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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

No judgement please

426 replies

Furball0504 · 29/01/2025 13:09

I’ve been married for a lot of years, we have two children, aged 22 and 16. For approximately 10 year my marriage has been more of a very close friendship.
For the last 2.5 year I have been having an affair. This wasn’t planned and something I’d have ever seen myself doing. I do love my husband but just on in the way I love this other man.
We have very recently found out my husband has cancer which has literally blown us all away.
I know I have to end it with the other man. It is going to kill me, it is going to be one of the hardest things I have ever had to do.
I’m a very private person so there’s no one on my side that knows about this so I am on my own with it and have literally no one to talk to.
I’m friends with a close family member of the other man and see them a lot. I know the other man will move on very quickly (he has a track record for this) and know I’ll have to hear about the new woman in his life.
I know I’ll have to go no contact with him which will be hard, we message constantly so it will be a struggle.
Please no judgement, guess I’m just looking for kind words to comfort me or if anyone has been in a similar situation who can relate.

OP posts:
SugarPlumpFairyCakes · 31/01/2025 10:04

Vertigo2851 · 31/01/2025 09:48

The op was very clear she didn’t want criticism and judgement.

And?

You can do what you like and then say, "Oh I'm being clear I don't want criticism and judgement."

Ludicrous.

And even if she isolated etc, there is no excuse or rationale for her behaviour.

Total abdication of responsibility.

Vertigo2851 · 31/01/2025 10:23

And?
You can do what you like and then say, "Oh I'm being clear I don't want criticism and judgement."
Ludicrous.
And even if she isolated etc, there is no excuse or rationale for her behaviour.
Total abdication of responsibility.

What do you mean by And?

It’s basic respect. Do you think criticism and judgment from people acting like the morality police was helpful? What do you think it acheived?

Vertigo2851 · 31/01/2025 10:27

The thing is sugarplum, she can do whatever she likes. It’s her life, her marriage and you’ve no idea what’s gone on in her marriage. She hasn’t done anything to you and she’s not answerable to you or anyone else on this thread.

YouZirName · 31/01/2025 10:38

Vertigo2851 · 31/01/2025 10:27

The thing is sugarplum, she can do whatever she likes. It’s her life, her marriage and you’ve no idea what’s gone on in her marriage. She hasn’t done anything to you and she’s not answerable to you or anyone else on this thread.

Yep, she can do whatever she likes. It's her life. It just so happens the majority of people think she's done something disgusting, dishonest and abhorrent.

But sure, defend her. No reflection on how that makes you look, of course.

HipMax · 31/01/2025 10:41

Vertigo2851 · 31/01/2025 09:48

The op was very clear she didn’t want criticism and judgement.

Which is tough, because she deserved both and was always going to get both

TwistedWonder · 31/01/2025 10:49

Vertigo2851 · 31/01/2025 10:27

The thing is sugarplum, she can do whatever she likes. It’s her life, her marriage and you’ve no idea what’s gone on in her marriage. She hasn’t done anything to you and she’s not answerable to you or anyone else on this thread.

No she’s not but she chose to put her private life onto an online forum and will therefore be open to opinions and scrutiny.

This isn’t somewhere to come purely to have your piss poor life choices validated.

Unless she’s only just discovered the internet, it’s pretty obvious that she was going to get a variety of views, not just ‘you go girl’

Vertigo2851 · 31/01/2025 10:56

You know she wasn’t looking for validation.

okydokethen · 31/01/2025 11:04

If you've kept it quiet for over two years, why not continue if you really want? I'm not saying that's right but it's a bit late for doing the right thing.
It would be hard to leave DH now I guess but you clearly didn't want or couldn't leave him before this anyway.
If it's a loveless marriage then it'll be very hard being in a caring role I can promise you that - tbh you might need the emotional support and if DH dies, would you want to carry on with OM?

The bravest thing to do would be to end it with DH and say I'm not able to support you emotionally through this and so it wouldn't be fair on you. Then he has time to make arrangements with someone who loves him to help with his care if needed.

SugarPlumpFairyCakes · 31/01/2025 11:37

Vertigo2851 · 31/01/2025 10:23

And?
You can do what you like and then say, "Oh I'm being clear I don't want criticism and judgement."
Ludicrous.
And even if she isolated etc, there is no excuse or rationale for her behaviour.
Total abdication of responsibility.

What do you mean by And?

It’s basic respect. Do you think criticism and judgment from people acting like the morality police was helpful? What do you think it acheived?

It means and so what?

You post on a public forum, you don't get to dictate anything. Nobody has been rude.

All anybody has done is point out how morally reprehensible she is.

If that is morality policing - pointing out the very basic cornerstones of decency - then so be it.

But to have cheated on her spouse and now to feel bad because he's got cancer is beyond ridiculous.

SugarPlumpFairyCakes · 31/01/2025 11:38

Vertigo2851 · 31/01/2025 10:27

The thing is sugarplum, she can do whatever she likes. It’s her life, her marriage and you’ve no idea what’s gone on in her marriage. She hasn’t done anything to you and she’s not answerable to you or anyone else on this thread.

No she's not.

But why bother posting then? Just to hear, "Oh you poor poor thing."

Not going to happen.

NotOneOfTheInCrowd · 31/01/2025 12:02

Vertigo2851 · 31/01/2025 10:56

You know she wasn’t looking for validation.

Of course she was. She was looking for people who have behaved in the same way she has to validate her feelings.

Thing is, most people don’t behave like that, or if they do they know better than to come on to a public forum to validate someone else for doing it, especially given the circumstances.

Although given the amount of posters who are essentially telling her to hold on to the OM and wait for her h to die I do wonder at the morality (or lack thereof) of a lot of posters here.

Let’s hope the DH doesn’t die. She’ll be a bit screwed then won’t she?

SoupDragon · 31/01/2025 12:07

Vertigo2851 · 31/01/2025 09:29

I think cunt is an abusive word. Don’t you?

The op knows her affair is wrong. She says it repeatedly in her posts. She wanted help navigating her way forward.

She wanted help navigating her way forward.

No she didn't. She wanted kind words and comfort. Kind words for shagging another man!

HipMax · 31/01/2025 13:07

Vertigo2851 · 31/01/2025 10:56

You know she wasn’t looking for validation.

She was looking for "kind words to comfort me".

And most us don't have any kind words to comfort a woman cheating on her spouse with cancer. Why should we?

Vertigo2851 · 31/01/2025 13:56

I’d want comforting words as well if I’d had no affection or hugs from my husband for a decade. What do you think that does to someone? He checked out. He neglects her and has emotionally abandoned her. Instead of ending the marriage he has stayed in it for his own reasons leaving the op married but single.

There is more than one way to betray someone and checking out is one of them. Yes she should have left the marriage. But so should he when he checked out and he didn’t.

If this was me, I would not be looking after him. I don’t think he even qualifies for the title of husband after ten years of being checked out.

NotOneOfTheInCrowd · 31/01/2025 14:45

Except you have no idea that what she’s saying is true. Telling an affair partner that the wife (and in this case the husband) hasn’t loved them for years, it’s a sexless relationship, that they’ve emotionally checked out and were lonely is a tale as old as time and an excused used to justify having the affair.

We don’t know anything about the husband. In the same way that when a woman comes on here and says that her husband is having an affair we don’t know anything about her part in the affair, but she is given the support because he is the one having the affair.

It’s IMO the cancer diagnosis which makes things worse here. It would be a lot easier to tell the OP that she needs to tell/leave her DH as well as the OM if this was an affair which had been going on for some time. She absolutely would have been given a hard time, but equally she would be told that she needed to face up to what she is doing.

But this is someone who doesn’t want to end the affair or her marriage. but feels she has to not because the affair is wrong, but because her husband has been diagnosed with cancer.

And posters are actively supporting her in continuing the affair to the extent she’s being told that it’s a good idea to continue because she’ll need someone if he dies.

There’s acknowledging someone is in the wrong, and then there’s encouraging them to continue to screw around and actively anticipating someone’s death by virtue of justification.

I don’t care how much sympathy people have for the OP’s alleged position, but encouraging her to continue the affair in case the husband dies is despicable.

Gloriia · 31/01/2025 14:53

'If this was me, I would not be looking after him'

I doubt he'd want his cheating wife looking after him tbh. I know I'd want rid of my dh if he'd been shagging someone else for years.

Look some marriages aren't good, we all know that. No one is suggesting anyone should stay in an unhappy relationship. If she is lonely though she could have got a job or a hobby, by hobby I don't mean of the fling variety. Or left, or talked to her dh. The whole thing is a poor me story about what she'll have to give up. No self awareness at all.

wigsonthegreenandhatsforthelifting · 31/01/2025 15:10

spuddy4 · 31/01/2025 03:56

Well I hope the OP's husband gets himself tested and has all his ducks in a row because that's the default advice on here for a woman.

Seeing as they haven't had physical contact in 10 years I doubt that will be necessary.

wigsonthegreenandhatsforthelifting · 31/01/2025 15:16

egginthebun · 31/01/2025 07:37

I work in mental health and this lady worried me so I have PM'd her. I've spoke to her at length...she has gave me permission to make this known.
She has lead a very isolated life due to her mental health which has left her very much alone.
Her story is not as cut and dried as you all think it is. She kept her post pretty brief considering.
As someone has already said, we won't be seeing her on here again.
Have a nice day ladies and be thankful for what we have, believe me, some people would love to be in our positions.

Thank you so much - that was so kind of you! I'm so glad you did, and appreciate the update.

I've been worried about her too. The vitriol that has been flung at her is disgusting. Yes we all know having an affair is wrong, but calling the OP all the names of the day is appalling.

I hope the lady is coping, and preferably not reading all these posts!! Please pass on my best regards, and let her know that not everyone is here to give her a kicking when she's down!! x

wigsonthegreenandhatsforthelifting · 31/01/2025 15:18

Muffin777 · 31/01/2025 07:54

Sure.
and yes it is clear OP is the victim in all this…

Oh fgs!

wigsonthegreenandhatsforthelifting · 31/01/2025 15:20

egginthebun · 31/01/2025 08:27

Ludicrous...absolutely ludicrous.

It's like the French tricoteuses during the Revolution...!

Vertigo2851 · 31/01/2025 15:24

But this is someone who doesn’t want to end the affair or her marriage. but feels she has to not because the affair is wrong, but because her husband has been diagnosed with cancer

I agree. And he’s lucky he’s getting that isn’t he after years of being checked out.

Does her desire to support him tell you, and other posters that’s she’s a cold hearted scheming bitch? Because despite how he’s treated her she’s putting her own wants to one side to support a man who’s emotionally starved her for a decade.

I would absolutely hate to see my daughter so devoted to a man who doesn’t give a shit about her.

egginthebun · 31/01/2025 15:34

@wigsonthegreenandhatsforthelifting
Thank you. I said I'd check in with her over the weekend.
If only life was as black and white as some believe it to be.

HipMax · 31/01/2025 15:39

Vertigo2851 · 31/01/2025 15:24

But this is someone who doesn’t want to end the affair or her marriage. but feels she has to not because the affair is wrong, but because her husband has been diagnosed with cancer

I agree. And he’s lucky he’s getting that isn’t he after years of being checked out.

Does her desire to support him tell you, and other posters that’s she’s a cold hearted scheming bitch? Because despite how he’s treated her she’s putting her own wants to one side to support a man who’s emotionally starved her for a decade.

I would absolutely hate to see my daughter so devoted to a man who doesn’t give a shit about her.

She's the one having a long term affair! She's not devoted, she's the not giving a shit one.
.wtf are some of you on?

HipMax · 31/01/2025 15:41

Vertigo2851 · 31/01/2025 13:56

I’d want comforting words as well if I’d had no affection or hugs from my husband for a decade. What do you think that does to someone? He checked out. He neglects her and has emotionally abandoned her. Instead of ending the marriage he has stayed in it for his own reasons leaving the op married but single.

There is more than one way to betray someone and checking out is one of them. Yes she should have left the marriage. But so should he when he checked out and he didn’t.

If this was me, I would not be looking after him. I don’t think he even qualifies for the title of husband after ten years of being checked out.

Or she checked out and neglects him. You're just assuming its on his end.

She's not married but single. She's just married. If she stayed in the marriage for her own reasons that's her choice, it doesn't justify adultery.

RoseofRoses · 31/01/2025 15:41

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