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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

Should I Tell Her Husband?

43 replies

almond123 · 29/01/2022 22:10

So I matched with a woman two years ago, on a dating site. We met up, got on and decided to give things a go.

Then Covid hit. Obviously we couldn't meet up but we kept corresponding, electronically but in long letters to each other. I fell for her and she said it was mutual.

Then she came clean. And she told me she had a husband. But she said she was thinking of leaving him. She came up to see me to talk about it. But when she came, she then backtracked and said she wouldn't leave him.

We kept talking (from my pov because I was head over heels for her). But I knew I didn't want to be with her like that because I want a real partner in my life. I met up with her once more to say goodbye (I have no moral excuse for this).

We didn't talk but I thought about her for months. We met up again early last year. Again I have no excuse for it.

Since then, we've talked as friends occasionally, for about 10 months.

The whole thing has been playing on my mind for a long time now though. I know I did wrong to continue long after I should have shut the door. And I haven't seen her in 10 months, despite her asking to.

Ultimate question - should I give her husband an option to know about what happened?

(By option, I mean sending a message along the lines of - "I think you know who I am. I don't mean you or anyone any harm. Message me if you want to know more. If not, delete this text and you (or anyone else) never hear from me again").

Some other context:

  • Her affairs are all BDSM based. Her husband has occasionally done this but isn't really into it.
  • I think she does genuinely love her husband. Hence wanting to stay with him. And they have three children together. She has never once bad mouthed him. Quite the opposite. I think she's still very much genuinely in love with him.
  • She has had many many affairs over around fifteen years of her twenty two year marriage. He has known (found out by accident) of the existence of at least three of these affairs in the past. Once found out, each time he was upset and begged her to stop. She did stop the immediate affair. But then restarted a different affair with a new partner(s) afterwards.
  • Directly before me, she had a lover for 3.5 years. He moved to her city to be close to her. She thinks her husband has a suspicion about this lover but he never really knew. This only ended because the lover moved out of the country for family reasons.
  • She told me that she was on the dating sites looking for a permanent lover. Since we met and things didn't work out, I know that she is still active on the same websites and still looking for the same thing - a permanent lover. As well as looking for casual sex, in addition to a longterm lover.

I've thought long and hard about my motivation for considering doing this. My motivation isn't to destroy anything. Personally, and as strange as it sounds, I think that she is a loving wife and he should stay married to her. But I am vastly aware that this is not my choice to make. And what I want to do is offer her husband the chance to learn more about what his wife really does, rather than being kept (involuntarily) in the dark. I wouldn't send any details unless he then responds to me and asks specifically for them.

OP posts:
givemepiece · 29/01/2022 22:12

No. Move on, she doesn't want you.

And you were more than happy to see her when you knew about the husband so it seems rather self serving, certainly not for the right reasons.

Onthefloor2 · 29/01/2022 22:16

What an arsehole! So because you can’t be with her you think it’s a great idea to shit all over her life? Completely different if she got caught, but your just offering up the info….was ok when you was having sex though 🤦‍♀️

Move on already and don’t be bitter. Look back at it as some fun and leave her to get on with it- telling him won’t make you feel better, in fact it will make you feel worse if her husband then goes in to forgive her.

Try and forget her even though it’s hard.

Divebar2021 · 29/01/2022 22:19

It sounds like a right mess - I would stay well away.

nadgersbadgers · 29/01/2022 22:22

Hang the fuck on.... if this was a woman posting about telling the wife the truth you'd all be saying yes tell her she has the right to know the truth.

This place is fucked.

bongobingo43 · 29/01/2022 22:35

@nadgersbadgers

Hang the fuck on.... if this was a woman posting about telling the wife the truth you'd all be saying yes tell her she has the right to know the truth.

This place is fucked.

Exactly what I was about to say!

There have been loads of posts with women asking if she should tell the wife....all the responses encouraging the OP to tell. Some replies on the other posts have actually been to abuse the OP if she decides not to

givemepiece · 29/01/2022 22:37

No I dont agree. The posts would've said something similar, questioning the OW's motives

FrostedCupcakes · 29/01/2022 22:41

@nadgersbadgers

Hang the fuck on.... if this was a woman posting about telling the wife the truth you'd all be saying yes tell her she has the right to know the truth.

This place is fucked.

Was about to say the exact same thing!
Shmithecat2 · 29/01/2022 22:42

No.

A) if her husband new about previous affairs, what difference does yours make?

B) if you were that concerned, you'd have told him as soon as you found out he existed.

But you didn't. Move on.

bongobingo43 · 29/01/2022 22:42

@givemepiece

No I dont agree. The posts would've said something similar, questioning the OW's motives
A few did but it was mostly "well if it was my DH/bf I'd want to know" "wouldn't you want to know?" "She deserves to know" etc etc
Shmithecat2 · 29/01/2022 22:42

knew

Onthefloor2 · 29/01/2022 22:42

Not months and months later just because you can’t get over it, this is different to when women post as the situation is different.

And no, I don’t think woman should tell other woman out of spite or malice either!

HairyFanjoBanjo · 29/01/2022 23:03

No doubt her husband knows.

You literally have nothing to gain from telling him and it sounds very self serving/righteous.

Tamworth123 · 29/01/2022 23:25

And what I want to do is offer her husband the chance to learn more about what his wife really does, rather than being kept (involuntarily) in the dark.

But he's apparently found out about at least 3 of her previous affairs and not ended the marriage .... so why would this be any different, why would it make a difference?

Tamworth123 · 29/01/2022 23:30

I think that she is a loving wife and he should stay married to her.

We'll have to disagree on that one.

You said when he found out about 2 of her past affairs he is v upset and begged her to stop.

Doesn't sound like he's indifferent to her infidelity and it sounds like hes not unfaithful himself (?) So he's being hurt, being mistreated, I'd actually call it a type of abuse.

He clearly feels he can't get rid of her for whatever reasons (kids?).

Hope he does; she deserves a kindred spirit shagger/swinging partner, and he deserves a faithful partner (presuming he is one himself).

Tamworth123 · 29/01/2022 23:31

*3

DDMAC · 29/01/2022 23:34

I feel sorry for him. He is being exposed to whatever stds she might pick up. Not fair. He also deserves someone who can be faithful. I think he deserves to know.

LindyLou2020 · 29/01/2022 23:36

@almond123........
Unless I've not been paying attention and have missed this vital piece of information, everyone is assuming you are male.
Are you male or female? - I don't care either way, but it looks like it might affect how people comment on your post!

Tamworth123 · 29/01/2022 23:39

I think she does genuinely love her husband.

Sorry but that's incompatible with her behaviour.

Love is selfless, love is kind .... etc.

If she truly loved & cares about her husband she's either stop being unfaithful (and it seems he's willing to do some bdsm with her, even if he isn't the world's most accomplished dom (or sub?) ) or she'd end the marriage as kindly and maturely as possible, set up an amicable coparentkng agreement, and set him free to meet a "vanilla" woman who doesnt cheat in him. Of which there are many.

And she can find her dom/sub partner and be happy herself (she'll probably still be fking around, but maybe hell be into polyamory/swinging too).

She wants to have her cake and eat it, she wants to keep him while cheating on him and deceiving him. That's not love.

CheesusWept · 29/01/2022 23:46

You say he knows of at least 3 affairs - it doesn’t sound as if he’d even entertain what you have to say.

I’d leave them to the car crash that is their life and be glad I wasn’t involved with it.

CPL593H · 30/01/2022 00:29

You really need to walk away and try to forget her. No one born is worth embroiling yourself in this nightmare for, honestly.

Closetbeanmuncher · 30/01/2022 00:32

What a catch 😬

Shes a serial cheat and he knows this so. What difference will telling him make. If he was oblivious my reply would be different.

Be thankful you're not married to her, messy and grubby.

Closetbeanmuncher · 30/01/2022 00:33

*so what

layladomino · 30/01/2022 08:59

I wouldn't say anything. I think he does deserve to know what his wife is like (and no, she isn't a good wife, she is a cheating, lying wife) but he already knows and has chosen to overlook it.

DropYourSword · 30/01/2022 09:02

@nadgersbadgers

Hang the fuck on.... if this was a woman posting about telling the wife the truth you'd all be saying yes tell her she has the right to know the truth.

This place is fucked.

I honestly thought the OP was written by a woman.

Either way, OP should stay the fuck out of everything.

Aquamarine1029 · 30/01/2022 09:03

The husband already knows. You wouldn't be telling him anything he hasn't heard before. He clearly has chosen to live with it.

As for yourself, wise up and block her. Move on with your life.