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Worst story of cheating - but have I over stepped?

261 replies

CUniverse · 15/12/2020 23:56

This is a very long story, I will start with the back story as condensed as possible.

I became pregnant after 1 year whirlwind relationship with someone I split up my previous relationship for. I was living Amsterdam at the time where he is from, but moved back to the UK 6 months in.
When I found out I was pregnant, I stayed in the UK, and he was saving money to move with me and we were due to live there.
He arrived when I was 6.5 months, everything was great and we were happy. It turned out though that the 3000 euro he had supposed to have saved for us and baby, he gambled away on online poker so he came empty handed. I funded everything.

Slowly, he started to become recluse, and disappeared after work instead of coming home so that he could find places to play poker, in casinos or online.
When I discovered this, I tried to urge him into GA, he went a few times, but eventually he was suicidal and depressed so I recommended he return back to the Netherlands. Our daughter was 1 by this time.

He went back, and after 3 months decided that he wouldn't return back to the UK, he hated it and missed his friends and family. Therefore the plan was to move there with our daughter. We did this, but it took me a year, long story.

He promised he had stopped gambling and was in a good place. Within weeks of arriving he went straight back into gambling, and also speaking to other women. During this time he was emotionally abusive and even struck me 3 times. I had an abortion because of how badly he treated me. The final straw was the fact that he slept with someone one random night, so I broke it off.
I was determined to stay in Amsterdam but eventually would find somewhere else and move out into my own place with my daughter, then suddenly he found a new girl, one week after I broke up with him on tinder. He told me he was in love with her instantly and that he wanted me and our daughter to leave the house for a week, so that she could move in and work from our place for a few days. This was within 3 days of meeting this girl on tinder. I refused to allow this, and he verbally abuse me to the point where I had to flee the country with our child. He knew we were leaving but he didn't care.

Within 6 weeks, he had broken up with the tinder girl and was begging from to come back, saying that he was depressed and didn't know who he was back then and wanted to give us another go. Of course I objected. For a whole year he tried everything, gave up gambling, became selfless instead of selfish and really showed me he was ready. So I told him I would consider returning mostly for our child.

By May 2020 we were locked down together in Amsterdam and I was working from home there and became pregnant. We were happy about it and he thought it was just what we needed to finally cement the return of our relationship.
I was reluctant to put a label on us though and said I needed time, because I was traumatised from what happened between us before. Especially the physical abuse. But he really seemed like a changed man, and in fact, he had a terribly childhood, so we put it down to that, and he said he would get therapy to address his issues.

In August we went on vacation everything was wonderful, and by September, something changed.

I went back to London for a couple weeks and I sensed something was off. I asked him outrightly, if he was seeing someone else while I was in London still.
He told me no.
I arrived in Amsterdam a week later, and checked his phone while he slept. It was almost completely clean, except he left a tiny piece of evidence, along with blonde hair all over the house and I managed to get a confession out of him after pressing him for a few days.
He had met the girl 3 weeks earlier and was sleeping with her. He told me he did it because I wouldn't go publicly official to our friends and family with him. He felt neglected and stressed after a year of trying to get me back.

I made up my mind there and then that I would get my revenge for him doing this too me again. In addition, he slept with her without protection and slept with me too, before the confession thus putting my health at risk which I couldn't forgive.

This is where it gets twisted.

I told him id forgive him and stay, for the sake of our kids and that I loved him. This was a lie, I was just plotting how to get him back.
Things went great the following weeks, I was acting the part of loving and forgiving girlfriend very easily. At some point I caught him on WhatsApp with the girl ( he had told me they had cut contact). She was pursing him, crying etc.. saying she was in love with him and heartbroken that he had too end it with her.
I took a huge step evading his privacy after this and I managed to install his WhatsApp on my laptop, so I was practically spying on every convo he was having. Eventually I told him he should meet up with her one final time and end it because i had to travel back to the Uk and I didn't want him to see her while I was gone.. or more like, I wanted to test if he would, knowing I would be able to see their convos.

When they met up he came back and asked me if I would consider a 3 way relationship with the two of them. Me being the primary. I told him I would consider it when returned from London.
Of course I had no intention to do so, but just wanted to see this girl face to face, (sick I know) so we all met up, discussed things, and well it was painful, but at the end, I told them they were not to see one another while I was away and I would consider the 3way after I had the baby.

While I was there, I was still connected to his WhatsApp as I mentioned and saw they had met 3 times. Which he lied about to my face.

Upon returning though, he ended it with her and said he wanted to focus on his family. Due to the fact that he met up with her while I was away, again displaying how little he respected me, I was driven even further by seeking revenge, so much that I didn't let on that I knew anything. So all these months of knowing what he has been up to, he is none the wiser.

The current situation is that he wants for sure that I move here permanently to Amsterdam once baby is born (in London) with our other child and we buy a new house, and start a fresh... however, of course, there is no way in hell I can do this after all this deceit. I cannot believe how badly I have allowed myself to be treated.

So, because I told him I had forgiven him, I was finding it impossible to go back on my word without admitting that I was spying the whole time. So I have been creatively (insanely) thinking of other ways out... of ways that will allow me to break up with him and him not having any power to force me to stay.

One night, after not checking his actual phone for a long time, I saw he had a dating app installed on his phone, but only once. after 6 consecutive days of checking, I didn't see it anymore. But I initially did check his phone because he was acting weird again all of a sudden.
So, I decided to re install the app I saw while he slept, and then I saw he was speaking to multiple women for 6 months, but had not met any of them. This inspired me to make a fake profile, with photos of a friend of mine he doesn't know.
He matched with my profile and is planning to meet up with this girl on Friday ( I am going back to the UK tomorrow for Christmas)...

Now, if you have gotten this far you may think this is the craziest story ever (and I have missed some crazy bits out)...and may be thinking I am insane for staying and more insane for spying...however, when you're with someone who won't let you go, it is so so so very hard to get out. Especially as his family are all so adamant that I give him chance after chance, and he guilt trips me constantly with his issues and tells me I am the only person who can make him happy. I know I have over stepped by spying on him this intensely, but, I became desperate. It has been a horrible few months being pregnant and dealing with all these revelations that I have made myself privy to by having so much access to his privacy.

I expect to be scolded and told how wrong I am and that I have overstepped, but, for the first time in months I finally feel like I can throw this at him (planning to meet the girl on the app) and he will accept that I can no longer stay with him after this and give in. I don't know how I will expose the fact that I know he has planned to meet a girl, but at this point, I just need to get out.

OP posts:
pinbinpin · 25/12/2020 22:33

I think you should sort out your contraception.

rosabug · 26/12/2020 15:38

Whoa - sorry but you two deserve each other. Poor kids.

If you take one thing away from all this going forward it's this: Judge a person but what they do, NOT what they say. Words are meaningless in a fucked up mess like this with two people who have neither self respect or integrity. He hates you, he hates himself. You're both addicted to psycho drama. You think it means something. You think it can be 'solved'. You think you can 'win'. But you are both like alcoholics. You are both losing hand over fist.

You need to go cold turkey and get some help for your addictive personality. For your child's sake.

Onacleardayyoucansee · 26/12/2020 16:10

Look up narcissism.
Ivebern entangled with this type and it will send you mad.

Get away and go no contact as far as you can.
Forget Exposure.
Save yourself.

CUniverse · 26/12/2020 17:37

@rosabug your analysis is a bag of air, completely
meaningless and you’ve grasped nothing from what I’ve written so you’re completely off. Thanks for taking time out to say a load of NOTHING at all.

@Onacleardayyoucansee I am away. I’m aware of his narcissistic traits, it’s my opinion he’s more on the covert side. I’ve already brought this up to him, to see if he would recognise himself, and he laughed in my face about it. Doesn’t consider himself to be narcissistic at all.

@pinbinpin
I’ve tried every form of contraception out there over the years. If you knew anything about it, you’d know that a lot of women struggle to find the right fit of contraception and even worse, how many women who are unable to conceive at all due to being on contraception their whole lives.
I’m happy with my daughter, I’m equally blessed to be pregnant with a sons there’s nothing I regret about them. I will look into something more permanent after this baby however, because I’m never going on contraception again.

@Bananahana what’s the point of commenting when you have clearly missed the updates.
I’m away already, thanks. Enjoy the holidays.

OP posts:
Bleepers · 26/12/2020 19:07

You need to grow up and start putting your children first.

rosabug · 26/12/2020 22:08

[quote CUniverse]@rosabug your analysis is a bag of air, completely
meaningless and you’ve grasped nothing from what I’ve written so you’re completely off. Thanks for taking time out to say a load of NOTHING at all.

@Onacleardayyoucansee I am away. I’m aware of his narcissistic traits, it’s my opinion he’s more on the covert side. I’ve already brought this up to him, to see if he would recognise himself, and he laughed in my face about it. Doesn’t consider himself to be narcissistic at all.

@pinbinpin
I’ve tried every form of contraception out there over the years. If you knew anything about it, you’d know that a lot of women struggle to find the right fit of contraception and even worse, how many women who are unable to conceive at all due to being on contraception their whole lives.
I’m happy with my daughter, I’m equally blessed to be pregnant with a sons there’s nothing I regret about them. I will look into something more permanent after this baby however, because I’m never going on contraception again.

@Bananahana what’s the point of commenting when you have clearly missed the updates.
I’m away already, thanks. Enjoy the holidays.[/quote]
You're right I am not listening to the details of what you are saying. Because your 'story' is not the issue. You emotional state is. Evidenced clearly in a long rambling mess of a sorry tale. I'm reading between the lines.

Despite my sharpness I wish you well. I can see you are in a trap. But the answer can only be found once you understand you cannot control this situation. You cannot 'win'. Why "confront' him with anything? Why listen to his family? - Why write this post? Because you are getting a hit from the drama. That's not an accusation, it's a sad place to be and I know that place. You have got yourself in a terrible mess. Understand you have fucked up. Accept it, stop blaming him - because it won't help you or your children. Let go.

Before resorting to promiscuous labelling - covert/overt narcissism, and all that jazz. Perhaps try some classic self help.

The way out is through the door.

www.amazon.co.uk/Women-Who-Love-Too-Much/dp/0099474123/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&crid=2FGOT5AJR2YML&keywords=women+who+love+too+much&sprefix=women+who+lov%2Caps%2C181&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1609018746&sr=8-1

Happyface120 · 26/12/2020 22:11

Gosh, what a bloody mess...

CUniverse · 26/12/2020 23:34

If I loved the drama, everyone would know my business, on both sides of our friends and family.
If I loved the drama, I would have posted about him from the time the bad behaviour started, not 7 years later.

My life has never been drama filled concerning anything, not past relationships of any kind, aside from with this particular individual. I posted to finally reveal my story after always keeping my silence and the hear from other people whether or not I should be seeking revenge in the way I was. I don’t care whether you seem to grasp how my plan would constitute revenge for me.
I managed to convince myself it would be a victory, no matter how small to finally let his loved ones all know what kind of man he really is. Because until now, as I’ve said over and over, he got away from what he did unscathed. I only suffered, not him. Allowing him back into my life after he seemingly changed is my fault entirely, I accept that, however, I just didn’t want to roll over and take it this time.

He fucks me over majorly, and gets to tell everyone I’ve scarpered again with his children. The last time I had his whole family down my throat about it, all the while, I was the one who got forced to leave my home. But no one knows.
Imagine the same thing happens to you twice. The second time around for me, I’m mad at myself and mad at him. I convinced myself that I’d have to hurt him, because as far as I’ve seen over the years he has never felt an ounce of pain.
After some comments on here, I’ve resolved to the fact that seeking revenge is to my detriment.
Whatever his comeuppance will be, I’m no longer concerned. The most important thing to me is getting back to a life of love (with my family) peace and tranquility, and he disturbs that for me in every way... hence why I changed my plans and have left on a sober note.

I can see why you’ve recommended the book to me, it does look like an interesting read, I’ve come across it before. However it doesn’t apply to me. This is not the self help I need.

OP posts:
Bl3ss3dm0m · 28/12/2020 08:08

How has it gone so far OP? I hope you managed to have a good Christmas? What happened about your ex over Christmas? xx

CUniverse · 28/12/2020 09:12

@Bl3ss3dm0m hi, thanks for checking in. That’s kind of you.

Had a lovely but quiet Christmas as everyone did this year. Told ex he was not welcomed to join us, and due to travel restrictions, his train that he booked was cancelled anyways. So that worked out very well in my favour.

Over these days he made contact a lot FaceTiming with our daughter, asking me if he can come here as soon as restrictions permit. His mother has been constantly calling and messaging too.
Yesterday I told them that I need a few weeks of silence from them for now. When baby is born (due in 6 weeks) I will let them know and we can take it from them regarding whether they visit or not. Not before. I’ve explained a few things to his aunt, so she can decide whether to host them if they do come.

He still is hopeful that we will come back to Amsterdam to live eventually because he is “so sorry” and “wants to do better” “negatively affected by the stresses of COVID and new baby on the way”... Of course he is grasping at straws telling me he is going to get therapy for his addictions etc, he has deleted his accounts (poker, dating, social media), and he will no longer be in contact with some people that apparently influence him in the wrong direction anymore.

He asked me to give him 12 months to prove he can change, blah, blah blah. In between he has set up giving me a sum of money each month for child maintenance after I told him I was going to seek it legally. So we’ve settled on a good amount.
Regarding the violence he displayed in the past, I’ve brought this up to emphasise why I refuse to go back and put myself and children in danger (he thinks the cheating can be explained and forgiven), and he simply states that he cannot remember those moments and they’re a blur to him when he was deep in depression, and how that behaviour is far removed from what he could ever imagine doing again. Such a fucking manipulator. Even went as far as saying “well I’m sure you must have pushed me over the edge, or I wouldn’t have lashed out physically, so we’re both to blame”

Bottom line, both he and his mother know were not coming back. And frankly there is nothing on earth he could say, do, change about his situation that will make me think twice about it.

If he wants to be closer to them, he will have to move to England, which he won’t, as he hates it here.

He has asked me again to keep a tight lid on what transpired between us over these months and that he feels stressed that he know has to tell people I’m no longer moving back to Amsterdam. And could we agree to keep our story the same, that “things just weren’t working out because we couldn’t agree where we wanted to live, over there or here”

I’ve not managed to tell my father and brothers the story, but I’ve revealed the last few months to my mother, who is horrified beyond belief and cried a lot. Imagine what’s going to be her reaction when I tell her about the physical stuff. For my own sanity, I’m just going to do it slowly. I’ve too much to contend with now getting ready to have this baby, so I’m just going to take it easy as possible until baby is here, and then perhaps let them all know.

OP posts:
SuePreem · 28/12/2020 13:10

I think you should read that book OP. Plainly you do need help.

The worse bit is not your absolute lack of boundaries or self respect (which that book would help you with actually), or even the fact you seem to enjoy all the games and drama, but the fact you have seemingly without any regret or remorse or even thoughts willingly brought not one but two children into this insane situation.

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