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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 fling is back help?!

25 replies

Jodiemarie14 · 29/08/2020 13:03

Hi all, please don’t judge just want your honest opinions.

I am a married woman with 1 child , I’ve been married for 8 years and together for 14. Last year I came against some difficulties after loosing our 2nd child. I felt that this started after this.

I worked closely with a male individual, this is normal in my job to work closely with others as a team. This male who I’ll call ‘josh’ had recently just got engaged to his partner of 7 years. Our relationship was friends only at first - lunch with other members of the team then just us. The friendship developed and we had flirty banter. Generally I felt we had a lot in common and bounced off one another. I had known josh for 9 months by this time. Both of us never spoke about our current relationships and he never said he was unhappy. I for which was struggling but didn’t say. He then handed his notice in as had found a better paid job. During his notice period he stepped things up. He admitted to found me sexual attractive. We went for drinks on his last day as a team and a drunk kiss happened. This was kept a secret and I felt truly ashamed. He insisted to chat further after this. I unfortunately did the same. He left our place and during this time the talking was intensive over message - early morning texts ‘thinking of you’ and 2am texting. As bad as it sounds my husband was else where with friends and felt I needed some attention, what ever it be at this time. I know this is wrong. The texts where sexual, flirty and he made no secret that he wanted stuff to progress sexually. Weeks went by like this and we met again. This time stuff went a little further but I felt that deep down it wasn’t a sexual relationship I wanted with the person but more so was emotionally attached. I didn’t sleep with josh. I felt this was the ultimate betrayal.
After this second encounter he then withdrawn from me. He went cold, spoke less and seemed distant. I got the ‘vibe’ I was still very much into him and wondered what might happen to my marriage. Questioning things. He then said I was ‘being needy’ and stuff should chill. I agreed as didn’t want to look a fool and communicate ceased for a few weeks. I knew I’d made a mistake and I tried to connect with my husband again. All this time I could stop thinking about Josh. But I knew what I’d done was wrong and I think so had he. Before we broke contact he said he didn’t regret a thing and it was everything he wanted at the time but someone will get hurt and I would loose my family. We agreed to keep our distance.
1 month later he turns up drunk to my friends house - ringing relentlessly at 4am. We have a few mutual friends. I go to talk to him to take him away from her house. I’m sober and he’s trying to kiss me. The whole time I’m not entertaining. He said I love you, and he’s wanted me for ages. I put him in a taxi and sent him home. He says the next day not to ever believe a drunk man. So he remembers this. Later that day I loose my mind. I can’t do it any more so I tell in fact I do have feelings For him. Not out of choice and I felt he’s hurt me and lead me on. He sends a page long message back - I’m sorry I hurt you, this was never my plan. Your right I dont know what I want but I am happy. I am getting married and we both know nothing can come of this now. We both have too much to loose. I don’t regret it and it I’m really sorry I hurt you. At that I didn’t reply. I did keep his number, social media and snapchat and tried to be mature. The whole time I’m breaking. I also said to hurt him I said ‘why do you think now I didn’t take this further sexually’

8 months pass and nothing. I send the odd message wishing him well, as Id seen he’d got promoted at work on FB. Sends a thank you. Blunt but polite. Odd snap to him but nothing returned. I get promoted, take care of myself more, Work on myself, getting over my miscarriage. Trying at my marriage. The whole time he’s watching my Snapchat (which obviously were positive snaps)
I eventually until a month ago felt I’d moved forward. I knew I’d made a mistake. I didn’t want to loose my family and I feel awful. As for josh I genuinely just wanted to see him happy, get married and I had finally felt over it.

Out of know where over the last month on snapChat Josh has been chatting. Asking how work is, life and just chit chat. Seemed like before when was friends - convo flowed and it was nice to catch up. He then turns it to saying wasn’t he worth my time anymore which I truly say no he wasn’t in that respect. He said I’d always be worth it to him. He said he missed the days of the working together and that there was no one else like me. It all fell on death ears at this time. He then asked to meet up to catch up which I declined. He still is planning to get married. He has then been pretty consistent with texting. He use to only message certain at times when he wasn’t at home. He messages now in the day just general chat. If he picks a message up when he can’t reply he then does later apologising. We seem to be able to chat like we use to before all this. He’s flirty occasionally and compliments me.
It’s been so hard to move on after feeling a close bond. And to have him back here in touch is hard.
Why do you think he’s back- knowing full well I had feelings for him and he hurt me. It was sour after. Said We wouldn’t talk and now he’s back here. I feel he was just wanting a ‘F**k which I said I wouldn’t so he knows he won’t get that. He’s still happily planning his wedding.
I know I’m stupid to talk back, I look a mug. I’m unfair on my husband and im trying to work this out. I’m a horrible person and shouldn’t entertain this. He’s a complete head mess that goes hot and cold and it’s been almost a year since this started. What is your views. Thank you x

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 29/08/2020 13:10

FFS, if you're supposedly "working" at your marriage block him and move on. If you've not locked him, you aren't working very hard at it.

ravenmum · 29/08/2020 13:11

What do you value more, your 14-year relationship with the father of your child or a fling with your ex-work colleague who blows hot and cold?

HollowTalk · 29/08/2020 13:11

You only briefly mention losing your second child. I'm so sorry. No wonder you got into a real state.

I think you have two issues - one is Josh and the other is your husband. Personally I think you should forget Josh. He sounds like a chancer - he wanted to sleep with you and felt safe because you were married - if you did sleep with him he felt you wouldn't be demanding. The slightest demand was enough for him to back off. Just keep thinking "He's planning his wedding" - I feel for his fiancee who thinks he's faithful to him.

Then your husband. Are you saying he wasn't there for you when you were grieving? How do you feel about him? Do you love him? Before you lost your child, were you happy together? Grief can set a couple apart, sadly.

SissyLongStockings · 29/08/2020 13:11

He hurt you-badly. Your worth more. Put an end to it before it begins again. Honestly? As hard as it is F**k him off. Don't let all your hard work of getting over him be for nothing. Change Ur number block him do whatever you need to do. Just get rid of him xx

purplefur · 29/08/2020 13:27

He doesn't want you. And you shouldn't want him either. Seriously how old are you? You sound like you love the attention.

I feel sorry for your husband & his fiancé.

purplefur · 29/08/2020 13:28

And he's treating you like shit because your allowing him to.

Sargass0 · 29/08/2020 13:28

Why do you think he’s back- knowing full well I had feelings for him and he hurt me

Sounds like you both like the thrill -nothing more. A distraction for you both. Nothing meaningful just fantasy on both sides

Dery · 29/08/2020 13:32

Firstly, I’m very sorry to you for losing a child. That is the worst loss that any parent can go through and it’s no wonder that you were deeply traumatised by the experience. But your husband went through this experience too, and although he may have dealt with it differently it was presumably as desperately painful for him as it was for you. I’m sure you’ve thought about how you would feel if you discovered that he’d been seeking refuge in another woman, the way you sought refuge in Josh.

If you want to work on your marriage, you just have to stop talking to Josh. In fact, even if you don’t want to work on your marriage, you need to stop talking to Josh. He isn’t helping you move forward – he is actually trying to drag you back to a time of desperate chaos and distress for you. And remember he’s a cheat – he is planning a wedding to another woman. He is happy to cheat on his fiance. You know that makes him deeply untrustworthy and not someone you can rely on in any way.

You owe him nothing. You can just say you have realised that it isn’t helpful to be in contact with him and you are therefore ceasing all contact and will be blocking him. Or you could simply block him without explanation. Because you owe him nothing.

But he is messing up your head and your heart at a time when you need them to be clear so you can decide how to proceed with your husband. He is presumably also a huge distraction from your child who also needs your love and attention. So cut the thread that binds you to him and get him gone.

Aerial2020 · 29/08/2020 13:32

I'm sorry OP but I think you are attracted to the drama as a distraction. A distraction from your greed losing a child and a distraction from what is really going on in your relationship.
Please be kind to yourself and stop with this Josh. He is no good for you and keeping you hooked as he prob likes the drama also.
For your own sanity, block him.
Start self care.

Aerial2020 · 29/08/2020 13:32

Grief!!! Not greed! Stupid auto correct!

Aerial2020 · 29/08/2020 13:34

He became cold and distant because you didn't sleep with him
And now he is back to try again.
He is no good

SylvanianFrenemies · 29/08/2020 13:38

I'm sorry about your miscarriage.

From my experience of pregnancy loss it is normal to seek a distraction (mine was moving house!).

Block Josh and move on. No good will come of any continued contact.

CoopsMalloops · 29/08/2020 13:45

The black and white of the situation is that he just likes the attention.

Feel sorry for his fiancé. I know a person like this. Please don’t let him F with your head anymore because that’s all that is going to come of this.

xsquared · 29/08/2020 14:27

Please just block him OP and do not respond to any further attempts at contact with you. Retain the integrity you have left and work on your marriage and be rid of this poisonous creature.

As a pp said, he is being hot and cold because you didn't sleep with him. He's a creep. Hope that helps you seeing it in writing.

NotThatStrange · 29/08/2020 14:47

OP, have you heard of breadcrumbing? He will keep coming out of the blue whenever he is bored or lonely.

Block him! I recently had some user trying to contact me with, " I can't believe I let you go." I told him to fuck off!

Babaoreally · 29/08/2020 19:02

I know it can be hard to understand a man like this and what he wants...so I’ll try and explain...
He wants to put his penis in your vagina - repeatedly... a sort of final conquest before he gets hitched. (Nice!) and then he’ll be in to someone else.
You - I think you’re enjoying the thrill of the deceit - the delicious attention from someone secret, something illicit and ‘forbidden’. That’s what keeps this going in your head - you’re enjoying it too much to really want it to stop.
It’s all fantasy and very selfish behaviour.
My advice would be to tell your husband - everything! He might feel partly responsible, he might understand the insanity that can come with grief. And he might want to stay with you and also enjoy the attention of other women. Or he may want to renew your relationship if that is something you genuinely want too (I’m really not sure that it is?). Or he may feel deceived and betrayed and want to end your relationship and separate.
Those are the only real options.

But if you don’t tell him, then it sounds like you’ll just do it again with someone else. And you would be stealing so much more and hurting people that you say ‘I love you’ to.
I am sorry you’ve lost a baby. Your grief is something you deserve help with. But your grief does not entitle you to hurt other people.

JingsMahBucket · 29/08/2020 19:23

@Jodiemarie14 I'd block him. If you can’t bring yourself to do that yet, each time he contacts you ask him one or more of these questions, “How’s your fiancée doing? How are wedding plans going? Does your fiancée know you’re chatting so much?”

It’ll help you remember that there’s a whole future wife involved in this scenario while reminding him of the same. If you keep repeating questions of that nature he’ll likely get tired of it and leave you alone. You’ll also find strength from this shift in power and will eventually muster the courage to block him.

billy1966 · 29/08/2020 20:19

OP
Block him.

You are on track for a shit show that will cost you your marriage.

Is this what you want?

Block him.

Flowers
TracyBeakerSoYeah · 29/08/2020 20:24

Tell him that if he ever contacts you again you will tell his fiancée.
Then block him.

GammyLeg · 29/08/2020 21:26

Sorry about your miscarriage.

Even if you weren’t married and you were free to pursue Josh, I’d still say bin. He’s using you and cheating on his partner.

user1481840227 · 29/08/2020 22:59

This stuff happens A LOT. So much more than you think. You need to realise that, it's not that you have a special connection or that you're meant to be or that you'd be together if there were different circumstances.

They come back because they genuinely don't care how much they hurt you and upset you again, they want the attention or escape from their normal life and the ego boost.

EvenMoreFuriousVexation · 31/08/2020 10:51

I send the odd message wishing him well, as Id seen he’d got promoted at work on FB. Sends a thank you. Blunt but polite. Odd snap to him but nothing returned.

This is frankly cringe. And that's why he's back - he's realised you're still into him and he has a good chance of getting a bunk up.

(By any chance has he had a child recently or about to? I've known a lot of men who seem to have this attitude that "she's not interested since being pregnant/giving birth so I'll get it elsewhere for now". Equally he could be excusing his behaviour to himself because his fiancee is "obsessed" (in his mind) with wedding planning.)

Even if he was single, would you really want to be with a man like this?

Did he know about the miscarriage? Because it's possible he's deliberately targeted you at a vulnerable time in your life.

The only way forward with this is to block him, and in fact I'd change your mobile number as well.

I don't think you should tell your husband, but I do think you should treat him with more respect going forward, if you want to stay married.

I’m a horrible person and shouldn’t entertain this.

Stop this thinking right now! You are an imperfect being and you have made bad choices. Speak to yourself as you would to your child - "I love you, but I hate your behaviour right now." Commit to being better.

What actions can you take today, right now, to improve your relationship with your husband? This could be as simple as making him a cup of tea in bed! Or organising a babysitter so the two of you can go out and connect as adults. It's the last day of "eat out to help out" today so you have a great opportunity to have a spontaneous date night.

But first... block this chancer.

Hiphorray · 31/08/2020 11:21

Going through something VERY similar. Just posting on here so I won’t lose the chat. Will write my thoughts later x

Sakurami · 31/08/2020 11:39

Ugh you both sounds like shits! He's getting married and you're supposed to be working on your marriage, yet both of you keep this flirtation or whatever it is going. You're both as bad as each other and I feel sorry for your respective partners.

Grow up and stick to your own relationship or break it off and then you're free to pursue another relationship. As for him, I wouldn't touch any man who is trying it on with me whilst planning his wedding.

QuentinWinters · 31/08/2020 11:45

Josh is a player. Block him and try not to give him any headspace whatsoever. You will just get hurt - he's already shown you he can go cold if he does not get what he wants - imagine how you are gonna feel when he dumps you after a shag, which he will.

You are clearly not happy in your marriage so you need counselling and to talk to your husband. You haven't mentioned him at all. Do you want to stay married? Or would you be happier single?

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