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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:
Landedonfeet · 08/03/2022 21:14

Op is 52 according to another thread

In which she’s harping on about this - no surprise

Landedonfeet · 08/03/2022 21:16

Op last week

* I dated someone 12 years younger. It ended badly and in retrospect it wasn't worth the year it took to get over it. It damaged my career and and I also made some stupid decisions due to being upset.*

But he then married someone 18 years older than him and has now left her too, so that may just have been one individual.

Landedonfeet · 08/03/2022 21:16

So op 53

Gonnagetgoing · 08/03/2022 21:54

I sometimes search a poster’s previous posts and now find that she’s 53 so a bit of a hypocrite re the older woman!

I think OP needs to take her meds…

Onthedunes · 08/03/2022 22:05

Thank you.

I think there can be two aspects to this, for one the op can be upset and hurt by the fact he did not pick her and also believe he is a predatory man.

Both feelings at the same time.
He has married this woman for what appears not financial reasons, op believes it is in a using capacity, cleaning etc.

Maybe op feels she has more resources than his wife, slightly younger, more money, more credits to her than the wife.

Maybe coming to terms that she has been discarded by what she feels is not a good option, sometimes op there are no right reasons, just different reasons.

My advice would be to just let it go.
You were clearly not right for one another but you cannot keep tabs on this woman in the name of trying to save her from a scoundrell.

Are you suggesting she did not have her own free will in marrying this man ?

LittleWins · 08/03/2022 22:15

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.

This is really hateful.

Lurking9to5 · 08/03/2022 22:16

With regard to the op being 50 ish herself, once, at 44 I dated a man who was 34. It felt like a small big deal to me iykwim but I found out that his girlfriend before me was 14 years older than him I felt discombobulated to say the least. I felt like our relationship was less about ME and that he just had a thing for older women. I started analysing things like the fact that his mother hadn't been there for him. Literally when he was 16 he was on his tod. He tried to kick off about something I did for my son (putting my son first) and I just ended it and chose my son and that was massively triggering for him because his own mother had not done that for him. Armchair psychology from me I know but the point is, he was fucked up and wouldn't accept ''no, it's over, don't make me feel guilty for putting my son first''.

That guy had the mummy version of daddy issues. Eurhg.

JackieWeaversZoomAc · 09/03/2022 00:53

A friend of mine grew up in a poor country, was a "mail order bride" to a man who was a complete bastard. She had children with him. 12 years into the marriage he has heart attack, dies, leaves her a very rich widow much to her surprise- he'd invested in property that had rocketed in value. So it all turned out well for her in the end. She now spends half the year (pre covid) travelling the world, and the other half with her kids/grandkids.

JimmyDurham · 09/03/2022 01:25

@CognitiveDissolver

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.

I have moved on.

You really, really haven't.

SamSoSer · 09/03/2022 01:53

I think you need help resolving your issues with this man.
I don’t think you realise that the reason that you are having to be so defensive is because the majority of people think that your behaviour is not appropriate.
You really feel you are justified in what you are saying.
There’s a problem, not with your ex’s marriage and private business but with your reaction to it.
There’s also the issue of your seemingly fluctuating age. Are you younger than the 41 you say your ex is or the older person you seem to be in other threads?
If you are truly concerned about the welfare of someone engaged in a relationship with someone you know and have evidence or reasonable suspicion then please report it.
Otherwise please seek some talk therapy for yourself.

Landedonfeet · 09/03/2022 07:39

* he was very disparaging about older women*

Did he know that you are 12 years older then him?! Grin

slashlover · 09/03/2022 08:07

@JackieWeaversZoomAc

A friend of mine grew up in a poor country, was a "mail order bride" to a man who was a complete bastard. She had children with him. 12 years into the marriage he has heart attack, dies, leaves her a very rich widow much to her surprise- he'd invested in property that had rocketed in value. So it all turned out well for her in the end. She now spends half the year (pre covid) travelling the world, and the other half with her kids/grandkids.
This woman has been in the country for 40 years though.
Gioia1 · 12/03/2022 07:42

@TottersBlankly

(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)

She came over here when she was 19, according to the marriage register.

My friend thinks she has met her and says she doesn't speak that great English.

After 40 years in the UK?

Hmm

This!!
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