I’m the OW and I’m Terrified He Will Cheat on Me

Dear Chump Lady,

I am probably the biggest chump of all, but here goes…  I was married for 21 years and had an affair (the only one) with a married man I work with, who had been married for 17 years.

He said I’m number 8 for him. He told me about all of them — even about sleeping with his wife’s best friend (who also happens to be his best friend’s wife and neighbor). My naiveté made me believe that it was a one time thing. He told me it went on for 15 years! I can’t even begin to wrap my head around that, but I am still with him.

He also told me he went to a strip club when he was away for work for a month and picked up a stripper — also that she stayed with him the entire time he was there. We both divorced our spouses and are living together, but as you can probably guess it’s not good. I obviously don’t trust him and a lot of times can’t stop thinking about his past. It makes me want to vomit. I am terrified he will cheat on me — he said he won’t of course. AM I THE BIGGEST CHUMP OF ALL?

DB

***

Dear DB,

No. You’re not a chump at all. You’re the victor in the fuckwit Thunderdome. You’ve beat out the competition and won the sparkly turd, DB. No tag backs. He’s all yours.

If Chump Nation wonders why I run these OW letters (which invariably devolve into troll fests) consider them a public service announcement — this is what winning the Pick Me Dance looks like.

The obvious but nauseating realization that you’re not special? Check.

Twitchy, mind-bending hypervigilance? Check.

Living together (presumably between strippers), clinging to the facade of your shitty relationship, to prove that annihilating two families was worth it? Check.

DB, I’m sorry. You competed for this Dreamboat with the full knowledge of who he is. Regretting your decision doesn’t make you a chump.

Perhaps you think being a chump means making stupid relationship decisions. Or having the kind of piss poor self-esteem that allows a person to tolerate fuckwits. Let’s be clear on the concept. Chumps are UNKNOWING. They are duped, lied to, humiliated, used, conspired against, conned. You are none of those things. You knew exactly what you were getting — a cheater. You’re a cheater. He’s a cheater. You aren’t us. Chumps are acted UPON, they are not the actors. Chumps do not consent to be chumps. You, on the other hand, signed up for this shit.

You are not the victim here.

You’re Number 8. One idiot in a long line of idiots.

So now you’re terrified that he’ll do to you what you were complicit in doing to another? And you want MY sympathy? Who the fuck do you think you are?

Look, I’m an actual chump, so part of me feels bad ripping you to shreds for reaching out to me. You has a sadz and maybe I can help. But then I bitchslap myself, because post-infidelity Tracy has zero tolerance for your kind of malignant entitlement.

Entitlement?

Yeah, the kind of chutzpah that writes “I had an affair (the only one)…” You want a bitch cookie? Tell it to the guy who lost 21 years of his life to a cheater (YOU). You’re scared shitless that Mr. Wonderful MIGHT do to you what you actually DID to your ex-husband. Meditate on that.

Or how about the entitlement that led you to fuck a married co-worker? Did you consider his chump wife? Let me guess — she didn’t Sufficiently Appreciate Him. Compelled him to fuck those strippers and her best friend, huh? She must’ve deserved it. Unlike YOU there Sparkletwat. Best of luck with all your super specialness. Hope it serves as a magic barrier against STDs.

DB, it takes some gobsmacking gall to come on a support site for chumps when you’re the OW. I’m sorry that merely thinking of being betrayed makes you “want to vomit.” (Actually betraying chumps, however, must be just tickety boo.) How hard it is to be you.

I’d hate for your visit to Chump Nation to be for naught, as you wanted advice and all, so here’s some:

Regular pap smears.

Good luck.

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StaryEye
StaryEye
6 years ago

The good news here is that mature grown ups don’t have to stay in relationships when we don’t want to. Part of me hopes you cheat on this new guy, he deserves it. Then again he probably won’t care too much because cheaters don’t seem to get too attached to those around them. Good luck with that.

Hesatthecurb
Hesatthecurb
6 years ago
Reply to  StaryEye

Just gotta get this off my chest—

Do the initials DB stand for DUMB B*TCH?

hopefloats80
hopefloats80
6 years ago
Reply to  Hesatthecurb

or maybe she should change her name to KARMA… …..GOOD LUCK TO HER..not bwahahahhahaaaaa

SuperDuperChump
SuperDuperChump
6 years ago
Reply to  Hesatthecurb

No….Douche Bag

Hesatthecurb
Hesatthecurb
6 years ago
Reply to  Hesatthecurb

Just gotta get this off my chest—

Do the initials DB stand for DUMB B*TCH?

Chumpinrecovery
Chumpinrecovery
6 years ago
Reply to  StaryEye

I don’t know. This one seems pretty attached. Or maybe she is just sensing that she might be losing her douchebag winner crown to a new rival.

Free Vix
Free Vix
6 years ago

She’s not attached to him, she’s attached to the idea of being special. Suddenly she might not be so special after all! The horror! She’lol fling herself after the next man who makes her feel special and blame it all on her cheating ex for treating her so badly. Pity party at 9:00. Stay tuned:

Doingme
Doingme
6 years ago

She’s probably experiencing the ‘devalue’ stage and realizes she’s not special after all. It’s inevitable.

2nd Gen Chump
2nd Gen Chump
6 years ago
Reply to  Doingme

Has no one else done the math? He started cheating on his wife after just TWO YEARS OF MARRIAGE. That’s when everything is still supposed to be sunshine and roses. You really think he’s going to be faithful with the devastation of two households imploding?

hopefloats80
hopefloats80
6 years ago
Reply to  2nd Gen Chump

mine cheated on me before our 1st anniversary….before he even let me buy him a wedding ring….I’m sure that SPARKLETWAT HATED seeing that ring on him….who am I kidding he took it off. {forehead smack}

IUsedToUseMyHands
IUsedToUseMyHands
6 years ago
Reply to  hopefloats80

Mine started cheating on me a year before we got married and continued the affair for 6 years until I found out. They’re still together.

Hopefloats80
Hopefloats80
6 years ago

Ohhhh I hope they are together. She has 5 kids and he was ready to be done w kids. Let us only hope karma gets him

StaryEye
StaryEye
6 years ago

Maybe she thought this was true love. It’s ok to lie and cheat for love, right? Now she has her sparkly turd.

MidlifeBlast
MidlifeBlast
6 years ago

Wow #chumplady #deep

mic drop

No more words

This can't be real
This can't be real
6 years ago
Reply to  MidlifeBlast

I REALLY needed to read this response today from chump lady! I am in tears of laughter!! “sparkle twat”. OMG!
But this person asking the questions is seriously asking for it with that letter on this site 😉

This can't be real
This can't be real
6 years ago

Oh, and this letter reeks of Jerry springer type shit..

Off the crazy train
Off the crazy train
6 years ago
Reply to  MidlifeBlast

I don’t know how she does it- she nails it every time. This is just the most spot-on response.

Tracy, you’re awesome. Thank you.

Pret
Pret
6 years ago

Hmm…let’s see…Karma is a bitch and hope you get yours..

junglechump
junglechump
6 years ago
Reply to  Pret

The funny thing is that final OW is a yoga instructor and on her 5 or so yoga FB pahes she aaaaaalways posts things like corny sayings and pics about karma…

Doesnt she get that if karma would be real it would NOT be a good thing for her?? Like this letter shows how they might really be oblivious about what their actions inflict.

ItsAJourney
ItsAJourney
6 years ago
Reply to  junglechump

My cheater X had a best friend whose wife was cheating on him. It was so F’d up: My cheater X was giving his best friend advice on how to handle his cheating wife. Cheater X even had the audacity to ask ME if I would speak to the cheating wife, you know, to try and figure out what was going on with her. I told Cheater X, “why don’t YOU talk with her, you’re the one cheating, you of all people should understand what’s going on with her”. It’s absolutely mind blowing how detached and unaware these narcs are. They each think of themselves as having unique and exceptional circumstances… they’re not cheaters… they’re special.

Whodoesthat
Whodoesthat
6 years ago
Reply to  ItsAJourney

Oh yeah so true. My liar in chief listened to everyone elses sad marriage probs . Taking time to recant every detail so it would sound like he was some sort of guru for counseling. .. unfortunately for me he was already planning his escape from our “bad” marriage. ..but didnt think to tell me …. i think this is their opportunity to get the script.

Beans
Beans
6 years ago
Reply to  ItsAJourney

So my husband had this work friend who he would occasionally hang out with. He had a pretty wife and three small children. Pretty wife was an ex addicted and ended up spiraling down into pills really bad. She wrecked their finances, totaled their car, got arrested and sent to rehab out of state where she cheated on work friend with a number of junkies.

My husband would come home and tell me all the gossip, play by play how their relationship was crumbling because work friend’s wife was a cheater, was a junky, work friend deserved better and he’s broke and falling apart and….

The entire time he was calling friend’s wife a junkie whore, my husband had a pill addiction and was in a long term affair with a different little work friend.

Thankful
Thankful
6 years ago
Reply to  junglechump

My X actually named his new cat Karma. I feel sorry for it though. He never really liked cats, and apparently treats this one pretty badly.

Kathleen
Kathleen
6 years ago
Reply to  Thankful

Thankful If your x treats the poor cat badly, report him to animal rescue or find it a better Home.

Cheater doesn’t deserve a wonderful loving pet

F—k him!

AllOutofKibble
AllOutofKibble
6 years ago
Reply to  Thankful

May your cheater’s cat Karma be related to my cat.
This of you here long enough to have read about my cat know that’s pretty much a threat to your cheater.

Wonder No More
Wonder No More
6 years ago
Reply to  junglechump

OMG! My ex’s Skank Ho posted all about KARMA! WTF? She didn’t get it? She fancied herself SO full of Karma Co existence crap. So wise—– Yuk

junglechump
junglechump
6 years ago
Reply to  Wonder No More

hehe yes same thing!!!! she calls herself spiritual and a yogi and lots of stupid yoga peace whatthefuckever talk… i still hate her but in a way i can kinda sorta laugh about how fucking stupid she is, so i guess thats progress…

hey they are kina like jesus cheaters!!! same thing, sooo spiritual, enlighted and above all of us LOL

Newchump89
Newchump89
6 years ago
Reply to  Pret

In that order????????????

JeanM
JeanM
6 years ago
Reply to  Newchump89

A friend wrote, (or repeated)
Here about the new restaurant called Karma? It has no menu….you get what you deserve..

Sucker Punched by a Saffa
Sucker Punched by a Saffa
6 years ago
Reply to  JeanM

Hi my name is Karma and I’m a big ole bitch !

WhereisMia
WhereisMia
6 years ago

Dear Tracey SLAM DUNK !!! Reading your response makes me feel elated thank you for speaking up for us true chumps ????????????

Nobody2U
Nobody2U
6 years ago
Reply to  WhereisMia

Fuckwit thunderdome..loving it! Your colorful use of my favorite cuss words make me think you are from my block back home for real..thank you so much..made my day

ChumpDiva
ChumpDiva
6 years ago

“Malignant entitlement” oh, ChumpLady, you stellar wordsmith, you!
And, thanks, DB, but this is neither your tribe nor your safe zone. You are persona non grata, here, where actual honest people are lifted out of and away from your cooterstench. Reap on! Don’t let the screendoor hit ya where the good lord split ya.

TaraBelle
TaraBelle
6 years ago
Reply to  ChumpDiva

Oh Jesus fuck. Don’t let the screen door hit yah where the good Lord split yah. Bravo bravo bravo.

Chickynot
Chickynot
6 years ago
Reply to  ChumpDiva

I also really liked “winner in the fuckwit Thunderdome.” ????????????

ChumpOnIt
ChumpOnIt
6 years ago
Reply to  Chickynot

Fuckwit Thunderdome: Three people enter, one lucky chump leaves

ihatehim
ihatehim
6 years ago
Reply to  ChumpOnIt

We must stop. I’m laughing so hard I fear I won’t be able to catch my breath.

ClearWaters
ClearWaters
6 years ago
Reply to  ihatehim

Chump Nation Lexicon.

ClearWaters
ClearWaters
6 years ago
Reply to  ChumpDiva

Cooterstench!!! Help! My belly is hurting!

Love it, Diva!

Too bad I hadn’t met you in my pre-D-Day days, when chumpy me actually noted to cheater that his breath smelled different and joked scientifically about its origin, that he had received a transplant of some foreign vaginal microbiota.
Cheater was really miffed about that joke, he pouted around the whole day.

So it’s really called cooterstench HA!

My word! The terms I learn here at Chump Nation. Malignant entitlement. Cooterstench.

And thinking scientifically, since this DB creature is number 8 she probably has LOTS of microbial mixing going on that does make for a pretty good stench.

Regular Pap smears are indeed in order. Very kind of Chump Lady, DB, take her good advice for the good of Public Health.

ChumpDiva
ChumpDiva
6 years ago
Reply to  ClearWaters

There was a thread not long ago when so many checked in about the cheater smell changing dramatically while cheating. I experienced this myself when my cheater’s nreath smelled like ammonia or acetone…it made me sick to mu stomach! Worst in bed at night. I think it’s promal warning systems, personally.
Cooterstench just came to me as I read DB8’s letter. CN is an inspiring environment!

Wonder No More
Wonder No More
6 years ago
Reply to  ChumpDiva

Mine completely smelled different! His truck smelled like her also! (His excuse was his buddy wears too much cologne) I could smell Her disgusting whore perfume smell a mile away. His clothes made my clothes smell like her if I washed them together. My son’s clothes smelled like her Skank smell when I washed them together. EWW YUCK—– So now with time having passed, when my son brings his stuff back from staying with Dad, even though Dad does not live with her, I still know the smell and it is still there— but I am over it. It just is what it is. It might be certain cleaners she introduced him too, her doing his laundry, lotions she infects his space with from rubbing off on things—stuff like that brought into the mix because I can’t imagine just perfume permeating things like that.

ChumpDiva
ChumpDiva
6 years ago
Reply to  ChumpDiva

Ugh typos! Breath…..my…
optimal

Resa
Resa
6 years ago
Reply to  ClearWaters

ClearWaters
Don’t forget Sparkletwat! ????

MidlifeBlast
MidlifeBlast
6 years ago
Reply to  ClearWaters

My cheater developed stinky bum breath during marriage. ugh *shudders*

Beth
Beth
6 years ago
Reply to  ChumpDiva

Cooterstench! Reap on! I think I love you ChumpDiva. ????

ChumpDiva
ChumpDiva
6 years ago
Reply to  Beth

Beth,
They reap what they ho…
Oh, yes, I did.
Lol! Love you too!

Beth
Beth
6 years ago
Reply to  ChumpDiva

Stop it! I’m at work and I’m laughing so hard I have tears. 😀 😀 😀

Cdclocks
Cdclocks
6 years ago
Reply to  Beth

Bwahahahahaha!!!!! ROTFLMAO!!!!

Be True To Yourself
Be True To Yourself
6 years ago

This is all about character isn’t it.
DB thinks it’s alright to cheat because she did, so she knows her current man ( a serial cheater ) will do it again. She knows you can’t trust what cheaters say because they lie ( she did to her husband too ) so she knows her cheater man is lying.
Tough shit as they say. Karma. Consequences. Perfect.

Nanki Poo
Nanki Poo
6 years ago

Yeah, but their cheating was all different and special and stuff because reasons and what not.

She deserves every second of this emotional hell, which she brought upon herself.

ChumpDiva
ChumpDiva
6 years ago
Reply to  Nanki Poo

Nanki poo….love how you put that! …because reasons and what not!
Laughter Laughter Laughter!

OhHellNo
OhHellNo
6 years ago
Reply to  Nanki Poo

“Yeah, but their cheating was all different and special and stuff because reasons and what not.”

BAHAHA You made my day, Nanki Poo!

nomoreskankboy
nomoreskankboy
6 years ago
Reply to  Nanki Poo

Hahahaha….”their cheating was all different and special and stuff because reasons and what not!”

chumpsrushin
chumpsrushin
6 years ago

Standing ovation to you CL! My advice to DB? Enjoy that bed you made of lies and deceit and destruction of family and friends because you’ve earned the disrespect of CN that comes with it. My 32 years of marriage was blown apart by someone who was an employee who serviced the father of my children while attending family functions at my house . She just smiled while they skimmed off money for their double life. DB, you go live like chumps do: get tested for STDs, sit in the dark so you can pay electricity, comfort your children about the loss of their family unit , put on a happy face for your grandchildren when they ask why gramma had to move , endure the pain and exhaustion of grief work. Yup, good times curtesy of OW. Go pound sand .

cashmere
cashmere
6 years ago
Reply to  chumpsrushin

Hey, that OW sounds awfully familiar. They “skimmed off” thousands upon thousands together: house, furniture, antiques, art, private chef, wine collection, you name it. But if I bought clothes for the kiddos or supplies for their team parties? Why, it was all, “Cashmere is so irresponsible with money.” Yup. That spending on the actual family sure does interfere with the double life. Once, I took some of my own paltry bit of money and popped it into DS’s checking so he could have a little extra spending money in college. Got an *immediate* complaint call from the fuckwit. After that, I sent the kid cash. Sheesh, yeah. Begrudge the college kid pizza and gas, but go crazy with those dinners prepared by a private chef. Sigh.

So glad to be living a life free of that disorder. #blessed.

LongingForMeh-ca
LongingForMeh-ca
6 years ago

In a similar vein, a Switzerland poseur, a medical professional I have had to see regularly this summer is creeping me out. When I shared about my very recent separation & the reason, his comment was. “Well, you know us men…” trailing back off into the nothingness from which such drivel comes. Red flag! That was 2 or 3 visits ago. Now I think he’s trying to hit on me, and even scheduled extra appointments that don’t seem necessary now. Really???!! Ugh! Why in God’s name would I ever switch roles to become the skank I despise? It appears he’s JAFC (Just Another Fucking Cheater) who thinks he can take advantage of a chump. So glad I don’t think like them!
Tracy, you provide so much to us of CN:
~ sane, salty guidance that empowers us
~ safe haven from a culture that no longer rejects narc perpetrators and often even blames Chumps for cheaters’ cheating
~ clear, consistent boundaries & how to create/maintain/defend our own!
~ excellent education & references about cheater/narc habits, justifications, tells, patterns to help us spot the signs
~ a great example of post-chump devastation & recovery in reclaiming list selves/places/experiences with joy!
~ courage to call abuse and torure by their actual names, thereby validating our pain, opening the way to
~ fuckwits, fucktards, so many f bomb delights!

Thank you, Tracy. You’ve saved my chumpy life!

Wonder No More
Wonder No More
6 years ago

Tell that “well you know us men” to all the men who have been cheated on by their whore wives—- For every cheating man there is a either cheating woman or a woman who knows she is with a cheater. I have a non cheating Dad who has been married to my Mom for 72 years, and four non-cheating brothers (one who was cheated on by his first wife). All non-cheating nephews as well (so far—-time will tell, I probably shouldn’t be too confident on the 100% track record 🙂

Chickynot
Chickynot
6 years ago

YIKES LongingforMeh-Ca!!! It sounds like my STBX might be your doctor! (Do you live in NV — be careful…). 😉

Chumpinrecovery
Chumpinrecovery
6 years ago

Can you see a different medical professional or are you stuck with this one due to availability and/or insurance/other? If he is creeping you out it might be time to avoid him if at all possible.

Mehtamorphosis
Mehtamorphosis
6 years ago

Hear hear!

That’s all I wanted to say, but it was too short.

ANC
ANC
6 years ago

What BS. Only cheaters cheat. Not all men are douchebags, just those who rationalize their magic members’ naughty habits.

kb
kb
6 years ago
Reply to  ANC

Yep. This. I know women outnumber men on this site, but the statistics show that men and women cheat at about the same rate, with men nudging a bit ahead of the women.

There loads of non-cheating men (and women!) out there. Once we’ve lost our cheater and start gaining our lives, we just need to fix our pickers so we don’t become attracted to the same people we just ditched.

I, for one, will never forget meeting one of my neighbors, a 92-year-old man who walks 2 miles each day when the weather permits (i.e. not slippery). He’s lost a lot of his hearing, but he told me that he’s been married to his wife for 72 years (yep, she’s alive), saying, “We suit each other!”

What a great reminder that love and marriage can stand up to time!

cheaterssuck
cheaterssuck
6 years ago

OMG, love the troll vomiting up a rainbow!

As has been said here before: “the best gift you can give a cheater is another cheater.” This letter is such a great illustration of why chumps shouldn’t fret over how “wonderful” Mr. and Mrs. Cheater McCheaterson’s new lives are (according to Facebook of course). This is what they live with every day and really who could ask for Karma more sweet than that?

I found out my ex married the OW after we divorced. This was after a 3 year attempt at wreckconciliation which in retrospect makes that attempt even more wrecked. Anyway the news of their blessed nuptials had an odd effect on me. A sense of calm and serenity washed over me as I began to imagine what it would be like to be discarded after my ex decided to “work things out” with me and then have him run back when I told him I wanted a divorce. My ex was never thrilled that she went back to her husband during our wreckconciliation because I guess he thought she should hang around, pine over him and remain celibate until he threw her another crumb. Cue a lifetime of pick me dancing.

Romantic isn’t it? I guess my advice to all OW/OM is good luck with that!

NOREGRETS
NOREGRETS
6 years ago
Reply to  cheaterssuck

Cheaterssuck

I won’t have to worry about my STBX coming back because not only did I write the OW a letter letting her know what she has, but I decided to include her parents and let them know what she is shacking up with. He is narcissit that mindfucked me for five years. When will this pain go away??? The OW is posting pictures on Facebook.

NOREGRETS
NOREGRETS
6 years ago
Reply to  NOREGRETS

He was so pissed that I wrote the letter to her parents that he texted me and said, it is over. Then he said, he was done with me as well. I’m not going to be second best.

NOREGRETS
NOREGRETS
6 years ago
Reply to  NOREGRETS

Now the XMW who is now the OW can live with the pictures in her mind when my STBX was having sex with me and the OW, not to mention constantly worrying if he will cheat again. But hey let’s just say the asshole will never respect or love you because he is a narcissit

unicornomore
unicornomore
6 years ago

My deadcheaters OW thought herself a Chump too, from what I gathered. Her boyfriend/fiance cheated on her then she took up with my husband who was supposedly “fair game” since our marriage was “already over”.

Funny how one would still have to sneak around and lie to hide a relationship if a marriage were “already over”. Oh yea, we still LIVED TOGETHER AS A FAMILY….husband/wife in same bed, 3 kids with lunch boxes and stuff, family dog and minivan…you know the stuff of suburban marriage and family.

But somehow I deserved for them to lie to me to extend business trips so that they could fuck in hotel rooms paid for my the US Government and her employer while I drove his son named after his father to hockey.

She was no Chump, she was a selfish shrew liar.

AlohaFreedom
AlohaFreedom
6 years ago
Reply to  unicornomore

unicorn-
My stbxh loved that phrase to, “all ready separated.” He would try to justify the hidden relationships that intermingled with his attempts to gain me back and “reconcile our family.”
No. No. No. No.
You don’t hide things (or relationships) that you are proud of.

FooledMeTwice
FooledMeTwice
6 years ago
Reply to  unicornomore

According to my STBX’s spin our marriage had been over for years. My son called STBX a liar and faker, so now he’s rationalized faking happiness during our “marital troubles” so that the kids, family, and friends wouldn’t know what was going on. He’s conveniently forgotten that he didn’t let me in on our troubles!

We’re still married. No paperwork in progress. He’s shacking up with his “friend”. Totally upset about being shunned by his children, and just cannot fathom why they aren’t happy with him. The tales he’s spinning of what he’d like the history books to read just aren’t working for them.

I suspect that he’ll stay with her until she’s figured out how much of a dud he really is.

Soldiering On
Soldiering On
6 years ago
Reply to  FooledMeTwice

Quick, divorce him before she catches on!!!

Battle-Tempered Lionheart
Battle-Tempered Lionheart
6 years ago
Reply to  Soldiering On

Absolutely. I feel compelled to agree. If you are unsure, keep coming back and keep reading the stories of others.

Tempest
Tempest
6 years ago
Reply to  FooledMeTwice

FooledMeTwice–You can file the paperwork; don’t need to wait for cheater (or it will never happen & you’ll end up in never-ending limbo hell).

Chumpinrecovery
Chumpinrecovery
6 years ago
Reply to  unicornomore

Ex’s Schmoopie was cheated on by her ex husband. I guess he told me that so I would have sympathy for her. It actually just made me hate her more. She knew exactly how much pain she was putting me through. She also knew I still loved him and wanted to reconcile, but she still went out of her way to “win” him because she decided she was special and deserved love more than I did. I can only hope she someday gets the kind of Karma this woman is getting. I don’t know if he will cheat on her or not (right now he is still starry eyed over her), but he still isn’t going to be happy and she will still have to deal with living with a man who is perpetually dissatisfied with life, even if he isn’t blaming her for it. That tends to bring you down after a while. Also, he still has just enough feelings for me that it will drive her crazy even if he has clearly chosen her and there is no chance of us getting back together again. It will be a constant reminder of what she destroyed and she will always have to fret over whether or not she was really worth it and if he might regret it someday.

I would also settle for her cheating on and leaving ex so that he gets hit with the Karma bus. Then maybe he can find some new woman (after a few months of IC) who I might actually like and with whom I can be friends. That’s my fantasy.

unicornomore
unicornomore
6 years ago

Yes, Nowdeadcheater one time REALLY tried to drive home the idea that I should have compassion for the OW because “She was CHEATED ON!!” completely ignoring the cheating-on which he did to create the cluster-fuck we were in.

What I really wish I would have done is to have waited just until OW was married and pregnant then (acting like I had no idea of OWs circumstances) tell NDC that I really tried at our wreckonciliation but I just couldnt make a go of it and he was free to go do whatever.

Well Chumped
Well Chumped
6 years ago

I feel the same way. I can’t fathom even saying hello to the affair partner turned husband. He represents everything my ex and I (I thought) were trying to raise our 3 boys to reject in their lives. I secretly hope the day comes where their quicksand fake lives collapse under it’s own weight and she has to do the work of finding a legitimate partner who isn’t made of glitter covered diarrhea. I might shake that guys hand. Until then I’ll just keep explaining to my boys that no, their soul mate will never be someone else’s spouse.

Vastra
Vastra
6 years ago
Reply to  Well Chumped

I love this version of a sparkly turd – glitter-covered diarrhoea! No need to be friendly with that man, and I feel the pain of having him in your boys’ life. At least mine rarely have to see their former music teacher / now stepmother. They have zero respect for her and consider her an idiot.

violet
violet
6 years ago
Reply to  unicornomore

Oh, yes, the “They weren’t REALLY married, they just acted like they were.” How well I know that bullshit, because that was OW’s mantra to all who would listen, and many did. It sure was news to me all those times we were laying in bed sharing our dreams for the future, raising kids, cooking, laughing, crying, burying loved ones, watching our lives unfold together, you know, like married people do.

“My” OW was also married and this letter could have been written by her (except my X wasn’t as gross as this guy). What she doesn’t want to admit is that she chumped herself! She is where she is because of the decisions she has made. She is not the victim, but instead, went into this with her “eyes wide shut.” She saw precisely what she wanted to see because it enabled her to fuck over the people who loved her. After all, doesn’t true love prevail?

I do have some advice for her, though. Run, run as fast as you can. Leave this guy immediately! Your misery is only beginning. Fuck with you, fuck on you. Stem the blood flow now. Admit that you have hurt many, many innocent people. Apologize, but do not expect that anyone will believe a word you say. Look inside yourself to see why you are so damaged that you think it is morally permissible to intentionally hurt other people to satisfy your own selfish whims. Know better, do better.

Do I expect this LW to follow my advice? No, because it has been my experience that people like her are unable to admit that they bear any responsibility for the damage they have caused. Lacking insight into how their own conduct has contributed to their situation, such people constantly look for someone else to blame. This lack of insight will keep this woman, and others like her, locked in a cycle of deflection, denial and victimization. The keys to unlock the door of her self-imposed anxiety are in her hands. She is the only one who can use them. But if she thinks for one second that the cheater she has thrown all away for will ever change, she is delusional.

OneFleshWithACheater
OneFleshWithACheater
6 years ago
Reply to  violet

There is shame that leads to indignation, and there is shame that leads to repentance.

Spoonriver
Spoonriver
6 years ago
Reply to  violet

Well said Violet!

Doingme
Doingme
6 years ago

DB

You believe it’s eight? Try double or triple that number. Imagine the devience it takes to have a fifteen year affair on an unsuspecting loyal spouse.

Your remorse (karma) isn’t for the families the two of you blew up. It’s the realization you earned what you’re stuck with. And I wonder if you were the one that took part in the fifteen year affair. My chunky feelers think ‘yes’.

A number. That’s what you are feeling right now. Your math needs a touch up. Keep him close. You earne every last ounce of pairing up with a serial cheater.

Sucker Punched by a Saffa
Sucker Punched by a Saffa
6 years ago
Reply to  Doingme

“A hole is a hole is a hole” to quote Patti Stanger, a real classy broad.

You’re one of many

Beth
Beth
6 years ago

Hey #8, he cheated on his wife with his best friend’s wife for FIFTEEN YEARS and you wonder whether he’s cheating on you? Eighth in a line of fuck buddies? Hahahaha. You really are a special kind of stupid, aren’t you? I hope that if you’re collecting any spousal support from your ex (AKA actual Chump) he can get the order terminated on the grounds that you are cohabiting with your partner in crime. Now that would be some Karma!

Feelingit
Feelingit
6 years ago

I thought maybe db’s letter would give some insight into stbx’s whore but instead it made me realize there is nothing worthwhile there. DB doesn’t mention any regret over the cheating and discard of her x. The only concern is her and keeping her sparkly turd.

After whore’s deposition, I thought why would Stbx make her go through that and why would she put up with that? All he would have to do is say: yes I had an affair and there would have been no need for that. Yes, they partner’s in crime and looking out only for themselves.

She is his sparkly turd too. Inevitably, the sparkle will probably wear off of one or both and then it will be time to go after a new one. In the meantime, they can revel in a shallow relationship full of new and fresh sex (until it isn’t)

Laughing Gator
Laughing Gator
6 years ago
Reply to  Feelingit

Feelingit,

Why would he make her go through the deposition you ask ?? DRAMA and lots of it is like sweet sweet candy to a Narc. His new schmoopie is having to fight for her love of him–how wonderful is that ?? Also seeing her testimony causing you pain is sweet for him because you deserve to suffer because of all the things that you did to him..he can’t say exact what “things” but “things” and you made him unhappy (actual statement by my ex during the divorce).

Sunrise
Sunrise
6 years ago
Reply to  Laughing Gator

He can’t say exactly what things you did to make him unhappy but you did things. The same bs I got LGator!

I wonder if current ho-wife’s suddenly frequent travels and night-time absences (as reported by my kids) are making him unhappy now. ????

GetMeFree
GetMeFree
6 years ago
Reply to  Feelingit

He put her through that for the same reason he is putting you through a high conflict divorce. People have no real value to him.

Feelingit
Feelingit
6 years ago
Reply to  GetMeFree

“People have no real value to him.” Simple but profound. Thanks for that!

It also shows his power over her and that she will do anything for him. You can be sure there is no reciprocity there>

NoChump4U
NoChump4U
6 years ago

It’s called KARMA, and it’s pronounced “haha f*ck you!

Sunflower36
Sunflower36
6 years ago

“The VICTOR in the fuckwit Thunderdome!”

GOLDEN.

Listen #8

GonnaBeOK
GonnaBeOK
6 years ago

May #8 and her cheating cheater enjoy living in the kitty litter box they deserve.

Zell
Zell
6 years ago

It seems like cheaters think in their brain that they are a victim of something. I guess it helps them to rationalize their cheating. My cheater wife has proclaimed over and over “Yeah I cheated but I’m not a bad person !” Originally I thought she was trying to convince ME, now I think she is trying to convince HERSELF.

nodancing
nodancing
6 years ago
Reply to  Zell

this is true, mine abandoned us and then became a devout christian

Battle-Tempered Lionheart
Battle-Tempered Lionheart
6 years ago
Reply to  nodancing

I am so sorry you had to go through that, nomar. There are few things in this world more disgusting than someone using religion as a perfect cover for their image management.

I usually don’t judge another’s spiritual state but I sure will in this case!

I have felt spiritual conviction in my life and believe me, it takes you low, low, low. If he is not showing real sorrow toward you ( as in being grateful to lick the gravel upon which you tread) I am VERY suspicious of his devout Christianity.

Jackassery, all of it. Appallingly Disgusting.

Battle-Tempered Lionheart
Battle-Tempered Lionheart
6 years ago

I mean *nodancing. Did u used to be Nomar?

Tempest
Tempest
6 years ago
Reply to  Zell

Yup, my X’s last written line to me was , one year after the divorce, was “I’m not as bad a person as you think I am.”

He’s actually worse than I thought at the time as the full story of his perfidy is now know.

NotThisGirl
NotThisGirl
6 years ago
Reply to  Tempest

My ex did the same thing! I told him he was a liar and his response was, “That is your opinion and not the truth”. He really thinks that he is at no fault!!

Battle-Tempered Lionheart
Battle-Tempered Lionheart
6 years ago
Reply to  NotThisGirl

Mine said “I can’t believe you think I’m that kind of guy!”

Umm. . .I can’t believe you DON’T think you’re ‘that kind of guy'”. This is what scares me the most. If he can spackle over his own behavior, what else is he capable of?

Truly chilling. Does anyone else feel this way? By all outward accounts he seems harmless. Kind, even. But last year when his dad died, he changed.

Before CN I would have called it grief. Now I see the crazy goes way beyond the temporary irrationally that comes with grieving.

He was the same guy all along. When his dad died his mask slipped and I got a glimpse of his true self. And I am afraid. I am not afraid for my immediate safety so I am lining up my ducks very carefully. Also I have the beginnings of a safety plan.

Anyhow, even though I do not have evidence of him cheating, I feel this little germ of fear, and it grows every day. Thanks to CL I recognized the emotional abuse and gaslighting. I learned about spackling and stopped doing it for the most part. Boy, the truth hurts.

Anyway, I have not told any mutual friends or family that I am afraid of him. I sound like a crazy person because I don’t have proof of anything he has done. I believe in my gut (thank you CN) but my family sure won’t.

All I know is, once I file I need to take the kids to an undisclosed location.

Has anyone been through this? How do you know when it is safe to go back?

Now-I-Know-What-Hell-Looks-Like
Now-I-Know-What-Hell-Looks-Like
6 years ago

It may never be safe to go back to where he can find you and the kids. If he’s acting scary enough or your gut is telling you he is dangerous enough for you to ask that question, I think you have your answer. There ARE sick freaks out there who will harm their own flesh and blood just to make you pay for crossing them. Please be careful!

kb
kb
6 years ago
Reply to  Zell

@Zell said It seems like cheaters think in their brain that they are a victim of something.

When I retained my lawyer, she told me that 1) a year after the divorce, I’d be so much better off than I was at that time, and 2) that no matter that CheaterX was the one who blew up the marriage with his cheating, he’d see himself as the victim.

Both statements turned out to be true.

UXworld
UXworld
6 years ago
Reply to  kb

See my entry from a few days ago about KK’s narrative that was posted with her lingerie pics. It’s all “I’m the victim of a bad situation, but I’m overcoming it and flourishing as a result — and here are my escort service pics to prove it.”

It’s part and parcel of their high placement on the narcissism scale. Everything, EVERYTHING, is about them.

kb
kb
6 years ago
Reply to  UXworld

I have to say that the tales of KK knock the Narc Ball out of the park.

Newchump89
Newchump89
6 years ago
Reply to  Zell

It’s funny you say that, my stbx and his ow both constantly say they aren’t bad people, who are you trying to convince the general public or yourselves?? We all know you both suck, no matter how many times you try to dress a llama as a bunny that llama is still a llama( they are bad people no matter how many times they say they aren’t) cant reason with the disordered and in denials.

ANC
ANC
6 years ago
Reply to  Zell

I know. NiceGuy now wears a tan shirt, proclaims the BoyScout oath infront of many. See??? He’s not a BadGuy nor a Hypocrite even though he continues with his strippers, escorts, porn and new targets!

Sunflower36
Sunflower36
6 years ago

Whoops… submitted before I was done!

#8, you won’t get sympathy here. They only hope for redemption youve got now, is to get right with Jesus. Leave the Grand Prize of Sparkle Turd, pick up the pieces of your life, embrace a life of celibacy, and buy a plant. If you can keep it alive for 3 years, maybe you can get a cat.

You need to turn your pathetic excuse for a life, to a different direction that does not include any human being who might depend on you too much. You’ve got you, babe, so work on that.

Thrive
Thrive
6 years ago
Reply to  Sunflower36

Golden. “Buy a plant and if alive in 3 yrs get a cat”. Love this. Chumpland, so funny. CL so nice to just have a good ole belly laugh at some of these retorts, you go fellow chumps. I wish I could be creative but I can only say what I say to my STBX.” you are an idiot and I am so glad I am not you.” I mean the level of stupidity that one has to do these things to their families is not something we chumps can understand. So thanks #8 for giving us clear vision into this other worldly thinking. in this case, forgiveness for STBX behavior will have to come from God cuz I got nothing right now but resentment and it is not eating me up it is driving me to fight for my rights. Power on fellow chumps!

Doop
Doop
6 years ago

Attn DB: If he did it with you, he’ll do it to you.

FarBetterOff
FarBetterOff
6 years ago

Put two SparkleTurds in a blender and what do you get? This.

Lest we Chumps ever doubt what’s really at the end of a SparkleTurd’s rainbow. It’s this lovely pot of Sparkleturd Smoothie right here.

Thrive
Thrive
6 years ago
Reply to  FarBetterOff

Sparkle turd smoothie. Another good one. I am having so much fun this morning!

Hope49
Hope49
6 years ago
Reply to  Thrive

Sparkle turd smoothie…I am dying of laughter. The BEST.

50 Chump
50 Chump
6 years ago

Hi 8.
You probably have nothing to worry about. After all those years of his serial cheating, you and your
“Magic Vagina” have surely put him on the straight and narrow.

What comes around, goes around, and a lot of it grows
on those stripper poles. Good luck to you, you surely won the prize.

Special snowflake ha!
Special snowflake ha!
6 years ago

ok, gotta be honest here, I kinda get a sadistic kick out of the OW/OM trolls that come here. I do enjoy the absolute stupidity of these special, entitled beings trying to pass themselves off as chumps. Explaining how they are special and how they hurt oh so very much.

Watching CN rip them a new one is actually quite satisfying. It’s like getting the chance to tell your ex and his special whore off without breaking no contact/ gray rock. Their special brand of stupidity in coming here is really quite amusing when you think about it. So like our exes justifying their behavior, they have no clue about boundaries or what real humans would do.

Rock on CN, keep evisterating the trolls and then go have a good laugh at their stupidity and entitlement. They are nothing to us.

UnflownKite
UnflownKite
6 years ago

I don’t like to pile on, but I’m so glad Chump Lady went int the direction she did with this one. For a second I thought it was going to end with tea and sympathy. You can be stupid, but being stupid and arrogant is an unforgivable combination. The arrogance comes in the “exception” belief. All along she was convinced she was the exception. That’s some grade A arrogance.

UnflownKite
UnflownKite
6 years ago
Reply to  UnflownKite

The OW, not Chump Lady. I wish we could edit our comments. I’m never good at first try.

SuperDuperChump
SuperDuperChump
6 years ago

Dear DB,

I represent your ex-husband because he is “My People.” He and I should have coffee sometime and exchange war stories about our shitty, cheating ex-wives.

Just wanted to let you know that while you are knee deep in your constant worries about Dick Tracy, your ex is slowly putting his life together watching his black eyes heal every day.

Do you know how exciting it is to meet a wonderful woman who loves your every ounce of positive and negative qualities? The fireworks, sweet text messages, dry meatloaf, messy morning hair….everything that is the greatest feeling of being in a true, loving relationship.

Well, I do….and so will your ex-husband. He just doesn’t know it yet. And when he does, he will be thankful you were a piece of dogshit and left. You gave him the Golden Ticket to heaven on earth. He just doesn’t know it yet.

Thank you very much for being a Douchebag. You put a wonderful man back on the market for all the wonderful women in the world.

nodancing
nodancing
6 years ago

yes, this is what happened to me, he left and tried to destroy me but I slowly bounced back and am continuing to gain momentum, the cheaters, they just have complicated lives and strained relationships, i got my freedom and the opportunity to experience actual love

Well Chumped
Well Chumped
6 years ago

Boom! Preach, homie! I told my ex that even though my new love is superior in nearly every way, I would never have traded in my vows or family for the upgrade. I thanked her for doing it for me. Sometimes nice guys do finish first…

Now I.C.
Now I.C.
6 years ago

I need the number of a guy like that! Love this.

SuperDuperChump
SuperDuperChump
6 years ago
Reply to  Now I.C.

My Dear….no number needed. He will appear when you least expect it.

Before long, you will get to be “that bitch who got ‘Just Because’ flowers at work today.”

Now I.C.
Now I.C.
6 years ago

Lordy I hope so, thanks for reminding me that the sparkly ones are shit and the good ones will come quietly….and permanently…

cheaterssuck
cheaterssuck
6 years ago

You win the internet today SuperDuperChump!

Newchump89
Newchump89
6 years ago

SuperDuperChump

I will take this and change the he for she!! I needed to read this! Thank you stbx for placing me back on the market!! I look forward to the dry meatloaf and messy morning hair with a man worthy enough to be with me!????

SuperDuperChump
SuperDuperChump
6 years ago
Reply to  Newchump89

The burnt pork chops weren’t my fault….Texas Tech went into overtime and I forgot about them until the smoke detector went off…..but, she just laughed it off while we were eating at Sonic.

Damn those Red Raiders!!! It was their fault!!!

Hopefloats80
Hopefloats80
6 years ago

Too many tortillas flying lol

Chumpinrecovery
Chumpinrecovery
6 years ago

That’s what I need. A man who doesn’t need me to be perfect. And he had darn well better not be perfect either. I lived with nearly perfect for years and it wasn’t much fun.

brandib
brandib
6 years ago

Love this! You are so awesome!

Mighty Again
Mighty Again
6 years ago

YES, YES SuperDuperChump!!!! Love it!!!

Theive
Theive
6 years ago

You go super duper jump! Often times I am just embarrassed to admit I was married to fucktard.

Martha
Martha
6 years ago
Reply to  Theive

Me too. 🙁 I’m embarrassed and feel so stupid for falling for all his lies and manipulation. 🙁 Over and over again he made me doubt my intuition or even things I uncovered. And at the end, he blamed me for everything and it took Chump Lady and Chump Nation to tell me it was him and not me!

Battle-Tempered Lionheart
Battle-Tempered Lionheart
6 years ago
Reply to  Martha

Take heart, Martha. They are sicker than we are smart.
They are also VERY good at what they do.
My well-respected college professor encouraged me to marry my narc. This prof worked on Capitol Hill for 20 years. He has an excellent BS detector. But my narc fooled him!
When I think of it like that, I don’t feel embarrassed anymore.

Martha
Martha
6 years ago

BTL, they sure are good at what they do (lying and cheating)! I’ve have read over and over again that they can even fool therapists, etc. My ex has so many people fooled and they believe whatever stories he’s been pedaling for I don’t know how many years. I honestly don’t know how he can look at himself in a mirror, but I’ve read they don’t have a conscience, so I guess that means he doesn’t feel bad about anything. Pretty scary that there are so many people out their like them.

Doingme
Doingme
6 years ago
Reply to  Martha

Not your Shame Martha. He’s the pathetic one.

Martha
Martha
6 years ago
Reply to  Doingme

Thanks, Doingme. I just wish I could go back in time and slap Young Martha and tell her to “Wake up! Trust you gut! Run!!” But I can’t and now I have to live with all that I put up with. How I abandoned myself and didn’t take care of myself by leaving a man like this. It sure would be nice to have a Do Over with all the knowledge we have now. 🙂

Zell
Zell
6 years ago

Your words inspire me to keep going forward against my cheater wife. Thank you for making my day.

SuperDuperChump
SuperDuperChump
6 years ago
Reply to  Zell

My Brother…keep going. That tick may have sucked all the blood from you, but YOU get to control YOU now! The future is YOURS….go take it! Go bundgy jump this weekend…skydive…serve a meal at a shelter…college football game….take some snacks to a fire department at midnight….whatever. Start doing stuff, just stuff.

unicornomore
unicornomore
6 years ago

My NewFaithfulHusband was dumped by his first wife because GreenerGrassoverthere. Mr GreenGrass eventually got a restraining order against her. Much later she remarried to a guy who seems a decent fellow but he has to deal with SheWhoRulesWithIronFist.

We see them very seldom, but NFH looks at this guy with sincere pity.

Patsy
Patsy
6 years ago
Reply to  unicornomore

Ha ha ha ha haaa!

Sorry, I shouldn’t laugh.

Has she got over you yet, UNM?

Mehtamorphosis
Mehtamorphosis
6 years ago

THIS, SuperDuperChump.

crushedfifi
crushedfifi
6 years ago

Yes!! Good to represent the mighty chump!!! You are awesome

Attie
Attie
6 years ago

After my ex ran off with the Skank she was with him (for the money I suspect) for 3 years before she cheated on him. I heard from a friend many years later that she had to leave him because “she was afraid he would kill her as he was violent”! Ha, bloody ha. If only you had cared to ask before you started fucking my husband I could have showed you the domestic violence conviction I have against him! I also know for a fact that despite his earning eight times what she did, he was forever asking to borrow money because he was “just a little short this month”! Who’s laughing now Skank?

crushedfifi
crushedfifi
6 years ago

Thank u for posting this. I do relate to a lot of this woman’s anxiety about the situation. I knew my cheater had problems in the past, I had gut intuitions on how he treated women, bounced from relationship to relationship. But he was in AA and I assumed that when he settled with me and said he loved me that that somehow he had worked on himself and was prepared to have a relationship. Bc he told me he didn’t love those women. He LOVED ME. Needless to say my anxiety of his past would come up now and again. I would question how he treated me, disrespected me around women, disappeared at times. But it always got turned around on MY defects MY flaws and my relationship ridiculousness. It was always a fight and I would apologize. But the truth is his double life continued. The blatant lies to my face. The letting me think I was crazy. Allowing me to go on medication. Being mad at me and frustrated when questioned. Disrespecting me to everyone and isolating me. Letting me think that we loved each other and trash talking me to people. Checking out of the relationship long before I knew…
This is a person incapable of true intimacy, who will live in a loneliness hell, who wants to do image and damage control so people won’t see he’s rotten on the inside. He’s so fucking charming, funny, popular, friendly, helpful. But that is his candy coating. He is a rotting pile of bile refuse shit and decayed pig flesh underneath. I just need to keep reminding myself of that

Lady B
Lady B
6 years ago
Reply to  crushedfifi

I could have written this post.
Addiction problems that I helped him through only to get sober and start cheating, emotional abuse and blame shifting all the way. Like I should be ok with being his emotional vomit bucket because you know its my fault and if its not I should do spend my energy trying to fix him.
I will not date a man who has had substance abuse issues when Im ready to date, too hard.
Hand me a nice strong homely chump who does yoga and I’m set.

notaddictedchump
notaddictedchump
6 years ago
Reply to  Lady B

Lady B – having a cheater with an addiction problem just adds the toppings and condiments to the shit sandwich that the chumps get served! Cheaters lie and gaslight. Addicts seem to find a whole different level to mindfuck you with and bring in even more dangers to the family.
I am 100% with you on your statement of….”I will not date a man who has had substance abuse issues when Im ready to date, too hard.Hand me a nice strong homely chump who does yoga and I’m set.” Well said and thank you! I’m putting that boundary in place and I don’t care what sob story I get….it’s still gonna be “fuck off” and if I’m alone forever then at least I know my own truth and not some BS version of it.

Peackeeper
Peackeeper
6 years ago
Reply to  crushedfifi

Way to go crushedfifi,
You have seen threw his “candy coating”
You are angry!
You are gonna be ok!
Keep that Mighty Crown in place.
It fits perfectly!

crushedfifi
crushedfifi
6 years ago
Reply to  crushedfifi

Wow I just read my post and I sound like I’m backing her up. I’m not. I’m happy to hear these fuckers who blow up lives get what they deserve. The winner of the pick me dance. I just can relate to the amount of spackle that I applied to red flags. But like every victim of narc abuse- you get clumped and get told a million sadz stories on how bad their life was before you and how great it is now. I should of trusted my gut on those red flags

Martha
Martha
6 years ago
Reply to  crushedfifi

Crushedfifif, No it doesn’t sound like you are taking the OW’s side. I can relate to so much you said. My ex did and said a lot of the same things yours did. And I went on meds too, because I got depressed after we got married (he withdrew from me and withheld sex just after our honeymoon — I felt like I was being a bad wife — no, I just married a disordered fuckwit!). I sure would love to hear all the sad sausage (lies) stories he told about me to his OW’s and the flying monkeys. Maybe God will be good to me and let me see them when I die. I’m just curious as to how long he’s been talking bad about me behind my back, all the while telling me what a wonderful wife and mom I was. And I was or at least I tried my best!

MotherChumper99
MotherChumper99
6 years ago
Reply to  Martha

Martha, ditto to the letter! I can’t wrap my head around the occasionally very loving way X was with me while he was trashing me to others/APs at the exact same time. It’s a major mind fuck.

Martha
Martha
6 years ago

MotherChumper99, that’s just what cheaters do! They talk bad about us behind our back to get sympathy or whatever from the AP’s or the Flying Monkeys. It’s not based on reality at all! Don’t let it fuck with your mind. I know I was a great wife. Not perfect, because no one is perfect. I tried hard, because I didn’t know what I did wrong for the other times he devalued me or cheated on me, so I walked on egg shells (didn’t even realize I was doing it!) and Picked Me Dance (didn’t know I was doing that too!) for close to 24 years.

And today I had another A-Ha(!) moment. At least four years ago, the X and I were at our sons school, waiting in a group of people to get inside of the auditorium for our sons concert. X and I were holding hands as we usually did. Everything was fine and dandy between us. X saw a newly divorced woman that he works with and what did he do? He immediately dropped my hand and stood against the concrete wall like we weren’t together. I knew about her divorce, because he told me about it and some of the details. At the time I was very suspicious about his behavior that night, but I didn’t say anything, because it would lead to another fight/discussion about his women “friends.” Fast forward a few years and just about two weeks after D-day, we ran into the same woman at Target and her face was a look of total confusion. You see, X and I were holding hands again and laughing. She looked in shock and all she said was, “Where are your kids?” X’s face turned completely red and when I asked him about his red face all he said was, “Don’t you get embarrassed to see your coworkers outside of work?” Ugh, no. I realized a few months later that he was already talking to this coworker (lies about me I’m sure based on the look of shock on her face) and then my today’s A-Ha moment was remembering back a few years back how he dropped my hand that day. I have no doubt in my mind that he was feeding her bs lines about our marriage even back then. I have no doubt he was grooming her to be a future AP. These cheaters are all the same and they’ll say anything they need to say in order to get what they want or to protect their image. THEY SUCK and WE DON’T!

Jo
Jo
6 years ago
Reply to  Martha

Martha, wow, your ex is bonkers! That line about embarrassment is really over the top. Damn. The grooming they do of future AP’s is shameless. Kudos to you for figuring it out and extricating yourself from a very thick fog of manipulation and weirdness. I’m impressed by your mightiness!

Kim
Kim
6 years ago
Reply to  Jo

I know my ex had been living a double life for years. Years of lies to me and about me. Question…. Have any of your ex’s ever when forced to have a photo taken with you ,looked mad, or sad in them ? Mine could be laughing one minute but God forbid look happy on a social media pic with me a minute later.

Beans
Beans
6 years ago
Reply to  Kim

Yup. And at the time I never noticed that he never really posted any pictures of us or me on social media. Like it wasn’t an issue. “Oh he’s a man and he doesn’t use Facebook much! He doesn’t Want everyone in his business!” Well Beans, motherfucker was Mark Zuckerbetg when he wanted to use Facebook messenger to cheat on you, so…..

After DDay I promptly told my mother in law there would be no more “faaaaamily” portraits done with me in them. That felt nice. ☺️

Martha
Martha
6 years ago
Reply to  Jo

Thank you, Jo. 🙂 It took A LOT of thinking/remembering and A LOT of help from Chump Lady and Chump Nation. When you are not a cheater or disordered person, it doesn’t come naturally to see the red flags and *off* behavior. I felt like I was going crazy after the discard, because nothing made sense! Coming here almost every day and reading just about everything helped me to figure it all out. Plus family, friends and counseling of course. I don’t feel mighty, but I can look back on the last three years and I’ve done some pretty mighty stuff. 🙂 It makes me happy that I’m learning to stick up for myself and create boundaries for the first time in my life. Have a great weekend! 🙂

violet
violet
6 years ago
Reply to  crushedfifi

It doesn’t sound that way at all. You are describing the classic cheater tactic of gas lighting. It begins to make you feel as if you are the crazy one, that everything is your fault. It is something most of us have experienced. I know I did and frankly, it still angers me when I remember how skillfully X employed it. All the created conflicts to throw me off track, all the blame I accepted for my supposed paranoia, all the times I thought I was the one causing unnecessary problems in our marriage. No, it is yet another tactic in the cheater handbook and your comment describes in accurate detail.

ChumpLena
ChumpLena
6 years ago
Reply to  violet

I too need medication because “I am too sensitive”, “I overthink everything”, I remember everything wrong because “That never happened”.
My life is a shattered mess and I am barely hanging on. Most days I would prefer to stop hanging on.
My special Golden Dick spouse will not let me go. He has me so trapped that I can’t even think clearly. I am damned if I do and fucked if I don’t.

Attie
Attie
6 years ago
Reply to  ChumpLena

ChumpLena – hang in there. It WILL get better I promise. Reach out where you can trust people. Don’t give up. The best way to get to him is to live a happy life. It may seem far off in the distance right now but I promise you it will come. Sending you big hugs from France.

JC
JC
6 years ago

Back when I was waiting on the Karma Bus, I would hope that my XW experienced the similar fears that this woman does. My XW was also an OW and a cheater, and now she has a baby girl with her OM.

Then I realized it won’t work that way. When gets to that point, she’ll just find some other married loser and branch-swing to him. Because although she tells herself otherwise, it’s not about the man; it’s about not being alone.

So, DB should get her vine ready, and branch-swing to the next classy dude willing to destroy his marriage for her. And then the next. And then next. The caliber of these men won’t increase over time, of course, but at least she won’t be alone.

And that’s what she’s really scared of—being alone. Otherwise, she’d act on her alleged fears and leave this guy today. Either that…or all of her fear is just an bunch of bullshit to get a rise out of us. Either way, she’s screwed (and not in a good way).

Chickynot
Chickynot
6 years ago
Reply to  JC

So so so familiar!! I love the concept of branch swinging — never thought about it, but the scared to be alone thing nails my own STBX to a T. He’s always had OW “backups” waiting in the wings, or booze, or ANYTHING to distract himself from being alone. I never did understand his weird need to have every TV blaring and turn on every light in the house whenever he was home (even if for only 15 minutes). I used to think he was scared of the dark. Now I think he just can’t stand quiet time alone because in his own head, there’s nobody of substance home, and it’s too boring.

geekmom
geekmom
6 years ago
Reply to  Chickynot

“I never did understand his weird need to have every TV blaring and turn on every light in the house whenever he was home (even if for only 15 minutes). I used to think he was scared of the dark. Now I think he just can’t stand quiet time alone because in his own head, there’s nobody of substance home, and it’s too boring.”

OMG, Chickynot! You just turned on a lightbulb for me! This! This exactly! Every damn light! TV turned up to unbearable (for me and the kids) levels! Even when he was “working” out in the garage he had a TV or the stereo blaring – usually to music he’d heard over and over and over, or TV reruns. Wow…

Attie
Attie
6 years ago
Reply to  geekmom

Yep, I’ll second all of that. Couldn’t be alone either. A total drunk, who had to have music/TVs ANYTHING blaring all the time, even if he wasn’t in the room. Crikey, they really are all the same aren’t they!

FindingBliss
FindingBliss
6 years ago
Reply to  JC

Branch swing to the next one—-love, love the imagery. Thanks for the morning pick-me-up!

DunChumpin
DunChumpin
6 years ago
Reply to  JC

Ding ding ding. I was thinking the same thing. This is the official start of her discard of him. Of course it started the day they met, but so it begins in earnest. Its your classic borderline meets narc story. So beautiful really.

SeaChump
SeaChump
6 years ago
Reply to  DunChumpin

“This is the official start of her discard of him…..Its your classic borderline meets narc story. ”
YES! This! EXACTLY!

Zell
Zell
6 years ago
Reply to  JC

yeah the “alone” part rings in my ears. My therapist tells me my Borderline Personality Disorder cheater wife just sees me as ‘useful’ not necessarily able to love me in a normal way. And definitely not able to be faithful. They fear being alone/abandoned yet they do everything to want their partner to flee- including cheat. Very weird. Your term “branch swinging” is a perfect term. I understand her previous relationships from a different perspective now. My therapist told me to prepare myself for how quickly my wife will find her next man once the divorce papers start rolling.

Feelingit
Feelingit
6 years ago
Reply to  Zell

Funny, my Stbx is accusing me of being BPD. He had me believing it but now that I am out of the craziness and read the criteria from my new perspective, I think differently.

Acting out sexually. Me no, him yes.
Drinking excessively. Me no, him yes.
Excessive spending. Me no, him yes.
Afraid of being alone. Me no, him yes.
Unstable personal relationships ranging from idealizing to devaluing. Me no, him yes.
Inappropriate anger. Me no, him yes.

A lot are internal so I wouldn’t know but you get the idea.

Projection is real.

Chumpinrecovery
Chumpinrecovery
6 years ago
Reply to  Feelingit

I used to wonder if Ex might be mildly BPD. His dad was diagnosed as such. Ex’s mood swings weren’t extreme, but it was almost as if he had PMS as it seemed to be a monthly cycle of being tense and discontented and then being mostly content until it morphed into being discontented some of the time and down right depressed and angry the rest of the time.

Ex nails every item on the above list except for “Drinking excessively”. I am lucky on that account. Otherwise the “Inappropriate anger” might have been violent instead of just annoying at best emotionally hurtful at worst.

I think that is the real reason he doesn’t want to see a counselor. I think he knows BPD is a possibility and doesn’t want to find out.

This can't be real
This can't be real
6 years ago

Yep. I think my STBX has BPD. I think he refuses seeing a counselor because of this. He has all the traits: rage, quits jobs because he gets bored easy, love me/hate me mentality, and he excessively drank, and he cheated. I think he definitely has a fear of abandonment.

FindingBliss
FindingBliss
6 years ago

Wow, does this ever bring up memories. I too thought the ex had monthly cycles, as well as seasonal ones. Is it autumn? Cue the annual rage, dissatisfaction, complaining, and acting out. Pick up a new girlfriend on the sly to help make life more exciting. Don’t know if he’s BPD or full-on narc, I’m just glad to get out of the crazy.

P.S. This is no reflection on those with seasonal affective disorder or depression. His mood swings and rages and blaming went on for thirty years, even while on antidepressants and he could be the nicest of nice guys to any and all women at work during the same time. He had no time or inclination to have a relationship with any of his relatives, only howorkers. He never had a single male friend in 30 years.

Feelingit
Feelingit
6 years ago
Reply to  FindingBliss

Finding bliss, Your P.S. My Stbx would accuse me of those things too. I can’t count how many times he said “you need to get some sun on your cranium” as if I had s.a.d. rather than just needing some support from him. One time I had enough of him accusing me of being depressed and did “rage” at him. I said “I am not depressed. I get up, shower, dress, homeschool and take care of the kids, make dinner, clean, and then have sex with you. Clinically DEPRESSED people don’t do that!!!” That shut him up for a moment.

I really just wanted a partner.

Jo
Jo
6 years ago
Reply to  Feelingit

Amen! Mine did similarly abusive shit. Accused me (behind my back to our friends) of having postpartum depression because I got irritated at him for not putting ice remover on our front steps when I had an 8-day old infant in the middle of winter, and the ice caused our oldest child to fall and hurt himself. Then he raged at me while holding our infant from me, and would not give the baby back to me to nurse.

“I really just wanted a partner.” Yes!!!

Tempest
Tempest
6 years ago
Reply to  FindingBliss

Antidepressants won’t cure personality disorders, that’s why his mood swings prevailed.

Chumpinrecovery
Chumpinrecovery
6 years ago
Reply to  JC

Ex couldn’t be alone either. From my perspective, if I was worth leaving I was worth leaving before he strayed but I don’t think he would have been capable of that. He needed somebody new to latch onto. He might be stuck with her for a long time, however, because he has discovered that making the switch is painful too and he probably won’t want to go through that again.

Last winter I suggested that maybe he just needed to be on his own and be celibate for a while to clear his head and get through the divorce and then maybe find somebody new in a year or two. His response was “That’s what got me into this mess in the first place”. I took exception to that because he was not, in fact, celibate. I know. I was there. We were intimate on a regular basis, but he still considered himself celibate? What a shitty thing to have said to me.

Special snowflake ha!
Special snowflake ha!
6 years ago

Ok, gotta admit that I get a sadistic thrill when these trolls come here. To me, the sheer chutzpah of these entitled assholes is astonishing. And we then get a chance to unload all we wish we could say to our exes and their special twats without breaking no contact/ gray rock. How fun is that?

In the end, they are just sad empty shells passing as real humans who get what they so richly deserve, the disdain of CN, the karma of being absolute pricks and the specialness (not) of being with another cheater. We, on the other hand, get to unload a ton of our justifiable anger onto these twats and then skip merrily away to better lives.

Rock on CN, laugh at the stupidity of these idiots and then have an awesome day. You no longer have to deal with their specialness and sparkly. You get to be REAL. Something they will never, ever be.

ANC
ANC
6 years ago

DB-
I’m not religious. I have known people like you to hide behind their Faith. Go reread the tenets of your faith. For thousands of years people like you are known to suck. Your behavior and choices to harm others has zero to do with being modern, open minded or whatever Gywneth/Ester want to spout.

You made your bed, go lie in it you ridiculous twat.

insistonhonesty
insistonhonesty
6 years ago

So harsh and unfeeling! We’re not even considering all the things that DROVE her to cheat on her husband of 21 years. He didn’t tell her she was pretty! He’d take the whole family out to dinner instead of just her! He paid for the kids’ activities and she had to control her spending at scrapbook/kitchenware/makeup parties! He got depressed at one point and started leaf-blowing the yard too often… so she filled her time and herself with Sparkly Cheater Dick. And we KNOW her husband never really loved her because she only had ONE affair and decided the marriage was over; if he really loved her and those 21 years were so great, he would have FOUGHT for her. It’s *his* fault, not hers!

::puking emoji::

Scamper away, WhoreTroll.

violet
violet
6 years ago

Heart emoji. You nailed it!

twiceachump
twiceachump
6 years ago

Awww CL opened the door and threw in a hunk of raw meet for CN. Thank you. Happy stories for the cheaters always brings a smile to my face. Sure that’s not the path to meh to wait for the explosion of my ex and his young schmoopie 2.0 with a bucket of popcorn and a soda pop, so thanks for the early viewing with these fuckwits.

UnchumpingMyself
UnchumpingMyself
6 years ago
Reply to  twiceachump

Twiceachump, happy stories of the cheaters always bring a smile on my face too. And since I brought myself and my two kids through post cheater hell and I am finally at a point where I am fine with not ever forgiving my ex for what he did, I’d say: bring in the popcorn and soda! Meh will come eventually.

Peackeeper
Peackeeper
6 years ago
Reply to  twiceachump

twiceachump,
We will all join you in the theatre.
Bring on the popcorn and sodas!

Chris W.
Chris W.
6 years ago

I absolutely LOVE this cartoon!! It’s brilliant!!

Luziana
Luziana
6 years ago
Reply to  Chris W.

It’s from a series called Gravity Falls. My daughter has actual socks of him!

Chris W.
Chris W.
6 years ago
Reply to  Luziana

Ooh, you’re right. My boys loved that show, too, and were sad about it ending. It was one of those shows I didn’t really watch with them, now that they’re older. They’d watch it, while I cooked or did laundry, etc. Unlike Max & Ruby, which all episodes are burned into my brain, as I had to watch with them when they were younger and couldn’t be left in the room alone.

ANC
ANC
6 years ago
Reply to  Luziana

Ahhh. Gravity Falls. My kids mourned the loss of that show. They are 20-somethings and young teens.

Stillhere
Stillhere
6 years ago

“ You aren’t us”…..

Pretty much says it all..

left him at the airport
left him at the airport
6 years ago
Reply to  Stillhere

STILLhere, yasssss! This ???????? …her kind ain’t part of our gang ????????

left him at the airport
left him at the airport
6 years ago

Chump lady slays again ???????? #I’mLovinIt

StartofSomethingGood
StartofSomethingGood
6 years ago

Hey DB,
Do you still have your ex husband’s phone number? Is he still single?

Martha
Martha
6 years ago

Nice!! lol. 🙂

Kellia
Kellia
6 years ago

Hee hee! This is awesome. Love this!

left him at the airport
left him at the airport
6 years ago

Hehehe…love it, SoSG ????????

Kar marie
Kar marie
6 years ago

Great post! The troll vomiting rainbows made me spit my coffee! DB? dumb bunny is worried this cheater will cheat on her?! Thats a given. Three words for you db. Karma karma karma!

cheaterssuck
cheaterssuck
6 years ago
Reply to  Kar marie

I thought it meant douchebag

FindingBliss
FindingBliss
6 years ago
Reply to  Kar marie

You’re too kind, Kar marie. I thought DB stood for Dumb Bitch. Bunnies are too cute and fluffy.

Peackeeper
Peackeeper
6 years ago

Chump Lady,
Your words,
PRICELESS!
” Regular Pap Smears”
(And full STD testing)

Just stay in the stirrups DB,
Much safer there!

Jgirl
Jgirl
6 years ago

I might extend my sympathies to someone who has majorly screwed up other people’s lives and is truly, utterly repentant, wants to know how to make amends, etc.
It would be different if this person was afraid that her current partner, ex-cheater, might cheat on her.
But this dude cheated WITH you. You’re part of the problem you fear, DB.

Want to fix that? Get yourself out of that situation and work on becoming a human person!
What you have now is an announced disaster, and you’re here because you know it’s only a matter of time. Actually, about that stripper? I think your D-Day has already come, but it may have flown over your big, entitled head.

mila
mila
6 years ago

Tracy, I am sorry, this sounds so contrived and improbable. Who on earth writes I am number 8? Go and gloat somewhere else with your number 2.

struggling
struggling
6 years ago
Reply to  Tracy Schorn

Seriously, Tracy, these women write you all the time? What the actual fuck? The self-centeredness of these people shocks me over and over. And do they believe they are going to get sympathy? Holy Entitled Asshole, Batman!

left him at the airport
left him at the airport
6 years ago
Reply to  Tracy Schorn

I can hardly believe the gall of these OW. I mean, why are they writing to you, ChumpLady? What do they expect from you, or from CN?! Sympathy?? Understanding?? I don’t get their special kind of stupid, inviting an ass-kicking like that. Morons.

On the upside…their idiocy provides more entertainment for us! ????

Tempest
Tempest
6 years ago

Yes, they do expect sympathy. Because they are HURTING! Can you not feel their pain?

“If you prick us, do we not bleed?”

And where better to go fishing for sympathy kibbles than people brimming over with empathy. (pssst,but, DB, not for you. Sorry.)

ICanSeeTheMehComing!
ICanSeeTheMehComing!
6 years ago

DB:

We are NOT your tribe. We didn’t cheat on our spouses/partners… we were abused, lied to and cheated on by the likes of YOU.

Here is some advice for you:

1. Go apologize to your X for being a whore and blowing up his life. I don’t care how fucking unhappy you were in that marriage… YOU CHEATED. Own up to it.

2. Look in the mirror. You’re not special. Nope. Not even close. You have no character. Want to change that reflection – leave the douchebag and work on you and making amends to all the people you harmed.

3. Stop thinking you’re a chump. You’re a whore who WON the man who told you from day one that he was a liar and a cheater… but for some reason, you thought your magic twat would keep him from cheating on you? That just illustrates how delusional you are.

4. Like CL… get regular Pap Smears… enjoy winning the pick me dance while laying back in the stirrups.

5. You may want to grow a pair and leave him, just saying. Many people have to rebuild their lives after a divorce. Again, you’re not special.

Paintwidow
Paintwidow
6 years ago

As for #2, she won’t.
She’s a cheater too, and now she’s saying “hey,wait a sec., now that I’m the wife…”
It’s not her ah-ha moment…..it’s karma.
She’s a cheater like him, plain and simple. IF she were a decent human being and IF this was truly the love of a lifetime she would of said “go home and handle your marriage one way or another…”
but she didn’t.
If he’s still living with his wife and kids, it ain’t over ….js.
What goes around, comes around.

Kellia
Kellia
6 years ago
Reply to  Paintwidow

I agree Paintwidow. She’s just as much as a deadbeat as the cheater. Then she expects for him to treat her right. Ha ha ha, joke is so on her!

Luziana
Luziana
6 years ago

Ohhhh, the OWs when they reach out. It’s hilarious when they come down from the high of bamboozling and feel so bamboozled.

The Sluterus was so invisible during my marriage. This was an intentional thing. When I called her number not knowing who the fuck would text my husband thousands of times while he was on vacation with us, she was vewy silent and smol. When my stepdaughter was ripped from the room she’d slept in for years on D-Day and never allowed to see it again, she had no comment. On social media, she preemptively blocked me so I had no idea she existed till I saw that phone bill. Till then she had been presented as a married coworker with whose HUSBAND he hoped to be friends.

There was no husband. Should have known, beacause he never had a friend over for fun in all the years I knew him.

OWs get awful cheeky when they think they’ve won the shitball Sweepstakes. It took years for the Sluterus to grow the balls to stalk my Facebook and send me PMs.

She signed them The Future Mrs Shitball. Well, she used the name he goes by, which I dumped when he left.

I told her I couldn’t think of a better fate for her than Mrs. Shitball. I congratulated her told her they’d surely have all the happiness they deserve ( none, bitch) and the 3 Lady Cavalry of Former Mrs. Shitballs might all chip in on a classy set of paper plates for the Shitball Nuptials.

You seem bitter, she said. Oh god no, I said. I laugh about this murder of my family all the time. I’m glad she won.

I hope you are both so happy that someday, when you are most happy and proud and in love you open a phone bill, and find your King Shitball has met someone EXACTLY like YOU. But don’t be bitter.

Beans
Beans
6 years ago
Reply to  Luziana

I like how SHE’S the one PMing you in the first place, but when you don’t respond how she wants YOU’RE the one who’s obviously bitter. What was the subject of the PMs in the first place?

Luziana
Luziana
6 years ago
Reply to  Beans

Apparently at some point she unblocked me from FB and was monitoring my page.

Fuck all knows why. I never contacted her once after D-Day and rarely mentioned the divorce there.

Friends were giggling over a meme where celebrities give their kids stupid names and then dumb civilians use them for their kids.

I mentioned in the comments The Howorker had done this with her Adultery Baby and named her kid after cheese.

After three years This Bitch felt the need to reach out and correct me in a comment buried in a several months old post.

She was summarily dispatched, and then she blocked me again.

I have not looked at her Facebook page since friends sent me screenshots in 2014.

I stand corrected. She didn’t name her Seabiscuit after cheese or an actress. She named her kid after those tar pits where the Wooly Mammoths got swallowed up. J/K who the fuck cares. I told her she had all the freedom in the world to enjoy her accomplishment of breeding with a man who sheds families like the crud in a loofah.

If she really were happy and carefree why am I even a concern? I hadn’t spoken to Skin Tab Turtle Dick in over a year.

UnsinkableMollyXinAlabama
UnsinkableMollyXinAlabama
6 years ago
Reply to  Luziana

“Skin Tab Turtle Dick”
Hahahahhahaaaa!!!! The Evil One has skin tabs all up along with his inner thighs leading up to his nub, bwahahahaaa

I have yet to hear from his OWife, nor have I yet to be introduced to her.

Yes, being a winner in the sparkly turd contest must be exhilarating
Sluterus must be so proud.

Luziana
Luziana
6 years ago

OMG We lived the nightmare! I hope Mrs. Shitball loves her trips to Skin Tab Mountain!

Beans
Beans
6 years ago
Reply to  Luziana

She named her kid LaBrea?! Like the tar pits?

At least you get the satisfaction of knowing she’s a paranoid insecure mess three years later, lmao!

Luziana
Luziana
6 years ago
Reply to  Luziana

And the thing that pisses me off the most? It’s not enough that you went on your merry way and you can tell your kid whatever the fuck you want about her conception and that two girls’ lives were ripped apart. Nobody fucking cares what Throne of Lies you sit on. Have your Free Love Bonobo Monkey Circus across town. But I’ll be damned if you attempt to whitewash what you did to the daughters and me. On my social media. That’s not your narrative to control.

FindingBliss
FindingBliss
6 years ago
Reply to  Luziana

You are mighty, Luziana. Thanks for the power post.

JesssMom
JesssMom
6 years ago

Only the ONE infidelity on her part … innumerable on his. So, what did her “only one” infidelity add up to?

— Two destroyed marriages.
— Two screwed over Chumps (her exH and his exW)
— A combined 38 years of the Chumps’ lives stolen
— and, I must wonder how many children’s lives were shaken to the core

She fails to mention the kids. I think it’s a good assumption that either of the marriages (probably both) also had children. Yet she doesn’t mention them … maybe because mentioning little, innocent victims might rain on her SADZ parade?

Fuck her. Fuck him. Both of them suck endlessly.

CL — your response couldn’t have been better. Keep rockin’!

Kellia
Kellia
6 years ago

This is a FANTASTIC response!! I avidly read and hung onto to every single word. It delivers at every turn and the best advice is to get pap smears. Lolol!!! Tracy, you hit this one out of the park, as you always do!!!

CheatersKilljoy
CheatersKilljoy
6 years ago

That. was. epic! Thank you Tracy!!

Character is built and maintained with integrity. It’s not magic. You don’t get it b/c you found your “schmoochie pie soulmate.” He’ll do it again b/c he’s done it for 15 years. There’s no loyalty in cheaters except to themselves. You DB will do it again too b/c you’re just like him.

Southern Chump
Southern Chump
6 years ago

I ❤️ u CL!!!! I so needed this today as I was having doubts just early this morning that OW and Narcs married life was greener. Thanks for the reminder of sweet reality!

Let go
Let go
6 years ago

You know that fog that everyone talks about? Well, this it. This woman talked herself into believing that a sociopath has a heart. She talked herself into believing that finding her twu wuv is more important that integrity, and certainly more important than two Chumpy spouses. Aaaaannnnndddd look how that turned out. I think Chump Nation ought to get stopwatches out to time how long it takes before The Sociopath whips it out for the next one.

carrie
carrie
6 years ago

Chumplady, you are brilliant.

BowTie
BowTie
6 years ago

Thanks Tracy – needed this today.

In a couple of hours I’m off for “collaborative law” session #3 with Princess YogaPants.

Meeting #1 she just sat there with the sadz until I mentioned that the guy she ran off with had more money than us and she didn’t need a settlement. She got very angry and stormed off. It also seems that she had lied to her lawyer and said that they only dated “after” she left rather than for a year before. She’s on at least lawyer #4 so far.

Meeting #2 she had the rage channel going – and still none of her forms done and glared at me while her lawyer pounded at me demanding forever spousal support. I did notice that her lawyer never looked at her client and seemed to still be in the dark about a lot of things. I didn’t mention her guy but just said “no” a lot. It’s not my responsibility to provide disclosure to her lawyer. Mine of course has everything all carefully documented. We can’t really use it to our advantage though in this process because “no fault”.

We’ll see how it goes today. It’s now been over 2 years since she started dating this guy (a widower) and 5 months since she finally started the divorce process. I must say that they have stamina because everything is still a deep dark secret – except to like “everyone” because after I stopped dancing I had no problem telling people why I was alone.

This reassured that that yes she does suck as does the guy and that no amount of sadz can be allowed to affect me. I’ll still get hosed financially but as Tracy once wrote to another guy (you may want to re-run that one – it helped me) – it’s worth the price to be free.

I sometimes wonder if this was her first but suspect it isn’t. I also know that it doesn’t matter.

Speaking of STDs and pap smears, I still remember clearly in one of the very few times that we actually talked and staring her in the eye telling her about what it took for me to get tested for STDs and saying that I “wondered what sort of crack whore the lab tech thought I was sleeping with”. No clue if she’s been tested herself. Not my problem.

Wish me luck CN.

BT

OutWest
OutWest
6 years ago
Reply to  BowTie

BT,

Good luck, you are probably done with the great meeting. It made me remember that right before having my x deposed, I went to the hair salon and showed up with super cute hair and clothes. My x told his lawyer I wasn’t supposed to be there. I sat there, all made up, straight face as my lawyer caught him in lie after lie and his lawyer just looked uncomfortable. It’s worth being free! Rock the Bow Tie!

Tempest
Tempest
6 years ago
Reply to  BowTie

BowTie–I hope you come through settlement with as big an advantage as you can. Even in a no-fault state, adultery can be taken into account for the financials (so use the information).

I just helped a friend through a divorce where he got taken (badly) to the cleaners short term, but won the long game (kept all of his retirement). Play the long game.

As for the STD testing, I told the technician, my OB/Gyn, my primary care physician why I was having tests. Not my shame to own, and it turns out that most people are very sympathetic once they hear our Jerry Springer-style stories.

Longtimechump
Longtimechump
6 years ago
Reply to  Tempest

I did the same. Told my physician who is also his doc. Asked him to not discuss anything with him since I started the divorce process. I tell people right and left. Not my fault that he cheated. Took me a few months of “intravenous CL wisdom injections” every morning to finally get that. Not my fault.

BowTie
BowTie
6 years ago
Reply to  Tempest

Thanks everyone. Thanks to CN I got through it and got a deal. Not a great deal, but a deal nonetheless.

In no small part I owe it to Tracy and this post:
https://www.chumplady.com/2017/04/pay-her-when-she-cheated/

It helped me to know that there is indeed no justice. But there can be closure.

One phrase that I like to use is “You don’t know you are living under a cloud until you are walking in sunshine”.

Currently I’ve just polished off a bottle of nice Spanish wine and half an apple pie plus used up the better part of a box of tissues.

I’ll get there. But for now – time for bed. The world is waiting.

Tempest
Tempest
6 years ago
Reply to  BowTie

May you walk in sunshine soon, BowTie.

Martha
Martha
6 years ago
Reply to  BowTie

((((HUGS)))) , BowTie. 🙁 It’ll get better. It truly sucks that the cheated on have to pay out. It just seems so unfair.

ICanSeeTheMehComing!
ICanSeeTheMehComing!
6 years ago
Reply to  BowTie

BT – Don’t lose hope. I’m in a no-fault state too. Judges still have a lot of leeway in their decisions and they definitely don’t like cheating gold-diggers. Hang in there.

Beth
Beth
6 years ago
Reply to  BowTie

You got this BowTie! You’ve got CN behind you. All PYP’s got is her skanky self and a bunch of lawyer bills from her miscellaneous lawyers.

FindingBliss
FindingBliss
6 years ago
Reply to  BowTie

Luck and hugs, BowTie. Here’s hoping you can wipe that shit off your shoe sooner rather than later.

Martha
Martha
6 years ago
Reply to  BowTie

Good luck, BowTie. It sucks that you have to give Princess Yoga Pants any money at all (all states need to get rid of No Fault divorces!)

Chumpinrecovery
Chumpinrecovery
6 years ago

This chick can’t be real. I know OWs are stupid, but are they really stupid enough to write to Chump Lady looking for advice and sympathy?

Still, it is fun to pretend that she really is who she thinks she is so we chumps can have the satisfaction of believing that at least one OW out there is getting her comeuppance and maybe our cheater’s Schmoopies will too. 🙂

TheBestMe
TheBestMe
6 years ago

I was married 20 years when I found out about my EX and co worker. My friend/neighbor/fellow church member was there for me and listen to me for hours at first but she was all for staying with him and working in out in our Reconciliation (7 months of hell) Her thing was that I needed to lose weight and look better for him. She is very slim and that was how you keep your man. Well I was divorced 11 months after BD. It has been hard financially but me and my two sons are NC and happy 3 years later.

Well 2 months after my BD, she found out her husband was having a 7 year affair. She was shocked, devistated and afraid. So we are each others rock for about 5 months and then I find my EX is still seeing OW so I am done with him and she does not approve. I then find out that 22 years ago she was the OW. She is staying with her cheater and was very hateful to me because I divorced. She had built up such resentment because of all the horrible things I said about woman who sleep with married men (I did not know at the time she was one) that the friendship ended.

The thing is she will not leave him because he still offers her the lifestyle that the “stole” him for. She feels like this is just what she deserves so she stays. But she also feels superior to me because she kept her man (maybe) as long as she excuses his behavior. She told me I was too hard headed to compromise. She could not understand that it is not hard headed but morals and self respect.

On a side note her 19 year old daughter is a mess, does not know what to think. She was with her mother when they found out. The other woman called them and then left the line open so they could her him and my friends husband talking. Because dad was traveling when they answered his phone, the daughter put it on speaker and was also listening as they put the pieces together on what was happening. She really needed to see her Mom leave him, empowered. Now she hates him but Mom is telling her to be nice…. confusing.

Lurkmode
Lurkmode
6 years ago
Reply to  TheBestMe

Maybe she should’ve gone to Weight Watchers or tried the Atkins Diet? Sad.

Martha
Martha
6 years ago
Reply to  Lurkmode

What a horrible “friend”!! First off telling you that you should lose weight “in order to keep your man.” Ugh. Think of all the beautiful, thin and talented models and actresses that get cheated on by their sparkly turds and that right there blows that advice all apart!

And then she’s a church friend. There’s more abuse in the form of spiritual. As a Christian, it was very hard for me to hear the advice and words from the lying now ex-pastor. And the ex-pastors wife to “trust the men of the church” and “they know what is best” and “they know what they are doing.” Getting bad advice from church people who don’t have your best interest in mind is devastating and soul breaking!

And then you find out was that she was the OW after all her bad advice. Wow. She’s not a wife. She’s prosti-wife. He gives her the lifestyle that she wants — if he wasn’t providing that lifestyle for her, I guess she’d jump ship? Just like a prostitute that goes away when she stops getting paid. Your story is another sad example how really dark people are hiding out in churches and sadly they are giving advice. My holy, Christian, weekly church-going ex-H gave out advice too. He told his co-worker (an adulterer herself that blew-up two marriages) that marriage counseling “was a waste of time.” Of course it’s a waste of time when you are a pathological liar, serial cheater, serial adulterer who never had any intention at all of saving his marriage. MC to him was the start of “saving face” at church and to also start his lying narrative about our marriage and me. I cannot wait to see what happens to all the lying cheaters in eternity.

Chumpinrecovery
Chumpinrecovery
6 years ago
Reply to  Martha

Rowan Atkinson had a comedy sketch about souls arriving in hell. He played the part of the devil sorting the damned and had the adulterers line up in front of the small guillotine (although that really only takes care of the men).

Let go
Let go
6 years ago

Except he dumped his wife for a younger woman. I just read about all the BBC middle aged reporters who have dumped their wives after many years of marriage. If you put someone in front of a camera their egos swell up to gargantuan proportions.

TKO
TKO
6 years ago
Reply to  TheBestMe

Wow BestMe. This must have been quite the mindfuck for you during the period when you were relying on this “friend” for support before knowing her full story as an OW. Imagine that, a mercenary characterless shell doling out “advice” and acting like a decent church member friend while trying to indoctrinate you into her shallow belief system. In essence, you were just another type of object for her – her “husband” was object 1 and you were object 2. You were being used, at a time of great pain and confusion for you, simply as a means to buttress her preferred view of herself. None of it was for you. She saw a weakened target to manipulate and went to work. If you could be convinced to mirror her take on things then her disordered view is affirmed. And now she’s onto object 3, her daughter. All in the service of her fundamental definition of human reality: all relationship is empty usage for self. You threatened that by your premise that meaningful connection not only exists, it is the only acceptable standard. You threaten everything she has based her empty form of life on. If she ever truly grasps that fact, she will have an existential crisis to make any DDay look minor. Not to worry…that can’t happen. The insight for this would require the presence of a normal human psyche (emotional skills, secure attachment foundation, ego-equivalence) existing alongside her disordered one. She’d need to have had a split personality since infancy. How many of us receive self serving “help” like this which is nothing more than third party abuse from additional character flawed people around us.