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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

Is it cheating

97 replies

DoTheyNeed · 02/03/2023 09:42

DP and I have been together a while and have a DC. DP job involves him going to different locations but the same locations on a rota system. He receives a referral and then attends the location. He has a work phone a personal phone.
He has befriended someone at one of these locations. She is not a client of his but works in a similar field. I think he is at her location once or twice a month. Anyway, a while ago there was a bit of mentionitis but this has now stopped. I asked him if there was something going on but was reassured there was not. I stupidly went through his phone and they message almost every day, rarely at the weekend. Mainly silly things, day to day things about her children ect but also some flirty innuendos made by him. She is also muted on his phone. They also call each other a few times a week. Sometimes instigated by her, from looking at the messages. Some messages prior to the calls appear to be professional related some where she just wants a chat.
Am I reading to much into this? I’m not comfortable with it at all, if it’s work related surely it should all be on his work phone? Or am I just being over the top.

OP posts:
user1471517095 · 10/03/2023 06:51

I know this might have already been said but if you don't like it and think it's cheating you don't need to ask Mumsnet if it is. We all have different boundaries. Personally I'd be taking a long hard look at his behaviour and deciding what I was going to do about it.

Franticbutterfly · 10/03/2023 07:14

This happened with my DH, it did turn sexual between them. Nip it in the bud now.

Thewookiemustgo · 10/03/2023 09:54

@user1471517095 has a very good point. Think carefully about what your boundaries are for cheating and what you (and he) think constitutes cheating, it’s a good conversation to have. The only boundaries that matter here are yours, so decide what they are, decide if you think he has crossed them, communicate this to him and why you think it’s cheating to behave this way. Some people think watching porn is cheating, for example, which could be argued with all day long, but if their partner refused to stop watching porn then that would be a deal breaker for them but not for other couples. Your opinion matters most, not our validation. Mumsnet is better for offering advice on what to do rather than to define things like this, everyone has their own definition of what cheating is, something which upsets one person would be described as an overreaction by another.

DoTheyNeed · 11/03/2023 10:11

He brought it up yesterday. Said maybe if I was more affectionate to him he wouldn’t enjoy attention from “some tart”. Then accused me of projecting and wanted to look at my phone. Didn’t seem happy when he didn’t find anything.

I went through his again. There was some messages to her but but I’ll assume he forgot to delete those.
I will make this my last update as I’ve received all the advice I need.
Thank you all.

OP posts:
MrsSkylerWhite · 11/03/2023 10:14

Not yet ….. not great though, is it?

Crikeyalmighty · 11/03/2023 11:06

@DoTheyNeed and maybe if he had a bit more class he would actually not feel the need to go along with some tart! Clearly he's got a high opinion of women!

MsDogLady · 11/03/2023 17:29

He said..she previously made some “forward” comments/flirt towards him but wouldn’t go into detail…He had nothing to say about his own flirting/innuendo.

He brought it up yesterday. Said maybe if I was more affectionate to him he wouldn’t enjoy attention from “some tart.” Then accused me of projecting and wanted to look at my phone.

@DoTheyNeed, he just isn’t taking you seriously, and is continuing to control the narrative with manipulation, first with anger/sulking and now with blame shifting that his dodgy choices are your fault.

He has now dripped that OW has flirted with him but won’t go into detail. You’ve seen his flirtatious messages to her but he won’t discuss that. They’ve had lunch dates, been messaging daily, and regularly call each other. He clearly gets a buzz from her, yet he calls her a ‘tart.’

The bottom line is that he feels entitled to seek gratification outside your relationship. He’s not remorseful, won’t come completely clean, or take responsibility for crossing a line.

He’s really not concerned with loyalty, fidelity, or your peace of mind. It would be game over for me.

WidthofaLine · 11/03/2023 18:40

He brought it up yesterday. Said maybe if I was more affectionate to him he wouldn’t enjoy attention from “some tart”.

Yes you bad wife, I neeeeed more attention.

And of course his emotional bonding with another woman is going to get you in the mood with him.

Yes it's game over.

Mix56 · 12/03/2023 10:14

He has told you has hugged this woman, the one that he makes derogatory remarks about.. you can see this is a pile if bull.
Deflecting is part of the script

rainbowstardrops · 12/03/2023 10:32

He's spinning you a trail of lies. I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him.

WidthofaLine · 12/03/2023 16:47

Yes it's amazing how often these ow seem to be mad, bad, crazy, ugly, awful, boring and all the other adjectives for not fancying someone until you realise they obviously like all these traits.

Unless they were lying 🤔

Abc12389 · 12/03/2023 17:01

If she is in a relationship then you could send her partner a screen shot of the flirty messages. It may change her focus to saving her relationship rather than texting your husband.

As it’s all purely plutonic I’m sure he will understand.

DoTheyNeed · 01/04/2023 09:14

Didn’t want to start a whole new thread. After saying he would stop contact. He has not. I haven’t read all their messages but they talk pretty much all day. He is still flirting and fishing. She sent him a picture nothing racy but he was all compliments.
I just feel so upset and back to square one after feeling we had overcome this.
The picture was what made me look as it was in his gallery when he showed me something else.

OP posts:
dietcokelime · 01/04/2023 09:23

Sorry OP, but what is your hard boundary?

He's ignored you, continued to message and flirt and now receiving pictures and complimenting? I'd leave in that situation - I know it sounds horrible but he's showing zero respect for you and continuing to go down the path of an emotional affair or similar. If she was really that terrible or a tart then he'd not be messaging / calling her!

letthatmango · 01/04/2023 09:27

I say this really kindly but you had not overcome this. He has lied, minimised, gaslit and blameshifted. And you (desperate to believe he can see your pain) have rug swept.

You drew what you thought was a line in the sand and he has stepped over it, his need for ego kibbles and validation from this woman is clearly more important to him than being a safe partner.

He is a liar and a betrayer and what he says can not be trusted. I have no idea why you feel this is flirting via messages because I’d be thinking that is the tip of the ice berg.

You have tried nicey nicey now I feel it’s asking him to leave so you can have some space to think about this. Or Google surviving infidelity 180 for a strategy to live under the same roof but gain some distance.

He is not a safe partner for you right now, this will cause more damage until you protect yourself!

CleaningOutMyCloset · 01/04/2023 09:41

You asked him to stop, he promised he would, he hasn't. He's showing you who he is, and where you stand in his life, believe him

Freeme31 · 01/04/2023 10:11

He is showing no respect for you. Having her in his life is more important to him than having you in his life or he would not put your relationship in such jeopardy. Walk out now & save yourself future unhappiness he does not want to let her go - so sorry this is happening to you. Take care of yourself he clearly doesn't want to.

FishChipsMushyPeas · 01/04/2023 10:47

If she was just 'some tart' (lovely) then he wouldn't be feeling the need to continue to message her, nor would any of the messages be flirty from him unless he just enjoys stringing her along (also lovely).

The question now is whether you can believe or trust him going forward given he has shown no regard for your previous discussions whatsoever.

rainbowstardrops · 01/04/2023 11:00

Well he's shown you who he is. He's an idiot.

MsDogLady · 01/04/2023 20:51

@DoTheyNeed, I had wondered how things were going for you.

I’m sorry to hear that he is still at it…and has actually escalated his affair via constant contact, flirting, fishing and compliments, not to mention their lunch dates and any other 1:1 time.

He is making a mug of you, @DoTheyNeed. You expressed your boundaries, but he proceeded to ride roughshod over them. He has zero respect for you and has made OW his priority.

I wouldn’t be giving this cheat another opportunity to lie to and manipulate you. I’d be showing him the door pronto.

imsureineverdo · 01/04/2023 20:58

It's an emotional affair. If it's something he wouldn't do or say in front if you, it's wrong.

Rayn22 · 01/04/2023 21:05

Don't let yourself be a doormat! I did it for years! Shape up or ship off!

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