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Am I overreacting or is this a red flag?

237 replies

amibeingaknob · 08/09/2025 13:41

So I have extremely lovely boyfriend - whom I am deeply in love with and he is with me (or so he says). Its quite early doors (6 months) but we have been spending lots of time together and very quickly into each other iykwim. He basically lives at my place of late. Im making that point because in the past 8 years of dating I have never gotten this close this quickly and its extremely lovely. I believed he was the one tbh after quite the time looking (Im 51 - past shitbox of a marriage).

Anyway, his previous girlfriend who he told me all about. He was in love with her , but she cheated on him with her childs father, he dumped her (but took some time to get over her), and they remained in touch as 'friends' (that part I don't get cos they didn't see each other just chatted a bit on text I think), and he said she spent about a year trying to get him back. He always said he wasnt interested, and she is with someone else. She was due to get married now.

This was all I really knew and I wasn't interested cos not my business. I did think it was odd they were facebook friends but he said they barely talk so I just didn't worry, cos we spend all our time together and its all good. HOWEVER, this weekend he started telling me how she is single, the wedding didnt happen she has been posting about how devo she is, how she has been treated so badly. I asked a bit more and he showed me that she had messaged him an old lovely dovey picture of them together in June with a 'how sad' and a sad emoji. Theres been no contact since - or so it seems - but they are still friends of facebook.

It made me feel very very insecure, threatened and panicky. I went quiet, and he reacted really lovingly telling me how sorry I was, how much he loved me, he wasn't interested in her - yada yada, and that he would unfriend. I said a woman you were once in love with, and pursued you for a year, sent you a very obvious 'i want you back' message just 2 months ago and is now newly single!!!! And we were together then. I asked how he would feel if it were him, he said he would hate it. I said I would never tell someone what to do, but I do not want to EVER feel insecure and jealous again - its a hideous awful emotion and I don't deserve to feel it. I said I didn't want to talk about it anymore, and he can do with that information what he wants. Obviously I wanted him to have unfriended and blocked her but I have checked today and they are still friends on there.

I just feel the whole thing is immature and just not something I want any part of. Im 51 ffs and Im checking someones facebook friends, its just not me, I hate it. Its put me right off tbh. I don't want to feel this teen angst knot in my stomach. Up until now, it felt like such a healthy, secure love. So different from my marriage which was awful. This has been exactly what I wanted and needed. But I just feel there is this woman out there, newly single and heartbroken, who is now going to go hellbent on pursuing my fella. And worse - he is just still facebook friends with her - and they aren't even bloody friends! I find that baffling and disrespectful. It makes me feel maybe he enjoys the attention from her? He is getting something out of it surely, because he doesn't want to be with her (allegedly). I dunno my gut is saying he wants her chasing. I really don't want a bar of this dynamic though. Apart from this, he makes me incredibly happy and I haven't felt this way in years!

So am I just completely overreacting, being a jealous knob and worrying about nothing and ruining something completely fabulous because Ive been fucked over in the past? Or is this something to worry about?

TIA

OP posts:
HungryWater · 08/09/2025 14:02

BitOutOfPractice · 08/09/2025 13:54

Are you sure you’re 51 and not 15 op. What a load of drama over nothing.

And while you’re at it, slow the hell down on this relationship!

Yes, waaay too far too fast. Move him out of your house, and put the brakes on. You don't trust him, he sounds like a bit of an idiot, and his ex is making puppyish 'come hither' eyes at him.

Lafufufu · 08/09/2025 14:02

Couldn't read the wall of text but this is your red flag

He basically lives at my place of late.

Its been 6months... why is he installing himself in your house - is he paying the food and utilities hes using?

PeanutsForever · 08/09/2025 14:01

Quite honestly this sounds ridiculous on all sides. You are being passive aggressive in refusing to say outrigt tha tyou don't want himt o be facebook friends with her and expecting her to prove he loves you by deleting her.

He is being very silly by keeping in touch with this woman. And frankly, it makes me question is story about her having an affair.

You are all being very immature by letting this play out on facebook.

You are being naive by letting him move in so soon after you started dating.

amibeingaknob · 08/09/2025 14:00

He has his own flat. We just like spending a lot of time together.

I appreciate those saying im acting 15 - thats my point. Im too old for this shit! I was happy when I felt secure. This feels just really weird and off.

OP posts:
MrsDoylesTeaTray · 08/09/2025 13:59

Why obsess over the unfriending? He’ll block her and they’ll just move the flirting to whatsapp .
Ultimately you don’t trust him and he’s enjoying being in demand, ask yourself if there’s a future for you both?

Shatteredallthetimelately · 08/09/2025 13:57

If you asked him to stop staying over at yours on a regular basis where would he go?

BigBirdOfPrey · 08/09/2025 13:57

I’d be uncomfortable with that but, them not being Facebook friends don’tb they still can’t text/message

alwaysthesamechild · 08/09/2025 13:57

It really shouldn’t be as complicated.

I’d move on, to be honest

catsand · 08/09/2025 13:55

The whole thing sounds like a red flag tbh - including being ‘deeply in love’ and basically living together at 6 months.

BitOutOfPractice · 08/09/2025 13:54

Are you sure you’re 51 and not 15 op. What a load of drama over nothing.

And while you’re at it, slow the hell down on this relationship!

amibeingaknob · 08/09/2025 13:54

I really really really don't want to do that. I want him to want to do that. Am I being an arse though? I just don't want to be controlling. And I want him to think (as I would) 'this is making my other half feel insecure, and its disrespectful so Im unfriending'. I just would block any ex who did that crap (and have, cos ex husband does it all the time - some go into my email spam folder).

OP posts:
Ablondiebutagoody · 08/09/2025 13:51

"On reflection bf, I would feel more comfortable if you could unfriend her"

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