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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

Am I being paranoid insecure?

8 replies

NorthernJim · 07/12/2022 00:36

I've been in a relationship with my current DP for 4 years. It's pretty serious/committed, although we don't live together because of kids and not wanting to do blended families. Everything between us seems great when we do get to spend time together, and we text each other a lot the rest of the time.

DP has recently told me that an ex FwB has got back in touch with her after (apparently) not communicating for years. They were FwB briefly, just before me and DP got together. This time, he quickly got to suggesting they should get together and go out for a drink 'like they used to'.

For context they were never at any stage just friends without benefits - the going out that they used to do was for a couple of drinks as a precursor to sex on the occasions that they hooked up. So to me it seems pretty clear what his intentions are. I'm pretty sure my DP knows full well what this bloke is getting at too, although she didn't explicitly say so, but it was in the realm of the conversation we were already having. She even said to me that he didn't know she was in a relationship with me now.

I'd have expected that to have been the end of it, but apparently he's continued to message and reiterated his suggestion a few more times. Which implies that either DP hasn't told him she's in a relationship and not interested in reigniting their casual arrangement or that he's particularly persistent.

So on the one hand DP appears to be being honest with me - openly telling me that this ex FwB has been back in touch. On the other, she's played down his intent somewhat, and doesn't appear to have given him an out and out rejection, or told him she's not single. And in my experience (on the receiving side) the best lie is one that's closest to the truth - so DP appearing to openly tell me they're messaging again could be that.

She kind of gives me the impression she was actually considering going out for a drink with this bloke, or maybe she was just flattered he still fancies her and is simply enjoying letting him pursue her?

In addition to this ex Fwb, there's another bloke who's very active with DP online. Every time DP posts/shares something on facebook, he's there, within minutes giving it a like or love reaction, posting comments trying to eek a conversation out of it. On every single post she makes. Sometimes there's 'private' jokes between them (referring to previous conversations they've had). Sometimes it's banter bordering on flirty, just not blatantly so. Maybe he's just a prolific FB addict and he comments on all his friend's posts so extensively in the same way (not sure he'd ever get anything else done)?

DP knows this bloke from when they were at uni together, about 20 years ago. She's openly told me that she was quite promiscuous back then and had a lot of casual/fwb things. It's quite possible that this bloke was one of them. Obviously everyone has a past, that doesn't bother me. I've never asked questions (I'd rather not know details tbh), but DP has openly told me about her's in conversations.

The thing that rankles me a bit though, is that DP's relationship status on FB is publicly set to 'single'. There's nothing on her profile or in her posts that suggests otherwise. So again, this bloke probably doesn't know DP is in a relationship, and I've no idea what his intentions are.

He's recently suggested a reunion with old uni friends (although he seems to have focussed mainly on my DP). She responded by saying that it'd have to be something child friendly because of her kids, to which he fired back that wasn't what he had in mind - it had to be a child free major piss up type event. DP is fairly reclusive these days, despite my own best efforts to get her out for a couple of drinks with me when we're child free.

To top it all off DP has mentioned bringing another man into the bedroom with us a few times recently. I've shut that down pretty quickly telling her I've no interest in that at all, but a while later she hints/suggests it again. In the back of my mind it left me wondering if she's considering that as a way to opening the door to her meeting other men on her own. Given that we don't live together and circumstances mean we only get together once a fortnight, she has plenty of motivation/opportunity for that.

I've been cheated on a few times in the past, and it turned out my ex from my longest relationship was a serial cheat all the way through our time together. I thought I was well past that and confident at trusting a new partner, so I don't know if I'm being irrational to feel a bit insecure with my current DP or if my feelings are justified in the current circumstances?

OP posts:
dolor · 07/12/2022 00:41

This is a very long winded cuckold fantasy post.

Woopdaboo · 07/12/2022 02:46

TLDR….he should have shut her down immediately

Watchkeys · 07/12/2022 04:33

Feelings aren't meant to be rational. But even when they are irrational, you have them for a reason. If you feel 'paranoid insecure' with your partner and you can't ask for/receive the reassurance you need, the details don't matter. It's not a healthy relationship.

FootfallFootball · 07/12/2022 04:42

Her having her FB status as Single is concerning. You don't have to actually display anything there

Watchkeys · 07/12/2022 04:47

FootfallFootball · 07/12/2022 04:42

Her having her FB status as Single is concerning. You don't have to actually display anything there

It's not concerning in an otherwise healthy relationship. You really can't judge the quality of an adult relationship by 'what she puts on Fb'.

Swalewhale · 07/12/2022 05:17

OP, I think you are going to get a hard time on here because you're a man. It's not a cuckold fantasy post at all!
It sounds to me like she is acting like she is still single. If I thought messaging other men would hurt my partner in any way, I wouldn't do it.
You think she's trying to engineer a meet up in order to sleep with other men? You can't stop her but you can stop yourself from being allowed to be treated like that, by finishing it. Set yourself free and find someone loyal, you have different boundaries.

Crazypaving22 · 07/12/2022 06:45

OP you've been cheated on, you know you're at risk here. You're not being paranoid. She seems to seek constant validation from others. That is NOT a good sign.

You need to trust your feelings. I'd start a very honest conversation with her about your need for security in a relationship and if she's not onboard with shutting all these flirtations down, you need to consider whether this is a relationship you can feel safe in.

gamerchick · 07/12/2022 06:52

FootfallFootball · 07/12/2022 04:42

Her having her FB status as Single is concerning. You don't have to actually display anything there

Mines still saying single and I've been married yonks. Just haven't got round to it. It means fuck all.

It does read like a cuckold fantasy, but if you're genuine OP. You don't trust her so tell her to knock off the threesum talk or she can go forth and fuck as a single lady.

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