Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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

Honest opinions on a messy life please

60 replies

Mermaid92 · 02/01/2021 21:51

Hi everyone,

This is a bit of a last resort for me as I feel I am at breaking point and not quite sure if I am being completely unreasonable.
I have worked with a man for three years, same department, albeit in different offices and actually in different countries, around 2 hr drive away from each other. Weve always spoken on a daily basis at work within these 3 years regarding work matters. I had a couple of months off work and returned december 2019 after a family trauma, this man reached out to me on skype to ask how I was and I confided in him. We grew a close friendship via skype and work calls, we then began speaking outside of work in our personal time. I was in a 4 year relationship and living with my partner at the time and planning for children. This man in work was in a 8 year relationship with a baby of only a few months old.
Due to the pandemic we began working from home, we began contacting each other outside work all day every day and grew a great bond and friendship. I began falling for him. I spoke to my partner at the time and explained how i was feeling about the other man, he moved out for a few days and wanted me to make a decision.
The man from work called me, said how he loved me, that him and his current partner were living different lives, that he would give me kids, and a future. I left my boyfriend and have since spent lockdown alone and struggled with this. Four months later the other man told his partner he had met someone else and that he was leaving. He moved out and I had a few weeks where he gave me a relationship until he said he was going to go back to his ex and work things out for the sake of his child.
He moved back in, continued to talk to me, said he loved me but he was struggling to leave his child. Months later he told his partner he was still in contact with me, he carried on living there and told me they were going to a counselling session to sort how they proceed in regards to co parenting and making decisions on their house. Bearing in mind we had not met up face to face yet. A few days later i get messages from his partner, calling me a homewrecker, saying she will contact my work and let them know, that he told her i pursued him and seduced him, that he told her he wanted the counselling so they could work things out. He told me this was a lie, that she was trying to break us, that we should stick together. I took the hammering from her and said nothing back. The day later he blocked me on everything as she said she would not let him have contact with their child unless he cut me off. He unblocked me later that night and said he had moved out, we carried on our relationship, we met up, we slept together. He stayed the night at his exes 3 nights a week he said to help eith their one year old. His childs mum had no idea we were still in contact. Months later his babys mum was under the impression they were getting back together due to him spending nights there, spending evenings with her while child is in bed and ignoring me, she thought they were working things out. A few weeks ago we met up, he told me he was cutting me off and going back to her, he said he loves me, he still wants me but he is going back for their childs sake. I was broken, i got signed off work with depression, i lost two stone. I really struggled that i had made sacrifices for him, put my dreams on hold, for him to hurt me. The day later he told me he couldnt leave me. He told babys mum everything, that he wasnt going back there, he had been meeting me and having a physical relationship with me etc. He spent christmas without his child as baby mum denied access. He told me once she is calm he would start sorting the future, in reg to access to child, housing situation ect.
Since then he has started once again spending two nights a week staying at his exes house. Once baby is asleep he has food with babys mum ect and ignored my messages as he said he doesnt want to be disrespectful towards her and hurt her even more. They have not spoken about the future, about anything that has happened this past year. Are just ignoring it and carrying on with nights over there again? He reassures me that this wont be forever, that he is only there for the child, not to fix the relationship.

Am i wasting my time here? It has been a year and I love this man deeply but feel he is being disrespectful towards both me and babys mum. Help please.

OP posts:
Backtoblack1 · 03/01/2021 00:05

He is fucking with your head, sleeping with you both and wants his cake and eat it. This will destroy you. I was in a very very similar situation - he ended up having another baby with her and it nearly destroyed me. He kept me dangling for five years and the excuse was always the kids. Please save yourself the pain and heartache. Go no contact. Get away from him. He will destroy you abd he’s not worth it x

Jennifer2r · 03/01/2021 00:14

Reread your posts, they're all 'he says' this and 'he wants this' and 'he's struggling with this'. How about making your own needs and wants the centre of your life?

Closetbeanmuncher · 03/01/2021 00:17

I agree re. the narcissistic triangulation comments. How long I wonder before he blocks you again at the drop of a hat?

I seriously would rip the plaster off now OP, there is nothing in this relationship for you but pain.

I also in no way believe he isn't sleeping with her.

Kitten11x · 03/01/2021 00:18

He’s mucked you about royally op . You need a fresh start away from him and probably relationships for a while.

Closetbeanmuncher · 03/01/2021 00:18

I would go as far as to say it was him sending the message "from the partner" to see if you would reply with the truth or keep quiet.

Beautiful3 · 03/01/2021 00:34

Is he married, is this ex in fact his wife?

SoupnSalads · 03/01/2021 00:42

He's a knob, he's totally confused and he is emotionally unavailable. Personally I couldn't commence a relationship with someone either in or in the tailend of another relatioship, even if they say it hasn't been good for a while. You will always be the rebound and in their position often they want to live life and be free for a while. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe the new person can make them feel alive and it works, but for me, WAY too much risk. You made a massive mistake getting involved with someone emotionally unavailable. Why do you think you did this? Was it honest belief a relationship would happen? Did he blind you with his words? Was it because you were afraid of commitment with your current partner, about to start a family etc. Your comment about not wanting to give up as you left a relationship says it all. Its sunk costs. Either way you have lost time. Which is a more guaranteed route to happiness? Continuing with this man, where you could still end up alone 1,2 etc years on? Or starting afresh and trying to meet someone else? I know what I would chose, the second. I think the issue is that you don't want to face the pain of what has happened. I get it, the pain is overwhelming, but it does lessen and you heal. I also think this year has been strange and many people are more lonely in lockdown, so maybe you were just two lonely people.

I really recommend seeing a counsellor and having some therapy as you need to give yourself a lot of compassion and kindness. I also think cutting off contact with him, or at least making yourself unavailable, would give you the headspace you need.

I hope my post doesn't sound harsh, it's just you sound so conflicted and in terrible pain, and I've been there going round in circles over a non commital man, it drives you mad.

Mermaid92 · 03/01/2021 00:52

Hi, no marriage but together for long time

OP posts:
Fearandsurprise · 03/01/2021 01:00

You both started a relationship when his child was a few months old and he already had a partner.
That does not make him a “good Dad”.
That does not make him a good current or future partner.

Why would would want a relationship and children with someone who behaves like that?

Sorry to see that that you had a family trauma - it may have affected your judgement. It looks like he may have targeted you when you were vulnerable. But, work on your self-esteem. And your morals.

Mermaid92 · 03/01/2021 01:07

Thank you everyone for taking time to comment. Sometimes it takes and outsiders point of view to open your eyes.

OP posts:
Backtoblack1 · 03/01/2021 01:19

Your eyes can be open but if he is manipulating you both then it will be difficult to get out of if you have feelings. The only way to get over this is by blocking him
And having no contact whatsoever. If you stay in this then I’m afraid there will be nothing but pain and heartache. X

Mermaid92 · 03/01/2021 01:26

Thank you. I appreciate you posting. I have tried to leave a few times before, he tells me that he loves me, asks to be patient while he works things out, that once lockdown is over he will start putting things in place properly. He has said this numerous times. I fall for it each time even though i know itll have the same outcome. I do feel like a complete fool. Last time he said he was going back i took it very badly, being in lockdown alone and thinking the person i have spent all day everyday spilling my guts to will no longer be there cripples me. So i make excuses for him and i end up staying. New year and its time for me to make some changes!

OP posts:
Mermaid92 · 03/01/2021 01:31

Also when i have doubts he says things like "i left my child for you" then i feel guilt and i end up apologising for not being understanding Confused

OP posts:
Fearandsurprise · 03/01/2021 01:38

@Mermaid92

Also when i have doubts he says things like "i left my child for you" then i feel guilt and i end up apologising for not being understanding Confused
Focus the guilt you are feeling on the baby - you helped to break up their family. Not on the cheating tosser who was messing about you and his partner.
katy1213 · 03/01/2021 01:39

Get a grip - you barely know him, other than online and you've turned your life upside down for him. Stop feeding his ego.
And go back to work. This nonsense isn't worth losing your job over and it's not your employer's responsibility, or the tax-payers', to pick up the cost of your messy, wholly imaginary love life.

Iminaglasscaseofemotion · 03/01/2021 01:43

So how many times do you think you will go through that cycle before you get fed up?

BrummyMum1 · 03/01/2021 01:59

Am i wasting my time here?

Yep. This guy wants to have his cake and eat it.

TuxedoPantherSheHer · 03/01/2021 03:12

Don’t be ducking stupid. You know you are being played like a fiddle. Google limerance.

And imagine how you’ll feel if you have a kid with him and you’re doing the pick me dance again with baby momma no3.

SandyY2K · 03/01/2021 05:30

He says the issue is not about me or babys mum but the fact that he cant bare limited time with his child and that he really struggles with this. He said i need to give him time to sort things on his end

This situation won't change though will it? His child exists...he'll always miss them and I don't know how you would ever trust him when he cheated on his long-term partner who recently had a baby.

You were honest to your partner, but this guy has flipped and flopped the whole time. Its not fair on anyone and he's not reliable.

No matter how much you love him, sometimes love just isn't enough. No amount of time is going to help navigate this mess for either of you. The child is an infant....not like it's a couple of years and he can have direct contact with the DC.

You've wasted a year in this situation...don't waste anymore of your time or you're bound to face further heartache...I guarantee it.

Ssandy52 · 03/01/2021 05:41

Unfortunately there is no point to this. Even if he leaves her he will cheat on you down the line. Cut all contact with him. I was with someone like this and he told me he was living separate lives/spare room etc. He ended up cheating on me and I know he was lying about the separate rooms. You’ve had a lucky escape - you haven’t got children with him yet. Cut him out of your life, delete his number, block him.

StopSquirtingBleachOnCaneToads · 03/01/2021 07:57

Cut him out of your life completely. He is pissing about and will continue to do so for as long as you allow him to.

Walk away.

Pechanga · 03/01/2021 10:03

You feel you have invested too much in this relationship to walk away now.

But you must walk away, he has shown himself to be a selfish liar, manipulative and emotionally unstable.

Of course he's sleeping with her, please don't be so naive. He's telling you both what you need to hear.

You need to free yourself from him, raise your standards! Find someone better to start your life with!

autumnalrain · 03/01/2021 10:48

This will teach you the grass is not always greener. I have no sympathy for you OP.

I'm unsure why everyone is treating OP like a victim of narcissim when she knowingly started having an emotional affair with someone who had a baby only a few months old whilst in a relationship of her own.

Just vile. You two deserve each other!

MsTSwift · 03/01/2021 10:56

Eww it’s like being in his harem! Cringe. Walk away fast.

Keratinsmooth · 03/01/2021 11:03

Look for another job, covid won’t stop that, interview online and online inductions are happening. (I’m starting my new job in March).

Swipe left for the next trending thread