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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

He's sneaking us into each others lives

287 replies

MissingOrange · 09/09/2021 16:57

My DP has a teenage DD who is always polite and civil but also very much Team Mum on everything which is fine, it just means there's a bit of distance. And her DM has no interest in me, which is good, why would she have? They split up years before I came along.

He has this thing about wanting us all to be close. We were having a nice evening in a pub garden in the country and he mentioned more than once that it would be nice if all four of us could be there together and wishing his ex and I could be confidants.

That wouldn't be too annoying by itself, but he tries to sneak us into each others lives. In my teens I was a singer and I used a stage name, one I've never heard since. I found out that his DD's GCSE artwork features my stage name. Her work was based around making album covers for a fictional popstar and he must have suggested that name. She would not have used it if she'd known the context. She'll be a bit weirded out if she ever sees my memorabilia from then.

Another time he came home with a few tops and said he'd seen them in a secondhand boutique and thought they'd suit me. I was touched by the gesture until his DD saw me in one of them and I could tell right away from her expression that I was wearing her clothing. He said she wanted him to take it to a charity shop so it was fine...

He agreed to check in and feed his wife's dog while she and his DD were away. I came along once because he drove there without mentioning it after we went shopping, and he was very keen to have sex on their sofa. I refused and he sulked.

I feel like saying that he needs to respect everyone's boundaries, stop involving us in each others lives by stealth, we're never going to be one happy family - especially with these stunts he keeps pulling.

I would like to hear opinions on this because I'm not sure whether it's as serious as I'm making it in my head.

OP posts:
georgarina · 09/09/2021 20:34

Could he have been trying to play up a fantasy by having you wear her clothes and suggest sex in the house she presumably grew up with him?

This was my thought as well. OP were you wearing DD's clothes at the time?

This is all very Silence of the Lambs...

BertramLacey · 09/09/2021 20:38

His last GF is the "psycho", (and there was another psycho before her), his wife was the amicable split. He said we were his two angels, and two devils. What a tosser.

For future reference, remember you're the next potential ex. You're the next one he's going to describe as 'psycho'. Except you're not, he is. We can all make mistakes and go out with the wrong people but when a man goes on about several 'psycho' exes, there's a problem and the chances are it's with him, not them.

WhyOhWhyOhWhyyyy · 09/09/2021 20:39

Oh OP don’t listen to people telling you you need therapy. We all make poor choices sometimes, it doesn’t make you mentally unstable. You’ve realised your error and make a good decision to move on. Well done.

MissingOrange · 09/09/2021 20:40

And you're 100% certain the dd has nothing to worry about, which is just perplexing given the revolting tale you've just told.

I can see why you think that, but what I've told you is

A - He gave me his DD's unwanted clothes, primary motive 99% sure cheapskate
B - His ex said something really vile. Maybe for a reason. He probably chronically overshared with her too which led her to thinking he was a pervert. Seriously - no fleeting thought left unshared...
C - Wanting to have sex on their sofa. I felt it was inappropriate so it didn't happen. He could have had malicious or even sick reasoning, but it didn't happen.

His DD is fine, I don't really know how to communicate that without giving too much detail away. She's always laughing (till she sees me), confident, very forthright, in a relationship, busy, certainly doesn't avoid her DF at all and is quite entitled and expects things to be done her way.

You'd really have to meet them to know why there's nothing to be worried about. I'm sorry if I have worried anyone. Believe me if I thought there was a real problem I would contact her mother. He's actually quite an inadequate character, if anything I think he's slightly intimidated by both her and her mother. Another thing that's probably quite unusual.

OP posts:
Bananalanacake · 09/09/2021 20:41

Thank God you don't live with him, I'm surprised he didn't try to move in so he could control you more.

MissingOrange · 09/09/2021 20:46

What excuse are you going to use?

I'm going to make a list in case I need it.But I'm going to try and make it drama-free with "I don't think we're compatible I don't want to continue with this anymore". He's a drama merchant so I will try to go full grey rock.

Practically do you have anything to collect from his or will it be relatively straightforward to have a clean break?

Very clean break luckily. The only problem will be that even if he accepts it's over he will want to have about 100 hours of post-mortem talks. I don't think he'll move on from me until some other poor woman crosses his path. Best of luck to whoever that is.

OP posts:
GreyhoundG1rl · 09/09/2021 20:48

The only problem will be that even if he accepts it's over he will want to have about 100 hours of post-mortem talks.
So you don't entertain it. Why would you?

ChristinaXYZ · 09/09/2021 20:50

@over2021

Er, very rarely is this my only advice but seriously, RUN.
Yep RUN! Wanting sex on the ex's sofa and lying to get you to wear his daughter's cloths. Seriously creepy stuff.
Lilymossflower · 09/09/2021 20:50

It's triangulation which is a type of abuse, and goes hand in hand with much other even more icky, and outright dangerous, kinds of abuse that will no doubt become apparent later unless you leave. So please do run. Right now

EmbarrassingMama · 09/09/2021 20:52

Good luck OP! You can do it Smile

Think about how much better you’ll feel at the weekend!

Mary1Mary · 09/09/2021 20:54

and he mentioned more than once that it would be nice if all four of us could be there together and wishing his ex and I could be confidants

Not amicable. Not friends, but confidants. Very telling.

I think what he was really saying was how great it would be if his wife confided in you about private things that he assumed he'd be privy to.

This man disgusts me. I'd happily throat punch him.

MissingOrange · 09/09/2021 20:56

OP were you wearing DD's clothes at the time?

I don't think so but I couldn't swear on a bible, I have a terrible memory.

But as soon as I realized I was wearing her clothes they went on to the charity shop. With a tiny pang of regret because I mainly buy my clothes at Sainsbury's these days Blush

OP posts:
MissingOrange · 09/09/2021 20:57

I'd happily throat punch him.

I'd happily watch you!

OP posts:
BeachDrifting · 09/09/2021 20:57

I read this whole thing with my mouth hanging open in shock. I think that tells you how abnormal his behaviour is. It’s made my skin crawl. He’s really really weird. Yuk. Can you please update us when you’ve dumped him. Be brave. Be honest. Say “I’m sorry but the weird things you say and do have turned my stomach. You’re not normal enough for me. No hard feelings but please don’t contact me again and my advice for the future is to get some help to stop being so strange” lay it on the table!

MissingOrange · 09/09/2021 20:58

So you don't entertain it. Why would you?

I won't. I just know he'll try. And he'll want to stay friends but really so he can keep an eye on me. I'm honestly so sick of the sound of his voice by now.

OP posts:
beastlyslumber · 09/09/2021 20:59

I'm 100% confident that his DD is and always has been safe

I'm 100% confident he has been emotionally abusing her her whole life. Maybe it's hasn't been physical/sexual but it's certainly been horrible and creepy. It was horrible of him to give you her clothes. A boundary violation. There will be a pattern.

From all the free therapy sessions I had to participate in (he can literally talk about himself for hours at a time) the end of their relationship got very unpleasant.

Yeah... you realise you can't trust anything he's told you about this woman or anyone or anything else? He's lying.

OP, you do not need an excuse or a reason to end the relationship. Just text him that you don't want to see him anymore, then block him on everything.

GreyhoundG1rl · 09/09/2021 20:59

@BeachDrifting

I read this whole thing with my mouth hanging open in shock. I think that tells you how abnormal his behaviour is. It’s made my skin crawl. He’s really really weird. Yuk. Can you please update us when you’ve dumped him. Be brave. Be honest. Say “I’m sorry but the weird things you say and do have turned my stomach. You’re not normal enough for me. No hard feelings but please don’t contact me again and my advice for the future is to get some help to stop being so strange” lay it on the table!
But make sure you're well out of his reach first 😬
SeaShoreGalore · 09/09/2021 21:00

Thank god it’s over! 😀 Lots of over dramatic people on here - when are you telling him OP? And no, you don’t owe him any free therapy talks once you’ve finished with him!

Lilymossflower · 09/09/2021 21:01

Just seen your more recent posts. Well done for making the decision to let it go. You sound like your in a strong and clear frame of mind right now x

winterchills · 09/09/2021 21:02

He's an absolute nut case! Get rid of him and quick

MarylinMonrue · 09/09/2021 21:05

don’t listen to people telling you you need therapy. We all make poor choices sometimes, it doesn’t make you mentally unstable.

Um..therapy isn't exclusively for the mentally unstable...I wasn't mentally unstable when I decided I'd enough of being treated like shit and wanted to get to the bottom of why I tolerated it in cycles - in fact, I was the sanest I'd been in my damn life. Saving your future self from bad behaviour is a very sane act.

MissingOrange · 09/09/2021 21:08

It just crossed my mind for the first time that maybe his DD doesn't like me because he overshares with her about me. I hope that isn't the case but I wouldn't put it past him.

Thanks for the well wishes. I will come back and say how it went but don't expect anything exciting. I'm going to keep it brief and then block. I read up on the grey rock approach recently and I think that will do the job x

OP posts:
GreyhoundG1rl · 09/09/2021 21:10

It just crossed my mind for the first time that maybe his DD doesn't like me because he overshares with her about me. I hope that isn't the case but I wouldn't put it past him.
Surely you know whether he overshares or not? And surely she doesn't? This just gets weirder and weirder.

GreyhoundG1rl · 09/09/2021 21:11

Actually I read that backwards, sorry.

TreeTed · 09/09/2021 21:12

Huge well done for deciding to end it. The wanting sex in his ex’s house is just wrong and bizarre and then sulking!