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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

Partner, new woman best friend

182 replies

Jellyheadbang · 05/09/2025 11:17

Hi all. So my partner of almost 4 years together has got close to a new woman friend.

he has lots of women friends. I’ve never been jealous of them , but this one doesn’t sit right with me.

They work in a similar industry , but met socially. not as colleagues.
I'm indirectly linked to them too, particularly her and we will likely have work related interactions in future

he was not particularly forthcoming about the ins and outs of their first meeting and how they became friends.
it was a year ago but it’s only very recently that the level of their involvement with each other has come to light and how much they communicate without my knowledge

They were both away at a social event where he was working his second job, she was an attendee .
I started seeing her name pop up on his phone, he downplayed it but at the time I didn’t realise it was downplayed.
I was invited but couldn’t make it due to poor health.

Later on after she’s pursued a friendship with me , she told me they spent all the time together and that he really took her under his wing and was really caring and kind.

he had ignored me over that period, saying there’d been crossed wires and that he didn’t know I was expecting him back on a certain day or expecting to hear from him.

i have never had a doubt in my mind about his fidelity and even now I don’t think he’s ‘done’ anything with her but things she has said make me believe she would if he was up for it.

She’s not in a happy relationship and she’s made it clear she finds him attractive

Her and my partner are now collaborating on something together, he never told me.
she has no need to be directly involved , I think she’s using his name to get more coverage for herself and he’s possibly using her because she will throw money at publicitiy.
theres no other reason for her name to be all over it, it’s not her job and nothing within it is her job .

I found out via social media and she keeps dropping it into conversation in shared groups we’re in but neither of them have told me directly. We had had a huge row when this was announced online so at the time me and him weren’t communicating but we had been close in the build up to the announcement

they have a connection which I don’t feel we have at the moment.
we have not been getting on and it feels like they are getting closer, it is supposedly platonic from his side but he is clearly lapping up the attention.

she is pure drama and main character energy and she hugely admires him and posts him everywhere, resharing all his work and bigging him up and he’s happy to accept it and I feel so small and inconsequential.
i can’t compete and won’t because it’s not my style

Most of my friends have become close with her too as she’s now become part of our scene due to his presence and including her with everything , it’s made me come off social media because I feel like the third wheel. I’m feeling like the outsider and I don’t like it one bit.

I truly love my partner, and never ever had a scrap of doubt in my mind about him. But this woman a) is trying to be my friend and b) wants to be liked by everyone, she’s hugely popular and is out at all functions, meet ups etc, I’m often busy due to the kids and other commitments and when I have attended they have left me out of conversations, gone off to do other activities and left me alone etc.

she has lots of couple friends and has been in scenarios where the woman partner has flipped out because of her involvement and she always comes across as the innocent person and the other women being jealous exes.

she is a loudmouth and part of the reason I don’t feel comfortable or safe in a clear boundaries confrontation is because she will likely blow it up into a public thing and get people onside and I will look like a jealous possessive woman .

I have seen this happen first hand with her and other women. She has pursued all the men in this line of work and one friend’s husband told her to back off when she started pursuing a close friendship with him but my partner has played right into her hands, I think because she is giving him so much airspace.

It’s like she gets a kick out of being besties with other peoples husbands.

he maintains it’s me he loves, I’ve got the wrong end of the stick, they’re just mates etc but ifeel it’s driving a huge wedge between us.

i can’t give an ultimatum, there are too many close connections and the way our relationship is currently I think he’d go behind my back anyway, he’s clearly prioritised her over me several times and it’s not until recently that she’s started to ‘bait’ me by constantly dropping into conversations things my dp has told her before telling me, social plans they’ve made

I don’t know how to process this or how to move on.

OP posts:
ThisChirpyFox · 09/09/2025 14:46

Jellyheadbang · 09/09/2025 07:20

I just know what she’s like and I can’t deal. She will always be looking for someone to have drama with

But you're making this such a big issue. Stop saying what might happen and take a bit of control.

Do what other people have said and just refer to her as an aquaintance; be polite say hi and bye but don't engage in conversation; or tell her straight you are not friends and have nothing to talk about.

Stop fretting about what she or others think. I don't get it, you are not married, don't live together and have no kids together - you can literally just walk away.

You just seem to be catastrophizing (like another poster pointed out). When do you think you will tell him its over? The longer you don't tell him the longer you will worry about it.

WhereBoomBandsarePlaying · 09/09/2025 15:26

It sounds like you are worried about what she is going to do to you. Has she ruined anyone else's career or similar?
You mentioned that she has form for messing with people's relationships, could you get in touch with the women involved?
Surely even if she does make a drama it will blow over pretty quick, especially if they get together, she can hardly blame you.
Another idea is to get in first, start some whispers about her wanting to be with your partner. What are your options?

JimmyGiraffe · 09/09/2025 20:31

i don’t know how to deal with it and have maximum damage limitation, she is not discreet and she is vindictive, holds court with so many people, has her finger in so many pies and is skilled at making herself universally heard and expert at gaining sympathy. I can’t believe i fell for either of their bullshit tbh.

If all this is correct, and I’ve no reason to disbelieve you, then other people will probably be wary of her, and know what she’s like

Jellyheadbang · 09/09/2025 22:08

JimmyGiraffe · 09/09/2025 20:31

i don’t know how to deal with it and have maximum damage limitation, she is not discreet and she is vindictive, holds court with so many people, has her finger in so many pies and is skilled at making herself universally heard and expert at gaining sympathy. I can’t believe i fell for either of their bullshit tbh.

If all this is correct, and I’ve no reason to disbelieve you, then other people will probably be wary of her, and know what she’s like

This must be the case . She is hugely popular and influential, but she is also very demanding of attention, people give it her in spades.
The women who she’s pissed off are unconnected with me or each other, or very vaguely connected and they have become far more peripheral since her brushes with them .
i had thought of speaking to them but k think it would add to the drama if I contacted them out of the blue.
i feel like the whole thing is beneath me really.
I’ve let myself become a bit of a pawn and I don’t know why, well I sort of do , that’s what therapy is for I guess. Suffice it to say, I do feel a little embarrassed about how much I’ve allowed.
all I can say is that I was enmired/ enmeshed in something but the more I write about it and read responses and private journaling and looking back on journaling from a year ago, eighteen months ago etc I can see that he is never going to be the man I believed him to be or believed him to be capable of being.
I have to cut my losses
i Will wait til he is back from his trip .

OP posts:
HeavyDuvet · 09/09/2025 23:35

It is intriguing, I mean if you were together as a couple for four years it seems stranage that you cannot be openly annoyed by their friendship.

Unless your relationship with him was covert in some way and others didn't know the depth of your union.
You seem affraid of what she will do or say for some reason, I understand you say she could undermine you in a buisness capacity but surely those arround you would understand how the ending of your relationship could hurt.

Is it just embarrasment in losing him to her, and the drop in your social status or his support and protection in some way from others in your field.
I suppose we can't really understand as you need your privacy so there are little facts only feelings you have relayed.

Distancing yourself seems the only answer but if your work and finances rely on looking like the top dog and acting like one too, I can see how that could be humiliating in your world.

Do you think he could be doing this purposefully in any way ?
Some men do like to pull women down a peg or two.

outerspacepotato · 10/09/2025 01:52

If you let your own fears of what this other woman might say or do influence your thinking and confidence and actions, it's game over.

"It was time for us to go our separate ways." Just something as simple and innocuous and vague as that can be your go to.

Stop searching for closure. There really isn't closure for the emotional pain of a breakup. You heal and grow with it and from it.

Jellyheadbang · 10/09/2025 05:20

HeavyDuvet · 09/09/2025 23:35

It is intriguing, I mean if you were together as a couple for four years it seems stranage that you cannot be openly annoyed by their friendship.

Unless your relationship with him was covert in some way and others didn't know the depth of your union.
You seem affraid of what she will do or say for some reason, I understand you say she could undermine you in a buisness capacity but surely those arround you would understand how the ending of your relationship could hurt.

Is it just embarrasment in losing him to her, and the drop in your social status or his support and protection in some way from others in your field.
I suppose we can't really understand as you need your privacy so there are little facts only feelings you have relayed.

Distancing yourself seems the only answer but if your work and finances rely on looking like the top dog and acting like one too, I can see how that could be humiliating in your world.

Do you think he could be doing this purposefully in any way ?
Some men do like to pull women down a peg or two.

It was hard to be openly annoyed because a lot of it happened by stealth, I didn’t know the strength of their friendship until very recently and it’s had over a year to grow under my nose but also behind my back so it’s hard now to say I don’t like it when I’ve been fully supportive up to this point, it’s like doing an abrupt U-turn whilst at the same time knowing it’s futile because that have become like best friends.
i have not seen him in a friendship like this be, including his good male friends who he calls his best friends etc, this is like an entirely different thing and it’s blindsided me. I’ve said a few things and been ignored or misunderstood and he’s minimised it so I don’t feel like pursuing it knowing it’s going to be made to be my problem.
i know really that it’s beaten me.

OP posts:
Jellyheadbang · 10/09/2025 05:21

outerspacepotato · 10/09/2025 01:52

If you let your own fears of what this other woman might say or do influence your thinking and confidence and actions, it's game over.

"It was time for us to go our separate ways." Just something as simple and innocuous and vague as that can be your go to.

Stop searching for closure. There really isn't closure for the emotional pain of a breakup. You heal and grow with it and from it.

Thanks, yes I agree with you. It is game over anyway where we’re concerned, I don’t have it in me and I don’t think I will ‘win’ anyway

OP posts:
pikkumyy77 · 10/09/2025 17:38

Jellyheadbang · 09/09/2025 07:20

I just know what she’s like and I can’t deal. She will always be looking for someone to have drama with

This is why you will grey rock her. If she can’t get a charge from the connection she will turn her attention to someone more reactive.

Jellyheadbang · 10/09/2025 20:35

pikkumyy77 · 10/09/2025 17:38

This is why you will grey rock her. If she can’t get a charge from the connection she will turn her attention to someone more reactive.

Thank you, do you mean grey rocking in the form of boring responses and no room for chitchat ?

OP posts:
pikkumyy77 · 10/09/2025 22:00

Jellyheadbang · 10/09/2025 20:35

Thank you, do you mean grey rocking in the form of boring responses and no room for chitchat ?

Yes. Be very, very dull and vague. Answer questions in a dull way “oh nothing much, you know…” trail off. “Hmm…hmm..uh…what? Oh were you asking me something?oh I don’t know if I will…not sure what my plans are.” Like that.

Jellyheadbang · 11/09/2025 07:17

pikkumyy77 · 10/09/2025 22:00

Yes. Be very, very dull and vague. Answer questions in a dull way “oh nothing much, you know…” trail off. “Hmm…hmm..uh…what? Oh were you asking me something?oh I don’t know if I will…not sure what my plans are.” Like that.

Thanks that’s really helpful, I’ll do that from now on

OP posts:
Takenoprisoner · 13/09/2025 19:58

How are you getting on @Jellyheadbang ?
Hopefully you've had a bit of space from him and are feeling a bit more clearheaded?

Bayou2000 · 13/09/2025 20:11

I have been here a long time ago. Emotional territory land. I am ashamed to say I was initially the instigator. I saw I was pressing his buttons, worked out what made him tick, and sat back as he got emotionally sucked in. The joke was on me as the minute the emotional affair was reciprocated he went full on into falling in love and the rest was a slow motion car crash. If you have an emotional affair it lays a very, very solid foundation for a love affair and probably an intense one at that. The holding off, game playing, the pretending it’s not happening pushes both parties into a dopamine vortex.
Stamp it out now. Or it could become too late. Or set him free, because once you have the taste of multiple dopamine hits a day, it’s like the taste of raw meat to an animal sadly.

Bayou2000 · 13/09/2025 20:27

She won’t give a shit if and when you break up. Trust me. She will be thinking only of herself.

Jellyheadbang · 13/09/2025 21:15

Takenoprisoner · 13/09/2025 19:58

How are you getting on @Jellyheadbang ?
Hopefully you've had a bit of space from him and are feeling a bit more clearheaded?

Hi, thanks for thinking of me, yes have had a lot of space as he’s away. He has been messaging lots of heartfelt missing me messages and I have been quite detached in response , he must be able to sense it as he hasn’t received my usual empathy and problem solving.

he’s struggling with the dynamic on holiday and I remember when we were planning it I had insisted on certain things because I knew if I didn’t that I’d be playing mother to everyone on their recent holiday holiday including him.

he planned this trip to include us as a couple and now he’s holding it on his own shoulders and clearly is not enjoying the responsibility of ensuring everyone else’s happiness .

weve barely spoken but when we have it’s all been about him, his needs and his feelings.
im just biding my time until we can speak f2f and i will just tell him its over.

I cba to play this bullshit triangle anymore. Really the triangle is my get out , it was bad before he brought her into our dynamic and having her in it has highlighted some of the things that I was never sure about, where I didn’t trust my instincts or where he’s gaslit me
I’m sad but it’s a futile exercise trying to fix this . I’ve never done well In a scenario where there’s another woman / women . I can’t play the game, I don’t like competing, I don’t like ultimatums and I can’t deal with liars

OP posts:
Jellyheadbang · 13/09/2025 21:16

Bayou2000 · 13/09/2025 20:11

I have been here a long time ago. Emotional territory land. I am ashamed to say I was initially the instigator. I saw I was pressing his buttons, worked out what made him tick, and sat back as he got emotionally sucked in. The joke was on me as the minute the emotional affair was reciprocated he went full on into falling in love and the rest was a slow motion car crash. If you have an emotional affair it lays a very, very solid foundation for a love affair and probably an intense one at that. The holding off, game playing, the pretending it’s not happening pushes both parties into a dopamine vortex.
Stamp it out now. Or it could become too late. Or set him free, because once you have the taste of multiple dopamine hits a day, it’s like the taste of raw meat to an animal sadly.

Thank you. I’m walking away, they can have each other if that’s what they want.

OP posts:
Takenoprisoner · 13/09/2025 21:37

Jellyheadbang · 13/09/2025 21:15

Hi, thanks for thinking of me, yes have had a lot of space as he’s away. He has been messaging lots of heartfelt missing me messages and I have been quite detached in response , he must be able to sense it as he hasn’t received my usual empathy and problem solving.

he’s struggling with the dynamic on holiday and I remember when we were planning it I had insisted on certain things because I knew if I didn’t that I’d be playing mother to everyone on their recent holiday holiday including him.

he planned this trip to include us as a couple and now he’s holding it on his own shoulders and clearly is not enjoying the responsibility of ensuring everyone else’s happiness .

weve barely spoken but when we have it’s all been about him, his needs and his feelings.
im just biding my time until we can speak f2f and i will just tell him its over.

I cba to play this bullshit triangle anymore. Really the triangle is my get out , it was bad before he brought her into our dynamic and having her in it has highlighted some of the things that I was never sure about, where I didn’t trust my instincts or where he’s gaslit me
I’m sad but it’s a futile exercise trying to fix this . I’ve never done well In a scenario where there’s another woman / women . I can’t play the game, I don’t like competing, I don’t like ultimatums and I can’t deal with liars

Is this a holiday you were both planning to go on and then you decided not to go on?

God he sounds completely self centred just from that one post, it's all about him! He's missing all the nice things you dontp make his life easier and more pleasant now that you've withdrawn them! well done 👏

Jellyheadbang · 13/09/2025 22:21

Takenoprisoner · 13/09/2025 21:37

Is this a holiday you were both planning to go on and then you decided not to go on?

God he sounds completely self centred just from that one post, it's all about him! He's missing all the nice things you dontp make his life easier and more pleasant now that you've withdrawn them! well done 👏

Yes I felt that I was so unhappy in the relationship and didn’t want to put on a huge pretence for everyone on the holiday especially as I felt that I might end it when we got back plus he’d originally said he’d pay for me and my kids and I didn’t want to take the mickey or end up with a debt I can’t afford to repay .

thank you. I had asked him something recently , before the full realisation of his friendship with the cuckoo .

i can’t remember the conversation or the full context but he said ‘I know I’m more content with you in my life’ whereas previously I was his one big love and true passion and he’d never felt like this with anyone before and wanted to spend the rest of his life with me, saved the best for last blah blah effing blah

OP posts:
Jellyheadbang · 13/09/2025 22:25

Bayou2000 · 13/09/2025 20:11

I have been here a long time ago. Emotional territory land. I am ashamed to say I was initially the instigator. I saw I was pressing his buttons, worked out what made him tick, and sat back as he got emotionally sucked in. The joke was on me as the minute the emotional affair was reciprocated he went full on into falling in love and the rest was a slow motion car crash. If you have an emotional affair it lays a very, very solid foundation for a love affair and probably an intense one at that. The holding off, game playing, the pretending it’s not happening pushes both parties into a dopamine vortex.
Stamp it out now. Or it could become too late. Or set him free, because once you have the taste of multiple dopamine hits a day, it’s like the taste of raw meat to an animal sadly.

Thank you for sharing this. I agree ref the dopamine, she really knows how to stroke his feathers.

I’m just not that person. I recently rewatched sex and the city and it really reminded me of this awful artist near the end of the show.

I won’t go into details but I started to feel like a cardboard cutout girlfriend and cheerleader, then when he’d consistently hurt me and let me down, I couldn’t manage the cheering anymore and even though he still says he wants and loves me he let me go and made space for her because she sings his praises 24/7

OP posts:
Takenoprisoner · 13/09/2025 23:20

Jellyheadbang · 13/09/2025 22:21

Yes I felt that I was so unhappy in the relationship and didn’t want to put on a huge pretence for everyone on the holiday especially as I felt that I might end it when we got back plus he’d originally said he’d pay for me and my kids and I didn’t want to take the mickey or end up with a debt I can’t afford to repay .

thank you. I had asked him something recently , before the full realisation of his friendship with the cuckoo .

i can’t remember the conversation or the full context but he said ‘I know I’m more content with you in my life’ whereas previously I was his one big love and true passion and he’d never felt like this with anyone before and wanted to spend the rest of his life with me, saved the best for last blah blah effing blah

‘I know I’m more content with you in my life’ whereas previously I was his one big love

So you were his support human being. It's just another way to say I love you but I'm not in love with you isn't it? What pathetic loser, he's losing you.

Jellyheadbang · 14/09/2025 02:05

Takenoprisoner · 13/09/2025 23:20

‘I know I’m more content with you in my life’ whereas previously I was his one big love

So you were his support human being. It's just another way to say I love you but I'm not in love with you isn't it? What pathetic loser, he's losing you.

It was a blow when he said that

OP posts:
Bayou2000 · 14/09/2025 07:55

Jellyheadbang · 13/09/2025 22:25

Thank you for sharing this. I agree ref the dopamine, she really knows how to stroke his feathers.

I’m just not that person. I recently rewatched sex and the city and it really reminded me of this awful artist near the end of the show.

I won’t go into details but I started to feel like a cardboard cutout girlfriend and cheerleader, then when he’d consistently hurt me and let me down, I couldn’t manage the cheering anymore and even though he still says he wants and loves me he let me go and made space for her because she sings his praises 24/7

This is how it went in my situation. I was, I guess, your DPs new best friend if we are going to make comparisons, and in addition to me there was a whole line of adoring women (incidentally he was a writer, no house…very familiar! ) waiting in the wings. These characters ensure there is a legion of women waiting to prop them up.
I can’t advise on how to extract yourself, whatever route you go down it will be painful. I think this type of man builds a symbiotic relationship that makes it very hard to extract yourself from and I totally get the pain of this.

HeavyDuvet · 14/09/2025 11:32

I suppose it depends on how much status they actually have and the benefits of that status, such as looks, reputation, finances etc.

Women weigh up how much they will put up with against what's on offer.

I've found many women will over exgagerate some men's worth, fighting over a low level prize, him having a large fan base will increase his worth.

It would always be a high risk strategy investing too much in a very desirable person.

Jellyheadbang · 14/09/2025 12:01

Bayou2000 · 14/09/2025 07:55

This is how it went in my situation. I was, I guess, your DPs new best friend if we are going to make comparisons, and in addition to me there was a whole line of adoring women (incidentally he was a writer, no house…very familiar! ) waiting in the wings. These characters ensure there is a legion of women waiting to prop them up.
I can’t advise on how to extract yourself, whatever route you go down it will be painful. I think this type of man builds a symbiotic relationship that makes it very hard to extract yourself from and I totally get the pain of this.

Thank you, do you feel up to sharing anything more? How his actual partner dealt with it? How he dealt with his partner / ex?
what happened with you when they split? Was there a crossover between you and his ex?
did you have an actual relationship with him?
how was the relationship between you and him? Did he treat you differently?
etc
no pressure 🤣🙈

OP posts: