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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

What Is He Up To?

238 replies

CognitiveDissolver · 07/03/2022 00:21

Now please don't tell me or my friend we should just ignore this. I think thats something that suits the patriarchy very well but we are both a bit concerned about this although obviously theres nothing we can do. The guy is up to something.

I was dumped by my boyfriend of 2 years a while back very abruptly. I literally saw him at the weekend, everything was great, we parted on great terms a few days later he phoned me to say it was over because he had someone new. He refused to talk about it or meet up, and I have never seen him since.

He has continued to send me the odd text message though, despite his vows that we are to have no contact. Most recently on Friday he sent me one saying he "felt bad" about the way it had ended and suggesting meeting up.

Now, I'd turned into a bit of a private detective after him ending it and had discovered that he got married in September. I found this out because I got in touch with a friend who I'd lost contact with, and it turned out that he had slept with her too, when we were previously together for a few months and he had dumped me before (confusing, I know). She had felt guilty so had stopped being in contact with me.

She suspected from something on FB that he had got married and found out the name of his wife, which was a very unusual one. I checked the public register of marriages, and discovered that he had got married last September, 9 months after dumping me! Basically, my ex had told me such a convoluted set of lies that he pretended to be an entirely different person from who he actually was. I thought he was shy and liked to spend a lot of time on his own and valued his independence. Turns out not.

We also found out some details about his new wife. She is 18 years older than him - he is 41 and she is 59, and she isn't in the best physical condition. She's a little old lady. He is a particularly good looking, young looking 41 too, and my friend showed me some photos from Facebook and it was pretty shocking to see them together as they looked more like grandmother and grandson. She isn't a young looking 59. She's divorced and has been for about the last 20 years and we don't know if she has children, but if she does, since we are in Scotland, if she dies, most of any property she owns would go to him despite what any will said as a wife has legal rights.

So back to the text message. I let him dig his own grave by sending a reply saying yes, it was a shame how it ended, and he then suggested coming round to mine. At which point I told him I knew he had got married in September and to get lost, and blocked him. Looking back, he had also sent me a text just a month or so before he must have got married, and I also told him to get lost then too as by that point I had finally woken up to the fact that although I didn't fully understand what had happened, he was trouble.

He told me so many lies and was completely convincing, from saying we were exclusive and he wouldn't dream of cheating or even looking at another woman, how he preferred me being a bit younger than him and having similar backgrounds and interests in sport (thats how we met) (his wife is from a third world country where women don't have many prospects other than marrying rich western men, and doesn't seem to work or have any social media presence), how he liked how independent I was and how I worked hard and had my own place, and even how in his business he would never meet anyone else as they were "all old ladies" (at this point he made a face of disgust).

The guy is up to something. He is a manipulative liar and very, vey convincing, and if it weren't for my friend telling me, I would have assumed he was single and maybe let him come round to clear the air. He was obviously even trying to cheat on her at the time the marriage license was applied for. I wouldn't even have got together with him again if I'd known he had slept with her when we were together. Worse still, I thought he enjoyed dumping me and my upset at it being so abrupt, and my friend said she had exactly the same feeling.

I know it all sounds really odd, but its really a strange thing to have happen to you. I'm concerned that this 59 year old woman, who while she might be a lovely person, wouldn't have that many romantic options in life and certainly not with a handsome 41 year old. My friend thinks she has met her and says she doesn't speak that great English. At best, he wants her to cook and look after him but I just can't get my head around it. I have no intention of getting in touch with her or anything as I know I wouldn't be believed and would be shot as the messenger but he's likely messaging other women too. I'm worried it might be whats called a predatory marriage.

OP posts:
thenewduchessoflapland · 07/03/2022 00:28

I think that you've given this man too much head space and you need to forget about him and his poor life choices.

Whilst I feel for his wife being married to a gold digging scumbag it's not your circus and therefore not your monkeys.

Move on.Be happy with a better man.

loopylou3030 · 07/03/2022 00:33

You are clearly obsessed with him. Move on. Find a new man. It is none of your business and you just sound very jealous.

slimshady18 · 07/03/2022 00:34

why are you still messaging him then😭

CognitiveDissolver · 07/03/2022 00:34

Really would appreciate it if the "don't give this man so much headspace" type comment could be avoided. It adds nothing. I have moved on. I have a new man although I can be perfectly happy without any man. I wouldn't touch ex with a bargepole. But this sort of behaviour thrives on women not being allowed to discuss their very real concerns and brushing it all under the carpet.

It was really helpful that I found out more information about him and didn't just accept what he said at face value as I might have been tempted to take him back.

I also don't know if he's a golddigger. Its just one thought.

OP posts:
dipdye · 07/03/2022 00:37

Is the new little old lady wife from a third world country? If so how can she be so rich?

CognitiveDissolver · 07/03/2022 00:37

@slimshady18

why are you still messaging him then😭
He messaged me. I replied "Yes, it was rather abrupt how it ended".

He then suggested he come round to mine to meet up to discuss it. I replied (I saw photos of your wedding. Congratulations to your new wife. I take it she doesn't know what she married. I am afraid I am no longer attracted to you and would never have got involved with you if I had known who you really were. Get lost".

OP posts:
Aquamarine1029 · 07/03/2022 00:38

What are you doing? Why in earth would you give this man one millisecond of headspace? You should have blocked him ages ago, and the fact that you didn't, and the way you're seemingly obsessed with his goings on, tells me you love the drama. His relationship with his new wife is absolutely none of your business.

Move on.

CognitiveDissolver · 07/03/2022 00:38

@dipdye

Is the new little old lady wife from a third world country? If so how can she be so rich?
I don't think she's rich. I believe she has or had a decent house, possibly she had a divorce settlement. She came over here when she was 19, according to the marriage register.
OP posts:
CognitiveDissolver · 07/03/2022 00:41

@dipdye

Is the new little old lady wife from a third world country? If so how can she be so rich?
Oh for goodness sake. Do you think that those women who talked about the Tinder Swindler were "obsessed" with him, or maybe they just wanted to talk about someone really strange that happened to them? Is no woman who has been conned by a man allowed to ever discuss it if it was only for sex and a relationship? Have you ever had anything really strange like this happen to you? No? Well count yourself lucky.
OP posts:
Tlollj · 07/03/2022 00:43

Just keep out of it. Why are you still banging on about it?
I really don’t know what you want any one to say.

CognitiveDissolver · 07/03/2022 00:51

@Tlollj

Just keep out of it. Why are you still banging on about it? I really don’t know what you want any one to say.
I'd quite like some sympathy. I was very fond of him. I've never felt as close to anyone as that before and it was all a lie. Its quite shocking to find out someone was an entirely different person and is trying to cheat on their new wife already. I've known him for years and thats why I didn't block him I guess.

Obviously I didn't read the mumsnet rules but honestly, loads of people talk about this sort of thing happening and don't get accused of being obsessed or banging on. No wonder there are so many badly behaved men around if this code of omerta is observed.

OP posts:
BitOutOfPractice · 07/03/2022 00:59

Someone who has gone as far as to check a marriage register is not as “over” so bribe as they think they are!

BitOutOfPractice · 07/03/2022 01:00

Someone who has gone as far as to check a marriage register is not as “over” someone as they think they are.

CognitiveDissolver · 07/03/2022 01:03

@BitOutOfPractice

Someone who has gone as far as to check a marriage register is not as “over” someone as they think they are.
I didn't claim to have passed the exam in "being over" someone.

However, the marriage register is public for a reason. It tells members of the public whether someone is married or not...

It literally takes 10 seconds to put someone's name into the online search form for the register.

OP posts:
Nightlystroll · 07/03/2022 01:13

I'd quite like some sympathy

For what, though? You parted on great terms, you're not interested in him and you've got a new guy.
Honestly, put an end to all these shenanigans. Nobody believes you're just doing it with the best interests of his new wife at heart. Block him, move on and enjoy your life with your new partner before you end up losing him over your obsession.

CognitiveDissolver · 07/03/2022 01:17

@Nightlystroll

I'd quite like some sympathy

For what, though? You parted on great terms, you're not interested in him and you've got a new guy.
Honestly, put an end to all these shenanigans. Nobody believes you're just doing it with the best interests of his new wife at heart. Block him, move on and enjoy your life with your new partner before you end up losing him over your obsession.

God forbid that I should lose another man!! Biscuit

Have I been transported to some alternative universe?

OP posts:
SpidersAreShitheads · 07/03/2022 01:31

Thing is OP, we can only go on what you write here. And unfortunately you sound over invested and over interested in an ex who's a serial cheater.

And your replies are slightly aggro and defensive too.

Let's say you are totally over him and that's all true. When an ex sends a speculative text about meeting up, and you know they're in a relationship, telling them to piss off and blocking them is normal. What's not normal is many, many months after being dumped doing detective work, including checking marriage registers, and giving it this amount of head space.

It makes no difference to me or the other PP whether you're over him, or whether you're just carrying rage at how he acted. But objectively, your responses seem pretty excessive. Sorry, I'm not trying to be hurtful, just honest. Just pity his poor wife and get on with your life. You dodged a bullet with him.

slimshady18 · 07/03/2022 01:34

stop begging for sympathy when what you really need to do is actually get over this man and stop messaging him. you say you're over it but you're clearly not and you're not listening to what any of us are trying to tell you🤷‍♀️

CognitiveDissolver · 07/03/2022 01:46

@slimshady18

stop begging for sympathy when what you really need to do is actually get over this man and stop messaging him. you say you're over it but you're clearly not and you're not listening to what any of us are trying to tell you🤷‍♀️
Probably because you haven't read my post and have got the facts wrong.

And are women like these not allowed to discuss the same thing either, or is ok if the man is famous? Because reading this is what put me in mind of trying to talk about this sort of behaviour. What with it being the relationships board on mumsnet and all.

www.nme.com/news/music/the-bluetones-mark-morriss-accused-of-abuse-by-ex-wife-3097467

I could understand all this angst if I were messaging him, or his wife, but checking facts which are in the public domain and finding out the truth - what exactly is wrong with that?

OP posts:
Susu49 · 07/03/2022 01:58

It does sound as if you've gone a big Nancy Drew over it...

Yes, he probably is up to something. Cheater's gonna cheat. You can choose to reply or not, your life, your morals.

Are you posting because you want sympathy that a guy who screwed you over is now messing with your head?

Or are you posting because you're worried about the woman you think might be his wife? And if so , why? Because this guy is arse or because you think he might be using her?

If you are posting because you're concerned about his possible wife, then are you asking what to do about it?

CognitiveDissolver · 07/03/2022 02:04

@Susu49

It does sound as if you've gone a big Nancy Drew over it...

Yes, he probably is up to something. Cheater's gonna cheat. You can choose to reply or not, your life, your morals.

Are you posting because you want sympathy that a guy who screwed you over is now messing with your head?

Or are you posting because you're worried about the woman you think might be his wife? And if so , why? Because this guy is arse or because you think he might be using her?

If you are posting because you're concerned about his possible wife, then are you asking what to do about it?

Sorry I've no idea what Nancy Drew is. It didn't take a lot of finding out and my friend and I have been doing it together.

I am actually really quite concerned about this woman, but its hard to put my finger on it why exactly. I know he's a bad guy. She seems in an unusually vulnerable position to me and he is secretive and shady. I keep thinking something bad is going to happen to her.

I don't think theres anything I can do about it in reality. I mean, what could I do?

OP posts:
CharlotteRose90 · 07/03/2022 02:10

The guy dumped you and met someone else that he’s since married. You need to get over him he wanted someone else. Don’t make up little fantasies in your head that he’s with her for what she has just because she’s older. It’s nothing to do with you and never will be. Focus on getting therapy for a break up and man you are clearly not over. It’s actually pathetic the way you describe his wife.

Susu49 · 07/03/2022 02:18

don't think theres anything I can do about it in reality. I mean, what could I do

Well, exactly.

But as to her vulnerability...you're making a lot of assumptions here.

Not withstanding how offended she'd be if she knew how you'd described her physically, you don't know her financial situation. You don't know his. You dont know that there isnt any attraction or love involved on his side (and youre assuming its all on hers). And - unless you're going to tell her that you think her husband cheated on her - it really is none of your business.

Look, I get the anger you have for this man. I get that you don't want to see him screwing someone else over, especially someone who you think stands to lose a lot more than you did.

But you have no evidence to back up your assumptions. It's their marriage, it has absolutely nothing to do with you.

I'm not being mean, I'm just being straight with you.

No crime has been committed. She doesn't appear to be in danger. You have no evidence of any abuse.

All you do know is that your ex was a dck and now you think he's being a dck to someone else.

All you can do is hope you've got it wrong, and hope that if you haven't and it all goes tits up for her then she gets a shit hot lawyer who wipes the floor with said d*ck ex.

Goldenharp · 07/03/2022 02:25

Nancy Drew was a girl detective in some young adult books which were popular before your time. I can say that men who say they'd never cheat should be got rid of immediately because with, decent men who wouldn't cheat, it would never occur to them to say it.

Susu49 · 07/03/2022 02:30

@Goldenharp before my time too tbh 🤣

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