Well, I’m not the first nor the last but here goes.
I’ve been suspicious about my partner for the last few years. We’ve been together for 6. He angles his phone away from me, hides the screen and never leaves it in the room.
It’s been driving me insane and has led me to seek counselling for paranoia and anxiety as i doubt everything he says. When I’ve had suspicions about where he’s been, he always proves me wrong.
However, I just couldn’t shake those feelings.
Few weeks ago, I did what I’d never done before. I checked his phone. He’d told me his passcode previously.
Lo and behold.. messages to a girl he works with. Started July 2021 and ended October 2021 (as far as I can see).
They are flirty at first, mostly him, complimenting her. Then they get more serious. Telling Her he wants to kiss, touch her all time, looks at her Facebook pics constantly, always thinking about her.
She then makes it clear that she is not interested. Full stop.
The messages stop.
There are no other messages to any other girl (again, as far as I know).
However, after the inappropriate messages in October, I see he has saved her Facebook picture as recently as last month. He also messaged her last month when he was in the pub to tell her some dodgy bloke they know is in there. She cuts off that conversation quickly. He doesn’t push it. But he’s still messaged her, regardless.
Then there’s a message couple days after saying ‘hi rascal (something he calls me btw), tell the boss I’ll be 15 mins late’.
Again, that’s it. But I don’t like the fact it was recent and that he’s called her ‘rascal’.
All messages stop at this point.
I’ve confronted him. All he keeps saying is that I have invaded his privacy, essentially broken the law by accessing his phone, and is offering NO explanation. He has said it looks bad, he shouldn’t have done it, he’s sorry and has blocked her. But that’s literally it. He’s refusing to say anymore. He says nothing has happened.
He’s being super nice (guilt) since then.
I did leave him but I’m scared of starting over and scared of the unknown.
I love him and I don’t want to see him with anyone else.
We have no children, not married and we don’t own our house so I’m not really tied to him if that makes sense.
Am I being a mug? I am now constantly worried who he is texting and where he is going.
Is this pointless? I’ve said I’ve forgiven him but then have started arguments about this twice since. I can’t shake it but I know it’s still early days.
Any advice please?
Thank you