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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

My life is in ruins - Affair with married man

318 replies

Stormtheprincess · 02/10/2019 14:14

Hi

Two years ago my husband had an affair which resulted in the end of our marriage.

Fast forward 3 months and I became involved in a sexting relationship with a former colleague over Facebook.

This continued daily for for many months and I became emotionally attached to this man despite knowing he had a history of cheating on his wife several times over the years. He openly told me about his conquests. For whatever reason that wasn’t enough to put me off.

We met up and started seeing each other in person and I ended up pregnant with twins.

I told him about it and he said we couldn’t continue to be involved if I went ahead with the pregnancy. For weeks I went back and forth and kept changing my mind about what to do. My biggest fear was that he was lying to me and was involved with someone other than me and his wife as he had previously mentioned he had an affair that went on for years and years and said that woman had been in touch to meet up again but he declined. He came to my house, held my hand and looked into my eyes and promised me it was only me he wanted and there wasn’t anyone else and hadnt been the entire time we were I involved. He swore on the lives of his adult kids and grandson and in the end I had a termination but by this time I was 14 weeks gone.

On the day of the abortion he was at a family wedding and he did check on me that before morning but I was angry with him so he didn’t contact me again the rest of the day.

He said he hadn’t been on his phone the whole day.

Things got difficult for me after that, I was filled with regret and terrible guilt. I was open with him about my feelings. He seemed fairly supportive at that time.

I felt we had gotten closer due to it all and became more attached to him and felt like I loved him.

Something felt off, I can’t explain why but I asked him who the woman was that he had the affair with for years and he refused to tell me. That made alarm bells ring because I thought maybe he’s worried I find out something he doesn’t want me to know. After I pushed him he told me who she was and I knew of her but didn’t know her personally. I messaged her on Facebook and asked her if she was still in contact with him and stupidly I told him I was doing this.

She said she wasn’t but asked me a lot of questions which made me suspicious.

2 weeks went by and she messaged me and showed me pictures he has sent her on the day I had the abortion, so he had been on his phone and was busy sending her messages as I was bleeding out his twins. She also told me dates they had been together and send me copies of messages.

He came to my house and I said I can’t believe you lied to me and I believed you. Why that wasn’t hard for me to believe I’m not sure as he had been lying to his wife for 30 years so why would I be an exception to the rule?

He begged for forgiveness and apologised said he ended it after the abortion. For a few days I went along with it but I became ill with anxiety. I didn’t sleep for 4 days and couldn’t think straight.

In mid August he had just left my house after we spent a lovely evening together. The other woman messaged again and showed me new information where he instructed her to lie to me and told her I was nobody and he didn’t love me he loved her.

I snapped and got ready and walked round to his house, knocked his door and he answered. I said I couldn’t listen to his lies any longer it was too painful and I had to tell his wife because if I didn’t he would somehow manage to talk me round into forgiving him again and that would only led to more pain. He then got in his car and drove away and his wife came to the door and I told her the truth. That he’s lied to her for 30 years.

I haven’t heard from him since. I deleted my social media.

I’m absolutely distraught over it all, I feel like such a fool and the guilt is killing me. I have terrible nightmares and my anxiety is crippling. I can’t go on like this. I’m in therapy but it’s going to take time.

I feel ashamed that given I was cheated on I entered a relationship with a married man and even more ashamed I aborted two innocent babies to continue to see him and now it’s all been for nothing.

I think every word he ever said was a lie. It’s all so confusing. I just cry all day. Don’t go out and go over the messages time and time again trying to make peace with it all or find answers.

I would love to sit down with him and get some closure but I know that won’t happen.

He’s totally broken me and I have no idea where I go from here.

OP posts:
Stormtheprincess · 02/10/2019 19:33

Alexkate

This has clearly had a really big impact on you for your own personal reasons.

OP posts:
Stormtheprincess · 02/10/2019 19:33

TTM

If you think it sounds like that then you are welcomed to your opinion.

OP posts:
MashedSpud · 02/10/2019 19:34

Why did you wait until the affair was over seeing as you feel you did her a favour?

You did it out of anger.

No sympathy here.

AgentJohnson · 02/10/2019 19:35

I know that none of it should be a surprise but it still was because for whatever reason, he gained my trust.

How exactly did a man, who you acknowledge is demonstrably untrustworthy, gain your trust? Walk me through that decision process?

This was a car crash waiting to happen. You weren’t in the passenger seat, you just appear to have thought that you’d be immune to the consequences of your selfish choices whilst in the driver’s seat.

Alexkate2468 · 02/10/2019 19:38

Yes, you’re right it has! And how can you speak for what will make her feel better or help her? She’s not you.
An apology - a sincere apology - can make a hell of a difference to some people - you don’t get to decide that. You’re sorry but you’re only sorry for yourself.
To think someone doesn’t give s shit that they’ve hurt you hurts a lot.
You’re seriously so wrapped up in yourself that you can’t see it.

WhyWhyWhy2019 · 02/10/2019 19:38

Derbyshire Girly - clearly OP is remorseful for her actions. She seems like a very broken women. And your harsh words do not help her in any way. Nor do they help the wife in this situation. I dont know why people take such pleasure in being cruel to someone who has made a mistake, owns that mistake and is going through a terrible time.
OP, as many other posters have advised; be kind to yourself.

Stormtheprincess · 02/10/2019 19:39

AJ

When you talk with someone daily, share personal details about your life you can become attached to them. Then you start to trust them because you think what you have with them is different. This was not the case but it’s how it felt for me.

They become the person you go to for advice, the person you tell when you get good or bad news. That all adds up and over time you start to trust them.

OP posts:
Stormtheprincess · 02/10/2019 19:40

Alexkate

I apologised both in person and via message. I answered her questions.

OP posts:
Stormtheprincess · 02/10/2019 19:41

WWW2019

I’m trying. Thank you x

OP posts:
SinkGirl · 02/10/2019 19:42

Married men wouldn't have the opportunity to have affairs if there weren't women like the OP willing to shag them knowing they were married.

Jesus Christ. This man is an abusive, longterm, manipulative, serial cheat. But it’s the fault of the women he sleeps with. As if these marriages would survive if these men couldn’t find women to sleep with.

People have trauma, crappy lives and suffer abuse - they don’t then go and behave as OP did.

That’s ridiculous. Some victims of trauma become drug addicts or alcoholics, or self-harmers, porn actresses, suffer eating disorders, and on and on, ad infinitum. I’m a victim of trauma, I haven’t made the same mistakes as OP but I’ve made plenty of bad decisions as a result of my trauma. I’ve struggled to avoid abusive men, and been abused my multiple partners as an adult. OP was in an abusive relationship. She’s taken responsibility and is having counselling. I can’t judge her because I haven’t been in her situation and I know how damaging trauma can be.

And to the previous PPs joking about twins, don’t be so bloody disgusting. It’s far more likely that OP is telling the truth about there having been twins than not and - newsflash - twins are neither imaginary or rare. I have a set myself, and every time I bring them to some smart arse uses it to imply I’m lying about everything. It’s reakly sodding tedious.

JinglingHellsBells · 02/10/2019 19:46

OP the reason I suggested you leave this thread of yours is not to intimidate you but to actually try to support you.

You cannot be getting anything from it but pain.

I cannot fathom why you keep posting or engaging with posters who have no sympathy.

what's driving you here? are you still hoping there will be a post that will take away your pain and anger?

what exactly do you hope to gain?

Talk to people in real life- your friends, family, therapist. Far more helpful.

Stormtheprincess · 02/10/2019 19:48

I hadn’t used MN in many years and I thought it might be a safe place. That’s why I posted.

Sometimes it helps to get out how you feel even if to strangers and as I said I am talking to my therapist and friends.

OP posts:
WhyWhyWhy2019 · 02/10/2019 19:51

I am so very disgusted with the heartless women on this forum! I dont know why many of u take such pleasure in being cruel in the way you voice your opinions to OP.
The poster who said “men would not have affairs, if women like OP did not choose to have affairs”. That is laughable. Men have affairs with men. Who is to blame in that situation?
Regarding his wife, maybe she will be thankful OP told her about his affair. Perhaps she had no idea that he was having multiple affairs. Now she knows, maybe she can leave him and find someone that truly deserves her. Perhaps OP has done the wife a favour. If you was being cheated on, would you not like to know the truth??! On the other hand maybe the wife already knew, so she cant be so hurt by finding out that her husband has had an affair.
OP, go to therapy. Look after yourself. Do not feel guilty. Just learn from this which i am sure you have.

Livelovebehappy · 02/10/2019 19:52

i told the truth. If it was you would you rather live in blissful ignorance. OP if you thought his DW deserved to know, why did you wait until he threw you to the kerb before realising she deserved the truth? Can’t you see how hypocritical it all sounds? The obvious reason you told his DW when you did was because you were hurting and wanted to get revenge on him and chose to get back at him through his wife. I do understand how devastated you are but it really is mostly self inflicted. At least you can now walk away and start your life again, but his DW and DCs are left with the fallout from what has happened and they will find it a hell of a lot more difficult to move on from this. You seem to put yourself as an equal victim as his wife, but you aren’t. She has a shared life history with him - marriage, children, grandchildren, whilst you were just one of many indiscretions and he probably won’t even remember your name two years from now. Just continue with the counselling and take each day as it comes, which is what I had to do when I was the DW in this scenario.

Stormtheprincess · 02/10/2019 19:55

LLBH

He didn’t, he begged me to forgive him and I said no. As I explained if I hadn’t told her he may have talked me round.

OP posts:
Dillydallyingthrough · 02/10/2019 19:57

Hi op, I think you're very brave posting here!
I've noticed on MN a mention of an affair means you cant get any support and kindness. You didn't break any vows, you believed a liar. He is a dickhead that has caused pain to at least 3 people. Own it, admit your mistakes and forgive yourself. Sometimes good people make bad decisions, we are all human. I'm sure you will be ok - in a years time this will be something that has made you stronger. Take care of yourself.

Stormtheprincess · 02/10/2019 19:59

DDT

Thank you. I appreciate that. Wish I could fast forward this part xx

OP posts:
janeevans · 02/10/2019 20:00

These stories always make me question how long you took to write it and how long it took to post on line.
I would have thought 'a long time'.
I hope that revisiting this tale has helped you realise that you are not to blame. With the benefit of hindsight things always look different.
It's easy to attribute blame in theses situations. Of course. I would too. The thing is, he was making up things as he went along. Making bad decisions too.
I can't offer advice but thank you for taking g the time to share your story. Best wishes. X

windandme · 02/10/2019 20:04

Have any of you saying the op is not to blame and a victim etc had a long term partner who you have kids with cheat on you and blow your life apart?

dottiedodah · 02/10/2019 20:11

Wind and me ,No mercifully not ,but saying the OP is to blame when she very clearly is in distress, is rubbing salt in the wound ! This particular man is a serial cheat ,not a husband anyone would want .She is a victim and has been treated very shabbily by man she loved.Not all affairs have a "victim " as such ,but this lady has suffered enough and doesnt need any more mud thrown .She is in a bad place thanks to some ghastly beast who cant keep his pants on FFS!

Carthage · 02/10/2019 20:11

Windandme I get what you're saying but it's quite clear that this man hasn't been led astray by OP. He's a serial offender and is obviously well versed in targeting vulnerable women. And tbh if my dh had an affair I'd be furious with him, not her. Especially if he was a long time sleazebag. The only time I might feel differently would be if she was a personal friend of mine which would involve betrayal of me. OP doesn't even know the wife and was lied to about their relationship.

Livelovebehappy · 02/10/2019 20:13

dillydally of course the majority of posters are not going to support and show kindness to someone who has been a very willing participant in an affair situation. It’s an alien concept to most of us to knowingly go and sleep with a married man - it’s about morals and knowing right from wrong. I just could never imagine in all conscience sleeping with someone knowing the potential pain and suffering I’m helping to inflict on another human being, so I guess I struggle to understand how any other decent person could.

chuttypicks · 02/10/2019 20:14

I feel sorry for the wife in all this tbh. All I can say to you is that karma is a b1tch.

CatherineOfAragonsPrayerBook · 02/10/2019 20:23

I really don't see humility in your posts, I see deflecting of blame and responsibility. I see a refusal to accept valid criticism. I see a nasty streak telling a poster to go fuck herself and I thus I feel little sympathy.

Stormtheprincess · 02/10/2019 20:25

COAPB

And that’s your opinion. When people are being attacked they usually don’t respond well to it.

OP posts:
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