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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

Ex Partner

19 replies

Chell79 · 17/09/2025 10:04

I was in a long term relationship for 3 years. He became a stepdad to my children, and we had a nice life. Until he lost his job and lost himself with poor mental health, he left when he had been out of work for 3 months, he had no money, and wasn't even getting washed some days.

I've since found out that he was talking to another woman before he left. Who he monkeybranched onto. He wasn't just talking to her; an ex of his contacted me, telling me she had a brief fling with him years before me, and strangely, he had reached out asking her if she thought he was handsome. She said Look at your gorgeous partner shouldn't that tell you, your worth. Clearly, he was struggling with internal issues of worth.

Anyway, he left. He moved into a not very nice house share. I was devastated, and I knew nothing about the woman he ended up with until months later. He left in May 23 and by October he was at my door crying, saying he missed me, that his mental health was still rubbish and that he stood on a local bridge and thought about jumping, he spent the night and we had intimacy, the next thing I know the other woman gets in touch asks me if I had been with him, I said yes and next thing I know I'm getting the police at my house telling me they were investigating reports that I'd been harrasing him. I had no contact with him until the night he turned up. Turns out he had been struggling to pay his rent, and he was spending time with her, and ended up moving into her council house.

The other woman was trying to create a wedge to cling to him. I called him and asked what the hell was happening, and within seconds, I'm getting abuse by email from this other woman telling me to stay the hell away from him or she will ruin my career. I tried calling him a few weeks later, and the same thing happened. Months later, when I had not even had contact with him, she emailed me 60 times one night and did the same thing months later, and months later repeated it.

I'm a counsellor, so I didn't want trouble, and I thought I couldn't be told I can't contact someone I do love. It messed with my head a lot . Yet this woman had grabbed onto him so tightly and was not going to let me get near him. I got on with my life, still knowing I loved him. It's been 18 months and now hes got in touch and wants to meet me, and sent messages about missing our passion.

I don't have social media yet, I got my friend to check his Facebook, and it says hes still with that woman.. I know it seems like hes clawing back control of his own life by even getting in touch - yet I don't want drama in mine, yet I love him, and hes said he has feelings for me. Yet I know this woman could make my life hell. What would you do? I feel she's kept him away long enough, yet she won't take it lying down if she found out that hes even contacted me. Let alone if I see him. Hes 43 and not a child, yet she seems slightly crazy and possessive. and very volatile.

My mum is really worried as the other woman even contacted my mum on social media, and even then, my mum said she is crazy michelle, and that she hopes he gets the hell away from that woman.

Anyway, so far all we have done is message, and I've told him he was being controlled so tightly and hes not defended her. Our relationship was honestly lovely, the best one I've ever had. Yet it's all caused me a lot of hurt and a lot of inner turmoil. I do think he left as he didn't feel good enough, yet he was good enough for me, and I do know I still have feelings for him.

OP posts:
grizzlyoldbear · 17/09/2025 10:07

He's not strong enough for you. He can't even sit with his difficult feelings for a minute, he has to rush into the arms of someone else. I think you can do better Op

Dandelionsarepretty · 17/09/2025 10:10

He cheated on you! And now he’s cheating on her.

ButSheSaid · 17/09/2025 10:14

He's a homeless man scoping out a new girlfriend to leech off. He openly uses women for accomodation, sex and attention.
Disregard him and focus on yourself and your kids.

Chell79 · 17/09/2025 10:18

In response too - He's a homeless man scoping out a new girlfriend to leech off. He openly uses women for accomodation, sex and attention.
Disregard him and focus on yourself and your kids.

He wasn't homeless when we got together, he did have a very good job, Then he got made redundant and sunk into feeling awful. We travelled all over the world together as we could afford it. He was applying for work - and as the job market is even now not great he was getting rejection after rejection.

Hes told me hes financially stable and has a well paid job now.

OP posts:
Nodlikeyouwerelistening · 17/09/2025 10:19

Wow. He must be absolutely fantastic in bed, because otherwise I don’t get it.

RogerR4bbit · 17/09/2025 10:19

WTF!

Back away from this ridiculous circus immediately.

Focus on yourself and your kids and find joy in hobbies, interests and activities, not your loser ex. He will just bring heartbreak and drama and you don’t need that.

Honestly, have more respect for yourself.

AnneLovesGilbert · 17/09/2025 10:19

Jesus, stop infantilising him. He’s made choices, he has to live with them. You can’t rescue him if that’s what you’re hoping for, he’s a loser. Focus on your own life, your kids, you won’t get anything positive by hanging onto the idea of him because he’s pathetic. You’re giving this other woman far too much power. Block both of them.

Chell79 · 17/09/2025 10:26

In response to Jesus, stop infantilising him. He’s made choices, he has to live with them. You can’t rescue him if that’s what you’re hoping for, he’s a loser. Focus on your own life, your kids, you won’t get anything positive by hanging onto the idea of him because he’s pathetic. You’re giving this other woman far too much power. Block both of them.

I haven't hung onto anything, I have been working, and having a nice life with my kids, I even dated someone else for a while. I didn't give the other woman any power - If I get charged for talking to someone, (as she is spiteful enough to make that happen then that will ruin my career) - that is giving power to myself and knowing where my priorities lie with my children and my career. I couldn't be bothered with the drama, I let him get on with it.

I also never responded to her, apart for the first time. I just deleted anything she sent and didn't read any of it.

OP posts:
Chell79 · 17/09/2025 10:43

in reponse to He's not strong enough for you. He can't even sit with his difficult feelings for a minute, he has to rush into the arms of someone else. I think you can do better Op

What you have said I have questioned, as I have said to him, you didn't need the protection of someone else, you needed to sort your life out.

I've stayed single, as I went through a divorce, met someone else which was a years casual relationship which I had 18 months after my marriage ended. Then I met my ex 3 months later.

I did briefly date someone this year, yet I have a busy life and career, I didn't have time to see him. I don't work wednesdays and normally study a degree on wednesdays, yet I have a two week study break, which is why I have time to post on here. My life is so full, I work 10 to 8 4 days a week. Plus I have two teenagers, I do a lot with my lovely kids, and we have our next holiday all booked and paid for.

My ex husband when we ended was with someone else so fast too, and hes said men do it, as hes my teenagers dad and that didn't work out for him long term. As I asked my ex husband for advice as hes like my best friend now, as we ended for stress reasons by external factors and poor communication, rather than lack of love.

OP posts:
SugarPlumpFairyCakes · 17/09/2025 10:46

What an awful deceitful man he is. Using you. Using her. She’s desperate to hold onto him and so it seems, are you. Please block him. Please build your own amazing life without him in it at all ever. I promise that you will be so much happier.

Endofyear · 17/09/2025 11:09

You'd be a fool to get involved with this man again. You're a fool to even be in contact with him. He's in a relationship with this woman, it's his free choice to be with her. He cheated on you and left you.

Have some self respect, block him and move on with your life.

ButSheSaid · 17/09/2025 11:29

There isn't a question in the OP, what were you wanting from the thread?/Just venting?
No one is going to say dating this bloke seems like an excellent, life enhancing idea.

Chell79 · 17/09/2025 12:34

In response too, What an awful deceitful man he is. Using you. Using her. She’s desperate to hold onto him and so it seems, are you. Please block him. Please build your own amazing life without him in it at all ever. I promise that you will be so much happier.

I wasn't desperate to hold onto him at all, I had no idea she even existed until after he stayed the night again and she then contacted me. I had text contact with him last week, and after I asked my friend to check his facebook status and I told him, I am not going to continue to chat when shes still around.

He also never cheated on me, he was talking to someone yet he never went out, he didn't leave the house for months. Still dishonest on his part talking to her, yet he never met up or was sneaking around.

I am not making excuses its sneaky as hell talking, yet I only talked as I wanted answers to questions I've had for a while.

I am a counsellor - when your out of work, not providing for your partner, as a man thats not good or something to be proud off. He paid towards our bills always until then and he did message me after me left saying he was struggling with money. Yet he left me and I wasn't going to bail him out, as we were no longer a couple.

So suggesting hes a freeloader isn't true. He even owed me money and he paid all of that back even when we weren't speaking.

OP posts:
Chell79 · 17/09/2025 12:41

Kind of wish I hadn't posted as all your views are negative and I have been out of work many years ago, if he was a freeloader he would of stayed with me way longer than he did.

Fact I earn more than she does, in fact triple what she does. It wasn't about money it was about feeling unhappy with himself and he moved out, he didn't get a job for months after as he was applying and didn't get anywhere.

Imagine not even being able to pay for your own hair cut, that is a low place in life to be, he went from being centre of the room, to sitting on the sofa and not move. Having to ask his partner for money to go to the barbers.

He went from sharing a car with me, to using public transport. hes not a freeloader if he was he would of never of left. As our house is very big and our bills were high, yet we earned enough between us to have a nice life,

Then I was paying for all of it, and we had very little left. Wasn't something that would make you feel manly or in charge,

She lives in a council house and is on benefits. I know that from a friend of mine who vaguley knew her.

OP posts:
KawasakiBabe · 17/09/2025 12:47

I took back my husband after he cheated and even I say give his man a wide berth! He sounds awful.

Personperson · 17/09/2025 13:12

For a counsellor, you cannot see the woods for the trees on your own life. I actually suggest you talk this over in counselling with your supervisor or see one separately.

Sometimes when we are in the thick of it, it can be hard to see the truth.

I know you said you wished you hadn't posted but it's good you have. As a counsellor, reflect on this feed back. We are not emotionally involved and can sometimes connect the dots when you cannot.

There is a reason a lot of it is negative. I think deep down you know that, hence the posting.

He isn't right for you. When I've been depressed and anxious as hell and after 2 bereavements and an ND diagnosis, I sure as hell wasn't looking for a dick to hop onto. Sorry to be crude but see it for what it is.

He can leave her anytime he wants and he hasn't. He isn't some poor little boy who can't make up his mind about who he wants. He gets kicks off of talking to you about feelings. He has her right there too.

You have no idea what kinds of stories he is telling her. He could be lying to you. You have no idea at all. Leave him in the past, this is far too messy and drama filled. Sounds like you don't have time for him anyway. Just let it be and move forward.

YetanotherNC25 · 17/09/2025 13:27

You’re getting negative responses because it would be absolutely insanity to get back with this man. Did you really think anyone would say that it’s a great idea?

Skybluepinky · 17/09/2025 14:29

City all ties and move on he is bad news.

BuckChuckets · 17/09/2025 14:44

"Our relationship was honestly lovely, the best one I've ever had."

I'm assuming your bar is so low because you've had terrible relationships before him. You're worth so much more than this, and I hope you find it!

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