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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 18:22

PepePig

Hindsight is a wonderful thing

OP posts:
elizalovelace · 02/10/2019 18:23

You saw the babies after the termination? Is that usual practice? I haven't heard of that before, its quite shocked me TBH.Sounds very traumatic. You really need to realise you obviously didn't mean anything other than a handy shag to that man.

Stormtheprincess · 02/10/2019 18:23

WW

I’ve heard the term before and quite possibly I am yes.

OP posts:
Stormtheprincess · 02/10/2019 18:25

ELL

I don’t know what’s normal I just know what I saw but I have joined groups online where other women have saw what I saw.

OP posts:
Stormtheprincess · 02/10/2019 18:27

ELL

I’m under no illusions that is what I was to him.

OP posts:
lottelupin · 02/10/2019 18:29

I think you have so much grief to deal with, but there's also the anger and jealousy. And the anger and jealousy that are also part of grief. It's a really horrible mix of emotions and I feel very much for you.

I suspect the only way will be to address each issue/event.

Something that interests me is why you told the wife. That's an action which hurt her and his children. I imagine that came from just not being able to stand them being happy and protected and you lying on an operating table seeing your little babies. (As for what kind of counselling you received beforehand - I bet they didn't tell you that. Tbh the abortion was probably effectively illegal, as it wasn't better for you than having the babies. And you're left with the PTSD, which you seriously didn't need).

You're going to have to come to terms with it all, and with what this means about you as the person in charge of your life. I hope you have a very good counsellor, and some close friends Xx

YankeeSocks · 02/10/2019 18:29

Leave the post now OP.

Stormtheprincess · 02/10/2019 18:32

LL

Hi

I told his wife because I knew he would most likely try and convince me to forgive him and I was weak where he was concerned. Maybe some part of me did it from anger as well. Either way I wish someone had told me.

His children are adults and live away from home. Not saying it won’t affect them. Just explaining the situation.

OP posts:
lottelupin · 02/10/2019 18:33

Abortions after 12 weeks often involve seeing the babies. Which look like babies because they are quite big by then, heart has been beating since about 3 weeks after conception so a good couple of months. It's not nothing, as you have unfortunately found out. And two is double whammy.

The guy really is unspeakably awful.

Stormtheprincess · 02/10/2019 18:34

LL it’s the lies that I keep going over. When he said it would always make him sad and always be on his mind. He comforted me when I cried over it and he even cried.

OP posts:
Carthage · 02/10/2019 18:37

Keep with the therapy OP. It sounds like you have an awful lot of past trauma to process. And actually it can lead us to being more vulnerable to liars and cheats, and also less likely to make good decisions.

I definitely agree he sussed out your vulnerability and knew exactly what to say to lure you in. I bet he made you feel different to anyone he had ever known; special. That can be intoxicating if you have low self esteem and have suffered from unresolved trauma.

No one is saying it's good to have an affair. No one is saying that you have zero responsibility. But it will be much easier for you to take responsibility for your former actions once you have worked through what led you to that point and you have been able to work through your grief for the loss of your babies.

Btw I doubt if JHB has any psychological training as they're talking a load of shit, a psychology degree isn't psychological training, if that's what they mean, so please ignore them.

Stormtheprincess · 02/10/2019 18:40

Carthage

Yes he made me feel like that. It was intoxicating, intense and all the other things that go along with it.

But none of it was worth it. I know it was wrong and I accept that but what some MN users don’t seek to accept is that doesn’t mean I won’t hurt like hell.

OP posts:
holidays987 · 02/10/2019 18:45

Urgh. I hate this tread. You got involved with a married man. No sympathy for you.

lottelupin · 02/10/2019 18:45

Hi Storm

I think it's not just by telling the wife that you were trying to put things right by doing what you'd have wanted. I think by having the affair in the first place you were trying to become the loved one - the OW - rather than the abandoned one - you. And I think by having the abortion you were trying to prove your utter loyalty in a moment of vulnerability for your loved one (him), which is what you'd have wanted someone to do for you.

Your husband should have sacrificed his desire/live for the OW for you. He should have effectively have terminated her.
But he went with the OW.
So you became an OW.
You sacrificed your twins for love of their father.
And ultimately you sacrificed yourself and knowingly lost him to save the wife by telling her the truth.

You must be exhausted. You need to reflect on these patterns which have driven you so strongly.

You've just been trying to put things right. So that ultimately you are safe and loved.

I'm so sorry. But it's not all bad. You will be sooooooo much better at choosing someone next time. Right now though you need to learn how to manage yourself.

I'm now about to be shot by half of Mumsnet, but I think a kind relationship and a baby before it's too late would be the best way to have a happy life in the future. So try to focus on that, or on any goal that you think is good for you. Be hopeful. Hope is the most important thing to get you better.

lottelupin · 02/10/2019 18:46

I meant his love not live

AgentJohnson · 02/10/2019 18:47

Hindsight is a wonderful thing

Except that you didn’t need hindsight, you needed a moral compass.

I’m not trying to be harsh but you walked into this shit storm with your eyes open and made the decision to believe his obvious bull crap.

Him being a shit is neither shocking or surprising and your shock should be reserved for the series of selfish permissions you gave yourself to go where you did.

Stormtheprincess · 02/10/2019 18:48

LL

That’s something I hadn’t ever considered but it does seem to make sense.

Right now I can’t imagine being close to a man ever again or risking my feelings.

My ex husband and this married man have hurt me and I don’t know if I can ever open myself up to being hurt again.

OP posts:
AgentJohnson · 02/10/2019 18:49

He bragged about his sexual conquests whilst still married FFS!

Stormtheprincess · 02/10/2019 18:50

AJ

Yes he did.

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

OP posts:
JinglingHellsBells · 02/10/2019 18:59

@carthage
All you need to know is that CBT and talking therapies are preferred as the first option for mild to moderate depression before (and sometimes along with ADs). This is guidance for GPs. No one needs any training in anything to know that- they just have to listen to the news to know it. Anyone who doesn't know that must live under a rock.

Treesthemovie · 02/10/2019 19:03

Gosh op you sound like a teenager with all this hand wringing and self pity. You were old enough to know it would end up like this. You were enjoying the excitement of shagging a married man, forbidden fruit and all that, and deluded yourself into thinking it was some great love.

Now you're trying to absolve yourself of any responsibility, how about take some responsibility for you choices.

Stormtheprincess · 02/10/2019 19:06

Treesthemovie

I have taken responsibility. Again someone who makes assumptions. I have no self pity.

I have pain and hurt that doesn’t mean self pity.

OP posts:
Treesthemovie · 02/10/2019 19:10

Well you're saying your life is in ruins, but honestly a lot of it you seem to have brought on yourself...yet you just blame him for your poor choices

Yes he is a scumbag, but you knew that before you got involved with him.

JinglingHellsBells · 02/10/2019 19:10

You should leave your thread here OP.

When in a hole... you know the rest.

I don't see what you are getting from it now. You have had some advice that may help but like a dog with a bone you keep coming back and engaging with posters who are not sympathetic to your plight.

Stop saying people are making assumptions. Posters are not stupid. They are commenting on what is here from you, in black and white.

You are simply making it worse for yourself by carrying on reading and replying.

Just leave it and talk to your therapist.

Stormtheprincess · 02/10/2019 19:10

Treesthemovie

Where have I blamed him?

I said he lied to me. I never said it’s all his fault.

OP posts: