close to what he has and is doing, I can't believe some of the responses here.

Because they have not met in the physical sense is irrelevant, they are having a full blown emotional affair where he is discussing his feelings towards you in a derogatory way; as has been said, I am sure if she was in front of him the sex would have taken place also, they probably have sex online via Face time and Skype, I am sorry OP but that's the reality of the situation.

How you sort that out and forgive is beyond me, I know I couldn't.

He will do it again, he has no value for fidelity with you or the marriage, he's more than happy to get his rocks off from other women.

He's basically risking his life with you for what - exactly, you can do a zillion times better.

Monkeyface26 · 30/11/2016 15:53

You've had a shock and it's natural to be thinking about revenge and confrontation.
Knowledge is power though. You are in a stronger position because he doesn't know that you know.
I don't think you should do anything hasty. Let it sink in. See a solicitor. Think about your finances. Decide what you want when you've had a little time to process all this.
I'm very sorry and wish you strength and dignity. Perhaps first go with the age old advice - Don't get mad, get everything. Then, if you still want to get even.....

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