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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:
Topicsdujour · 11/01/2024 18:23

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

THIS is the crux of it all. I suspect I will never get over it. I think I felt very betrayed because I was so pregnant and feeling very lonely while he worked away so the messages really hurt me and shocked me because I NEVER thought he’d do it. At the time I had access to his phone through the iPad so I trawled through it with a fine tooth comb but found nothing else. I forgave him because I understood that it was a hard time in our relationship and people can make mistakes. Also because I knew it was not physical.
It is still there in my mind though.

OP posts:
IIdentifyAsInnocent · 11/01/2024 18:26

I think the fact he took your son with him and is posting about it is actually a huge red flag. The beat way to lie is to stick as closely to the truth as you can. So you don't hide it, you just seem so overt that people don't suspect anything.

You should read "The gift of fear" you are having "a feeling" about this because something, maybe not these pictures feels off. Your gut is trying to tell you something that your subconscious has seen but can't quite articulate to your conscious brain. You shouldn't belive it wholeheartedly, but you should certainly examine what else is making your spidey senses tingle.

I hope it's nothing, but as someone who had an affair myself I'd say that by making it seem like there is nothing to worry about he is double bluffing you. I hope I'm wrong.

Big hugs.

PossumintheHouse · 11/01/2024 18:27

It’s possible he didn’t mention she’d be present on the work trip because of the previous texts, not because he is having an affair. The ex-colleague was an issue, it caused issues between you, so he may not have mentioned her for the sake of an easy life and not raising your suspicions unnecessarily. That doesn’t make it right though. He’s still been dishonest and now that you’ve seen that photo he’s only made it worse.

BornIn78 · 11/01/2024 18:29

He's doing a lot of lying by omission.

Taking your son on a little day date with this woman and her daughter - didn't mention her. How old is your son btw?

Work trip away with "all guys" - didn't mention her.

Sporting event where she ends up in a photo wearing his hat - didn't mention her.

Bet if you ask him outright, she goes to the gym that he goes to which is coincidentally right near her house but he's never mentioned she's there.

LenaLamont · 11/01/2024 18:31

In a way it doesn’t matter whether or not anything is happening between your husband and his colleague.

The crucial part is that you don’t trust him, aren’t confident he wouldn’t cheat, and want to go over the evidence with a fine toothed comb.

Without mutual trust, the relationship between you is pretty much dead.

Maybe he’s having an affair. Maybe you’re paranoid about a positive work relationship. In either case your marriage is facing a tough time.

Topicsdujour · 11/01/2024 18:32

BornIn78 · 11/01/2024 18:29

He's doing a lot of lying by omission.

Taking your son on a little day date with this woman and her daughter - didn't mention her. How old is your son btw?

Work trip away with "all guys" - didn't mention her.

Sporting event where she ends up in a photo wearing his hat - didn't mention her.

Bet if you ask him outright, she goes to the gym that he goes to which is coincidentally right near her house but he's never mentioned she's there.

Son is nearly 9.
Didn’t think about the gym thing, as in that she might actually go.

OP posts:
Evanted76 · 11/01/2024 18:35

The offering to drop everything and come home at the event could well be a red herring to be honest. He could have offered to do that knowing full well you would say "no it's fine" and then he comes out of it looking innocent.

I wouldn't be happy at all with another woman wearing my husband's beanie and feeling comfortable enough to wear it and be photographed wearing it. Like a PP said, it's just such an intimate item of clothing for some reason.

Your spider senses are tingling even though you don't have too much to go on. At the moment.

For the time being I'd just stay alert, make mental notes , be perceptive, but don't play your hand too early next time. IF there's something going on, you have a better chance of finding out if he thinks he's put you off the scent so to speak.

Fizzadora · 11/01/2024 18:40

I honestly don't think he's having an affair from what you have said. If 'she' was a 'he' you wouldn't even have given these incidents a second thought. Does he have any other female friends that you are wary of or is it just this one?
You don't trust him. It's that simple and it looks like you never will. Probably understandable given what happened before but you can't go through life like that.
If he is innocent* there is nothing he can do about this, unless he lives the rest of his life second-guessing every action and interaction with women in case you might think it looks suspicious.
It's entirely on you OP, you either stop assuming that (probably) perfectly normal behaviour is suspect and accept that you might never know, or you call it a day.

*Edited to add this

BirthdayRainbow · 11/01/2024 18:43

I think the fact he's so blatant about her doesn't make him innocent.

I never thought my h would have an affair. I had two moments but dismissed them. Should have listened to my gut.

I really hope it's nothing.

Boke · 11/01/2024 18:43

Spidey senses usually tingle for a reason but it's impossible to say if he's cheating from what you've said so far. I know what I'd do though from here. I'd never mention it again and go in to super casual relaxed wife mode, busy with her life/work/hobbies/friends. Behind the scenes though, I'd be quietly keeping an eye out and looking for evidence. The only pitfall of this is that it can send you a bit demented and it's no way to live really.

BornIn78 · 11/01/2024 18:44

Does this woman even know he's married?

It's the taking your child to spend the day with her and her daughter I can't get past. Not mentioning a word about it beforehand.

So they'd planned to meet up together with their children and what, he made out like it was a dad and lad day out? Until your son spilled the beans?

Darhon · 11/01/2024 18:46

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.

Lots of experience on hear of cheaters going mad and saying their partner is insane etc - it’s often part of their script.

However, not saying she was going to golf is questionable! Even with her son as well.

Beastiesandthebeauty · 11/01/2024 18:51

The fact that he took the accusation calmly and offered to come home is a good sign imo.

Someone up to no good would gave used it as an opportunity to gaslight you and be able to shaggy away less guilt.

I think anyone would be in a state about the time spent together + having hat and being secretive you already have wounds so it's amplified for you. You need to have a big chat in person you will know by looking in his eyes. After that you need to have a chat about your boundaries and expectations of him.

Topicsdujour · 11/01/2024 18:52

Fizzadora · 11/01/2024 18:40

I honestly don't think he's having an affair from what you have said. If 'she' was a 'he' you wouldn't even have given these incidents a second thought. Does he have any other female friends that you are wary of or is it just this one?
You don't trust him. It's that simple and it looks like you never will. Probably understandable given what happened before but you can't go through life like that.
If he is innocent* there is nothing he can do about this, unless he lives the rest of his life second-guessing every action and interaction with women in case you might think it looks suspicious.
It's entirely on you OP, you either stop assuming that (probably) perfectly normal behaviour is suspect and accept that you might never know, or you call it a day.

*Edited to add this

Edited

Yes I completely agree. I’ve been wondering if it might be an idea to go to some kind of marriage counselling to really try and move past what happened with the messages.
We never did any kind of counselling back then, just lots of open and frank discussions. I know why he sent the messages and I can understand it to a degree.
He has lots of friends, male and female. He works in a huge industry and is very extroverted, I just let him get on with it half the time. I don’t know why these interactions with this particular person have got me a bit wary.

OP posts:
Stupidliefromfriend · 11/01/2024 19:04

Hi,

I feel for you as I once discovered messages between my DH and another woman which rocked me and us to the core. It took a lot of work to move past.

Now obviously nobody here can say for sure if your DH is up to something but given you've asked for opinions it doesn't sound to me like he is.

It sounds like he held his hands up before and didn't minimise; is that right? So while he's not perfect, he doesn't sound manipulative.

Having said that, you can at any stage decide that he broke your trust then, you tried to get past it but don't want to try anymore. There doesn't need to be a second crime to justify your upset.

adriftabroad · 11/01/2024 19:05

BornIn78 · 11/01/2024 18:44

Does this woman even know he's married?

It's the taking your child to spend the day with her and her daughter I can't get past. Not mentioning a word about it beforehand.

So they'd planned to meet up together with their children and what, he made out like it was a dad and lad day out? Until your son spilled the beans?

This is what I would be furious about.

Massive escalating red flags.
Yuk, using the DCs as alibis almost.

BetterWithPockets · 11/01/2024 19:08

I wonder if he was wary of mentioning this woman in case it stirred things up, OP? I’m not condoning it — if it’s entirely innocent and he deliberately kept quiet about it so as not to ‘worry’ you, then that’s really stupid (as well as dishonest and very short-sighted). It’s really hard to know though. I don’t agree with the PPs who said being ‘nice’ about it is a sign of guilt. Given what happened before, he should (in my book) be apologetic not furious. I’m sorry you’ve found yourself in this position though, and hope you can talk about/get counselling together.

BetterWithPockets · 11/01/2024 19:10

Stupidliefromfriend · 11/01/2024 19:04

Hi,

I feel for you as I once discovered messages between my DH and another woman which rocked me and us to the core. It took a lot of work to move past.

Now obviously nobody here can say for sure if your DH is up to something but given you've asked for opinions it doesn't sound to me like he is.

It sounds like he held his hands up before and didn't minimise; is that right? So while he's not perfect, he doesn't sound manipulative.

Having said that, you can at any stage decide that he broke your trust then, you tried to get past it but don't want to try anymore. There doesn't need to be a second crime to justify your upset.

This is really sage advice, I think, OP.

BirthdayRainbow · 11/01/2024 19:13

Bit silly saying if she was a he the OP wouldn't be stressing given that her h isn't gay or bisexual.

Topicsdujour · 11/01/2024 19:15

BornIn78 · 11/01/2024 18:44

Does this woman even know he's married?

It's the taking your child to spend the day with her and her daughter I can't get past. Not mentioning a word about it beforehand.

So they'd planned to meet up together with their children and what, he made out like it was a dad and lad day out? Until your son spilled the beans?

Yes she knows he’s married.

DS had been talking about getting golf lessons for a while. Eventually after Christmas, DH said he would take him to a big course in our nearest city where he would get some training. His female colleague does training for adults and children so not weird that she would do it as she lives near this course, just weird that he didn’t mention her name (I feel like he would if it was one of his male colleagues) and that her daughter was there. DS is very bright and a blabbermouth so DH must have known it would get back to me.

OP posts:
Backtoblack1 · 11/01/2024 19:16

I wouldn’t be happy at all with this. I think he needs to come home and talk to you. Also, trust your gut!!!

adriftabroad · 11/01/2024 19:22

Its not right and you know it.

One of them, at least, has an agenda.

Is she happily married?

adriftabroad · 11/01/2024 19:24

I would say it was her. But he is aware.

TheSlantedOwl · 11/01/2024 19:27

It’s very cosy between them isn’t it? I think you are right to be suspicious.

Topicsdujour · 11/01/2024 19:28

adriftabroad · 11/01/2024 19:22

Its not right and you know it.

One of them, at least, has an agenda.

Is she happily married?

She is single.

OP posts: