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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To feel I've been played

170 replies

Courtney555 · 06/08/2018 00:18

Sorry in advance for a potentially long thread.

Have been with OH for two years now. He lives with me the majority of the time.

At the start, he'd been out of a 7yr relationship for 3 months. I was with someone I loved dearly, but was leaving the country so it ended. The main difference being OH was dumped and was bitter about it. My then bf and I did not have any animosity.

OH and I really hit it off. I wanted to keep it casual. He insisted on a relationship, so I agreed to try and see where it went. It was lots of fun, summer romance. Then one afternoon, he sent me a photo of the ex as he was cleaning his flat one day saying "hard to throw away" (this was 4 months in) and I found it not only insensitive, but also insulting as she is (being blunt) noticeably unattractive. He was still obviously bitter. So I made extra effort, cooking really nice meals, doted on him, even arranged a therapist.

Shortly after, he then refused to make any acknowledgement of me on social media... Which usually I wouldn't give a toss about, and his explanation was "I don't do social media"... Except he had hundreds of pictures of everyone BUT me. All exes, friends, family. I wasn't even acknowledged, you would never know I existed. When pointing it out, I was snapped at. To this day he has never initiated a picture of us together. I believe two exist.

I cover all household expenses. It's my house I guess... But it's not just me living in it. In the two years when I've pointed out he makes no contribution, he uses the strange excuse that he can't as we don't have a joint account. In the last 12mths he has made some contributions to grocery shopping.

He has no outgoings. If he's not here, he's at his familys, with all bills covered by them.

His family are rude and dismissive to me. Came to my house once, to pick up their car that he drives, as he'd gone away for work, and behaved in a manner as such I felt awkward in my own home. I brought it up, and after refusing to believe me, he eventually spoke to them. They lied, he called me a liar and as a result, I don't go to any social events so they don't have to acknowledge their behaviour. They've met me twice. I've invited them to dinner, and they didn't even respond.

He's never taken me out. Not once. On the very very rare occasions we have been anywhere, it's a local Chinese or something at my organisation. I pay most often. He's certainly never arranged anything for me.

His birthday, I bought him a whole new snowboarding wardrobe. My birthday (he works away) I didn't even get a card. I did get to sign for something he'd bought for himself and had sent to the house though!!

His ex was a cheat, who gave him an std, and yet she was given the world and he won't hear a bad word. He passed this std on to me as well, which I was so decent about, telling him, it's OK, these things happen, and I feel very few women would have been as calm as I was. He was of course apologetic. I've never had anything before. It wasn't his fault, but I feel it's one more example of me giving my all when I really had every reason not to, and his constant feeling entitled to nothing less from me.

I'm a qualified professional, with my own house, car, great job... And I "get" nothing so to speak. No thoughtfulness, no dates, no flowers, no little surprises. If I point this out, I'm "obsessed with the ex" which is honestly, laughable. I explain that I'm drawing reference to show that he obviously understands how to do nice things for other people, why am I treated so differently. Again, he rants that I'm digging up his past, to avoid the question.

He's very molly coddled. At 33. The sister, 40, is an absolute failure, (4 kids, no house, no job and a drunk boyfriend who's hit her in front of said children) but they are both treated as prodigal children by the family, and they all make excuses for why none of them are ever at fault... So I do understand that his upbringing plays a part here, but not in the way he disrespects me in so many ways compared to all previous relationships.

Am I being plain stupid in pursuing this any longer? He isn't a bad person. He's fairly good with my son. I'm just fed up of bringing everything I do to the table, which he's quite happy to take, and his ungrateful actions in return.

Am I sounding stupid. Am I holding out for someone who's never going to treat me any differently and always have an excuse why?

I ended it today. Aibu?

OP posts:
AngryAttackKittens · 06/08/2018 07:08

I was ready to tell you to LTB but then I saw you already have. Good job!

My guess as to why he was such a shit to you and so much less so to his exes would be insecurity. He knew you were too good for him and was hoping you wouldn't realize you were too. Now you have, so tough luck for him.

paintinmyhairAgain · 06/08/2018 07:10

it's good that you dumped the waste of space but any sympathy for you is marred by the fact you have slagged off other people unknown to you and have made judgement on one who you never need see again.

mineisarossini · 06/08/2018 07:23

The only sadness you should be feeling is that it took 2 years to kick him out, but it could have 42 years and your whole life lost.

Change the locks, secure your home and book a holiday, it might surprise you how quickly you get over him.

Zoflorabore · 06/08/2018 07:27

Dear god woman, he is a man child, a sponger and is clearly pining for his ex.

You sound fab and deserve so much better.

Bluntness100 · 06/08/2018 07:33

Look, as harsh as it sounds, it doesn't matter how fabulous you think you are, if he's not that into you, he's not that into you.

Move on, you did the right thing. You'll never understand why he wasn't feeling it the same way, spending time trying to work it out won't change anything. He won't suddenly fall madly in love. You're not at fault.

SmileSweetly · 06/08/2018 07:36

So glad to hear you've dumped him, he sounds like a loser and a user and you haven't been getting anything out of this relationship.

At least it's only 2 years you've wasted on him, and not longer. You're in a strong position as you don't rely on him for anything so it should be a swift and easy process getting by him right out if your life.

Onwards and upwards, you deserve so much better!

longwayoff · 06/08/2018 07:39

Eyes wide shut. Please do anything but return to this user. Dont worry about him he'll already be giving a sob story to another sucker. You might benefit from some therapy. You deserve better and need to believe that. Dont fall into a similar masochistic relationship with someone else. Be more careful. Remember you are more important than anyone else its your life and if you dont care for yourself no one else will. Good luck

HellenaHandbasket · 06/08/2018 07:39

I have to say that I don't know why people keep saying how fab you sound, you sound pretty unpleasant to me.

PeakPants · 06/08/2018 07:41

Agree Hellena I can see no evidence whatsoever of this alleged fabulousness. This is someone who slates another woman for being a victim of domestic violence and calls her a ‘total failure’. Not to mention the snipes about looks. Maybe I am missing something but class A bitch in my book.

Mummyoflittledragon · 06/08/2018 07:43

Congratulations on getting rid of this millstone. I’m so glad for not just you but also for your son. You don’t want a man around him like this teaching him this is how men act. Next time, when you’re ready for a new relationship, please remember you want a man to treat you the way in which you wish your ds to treat you and his future partners. It seems like you want closeness and equality with any partners family so this is also something to bear in mind.

bimbobaggins · 06/08/2018 07:46

Run for the hills and don’t look back.
There is not one positive thing about this man in your op, he treats you appallingly.

CircleofWillis · 06/08/2018 07:49

Agreed Helena and Peak. Partner sounds absolutely awful but you sound unpleasant in what you have said about other women (exes and sister).

user1467232073 · 06/08/2018 07:50

Well done for finishing it. Stay strong, learn from this relationship/mistakes and work on your own self esteem/worth. It’s ok to dwell for a while and be upset but then try and look at moving forward positively. Xx

Mummyoflittledragon · 06/08/2018 07:53

Hellena
I understand where you are coming from. I think it would be better to say she is failing her children. It’s a repetitive pattern anyway as her parents are failing her and her brother. I think in a moment of anger I could say the same thing about someone, who’s been so nasty to me and about me.

QuoadUltra · 06/08/2018 07:56

I think you need a bit of therapy, some nice days out and good female friends.

In six months time you are going to really hate this man for how he behaved.

SlowDown76mph · 06/08/2018 07:59

Well done.

MissusGeneHunt · 06/08/2018 08:00

He sounds like a cocklodger of the highest order. Well done OP for walking away.

Don't try and analyse this twat. He'll move on rather more quickly than you would believe, been there, got the tear stained Tshirt. Look forward to times with your DS, and don't get bitter (it's easily done).

Think freedom from this utter draining twunt!!!

MissusGeneHunt · 06/08/2018 08:02

Ps to PPs... There was a comment about the thread being hidden til MNHQ could look at it... Why? Sorry for ignorance....

Cherubfish · 06/08/2018 08:04

Either this man was lying about how well he treated his exes and will say the same about you to his next girlfriend.

Or it's true, and he treated you worse because he could get away with it, or maybe because he was intimidated by you and felt the need to take you down a peg or two.

Or a combination of the above.

Whatever the reason, does it matter? If someone is treating you badly, end the relationship (as you have done). No one is forcing you to have this twat as a partner. Onwards and upwards!

paintinmyhairAgain · 06/08/2018 08:05

op have an prescribed spa day that sorts EVERYTHING out for toothache to threat of mil induced nuclear meltdowns Smile

IceCreamFace · 06/08/2018 08:05

I think the way you describe his sister is unkind but of course YANBU to leave this man he sounds awful.

paintinmyhairAgain · 06/08/2018 08:05

*from

PeakPants · 06/08/2018 08:08

I think in a moment of anger I could say the same thing about someone, who’s been so nasty to me and about me.

You'd normally get roasted if you said that on here though. Odd that people seem so willing to overlook it. Oh well. No, of course it's awful for the children, I agree. They are being let down, but I don't think calling their abused mother a total failure helps and specifically saying that she is a failure BECAUSE of the abuse. That's probably how she feels about herself anyway.

bumhead · 06/08/2018 08:09

I am glad you've ended the relationship but the way you've talked about all the other women in his life is utterly disgusting.
You don't need to trample on people to feel good about yourself Op. Or do you?
You know nothing about what these exes are like and what they look like is no factor in how they should be treated and who they are. You sound jealous of them tbh.
And describing his sister in that way? Hmm
Get some therapy and work on yourself.

Whisky2014 · 06/08/2018 08:09

Good god im so glad you ended it. Please keep it that way.
Just out of interest, how did he take it?