Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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

Horrible situation that has devastated me

206 replies

PetraStorm · 13/02/2026 03:49

N/C for this. Apologies, it's long. A few months ago, I received a message from a man that I used to have a casual relationship with years ago. We went our separate ways as friends, with no issues, sent Happy Birthday/Christmas texts etc. He asked how I was doing after my illness? I have breast cancer (3 years post op) and have undergone surgery and reconstruction, radiotherapy etc and I'm still receiving adjuvant therapy. We went for a drink and had a brilliant time. I asked if he was seeing anyone, he said no, he'd been single for years and lived alone. Didn't meet again for a while as I was ill. Texted frequently. We talked about everything including sex, we always had amazing sex; we were both majorly into kink and were very compatible. I told him I had been celibate since my surgery, and I was feeling vulnerable about my scars. We talked about it and he was understanding, kind and reassuring. He said all the right things. We had sex numerous times, and it was amazing.

Now, to last Saturday. He said he was going to a gig with his daughter and her girlfriend. He said the small venue was unusual, a tattoo/barbers' and bar combined. It sounded interesting, so I looked it up. There was a video of Saturday's gig, and you guessed it; there he was with his girlfriend/fiancée/wife. I felt physically sick. I would never have had any contact with him if I had known he was in a relationship. I feel incredibly sorry for his partner. She thinks she is in a happy, monogamous relationship with a man who loves her. Instead, he's sexting, sending explicit photos, and having kinky sex with another woman. Everything he told me was a lie. I have known this man for decades and considered him a friend. He knows what cancer has done to me, physically and emotionally yet lied to me so he could have the type of sex he really enjoys. I have thought about telling his partner but don't know if it's the right thing to do. The stress is awful and I feel guilty because I believed everything he told me. In addition, I found out today my last mammogram showed abnormalities and now I need a biopsy to find out if my cancer has returned. I feel defeated by life and used by a man I trusted.

OP posts:
rainandshine38 · 13/02/2026 03:58

Yep he’s a scumbag. Tell his wife.

MangoPancake · 13/02/2026 04:02

What an absolute wanker. If you feel able, please tell his partner. Sending love OP x

Thecomedyclub · 13/02/2026 04:16

I’m so sorry about your diagnosis. However I think you should dig really deep and try your hardest to block/ignore/forget.
If you tell another party (girlfriend,wife etc) then you are just extending the time before you start to rid yourself of him. There will be repercussions, and more unnecessary engagement in conversations you do not need.
Try to see this as the moment you are free of the wanker, and you can start afresh, and concentrate on your healing journey (both physical and emotional). Don’t drag this one out. Wishing you all the best.

Timeforchai · 13/02/2026 04:27

The easiest thing to do at is to block and delete him. Just erase him from your life and allow yourself to focus on you.
As previous poster has said, if you decide to tell his wife, your getting yourself involved for longer than you need to and he’ll be taking up your head space.
I hope your results from the mammogram turn out ok in the end. It must be incredibly stressful for you without allowing him to get in the mix.

Bluegreenbird · 13/02/2026 04:43

I’d be blocking him after hinting I’d be telling his partner. Then leave him to stew and forget about him. Focus on yourself and not him.

mumlong · 13/02/2026 04:47

You’ve been lied to and betrayed, and it’s not your fault. Focus on your health and protecting yourself right now.

TapsOff · 13/02/2026 05:00

I’d tell her

MsDogLady · 13/02/2026 05:08

@PetraStorm, I am sorry that you have been conned by this man who is also duping and abusing his Wife/Partner. He clearly has no integrity and feels entitled to steal the agency and consent of you both.

I would absolutely inform his Partner. She has the right to know the truth and make decisions accordingly — just as you are doing.

ItsNotMeEither · 13/02/2026 05:11

Oh dear, as if you need to be dealing with this when seriously worried about your own health.

I'm assuming you've binned him already. I'd definitely send her some irrefutable proof of what's been going on. Enough that he won't be able to explain his way out of things. Make sure you block him on everything.

So sorry that you're facing breast cancer and hoping that any follow up treatment works spectacularly well for you.

dreichluver · 13/02/2026 05:12

Men are the feckin' pits. But I'd try and let it go. You've got enough to deal with.

FrozenFebruary · 13/02/2026 05:12

I am so sorry you're having to go through more investigations 💕

so it's been a few days since you saw the video. What have you said to him?

how sure are you that it wasn't his daughter/her friend?

MyNextDoorNeighbourVotesReform · 13/02/2026 05:14

I'd do one of two things:

I'd tell his wife if I could deal with prolonging the emotional upset

I'd block him and literally never have any contact with him again if I couldn't deal with prolonging the emotional upset

PetraStorm · 13/02/2026 05:14

He contacted me on Tuesday. I told him I knew and then blocked him everywhere I could think off. He's a thief, he's stealing his partner future and he doesn't care.

OP posts:
Velvian · 13/02/2026 05:20

@PetraStorm I'm so sorry for what you are going through. Block and have no contact again.

You must prioritise yourself and extricate yourself from him and his messy life. I would send him a final message to say you have discovered he has been lying to you and you would never have have had any involvement with him had you known he was in a relationship. Then immediately block on every platform.

LindorDoubleChoc · 13/02/2026 05:36

You made a mistake, learn from it and move on. I hope you enjoy good health in the future.

CarlaLemarchant · 13/02/2026 05:36

How do you know it was his girlfriend/partner/wife. Could the woman with him be someone he has another casual relationship with (similar to you?). I’m not sure why you are so convinced of his long term committed relationship status from a video about a bar. There probably is a reason but maybe I’ve missed it.

hattie43 · 13/02/2026 05:41

I think you should concentrate on you because you are dealing with an awful lot . Block and delete this scum bag because he brings too much wasted energy , put him out your mind .

dammit88 · 13/02/2026 05:44

CarlaLemarchant · 13/02/2026 05:36

How do you know it was his girlfriend/partner/wife. Could the woman with him be someone he has another casual relationship with (similar to you?). I’m not sure why you are so convinced of his long term committed relationship status from a video about a bar. There probably is a reason but maybe I’ve missed it.

I was going to ask this. It seems odd he’d tell you he was going there if he intended to go with a partner?

BlonderThanYou · 13/02/2026 05:52

what did the video show?

MyNextDoorNeighbourVotesReform · 13/02/2026 05:55

PetraStorm · 13/02/2026 05:14

He contacted me on Tuesday. I told him I knew and then blocked him everywhere I could think off. He's a thief, he's stealing his partner future and he doesn't care.

As PPs have said. Could this person at the bar be a hook up ? I don't know if you believed that you and he are exclusive? If you believed that you and he are exclusive maybe he didn't believe that and is shagging other people as well as you, in his mind quite legitimately

MaggieBsBoat · 13/02/2026 05:56

Tell her. If you can somehow find her email. Send her screenshots. Apologise for being the bearer of bad news and block him. Tell him you’re telling his wife first.
I hope your scan goes well. This is not your fault. He is a scumbag.

Lampzade · 13/02/2026 05:56

Block and delete and be grateful that he is someone else’s problem .

Mapletree1985 · 13/02/2026 06:13

Figure out what will make you feel better, and do that.You and your own welfare should be your only focus right now.

Bimblebombles · 13/02/2026 06:14

I think we need to know exactly what the video showed to make you come to that conclusion

Emotionalsupporttissue · 13/02/2026 06:18

Do actually know who she is ? How will you let her know if you haven't got her contact details?