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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

Please tell me not to send this message..

65 replies

beesfeet · 03/02/2022 10:55

I know I shouldn't.

I found out about a new 'friend' he had whilst trying to save our marriage. I did a bit of digging and found out it was more than a friendship which he continued to deny.

I left ExH due to domestic abuse. Called the police, working with womens aid etc.

A week a go I sent him a direct message (as advised by the police) to not contact me under any circumstances and to text my mum only about our DS and nothing else.

I haven't heard from him but he has text my mum. Saying he knows he's hurt me, he knows he's messed up in our marriage. He has also sent my mum 2 texts still stating it was nothing more than a friendship.

I cannot stand this. I want to unblock him, I've written a message to say I know it was more than a friendship, tell him what proof I have and to leave my mum alone.

My mum says I mustn't send this message to him as that's what he wants.

I'm annoyed he is still messing with my head even after he cannot contact me directly. Advice please, I'm struggling!

OP posts:
SheldonesqueTheBstard · 03/02/2022 11:53

You have a new hole to replace the one you had! ✨ 💎

Stay strong. Ask your mam to block him. Or at least not tell you if he gets in touch.

Head up lass and look forward and glory in your recovered strength.

tkwal · 03/02/2022 11:55

Stay strong. Don't send him the message. You have been through all the crazy with him and every day sees you getting further from it. He's trying to have you dance to his tune again

Rainbowshine · 03/02/2022 11:56

Tell your mum that for now, you’d rather not hear about his crappy messages and only need to know about his contact regarding the children. Also tell her she needs to reply as others have said that he should stick to discussing the children in his contact with her. Tell her in a text to make it clear, and also it shows that you are managing the situation if you need to show that in court/to police etc.

You got away from him, that’s good, don’t undo the progress you’ve worked hard to get to this point.

beesfeet · 03/02/2022 12:00

Thanks all - just to be clear, my mum has ignored all messages that aren't in regard to DS.

Me and the kids are living with her and everytime her phones goes, especially at tea time as that's when he gets in from work, i panic. My mums been fab and strong. She's being grey rock with him completely.

OP posts:
Toanewstart22 · 03/02/2022 12:02

So how do you know about these messages then?

beesfeet · 03/02/2022 12:07

@Toanewstart22

So how do you know about these messages then?
Because I've been there when they come in. Sat with her on the sofa. I obviously want to know what they say - I was actually expecting him to want to FaceTime DS last night, I was preparing myself for that but it wasn't. It was all just to say how his girlfriend is only a friend. My mum didn't reply to that
OP posts:
Toanewstart22 · 03/02/2022 12:10

I’d say you and your mum need to have an agreement where she has sight of all messages FIRST and then deletes any not relevant

HollowTalk · 03/02/2022 12:14

Can't she mute his messages? I agree with the previous poster who said ignoring him will really piss him off. Answering is just what he wants

LostMyLastHatfulOfWords · 03/02/2022 12:14

Not replying speaks volumes to him (it suggests he can't reach you with his barbed messages ... and/or that you don't know or care about the OW's relationship with him now) and it will frustrate his plan to re-establish contact.

( It is usualy to want most what you can't have and to have a mind full of that rather than what is easily available... I'd guess that the poor OW won't be getting quality attention from him just now.)

Sausagedogsarethebest · 03/02/2022 12:16

Ask your DM to reply to him saying he's to only text her if it's regarding your DS, and she has no interest in anything else

beesfeet · 03/02/2022 12:25

Here is what I've written, I would never have sent him all this but as I started writing, everything came out. I refer to myself as 'your wife' as that's what he used to say when he was wanting me to come home. Constant messages of 'I just want my wife back' referring to me as an object rather than as a person.

It may not make sense but at least I've sent it to someone. He sent my mum a message to say he will always do right by me. It made me angry, this is what I wrote in the note on my phone:

Your wife feels very mentally unwell and she comes to you for support. She’s put up with a lot of your crap over the past few months. She’s been accused by you of having someone else when she was just fed up of being taken advantage of, shown no love, being snapped at, walking on egg shells. You shout at her and show her absolutely no support or love whatsoever. Not even a cuddle. She leaves.

In the days, weeks, months after she leaves you, you then make it all about yourself, how you feel, how you can’t cope…never once asking your wife what you can do to help her. She asks for space, you don’t let her have it. You suffocate her. It’s just all about you. You accuse your wife of seeing other people, make her scared to do anything, scared to say the wrong thing in front of you, it stops her talking to her friends (who she needed by the way, she didn’t have any support from her husband) it makes her own mental health even worse however she still continues to support you, puts you in therapy, allows you to come for xmas, speaks to you whenever you ask her too for hours on end, always replies to texts, FaceTimes you to prove there is no other man here and she has no one else. She asks you to not speak in front of the kids, it gets ignored .She should of been working on herself during this time but she still continued to put you first. She had no choice, you wouldn’t leave her alone and she was scared of you. And she still cared. This is coercive control. You play mind games, telling her you’re going back on tinder all to try make her beg you not too. You ask her if she fancies you still, making her feel awkward. You tell her to tell you she loves you. This is coercive control.

Then she finds out you messaged an ex. Then she finds out that you have a new ‘friend’. You are adamant this is just a friendship, however it isn’t. It’s more than that. You try continue to try to save your marriage while starting a new relationship. Your wife starts to feel confused at this point, wondering if we could make a go of things, your promises of change she wants to believe but then absolutely not believing a word you say about the ‘friend’ However your wife is clever, does a bit of digging only to find out that you are in fact lying. She blocks you as she can’t take anymore. She then receives more messages off you saying ‘your a nasty piece of work’ and your going to ‘get me back’. You will make her see how happy you are in a new relationship. You are disgusting. You call your daughter to slag me off. Your daughter who your wife loves very much, who she has supported and comforted over the last 5.5 years. Your wife loves your daughter as if she were her own. Your daughter has her GCSEs coming up. However you feel it is absolutely fine for you to put the weight of the world on her shoulders. Absolutely yet again terrible parenting on your part.

Her mum is sat with her while all these messages are coming through, her mum is now feeling scared, wondering what you are going to do next. So she calls the police. The police take it seriously and are absolutely brilliant. They wanted to arrest you for harassment and coercive control. They saw and read through all the messages. All the messages of asking if your wife had someone else. Making her swear on her Childrens lives that there wasn’t. The FaceTimes. All of it. She explained about your dad and this apparent breakdown you were having yourself. However there is absolutely no excuse for your behaviour according to them.

You then decide to take your friend on a weekend away, rubbing it in her face from the joint bank transactions. She gets messages from people who tell her what you have put on Facebook. However these people are all supportive of her and have lost all respect for you. They tell me you have absolutely no regard to your wife or her feelings and your profile picture is actually laughable. They tell her she is worth so much more.

She is me. I am your wife. A normal person with feelings. Who you have destroyed. I fail to see how you have done right by me so far.

OP posts:
redfairy · 03/02/2022 12:32

OP I wrote many a long missive when my marriages broke down. They key is not to send them. Get it out of your system on paper and burn them. And get your mum and your friends to stop passing on tittle tattle and messages. They are really not doing you any favours.

Moretodo · 03/02/2022 12:33

You are going to feel so awesome from not replying.
It doesn't happen instantly, not like the temporary gratification of giving someone some shit.

Let him marinade in the juices of his own conduct.

If you message him, it will fuel their "friendship".
She will compete.
He will have discussions with her about what you've said, they will be interpreting, analysing, predicting and deconstructing it. Any response you make, however clever it feels at the time will diminish your position.

He gets nothing.
Not your support, not your ideas, not your feelings, not closure, not your energy, nothing.

He will become more and more disturbed by your silence. It is the most powerful tool you have.

Keep your cards to your chest. Keep your counsel.

Be wise.

Sally872 · 03/02/2022 12:42

Completely understand your frustration but you know what happens, he knows what happened. Ignoring him is far more powerful than engaging in conversation about it. 1) if he doesn't get it then you won't be able to make him understand. 2) it will be far more annoying to him to just ignore rather than engage with him about it.

Suzanne999 · 03/02/2022 12:47

@beesfeet

Thanks all - just to be clear, my mum has ignored all messages that aren't in regard to DS.

Me and the kids are living with her and everytime her phones goes, especially at tea time as that's when he gets in from work, i panic. My mums been fab and strong. She's being grey rock with him completely.

Stick with this. He is just trying to manipulate your mum into thinking he’s a good guy. Sounds like she’s got the measure of him.

Stay strong, don’t let him manipulate you into showing interest in his life.

Flipflopfoodle · 03/02/2022 12:49

I got a note book and wrote all my messages in it. Kept it by the bed so if I couldn't sleep I could vent in that and actually feel better.
About 3 years later I burnt the notebook when the feelings no longer had strength, and that helped as well, it was like drawing a massive line under the whole experience, and it was all finished with, with a burst of flame!

Mulhollandmagoo · 03/02/2022 13:09

@Holly60

If you need motivation, imagine him checking his phone every 5 minutes…and still no text from you. He will be wondering what you are thinking, what you are doing, but no way of finding out.
This is an amazing idea!! Take back the power and control, also might be worth asking your mum to censor what she tells you with regard to his messages while you get back on your feet
Georgeskitchen · 03/02/2022 13:12

No no no nooooooo you've come this far, don't buckle now keep looking ahead 😉

beesfeet · 03/02/2022 13:14

Thank you everyone. I'm not going to text.i needed the wise words of Mumsnet!

It's just so painful. I can't quite believe how he's treated me.

OP posts:
Ilovethewild · 03/02/2022 13:23

💐 well done 🤩

Drinkingallthewine · 03/02/2022 13:24

Remember that everything he sends is designed to get you to reply or react.
If you do, it plays RIGHT into his hands. And the fucker will just love that and intensify his efforts.

Every time you think you want to text him, just imagine his horrible smug 'gotcha' face when he opens that message from you.
And never ever give him that.

Hdhr8jsj · 03/02/2022 13:43

Yeah don't. You will totally regret it

jytdtysrht · 03/02/2022 13:49

Definitely do not send. He wants to engage you and will say anything to do that. Do not give him the oxygen. This is not an argument where you must be right or have the last word. This is an abusive situation where the goal is to be free.

Remember he will say anything to get any response. Don’t give it to him. Your mum is right to only reply to messages about your child and ignore the rest.

jytdtysrht · 03/02/2022 13:50

Don’t let him see you when he FaceTimes ds either. Let him see your mum instead.

beesfeet · 03/02/2022 14:05

My therapist says there is a trauma bond there which is why I just want to run to him and cry. It's just horrible.

OP posts: