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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

OW/Emotional Affair - Please help me

999 replies

Cupcakesaregood · 10/04/2020 12:19

Hi everyone. First of all I'm sorry if I ramble, this is my first thread and I don't know what to do. H and I have been married 4 years in July. Found out I was pregnant a year after marriage, not planned but happy enough. Hard pregnancy. Found out that H had been having an emotional affair shortly before birth because I saw a WhatsApp message appear on his phone that I didn't recognise late at night so yes, I looked to discover hundreds of messages. I said to him in anger if he didn't stop I'd never let him see our child. He took the phone from my hands and blocked the number.

Things have been rocky ever since, when I go on WhatsApp I wonder why he's online and not speaking to me etc. Shortly after our 1 year olds birthday I couldn't get the idea of having another baby out of my head. I know probably not the wisest but always envisioned two. And now I'm pregnant. I was H phone the other night trying to find a code a friend sent to him in a message and I couldn't help myself, I looked through his messages from people to see if she was there. She wasn't. And then something told me to check the contacts. He doesn't have loads of people and then I saw her (her WhatsApp photo still the same from 2017 when I caught them that night) and she was under a different name. What do I do? Please help me. I haven't mentioned it to him yet - but why on earth is her number in there if it is over? Thanks for any advice x

OP posts:
ILuvQuarintinis · 01/05/2020 15:00

You will never eradicate her from his mind no matter if you get him to just press the button to delete the number . You are going round in circles asking the same questions . You wanted someone to tell you she doesn't mean anything to him ? Confused

CrazyPineapple · 01/05/2020 16:20

You sound utterly exhausted mentally and emotionally by all this. You MUST put yourself first. I'm so sad you're going through this turmoil. Have you considered the reality that if it isn't this person, it will quickly be a different one? So the problem lies with him and him alone... it will always be the elephant in the room. You will never trust him and he will never stay faithful to you emotionally/physically or otherwise.

Dery · 01/05/2020 17:21

CrazyP puts it very well.

Good luck for your discussion this evening. You have mentioned your DM is staying with you so hopefully she will be a very useful support whatever comes out of your discussion.

Of course, we're all strangers and only you really know yourself, your DH and your marriage, but I can't help thinking that it might strengthen your position if you conveyed to your DH that you're no longer willing to do the 'pick me' dance and you will let him go and move on if he can't properly commit to you as a wife (i.e. independently of your DC).

I think you may have given him the impression that you want to hold on to the marriage at all costs. On that basis, he holds all the power and has no incentive to commit to you emotionally because he has no reason to fear losing you. It's an invitation to take you completely for granted and treat you like a doormat.

And yes, of course, conveying that you are willing to let him go may indeed result in him going. But surely that is better than fighting to keep him against his will? He may start to appreciate you more if he thinks he might actually lose you.

Based on what you've said before, you were about 21 when you got together. I'm guessing he was a similar age. That's not desperately young but it is still pretty young to settle down for life. He may at some level feel that he made a life-time commitment too soon and be regretting not having experienced other relationships before settling down and getting married. I may be way off beam here, but I'm struck by the fact that you were together for 7 years before getting married and your DH seems to have started an intense EA almost as soon as you actually got married.

If this is the case, it is in no way a reflection on you but it may mean that, as CrazyP says, if it isn't this woman, it will be someone else in due course because he is not emotionally equal to the commitment he has made to you.

Anyway, just some thoughts. Thinking of you, OP, and good luck for your discussions this evening.

Trichford · 01/05/2020 17:57

What @Dery said.

SandyY2K · 01/05/2020 18:16

I'm struck by the fact that you were together for 7 years before getting married and your DH seems to have started an intense EA almost as soon as you actually got married.

Me too. 7 years is a long courtship. I wonder if it was going on before you even got married. He wouldn't be the first.

Did he ask you to marry him? Or was it something you drifted into.

Your H sounds like he goes along with what other people want, rather than stand his ground

sunflowery · 01/05/2020 18:30

Sorry this is still happening to you OP (I commented earlier in the thread as similar happened to me).

I’m sorry to say but I think I would be asking him to leave at this point, or as soon as lockdown is over. That’s not to say I’d ask for a divorce but some breathing space is required. For him, he needs to experience what he’s giving up with his messing around. And you need to feel empowered. Do you want to be a strong, confident mother who doesn’t take any crap or do you want to be the downtrodden wife who lets herself be walked over?

I’d also send her a message. Be polite but you are owed the full story. I’d say something like ‘Hi X, this is Y, Zs pregnant wife. Please could you tell me what’s going on between you? He’s told me xyz and I’ve seen this. I’m pregnant and don’t need the stress etc etc.

You’ve had some good advice on here and you will get through this! Flowers

deepwatersolo · 01/05/2020 18:39

Your H sounds like he goes along with what other people want, rather than stand his ground

This.

And at the same time, OP, this seems to be how you relate to him. You seem fine as long as he goes along with what you want (like: delete the number 'voluntarily'). What that all means for you as a couple never seems to factor in (Does he love you? Do you even love him!?!). Just as long as he goes along...

(Obviously, what comes across in posts is only a fraction of reality, so I can't know. But ask yourself: do you even want to stay with this man, or is this about not wanting to give up the 'picture' of happy couple that the outside may see. What would you want, if you didn't give a shit about appearences and what other people think? Just for yourself?)

CouscousEvaporator · 01/05/2020 19:57

I’m sorry you’re still in this turmoil @Cupcakesaregood

I think you’ll get there in your own time, however your husband sounds like a complete wet lettuce who can’t be bothered to fight for anything. Not his kids, not the OW (as in, he can’t even be honest with her!!) and not even you. It’s all so depressingly passive.

Don’t you want someone with a bit of DRIVE to make you and your family happy? Some oomph?

Why would you want to be with someone that has absolutely no drive towards life with you?

crispysausagerolls · 01/05/2020 19:58

Hope you get to talk to him tonight x

Idontwantthis · 01/05/2020 23:06

The infuriating thing is that he will leave you, in the end. You won’t leave him, even though it really should be that way round.

BackseatCookers · 02/05/2020 00:30

Hope you're OK, feel free to PM me again if you need a sounding board - I know I've been a bit tough love on the thread and I appreciate you being gracious about that. You need to end this my love Thanks

priya38 · 02/05/2020 00:35

If he's got her under a different name, he's obviously still speaking to her. And just because he took the phone from you and blocked her, well he can then easily unblock her ....hence her now being under a different name.

SandyY2K · 02/05/2020 00:55

@priya38

This thread has moved from the phone and fake name .....perhaps you might read the OPs posts to catch up, even if you don't read the whole thread as its very long.

neverknewsomany · 02/05/2020 10:19

Any update OP or didn't you manage to talk to him?

Trichford · 02/05/2020 10:27

Hope you are ok @Cupcakesaregood and managed to get some answers Thanks

LouLouLoo · 02/05/2020 13:27

Hope you’re okay OP Flowers

BackseatCookers · 04/05/2020 00:38

How are you getting on @Cupcakesaregood ? Thanks

nexttimestop · 05/05/2020 12:14

Thinking OP never spoke to her husband and is to embarrassed to come back and update.

Sparkles333 · 05/05/2020 12:26

She shouldn't be embarrassed.
Life doesn't always go according to plan.

Cupcakesaregood · 05/05/2020 12:27

@nexttimestop you're an insensitive idiot. I'm actually taking some time to process things and then give an update to all the KIND people on here. Not including you.

OP posts:
nexttimestop · 05/05/2020 12:28

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Cupcakesaregood · 05/05/2020 12:29

Thank you @Sparkles333 - compassion is clearly what you have in abundance and others lack

OP posts:
Cupcakesaregood · 05/05/2020 12:29

@nexttimestop do you like trolling threads where people come to get advice when their worlds are falling apart? You're disgusting. Go away

OP posts:
bluestarsatnightfall · 05/05/2020 12:50

That was a bit mean. How are you doing OP?

Cupcakesaregood · 05/05/2020 12:55

@bluestarsatnightfall not so good but thank you for asking. Will update when I'm ready because there's been a lot to process

OP posts:
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