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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

Emotional affair?

203 replies

Pelagia21 · 06/12/2017 20:19

I think my husband is having an emotional affair with a work colleague. I found texts on his phone - I only looked as I had a gut feeling of late that something was going on - only to be confirmed. The texts were not overtly sexual but lits of compliments kisses and emojis. She went on night out and he asked for pics and she sent a few and one im particular a high leg kick close up thigh. He replied with various adjectives "you are beautiful..." And so on.
I told him id found texts and he apologised and said nothing had happened just got close lately.(they are going through a difficult work situation together which has brought them closer). I am aware of this and we discussed this - he says no more texts. Im so upset. I cant fully trust him. They still spend most of day together including time alone. She gives him a lift part way home. His response now is "ive said sorry and thought you said we'd leave it". I want to ask more questions but its just been ending in rows and cos he is very stressed with job i feel guilty and think id better leave it. There have been other signals over last few months and i had suspicions but i do think it has only escalated very recently. He actually said probably good you found out now etc. But what is niggling awY is i dont think its over - they must still like each other and are still going to be together at work. I have said we will have to see over next few weeks. To be honest i cant think straight. We have a big family and i am very busy and running round. One part of me wants to end it all as ive had enough.

OP posts:
MrsMozart · 28/12/2017 16:13

You need to decide what you want m'duck, and them work backwards as to how / if it's possible.

YummyChocolatebubbles · 29/03/2018 20:03

Haven't posted for a while. Long story. He told me it was over but it started again a few weeks ago (obviously never really over!). More of the same but also now kissed her. Again he tells me it was a mistake / all over / no more. A total reply of a few months ago! He is been horrible again in total denial. Apparently I'm a spy! Totally heartbroken but that's it - all over for me and ive told him. Just dreading the next few months. I already feel like ive been made a fool of.

YummyChocolatebubbles · 29/03/2018 20:06

Sorry for name change - don't know how to go back to other?

Lillygolightly · 29/03/2018 20:30

I’m so sorry to hear what your going through. He may have stopped the texts or whatever for a time but he has obviously continued to have feelings for her.

Their infactuation with each other is because their relationship has no basis in reality. They only see all the best bits of each other and have a common enemy in work situation and suspicious spouses.

You’ve be plenty understanding from what I’ve read, but now is the time to pour cold water on the situation. Call time on him because he neither appreciates or respects you right now. You have to force his shitty behaviour into the light and walk away from him with your self respect and dignity intact.

You will get through this Flowers

YummyChocolatebubbles · 29/03/2018 20:40

Thanks for your message. Sorry should have said "total replay"
Also there were more texts photos and a sensual poem that "i wasn't meant to see"!

YummyChocolatebubbles · 30/03/2018 00:08

Im still the bad guy. I shouldn't have snooped. I wasnt meant to see poem! Just one kiss that was a mistake and wont happen again. This is what he says to me. He says sorry but doesnt convince me. He is still angry sorry and doesnt get why i just cant forgive and move on?! I cant trust him that's why,! I said to him "twice is too much."

KeziaOAP · 30/03/2018 09:36

He is still angry sorry and doesnt get why i just cant forgive and move on?!

Doesn't sound as if he's showing any remorse just anger that you've snooped. He has an enormous crush on this woman and she's doing nothing to dissuade him. He's her boss not doing her career any good at all but then neither of them are thinking of that. If (and that's a big if) you are to get through this he needs to do a hell of a lot more than saying sorry. I see from your other thread he said about resigning was he serious? Does her husband know?

YummyChocolatebubbles · 30/03/2018 10:22

He isn't going to resign no ( sorry if messages confusing). If anything things are just the same at work which I find difficult. He didnt do anything or make any changes to show me he was sorry.
And no her husband doesnt know and this does frustrate me but I cant tell him. By all accounts they see fine but as I say she has contributed to causing trouble in my marriage! Another thing - my husband has not told her i know about recent stuff and kiss. I think he is doing that to keep it all nice and ok and keeping his options open. Sometimes I feel so confused and wish it would all go away. I feel depressed.

Addy2 · 30/03/2018 10:34

Seriously, tell her husband. If nothing else, he deserves to know.

YummyChocolatebubbles · 30/03/2018 19:12

I have read so many posts on here recently that sound so similar to my situation! Emotional affairs with colleagues followed by lies denial and anger!

Alfiemoon1 · 30/03/2018 20:04

It isn’t just an emotional affair anymore they have kissed so it’s also physical. I think her husband deserves to know what’s going on.

KeziaOAP · 30/03/2018 20:04

Yummy do you have RL friends/relatives you can talk to? Wouldn't think HR department would be pleased if a situation arose. When I was at work, many moons ago, a colleague was having an affair with a secretary, his wife's sister came in and caused a scene with the OW, didn't go down well, he left not long after.

Did your H tell her you knew about the previous stuff? Expect he would get very angry if you said you would contact and tell her you know about more recent stuff, make her suffer in the expectation her DH finding out. From what you've said about messages sounds as if maybe it's more on his side and she's leading him on.

As said previously he needs to do a hell of a lot more than saying sorry.

Thebluedog · 30/03/2018 20:20

Very similar situation . My now exh had an emotional affair, only kissed once blah blah blah...

I limped on for 3 years with him, me crying, beating myself up about it, if only I’d been a better wife, slimmer, younger etc, he’d not have done it, him minimising it telling me to drop it. I found out threee years down the road it had been a full on physical affair. I now wish to god I’d kicked his sorry arse out there and then and told her husband!

SandyY2K · 30/03/2018 20:53

You forgave him once and he betrayed you again. If you do nothing, you're word won't mean anything and it will carry on ...except he'll get better at hiding it.

By blaming you for snooping...he's shown he has no remorse. He's just pissed off you found out about it.

You've no reason to trust him. Hrs shown that side of himself.

YummyChocolatebubbles · 30/03/2018 23:01

Yes i have talked to some people which helps. When i said i might come in and speak to her where they work he said he would have to ban me as i cannot come in confronting his colleagues! I keep telling hom i don't intend to. I did however sau that if i met her locally i would ignore her now. He was cross and said oh just say hello to her... i have to work with her ...!!This is the way he speaks to me.

YummyChocolatebubbles · 30/03/2018 23:03

Also, he has not told her this time that i know its started again and about kiss and im trying to work out why as he said he told her last time? Just keeps saying he's sorry, what is it i want him to do, how long is it going to take me to get over it? etc etc.

Zaphodsotherhead · 30/03/2018 23:14

You know why they are all similar with the crying, the lies and the denial? It's because they know they are in the wrong. They know they are doing something wrong. But they don't want to stop.

Men like this are more in love with themselves than they are with any woman. Their needs and wants trump all. Your DH will be enjoying the attention of this woman, however far it's gone, and rationalising it to himself as him being worth it.

You need to get him gone, Yummy, Take control before he decides he's leaving you and taking everything.

Irishtwinmumma · 30/03/2018 23:14

He’s not sorry. He will carry on having an affair with her. Because he knows you won’t do anything about it apart from crying and moaning.... get some self respect and kick him out!
My MIL is 76 and still regrets she didn’t leave her H when he did something similar almost 50 years ago. She says she wishes she didn’t spend so many years being unhappy because of someone who didn’t even respect her.

mehhh · 30/03/2018 23:34

What a cheeky fucker!!!!

He's sending messages like that and thinks it's still ok to get lifts and spend time with her?!

You need to leave him

YummyChocolatebubbles · 30/03/2018 23:48

I know but he has an answer for everything. For example, regarding lifts he says "just occasionally a lift / do you expect me to always walk when tired?" and being together at work "what am i supposed to do?" - I have to accept they continue to work together but as her boss he can definitely make some changes to lessen their alone time together. He says he will do this as soon as he can. He just keeps saying how she is a good friend and work colleague who supports him. I say he hasn't really shown me or convinced me he is sorry. It's all too much like hard work and i've had enough.

YummyChocolatebubbles · 30/03/2018 23:55

and can I tell you something else that really hurts - recently she has been putting pics and words on a social media site all happy with her husband on holiday - no idea and here's me with my marriage in a mess! what is she playing at ?? a few weeks ago messaging my husband and kissing him ! It's not fair!! Is this real life?

bastardkitty · 30/03/2018 23:58

This is uour actual life. Get a solicitor and divorce this piss-taking fuckwit. You are demeaning yourself. He has zero respect for you. Your life will be so much better without it. You don't have to talk to him. You don't have to deal with him at all. Get a solicitor and get out of this hell.

user1493423934 · 31/03/2018 03:46

Lovely, I went through the same thing as you. Was miserable. Then I moved out, and now, while i have less money and only have my kids half the time, I am sooo much happier. Its not going to end, and your DH has no respect for you.
I pinned a message a friend sent me, 'Sorry he turned out to be such a prick. You deserve so much better.' And that message, I think, now applies to you.

Teabay · 31/03/2018 07:46

Have you seen a solicitor?
Have you asked him to leave?

timeisnotaline · 31/03/2018 07:57

I don’t see the point of talking about things with your husband anymore. He doesn’t really care what you think. I am afraid you need to get tougher. You can’t trust him. It was nothing a few months ago, and now it’s just a kiss...

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