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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

Brother took his OW to my house

126 replies

Imnottoosurereally · 28/02/2024 12:08

I've never done this before so forgive me if make mistakes. I'm also on my phone so have no idea whether this will work properly. I am desperate to understand if I've done something wrong, even though in my gut I just don't think I have.

This has ended up v long, sorry. The long and short of it is my brother who I thought was having a terrible crisis was staying in my house whilst I was away and brought the woman he was cheating on his long term gf with to stay there too without my knowledge.

My brother is a good guy and I love him dearly, but his behaviour has been erratic recently and his gf of 13 years contacted me over Christmas to flag that she was concerned for him. In January, he leaves their flat saying he is having a crisis and needs space. As a family we rally round to support him but I check in with his gf every now and then to see how she's getting along. After he's left his flat, he spends some time staying with other family and also at my house, both whilst I was there and again whilst we were away over half term. He's since gone back to his city but is in an Airbnb.

On Tuesday I checked in again with his gf and I obviously caught her at a low moment as everything came pouring out - that my brother had been having an affair, the OW had no idea that he was still with his gf. The gf had contacted the OW and told her and the OW immediately ended things with my brother. My brother was totally enraged and said some dreadful things to his gf and this is what I blundered into. Now this is obviously all very bad but what has really upset me is that he brought his OW to my house whilst I was away for half term and she stayed there with him. They were sleeping in my bed. I was completely furious about this - whether he has an affair is his business but having it in my bed - just gross and disrespectful. I thought he was having a breakdown but it was just an affair.

Yesterday evening he contacted me to say he knew that I knew about the affair and we should talk as there was context I should know. I said yes but first I need to make my feelings clear about him bringing her to my house and I sent him a very cross voice note. I told him I loved him and I wouldn't tell our siblings or anything but he had really messed up by bringing her here (and in my bed - ew!)

He went completely off the deep end, he couldn't believe I would get so angry when I didn't know the half of what had happened, he would never think so badly of him, how could I made him feel so dirty etc etc and now he won't speak to me at all.

I feel awful for upsetting him but I feel like he deserved a bollocking! I was also clear that his affair was between him and his conscience but he involved me when he brought her here.

I don't really know what to do. I won't tell anyone but I want him to acknowledge that he was out of line. I also know he is just lashing out because he's been caught but it breaks my heart that he is so upset because I was maybe too harsh and didn't give him the benefit of the doubt and an opportunity to explain why he did this (although I can't really think of anything that would wash).

Was I in the wrong? Any thoughts very, very welcome. I feel quite sick about it.

OP posts:
FictionalCharacter · 28/02/2024 12:11

You weren’t wrong, yes he did deserve a bollocking, and I’m afraid he is not a “good guy”.

Sashya · 28/02/2024 12:15

Personally - I'd not be keeping his secret, it will come out anyway. He is just angry it all came out and OW broke up with him.
Why would you not tell your siblings?

He involved you in his affair - and brought her into your home. It's ridiculous and speaks about his selfishness and disregard of anyone else.
Talk to your siblings, do not keep it in.

p1ppyL0ngstocking · 28/02/2024 12:15

Your brother is DARVO-ing you.

Deny
Attack
Reverse Victim and Offender

He does something awful - cheats on his partner of 13yr and rather than own up he claims sympathy and support for his "breakdown".

He spends time having sex with his OW IN YOUR BED 🤮 (did he even clean the sheets??) whilst not telling the OW she was the OW (essentially obtained sex by manipulation) and somehow this is your fault?

You are not in the wrong.

Your brother used you to get what he wanted from you (an empty apartment and bed) and from an unsuspecting woman (sex).

You rightly called him out for his awful behaviour and now he's behaving like the victim.

Tell your family what happened and tell your brother that he is not the victim in this and he doesn't get to act like one.

CormorantStrikesBack · 28/02/2024 12:16

I’d be making him buy me a new mattress to be honest

Me1987 · 28/02/2024 12:16

Im sorry but he sounds awful, uses having a crisis as an excuse for sleeping with a woman behind his girlfriends back in someone else's home, then when he gets found out and his affair partner leaves him he gets nasty with his girlfriend.
Now he's trying to make you feel like you are in the wrong for being uncomfortable with what he has done and his behaviour. He sounds like a manipulator and a good one at that.

Imnottoosurereally · 28/02/2024 12:18

FictionalCharacter · 28/02/2024 12:11

You weren’t wrong, yes he did deserve a bollocking, and I’m afraid he is not a “good guy”.

You're right re the good guy, but up until yesterday morning I definitely believed that. I think up until Christmas he was, and then it all went south (his doing for sure). I hate being angry and disappointed in him, they're not emotions I would generally associate with him, we are close and always have been.

OP posts:
SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 28/02/2024 12:18

@p1ppyL0ngstocking is absolutely spot-on, @Imnottoosurereally - and you had every right to be angry with your brother. And I respect you for setting out your boundaries so clearly.

Crunchingleaf · 28/02/2024 12:22

One thing I have learnt over year from dealing with people is that some people lash out in anger when they have done wrong. The angrier they get the more in the wrong they tend to be. You can’t reason with him right now. Just calm down.

You haven’t done anything wrong. I know he is your brother but people have very strong feelings about cheating and he has to grow up and accept that.

I would be wary of committing to keeping his secret just in case his behaviour doesn’t improve and the rest of family worry further.

MorrisZapp · 28/02/2024 12:22

That's minging. I wouldn't expect my brother to shag anybody in my home, even his wife. As for your actual bed, boak! Burn it.

feedbackhq · 28/02/2024 12:23

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Imnottoosurereally · 28/02/2024 12:25

@CormorantStrikesBack honestly I did think about that. I have got the ick in my own bloody bed.

@p1ppyL0ngstocking he did wash the sheets, which when I got back I was cheerfully surprised by, how thoughtful of him! Even as he RVO-ed me I knew he was doing it but I still thought (think?) maybe I was wrong and went too far.

The comments I am getting are helping me see I was not and did not. Thank you all, I do appreciate getting a firm talking to!

OP posts:
skyeisthelimit · 28/02/2024 12:25

He chose to cheat on his gf rather than break up with her first

He chose to lie to OW that he was single

He chose to have sex in your bed with OW

You have done nothing wrong in calling him out on all of that.

feedbackhq · 28/02/2024 12:25

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Daleksatemyshed · 28/02/2024 12:25

He wanted to tell you his reasons first, thinking I suppose that way you'd be on his side. Your DB has been found out and is now trying to pretend he's the wronged one but that gives him no right to go behind your back as he did. If he got a telling off for abusing your hospitality then that's not harsh Op, it's your home and you say who stays there, not your DB

feedbackhq · 28/02/2024 12:26

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Imnottoosurereally · 28/02/2024 12:27

@feedbackhq yes, they own a flat together. He left back in January as he needed space but didn't end his relationship with his gf. She was waiting for him to sort himself out and come back.

It is actually awful, isn't it? Jesus

OP posts:
ireallyshouldreadmybook · 28/02/2024 12:27

You did nothing wrong.

Like you said, if he wants to blow up his own life by having an affair, that's ultimately his business. But he brought it into your home without your consent. His GF could have thought you knew and were in cahoots with him. Massive line crossed. I too would be very annoyed.

Geebray · 28/02/2024 12:30

Your brother is most definitely not a "good guy". He's a liar and a cheat, he cheated on his girlfriend, lied to you and your family, and shagged his OW woman in your bed. And now h's lashing out at you because you've dared to tell him off.

He's not a good guy, OP. And why should you keep his secrets for him? Why not tell your family what's actually going on?

feedbackhq · 28/02/2024 12:31

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bozzabollix · 28/02/2024 12:32

I feel for you. Had similar with my sister who had an affair with about the worst person possible (outing to say, its something that could go on a morning bloody chat show). She’s been very angry at me for not supporting her in the way she thought I should have. Like you, we were close but the relationship has changed massively, so be prepared for that. It got so bad for me that I needed counselling to cope with the confusion over my own (justified) feelings and what my family wanted me to do.

Your brother of course has been abusive, a cheat and not pleasant. He’s now going to have to do mental gymnastics to feel even half ok about himself, and often those feelings of guilt are handily turned towards anger at other people.

beAsensible1 · 28/02/2024 12:33

He is trying to manipulate you. Even the whole “you don’t know the whole story” clap trap. It’s all emotional manipulation.

he tells you first to get you onside, so when it all hits the fan youre arguing his case for him.

him claiming to be having a breakdown for sympathy to use a cover for him walking out to be with OW is the opposite if a “good guy”.

You were right to bollock him and I would warn your siblings tbh.

missshilling · 28/02/2024 12:33

Hasn’t he split with his long term girlfriend? That’s how I read the OP.

GoldDuster · 28/02/2024 12:35

Rubbish. If there was any context that you should know about he would have stayed calm and gone on to enlighten you, not fly into a rage. He did this exactly because he knew he didn't have anything that would wash. And now you're heartbroken because he's upset?

He sounds like he needs all the support he can get at this point, and he's just burned another bridge with you. Who's next? He may well be having a breakdown but his behaviour is shit, and you don't need to spend any time feeling guilty for telling him so when he has involved you directly to the level that he has.

Time for him to reap what he has sown unfortunately, it's not your job to walk behind him with a shovel scooping up all his mess.

WhistPie · 28/02/2024 12:36

Your brother is an utter shit, and I'd be letting all his other siblings know that so that they're not taken in by any sob story that he might feed them.

Silverbirchtwo · 28/02/2024 12:37

You should talk to him and find out his side of the story, he's your brother and you are fond of him. It was horrible of him to bring a strange woman into your bed and you are right to be annoyed, you did the venting bit now have the conversation.

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