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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

Lying husband

90 replies

Minionmomma · 15/10/2018 16:51

I'll keep it as brief as I can. Been with DH for years; marriage has always been up and down. We have kids, both work FT, stressful jobs. DH has new job. He loves it and has been working pretty much 7 days a week, whilst I deal with all the domestic stuff, the kids and working FT. New job involves occasional travel. Recently he went on a trip but did not mention that it was with colleagues, and so I assumed he was going alone. He called me when he was away and still didn't mention any colleagues but he did make a point of saying that he had forgotten his travel adapter plug. At the time I advised him to ask hotel staff or go try to buy one. Today I saw a hotel room receipt for a twin bedded room and I asked him if he was with a colleague and he then told me he was with a female and a male colleague but that he did not share his hotel room. He was prickly in his tone. In terms of the plug adapter thing why ask hotel staff when you could just ask your colleagues? I probably sound paranoid and, in fairness to him, in the early days of our relationship I definitely had my moments of being jealous. However, there is a flip side to this too there was an incident some years ago in which he went on a business trip and ended up totally unnecessarily sharing a hotel room with a female colleague and he lied to me about it. I forgave him at the time but have never forgotten and, quite honestly, I don't 100% trust him. Anyway I know that there was no male colleague on this trip. It's possible that he as lied because he's trying to avoid upsetting me or the like. I accept that his job will involve travel with female colleagues but quite honestly I feel really disrespected by him.

OP posts:
Trinity66 · 25/10/2018 16:58

Good luck OP, seems like he's not given you much choice but to do what you're planning on doing.

RyderWhiteSwan · 25/10/2018 17:23

Reading this thread, my mind keeps coming back to his not having pics of you on his social media. Very odd unless he's maybe telling people you are not really 'together' in a married sense - that he's only staying with you for the DC.... blah blah....?

Minionmomma · 25/10/2018 18:44

Thank you so much for your replies and your views. I’ve had a google of those phrases @garlicgrace and I recognise the behaviours from splits we had before our kids came along. I’d walk away then take him back and it wouldn’t be long before we slipped back into the old routine of me dancing to his tune again. I take responsibility for this though. And I’m no angel. There are pics on me on his Facebook if you dig. Ones where people have tagged us together though nothing of recent and zero pics put on by him 😏

OP posts:
yetmorecrap · 25/10/2018 19:57

Yes I rarely feature on social media either and he tells me that people who constantly have partners on there are trying too hard . Mind you he rarely features on mine either to be honest!!

findingmywaytoday · 25/10/2018 20:35

I don't think you're being over the top. He knows he is in the wrong and that you're upset and from what you've said has done bugger all to help you put your mind at rest / feel better. He is breathtakingly arrogant and is coming across as not thinking he owes you anything, not even a bit of respect. You're worth more than this.

LizzieSiddal · 25/10/2018 21:03

I don’t think youre being over the top because he’s refusing to talk to you. He knows you’re upset about something and he’s ignoring it. I couldn’t live with someone who thought so little of my feelings.

AlaskaSometimes · 27/10/2018 03:57

I would bet a significant sum he’s got feelings fo this colleague. Regardless, he treats you like crap. You are worth more than this OP.

Minionmomma · 27/10/2018 07:52

I agree that he has feelings. They are both intellectuals and, knowing him like I do, this would be a big turn on for him.

Things have remained frosty between us to say the least. We have only been doing essential chat re the kids. I used to do everything around the house, breakfast, lunches, dinner, walk the dog, etc. I have only been doing the essentials and nothing for him. Petty? Perhaps. But I’m making a point. His mother text to invite us for lunch at the weekend and I declined, explaining that we are at crisis point.

I said to DH yesterday morning that we needed to talking later. The conversation became curt and he said he refused to have any discussion without a counsellor present. Not that he’ll have made any efforts toward arranging this this. I basically said I was past that point and that we need to discuss formally separating. He called me a bully.

OP posts:
findingmywaytoday · 27/10/2018 08:15

He's had all this time to reflect and now you're the bully?! His contempt is deafening. Hope you're as well. Can be op.

MyOtherProfile · 27/10/2018 08:26

Did his mum respond to your comment about being at crisis point? Surely he can't be surprised at the idea of separating given that you seem to have no actual relationship.

LuluBellaBlue · 27/10/2018 08:33

Well done OP for not standing for his nonsense and treating you like dirt

Minionmomma · 27/10/2018 08:37

I’m slowly waking up and seeing him for the type of person he is. Definitely narcissistic traits. And I have co-dependent traits hence this situation cycling on and on for years and years. My best years. Ugh. Abd now we have children. And they are my priority.

Counselling? What does he think a counsellor will do? I expect he would try to justify his behaviour on the grounds that I am a jealous spouse. And as I’ve mentioned before, there have definitely been jealous moments in the past. But we have kids now and things are different. Lying about the male colleague and then trying to make me out to be delusional is cruel. Then refusing to discuss it. Two weeks have passed since he got back from the trip...

I’ve been trying to make sense of why he hasn’t just put his hands up. I gave him opportunities.... I wasn’t accusatory. I even said I think I understood why he might have done it. But he walked away.

I found myself looking at his colleagues social media for clues and comparing myself. Stupid behaviour. I’m not sure anything has even gone on! I’ve deleted all my social media now just to take a break.

OP posts:
Minionmomma · 27/10/2018 08:40

His mum knows what he’s like. He’s a carbon copy of his father. Work work work. Career career career. His father is very ill and I suspect his work obsession is tangled up with grief for his father.

His mother said to me years ago - don’t forget about you in all of this. You are important too.

OP posts:
Sleepingdog123 · 27/10/2018 09:34

What is he hoping for by just not talking about it and all this nonsense about not talking unless a counsellor is present? When you talk if he becomes difficult and calls you a bully again (which from reading I really don't think you are and think he is trying to deflect) I would be tempted to put it back on him.

"So what do YOU suggest? What is it YOU want? How do you see us moving forward from this place?"

I'm not saying go back on what you feel is right for you, not at all, but if he is trying to put this on you and make you be the one to call the shots and call time on it so he can try and play a victim card, take a moment to make him take some responsibility for your relationship. There's two of you in it. Push for his opinion. He may just be forced to acknowledge he agrees that it's time to go your separate ways. Best of luck this weekend. My DH and I reached this make or break point two weeks ago. We decided to throw our all at it for a bit. But it made for a very unpleasant couple of days. And I'm sure we will have more dark days to come. It's emotionally exhausting. Make sure you look after you.

findingmywaytoday · 27/10/2018 13:24

Also counselling is only going to work if he is honest. A close friend went through something similar, her now ex husband basically lied through his teeth I the counselling sessions and to family and friends. By her own admission, my friend said she felt she was going crazy which is why she stayed for so long. When she finally saw the light and left it eventually all came out of the woodwork re drugs/ alcohol and cheating, but at the time he was such a good liar even the counsellor was fooled and actually sided with him!!

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