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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

My partner lied over something trivial and blames his pride .

16 replies

Lucyloo42 · 19/12/2024 12:29

Hi all,
just looking for a an outsiders view, as I’m hurt and upset at something my partner has done . I’ve been with this wonderful kind guy for 2 years. We do not live together and don’t see other that often due to us both having sole custody of our children as we both have have ex partners that are addicts ( reason we met also ) and so we have suffered in them relationships and the troubles still rumble but together we support one another and have the best time when we are together .
A week ago , my partner was telling me that his ex inlaws wanted to see his children (supervising their mother). He refused them as she had been using that week and told me he wasn’t allowing it and that was his final say on the matter .
long story short he went silent on me the day of the should have been meeting ,he was vague on messages to me early in the day of his plans . I just felt something , felt he was covering from me so I put it to him on a message have you sent the kids for the visit ? ( need to add that this makes no difference to me in any way but he doesn’t need to hide it if he changed his mind I’m on his side after all ! ) , he knows he can be honest with me I say it so much and we are usually so open . Anyway He got defensive and then ignored me for the rest of the day wouldn’t reply to my call / msgs but didn’t even show to drinks with some of my friends he was going to meet for first time that night , I felt awful .
He then began messaging me whilst I was out saying he’s not in the wrong , he stated the kids didn’t go anywhere and he was stubborn because of what I’d asked and started saying he doesn’t like being called a liar and he’s not my ex , that I don’t have to play detective ?! but to the point where I thought I had it completely wrong and felt terrible so I apologised and just said my fault for assuming and I shouldn’t doubt him etc etc .
any way we made up , he knows my insecurities ( as I know about his too ) about communication due to the trauma of my past marriage and he was fine said I didn’t need to worry he’s not that that man etc etc .
the next day I ran into a friend who during chatting said they had seen my partners kids out with their grandparents and mother on that particular day in question . I just couldn’t understand why he had gone to great lengths to hide this from me I was taken back .

So I called him and asked him outright about that day , he denied again !! said I was wrong so did he feel he could be straight with me ? He said he felt he could tell me anything so I told him what I had heard from my friend and he point blank and still said it was untrue!! ,
i reiterated again - it doesn’t matter to me but it’s fine to change his mind they are his kids he doesn’t have to hide it just be open with me - he got angry and said ask his son who he would wake up ?! … they haven’t been anywhere that day in question . I said it’s ok no I’m asking you because this doesn’t add up , I’m not quizzing the kids!! - that’s not the type of person I am dragging kids into things?! ! .
He denied fully and it all went silent on call so I said I was going I was walls up by this point feeling like he was taking me as a fool .
Half an hour later I got a large message saying he was too proud to admit he backed down and sent the kids for the visit but that it was not lying it was pride as he had promised himself to stick to his guns -that he wasn’t a bad person and I didn’t need to be detective , he has barely any childcare and needed a break ( all which I understand ) after a few messages he apologised for lying .
But I feel so hurt , I said to him it’s not like I would of judged him I would of said becareful because I’m also aware what it’s like for supervised visits for my kids - judge the situation that’s it , but why lie and even turn some of it on me ??, I felt he punished me that day with the ignoring yet I was right all along!! and of course he then said he was going to tell Me face to face what had actually happened that day but my friend had dropped the news first to me ( 4 days in I need to add).

I feel really flat , I can’t bring myself to be “ normal “ with him . I love him lots but I feel like he’s just crumpled my trust somewhat .. am I overacting ?. I’ve told him this can’t happen again- trust is key for me after my past but I can’t get it out of my head what happens if this isn’t the only lie and it’s just the first one I’ve twigged . It’s the same stomach pit feeling when I came across lies in my marriage it was the beginning of the end - feel so disappointed and sad right now , not sure if I can trust him .

sorry for long post ..
Any views welcome x

OP posts:
healthybychristmas · 19/12/2024 12:35

I'm really sorry but you can't trust him. His natural instinct is to lie.

TwistedWonder · 19/12/2024 12:39

I don’t think it’s a trivial lie, it’s a pretty big one and Im not sure could get past it but for me lying is an absolute deal breaker

Purplecatshopaholic · 19/12/2024 12:39

You can’t trust him op. It may be the first lie he’s told (it won’t be), it certainly won’t be the last. What else will he lie about then and try and justify it in some way? I couldn’t live like that. You need to ditch this one and move on.

WhisperGold · 19/12/2024 12:40

I lost count, how many lies did he tell? So now you can't trust a word he says.

pilates · 19/12/2024 12:44

It would be a 🚩for me and can understand why you’re upset.

Jostuki · 19/12/2024 12:45

You have already had turbulence in your life with your ex, why take on more drama with this man?

Dump him and look for someone who isn't hard work and who brings peace and calm to your life and doesn't lie.

Mumofteenandtween · 19/12/2024 12:53

So he lied.
Then he gave you the silent treatment and didn’t turn up to meet your friends
Then he aggressively lied over and over until you apologised for doubting him
Then he gaslit you into thinking that your (correct) gut was just your insecirities
Then you found out the truth
Then he lied
Then he aggressively lied and threatened to force his child to kie
Then he gave you the silent treatment
Then he admitted the lie but said it wasn’t a lie
Then he admitted a lie but said he wasn’t a liar
Then he apologised using the word “but” a lot.

I have no insecurities about liars (my husband is more of the “brutally honest” type but I could not get over that.

OneKhakiFish · 19/12/2024 13:30

Too much drama, I'd be out.

Lucyloo42 · 19/12/2024 13:35

Thanks everyone - appreciate your views , I don’t trust my own instincts very well because my marriage and the lies there pushed me to the brink mentally and still recovering from that . Just gutted - now I’m analysing the smallest of things over the last 2 years with this guy . I actually thought he was joking this day in question it was so petty . Week before Xmas too - perfect timing 😔

OP posts:
pikkumyy77 · 19/12/2024 13:41

I really agree that you can bo longer trust him—if you ever could. Either he lies instinctively because thats how he wedged free time frim the chaos if life with an addict or he has an addiction of his own that he is covering up. Either way he has chosen to be unconscious of his own patterns while you choose to be aware of your own. Dump him. Don’t get into a back and forth with him over how serious this is. He will minimize but its quite serious.

PeggyMitchellsCameo · 19/12/2024 15:31

He only told you the truth eventually because he got found out.
I would maybe understand him hiding the visit if he was dating someone who had no clue of what his situation is like, but like you’ve explained, you understand it very well.
Having been around an addict, he knows exactly what it’s like to be lied to and gaslit. And he’s done both to you.
You deserve better. You sound like you have been through a lot and having to do all of this mental gymnastics is not good for your health.
I know he seems like a good guy and he is in that he’s an improvement on your ex. However, he’s treated you very badly. He could have been open, he had many opportunities to tell the truth, but he only did when found out.
Imagine forcing one of his children to lie to you on the phone? That would be it for me, I am afraid. His DC are going through enough without being asked to lie for him.
If I were you I’d take a break from dating for a while. And in future I think it might help to meet someone who hasn’t been involved with an addict. You are dealing with your ex and what has happened to you with huge courage, but it’s clear this man still has issues.

perfectcolourfound · 19/12/2024 15:45

Mumofteenandtween · 19/12/2024 12:53

So he lied.
Then he gave you the silent treatment and didn’t turn up to meet your friends
Then he aggressively lied over and over until you apologised for doubting him
Then he gaslit you into thinking that your (correct) gut was just your insecirities
Then you found out the truth
Then he lied
Then he aggressively lied and threatened to force his child to kie
Then he gave you the silent treatment
Then he admitted the lie but said it wasn’t a lie
Then he admitted a lie but said he wasn’t a liar
Then he apologised using the word “but” a lot.

I have no insecurities about liars (my husband is more of the “brutally honest” type but I could not get over that.

This.

He didn't 'just' lie. He lied repeatedly, gaslit, lied when pointedly asked, let you down (the plan with friends) and even when 'admitting' the lie, gave himself an excuse as though that explained it all and made it OK.

So it isn't 'just' the lie (and for many of us, honesty is absolutely central to a relationship - without truth what do you have? You don't know if anything they say is true) - it's the repeated lies and disrespect and lack of genuine contrition.

You now know this is who he is.

ARichtGoodDram · 19/12/2024 15:51

I’d be walking away from that

Not only did he lie, repeatedly, to you, but he called your friend a liar, embarrassed you by not showing up, got aggressive (what would he have done if you’d said yes to waking his child up exactly?) and to cap it off isn’t even remotely sorry. Instead he’s blaming everything but himself for his decision to lie to you.

Clearly he knew the best thing to do wasn’t to send the kids on that visit, but he did. For whatever reason, but instead of just owning that he took his anger and frustration at the situation out on you. Even though you didn’t create it, didn’t make any decisions - he used you as his emotional punchbag. And he’s not sorry.

Chuck this one back. You don’t need his lies.

FuriousPoodle · 19/12/2024 15:51

That’s really toxic behaviour from him.

Sceptical123 · 19/12/2024 22:10

He gaslit you to the point you doubted yourself - thank goodness for your eyewitness friend! Without them he’d be using this ‘mistrust’ to justify further shitty behaviour in the future telling you you have trust issues and are calling him a liar - he fucking is one! He basically used your vulnerability and insecurities from your previous relationship against you - and his excuse was pride? - he’s not a keeper.

Phonicshaskilledmeoff · 12/03/2025 06:40

Mumofteenandtween · 19/12/2024 12:53

So he lied.
Then he gave you the silent treatment and didn’t turn up to meet your friends
Then he aggressively lied over and over until you apologised for doubting him
Then he gaslit you into thinking that your (correct) gut was just your insecirities
Then you found out the truth
Then he lied
Then he aggressively lied and threatened to force his child to kie
Then he gave you the silent treatment
Then he admitted the lie but said it wasn’t a lie
Then he admitted a lie but said he wasn’t a liar
Then he apologised using the word “but” a lot.

I have no insecurities about liars (my husband is more of the “brutally honest” type but I could not get over that.

This is an exceptional summary of events

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