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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:
tumblingdowntherabbithole · 09/09/2025 08:34

You both sound about 15 years old.

amibeingaknob · 09/09/2025 08:27

GRex · 09/09/2025 08:09

Uh huh. Well, it's your bed and looks like you're determined to lie in it. Enjoy the drama.

Genuinely why do you think that? I feel ive nipped it in the bud now. Whilst I would like to know why the fuck he was even friends with her in the first place - was it attention etc, I really just don't want to give it any oxygen by talking about her or the incident anymore and just get on with being us. You think there will be more drama with it? If there is, then im out. Hes lovely but Im way too old for this shit.

OP posts:
GRex · 09/09/2025 08:09

amibeingaknob · 09/09/2025 08:04

So he came over last night. Bit awks. He did a big dramatic, 'shes gone all her family are gone'. I just said, 'well how does that make you feel' and he said, 'fine, i don't care about her i just care about you', and I said 'well thank you, but id just rather not talk about it anymore'. And we haven't.

Uh huh. Well, it's your bed and looks like you're determined to lie in it. Enjoy the drama.

amibeingaknob · 09/09/2025 08:04

So he came over last night. Bit awks. He did a big dramatic, 'shes gone all her family are gone'. I just said, 'well how does that make you feel' and he said, 'fine, i don't care about her i just care about you', and I said 'well thank you, but id just rather not talk about it anymore'. And we haven't.

OP posts:
amibeingaknob · 09/09/2025 07:57

Dangermoos · 08/09/2025 21:12

"Devo" 🤢

Im australian. Apologies for how we talk! lol

OP posts:
amibeingaknob · 09/09/2025 07:54

Someone2025 · 08/09/2025 16:04

I would never tell any man that his actions made me feel jealous / insecure or jealous, he now knows he has the ability to do this and can do it again in the future if he wants, you have left yourself open to potential abuse

Really? You wouldn't tell a man how you were feeling in a relationship? Isn't that game playing, and not giving the relationship a fair go? or him a chance to resolve things?

OP posts:
whimsicallyprickly · 09/09/2025 07:35

Dangermoos · 08/09/2025 21:12

"Devo" 🤢

🤣🤣

Isn't that an American band? 🙄

whimsicallyprickly · 09/09/2025 07:33

amibeingaknob · 08/09/2025 18:36

Being in love is silliness? Ok. More than happy to be silly.

What is with everyone and thinking talking about love is weird/intense/red flag. Isn't that what we all want afterall? I don't want a friend. I want someone Ive fallen in love with. And for me, im never a slow burn - I fall quick and hard or not at all. Believe me ive tried slow burn.

And anyway, I don't think there is a time thing on these things. And when you know you know - especially at 51 and having been round the block many times lol.

Being deeply in love after 6 months with a man who is messing with your head and whose head YOU are messing with , is both juvenile and silly. 🙂

However if you are happy being deeply in love with someone I'd suggest you really don't know very well, then I wish you all the very best

Dangermoos · 08/09/2025 21:12

"Devo" 🤢

NotoriousABC · 08/09/2025 21:00

whatwouldlilacerullodo · 08/09/2025 20:00

The whole "she wanted to get back at me and I had to keep her away" and showing you the photo are red flags in my book. He is deliberately trying to make you insecure.

If a man tells me how irresistible he is to another woman I immediately read it as "desperate insecure man" and get the ick.

I wouldn't tell a man in detail how I've been chased by another man, unless I was desperate for attention and validation (and that's so unattractive...)

He’s doing exactly this, and I am amazed that so many posters seem to think he’s done nothing wrong.

Ok, some posters are amicable or even friends with their exes. But their exes aren’t actively sniffing around them and trying to get them back. That’s a massive difference.

If any of my exes sent me a message like she sent your DP, knowing that I am in a relationship, they’d be getting told to piss off. I wouldn’t be encouraging them and basically bragging about it to my DP. Because that would be such a cunty thing to do.

GRex · 08/09/2025 20:12

amibeingaknob · 08/09/2025 14:11

Sorry what reveal? Im confused. You mean about the picture from June?

He told me about her all along. We both talked about our exes. He only just told me/showed me the june message she sent. But she was with her fiancee and due to get married then so imagine how she is gonna be now!

I don't think he wants to be with her, but I do think he wants the attention. Its the only explanation really. Which gives me the massive ick.

The story! It's middle of September. She sent that photo in June. What has been going on that it couldn't be said then but needs to be said now? There is always a reason. Not worth knowing, get away.

whatwouldlilacerullodo · 08/09/2025 20:00

The whole "she wanted to get back at me and I had to keep her away" and showing you the photo are red flags in my book. He is deliberately trying to make you insecure.

If a man tells me how irresistible he is to another woman I immediately read it as "desperate insecure man" and get the ick.

I wouldn't tell a man in detail how I've been chased by another man, unless I was desperate for attention and validation (and that's so unattractive...)

amibeingaknob · 08/09/2025 18:36

whimsicallyprickly · 08/09/2025 16:36

Absolutely agree with @BauhausOfEliott

You both sound incredibly juvenile. Mind games and "deeply in love" ??? What a lot of silliness

Being in love is silliness? Ok. More than happy to be silly.

What is with everyone and thinking talking about love is weird/intense/red flag. Isn't that what we all want afterall? I don't want a friend. I want someone Ive fallen in love with. And for me, im never a slow burn - I fall quick and hard or not at all. Believe me ive tried slow burn.

And anyway, I don't think there is a time thing on these things. And when you know you know - especially at 51 and having been round the block many times lol.

OP posts:
Morningsleepin · 08/09/2025 17:59

I'm friends with an ex of mine. He's a lovely person with a lovely family. We also had years after we split up to get back together if we'd wanted. But I agree, he should not be virtually living at your house after six months. You don't know him enough

BuckChuckets · 08/09/2025 17:51

amibeingaknob · 08/09/2025 17:49

What annoys me a bit as well is he's a very jealous person himself which he admits readily. He would absolutely hate it if i was talking to an ex. I told him the other day about how i love to compliment strangers (if I think it I say it), but only women cos men think you like them which is a shame cos we all like compliments. I was just being chatty, and he said how much he would not like it if i did that. He also got a bit huffy ( i think it was jokey but not sure) when I kept drooling over pierce brosnan the other night in Murder Club. Fine figure of a man. Oh and if people have chatted me up or looked at me in the pub he gets a bit twitchy. Sooooo if the shoe was on the other foot he would have had a right tanty.

Red flags all over this.

amibeingaknob · 08/09/2025 17:51

TwoTuesday · 08/09/2025 17:37

That points very much to him wanting to show you off, and to the reason for him keeping her as a facebook friend being to show her he's moved on. (I agree it is cringe and a bit undignified of him)

It is a bit. I refused to have my pic up there, i just don't like facebook, but he did a sneaky. It really does make me feel like im at school - rubbing me in the face of his ex who hurt him.

OP posts:
amibeingaknob · 08/09/2025 17:49

What annoys me a bit as well is he's a very jealous person himself which he admits readily. He would absolutely hate it if i was talking to an ex. I told him the other day about how i love to compliment strangers (if I think it I say it), but only women cos men think you like them which is a shame cos we all like compliments. I was just being chatty, and he said how much he would not like it if i did that. He also got a bit huffy ( i think it was jokey but not sure) when I kept drooling over pierce brosnan the other night in Murder Club. Fine figure of a man. Oh and if people have chatted me up or looked at me in the pub he gets a bit twitchy. Sooooo if the shoe was on the other foot he would have had a right tanty.

OP posts:
amibeingaknob · 08/09/2025 17:44

No its fine. That was really my only issue. Although I still don't get why this all happened.

To the poster who was unclear - no he hasn't heard from her direct since June. She sent a lovey dovey old pic of those two together with it captioned saying something about it coming up on her memories and feeling sad and a sad emoji. We were together then.

OP posts:
Onlythecrumbliest · 08/09/2025 17:42

Onlythecrumbliest · 08/09/2025 17:33

He actually did say he would unfriend, but he hasn't. This is the bit that snags for me. I would have to ask him why.

Sorry OP, just saw your update and it seems sorted on that front now.

TwoTuesday · 08/09/2025 17:37

amibeingaknob · 08/09/2025 15:46

He was very keen to make us public on facebook - I didnt want to. I dont do facebook, and I think all the relationship stuff is icky. But he really wanted to.

That points very much to him wanting to show you off, and to the reason for him keeping her as a facebook friend being to show her he's moved on. (I agree it is cringe and a bit undignified of him)

arcticpandas · 08/09/2025 17:37

I would tell him that you understand that he likes the attention from ex and that she finds him interesting now when he has moved on. However you are all grown up so if he needs to have his ego stroked by anyone else than you you're out.

Onlythecrumbliest · 08/09/2025 17:33

He actually did say he would unfriend, but he hasn't. This is the bit that snags for me. I would have to ask him why.

mondaytosunday · 08/09/2025 17:16

Ok a different take (I haven’t read all the dots). I met and got engaged to my late husband within six weeks and we were married a year later, so your speed doesn’t bother me. As fur FB, I have loads of ‘friends’ who have long past been in my life but unfriending them seems kinda… unfriendly!
And I had a flatmate for about a year who I used to be in a relationship with a few years earlier - we managed to be friends without issue.

SparklyGlitterballs · 08/09/2025 16:52

If she is his FB friend and has been posting about splitting up with her fiancé then your bf would see that on his news feed, he wouldn't have to go searching her page. Anything a FB friend posts appears on your feed.

Im a little bit confused by it all, and may have misunderstood. This ex has split from her fiancé and has been posting about it on FB. She's sent one message direct to your bf with a photo (of her and her fiance, or her and your bf?) and you seem to think she's pursuing your bf again? Maybe she just wanted some sympathy. If there has been no further contact since June then I don't know why you're getting so upset. If you don't trust him then there is no relationship. I wouldn't tell him who he can or cannot have as a friend on FB, but I'd be clear with him that I'd his ex starts messaging him direct on other apps trying to get chatty, then I'd expect him to clearly set a boundary and be clear with her he's in a happy relationship and does not want to be a text buddy.

whimsicallyprickly · 08/09/2025 16:36

Absolutely agree with @BauhausOfEliott

You both sound incredibly juvenile. Mind games and "deeply in love" ??? What a lot of silliness

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