Found out my husband of 18 years has been having a 3 year affair

[bohochick]

Married for 18 years, two children aged 10 and 14. Had suspicions since last year but he denied. Found texts which he claims he deliberately left. Work colleague affair for 3 years, told him to leave last month as soon as I found out and he has been living with her ever since. I have seen a solicitor and divorce has started.
Still miss him and want him back but he is 'happy' with her. Sees 10 year old regularly, 14 year old refuses to speak to him. Family live 200 miles away but have visited and given support. No close friends since I moved 200 miles for him to start his business. Seeing therapist and GP.

How do I even get over this? He was my best friend and I cannot accept what has happened. It has been 6 weeks since I found out. Lost a stone in weight, can't eat or sleep. Looking after the kids and working.

Oh god I’m so sorry. For what it’s worth you know he’s a twat and you don’t really want him back, but it’s a huge loss and you’re bound to miss him.

Be kind to yourself as much as you can. Can you love back to where you have family support?

Keep seeing your counsellor, keep going. You’ve been really strong and you’re doing brilliantly x

I’m sorry.

Can you move back to where you have support?

You're having a horrible horrible time but I promise you there is life on the other side. It will take time and you'll go through a grieving process. You need to start doing a few small things for yourself. Even trivial things like a new haircut. Redecorate your bedroom. Move stuff about so your house looks different. Little by little, step by step you will get through it. One day you will wake up and realise you are on the other side and life is so, so much better without a lying cheating waste of space.

Have you thought about return to be near your family? Friends and family are really important. But don’t breath a word of it until speaking to your own solicitor...

OP this is awful but not your fault- he’s used to living this lie for 3 years- you’ve just had it all dumped on you & the shock & adrenaline has probably just worn off & you now have space to reflect & it’s truly awful. You will miss him but in time will be thankful that you found out what an untrustworthy man he is. He has to make it look happy, it may well not be. Take care of yourself, surround yourself with people who care about you and if you can treat yourself. Small steps x

Son starts GCSE studies in Sept 2019 so can't move back for at least 2 years. Too late to enrol in a new school and no guarantee can sell house so quick. Finacial settlement could take months.The thought of seeing him and knowing he is with her breaks my heart.

Awkward age as ideally you should move before the youngest starts secondary but that will disrupt your older child.

If you decide to stay put then be kind to yourself but put your needs first and kids obv.

Start some clubs Meet new people join a gym. Whatever floats your boat.
Get a new image. Look amazing. Smile a lot be friendly and people will respond.

Good luck.

Goodness me. That is awful. It is bad enough to have an affair but for 3 years behind your back? I don't know how people can be deceptive for so long. Presumably, he would have kept up the deception if you hadn't found out. Good riddance to him. He is not what you need. I hope you find someone more suitable. You will get through this eventually and maybe, just maybe, you will be glad you all moved on with your lives.

Think afresh about moving.

You say that your older one isn't seeing him - presumably he is pretty traumatised. if so, don't discount the idea of simply moving and taking some time out, and your eldest starting GCSEs next year - in the big scheme of things it's not the end of the world (and you might find that even after a couple of months out, he'd quickly catch up especially if it was a fresh start.

What would the older one think of moving - would he be eg moving back to friends he only left 18 months ago, or was the original move say 6 years ago? Could you move back to old school and old area and do you think that in the long run the benefits would outweigh some disruption - you with more support, children nearer wider family?

Don't rule it out without even thinking this through 'because GCSEs'. This is the long game.

He owns a business and she is his employee. Her flat is nearby and they would go there during the day and weekday evenings. He would go to exhibitions once or twice a year and take her with him for 2 days. He would Skype me and the kids whilst she waited in the hotel lobby.
His plan was to wait until the youngest was 18 in the hope that this OW would either wait or go. He was scared to break up as she would leave the job and he relied upon her to run the business!

I really feel for you. It's an unimaginable shock when you find out something like this, but you will be ok. I was in the same position as you 3 years ago, & my ex had an affair for 3 years too (seems to be a pattern). I didn't have a clue until the last few months. Now I have my own house, an active (when I don't have the kids) social life & am always trying new things. I'm not saying it's easy all the time, but start to look at the little things that are better for you since he's gone. Mine was being able to drink tea in bed with books & magazines spread across his side of the bed. I pretty much please myself & have met a lovely man, which was totally unexpected.
Take your time to heal, write your feelings down & anything that annoyed you about your ex. It's therapeutic. If you think you can't do something try it. I didn't think I'd get a mortgage & I have.
Good luck with everything & remember you're a lovely, strong independent women who csn achieve whatever you want x

Dont discount a move as support can be vital. Would housing be more affordable back home?

It feels like an enormous task but it will get sorted and the children's view would be taken into account.

OP Im so sorry this has happened to you. Deceit is so terribably hurtful. But it is very early days and your emotions are still very raw. They WILL in time change but at the moment you are sort of grieving. Yes I can imagine if he were to walk through the door now and beg to come back you would take him back.

You are in the right place here and you will get some great advice from the regulars.

Don't discount a move. Your DC1 may be up for it, you never know. Do your children remember your home town? Have they got cousins or old friends they're close to? Could you afford a small house near your parents?

If you stay put, it's essential that you get out and about. Not easy! But when DC2 is with your ex you have some freedom because DC1 no longer needs childcare. Is there anyone at your workplace who'd be up for a drink? Any of the DCs' mums seem approachable? Look into evening classes and volunteering too.

None of this is straightforward but you will emerge through it.

When you’ve recovered from the shock, check out the app called Meetup. It’s not a dating app but a website for all sorts of social groups in your local area eg running groups, book groups etc. It’s a good way to get out there and start making new friends. I wish you luck and we are all behind you. What a lying pig of a man and any woman who messes around with somebody else’s husband for that many years has something seriously wrong with her. It’s just disgusting. I hope karma bites them both.

Oh hugs. I'm so sorry. Can you go back with your parents and concentrate on DC's schooling in an area where you have supports and leave him to sort the finances/house ?? Your mental health needs to be a priority x

I'd move. (I've been in your position.)
As for how you feel, I suspect you're grieving the man you believed he was.
Personally, I found it very helpful when I could find some anger towards how xh had treated me and dc.

Lived here a long time children were both born here. When I move back home to my family, the price of property there is so expensive and who knows what I will get from the divorce.
I was planning a lifetime together whilst they were planning their life together!
Thank you for your supportive comments.

That’s the problem with deception. The excuse of staying for the kids is so wrong when the guy is selling you the lie of a lifetime. I haven’t got a problem with people having affairs and coming clean soon after they start because life just ain’t simple. I do have an issue with long term deception. I’m sorry he has done this to you. When my husband pissed off with someone else, I nearly moved back near to my family. However, in the end it became obvious that moving and changing schools etc would add further trauma to my kids so we stayed put. It’s worked out ok.

So you say he was your best friend but it sounds like you are romanticising him a bit, perfectly understandable but he wasn't your best friend for at least three years and likely longer than that. He lied to you every day many times and once you got suspicious let you live with confusion, uncertainty and doubt. You might have been his best friend but he was not yours.

I am angry on your behalf, I've been married 18 years too. I do understand how much it hurts when the man you love turns into a stranger. Let yourself grieve your relationship, no huge decisions, please be gentle with yourself and the children and do not ask him back again, you deserve so much better and this will get better with time

They werent planning anything together. Do you really think he would have left to go to her if you hadnt kicked him out? She got him by default beause you dont want him, he knows that even if she doesnt.

If he wanted her over you he would have left 3 years ago minus 2 months. But he didnt. He wanted his happy home life with you and the kids and have a bit on the side with her. He is only living with her because its free rather than having to spring for a hotel.

You are understandably devastated but I promise you that in time the OP in this thread will be you too www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/3542086-My-exH-has-married-the-OW-and-I-dont-care

Yes, he wanted the best of both worlds. Sadly, this means he lacked respect for both women. What a weak man.

I don’t think he wanted one woman over the other. He wanted them both. Each woman provided him with different things.

I’m sorry to read yet another of these posts. This was also me just over a year ago. The affair hasn’t been going on 3 years but long enough. I had also been sold a lie and all the time I was making plans for us as a family, they were making plans together.
It hurts like hell and still does when I think of them together but like a pp said, she got him because I kicked him out. Whether he’s have left me for her i’ll never know but what I do know is that he’ll do the same to her, one day. By which time i’ll have moved on with my life. You will do the same...it’s just so hard to see the light the fog at the moment.
I got myself some counselling which really helped as I wanted what the kids irresponsible dad had done to affect them
As little as possible so I needed to be the grown up for both of us.
Friends were a great help, as were family and slowly but surely I picked myself back up and I’m still here x

I don’t think he wanted one woman over the other. He wanted them both. Each woman provided him with different things.

I definitely agree with this. Sadly, life doesn’t work this way and adults have to make choices.