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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

I feel jealous and annoyed but is it justified?

78 replies

MissElizabethDarcy · 08/04/2022 11:01

I'm hoping for a little advice about this situation with my boyfriend. Sorry its long but I want to give all the facts.
We have been together almost 2 years although we live separately and have no plans to move in together in the near future. I have kids from a previous relationship, he lives alone and we are both just happy with things as they stand. We see each other 2/3 times a week, either at his house or at mine if the kids are in bed.
He is originally from Spain but has lived in the UK for years now. Anyway, about a week ago he sent me a message saying that he was having a bad day as he had argued over the phone with his mother. I didn't think much of it until later on when he came over to my house. He was 2 hours later than planned and I asked what had kept him. He then tells me that he had been at the airport picking up a woman who had arrived that night from Spain to stay in his house.
She is apparently some sort of family friend or distant relation and this was what the argument with his mother had been about. Now I have never heard him mention this woman's name and he tried to tell me that it had been sprung on him out of the blue by his mother . After a bit more talking however he admitted that he had previously discussed with his mother having her to stay and helping her to get sorted in the UK. He wasn't sure how long she will be staying with him but said it was definitely temporary.
Over the past week though he has been shopping with her and bought a new bed, wardrobe, 3 mirrors ,curtains etc for his spare room and this is where I don't know if I am justified in how I am feeling. She has picked everything and he has paid for it all. He usually hates spending unnecessary money.
Also twice when I have called him in the evening they have been sitting down to dinner together and I can hear her in the background. Apparently she is an amazing cook and knows all his favourite dishes. She doesn't speak a word of English so they are conversing in Spanish which I cant speak and it just makes me feel really weird.
I'm aware that I sound jealous but am I justified? I feel like he didn't mention it because he knew I wouldn't be happy.

OP posts:
Valeriekat · 10/04/2022 06:39

@CatherinedeBourgh

That's just how it is in Spain. It's not as if you are living with him, who he hosts in his own house is none of your business.

You will be forever the deranged girlfriend if you make a scene.

And a complete fool if she doesn't!
Natty13 · 10/04/2022 15:48

@Eastie77Returns

I was in relationship with a Spanish man and found myself in a situation similar to yours OP. The difference is there was no spare room as he had a studio so they slept in the same space! The woman was my age, an old school friend, but quite stunning. He was dumbfounded when I expressed concerns. I think culturally this kind of set up really isn’t unusual in Spain, Italy, Greece etc. My ex also kept in touch with his former girlfriends. I got used to it in the end as ultimately I trusted him and realised he considered it completely normal.

After we broke up we kept in touch and his parents invited me to stay with them whenever I visited Spain. He found a new girlfriend at some point but the invite remained open so I went to stay with them for a week. My friends found that very weird but by then it all seemed very normal to me too.Grin

Agree with all of this, and what others have said.

My DH is Spanish and I have a lot of Spanish colleagues. I came to the UK and figured it all out alone; he moved here not speaking a word of English and slept on the floor of a family friend's daughter. It is totally normal to them so your bf wouldn't have considered it something he had to let you know or discuss.

I also think it's a green flag yout have never heard of her in 2 years because that means she is a non entity in his life. Those kind of relationships in Spain are like cousins. I got jealous once of a woman I felt my DH was too close to and accommodating of and am glad I never kicked off because turns out she is a distant cousin. He is distantly related to almost everyone in his town, or his sister dated their older brother, or their aunt married his second cousin. There is nothing in it.

Lastly, you might find her beautiful doesn't mind he does. I used to be v insecure about gorgeous Spanish women compared to myself but to put it in perspective, we find that attractive because we fi d it exotic. He grew up where everyone has black hair/tanned skin/brown eyes. He is with you because he loves you, he could have gone out with a younger woman, a Spanish woman or a woman with no kids any time and he didn't choose that he chose you. Why would he leave you for that now?

billy1966 · 10/04/2022 17:06

Good call OP.

He was very dishonest with you.

You would only be wasting your time.

The suddenly spending money of things for the house sealed it.

Flowers
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