Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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

OW moved closer

119 replies

Confused455 · 17/02/2022 19:14

My DH and OW at his work place had an emotional affair 10 years ago when i was pregnant with my son, he was telling her they were spiritually connected when my son was two weeks old. I caught him in contact with her again two years later when I had my second child. I told him if he didn’t cut all communication it was over.
They haven’t been in contact. We also moved out of london to the countryside.
For some reason today I checked her Instagram page. She was living in London but has now moved with her new husband and kids within 10 miles of us within the last few months.
My alarm bells are ringing. What do I do?

OP posts:
noirchatsdeux · 02/03/2022 10:57

My father started having affairs before I even started primary school.

Every time my mother caught him (which was every single time), he'd give up his job and we'd end up moving. We'd moved 5 times before I was 8.

He started working abroad when I was 9 and he really ramped up the cheating. My mother followed him around the world (taking myself and my brothers with her) so she could keep an eye on him - wrecking our childhood in the process.

He left her for OW when I was 21....my younger brother had just turned 18.

Do your children and yourself a favour and get rid now. You will never trust him again.

Ttcfinalbub · 02/03/2022 11:10

You are worth more then the torture you're putting yourself through and worth a million more then the torture he's put ( most likely still putting ) you through

Saysaysaythree · 02/03/2022 11:13

You are worth more than doubting your relationship because of what he did. Speaking from experience. Better is waiting for you.

sarahtalkstoomuch · 02/03/2022 11:29

I think the other woman thing is a red herring to be honest. Don’t focus so much on her. Yes she’s moved, but it doesn’t mean she’s still having an affair with him

It does sound like something going on with someone else. If he cheated twice when you were pregnant (& basically got away with it, in that there were few consequences for him) do you think he’s spent 8 years doing nothing with anyone else?

That reads very harshly written down, for which I apologise. I agree with previous posters, it sounds like no way to live. Exhausting.

Pamlar · 02/03/2022 11:30

It must be terrible for you.
I would just ask him straight if he is in touch with her and if he is willing to let you see his phone.
To live with the doubt and fear of him cheating again must be horrendous. Tell him that you feel uneasy. If he dismisses it, without accepting how hard it it then you have to decide if you can stay in your marriage.

Tontostitis · 02/03/2022 11:54

Why do men cheat? because some women let them you and her are both in that category the only way to not be in that category now you've condoned it twice is to leave. Checking her IG and his phone is pointless he could be shagging anyone. Get tested and leave.

Dozycuntlaters · 02/03/2022 12:12

I doubt the emotional affair side of it ever actually stopped, I think he has always been in contact with her.

heroofalexandria · 02/03/2022 13:03

When my partner had an emotional affair (which I honestly believe is as bad as a physical affair) I was greatly helped by chump lady (Google her she's fab.) A poster there wrote a line I'll never forget...

'And though I loved him with everything that I had and had the capacity to forgive, I knew I didn't want to spend the rest of my life as the marriage police so I removed myself.'

I left my cheater for that exact reason. I would always feel a sense of insecurity forever. This might be the kick you need to leave OP.

Justmuddlingalong · 02/03/2022 13:14

If you find out they're still in contact, will anything actually change though? Would you honestly leave him this time, or was that a threat to try and keep him faithful?

Jestal · 02/03/2022 13:16

"What does this say" it says this relationship is clearly unhealthy and run its course.

You cant keep living a life of over analysing and looming over your shoulder. Its not right to "watch someone" on their phone nor is it okay to be stressing everytime he suddenly needs to commute somewhere.

I think YOU need to be honest with yourseld op that you do NOT trust him. Just the simple fact that you made this thread is a major indication of that. A relationship is built on trust. You cant just drag this on anf every year or so go through something like this.

Stop playing detective and just have a honest and frank talk with your husband. Neither of you should be living like this. This is what happens when you tolerate something that means placing your self worth second and give someone one too many chances.

dottydodah · 02/03/2022 13:42

An old friend wisely said when talking about DD long ago ex "If the trust is gone thats that then" You have nothing to lose now .It sounds like the RL has run its course .You would never be able to relax!

Lou98 · 02/03/2022 13:53

Honestly, I doubt that the move closer to you had anything to do with your Husband. She's married with kids and would have had to convince them all to move to there without being able to explain why.

It is possible, however, that your Husband found out she was living close and got back in contact, only he will know if that's the case.

Your only option really is to ask him about it and if you want to ask him there and then to see his phone.

Honestly though, you clearly don't trust him - which is fine given his history, however, the fact you're checking her social media 8 years after they stopped contact (as far as you know) shows you're not over it. To be honest, I think you really need to consider if you still want to be in this marriage as you're never going to be happy if you can't trust your Husband and are questioning his every move

Onthedunes · 02/03/2022 14:12

It says your instincts are kicking in.

What would I do?

Phone a PI up ask them how much to follow someone next Thursday.
If you get concrete evidence, that's good, divorce on grounds of adultery.

You will have your answers instead of living this half life waiting for him to hurt you.

Pur yourself first, you have aright to live without pain.

Jellybean23 · 02/03/2022 14:27

I would have to prove to myself he's cheating one way or another. Not knowing would be eating me up. I'd buy a tracking device to hide in his car.

Onthedunes · 02/03/2022 14:30

I'd buy a tracking device to hide in his car

Doesn't prove anything, only states where he is, from there any nimber of excuses could be provided by him.

Confused455 · 02/03/2022 14:40

The reason I started wondering is when I started having dreams of a lady sat at our kitchen table and him pretending like it was normal she was there. I keep having dreams he is cheating. I had them before and found out he was having this emotional affair with her all those years ago. Now I started having them again.

OP posts:
AskingforaBaskin · 02/03/2022 14:50

It might not even be her.
He has the tools and Knowledge to do it.

Is there no way you can get a look?

Jellybean23 · 02/03/2022 14:52

@Onthedunes

I'd buy a tracking device to hide in his car

Doesn't prove anything, only states where he is, from there any nimber of excuses could be provided by him.

True. But it could be an indicator of cheating if he says he was somewhere else.
Drinkingallthewine · 02/03/2022 16:18

To me it feels like this lunch and this meeting a colleague are a way of testing the waters with you to see if your antenna pings. If it doesn't, and you cheerily wave him off to his work commitments, he's got the green light to meet someone in person he shouldn't be meeting with. If you look wary or suspicious, he cancels. That's twice now recently, isn't it? He's sounding you out on the most plausible scenario that he thinks you'll believe for cover of an illicit meeting.

Rightly, you are suspicious. After all, he's got form. There's something that caused you to look her up again. (may not even be here in the frame this time) but there's something fishy - lets face it, it's your third time at this shite so you are an old hand at the signals at this stage.

So think out the scenarios here - if he's cheating, or planning to cheat, what's YOUR plan?

If it's a telling off and then back to normal, honestly why rock the boat for yourself? Just tell yourself that he is playing away again and you no longer give a fuck and in fact, if the opportunity presents itself to you, you might even take a leaf out of his book and find an extra-marital dalliance. And just detach emotionally and just have one of those marriages. Because he's not going to change, is he?

If it's third strike and out for you, honestly who cares who he's talking to or what /when he's meeting them and what they are doing - just put the plans in motion to end the marriage. It is actually enough to say "Hang on, this feels like the thing that happened twice before, and I have no intention of putting myself through the wringer a third time so I'm off"

You don't need there to be another woman or absolute proof to end the marriage. The fact that you gave him the chance of trust at great trust to you some time ago and you no longer feel that trust any more, is enough.

AllOfUsAreDead · 02/03/2022 16:28

He is very likely cheating again op.

If it was me, I'd wait for undeniable proof. And then I'd kick him out and send her husband the proof too. He deserves to know his wife is a cheating bitch too. Neither of you deserve these cheating cowards, they deserve each other.

balalake · 02/03/2022 17:01

I hope he is not cheating for your sake but think it is possible.

Confused455 · 03/03/2022 09:46

He’s so hateful towards me at the moment and even I leave the cap unscrewed on the fabric softener or if I don’t bring a fork back from work he goes ballistic at me. If I leave something untidy he completely loses it. I’ve told him he is bullying me and he has told me to stop messing up and we won’t argue. I need to change and be tidier. I work two jobs and I cook three different meals every night on top of bathing kids etc etc. if I do one thing wrong and leave a towel out he jumps on me. It’s not rational is it? He is saying i need to change

OP posts:
Josette77 · 03/03/2022 09:52

He is gaslighting you. This way it's your fault he's cheating. But either way he sounds awful. Do you want him either way? You deserve so much better.

Bjarnum · 03/03/2022 09:56

Well, he has one thing right. You do need to change. You need to change your DP for another who has some respect for you , who is not a lying , selfish controlling waste of space. Get advice from a solicitor, get copies of all financial documents, get rid of him. What is worth trying to save in this toxic relationship? You deserve so much better

PennyFleck · 03/03/2022 10:38

Your username says you're confused.
It seems the only person confusing you is him, you wouldn't be confused if you lived without him.