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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

Not another naive one

214 replies

Newyearnewme2023 · 07/02/2023 20:50

Hello! I am looking for an objective opinion as I can't ask in real life. Sorry, it is going to be a long one.

I am 37 and my ,partner' is 7 years older. I met him when I was 23 and I have made a tactical mistake of moving with him into is property when I was 25. Year later our child was born who is now 11. At the time he was still paying his mortgage, but he has been mortgage free for the last 5 years. It is a big detached 5 bedroom house.

Having a child was his idea, as he was desperate for a child. He talked me into it years ago but obviously I love my child and I don't regret this at all :) On the outside I have a great life- ,nice family', nice holidays, live in a big house, drive a nice car, ok job in finance (I work 30 hours a week WFH).

I have naively assumed years ago when I was younger that getting married was a natural part of us being together (how silly, I know !) and he has proposed to me when I was expecting but I think it was more to do with the fact that he was actively trying to persuade me to have another child soon after. He kept on saying let's have a second child first and then we will see about getting married. He kept on saying he is not getting married without having a 2nd child first , but I have luckily put my foot down and I said no. I said marriage first and then maybe we will see one day about the second child. And here we are years later. I wouldn't want a second child now anyway as I feel complete :)

I can't help but feel very resentful which has killed my love for this guy I think.

  1. Firstly, he kept on saying to our child that it is my fault he hasn't got siblings. It is not true. I kept on saying marriage first and then we will see. i am disgusted when he blames me for it.
  2. He has assets and a big house and he wouldn't ever put me on house deeds. I haven't contributed towards his mortgage so I totally understand it, but he wouldn't even entertain the idea of will or prenup in the past.
  3. I was the one / I am still the one doing all the boring every day drudgery jobs - school runs, all the cleaning, all the cooking. i just think he needed someone to pick up where mummy left off.
  4. For the first 5 years of our child's life I have only worked 1 day a week as he didn't want to pay for the nursery as it was expensive and he didn't want his child to be with strangers (His mum looked after our child). So while he was building his business I had not much money. He would kindly borrow me when I was running short but I needed to pay it back each time. Even though I was the one staying at home with the child.
  5. When our child started primary school I upped my hours as I have started to realise that it was very unhealthy and I needed to start taking care of my financial future as he was leaving me very vulnerable with no money. He wasn't over the moon that I upped my hours but he got over it.

I have not got £40k in savings and I think resentment killed me love for him and I am planning on leaving within next few years. We argue a lot as I feel so resentful. He called me a gold digger in the past as apparently I talk a lot about money to him. Only because I keep on saying to him that being unmarried leaves me in very vulnerable position for the future in case anything happens. He hates me talking about money. He has also called me a lodger a few times in the past. (I have also called him some nasty names in the arguments but lodger is a bit too much I think)

The thing is I don't even know why I talk to him about it. I don't even want to marry this guy anymore and I can't imagine my future with him. His domestic laziness, entitlement, he can't / doesn't want to cook. He won't do school runs and cook as he is paying the bills apparently.

For the record I buy all the food (circa £400-500 a month) and pay him towards gas and electricity and everything for our son, including school lunches (circa £80 a month) and all my expenses. I save the rest.. We go 50/50 to the penny on foreign holidays (we go 2-3 times a year).

He says I am lucky that I get to live with him apparently as lots of girls would love that. Ha

i think he sensed it that I am gaining my independence back and trying to go full time and planning my life without him so he is trying to be so nice and says he wants to spend his life with me, but I think resentment killed my love.

Do you think I sound entitled or do I have a right to feel so resentful ?!

OP posts:
canfor · 09/11/2024 04:29

This is brilliant OP, well done for getting there!

The13thFairy · 11/11/2024 11:15

You are doing the right thing. You've taken stock of your life, looked down the years ahead and said no thanks. Glorious.

DamselinDistress24 · 11/11/2024 11:21

slowquickstep · 07/02/2023 21:46

Marry him, wait a year, save all that you can then divorce him

I don't think she'll get much in the settlement after a year.

A solicitor told me my h might get 25% of my property and that was after 4/5 yrs.

DamselinDistress24 · 11/11/2024 11:22

He's financially abusive.

He's set up his life exactly the way he wants it for his financial advantage.

I think he went for someone younger partly because he thought they'd be easier to manage too.

Honeysuckle1985 · 11/11/2024 12:58

Yes, I agree that he went for someone younger is because I was an easier target.

However I have had enough, I have saved up quite a lot of money for a deposit so my mortgage will be low, I am getting £15k from him plus a nice car that I am driving at the moment that he bought and he can piss off.

I will be moving in my nice flat very soon. I am so happy I got there in the end, albeit a bit later than I wanted to.

I can't wait for a new chapter to begin.

Let my story be a cautionary tale, always look out for yourself.

Thanks for all the comments.

America12 · 11/11/2024 15:55

@Newyearnewme2023 I really hope you've left him.

Octoberfest · 11/11/2024 17:00

Honeysuckle1985 · 08/11/2024 23:09

Hi, I am OP, I am back to give you all an update ! I have recently bought a nice 2 bedroom flat and I am moving out in a few weeks. I have put a very healthy deposit down so my mortgage payments will be quite low so I will be able to maintain good lifestyle.

I know it took a while to get myself out of this situation but I needed to get my finances in order first. I have also met a man in the summer this year and I haven't held back, so this was a kick in the backside for my to make a move finally.

My ex surprisingly is giving me some money to go (not much- £15k !) so I will use it furnish my new home as he wants amicable split for the sake our son apparently. Time will tell.

So for anyone still following this thread - all the best and thanks for advice. I took a while but I managed to get myself out of it eventually !

Brilliant news. Huge congratulations OP. So delighted to hear that you escaped that awful man. Best of luck to you and your son in your new home (and thanks for jumping back on the thread to give an update).

Honeysuckle1985 · 11/11/2024 17:51

Octoberfest · 11/11/2024 17:00

Brilliant news. Huge congratulations OP. So delighted to hear that you escaped that awful man. Best of luck to you and your son in your new home (and thanks for jumping back on the thread to give an update).

Thank you. I have had this thread in the back of my mind for a while and I was looking forward to coming back and give you all an update, as I stil remember how I felt when I have started this thread almost 2 years ago.

I have managed to stash a lot of cash to get a very good deposit (45% LTV ) so I was able to buy a nice flat. I knew I needed to think strategically as this guy has been financially using me for so long, so I have moved to spare bedroom a very long while ago, changed jobs for better paid one, upped my hours and increased my salary, carried on with my chartered qualifications and increased my social circle to start to have more fun. I have also stopped doing anything for this man and just ignored him. I have started to take a greater care of myself and joined a gym so I have transformed my body as it makes me feel so much better in general.

I am looking forward to being free again, it's so liberating. This stingy twat can just do one, here is 🍻🥂 to freedom !

By focusing for the last 2 years on my plan I was able to put myself in strong position to leave and I am very pleased with myself.

All the best to you

Honeysuckle1985 · 11/11/2024 17:57

America12 · 11/11/2024 15:55

@Newyearnewme2023 I really hope you've left him.

Yes, I have bought a nice flat but only recently and I am about to move out. I spent last 2 years preparing for this and stashed money like mad so I am now in hood strong strong position. Life is good 🙂

RandomMess · 11/11/2024 18:31

Did he ramp up the abuse to try and get you to stay?

Has your DS decided what living arrangements he wants? I'm not sure how much he will like his Dads cooking and housekeeping!

America12 · 11/11/2024 18:34

Honeysuckle1985 · 11/11/2024 17:57

Yes, I have bought a nice flat but only recently and I am about to move out. I spent last 2 years preparing for this and stashed money like mad so I am now in hood strong strong position. Life is good 🙂

Good luck pleased to hear it

Honeysuckle1985 · 11/11/2024 19:40

RandomMess · 11/11/2024 18:31

Did he ramp up the abuse to try and get you to stay?

Has your DS decided what living arrangements he wants? I'm not sure how much he will like his Dads cooking and housekeeping!

He has tried to manipulate me by being super nice and started to do washing and cooking, but f*ck that it's far to late for that. He also also tried to make me doubt my decision to buy a flat by saying why don't I just keep saving and try to buy a bigger place instead of 2 bedroom flat. He has also been trying to play on my emotions by saying what a shame our son will be from a broken home blah blah blah but I have seen through his crap and no longer pay any attention to it.

Our son wants 50/50 childcare arrangements (he is 13 now so can do quite it for himself) so I will let him spend half a week at his dad's and see how it goes. Ref cooking and cleaning, he is lazy and it will be awful. If my son is not happy with his cooking and cleaning, then he can stay with me more and my ex can do one, I no longer care. It's so freeing not to care anymore.

I can finally walk out this door 😁

RandomMess · 11/11/2024 19:50

Brilliant you have so moved on mentally it's brilliant!

Honeysuckle1985 · 11/11/2024 20:05

RandomMess · 11/11/2024 19:50

Brilliant you have so moved on mentally it's brilliant!

I know, thank you😁. I have spent a few months in therapy working on myself, improved my earning power and worked hard on my body in the gym which has also made me stronger mentally and more attractive physically.

I have also taken a stock of my life and thought f*ck my ex, I owe him nothing. It feels good 😉

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