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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

Texting issues

17 replies

shinypebble · 31/10/2018 13:08

I've namechanged for this. Earlier this year, my dh left his phone behind when he went to work. Things had been weird between us - he'd been a bit grumpier than usual. I looked at his phone which is something I'd not done before. There were quite a few texts to a woman - full of heart emojis and yet full of nothing much either. The thread was very short. Looked at another friend's thread - much longer and full of complaints about lack of sex and then said nothing physical had happened with this woman, but he thought she'd have sex with him if he asked. I was so shaken.

Basically he'd fallen into texting this woman about 10/15 times a day. He said it was an ego boost and didn't mean anything. The thing that upset me the most, was the way he was talking to his friend - I didn't recognise him as my dh. He sounded cold.
If it wasn't for that thread to his friend saying nothing physical had ever happened, I wouldn't have believed him that it was only texting.

He promised he would tell me if she texted. He texted her and said it had got out of hand...blah blah. Things were great between us. He told me when she texted and showed me - only a couple over several months. A couple of weeks ago I switched on the computer to see he'd left it on his profile. A text from her pinged in. Dh was out and I couldn't resist. There weren't loads of texts. Few in May and then a few in June. What upset me was that he said I hope you're not taking it too personally that I'm not talking to you, she replied that she knew it wasn't his fault. He said he want a hug the next time he saw her and hoped no-one took a photo and put it on Facebook - a photo had upset me on Facebook of the pair of them especially as someone had commented oo-er. She suggested meeting up and dh said Shinypebble mustn't know, that's for sure and she said yes I'm certain of that. Then nothing else until that morning. They didn't meet.

I was furious. He said it didn't mean anything and admitted he'd let me take the flak for stopping the texts. He also admitted he didn't want her to think badly of him as he'd just dropped the texting out of the blue. There's nothing to it really, I just feel totally betrayed by these few texts. I feel like they were laughing at me. Things had been going so well between us and now I feel in a worse place than I was in January. How do I get over it? Essentially he just lied when I asked her is she'd texted. Needless to say he'd deleted the texts from his phone, not knowing they were stored on the computer. He promises he'll tell me when she texts or they have to work together....but he's promised that before?

The other thing is, both times I discovered the texts. He didn't confess.

OP posts:
Santaisgettingbusy · 31/10/2018 13:11

Depends on your personal boundaries, while you are sat pondering I would be packing my dh's stuff.

summacummamumma · 31/10/2018 13:14

LTB...genuinely. He is cheating and trying to rationalise it.

Adora10 · 31/10/2018 13:15

WTF, look he either blocks her on every platform or you are done; he's taking the complete piss; why have you just accepted this and moved on, he now thinks he can start things up again with her when the fancy takes her, he's had an affair, ok an emotional one, but obviously would have lead to a physical, he's a cheat, plain and simple, show him you are no walkover and give him a bloody consequence, disgusting behaviour form a so called husband.

shinypebble · 31/10/2018 13:25

He has to see her occasionally for work. Freelance world.

OP posts:
Hidingtonothing · 31/10/2018 13:26

Ultimately OP you can’t trust him, he lies and talks about you in a negative way to others, he is dishonest and disloyal. What you have to decide is whether that’s good enough for you and whether you can live with the distrust and suspicion you will probably always feel in this relationship?

That might sound dramatic but this is about so much more than a few texts, it’s the knowledge that he can lie to your face and talk about you behind your back. It’s so disrespectful and I can totally understand how you must be feeling.

Is there anything he could do which would repair this for you? And if there was would he do it do you think?

Pinkmonkeybird · 31/10/2018 13:28

I'm sorry if your DH intended on not following this up and was clear on the boundaries of your relationship, he would block this woman and tell her it is affecting his relationship with you. But, he's gone down the route of blaming you for affecting 'their' relationship' and not wanting her to feel badly about him. This is how my ex-DH was and I'm glad to be rid of him. Bottom line is he is having an emotional affair with no consideration to you at all. It's up to you now, because I'd agree with Santaisgettingbusy and I'd be packing his bags. You are worth more than this.

hellsbellsmelons · 31/10/2018 13:31

How long have you been together?
Do you have DC together?

shinypebble · 31/10/2018 13:38

24 years and 4 dc.

I'm not sure what he can do. My head wants to explode. Honestly, he's usually such a lovely man. He's always needed people to like him and he says they slipped into texting too much. Hence letting me take the flak for the texting stopping and not him - he didn't want her to think badly of him. Obviously she doesn't know what he texted to his friend.

It's impossible for him to never text or see her again due to work.

OP posts:
shinypebble · 31/10/2018 13:40

My best friend was gobsmacked as she thought my dh was one of the best men ever. She called him a dickhead last week though!

OP posts:
Adora10 · 31/10/2018 13:47

You are not sure what he can do, seriously, you are far too complacent in all of this, he's having an affair OP.

Bodabing · 31/10/2018 13:50

This was me and my DH the first time. I believe in giving people one chance OP, he's had his, he is obviously not taking this seriously enough. This is an emotional affair, and the talking trash about you to a friend is also appalling. I recommended this book on another post, please I'm not getting commission but my DH and I read Not Just Friends by Dr Glass, it's an eye opener for just this sort of EA. My DH too is a needy person and found it hard to block his special friend but he did as soon as I found out, I can't believe he is still knocking you and keeping her a secret from you. Good luck OP it's a horrid place to find yourself but he sounds like he's had his chance

Pinkmilk38 · 31/10/2018 13:52

You comment saying he didn't want her to feel badly about him really struck me as something happened with my dh that's the same and he said that but never said he didn't want me to feel badly about him. Does he worry if you tell people what's happened what they will think of him? You should be the most important person he should be worrying about. Why are our feelings less important.

shinypebble · 31/10/2018 13:58

I don't think he's having a physical affair Adora I'm going to sound like I'm defending him now...In January the texts were mainly him consoling her over the fact she wasn't getting anywhere in her attempts to have an affair with another chap. Most of the texts were about his boring day at work. The kiss and heart emojis were exchanged at the end of the texts.
He admits he got a thrill at the fact the texting was secret and he felt needed when he received a text from her. He said the second time round, he was worried about bringing her name up as we'd been getting on so well. Obviously he realises this was a mistake.

I'll have look out for that book Bobabing

OP posts:
Adora10 · 31/10/2018 14:03

Tbh his emotional affair would be worse for me, the lying, the deleting texts, the slagging you off, I mean, could it be any clearer who's his priority here, he has no fear of losing you because you are doing nothing about his behaviour, sorry to sound harsh.

Basically he'd fallen into texting this woman about 10/15 times a day.

Not normal or acceptable.

He's even got the brass neck to tell you he's getting an ego boost and gets a thrill when she texts, honestly, you need to face reality here, who the fuck does he think he is and who does he think you are, his go to listener for him to babble his lust for OW???

shinypebble · 31/10/2018 14:03

Pinkmilk38 - exactly. He was upset that my friend called him a dickhead and I said what do you expect? I want him to talk to his friend (not the text friend as he's a wally) but to tell him the whole truth of what I saw. He's told a few friends that he was texting her too much, but they don't know about the one about sex. They probably think I'm overreacting. He doesn't want his friends to judge him. I've asked him why are my feelings so unimportant and why do I come last.

OP posts:
shinypebble · 31/10/2018 14:05

Be gentle Adora please! I'm a bit wobbly today.

OP posts:
Adora10 · 31/10/2018 14:08

Sorry OP, just angry on your behalf, I just don't understand his selfishness and apparent lack of consideration for you in any of it.

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