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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

Confused - unsure if I'm just being untrusting and controlling

30 replies

Lonelylonelylonely · 22/09/2021 23:12

I separated from my husband last year and a few months later was asked out by someone I knew (but not well) through a hobby of ours. New man and I have now been together approximately a year, we don't live together and we most likely never will.

Neither of us are spring chickens, I'm late 40's, he's 10 years older. He's also been married before, but no dc. When I first split with my ex-husband, my split was very amicable, but has since become acrimonious. His split with his ex-wife has been very amicable. They still communicate most days via text or phone call. He insists there's no going back for them, but is fiercely private about his communication with her.

He always texts good morning to me and we text throughout the day. If we're not seeing each other that day, we talk on the phone in the evening, just general chit chat about how our days have gone.

However, I recently discovered he'd had his ex-wife over to his house a month or so ago and had not mentioned it to me. I also discovered they text most days including good morning and good night texts (sometimes even when we've spent the night together). He has said he hasn't told me about meeting with her because his interaction with her is private between them. However, I can't help but feel that this level of contact and lack of communication with me just doesn't sit right. I don't want to know the details of what they discuss etc, but I do feel it's not right that he's not even mentioned, "oh mrs ex-dp came over yesterday". I'd even asked who some drinks were for that were in the fridge (typical female drinks) and he'd said it was in case his sister dropped by. I later found out they were for her. It also makes me question what else he's not telling me.

He's been quite open about the fact that he still loves her, but claims that doesn't mean he can't love and make a commitment to me. He says I don't trust him and he's right, that trust has been eroded since I found out he'd had her over to the house without telling me. He gets very angry if I bring the topic up, but I feel we do need to discuss it. He's said there's nothing to discuss.

Am I being an unreasonable bunny-boiler, or is this level of protectiveness over a previous relationship not ok? To my mind he's been lying by omission, he says that's just not the case. Fwiw they were married for decades. I'm just trying to get my head around the whole thing.

OP posts:
AnotherFruitcake · 23/09/2021 13:16

I’m longterm good friends with a couple of exes, but this sounds way too enmeshed and dependent, and the lies of omission and anger when you bring it up would be deal breakers for me. You deserve better, OP.

Lonelylonelylonely · 23/09/2021 13:25

More accurately he told me the drinks were for visitors such as his sister, his mum or his neighbours. It's not something I tend to drink, so I knew they weren't being bought for my benefit.

I also have a very long term male friend who I've been friends with since we were teens and who is my rock and my confidant. I regularly tell my male friend I love him, send him kisses and vice versa, but my friend's wife has always known about our friendship and I fully expect that he tells her about things I've told him, when we've met up (which is rare these days as he lives far away) etc.

This just feels different.

OP posts:
BananaPB · 23/09/2021 15:34

[quote Lonelylonelylonely]@BuffySummersReportingforSanity he claims he's not lied, he just didn't tell me. When I said this is lying by omission he tried to make out as though that's something I was making up. He's said it's not lying if you've just not mentioned something that is private. I think he's not told me because he knows I wouldn't have been comfortable with him inviting her over like this. He's said he's never been unfaithful to me and trusts me implicitly, but I clearly don't trust him, she's his oldest friend, they've known each other since they were teens and I should accept he's got a history that I'll never be part of.
I do accept he's got a history I'll never be part of and I wouldn't want to take that away, I'm not even that bothered if they want to keep in regular contact etc, it's the good morning and good night texts and the not telling me about her visit which make me distinctly uncomfortable.[/quote]
If he still loves her then he's having an emotional affair. If it was above board then he'd say X is coming round. His gaslighting and secret keeping makes her presence a threat to your relationship and I use that term loosely as this is not a monogamous committed relationship really. Monogamy is not just about the physical act of sex.

Some people can't be alone and he might be using you so he doesn't have to be single. He shouldn't be dragging you into this situation - it's not fair and you shouldn't be a stopgap until his fantasy of her wanting to get back together happens.

girlmom21 · 23/09/2021 15:51

He loves her. He's still in love with his ex and she takes priority over you. You're not controlling but he's taking advantage of you because he'll keep you hanging on and he'll keep gaslighting you until she decides she wants him back.

altmember · 23/09/2021 16:11

There's a world of difference between being amicable/friendly with your ex, and sending them good morning and night messages every day. Does his ex know about you?

Either he's using you to try and make his ex jealous or he's a controlling, stalking ex who's messaging her to keep his psychological hooks in her in an attempt to prevent her from moving on.

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