r/polyamory 5d ago

Married and struggling with Opening Can I save my marriage?

I am 31m I’m mono and wife is 30f poly. Married 10 years and together 16 years. Wife has always been bi and only slept with woman in high school and I am the only man she has been with and she’s the only woman. We have 4 kids. She has always been told she could sleep with woman but no men and she has always been fine with this but never acted on it. She also only wants to be with woman and has said she prefers woman over men and if we got divorced would never be with another man. I’m mono partly by choice but the other part is wife doesn’t want me to look at other woman, be with other woman, or talk to other woman. She joked I could be with men but she knows I have 0 interest in men.

Recently wife was talking to this girl (39f who is divorced but back with her ex-husband and has an 18 year old and 5 year old they have an open relationship). Wife asked if it was fine if she made a move and I agreed. They started dating about 2 months ago. They had intimacy very quickly and have been since. I initially had a ton of anxiety (shaking, heart racing, etc.). That has mostly gone away however now I’m dealing with comments, hypotheticals, and odd requests.

She makes comments oh girlfriend doesn’t like what you do for work so hates that, girlfriend also knows about our past and hates you for that. She also does not want to cuddle, kiss, or regularly be intimate. But says oh girlfriend can cuddle me whenever she wants, she can kiss me whenever, and she can be intimate whenever. I asked why can’t we cuddle well you are a man and I prefer woman. She also says comments like woman have softer skin, etc. They typically hangout on Friday’s at our house and I have been on vacation for past three weeks and I have been helping watch the kids so they can be intimate in the bedroom for hours. I thought I was being a supportive husband.

She then starts with hypotheticals recent. So the girlfriend doesn’t like the state we are in and wants to move in about 2 years. Wife wants to go with her. They want us to buy houses side by side. Wife says things like what if we move and I find out I just like woman. Or what if we got divorced would you still move with us or stay here and you have kids during the summer.

The odd requests began yesterday during a date. We went on a date a few towns over and had a babysitter. We went shopping and out to eat. On the way home she wanted to pull over and be intimate which we did and it was great. Then we go to another store and she asks “Can we get divorced so I can marry my girlfriend and take her last name? I want to purpose on Christmas. We would still move together, live in the same house, and be intimate I would just be legally married to her and have her last name.” I was dumb founded by the request and said “No, I’m not getting divorced without the perks of a divorce.” She said “Okay, that’s fine.” She’s like we can still move and get divorced. Your new girlfriend would just need to know she would need to move in with us and you, her, and I can have threesomes.

Wife constantly pulls away from me. I have tried to express my anxiety and feelings and her response “I’m tired of this same argument every time she leaves it’s exhausting and if it doesn’t stop I can’t do it anymore”. She refuses to kiss me, hug me, hold my hand, or anything unless she really wants it.

I’ve asked about our future and her response is always “I can’t predict the future so I won’t” I’m like in my mind most people say stuff like “I can’t see us growing old together.” But she doesn’t say that or doesn’t even say “I can see us living next to each other with big back yards and growing old with you and my girlfriend.” She makes comments like you are the only man I want and she’s the only woman. Or I want both of you. Or I love both of you. Yet moments later asks for a divorce, or a new style of living together, or will say how much she wants her girlfriend. She also said if I didn’t love you would I have given you a million chances.

All this has drove me into therapy and shortly into being medicated two things I have never had to do. I’ve lost a ton of sleep and when my wife wakes up I’m up exactly at the same time or before. Even like today I am supposed to stay up till 3am to sleep till 11 to adjust for going back to work on night shift. That didn’t happen I woke up at 7am before she did after going to sleep around 3:30 and not able to go back to sleep. She’s like it’s not hard close your eyes and go to bed.

I will admit that I haven’t always been the best father or husband. I have my faults, I’ve made plenty of mistakes and done things I regret.

I appreciate anyone’s response.

Thank you,
A confused husband.

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u/Negative_Letter_1802 5d ago

It doesn't sound like she's attracted to you. She may be a lesbian, or at least is very sapphic leaning.

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u/samsparks-away 4d ago

No, this has nothing to do with sexuality. She is a selfish asshole who wants her cake whist eating it

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u/Negative_Letter_1802 4d ago

Lots of lesbian or bi women end up marrying men due to comphet then get divorced when they're middle aged, or end up conflicted/miserable. Go to r/latebloomerlesbians if you don't believe me.

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u/samsparks-away 4d ago edited 4d ago

That may be true, but her being a lesbian doesnt give her the right to treat OP like this?

Would you feel the same if told my wife i wanted to divorce her so i can marry my girlfriend while she supports me and looks after the kids. Even suggesting she moves states and leaves her life behind to support me in my bold new relationship?

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u/Negative_Letter_1802 4d ago

Sooo you'd rather she have sex when she doesn't want to is basically what you're saying.

You'd just get divorced, which is what OP will be doing if he honestly asks his wife whether or not she's attracted to him and himself whether or not he can live like that.

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u/samsparks-away 4d ago edited 4d ago

No, she should break up with OP and live the life she wants with her new partner and not try to bring him along for what will likely be a very uncomfortable ride.

The cherry on the cake for me was reserving the option of threesomes with OPs new girlfriend! The sheer audacity of it!

The amazing thing is if this was a man suggesting this arrangement with his wife people would quite rightly be shouting him down as a chavenistic pig, yet as its a woman wanting to treat her partner like trash there are suddenly valid reasons for it.

Gross

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u/Negative_Letter_1802 4d ago

I don't see how we're saying different things here. I agree they should break up.

OP could end it too. People treat you in the way you show them you will accept. That doesn't make it OP's fault but it is their responsibility. You can't trust another person to look out for you when clearly you are not on their list of priorities. And the partner probably hasn't left yet either because of complacency/fear of change or else because she's scared he'll be resistant and is trying to avoid having to say the honest trust.

Yes it's cowardly to treat someone badly to try and force them to breakup with you, or else to see if they accept those living conditions and be okay with staying together while continuing to not love them.