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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

Are my husband's lies significant? Is he a cheat?

54 replies

husbandlies · 19/03/2010 05:05

Obviously I've name changed.

We've been together 3 years, have a toddler and a baby and we're generally happy. We both have tempers so there are rows (never anything violent and we always kiss and make up within minutes). I'm 24 and he's 29.

In the past DH has lied about a few things and when I have confronted him he has continued to lie and then eventually buckled and accepted that I know but never given details.

For example, I hate smoking due to bereavements of close family members. He knows this, swears he doesn't smoke, has even sworn on our kids lives, etc, but he does smoke. His sleeves smell of it, he smells of it, and everytime he takes it up he runs upstairs for one reason or another when he gets in from work (to get showered and changed asap) and chews gum. He thinks I'm stupid and when I confront him he lies to my face and then eventually caves.

However, there are BIGGER lies, such as:

  1. We hardly ever get a night out (alone or together) as we're skint and we have the kids and work a lot. We do kind of live in each other's pockets. Well I just found pictures on facebook of him at some girl's 21st birthday party. Ok so it was a year ago, but I didn't know he'd gone- so why didn't he tell me? I'd bought him the jumper he's wearing in the pictures for a night out with his mates and he only wore it the once. We know everything about each other so therefore he will have lied to me about who he was out with and where he was going. He will have lied before he went, lied in txts or phone calls whilst he was out, etc. Why? The girl who's party it was had added him on facebook a while ago and he had declined the friend request, even though he regularly talks about her- they work together.

  2. He didn't want me to go to a christening with his friends. He was godfather. I had just had our first DS. I bought the baby presents and got myself a new outfit and my hair done. I was under the impression he wanted me there. Then on the morning he started freaking out, getting angry, etc. It was all very strange and in the end he said he wasn't going. I said he could just go alone if he wanted as that seemed to be what he was pushing for. He said he'd just show his face at the church and be home within an hour. He came home 12 hours later, very drunk. It was our DS's christening the following week and a girl my age who i didn't know turned up with the couple from the previous christening. I got chatting to her and she was going on about how she knew my DH really well. She then started talking about the fantastic night out they'd had after the christening the previous week and there seems to have only been a few people there- all of which were coupled off apart from DH and her. He looked uneasy when I was talking to her and he kept away. We had a huge row that night and I often threw it in his face in arguments after that. He made an effort to change and it was a pivotal point in our relationship.

  3. He was talking to other girls on a social networking site when we first got together. I found this out a year ago when I found his page and it said when he had last logged in- a few days before. He had used that site for dirty talk with girls in our small town who he knew before we got together and his sister had mentioned him doing it a few months later. It all clicked into place in my head and I realised he had been talking to these girls well after we got engaged- and I would have been pregnant with first DS. When I confronted him he said he had only gone on a few days before to try to delete the page but didn't know how (yeah right). He then supposedly did delete it. That was 2 years into our relationship.

There are other lies and I'm feeling quite uneasy. I feel like I don't know him and he doesn't communicate half as well with me anymore. He's quite often ratty with me and I'm worried there's something not right.

He was a real player in the past and has been with a ridiculous amount of women and is quite well known in town- everyone his/our age range likes him. Especially women.

Sooo... am I being paranoid? Sorry this is so long.

OP posts:
BitOfFun · 19/03/2010 14:16

You don't need any more 'proof'- you know he's a liar, so just tell him you know he bullshits you and you won't live like that.

ItsGraceAgain · 19/03/2010 14:57

I really feel for you. I've been where you are (twice - once too often, and way too long). I know about the triumph of hope over reason ... it fucks with your head. Each time you do it, you force yourself to disbelieve yourself.
You love the husband you hope to have, not the one you've really got. I bet you're only really happy when your marriage pretends to be the one you wish you had.

Please remember you don't need to prove anything to leave a marriage. This is still a free country; you can leave it because it isn't good enough. Simple as.

sungirltan · 19/03/2010 15:22

wait until he's asleep and go through his phone?

ladylush · 19/03/2010 16:49

Sorry it does sound as if he is being unfaithful to you. In your shoes I'd want to see his phone and email account (the latter is how I discovered my h's affair). You need proof and it's pretty obvious he won't come clean if you confront him.

WhenwillIfeelnormal · 19/03/2010 17:04

I agree you don't need more proof. You know he's up to something, we know he's up to something and of course, he does. You've got enough to go on anyway - and your latest post about him being surgically attached to his phone is a giveaway in itself that something is very much ongoing right now.

What is unknown is what you plan to do about it?

As I see it, you've got two options. If you think you need incontrovertible proof of infidelity and lies, then get it. It will be easy enough - he's obviously not a particularly accomplished liar. Then confront. There is a really slim possibility that he'll admit all for once, go for therapy and you can get through it.

Or you decide that you don't need more proof and would rather not live a life like this and end the relationship.

I don't think inertia is however a realistic option in terms of your mental health or your self esteem.

ladylush · 19/03/2010 17:23

Agree WWIFN

mathanxiety · 19/03/2010 17:32

He was a real player in the past?

You're still dealing with a player. Whatever he's getting out of going behind your back and all the lies is clearly more important to him than you or your little family.

scully777 · 19/03/2010 17:35

Sorry, but he sounds just like my ex. He was also smoking in secret, his phone was always switched off or in a silent mode at home, lack of sex, etc etc. Our marriage ended up after I've found a condom in his car, on a Valentine's Day! He told me earlier he'll be working till late on Valentine's and not to call him at work, as his boss was getting really annoyed. When I found a condom he said it was a sample he got with his razor blades. Yeah, right! I was so upset, cried my eyes out, thought my world crashed and I will never be happy again. The funny thing is, just a few weeks after I've met a wonderful man, he had supported me through the divorce and now we are happily married! So my advice - be brave, keep your eyes open and dont let it slide, he must think you are very naive and he can play you easily with his lies.

Speckledeggy · 19/03/2010 19:51

Terrible, I really feel for you.

Lots of great advice on here though. Kick him into touch. He is lying to you and does not deserve you. You will never get peace of mind as he is never going to tell you the full truth. You need to remind yourself you are a strong, confident, young woman who deserves better. Be brave and be strong. You will manage on your own, I promise, then you will wonder why you put up with a moment of this madness.

mathanxiety · 20/03/2010 04:12

And go for std tests.

Condensedmilkaddict · 20/03/2010 06:01

I feel so sad that you are going through this. Especially when you've just had a baby.
I think you do need to get your hands on his phone. To confirm it for yourself.
Seeing it in black and white will give you the concrete evidence.
Be smart. Be brave. You will get through this.
You deserve more. How old is your husband? He sounds very immature.

Condensedmilkaddict · 20/03/2010 06:02

Oh sorry, I just read your OP and you said he's 29. He is acting like he is 19.

husbandlies · 20/03/2010 20:16

A little more: Dh said I need to make my facebook page private as it's not. I thought it was and asked how he knew it wasn't. He said the girl who he works with (who's 21st he'd been to) had mentioned looking at my page. This isn't the first time he's mentioned her looking as apparently she'd said 'your girlfriend's actually quite bonny isn't she?' after looking through our wedding photos a while ago.

At their xmas work do he said he was just sat with one other bloke for most of the night as they're good mates... but she was actually with them which I found out via facebook. AND the 3 of them went to a club afterwards.

I brought up the online flirting with other women and he said it wasn't 'cheating' even though they're girls he knew and who lived round here. He admitted that wasn't the only online account he was talking to them on- there was three but he claims he deleted them. He said if you google his name nothing comes up... so he's tried it?!

Then he got really mad and wouldn't talk about it and shouted at me.

OP posts:
husbandlies · 20/03/2010 20:19

Urgghh... I need to get my head straight.

He said today that he's really enjoying being a family and that he's so proud of us and loves us. He's been really nice and seems unaware of my suspicions and we've been making each other laugh all day. But I don't want to be lied to.

If he is cheating and I have to make a stand, it'll break my heart.

I'm so confused.

OP posts:
Portofino · 20/03/2010 20:23

Immature is one word. He sounds like an arse. If he is happy to get off the internet and act like a grown up, then fair enough. Otherwise, you are probably better off without him . Sorry.

husbandlies · 20/03/2010 20:26

It's also obvious when he's lying as he goes red.

The doubt's in my mind now.

OP posts:
GeekOfTheWeek · 20/03/2010 20:41

Am really for you.

His treatment of you shows his lack of respect and contempt for your feelings.

You may have had a wedding but this isn't a marriage you have.

The man sounds like a prick.

sues1974 · 20/03/2010 21:45

Can you discuss it with him and make it seem like you know, from the lies that he's told you, you seem to have sussed the truth, hes stupid enough to think he's pulled the wool over your eyes so you knowing what really happened is one up on him. you could even pretend you bumped into someone and you were chatting about the christening or friends, and see how he reacts, see if he gets nervous that you might have found something out. Or you could just tell him you know everything and that he's a liar and tell him you wont be lied to anymore, see if he caves and blurts out the truth, then it will be up to you where you take it from there. however you go about it he's making you unhappy and you deserve better. my dad once said to me after my ex had cheated that thiefs and cheats never get caught out the first time, it later transpired that my ex had cheated on me 9 times in 2.5 years and the one i found out about was something like number 5, so my dad was right. you can bet that whatever you think is going on is, really is and maybe even worse than you imagined. Hope you get the truth so the paranoia can stop and you can get on with your life, good luck.
xx

thumbwitch · 20/03/2010 22:40

why is he so keen for your FB page to be private? Just interested really...

ItsGraceAgain · 21/03/2010 00:04

... because Miss Thing is becoming obsessed with OP, and DH is getting nervous about it?

Just a thought.

thumbwitch · 21/03/2010 01:26

yes, that was my thought too..

Unlikelyamazonian · 21/03/2010 01:35
thumbwitch · 21/03/2010 01:37

hello my lovely - you're up late tonight! How are you?

mathanxiety · 21/03/2010 02:56

He maybe wants the FB page to be private because he's projecting? i.e. he's really sort of talking to himself and chiding himself about being found out via FB? Only someone concerned about info about him that may be still out there waiting to surface would express this sudden FB dictat.

It's also a way of controlling Husbandlies -- he's bossing her around to see if she's in any way cowed by him. It's a way of testing her resolve, her confidence in herself, assessing how much goodwill she has towards him. If he gets a lot of resistance he may see that as a sign of what way the wind is blowing.

All that proud of being a family bs he fed you is also a way of testing the waters. He suspects the jig is up. You are being watched closely, OP.

TotalChaos · 21/03/2010 07:44

Very hmm at "proud of being a family" when he doesn't want to take you to a family christening. He sounds an utter tool - look after yourself.

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