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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

Partner cheating again, caught out how to handle HELP

72 replies

Lolo2000 · 02/02/2025 09:32

Backstory, I’ve been with partner 6 years we have a 4 year old DS. He cheated on me 7 months into our relationship (before son was here) I took him back he swore he wouldn’t do it again.
Relationship was ok, we had our moments but he joined a new firm in December 2022 and became a different person.

In June last year, I found out he was cheating on me again, his mum has a air bnb and he was taking her back there on days/nights it wasn’t booked, I caught him in the act - was extremely painful, it was going on since Feb last year and ended in July.

Like the fool I am, I took him back again he spent 3 months back in the family home with me promising me he wouldn’t do it again.
Well I found out last night he is, in November he started acting the exact same way being shady, not answering my calls - so I called time on the relationship in December and asked him to move back to his mums home (her actual home) until I figured things out. He swore there was no girl, all in my head blah blah.

I said he didn’t want to loose his family/me and will do anything so I asked him to prove it, he hasn’t done anything.
Its all come to a head now, he’s been in his mums home since December visiting his son at mine and taking him to his mums EOS, still telling me he loves me, we were still sleeping together.

We had a arguement 2 weeks ago in which he did tell me there was someone else and flashes a picture of him and her on his phone, he told me that they met in October and he has feelings for her, he then backtracked and said he said all that to make me angry because of the things I had said (I said nothing of a another man) this obviously left me very confused.

He came to my home yesterday as our son was sick and to give me money, I should mention his phone is broken. He arrived at 1.00 and said he would need to leave at 2.30 because he was meeting his dad at 3.30 - so I said ok, again told me he wasn’t lying and he wants to make things work and to take it slow.

As his phone was broken he asked to use my work phone to call his dad to say he was going to be late, I gave him the phone and he went outside to make the call. He deleted the number from my call log.
This didn’t sit right with me as he knows I’ve got his dads number.
anyway he left at 3.30 (after sleeping together) and told me he would call me later and he was getting his phone fixed.

I never heard from him, and I had this feeling he was lying. As he used my work phone and I have access to business vodaphone portal, I logged in and saw in the “unbilled usage” the number he called and it wasn’t his dads.
I put the number in what’s app and it looks like the girl who he flashed a picture of - so he obviously went to meet her, and more than likely either at his mums air bnb or her home. I’m heartbroken, the old me would have called or messaged me but I just don’t see the point, I’d be painted out as the “crazy ex” when I’m not.

Please help me on how to deal with all this - he manipulates me/gaslights me and I don’t know what the truth is anymore.
Help!

OP posts:
Findacleverusername · 02/02/2025 09:39

He is not going to change OP.
He is a serial cheater with no intention of being monogamous .

AttilaTheMeerkat · 02/02/2025 09:39

Find your anger here. He has been playing you like a fiddle all along here.

The truth is that he is a serial cheat. Your relationship with him is well and truly over. I would also set up a child maintenance claim as he is financially responsible for his child. And if he wants to see his child that much he can see him going forward at a contact centre. There's no real effort involved in he coming over to your home.

Spooky2000 · 02/02/2025 09:39

It's time to leave, if cheating isn't acceptable to you. You know this. Are you looking for first steps on how to implement this properly this time?

heroinechic · 02/02/2025 09:40

This man is treating you appallingly but for heavens sake give your head a wobble! It doesn't matter if he's with another woman, you aren't together because he has admitted to cheating on you a number of times. Stop sleeping with him and move on. Why are you sleeping with him in the middle of the day when your child is unwell?!

Set some boundaries with him and stop believing his words, focus on what his actions are telling you. It might well be that he does love you, but you don't want the same things in a relationship. He wants to be able to live with you and shag you, while also shagging other women. If you take him back, do so in the knowledge that he will be sleeping with other women. If you want a monogamous relationship look elsewhere!

BilboBlaggin · 02/02/2025 09:41

Why are you sleeping with him? He's shagging another woman, so stop that right away. Maybe get yourself tested for STIs while you're at it.

He's proved that he's not able to be faithful to you. He cares more about bedding other women than he does his family, so be done with him. Let him see his child but no other contact and defo no sex. Get a claim in for child support and move on with your life.

jollygoose · 02/02/2025 09:42

And please stop being available for sex

LuckysDadsHat · 02/02/2025 09:43

Sorry you are being the worlds biggest mug. Why was he ever going to change when he can carry on seeing whoever he wants knowing you are waiting at your home ready to shag him when he comes over.

Get some self respect and dignity, tell him it is over permanently, arrange contact and cms and start valuing yourself.

GoldMoon · 02/02/2025 09:43

Definitely stop sleeping with him. That should have happened months ago. Also get yourself checked out for STI's.
Then obviously allow him to see your dc , but grey rock for everything else . Don't ask him anything , especially who he is / isn't seeing .
Don't engage in any chat about you as a couple , don't allow him to hug or kiss you . Remember grey rock .
Look it up if you've never heard about it .

Springflowersmakeforbetterhours · 02/02/2025 09:45

Why would he stop cheating? You have given him the green light it's OK time and time again by taking him back.

Your dd doesn't need you a mess mentally. Ltb and concentrate on being a good dm. Claim cms. . And get sti checked...

napody · 02/02/2025 09:45

anyway he left at 3.30 (after sleeping together)

What are you expecting from this thread? It's just going to be hundreds of people telling you you're an absolute mug.

Trashpalace · 02/02/2025 09:47

Can you reduce your contact with him as much as possible? Whatever his motivations are, his words and behaviours sound confusing and he is possibly very manipulative. Limiting contact to email (for example) regarding your child and essential logistics only will protect you from any silly mind games he may be playing and should help you get clarity and find your resolve. So sorry you are going through this.

TwistedWonder · 02/02/2025 09:50

He’s a serial lying cheating piece of shit but you’ve given him the green light to do what he wants by being a total doormat while you lie down and pretty much beg him to wipe his feet on you.

The first time you forgave him, he knew he could mug you off and you’d take him back and you keep proving him right.

Get some dignity and self respect and kick this scumbag to the kerb.

IhadaStripeyDeckchair · 02/02/2025 09:51

FFS have some self respect
End your relationship, properly& in full - - that means you stop sleeping with him.
He will never treat you well as you let him sleep around and wander in & out of you life as he pleases.

Communicate via a new email just for that purpose. Claim child support via CMS & rebuild your life.

PullTheBricksDown · 02/02/2025 09:51

End it. But don't even attempt a discuss about him cheating, was he or wasn't he, because he's going to gaslight you. Just say you don't think it's working and you need a clean break and to work out parenting without being a couple. As @Trashpalace said, minimising your general contact with him will help.

Whose name is on the house? Are you ok to stay where you are? Focus on the practicalities. Will he want much time with your DS?

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 02/02/2025 09:52

Get the locks changed.
Get an STI test.
Bag up all his possessions, leave them on the doorstep (text him to collect) as you are heading off out.
Apply to CMS for maintenance.

He's a serial shagger and will not change. Don't ket your child see you being a doormat!

Olika · 02/02/2025 09:53

I am in loss why you even continued sleeping with him after all he has done. You should have called it off after the first time he cheated on you. He is not going to change. Just end it and concentrate co-parenting.

NeedsMustNet · 02/02/2025 09:54

Nothing this man says to you is true.

He’s no more plausible than Donald Trump. Put the nostalgia for what you had in a box, and move on: for you, your sanity, self respect and son.

Fitzcarraldo353 · 02/02/2025 09:55

You DO know what the truth is. You have seen more than enough evidence. You absolutely know.

You can decide to live like this or not. Take some control of your own life.

DeepFatFried · 02/02/2025 09:56

He used YOUR phone to call the OW, had sex with you, then went to her to presumably have sex with her later?

And he does this all the time… has been for months? Lying through his teeth?

He is revolting. And a sexual health hazard.

He doesn’t love you. He is treating you with extreme contempt.

OP, look into counselling to get support to find your self esteem and stop being so hooked on him.

fatphalange · 02/02/2025 09:57

Well he was always a cheat so you did go into this with your eyes open and to complicate things, had a child with him.
You've been sleeping with him whilst he's been single again and are surprised that his lying self has been...lying.
You're going to waste so, so much energy, mind space and time on this man so accept it if you like the sex or cut him off.

SirHissss · 02/02/2025 09:59

Aye right.

Where was your sick 4yo in the middle of the day whilst the two of you were shagging?

If this isn't a load of mince, tell him to piss off and not bother contacting you unless it's about seeing his child.

remaininghopeful23 · 02/02/2025 10:02

There's no other option here but to have no relationship with him ever again. This pathetic excuse for a man thinks of you as a piece of dirt on his shoe. No one who actually loves you would even do an ounce of what he's done to you. He does not love you. He has no respect for you. I'm sorry if this sounds blunt but you need to muster up the strength from somewhere to just put a stop to this nonsense. Why have you been having sex with him when you know he's sleeping around? He's actually not gaslighting or manipulating you - he's showing you clear as day exactly who he is. A filthy cheating liar. You've caught him time and time again.

Change the locks. Delete his number. Instruct him that all correspondence regarding your child is to be through email and must be strictly prearranged so no calling unannounced. Please use this to get angry and gather the strength to finally put an end to this torture.

Lolo2000 · 02/02/2025 10:08

I contacted CMS beginning of January as he hasn’t paid for his son since October, kept promising me he would then said he didn’t have money, now I know why.
Again at the beginning of January I set up a co parenting app, he refused to use it - I then asked my friend if she would be a 3rd party to communicate, he refused to play ball with that too, saying “where his parents, let’s just get speak” he has also used the phrase “if you sleep with anyone else, I will get you”
I know what he is doing, I just don’t have a lot of support from my family and the mind games have become too much!
Another friend has agreed to do 3rd person (he claims he doesn’t know how to use email) she will contact him for me during the week.
Ill tell him to meet me at the train station so he doesn’t come to my home and I’ve looked up grey rock which I’m going to have to do to keep my sanity.
I very much doubt I will hear from him today, and maybe that’s for the best.

Should I message the OW?

OP posts:
Dror · 02/02/2025 10:15

Why would you message his other girlfriends? Don't degrade yourself any further.
If the biohazard refuses to use the parenting app, he doesn't get to communicate with you any other way. That's his choice.

Avoid men altogether until you've had therapy and worked on your self esteem. Shaggers like this shouldn't be on anyone's radar as an acceptable boyfriend.

Lolo2000 · 02/02/2025 10:15

@PullTheBricksDown it’s my flat, my dad gave it to me when I fell pregnant so I’m extremely lucky.
He hasn’t had a key for sometime. All I need from him now is regular money which I’m trying to sort out via CMS.

OP posts: