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Messages on his phone

85 replies

SunflowerRose1990 · 23/03/2024 13:00

I’ve been with my husband for an over ten years. I wouldn’t say that we are happy but we’re also not unhappy. Everything is just ok. I do a lot with my mum and he does a lot outside the house playing golf and seeing friends. We always have our dinner together but don’t always sit together in the evening but we do go to family occasions together etc. Anyway, a few years ago, shortly after we were married we were trying for a baby and sadly it ended in a miscarriage. After that, about 2 months later we just stopped having sex altogether. It’s never been a massive part of our relationship, we could go weeks without having sex and it wasn’t particularly passionate. Anyway, I’ve just turned 34 and I’m looking around seeing everyone around me is pregnant or has a baby so I told him I wanted to try for a baby. He didn’t seem super excited about it but I assumed this was because he was signed off work with stress. We both weren’t really sure if it was something that could happen for us. We slept together for the first time in nearly 3 years a few times and I became pregnant. He’s signed off work again for the same reasons and I noticed his mood seemed really low and I’d heard him crying at night. I looked at his phone and I saw all these messages between him and this girl he used to work with. It seems like they’ve been in a relationship for about 3 years and she has just found out I’m pregnant. He says he felt he had to sleep with me and he thought I wouldn’t get pregnant. It seems that she ended things around the time I broached the conversation about having a baby. He’s told her how much he loves her and that they are soulmates. More recently, he is messaging her constantly asking about other men she is working with or asking if she is seeing anyone else. It seems he’s chosen me so why can’t he stop messaging her?

OP posts:
OhGoodItsRainingAgain · 23/03/2024 16:43

"I’m also not sure how people think the marriage is over."

Because he's in love with someone else and has been for the last three years. Do you honestly think this is remotely salvageable? What do you see happening here, really?

Worstyearyet · 23/03/2024 16:56

The horse has well & truly bolted I’m afraid OP. You sound weirdly passive about the whole thing as though you have no agency here. I agree with everyone else that it would be madness to stay in this marriage, it’s dead in the water.

Mangococktail · 23/03/2024 17:09

It sounds like your expectations from marriage are different from those of a lot of posters.

You sound content not doing many fun things together or having sex or even spending evenings together.

If your husband felt the same then there would be no issue.

But it sounds as if he is in love with someone else and doesn't want yo sornd time with you or be a father.

You need to ask him what he sees in the future for you both and what he wants in life.

Maybe he will stay with you in this marriage and raise the child with you. But I wouldn't assume that. He sounds unhappy and not everyone is prepared to spend their lives unhappily simply because they took marriage vows.

Idontknowwhattodo78 · 23/03/2024 17:13

@SunflowerRose1990 i feel utterly sad for you, because you are asking the wrong question. The question isn’t “why does he keep messaging her”. It is why on earth you would put up with someone who is doing this? Why would you think you deserve some scumbag who is married to you but messages someone else constantly that they are his “soul mate”” I have no idea what has happening in your life for you to think that this is what you should accept, but it really, really isn’t.
You deserve someone who loves, values and cherishes you. Just you. But you have to start by loving and valuing yourself. Kindly op, can I suggest you seek the help of a psychotherapist to unravel all this. You need help and support right now xx

justanothermanicmonday1 · 23/03/2024 17:19

I couldn't ever be with someone knowing he was calling someone else his "soulmate"

It would make me sick to my stomach. I'd feel second best.

You deserve better & more, so does your baby.

Noseybookworm · 23/03/2024 17:26

This is really sad 😔 do you want to stay in a marriage with him when he is obviously in love with someone else? You say you don't think your marriage is unhappy but he's signed off work with mental health problems and crying at night. That sounds very unhappy to me. I think he will probably leave eventually if he really wants to be with this other woman. I'm so sorry that you are having to deal with this while pregnant, how stressful for you 😢 is there a close friend or family member you can lean on for support? You need to have the difficult conversation with him and tell him it's cards on the table time - if he wants to be with the OW he should leave. He won't be a good support for you and the baby if he is desperately unhappy.

MMmomDD · 23/03/2024 17:32

@SunflowerRose1990

I think this talk of soulmates and dreamworlds is escapism and fantasy on his side. Possibly helps him deal with his stress or depreaaion.
He has a life just the way he wants it with you - and has a bit of fantasy life with her.

IF he actually loved her and wanted to be with her - he could have easily left in the 10 years prior to now —> You are both still young; there are no kids; and no sex.
He didn’t want a real life with her - he wanted the virtual fantasy. This is why he texts as getting back to status quo would work for him.

As to whether marriage is over - it’s totally up to you. Not every marriage has to be the same. And if sexless works for both of you - why not.

For now, if i were you, i’ll focus on the baby. Get through pregnancy, and the early days. See how you feel then.

One day - either of you will probably meet someone else who you’ll click with better.
But it doesn't mean you need to choose the hard path of divorce and going through pregnancy/babyhood on your own.

EG94 · 23/03/2024 17:35

did you know about his long lasting affair before asking for a baby?

SunflowerRose1990 · 23/03/2024 18:39

No I didn’t know. I could see from the messages they were still seeing each other after she’d ended things though. Then I told him I was pregnant and he tried to end things with her but about a week later they picked it up again and look like they’ve been messaging all day and night. When this thing happened at his work he rang her first before going to his parents to talk about it.

OP posts:
YourWinter · 23/03/2024 18:43

Is this for real? Or a reverse?

You don’t say much about the child you are both expecting.

SunflowerRose1990 · 23/03/2024 18:46

YourWinter · 23/03/2024 18:43

Is this for real? Or a reverse?

You don’t say much about the child you are both expecting.

Huh?

I’m over the moon about the baby, I have always wanted to be a mother. I was merely talking about what I’ve just discovered about my husband.

OP posts:
Skybluepinky · 23/03/2024 18:52

He doesn’t love u, he loves her, why are u staying with him, neither of u will be happy nor will yr child.

MsPloddingBottom · 23/03/2024 19:00

It seems like they’ve been in a relationship for about 3 years

I really can't get past this. Why does it seem like we're all more shocked than you are? You don't think your marriage is over, so assuming this is genuine, what are you really looking for from posting here?

Usernamechange1234 · 23/03/2024 19:04

@SunflowerRose1990 what do you think marriage should look like?

Is this the marriage you thought it’d be?

Is this relationship, a relationship you’d want your child to model in the future?

I’m really struggling to understand why you think it’s ok for you to settle with this?

EG94 · 23/03/2024 19:17

SunflowerRose1990 · 23/03/2024 18:39

No I didn’t know. I could see from the messages they were still seeing each other after she’d ended things though. Then I told him I was pregnant and he tried to end things with her but about a week later they picked it up again and look like they’ve been messaging all day and night. When this thing happened at his work he rang her first before going to his parents to talk about it.

but now you know he’s dipped his wick in her for the last 3 years and you want to stay married but him just stop talking to the love of his life which isn’t you?!

we set our own boundaries for how others treat us. Please get some self respect especially if you have a baby girl!

I mean this with love but girl come on!!

Kimmeridge · 23/03/2024 19:33

They talk about going to this dreamworld every night where they can be together. Looks like they message each other pretty much all day and night

I’m also not sure how people think the marriage is over

Are you serious? Read your own posts and you'll see. Your marriage is over. He's with you because he can't be with her and you're pregnant.

He loves someone else.

SamW98 · 23/03/2024 19:34

Are you in shock and denial op as I can’t believe how passive you’re being about your husband shagging another woman for 3 years, being head over heels in love with her, continuing an emotional relationship with her and only staying with your because you’re carrying his child. And you just shrug your shoulders, accept it without question and say your marriage isn’t in trouble - surely you don’t really believe this situation is salvageable do you?

xyz111 · 23/03/2024 19:46

When I started reading your post, I thought you were maybe mid 50s!!!! This is now how you should feel when you're in your 30s. Don't waste your life on this man.

xyz111 · 23/03/2024 19:48

SunflowerRose1990 · 23/03/2024 16:09

From what I read she kind of ended things and he let her but he’s still been messaging her. He kind of ended things with her again in January when I told him I was pregnant but theyve still been talking. They talk about going to this dreamworld every night where they can be together. Looks like they message each other pretty much all day and night.

I’m also not sure how people think the marriage is over. We still get on and go to family stuff together. But then I suppose we haven’t had sex since November but like I said that hasn’t been a big part of our relationship.

Edited

This is a joke right???

Emptyheadlock · 23/03/2024 19:54

Your marriage is over.

He loves someone else.

Don't settle for being second best.

theworldie · 23/03/2024 20:00

I’m also not sure how people think the marriage is over.

😱😱😱

OP are you serious?

How does it make you feel knowing your dh has been telling you he doesn’t fancy sex whilst all the while he’s been shagging another woman?

I mean, you’re coming across like you’re completely unbothered?

NotQuiteNorma · 23/03/2024 20:01

So he's been having sex with another woman for 3 years. Other woman ended it not him when she found out he'd had sex with his wife and he is so depressed about it ending that he cries himself to sleep, is signed off sick, constantly messages the other woman and tells her he only had sex with his wife because he felt like he had to. And op thinks this means he seems to have chosen her? Having sex with someone because you felt like you had to use not 'choosing' them. It's doing something you didn't want to do because you felt trapped. He didn't have a choice because the other woman ended it. You don't 'try' to end it if you love your wife. Honest to god do some women really have such a low bar?

NotQuiteNorma · 23/03/2024 20:03

theworldie · 23/03/2024 20:00

I’m also not sure how people think the marriage is over.

😱😱😱

OP are you serious?

How does it make you feel knowing your dh has been telling you he doesn’t fancy sex whilst all the while he’s been shagging another woman?

I mean, you’re coming across like you’re completely unbothered?

More interested in how it makes her feel that he tells people he only had sex with her because he felt like he had to. Nice.

theworldie · 23/03/2024 20:09

More interested in how it makes her feel that he tells people he only had sex with her because he felt like he had to. Nice.

Yes, and this.

How did you react when he said that OP?

Have you ever got angry with him or cried over any of this? The fact you are so unemotional about it suggests you are really not in love with him either.

Why are you willing to settle for a loveless relationship where your dh is blatantly persuing another woman right in front of you and doesn’t give a shit? Why op? You are what, 34? You’re so young still - why on earth are you putting up with this?

grinandslothit · 23/03/2024 20:29

It really doesn't sound like there was ever any great love on either of your side

It sounds like you've been together these 10 years and somewhat of a comfortable routine existence, but not much more than that.

Do you yourself have depression?

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