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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

Revenge on the OW

233 replies

Revengeisbittersweet · 06/12/2021 16:48

Now i've name changed for this for obvious reasons.

Back story for you. A while back now during a particularly bad patch in my marriage when my dh and I had all but decided to separate he ended up having a drunken ONS with someone i knew relatively well.

Well unbeknown to me (as he never told me) he realised it was a massive mistake, gave him a massive kick up the arse and he decided he wanted to save our marriage. Again all unbeknown to me. BUT his behaviour from that point changed, he became so much nicer to me, so much more tolerant. He stopped drinking.

Anyway our relationship improved quite a lot and we stayed together, all the while i was oblivious to the ONS. Well it turns out that the OW fell head over limerence with my Dh and spent the following year tearing herself apart and imploding her life because she couldn't understand why he had made her feel there could of been a chance of a relationship only to tell her immediately after that it was a mistake. Now all of this was unbeknown to my DH, he was under the impression that she was on the same page as him and was as desperate as him that i never find out. But she proceeded to involve many of our mutual friends and they spent the following 12 months of dealing with her emotional fallout over it. And helping her to get over it but from all what i've heard she became completely obsessed, convincing herself every innocent interaction they had after was some secret sign of his love.

Anyway it all came to a head and she finally told me the truth. In a rather dramatic disclosure but basically told me they were in love and had had the most intense love affair over the space of 6 months when he broke her heart. She was very detailed in her disclosure and this was where she shot herself in the foot as she listed things and places i had been as the start of there affair and it ended when i was somewhere else (bear in mind the disclosure came over 2 1/2 yrs later). I keep a diary and on going back over it and double checking it with her the two events were only 14 days apart but the affair she claimed went on for months and months. She also threw our mutual friends under the bus saying they all knew and betrayed me. It turns out there were quite a few people who knew - humiliating much! Anyway this was another downfall as everyone said the same story - it was a drunken ONS, my husband was completely guilt ridden after it happened and told her it was a mistake, she lost the plot and convinced herself they were in love and he was tormented by not being able to be with her.

Anyway if you've made it this far congrats . Sadly the disclosure resulted in the end of our marriage, there was no bog fall out. I didn't particularly blame him for the ONS as we were in theory on the verge of splitting and there was a lot of unhappiness at that time. But it was the fact all this was going on afterwards with people we knew all party and i never knew. It was all a big betrayal of truat. ANYWAY HERE IS MY ISSUE.

I never confronted her, i never called out and said it was bullshit, that her dates didn't work out. I just thanked her for telling me. She desperately wanted us to meet but i declined she then sent a really unnecessary message detailing things they'd done in bed and things he'd apparently said about me. It was cruel but i think it was her way of really getting the final kick in for my exDH Who she still claims is her soul mate and has ruined her life.

Anyway i'm over everything else I've moved on, luckily we had no children so it was a relatively swift aplit. I have a great life, great friends etc i'm very lucky, my exH has paid the ultimate price for his mistake but i am somewhat consumed in those quiet moments where i want to kick her arse still, i want her to have a miserable time, i want revenge as she was a friend of sorts and i was only ever nice to her before, during and after. Others have said this will have driven her mad she wanted the drama and my not reacting or responding has really given me the higher ground, i haven't publicly aired my dirty linen. But i still want to get her back?? Why and will this feeling ever go? Or should i dream up some kind of revenge that she can't track back to me so i can finally move on?

OP posts:
Wokahontas · 06/12/2021 20:06

WRT living well being the best revenge. I sort of agree but word it differently.

For me, it is when the person who has hurt you can see with their own eyes that when they are not in your life you are better off e.g. fitter, healthier, a better job, better social life etc. It's like you never realised how shit their presence was and now they are no longer in your life, you are thriving.

logsonlogsoff · 06/12/2021 20:06

I’m another one who doubts it was a ONS.

logsonlogsoff · 06/12/2021 20:06

But as you e got rid of him anyway, does it really matter?

Closetbeanmuncher · 06/12/2021 20:09

I say focus on making your life as fabulous as possible. Keep looking forwards OP.

If you ever see her again and she beings it up then it's open season... Kick her arse 😂

Hesheweeshe · 06/12/2021 20:11

God all you people who are commenting that you know it wasn't a ONS jeez unnecessary unhelpful and basically untrue. You have no flipping clue.

Hesheweeshe · 06/12/2021 20:15

@Wishywash you are very condescending and very quick to diagnose (from the a very brief thread) that the OP is suffering from a mental health condition. Many of OP posts have come across tongue in cheek as was her response to you.

Tiredtiredtired100 · 06/12/2021 20:17

Honestly, moving on is the best option and the desire to hurt her will fade in time.

It was only a boyfriend, but when I discovered he had a ONS with a mutual friend of sorts (more his friends than mine but within our mutual friendship group) I took the moral high ground and have never regretted it. She told me to hit her or anything, as she felt guilty and I had a right to be mad. I didn’t and simply didn’t speak to her at all for years. About 8 years later we were both at a mutual friend’s hen do and I spoke to her politely and the same way I did to everyone else, as by then I genuinely didn’t care anymore. You will get to that point too, in time.

Tiredtiredtired100 · 06/12/2021 20:18

P.s. I was far angrier with the boyfriend and have never spoken to him since and never will.

D1ngledanglers · 06/12/2021 20:20

3 years for me!
As in it took 3 years to get the OW out of my head. Even though exH & OW split up after 18 months, it was difficult believing it wasn't more deceit...
How long since you found out @Revengeisbittersweet?

MarbleQueen · 06/12/2021 20:20

In my experience the Ow often exists in a particular dark emotional state. I suspect many of them are depressed and self medicate with drama. There is always drama, that’s the whole point.

That’s punishment enough.

lightisnotwhite · 06/12/2021 20:22

As someone who was also kicked in the metaphorical teeth by an OW I hear you. The trouble is they never really get the comeuppance you think they deserve and you end up dwelling on it unnecessarily fir years ( well I did).

I think you need acknowledgment of the very damaging thing they have done to you and your past life. And then make active steps to forgive. Sounds stupid but you can only forgive those that wrong you. The opposite of “ forget about it” ( which is shit). List every single thing you are pissed with her about, visualise it and make your self stronger but saying you forgive her.
And she’ll be gone.

Hesheweeshe · 06/12/2021 20:22

OP do you know what, you had a shit situation happen to you through no real fault of your own.

You were questioning if it was normal to still have these feelings every now and then. Yes 100% and they will fade with time.

You sound like you have a strong sense of right and wrong. You have been served an injustice and you have reacted well.

Other posters comments that you need to move on are unhelpful as you sound as though you are doing well but this idea of having let her get away with it plays on your mind. As others have said she hasn't really got away with anything. You did the right thing.

Definitely some counselling could definitely help you understand why you struggle with the feelings you have.

You are doing well, you've played the game well so far and its perfectly normal xx

Wishywash · 06/12/2021 20:32

Can't you see that when people are abused they want to retaliate and hurt the abuser (or in this case the co-abuser)? The OP's reaction is normal. The OP has been emotionally abused, she is still a victim.

Just cut her some slack.

Suffering from your own issues doesn’t give you a free range to be terrible to others, nor to make ignorant comments. Thinking up petty revenge plots or comebacks is one thing, sharing publicly that you hope someone who has been suffering longterm suffers more is unnecessary from anyone. I do still hope the OP can get help and move forward with her life.

are you for real? 😂😂😂. Omg.

I don’t really think anyone else on this thread could give a hoot that you no longer have sympathy for the OP.

I’m not expecting them to. I posted that in reply to the OP. You clearly care enough to butt in and reply though. I have to wonder if you are for real.

FFS. I really have heard it all. Have pity for the OW because limerance is real?

It’s a form of OCD that can lead to suicide and is being researched so it can be added to the DSM. I have sympathy for all people suffering from mental health issues and this woman suffered for at least a year. Imagine having your mind ruminating on this day in day out.

Clearly in this case there is a large chance that the woman was suffering from limerence or something similar. I’m not saying to have sympathy for all other women for this reason as each situation is different.

you are very condescending and very quick to diagnose (from the a very brief thread) that the OP is suffering from a mental health condition. Many of OP posts have come across tongue in cheek as was her response to you.

Read the OP again, that is not healthy. Interesting that you only have 3 posts for this name and they are all complaining about the posters in this thread not understanding things and one that overwhelmingly supports OP.

Hesheweeshe · 06/12/2021 20:35

@Wishywash. Ive literally just sat down from work and read the 8 pages of comments and thought i'd comment.

Funny you have only posted sticking the boot in on the OP for talking about feelings of wanting to take revenge. Are you an OW

Ellen888 · 06/12/2021 20:42

[quote Hesheweeshe]@Wishywash. Ive literally just sat down from work and read the 8 pages of comments and thought i'd comment.

Funny you have only posted sticking the boot in on the OP for talking about feelings of wanting to take revenge. Are you an OW[/quote]
A very astute post.

That idea had crossed my mind. Hmm

bozzabollix · 06/12/2021 20:42

I know two women who have cheated during the last year. There’s been a massive price to pay in each case. Revenge is highly tempting but life will be dishing out a bit her way anyway, I don’t think you have to do much.

Also she does seem like she has mental health issues. If you go down the revenge route you may well regret it, someone like that can probably throw a bit more energy in that direction. That’s the last thing you need. In her mind she’s probably reframed the whole thing as being your fault anyway, hence trying to hurt you.

Give her a wide berth, life is too short abd you’re evidently too sane for all that.

Anger will fade.

Wishywash · 06/12/2021 20:43

Funny you have only posted sticking the boot in on the OP for talking about feelings of wanting to take revenge. Are you an OW

Nice try. Go back and read my reply on page 5 where I explained why revenge is an unhealthy fixation and can be dangerous.

I’m not an other woman. I’m someone who took revenge when it was presented and learned the hard way that it doesn’t work like you want it to do. If I could go back, I would have gone to therapy as I recommended OP do instead.

My issue with OP was them attacking people for trying to answer their questions about wanting revenge and then wanting sympathy while wishing further suffering on others. I went into the thread supportive of OP and was turned off by their poor behaviour.

sassbott · 06/12/2021 20:44

@Wishywash I couldn’t care less about anyone’s mental health issues after (or before) they’ve fucked someone already attached. Then proceeded to spill their guts in order to cause more pain to an unwilling victim in a mess of their making.

It’s toxic chaos, created in part by the aforementioned person. Ruining someone else’s life in the process.

Zero empathy.

Hesheweeshe · 06/12/2021 20:50

@Wishywash funny how different people interpret people responses differently. I can't say ive read every comment on here as there are a lot as i'm not that invested but yours stood out as being a bit far out. You are of course entitled to ur opinion however I don't think the OP has been attacking people

nancybotwinbloom · 06/12/2021 20:51

Look at it this way he's not with her.

She probably thought if you split her run into her arms. It sounds like he hasn't unless I've missed something.

That's revenge enough.

sassbott · 06/12/2021 20:51

Plenty of us have posted on here advocating for the OP to go to therapy. To keep her head held high. To process unresolved issues so she can get this out of her head.

But that doesn’t mean she isn’t human. That she isn’t hurting. And it’s perfectly understandable that her ability to have empathy / understanding towards a human being who has caused her so much pain is possibly non existent.

She may get there one day, she may not. But outside of you, I don’t think anyone else is remotely judging the OP for saying what she’s said.

Ellen888 · 06/12/2021 20:52

Wishywash,

"I went into the thread supportive of OP and was turned off by their poor behaviour."

Poor behaviour - are you for real?

That's judgemental and totally lacking empathy.

When it comes to understanding a betrayed wife's position your name says it all.

unname · 06/12/2021 20:55

@Wishywash

Funny you have only posted sticking the boot in on the OP for talking about feelings of wanting to take revenge. Are you an OW

Nice try. Go back and read my reply on page 5 where I explained why revenge is an unhealthy fixation and can be dangerous.

I’m not an other woman. I’m someone who took revenge when it was presented and learned the hard way that it doesn’t work like you want it to do. If I could go back, I would have gone to therapy as I recommended OP do instead.

My issue with OP was them attacking people for trying to answer their questions about wanting revenge and then wanting sympathy while wishing further suffering on others. I went into the thread supportive of OP and was turned off by their poor behaviour.

Your sympathy is subpar if you rescind it the moment the person you meant to comfort, who is in pain, fails to react the way you believe they should.

The OW isn't here. The OP blowing off steam anonymously is not harmful to the OW.

Katyrosebug · 06/12/2021 20:59

Hi op, just wondered and kind off of the track a bit, what did all your mutual friends have to say for themselves? Do you still speak to them? If the roles were reversed and you ever found yourself in the position of knowing someone's partner cheated, would you tell them?

billy1966 · 06/12/2021 21:00

@ElectraBlue

What will revenge achieve? nothing...The best revenge anyway is always to build a better life for yourself, be happy and move on from the people who hurt and disappointed you.

Also I don't understand why you putting most of the blame on this other woman rather than your husband.

He is the one who took a vow. The mistress on the other hand had no emotional or legal investment in you and your happiness...so why go after her? she might be a nasty piece of work but in the end it is your husband who chose to betray you.

Speak a therapist if you are really struggling and focus on your future, don't let the past be a never ending prison for you...

This.

Of course you have every right to be well pissed off at her, but she made an awful tit of herself.
That story will surely follow her.
Would you want her in your family?
She sounds batshit.

Well done for moving on so well.
You are nearly there.
Flowers

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