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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:
slashlover · 07/03/2022 08:49

I thought your ex and his new wife had now split up?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/a4495172-Younger-man-Opinions-please?msgid=115549817#115549817

OhMygodddd · 07/03/2022 08:50

Your getting obsessed with him and what his doing, don’t know why your denying it, it’s clear to see.

So what if he married her for money? People do it all the time, what are you going to do about it? I think it’s best you get on with your own life and concentrate on yourself and stop thinking of this other guy

Howareyouflower · 07/03/2022 08:51

To be honest, you sound a bit obsessed. And a bit stalkerish. And as an older woman, I have a real problem with you calling a woman of 59 "A little old lady". Very rude.

Hiddenvoice · 07/03/2022 08:52

I get the upset as you’re finding out that he’s basically cheated on you quite a few times when you were together. Doesn’t matter that you split a while ago, it still hurts to find that out.
He doesn’t seem like a nice guy and seems like he’s cheated a lot in the past.
No idea what he’s up to with this other woman but he’s chosen to be with her. He sadly messaged you to hook up. He was only saying he was feeling bad for how it ended so he could get you to engage in conversation with him. It would have led to a chat about your good times and then he’d have suggested meeting up. After he would ghost you!
In a polite way I think you now need to focus on you and leave him and his wife to it. She’s an adult. She’s capable of making her own decisions and all you know about their relationship is he has messaged you. I wouldn’t go down the route if messaging her or him. Id just make sure he’s blocked and focus on yourself!

MaxCrashtappen · 07/03/2022 08:56

59 little old lady?

Fuck off

Chilledchablis1 · 07/03/2022 08:58

I am nearly 10 years older than the wife and certainly don’t see myself as a little old lady !!
Off to yoga shortly then lunch ( and wine!) with friends , same age and would be horrified at being described as vulnerable old ladies !
Tomorrow I will drag this old body to my volunteering job and Wednesday I have my walking group !

Gingernaut · 07/03/2022 09:01

He lied, cheated and dumped you.

Now he's cultivating you as a 'bit on the side'.

You're letting him.

He's your ex for a reason.

Block on all platforms, don't interact with him at all and walk away.

CecilyTheWake · 07/03/2022 09:07

Blimey. You sound like a stalker.

D0lphine · 07/03/2022 09:19

Omg forget this man. What a waste of space and a drama queen!

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.

You might want to also reassess how you value women. The above is incredibly mysoginistic. You don't know this woman! Why do you think she would struggle with "romantic options" only based on her age! I mean Christ!

Guineapigssweak · 07/03/2022 09:23

Sadly OP there are thousands of men like him in the world. They are scumbags and always come out smelling of Roses. It's sad for you to be fed lies and your feelings hurt because it stops you trusting others. Poor woman he married. Sad that she doesnt know the real man she married.

Cabbagepie · 07/03/2022 09:32

What a strange thread - why are you so invested in your ex OP?

MurmuratingStarling · 07/03/2022 09:33

Agree with others @CognitiveDissolver you do sound a bit over-involved and over-invested in this man's life. And you seem to be spending a huge amount of time investigating stuff that is nothing to do with you.

Why do you give a shit about this random 59 y.o. woman you have never met? All very odd. Move on and stop letting him live rent free in your head. And make sure he is blocked from everything.

Tdcp · 07/03/2022 09:36

I was in a relationship with someone for 2.5 years, after I ended it I found out I'd been the other woman for the entire time, they had a small child together (conceived during our relationship) and had gotten married shortly after I broke it off.
As a person he was extremely manipulative and borderline emotionally abusive, I didn't realise this until after ofc. I broke it off when we were supposed to be signing for a house together the next day as well. God knows what would have happened if I had signed that lease.

My point is, even after all that, even with his countless messages and emails after we ended, I haven't done what you've done, I let it go and chalked it up to a shitty experience. As for what he's up to now, who cares?

Let it go op.

MurmuratingStarling · 07/03/2022 09:36

@MaxCrashtappen

59 little old lady?

Fuck off

I missed that bit. 🤣
DropYourSword · 07/03/2022 09:37

[quote slashlover]I thought your ex and his new wife had now split up?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/a4495172-Younger-man-Opinions-please?msgid=115549817#115549817[/quote]
Wow. So this "little old lady" is only 6 years older than OP!!

Definitely sounds like sour grapes now.

TheirTheyre · 07/03/2022 09:38

@CognitiveDissolver

I think I get you op. You knew him, you knew his attitude towards towards older women. Now he’s married to me be but still trying it on with his ex?? He sounds like an absolute charmer! I get that it DOES seem strange. What IS he up to? Unfortunately you may be right. He may be taking advantage of this woman. He may take all he can get them leave her high and dry. It does sound ‘off’ given what you know of him.
Unfortunately there’s not much you can do. Reach out anonymously to his wife and tell her he’s been chasing other women? Advise her to be careful as he’s definitely a bit dodgy? Not sure she would believe you. Perhaps it’s a marriage of convenience - she gets his company and he inherits her property? There’s not much you can do though. And I have set stand why you’re making this post - women HAVE been scammed by men. Some women can’t see the danger ahead. I don’t think you should be getting the abuse on here you are. Solidarity amongst women. Only applies when women become the ones ripped off , abused and used. Enjoy your life with your new partner and try to move on.

thenewduchessoflapland · 07/03/2022 09:40

[quote slashlover]I thought your ex and his new wife had now split up?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/a4495172-Younger-man-Opinions-please?msgid=115549817#115549817[/quote]
And she's saying she's considering dating a 22 year old when she's 39 and yet is slamming her ex at 41 for being with a 59 year old;just a tad hypocritical.

Me thinks OP is an attention seeker.

SprayedWithDettol · 07/03/2022 09:41

You lost me at your ageist crap OP.

Itwasntmeright · 07/03/2022 09:41

OP, I get how you feel. I was screwed over by somebody last year and it left me reeling, hurt and confused. I subsequently found out, threw a bit of my own digging, that this person has a particularly bad record when it comes to being abusive to partners. I see this individual quite a lot, both in real life and online, not intentionally, we don’t meet up or communicate, but they live close to me so obviously I see them knocking around the place. I wanted to warn other women about them, for very good reasons, and I did a couple of women, but pretty soon I came to the conclusion that I had to absolutely block this person 100% from everywhere I could block them. Not because I don’t care that this person will harmm other women, but for the sake of my own mental health.

If this is real, and I must admit I have my doubts, you need to MoveOn. Yes he’s an absolute asshole, yes he was just looking to get laid, and yes he probably is up to no good, but there’s nothing you can do about it and you gain nothing bye keeping it on your mind. I think you have all the closure you’re gonna get here, and you certainly have all you need. It’s natural to feel hurt and confused and it’s natural to want to unpick everything and make sense of it, but there comes a point where you have to just let go and chalk it up to experience.

I probably dug a bit deeper and dwelt a bit more than was healthy, but like you what happened to me freaked me out, not because I didn’t understand what had happened necessarily, but because it freaked me out that it could happen to me. I saw red flags from the get-go, and whilst I didn’t ignore them I certainly didn’t act upon them anywhere nearly as quickly or decisively as I should have. I took some valuable lessons from that about trusting my instincts. I think you would now do well to turn your attention to working out what lessons you can learn from this.

Cocogreen · 07/03/2022 09:42

OP sounds to me like you've been listening to too many true crime podcasts or watching Only Murders in the building! Because it sounds like you think he has evil intentions towards his wife.
You need to stay away and forget about him.

OrlandointheWilderness · 07/03/2022 09:42

Is your BF is ok with the amount of interest you are showing in your ex and his new wife?! I'd be pretty damn pissed off if I found out my partner was behaving like you. Cut it off, move on.

dottydodah · 07/03/2022 09:48

Well at 59 she is not a "little old lady" barely more than middle aged! Clearly you are not really over him .He sounds unpleasant ,cheating on you with your friend, possibly marrying at least in part for material gain .Would you want someone like this in your life? You need to move on ,find someone nicer (almost anyone would be better!) and forget him .Do not waste any more time or energy on this loser!

LittleOwl153 · 07/03/2022 09:51

If you believe this woman is vulnerable contact adult social services with what you know. Tell them you fear elder abuse for her and see ifnthey will look into it. Alternatively write this woman a letter and tell her what you know of him.

After that you have to walk away.

NowEvenBetter · 07/03/2022 09:55

For someone demanding sympathy, you come across really, really badly.

Lurking9to5 · 07/03/2022 09:55

I agree that @CognitiveDissolver was ageist in her description of the woman her x married, but at 51, in to health, yoga, looking good etc, my ''romantic options'' are in fact zero. NOBODY I'm interested in is interested in me, seriously. So I'm indefinitely single. I think this kicks in long before 59, so I didn't condemn the OP too harshly for this comment. The only freedom I have is not to put up with arseholes and I won't.

But in this woman's case, her ''romantic option'' wanted to marry her, so it's not true that she had few romantic options.