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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

He’s cheating isn’t he? Or is he?! Help

103 replies

Topicsdujour · 11/01/2024 17:43

Obviously I know no one can tell me, just want some opinions please.

DH and I have been together 14 years, married 10 and have 3 young children together. Our relationship for the most part has been great. He truly is my favourite person and I love him very much. He’s considerate towards me, a great Dad and hands on around the house.

About 4 years ago when I was heavily pregnant with our 3rd child I found some messages on his I pad. We had been going through a very rough patch. I got pregnant with DC3 when DC2 was only 3 months old and DC1 only 3 years old. My husband works away a lot and I don’t have any family nearby so I was struggling a lot and it resulted in lots of arguments. I was on the I pad one evening, and came across some messages that were synced to his phone. I never really used the I pad and it came as a huge shock. They were very flirtatious and inappropriate messages to his work colleague, though it was clear in the messages nothing had actually happened between them. Though maybe only because they didn’t get the chance?
It was a dark time in our relationship and we had to work really hard together to move past it.
The last few years have been great, however, the messages to his colleague have always been in the back of my mind.

DH works in a the sporting field (management side) and also enjoys playing the sport recreationally. For ease I will just say it is golf. A few weeks ago DH took our eldest son to a day out playing golf. When they came back, our son explained they had spent the day with his female colleague and her daughter. The female colleague (not the one he text years back) is a professional in this field so when I questioned my husband he said she was offering her time to give our son a bit of training. I felt a bit put out that he hadn’t mentioned her being there to me at all but didn’t really say anything.
Fast forward to this week and he’s at a golf event for work. Staying away in a hotel. He briefly mentioned who he was going with…. All guys.
I was on Facebook today and saw my husband had uploaded a picture at this event, with this female colleague! Along with one of the male colleagues he mentioned.
It all seems a bit weird that she seems to be on the scene a lot more. The more I think about it the more suss it seems… I realised that the gym he goes to religiously is not far from where she lives. I did a little Facebook stalking and on one of the pictures she is wearing my husbands woolly hat.

I called him and just lost it with him and asked if something was going on. He obviously denied it to the ground. He was incredibly apologetic for not mentioning that she was going to be there. Said he could completely understand why I felt suspicious and offered to leave the event and come home to talk about it. That’s what makes it hard, he’s so…… reasonable. It’s just my gut is telling me something is up.

What do you think? I know he would never admit to it and I don’t have any evidence. I did wonder why he would upload a picture to Facebook knowing I could see it, however he knows I don’t use it, only occasionally for marketplace. I asked about the hat and he just said she was freezing so he leant it to her.

Argh, I just don’t know what to do. Has anyone been in a similar situation?

OP posts:
Peanutsnanna · 11/01/2024 17:46

What does your gut say? You must think there's a possibility or you wouldn't be questioning.

Topicsdujour · 11/01/2024 17:49

I just don’t know. My gut says it’s all a bit weird, I guess this thread wouldn’t exist unless I thought something was wrong. Then I speak to him and give my head a shake and think I’m completely wrong.

OP posts:
Whenwasthis · 11/01/2024 17:50

The loudest alarm here was him being so reasonable and offering to come home when challenged. Innocent people are usually livid and extremely angry when their integrity is questioned. It's the guilty ones who try to be understanding and reassuring. That's my experience anyway . The hat is weird. It's too late now but acting ignorant whilst evaluating and looking out for evidence might have been better.

Usernamechange1234 · 11/01/2024 17:54

Whenwasthis · 11/01/2024 17:50

The loudest alarm here was him being so reasonable and offering to come home when challenged. Innocent people are usually livid and extremely angry when their integrity is questioned. It's the guilty ones who try to be understanding and reassuring. That's my experience anyway . The hat is weird. It's too late now but acting ignorant whilst evaluating and looking out for evidence might have been better.

I don’t agree with this. It’s actually very common for cheats to become angry and self defensive. His reaction would be mine if I was innocent. Just wanting to make things right.

I’m not convinced this is affair territory. I could be wrong but it all feels too transparent. Him putting a picture of her up on sm just says he had nothing to hide.

I am one for gut instinct, but I really am not convinced here at all.

whatnow123 · 11/01/2024 17:55

Whenwasthis · 11/01/2024 17:50

The loudest alarm here was him being so reasonable and offering to come home when challenged. Innocent people are usually livid and extremely angry when their integrity is questioned. It's the guilty ones who try to be understanding and reassuring. That's my experience anyway . The hat is weird. It's too late now but acting ignorant whilst evaluating and looking out for evidence might have been better.

Not really true. The guilty ones, if these boards are a anything to go by gaslight, call the other person mental and paranoid etc. His response is actually a green flag, especially with their history. Not saying he isn't cheating but a reasonable and mature response isn't alarming.

Topicsdujour · 11/01/2024 17:55

When I questioned him about the golf day he was definitely very angry then that’s why I backed off because I thought I’d got it very wrong.
I suppose he didn’t have a leg to stand on this time because he hadn’t mentioned she was going to be there so he had to know I’d be a bit pissed off/suspicious

OP posts:
Usernamechange1234 · 11/01/2024 17:57

Can you just talk us through the pic of her in the hat… was this pic from the weekend did she just borrow the hat OR is it another time?

Topicsdujour · 11/01/2024 17:59

Another time. It’s hard to say too much without outing but they work on sporting events, often outside. The picture was on her Facebook, he was not in the picture but his hat is quite distinctive so I knew it was his

OP posts:
Devilsmommy · 11/01/2024 18:01

Whenwasthis · 11/01/2024 17:50

The loudest alarm here was him being so reasonable and offering to come home when challenged. Innocent people are usually livid and extremely angry when their integrity is questioned. It's the guilty ones who try to be understanding and reassuring. That's my experience anyway . The hat is weird. It's too late now but acting ignorant whilst evaluating and looking out for evidence might have been better.

Exactly my thoughts, if my DH accused me of cheating I'd be angry as hell not being all reasonable. I'd be keeping my eyes and ears open for any more of this behaviour

workshy46 · 11/01/2024 18:02

The hat thing is the biggest flag.. like I would never borrow a colleagues hat - coat maybe if they were a total gentleman but never a hat, seems more intimate for some reason
They are definitely close friends based on that alone.. if not something more. The problem is he has shown he can't be trusted

whatnow123 · 11/01/2024 18:03

In his defence I'm not sure he's "hiding" anything. The golf day, your son was there so a high chance you'd find out this women was present. This other trip, he's put a picture on Facebook, with a high chance you'd see it.

If you think about it logically, say they are having an affair. It would have been discussed that she was going on this trip and he wouldn't make you aware she was present. To then put a picture of them together on Facebook, hints that no such conversation has taken place

Whenwasthis · 11/01/2024 18:03

The angry v calm response can be dependent on the deception skill level. Yes many guilty men act angry and insulted abd and gas light when caught. However there are others, often smarter and one step ahead, who think that this is the normal response when guilty and be calm and understanding, as a double -double cross!
Of course a totally innocent and transparent partner could also be grown up and understanding, but when a relationship is at the point of challenging about fidelity it's usually not healthy enough in foundation to be like this.

Topicsdujour · 11/01/2024 18:07

This is the thing. If it hadn’t been for the messaging years ago I wouldn’t have this issue now. I’ve never felt gaslit by him and even when confronted about the messages he never tried to push the blame on me. I’ve always felt very ‘heard’ by him. It’s just this niggling feeling.

OP posts:
Usernamechange1234 · 11/01/2024 18:08

I completely agree with @whatnow123 i really am not seeing huge red flags here.

He doesn’t seem to be hiding her presence just forgetting to tell you.

His reaction was angry once, calm reasonable another so hardly following a pattern so no really clues there.

I am generally the type to read these and think yep affair but just not getting it from this.

How about other indicators phone use, attitude to you and the family, change in behaviour, routines? Anything else?

Jumpingpogosticks · 11/01/2024 18:09

The hat is what would concern me. I've had a career in a male dominated field. ONCE I've been offered clothing by a male who isn't my husband... He was a man 35 years my senior and treated me like family.

Not normal for some random male colleague to let a woman just wear his clothing... and I've always had quite nice relationships with people I've worked with.

Riseandshinee · 11/01/2024 18:10

Topicsdujour · 11/01/2024 17:59

Another time. It’s hard to say too much without outing but they work on sporting events, often outside. The picture was on her Facebook, he was not in the picture but his hat is quite distinctive so I knew it was his

She could have taken her own hat. what made him think he could offer his hat to her and what made her think she could ask for it.

Topicsdujour · 11/01/2024 18:13

I don’t think she asked for it. To my understanding she said she was freezing so he gave it to her. It’s a bit of a silly hat so I have once been at an event and his male colleague was wearing it.
The hat isn’t the biggest thing to me, it’s more that over the last 3 weeks I’ve suddenly become ‘aware’ of her if you see what I mean

OP posts:
savethatkitty · 11/01/2024 18:14

I think it is kind of suspicious. Trust your gut, usually it's correct.

Riseandshinee · 11/01/2024 18:15

Topicsdujour · 11/01/2024 18:13

I don’t think she asked for it. To my understanding she said she was freezing so he gave it to her. It’s a bit of a silly hat so I have once been at an event and his male colleague was wearing it.
The hat isn’t the biggest thing to me, it’s more that over the last 3 weeks I’ve suddenly become ‘aware’ of her if you see what I mean

for personal use, get a pen and paper; and list everywhere he’s been spending with her, how often, how many hours, any incidents of mentionitis, gather all the photos, see if you can get more information, and any information you think is relevant, and then from there with all the evidence in front of you see how you feel about it

Topicsdujour · 11/01/2024 18:15

Usernamechange1234 · 11/01/2024 18:08

I completely agree with @whatnow123 i really am not seeing huge red flags here.

He doesn’t seem to be hiding her presence just forgetting to tell you.

His reaction was angry once, calm reasonable another so hardly following a pattern so no really clues there.

I am generally the type to read these and think yep affair but just not getting it from this.

How about other indicators phone use, attitude to you and the family, change in behaviour, routines? Anything else?

Sorry I don’t know if I’m replying properly. Hopefully this works! No change in family etc and he will often answer the phone on the car on speaker with me there/no hesitation if I want to borrow his phone etc.
I think the incident with the other female colleague years ago has got me ultra wary now

OP posts:
Indifferentchickenwings · 11/01/2024 18:17

The problem is he’s deceived you once

so why would you or should you trust him now ?
he has form sadly

I don’t have any easy answers
bit the trust is shot to shit and HE did that

this is his fault and he needs to help you fix this

you arnt being a psycho , once bitten and all that

Riseandshinee · 11/01/2024 18:17

I also want to add that I had a feeling mine was cheating and thought it was a particular woman and it turned out to be a different one entirely

Topicsdujour · 11/01/2024 18:18

Riseandshinee · 11/01/2024 18:17

I also want to add that I had a feeling mine was cheating and thought it was a particular woman and it turned out to be a different one entirely

Oh God don’t say that!

OP posts:
Chipotellyandlime · 11/01/2024 18:20

Your gut is telling you something is up.

Usernamechange1234 · 11/01/2024 18:21

I actually understand, I’m reconciled after an affair so I totally get it. I’d certainly have a discussion with my husband about all of this and it might bring up some things he could do to help me feel safer when he’s around this woman but there are actually some signs of transparency with this friendship which just aren’t making me worry for you.