Beautician Olivia, 30, from Glasgow, Scotland, is expecting her first baby with her partner of three years Jack, 40, a businessman.
Like pregnant Laura Woods, 37, she has recently got engaged. Sports presenter Laura has tamed notorious ‘bad boy’, ex-Love Islander Adam Collard, 28, and is expecting his child after a year of dating.
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But Olivia is worried Jack will go off her body and stray.
Speaking to Fabulous she tells her story:
Showing off my engagement ring to my friends over coffee, I smiled happily as they admired the gorgeous diamond in a platinum setting.
“A ring and a baby on the way – you have it all Olivia,” says my best friend Becca.
“The best-looking man who we thought no one could tame is marrying my bestie. Plus the baby makes three.
“I can’t believe Jack’s properly settling down. You have to tell me your secret!”
He proposed a week after I announced I was pregnant. Now I’m terrified he’ll play the field as my bump ruins my size eight figure and turns me into a blob.
Olivia
‘Clearly my looks and charm,” I laughed, playing along. “And a lot of luck.”
But deep down I knew the joke may actually be on me.
Because, despite my friends’ excitement, I can’t ignore the twinges of anxiety and fear building inside me.
They’re not pre-baby stress or anxiety about juggling a pregnancy, work and planning a wedding.
The simple fact is my man’s a player who’s been around the block more times than my local bin van.
He proposed a week after I announced I was pregnant. Now I’m terrified he’ll play the field as my bump ruins my size eight figure and turns me into a blob.
I’m not stupid and I know the man I am in love with is capable of cheating and hates women who get fat when they’re pregnant.
Jack and I ‘met’ three years ago in spring 2021 at a nightclub celebrating the end of lockdown.
He was at a VIP table and surrounded by a gaggle of gorgeous girls.
Although he was in a relationship, he was known for playing the field… and he found it easy with his twinkling blue eyes, muscled body and charming smile.
Olivia
He didn’t know me but I knew him by reputation alone. He was a hot guy with a great career. Although he was in a relationship, he was known for playing the field… and he found it easy with his twinkling blue eyes, muscled body and charming smile.
When he broke away and asked if he could buy me a drink I was flattered.
We switched numbers and 24 hours later I got a WhatsApp message.
A few days later when he asked me out to dinner. I was shocked and asked him what his girlfriend would say?
I didn’t want to break ‘girl code’ – the unspoken rules between females which mean you never cheat with another woman’s man – but Jack assured me they were breaking up.
Olivia
I didn’t want to break ‘girl code’ – the unspoken rules between females which mean you never cheat with another woman’s man – but Jack assured me they were breaking up.
And, true to his word, they did. He moved out and months later we were living together.
There may have been a bit of an overlap between us but I expected that. Jack had to disentangle himself. I knew his girlfriend would try everything to keep a handsome man like ‘my Jack’. He told me they weren’t sleeping together. I knew we were meant to be. We just got on so well. I’d tamed him and felt like the cat who’s got the cream.
“The player slayer,” was how I secretly referred to myself.
Olivia
“The player slayer,” was how I secretly referred to myself.
Jack loved telling me I was his perfect woman – a sexy size eight who always looked good with a faceful of makeup and in smart clothes.
Some people might think it was superficial. But he appreciated my efforts to bring the glam’ and I loved that he was a man who ‘made an effort’.
I knew men have types. I didn’t fancy a man with an XXL beer belly. Just like Jack wasn’t into bigger women.
When he left his girlfriend for me, I thought he had finally reached the end of his ‘playing about’ days. I was confident the town player was ready to settle down and had found his Queen.
Olivia
When Jack revealed in bed one night I was his size eight fantasy woman my confidence skyrocketed
No man had ever showered me with compliments and gifts like Jack.
My two past boyfriends complained I took too long to get ready and worried too much about clothes and makeup.
Jack was different. He loves looking good and so do I. He also loves attention and lots of it.
He constantly tells me how sexy I am and how proud he is to have a girlfriend who works out and always looks hot.
Still, he hadn’t fully changed… whenever we’d go to clubs or restaurants girls would swarm over him like mosquitos to a lamp and Jack loved it.
Olivia
When he left his girlfriend for me, I thought he had finally reached the end of his ‘playing about’ days.
I was confident the town player was ready to settle down and had found his Queen.
The 10-year age difference made me even more confident Jack was now mature and ready to call time on the single scene.
Still, he hadn’t fully changed… whenever we’d go to clubs or restaurants girls would swarm over him like mosquitos to a lamp and Jack loved it.
But he’d always give me a conspiratorial wink and nod to assure me I was his girl.
Four red flags your partner is cheating
Private Investigator Aaron Bond from BondRees revealed four warning signs your partner might be cheating.
They start to take their phone everywhere with them
In close relationships, it’s normal to know each other’s passwords and use each other’s phones, if their phone habits change then they may be hiding something.
Aaron says: “If your partner starts changing their passwords, starts taking their phone everywhere with them, even around the house or they become defensive when you ask to use their phone it could be a sign of them not being faithful.”
“You should also look at how they place their phone down when not in use. If they face the phone with the screen facing down, then they could be hiding something.”
They start telling you less about their day
When partners cheat they can start to avoid you, this could be down to them feeling guilty or because it makes it easier for them to lie to you.
“If you feel like your partner has suddenly begun to avoid you and they don’t want to do things with you any more or they stop telling you about their day then this is another red flag.”
“Partners often avoid their spouses or tell them less about their day because cheating can be tough, remembering all of your lies is impossible and it’s an easy way to get caught out,” says Aaron.
Their libido changes
Your partner’s libido can change for a range of reasons so it may not be a sure sign of cheating but it can be a red flag according to Aaron.
Aaron says: “Cheaters often have less sex at home because they are cheating, but on occasions, they may also have more sex at home, this is because they feel guilty and use this increase in sex to hide their cheating. You may also find that your partner will start to introduce new things into your sex life that weren’t there before.”
They become negative towards you
Cheaters know that cheating is wrong and to them, it will feel good, this can cause tension and anxiety within themselves which they will need to justify.
“To get rid of the tension they feel inside they will try to convince themselves that you are the problem and they will become critical of you out of nowhere. Maybe you haven’t walked the dog that day, put the dishes away or read a book to your children before bedtime. A small problem like this can now feel like a big deal and if you experience this your partner could be cheating,” warns Aaron.
Other women shot me daggers I basked in the limelight.
He goes out with the lads one or twice a week and comes back boozed up and happy.
Jacks always assured me he’d never cheat and he’s a ‘father figure to the younger lads.
We talked about having kids and Jack told me he’d be thrilled to finally be a father.
So, when I took a pregnancy test in the loo at work at the end of June – just two years after we’d moved in together – and watched the plus sign appear – I yelped with delight.
I wanted a baby and Jack told me he’d love to be a daddy.
He said he was delighted, but jokingly ‘warned’ me not to turn into one of those ‘fatty frumps who never loses their baby weight’
Olivia
He said he was delighted, but jokingly ‘warned’ me not to turn into one of those ‘fatty frumps who never loses their baby weight’.
I laughed with him. But it sowed the seed of doubt.
Two days later when he took me to our favourite restaurant and proposed with a £4,000 diamond ring I was overwhelmed.
We hadn’t discussed marriage.
I knew Jack was engaged twice before and had cheated.
He told me about both his impulsive proposals. He said it was only because he was young and silly
But now, three-and-half-months pregnant, and standing in front of the mirror, having had to swap my size eight skinny jeans for a size 10 pair, that seed of doubt has sprouted branches of anxiety.
I am terrified my player fiance will hate my pregnant body. This isn’t low self-esteem or pregnancy hormones talking. I am a realist.
Despite the fact I have tamed him and got the ring I know deep down he’s a man who has the form for cheating and playing around.
Pregnancy has woken me up from my perfect relationship daydream. The sudden engagement though has pushed me over the edge.
The simple fact is my man’s a player who’s been around the block more times than my local bin van
Olivia
I know size eight and sexy is his ideal women’s body.
Jack and I had laughed about pregnant women before, and said they were not eating for two “but an entire army”.
“It’s disgusting,” he said then. “You can still look glam and be pregnant.” Now though my body is changing so rapidly, and the proposal was so unexpected I wake up with a sense of dread every morning.
We’d never really talked about marriage and for him to do it so suddenly and only after a positive pregnancy test has set off alarm bells.
I think he’s done it to keep me sweet so he can start playing the field again. It feels like a second prize and a way of keeping my attention on a possible wedding and not his behaviour.
He’s in his 40s but wants prime size eight 21-year-old steak at nightclubs, leaving his frumpy fiance at home.
He’s staying out longer with his mates. He isn’t complimenting me as much and our sex life has gone from five times to twice a week.
Jacks always got an excuse, but my female senses are on alert.
I realise I can’t have it all with a player. They will always have a strayer instinct.
Some details have been changed to protect anonymity
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