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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:
Surgarblossom · 07/03/2022 18:46

Why bother Hmm

slashlover · 07/03/2022 19:30

Gonnagetgoing Thank you for this. I'll talk to my friend about it because she is more in the fringes of the activity they all do than me. She also lives closer by.

Yeah, you're well over him OP. Hmm

LEAVE HIM ALONE. LEAVE HIS WIFE ALONE. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU OR YOUR MATE. FFS.

Gonnagetgoing · 07/03/2022 19:33

@slashlover

Gonnagetgoing Thank you for this. I'll talk to my friend about it because she is more in the fringes of the activity they all do than me. She also lives closer by.

Yeah, you're well over him OP. Hmm

LEAVE HIM ALONE. LEAVE HIS WIFE ALONE. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU OR YOUR MATE. FFS.

@slashlover - I tried to get OP to leave both him and wife alone. But OP was having none of it so that's why I suggested what I did!
slashlover · 07/03/2022 19:36

OP is legitimately obsessed and is obviously ignoring everyone telling her that it's none of her business...but she's totally over him.

Gonnagetgoing · 07/03/2022 19:36

[quote peachy3]@Gonnagetgoing but what does she honestly want? She’s said in her original post that there’s nothing she can really do about it but is struggling to accept this fact at the same time when people are telling her to leave it alone. And I agree with previous posters that her description of the wife is really quite rude and catty of her, it almost comes off as OP seeing herself as a more compatible partner because she’s younger. I get the curiosity of it but it seems like it’s spiralling into a bit of an obsession, she knows far too much about the wife to the point that it is honestly a bit disturbing and really unnecessary.[/quote]
@peachy3 - I totally agree with all you have said here. However OP seems to be hellbent on this path and there isn't much you can say to someone who is intent to go down this road.

In fact, OP should be careful because the police might be called if she really gets too obsessed.

I think OP likes him more than she lets on to herself and therefore that's why she's having trouble letting go, but let go she should do.

CognitiveDissolver · 07/03/2022 20:55

Gonnagetgoing In fact, OP should be careful because the police might be called if she really gets too obsessed.

I think you should take the lead here by calling the police to inform that you think an offence might have occurred, or be likely to. You could ask mumsnet to pass on my details to them so they can investigate whether an offence has occurred. I'm sure the police will be delighted to have their time used up in this way. Perhaps you could be a little more specific?

OTOH I could equally waste police time by doing the same and stating that you are threatening me and harassing me on a DG. I mean, I don't know who you are either but your post contains a direct threat of action designed to intimidate and cause fright or alarm, so I think thats a bit nearer harassment than checking a public register and posting about my concerns while being as vague as possible about the details.

I wonder what motivation you have here exactly. You're awfully keen to defend married men behaving badly.

OP posts:
beastlyslumber · 07/03/2022 21:09

I don't think the pp was threatening you, but rather suggesting that your ex's wife could call the police if you keep stalking her. That's a genuine possibility.

Sunseasun · 07/03/2022 21:23

Are you still talking about him

youvegottenminuteslynn · 07/03/2022 21:25

@beastlyslumber

I don't think the pp was threatening you, but rather suggesting that your ex's wife could call the police if you keep stalking her. That's a genuine possibility.
This, OP. I'm afraid you really misread that poster's post and you're projecting a bit of paranoia.

Gently, a break up with someone who has really fucked with your head isn't something to take lightly so it might be beneficial for you to have some counselling to help process the damage he did. That way you can move past this without the closure you'll never get from him / from staying involved in / keeping aware of the situation with this woman.

People saying you aren't over it don't mean you want him back or wish you were still together, they mean that you haven't processed and healed yet. And that's understandable as he clearly really fucked with your head. I've been there and some counselling was really helpful.

slashlover · 07/03/2022 21:43

I wonder what motivation you have here exactly. You're awfully keen to defend married men behaving badly.

You OP said he got married in September, 9 months after dumping you so he dumped you 14 months ago. His life not has NOTHING to do with you.

You seem insistent on pushing the "poor, little old lady who doesn't know our ways" narrative when she's lived here for 40 years. You simply cannot accept that he might be with her because he loves her and not because she's rich/he wants someone to skivvy for him/etc.

Also, why does your PP say that he's already dumped her?

CPL593H · 07/03/2022 22:02

If you do a deep dive into an ex's life, you are not over them and you have done such a deep dive that you are risking the bends. Your descriptions of the 'little old lady' who is only 59 and it transpires just a few years older than you is also indicative of a very unhealthy mindset.

My honest advice is to back off and fill your life with other things.

girlmom21 · 08/03/2022 06:21

@CognitiveDissolver your aggressive posts towards @Gonnagetgoing don't really fit with the persona you're trying to portray to justify your actions...

thnkingaboutoptions · 08/03/2022 06:40

Mumsnet is an odd place.

OP, if your ex had been physically violent to you, maybe people here would be able to more easily understand your concern for his wife.

To me, it comes across loud and clear that this man is abusive and you're worried for his new wife, not because you're obsessed or not over him, but because you know what he's like.

MissMaple82 · 08/03/2022 06:42

Wow, I gave up reading the full thing, I can't believe you have so much to say about someone who dumped you and a person you don't know... you actually do need to do nothing and move on with your life!

girlmom21 · 08/03/2022 06:42

@thnkingaboutoptions she's not worried about his new wife at all.

She had her nose put out of joint that he's left her for someone older and, in her opinion, less attractive. She's upset he maybe wanted to use her for sex.

She doesn't care about the wife, other than she feels that the wife isn't worthy of his, presumably, gold penis.

thnkingaboutoptions · 08/03/2022 06:48

[quote girlmom21]@thnkingaboutoptions she's not worried about his new wife at all.

She had her nose put out of joint that he's left her for someone older and, in her opinion, less attractive. She's upset he maybe wanted to use her for sex.

She doesn't care about the wife, other than she feels that the wife isn't worthy of his, presumably, gold penis. [/quote]
That's such a bizarre take, I can only assume it reflects more on you than the OP.

girlmom21 · 08/03/2022 06:50

I think the same about your opinion @thnkingaboutoptions.

The difference is her opinions of the wife are written in black and white.

Let's agree to disagree.

BeHappy91818 · 08/03/2022 07:25

You sound nasty. The way you speak about his new wife is horrible and you don’t even know the poor women.

Go and get some counselling and move on. You sound obsessed.

sweetbellyhigh · 08/03/2022 19:14

@thnkingaboutoptions

Mumsnet is an odd place.

OP, if your ex had been physically violent to you, maybe people here would be able to more easily understand your concern for his wife.

To me, it comes across loud and clear that this man is abusive and you're worried for his new wife, not because you're obsessed or not over him, but because you know what he's like.

Those scenarios are not remotely alike. If he was abusive and she needed help to separate, posters could give advice.

The actual situation is that we have an OP who is disturbingly obsessed with an ex and his new partner, focusing on them rather than addressing her own considerable shortcomings.

Gonnagetgoing · 08/03/2022 19:23

@beastlyslumber

I don't think the pp was threatening you, but rather suggesting that your ex's wife could call the police if you keep stalking her. That's a genuine possibility.
@beastlyslumber - that was exactly it. You could get in trouble OP.

I’m now backing out as you sound more and more batshit.

I have not defended married men behaving badly, in fact I’ve been more sympathetic to you than most have been here.

Gonnagetgoing · 08/03/2022 19:25

I am not threatening you either OP, point out where I am?!

You’ve been sexist and racist here so far to an unknown woman, not me!

layladomino · 08/03/2022 20:07

I'm still bemused at someone of 59 being a 'little old lady'!! Someone should tell Madonna (63 I think) to put her cagool on and get off home, it's dark out.

Such ageism. Patronising. Racist. I'm flabergasted.

He may be a wrong 'un. He may be with his wife for the wrong reasons. He might have found the woman of his dreams and be blissfully happy. Certainly I wouldn't assume that someone with a woman of 59 couldn't possibly be with her because she's interesting / funny / attractive. Of course it must be that he's after her money. So offensive.

Landedonfeet · 08/03/2022 20:34

The op herself is >50

All very very odd

Oddest op award I’d say

Hen2018 · 08/03/2022 20:53

You sound incredibly weird, OP.

Couldn’t you have a cup of tea or go for a walk?

Onthedunes · 08/03/2022 21:11

how he preferred me being a bit younger than him and having similar backgrounds and interests in sport (thats how we met)

The op herself is >50

which one is it, the man is 41 and how old is op.

I'm confused.