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General :
Failed reconciling heartbroken

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 Kittycatkitty (original poster new member #86068) posted at 10:47 PM on Monday, June 1st, 2026

Sorry if this is the wrong board, im just so devastated.

Short version WH had an EA last year with work colleague (i have posted on reconciling a few times since)

Since the reconciling decision was made in july, he has done nothing but disrespect me, which got worse, shown me he dosent value me, put her feelings first,continued to interact with ow in chats and started going on work socials with her present again , and caused numerous rows about going. Despite me feeling upset and not wanting him to go for obvious reasons. There has been many, many red flags since March time that hes still in touch with ow but he has denied. The whole situation has destroyed me emotionally and made me an insecure shell.

Fast forward to now hes now saying he wants to leave and cant cope with my child's mental health issues, and ive agreed theres no trust there at all and everything hes doing so its all screwed. 10 years down the drain due to him, a homewrecker and his behaviour. Am I right in thinking she will be waiting In the wings and it will all come out eventually and to prepare myself for it. He says theres no one else, they all say that!!! Im so devastated its come to this, at least I know i tried and am a good person, he dosent care 💔💔

He wants to stay friends and be there for me, he should have been there for me in the first place 💔

[This message edited by Kittycatkitty at 10:49 PM, Monday, June 1st]

Me 45F WH 46 2 children

posts: 39   ·   registered: Apr. 19th, 2025
id 8896682
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NoThanksForTheMemories ( member #83278) posted at 1:33 AM on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2026

He wants to stay friends and be there for me, he should have been there for me in the first place 💔

Yeah, mine said the same thing, and it's infuriating. We tried being friendly and having family night once a week for our kid until he decided to start dating, at which point I went no contact except for kid-related communication. It's all done to make them feel less terrible about themselves until they swing right back to being selfish.

In your case, yeah, be prepared for him to go running to her if she's available. Sounds like he's had one foot in, one foot out this whole time.

Is your child from a previous relationship? Will you have full custody going forward? Because a father who "can't cope" with his child's health problems (mental or otherwise) and uses that as a reason to run away is not a very good father. I think your child would be better off with you as the primary caregiver.

I'm sorry for your heartbreak. I can attest that there is peace on the other side of failed R, though.

WS had a 3 yr EA+PA from 2020-2022, and an EA 10 years ago (different AP). Dday1 Nov 2022. Dday4 Sep 2023. False R for 2.5 months. 30 years together. Divorcing.

posts: 608   ·   registered: May. 1st, 2023
id 8896686
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BearlyBreathing ( member #55075) posted at 2:06 AM on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2026

So sorry KCK.

It’s so hard when the WS doesn’t have the character and fortitude to fix what they broke. It’s time to meet wtih a few lawyers and see what the next steps should look like, as painful as this will be.

Please focus on you and your kid. Things will get better. When you are away from his disrespect, you may find yourself more relaxed. No more eggshells, no more wondering what kind of mood he’ll be in. It takes time, but you will get better.

You don’t need to be friends with him. you may need to co-parent, but they are not the same thing.
Time to go LC/NC.

Keep posting. And hang in there.

Me: BS 57 (49 on d-day)Him: *who cares ;-) *. D-Day 8/15/2016 LTA. Kinda liking my new life :-)

**horrible typist, lots of edits to correct. :-/ **

posts: 6887   ·   registered: Sep. 10th, 2016   ·   location: Northern CA
id 8896688
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 Kittycatkitty (original poster new member #86068) posted at 9:12 AM on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2026

Thank you both 🫂

Nothanksforthememories- no hes their step parent so easier to cut it all off and walk, despite raising them since they were toddlers (now young adult)

Just so heartbroken but know its time, its not working and its all on him and his behaviour and involvement with ow. I definitely think shes still there in the background or someone else is.

When he went on the first social with her after 8 months, a few days later he changed his pin on his phone (one of the rules on reconciling was we have each others pins and i followed the advice on here, transparency etc) but he then came out with its "controlling" and "i dont need his pin anymore" and im not having it. This caused me further upset and anxiety.

But to me its like its reignited things between them being around each other and things have escalated more. Ow also posted a photo publicly on her social media where they are stood together with heads together in a group, just to rub it in. It made me so angry and when I told him I got accused of stalking her and that i shouldnt be looking!!! Of course im going to look, as i knew that would happen.. Definitely purposefully by her. Despite him saying to me he would "not be around her much his other mates are there" . Its just constant bs.

I think its been leading up to this for 3 months if not more and now using my child as an excuse to get out. Hes treated me appallingly I cant get my head round how someone could do this to me. Hes also got aggressive, gaslighted and manipulated. He has many narcissistic traits (not the worst type but def narcissistic) and its like the discard for me. Hes got new supply waiting now, wants to do what he wants after breaking me and thinks the grass is greener. It wont be. Unfortunately for me im guessing its trauma bonded - im still in love with him physically but the emotional side not. Im just totally done 💔😪

[This message edited by Kittycatkitty at 9:24 AM, Tuesday, June 2nd]

Me 45F WH 46 2 children

posts: 39   ·   registered: Apr. 19th, 2025
id 8896697
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BearlyBreathing ( member #55075) posted at 4:54 PM on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2026

Heart and mind take some time to sync up. Your heart will catch up. He’s also just… habit. Just habit.
You are used to him, like an old worn out pair of shoes or a ten year old mattress. You know where it’s worn out and how to get comfy. BUt then you get a new one and you will be like - whoa! THIS is comfortable. No lumps, troughs, worn heels. No things you have to be wary of or navigate around.

Trust your mind that you are done. Things will look very different once you are further down the road.

Me: BS 57 (49 on d-day)Him: *who cares ;-) *. D-Day 8/15/2016 LTA. Kinda liking my new life :-)

**horrible typist, lots of edits to correct. :-/ **

posts: 6887   ·   registered: Sep. 10th, 2016   ·   location: Northern CA
id 8896722
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ButterflyInProgress ( member #87238) posted at 7:47 PM on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2026

Kittycatkitty I am so sorry I can really feel how heartbroken and exhausted you are from your posts and sounds as though you have tried so hard to give reconciliation a chance but he has kept doing things that make you feel unsafe instead of protected.

He wants to stay friends and be there for me, he should have been there for me in the first place

Completely understand why that hurts so much because offering friendship after failing to show loyalty respect and emotional safety inside the relationship itself can feel almost insulting - it is like being offered the crumbs after the damage has already been done.

When he went on the first social with her after 8 months, a few days later he changed his pin on his phone

After betrayal transparency is not controlling - it is part of rebuilding safety and having each other’s PINs was one of the agreed conditions of reconciliation then changing it afterwards is obviously going to feel like a massive red flag. I also understand the pain of being accused of "stalking" or looking when your nervous system is reacting to the very situation he created as trust had already been damaged and then his behaviour gave you more reasons to feel unsafe. Please remember that you can still love someone miss them feel physically attached to them and still know that the situation is breaking you - those things can all exist at the same time especially when trauma and attachment are tangled together.

Please be gentle with yourself. From what you have written, this does not sound like you failed reconciliation. It sounds like you were trying to reconcile with someone who kept making choices that made reconciliation impossible.

ButterflyInProgress

posts: 83   ·   registered: Apr. 12th, 2026   ·   location: London
id 8896735
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The1stWife ( Guide #58832) posted at 8:32 PM on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2026

this does not sound like you failed reconciliation. It sounds like you were trying to reconcile with someone who kept making choices that made reconciliation impossible.

💯% spot on.

He’s got someone waiting for him. The signs are there.

Changed PIN code and "the betrayed doesn’t need it as it’s controlling".

Mean and rude to you - he has to someone "hate" you in order to be true to the OW

Using kid’s health issue as an excuse to run out the door - that’s pretty low

All the evidence points to him still having an affair unfortunately.

Survived two affairs and brink of Divorce. Happily reconciled. 12 years out from Dday. Reconciliation takes two committed people to be successful.

posts: 15545   ·   registered: May. 19th, 2017
id 8896742
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 Kittycatkitty (original poster new member #86068) posted at 11:32 PM on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2026

Thanks all I really appreciate the support and kind words xx

Me 45F WH 46 2 children

posts: 39   ·   registered: Apr. 19th, 2025
id 8896756
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