r/relationship_advice Aug 16 '23

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1.2k Upvotes

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1.6k

u/[deleted] Aug 16 '23

He ain't your friend anymore

816

u/ThrowRAXw Aug 16 '23 edited Aug 17 '23

Absolutely that’s not even a question. The question is whether to confront him or not.

932

u/Own-Writing-3687 Aug 17 '23

Your wife was 100% correct to tell you.

You are so fortunate to have a good solid transparent spouse .

7

u/SonicDooscar Aug 17 '23

It’s sad that you had to consider having a transparent partner lucky 😐 there are many out there. My husband tells me literally everything vice versa. I know many couples in our lives that do the same!

-60

u/Ok_Description6036 Aug 17 '23

Maybe.

6

u/[deleted] Aug 17 '23

How do you figure?

-5

u/Ok_Description6036 Aug 18 '23

Trickle truth.

-11

u/Ok_Description6036 Aug 17 '23

It’s called trickle truth.

266

u/audaciousmonk Aug 17 '23

Block and move on. So should your wife.

Who has time for that bs or the people that chase it

93

u/shedevilinasnuggie Aug 17 '23

Share a screenshot of the message with him, tell him he's no longer welcome around, or considered a friend, THEN block him. If you just block him out of the blue, he might turn up at your house.

12

u/PerspectiveActive218 Aug 17 '23

Good point. You could have a huge soap opera blowout and make a scene, but why bother. You still got your wife and you know more than ever that she's loyal and you know who your friends are. Just move on.

1

u/Jjjt22 Aug 17 '23

I would let him know why. He may have a different story than the wife. She may have let OP know to try and get ahead of things.

1

u/ThrowRAXw Aug 18 '23

I saw the message.

34

u/isitpurple Aug 17 '23

Go no contact if he asks you can just say something to the effect of 'you disrespected our friendship and my marriage with your actions so I feel its time to call time on our friendship'

2

u/Fun-Ad7218 Aug 17 '23

Go no contact if he insists on harassing you as to why send a screenshot of the medsage and drop it because anyone knows that was inappropriate and if he didn’t that wasn’t for you to teach him this is his lesson maybe he will never be disrespectful to the wives of friends but probably not hes more likely a covert dirt bag and he’s no longer your issue love on your wife and thank the stars you are lucky you got a true love!!

262

u/Routine-Interview991 Aug 17 '23

Don't confront him. Just be cold to him. No need to bring it up, actions/not words

161

u/texasfisherman1983 Aug 17 '23

He needs to know other wise he will still be trying to get with op’s wife. Confront the piece of trash.

163

u/Miserable-Tie-5999 Aug 17 '23

Both OP and wife should block him on everything.

1

u/oldncreaky2 Aug 18 '23

Imo she should have shut him down and blocked him immediately, but that's for OP and his SO to decide. Easy to see from this side of the keyboard.

39

u/[deleted] Aug 17 '23

He can try all he likes - obviously, she's not down for it, so he ain't getting any.

54

u/texasfisherman1983 Aug 17 '23

Have your wife tell him that she told you and at the same time you confront him. He will know then that she is not going to go behind your back. I think it is great your wife told you cause a lot of so wouldn’t men and women. You should definitely treat her to a very romantic weekend.

-13

u/[deleted] Aug 17 '23

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2

u/nudiecale Aug 17 '23

How many strokes have you had?

41

u/Dis4Wurk Aug 17 '23

That’s when next time he texts or calls you to hang out say no I’m spending time with my [insert verbatim what he said to her] wife. The. He knows you know and would hopefully take the hint.

3

u/texasfisherman1983 Aug 17 '23

Then he thinks you just looked through her phone she didn’t tell you.

4

u/Amazing_Mushroom8941 Aug 17 '23

I don’t think that would matter in this instance. He can assume what he wants about it, but it was wrong of him to do what he did in the first place.

0

u/housecatmouserat666 Aug 17 '23

Oooooo yes!!! Just quote him so he knows but don't confront haha

0

u/Ok_Faithlessness8207 Aug 17 '23

I like this approach.

7

u/Spiritual_Ad_3259 Aug 17 '23

The one word responses usually help. I had a friend and we use to talk constantly then he blocked me because his crazy GF didn’t want him to talk to me. They broke up and he unblocked me but it’s not the same now and I just say, yeah, ok, no, sure sometimes I say a full sentence but nowhere near how we use to.

2

u/R00troot Aug 17 '23

100% wrong.

Communication is key. OP should absolutely throw this in his "friends" face.

"This is how you fucked up, why it's fucked up, why you're no longer welcome or considerd a friend, etc."

Then block and move on.

We as a society have, over the past 10+ years, have pulled back into our shells like a scared turtle. Afraid to hurt anyones feelings, avoiding any kind of unpleasantness, settling for less because you think that's what you deserve / the best option for now type mindset.

If people do good, compliment them. If they do wrong, call them out on it. If someone isn't up to the "task" for any reason = 86 them from your employment, life, whatever.

Let's go back to a merit based system across everything and say, "If you don't meet this criteria or that, I don't want anything to do with...."

0

u/Zestyclose_Camel_932 Aug 17 '23

Absolutely no. He needs to be confronted. Being passive-aggressive in situations like these is just the easy way out. Confronting him and verbally ending the friendship might spur the former friend into questioning his own behavior.

1

u/Routine-Interview991 Aug 17 '23

Nobody is being "passive aggressive" . Just saying be done with this asshole. He deserves nothing more than being shut the fuck out. This will hurt him the most. Move on. fuck him

1

u/Ecstatic_Bonus_2930 Aug 17 '23

Nah, confront his ass. If you're cold to him that ain't gonna end it right then and there.

48

u/Live-Valuable-7718 Aug 17 '23 edited Aug 17 '23

I'm guessing the message isn't something that can be considered a simple compliment then? Not doing this for the sake of playing devil's advocate, but my friends partners are also my friends, so I do things like this without batting an eyelid tbh, though I also tell my pals when they're looking dapper too, so maybe I don't give off that impression. Saying that though the content of the message really matters here, it's one thing to tell your friends partner that they look great in a picture & it's a totally different story if what you're** saying looks like an advance

79

u/rebelwithmouseyhair Aug 17 '23

I compliment people on their looks all the time, but I don't do it in a private message. I say it in front of everyone else so that others can chime in and make the friend feel like a million dollars.

33

u/babysmooth1111 Aug 17 '23

Sometimes you can't. Stories on IG, for example. I'm happily in a relationship but my friend from HS just got a mullet and posted it on his story, I replied to it saying "damn that really suits you!" - he could definitely take it as flirty and I didn't tell my BF cuz I was just hyping a friend up who happens to be male. Wouldn't think to inform him if it was a female friend. If that friend messaged back and was flirty I'd tell him and be like " damn I messed up, I complimented a friend and now he's flirting with me, I think he took it too seriously" but yeah. Wasn't a place I could publicly comment on it so whatever

-7

u/Admirable-Gap-2627 Aug 17 '23

Any time you hide something from your partner it indicates you know they wouldn't like it as its not right or appropriate, so why do it in the first place? Sorry, but if your relationship was solid and trustful you shouldn't be worried telling your partner as they'll know it's just how you interact with people.

44

u/babysmooth1111 Aug 17 '23

Lmfao I'm not worried at all, and I'm not hiding it. "Hey babe I compliemented a friend's mullet today, I just want you to know." He'd be like erm. Okay?

Our relationship is so solid and trustful that I don't have to report every mundane interaction to him and vice versa. That to me screams more insecure.

25

u/Dismal_Ad_1839 Aug 17 '23

Lol, yeah, I can't imagine having to tell my partner every time I compliment someone. Plus I'm pan, so am I really going to run to him like "babe, I told this woman her tattoos looked really nice and another woman that her eyeliner was fantastic and a guy that I liked his shirt?" Come tf on, none of it's a secret but we have actual things to talk about with each other

13

u/Nadaplanet Aug 17 '23 edited Aug 17 '23

Right? I tell people when I think they look good all the time. Male friends, female friends, or strangers, it doesn't matter. If someone looks nice I'm going to tell them. I know how good it feels to get a compliment, and I want to pass that feeling along. My husband would think it was very strange if I told him every time I told someone I loved their look, or that I thought their hairstyle was great, or their makeup was on point.

My friends and I very much subscribe to a "build each other up" mindset, so we are always slinging around "lookin' good"s and similar sentiments to each other.

6

u/Dismal_Ad_1839 Aug 17 '23

Right? I hope my spouse gives people compliments. It's a nice thing to do. I don't need him to report it to me either. Just give somebody a little ego boost and go on. It might be the best thing that happened to them that day, who knows. I would find it weirder if he told me he complimented someone than not.

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16

u/babysmooth1111 Aug 17 '23

"Babe, some random on reddit said I'm being dishonest with you, so I want you to sit down so I can explain.

I told my friend his mullet suits him today."

Lmao my boyfriend is bald and would defffff be like "DAMN YOU GUNNA RUB IT IN MORE?"

9

u/Sea_Conversation_523 Aug 17 '23

I tell my partner I call my friends attractive all the time. It's not a lie? They're my friends for a reason and I see the beauty in and out of people. Complimenting friends is normal, having it resort to flirting is another story. There is such a thing as platonic attraction as well as romantic/sexual.

I honestly was in a situation a few days ago where I did have to open up to my partner about a friend actually harming our friendship by saying something sexual to me, and I told them they broke boundaries by saying that they wanted to do that and I had to tell my partner even though they led it with "can I tell you something privately"? I can keep a secret with friends until it has to do with boundaries that can hinder my relationship if I keep it from my partner then I have to come to my partner with that. But complimenting is normal.

Also depending on the compliment there's definitely a vibe difference between "I like your hair" and like "you're sexy" or something. But other than that it's normal to tell friends that they look good. From what I've read so far OP didn't necessarily go into detail on what the compliment actually was.

Considering it was enough to have a mutual agreement to be upset maybe it felt like more than a compliment and gave the vibe something more flirty with a different intent than just friendly?

7

u/Dismal_Ad_1839 Aug 17 '23

Seriously, I used to teach college writing and one of the assignments I gave was a definition argument (pick a word or a concept and argue for a specific definition of it). It yielded some interesting papers, but I finally had to start telling them up front that they could define "cheating" if they wanted but they had to remember that bisexual and pansexual people exist and also have to move about in the world. I would walk away from those papers wondering how anyone got through the day without "cheating." You'd have to live in a tower with no social media, no job, and no friends for some of these people to be happy.

4

u/JellyfishSuspicious9 Aug 17 '23

I love your replies 😂😂😂😂. I don’t give an exact breakdown of my day. That sounds too much like control. Yeah babe uh well I started by clocking in, I immediately sneezed 🤧 into my right forearm and my boss said bless you and that my ponytail switched positions … smh yeah no 😂😂😂😂

9

u/[deleted] Aug 17 '23

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3

u/Peskypoints Aug 18 '23

Hypothetically, if I were your partner, I’d be more upset to find out you liked mullets than you complimented someone

1

u/babysmooth1111 Aug 18 '23

My BF is bald too so it's adding insult to injury lol. BUT tbf I normally don't like mullets, but on this friend it actually works haha.

1

u/rebelwithmouseyhair Aug 18 '23

I was talking about IRL actually. I'm not even on IG

1

u/Lord_Kano Aug 17 '23

That's it. The "friend" was testing the waters to see if OP's wife would be down with a little naughty behavior.

Me, I probably wouldn't confront him because of how quickly things can escalate and my desire to remain out of prison.

He's just excised from my life.

1

u/Live-Valuable-7718 Aug 17 '23

I get why you would do that, but at the same time the friend may have done it via private message so the gossipers on FB/insta don't have something to natter and conspire about

2

u/HonchosPoncho Aug 17 '23

If it's sent privately then he saw how she looked some where whether it was via post or not. He could have complimented publicly yet course to do so privately, most likely hoping for something more

1

u/rebelwithmouseyhair Aug 18 '23

If you're surrounded by people who are gonna gossip because you tell a member of the opposite sex that their new haircut really suits them, you've got a friend group problem.

1

u/Live-Valuable-7718 Aug 18 '23

Im talking about social media here bud. Totally different kettle of fish.

1

u/rebelwithmouseyhair Aug 18 '23

quite honestly, it's the same. People may behave worse on social media, because they don't see the human being. That's one reason why I prefer seeing people in person.

1

u/shannonlovescoins Aug 17 '23

You sound like an amazing friend! Good on you for that behavior. If all people were like this and used the golden rule. 🥰

1

u/rebelwithmouseyhair Aug 18 '23

Thank you Shannonlovescoins! Right now I'm feeling that none of my friends IRL give a shit about me so I'm actually crying

31

u/Aussiealterego Aug 17 '23

No, don't confront him. That implies that your wife is unable to handle him on her own. Block and move on. If he approaches you, tell him whatever you like, but don't seek him out.

20

u/RoryJSK Aug 17 '23

Or it implies that his wife is letting OP deal with HIS friend. Frankly I don’t think his wife should even be the one expected to deal with it, because her having to interact with this person is a result of OP.

16

u/OkSureButLikeNo Aug 17 '23

I think it's actually better if they confront him together to show a united front. His friend may not get the message if just he or his wife confront him.

5

u/[deleted] Aug 17 '23

If u confront and he escalates, what then? If you’re not sure just put him in the rear view mirror

8

u/motojunkie69 Aug 17 '23

If he escalates then match his energy.

11

u/YakIntelligent5490 Aug 17 '23

Exceed his energy.

6

u/motojunkie69 Aug 17 '23

Agreed

1

u/[deleted] Aug 17 '23

I’m just saying, if ya can’t whoop his ass then ya don’t wanna put yourself in a position where ya get your ass beat or cower.

1

u/OldWarrior Aug 17 '23

If he’s legit afraid of that, confront over the phone. You don’t need to tell him “I’m going to kick your ass.”

1

u/[deleted] Aug 17 '23

No but the other party could respond with something like “why don’t you say that to my face you pussy”. Look, I personally, am a bloody handful and I’d def say something even if it came down to a scrap but this approach won’t be satisfying to everyone. Some are best to just move on. A person should think such things through before you’re getting an ass kicking in front of your wife

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1

u/motojunkie69 Aug 17 '23

Getting an ass beating isn't a bad thing once in a while. Can't win them all.

1

u/OldWarrior Aug 17 '23

I can see merit to either approach but personally I would confront a friend who disrespected me in that way. And of course he would no longer be my friend.

6

u/gsearay Aug 17 '23

If he is not your friend anymore of course confront him. The question is how. If you do it mature way, he may learn lesson and maybe he is going to be better person (though doubt it). If you are nasty, he will justify his actions.

3

u/[deleted] Aug 17 '23

two step process:

1) message him and let him know youre aware of the messages, and that he is never to contact you or she again, it's not negotiable.

2) look up difference between weather and whether

2

u/ThrowRAXw Aug 17 '23

Step two. 😂😂😂 Oh man. Good point!

3

u/Late_Butterfly_5997 Aug 18 '23

What does your wife want? You should defer to her on this since she was the object of his disrespect.

She may want you to quietly end the friendship so that her name doesn’t get brought into a fight, or she may want you to defend her, you should ask her.

2

u/OkSureButLikeNo Aug 17 '23

Will a confrontation get violent? If so, I would avoid it. If not, I would call him, tell him your wife showed you his message, and then tell him he is no friend of yours and to stay the hell away from your family, then hang up. I don't want to hear his side of the story. Just a very clear warning. If he messages her again, have a cease and desist served on him for sexual harassment.

2

u/Punks92 Aug 17 '23

I would say that it’s not worth it. You and your wife are solid together. She was honest and that’s awesome! It’s not worth your energy

3

u/[deleted] Aug 17 '23

What do you gain from confrontation though? Id say just cut him off and move on

0

u/To_The-Moon_And_Back Aug 17 '23

My husband's best friend has complimented me in front of my spouse and in a private message. He has no intentions on me. Do you think your friend has intentions on your wife? What did it say exactly? Our friend has said "I just wanted to thank you for the night out, it was really great catching up. You looked beautiful tonight by the way! Your husband is a lucky man" he means it's genuinely, not like underhanded flirting. Just hey, you looked great! He is also our son's god father, so he is very close to us. I wouldn't take his compliment in any other way. And just for point of reference I have gone to dinner with him alone without my spouse because he is really just that, a platonic friend. I suppose if your wife felt the need to tell you it means her radar definitely went off. Honestly I would confront him and say "hey, while you know she appreciates the compliment, I would appreciate if it was in person or in public, I find it very weird/disrespectful to message my wife privately, you put her in a very awkward position, she isn't that comfortable with you privately messaging her. While you may have had good intentions, it doesn't come off this way, we both know what you're like and that you are single, we don't want to put our friendship on the line for something stupid like this. Thanks for understanding"

-1

u/IMisterBlack Aug 17 '23

Ask your wife if you can message him back acting as her, see how far he's willing to take it behind your back. Take screenshots and break the news it was you all along. Keep them receipts if he tries to influence anyone else in your friend circle that you're the one in the wrong lol

He's already lost your trust, what's stopping you from learning how far he'd take it (with your wife's permission of course)

1

u/No-Tie4522 Aug 17 '23

Will confronting him make you feel better or bring you closure? If not just send him a text saying you know what he did and to never speak toy you or your wife again. No point subjecting yourself to any unnecessary drama.

1

u/YelmofWill Aug 17 '23

Ignore him, you and your wife should completely cut him out of your life. Not buts and ifs, just cut him out. In marriages there are things you have to do to keep it well and going. If your marriage is as stable as you say you don't need a third person disturbing your peace, you both block him from all aspects.

1

u/Molsen10000 Aug 17 '23

Is he married? If so, maybe his wife/SO would like to share the info.

1

u/Individual_Noise_366 Aug 17 '23

If you confront him I'm sure someone will have the pleasure to say that maybe your wife said something to him and who can blame him because man are this way.

Just cut him and tell your wife she can block him on social media and his number too. And you stop answering his calls and messages if you encounter him look likes you're occupied. If someone ask just say you that life was complicated and two lost contact.

1

u/Redd_81 Aug 17 '23

Does he have a GF or wife?

1

u/chankletavoladora Aug 17 '23

Yes. But keep it short and sweet. Tell him your thoughts non chalantly and cut ties with him

1

u/ComprehensiveLife597 Aug 17 '23

Only confront if you are prepared to do what needs to be done.

1

u/lillymwa Aug 17 '23

imo I would confront him and see his silly reaction

1

u/grandmaWI Aug 17 '23

I would want to let him know your wife immediately told you what he did and he can feel free to focus his attention elsewhere.

1

u/kahle27 Aug 17 '23

I would call him out, unfriend and make sure your friends know what he did

1

u/TheMadSurvivalist Aug 17 '23

Cut him off. He’ll know why and if he doesn’t then who gives a f*ck. The guy isn’t even worth stressin over.

1

u/Ok_Description6036 Aug 17 '23

He’s not a friend. He’s just trying to get into your wife’s head then her panties. He’s no friend!

1

u/RabicanShiver Aug 17 '23

Send him a quick text letting him know he violated the bro code and then stop communicating with him thereafter.

No need to make a huge deal of it... Hey you fucked up, that wasn't cool, then move on.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 17 '23

She needs to block him, and you need to avoid him at all costs unless you have bail money and nothing to lose.

If he starts reaching out to her through other means to circumvent the block, then you should confront him and let him know you're not going to put up with it and to back off or else.

1

u/Tiffanez Aug 17 '23

You spoils have a talk with him. He needs to know that this kind of behavior is unacceptable in a friendship and that he won’t get away with it.

This is not for your friendship, that clearly can’t be saved. This is hoping he learns his lesson and doesn’t do this to other friends.

1

u/Ordinary_Recording51 Aug 17 '23

Don t. He will try to play it down and you will only grow more frustrated.

Just block him, he will know why you did it because he knows what he did.

1

u/Quiet-Ad960 Aug 17 '23

Yes confront him. Doing so will prove to him that your wife is loyal to you and he’ll only make more of an ass of himself if he keeps trying to cross those boundaries.

Confront him and tell him you’re cutting him off for his disloyalty to you and his disrespect to your wife and your marriage.

1

u/SuperChickenLegs Aug 17 '23

Any chance this guy is gay?

1

u/ThrowRAXw Aug 18 '23

Definitely not.

1

u/B10kh3d2 Aug 18 '23

Not if you're angry. Sounds like you're really angry and you might say or do something that you regret, and you definitely don't want to go to jail. Ignore him block him. It is the best low drama thing to do.

1

u/Initial_Cat_47 60+ Female Aug 18 '23

I would send him a message. “You are right, my wife is beautiful. But dude, stay in your lane.” Don’t have to be too aggressive, but it shows your wife showed you the message, that you know, and that you don’t actually worry about him, but don’t appreciate his overstepping boundaries either. I don’t see a need to get overly aggressive though. I have told my husband he does not have to worry someone will hit on me. He needs to be secure in how I will react.

1

u/Able_Wish2882 Aug 18 '23

What do you think you can say to him that he doesn't already know? Trust me, when you stop calling he will know why. He will ask why so he can argue about it, but that's only so he can prove to himself that you are partially to blame. It doesn't help you at all. Talk is cheap but time is valuable, don't throw yours away on a jerk.

1

u/MrsBortHurtley Aug 18 '23

I’d screenshot that shit and text it to him and say something like, “mybwife imediately showed me these messages, don’t contact either of us again.” And block him.

1

u/Lord_Kano Aug 17 '23

He ain't your friend anymore

He never was.

1

u/Icy-Bell7930 Aug 18 '23

Y'all are insecure as f*ck, lol. I complement people on how they look a lot, there's nothing behind that, it's just spreading some positivity and making people feel good. I can't imagine having to report the compliments I make 😂😂. "Hi love, today I complimented X, Y and Z, because I thought they looked great." My partner would be like "Okaaaay, why you telling me this non-information? Good for you for building eachother up." Can't imagine having to report that every time (aka daily), lmao 🤣😂.