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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to think my fiance overreacted by getting a younger woman's number because I double booked by accident, and threw my belongings about?

1000 replies

Sunglasses1979 · 01/06/2026 12:52

I am trying to work out whether I am being unfair or whether my fiancé genuinely overreacts to situations.
I was spending a long weekend with him and we had plans for Monday. Friday to Sunday eve were lovely and we did sightseeing etc. then went to his and were planning to stay there for a few nights.

However, I realised I had accidentally double-booked the Monday because my adult DD had arranged for me to meet her new boyfriend and his father over lunch. It was important to her and had been organised for a while. DD has is ND and has severe MH issues; this is the first "normal" relationship she has had and it's a huge deal for her.

I told my fiancé on Sunday afternoon that I would go to the lunch for a few hours and then come back afterwards so we could still spend the Monday evening together and the following days.

He was furious. He said I was choosing other people over him and repeatedly referred to my daughter's boyfriend and his father as "strange men". He seemed particularly upset that I would be spending time with another man, even though it was DD's BF's dad not just a random stranger.

After I had told him I had double booked and would need to go for a few hours we were arguing about it non-stop for hours. I was crying at one point and I kept saying I was sorry, it was human error, not deliberate. After all this arguing I was tired and wanted to stay in, but at around 11pm he insisted we go out. While we were out he deliberately started talking to a much younger woman, introduced himself to her, claimed he got her Instagram and then repeatedly talked about how he was meeting her for dinner the next day. His argument was that if I was going for lunch with strange men the next day, then why couldn't he meet up with a new person too? Even though it was not the same at all, obviously. The young woman must have been about 20 and we are both in our 40's so it just felt really weird and "off".

The argument continued after we got back to his for most of the night and I got very little sleep. The next morning I had to get an extremely expensive Uber to make sure I did not let my daughter down and miss the lunch. He had said not to come back to his after lunch but then called me when I was in the Uber and asked me to come back to his after all.

The lunch itself was lovely. Afterwards, I travelled back to his. However, when I arrived we had another argument. During it, he picked up my bags and threw them across the room in anger, they went everywhere as he threw them so hard.

He later continued to use the lunch as an example of me not caring about him enough and prioritising other people over our relationship, and how I like "strange men".

From my point of view, I attended an important family event for a few hours and still made the effort to return afterwards. From his point of view, I had disrespected him and chosen other people over him.

When I told him how much the Uber cost he took offence because I have never gotten an Uber to his even if I am running late; he said he didn't realise I have money in this way.

When I went back to his after the lunch I had to get a standing room only train in the middle of the heatwave; I don't like public transport at the best of times and he kept asking when I arrived what did I want to do; meet his friends in the pub or go straight to his. I said I don't care and was almost in tears as I was finding the journey so stressful. I didn't realise but he had me on loud speaker so all his friends heard me when I said "I don't care" and now he's saying his friends all think I am horrible and rude to him. When it was taken out of context and they didn't know we had been arguing all night and that he'd got a much younger woman's contact details the night before.

Am I missing something or was he overreacting?

OP posts:
jinglejanglescarecat · 01/06/2026 14:32

OP this will only get worse. Extremely controlling, jealous, abusive and childish. Very manipulative too if you’ve gone back.

please leave now. He will hurt you. Physically as well as mentally.

Littlebitpsycho · 01/06/2026 14:32

The only part where YABU is the fact you haven't ditched him. Get rid he's a total wanker

SunnyRedSnail · 01/06/2026 14:33

Sunglasses1979 · 01/06/2026 13:01

He has always had a bit of a temper but he has never thrown my things before. He has done stuff like throwing presents he has bought me away. Or tearing up cards / letters I have written.
He has never gone out with me to get a younger woman's number before.

@Sunglasses1979 please read what you have written as if someone else had written it, and think about what advice you would give them.

I'm pretty sure you would be telling them that all the above are red flags, and signs of aggressive/abusive/controlling behaviour.

From what you have listed about his behaviour, I would be ending this relationship immediately. No man should ever make you feel that way.

He clearly doesn't respect you.

poig · 01/06/2026 14:33

Do not marry this man.
I repeat, do not marry this man.

SleepingStandingUp · 01/06/2026 14:33

Oy God, please dump this piece of crap.

Faveway · 01/06/2026 14:33

Op, value yourself. Just dump him by text now and block on all platforms. Don't engage in any way, shape or form after, don't let him in your house, don't speak to him on the doorstep. You'll feel such relief when it's done.

DemelzaandRoss · 01/06/2026 14:33

This is a massive red flag.
His behaviour will escalate over the years.
Classic covert Narcissist.
Please make him your ex fiancée asap.

AmpleHazelSheep · 01/06/2026 14:33

OP, I was engaged to an abusive person as was my cousin. For all the people asking why you’re with him, they don’t realise that they’re not like this to begin with! They are charming and sweet and helpful, and so slowly build up these behaviours bit by bit. The whole time they make you blame yourself and think that you are the one at fault and the reason for their behaviour. I have been there myself and I know it’s not easy.

I was also distanced from my family/friends and part of the reason I stayed so long was that I felt I should try and make it work and I was embarrassed to end an engagement after we’d announced it, I had the ring etc. I felt like I’d failed at the relationship, and as someone who is a feminist, successful, intelligent, independent etc I didn’t think it would happen to me. For me it was a moment like this where I realised something wasn’t right, and it was only looking back that I realised how much behaviour was abnormal/abusive that I’d just accepted at the time.

It is really difficult to accept that someone you love is abusive, especially as it can affect your perception of yourself so much. I really didn’t want to feel like a victim. But this behaviour will only get worse and more controlling after you are married and it gets much harder to leave. Better to go now before you get legally entangled. I am five years on and thriving - you don’t realise how much smaller these people make you. Best of luck

arethereanyleftatall · 01/06/2026 14:34

Sunglasses1979 · 01/06/2026 13:35

That is what I said to him, that my DD is my priority and I am not his mother, I'm her mother and that was why he threw my stuff across the room... He has a complicated relationship with his mother I think it hit a nerve.

Your dd isn’t your priority though op. Otherwise you would have ended your relationship with this abusive man ages ago, so that you didn’t model to her that you tolerate abuse for the sake of ‘boyfriend.’

if it was just you making choices, choose whatever vile man you want if you think that makes you happy, but it boils my piss when girls witness this and go on to repeat.

WildLeader · 01/06/2026 14:35

Sunglasses1979 · 01/06/2026 13:01

He has always had a bit of a temper but he has never thrown my things before. He has done stuff like throwing presents he has bought me away. Or tearing up cards / letters I have written.
He has never gone out with me to get a younger woman's number before.

Honey, you KNOW this isn’t right

ypu know this is not the behaviour of someone who likes you. This man is showing you what he’s like.

abusive. Dangerous. Toxic. Soul destroying.

this isn’t a boyfriend, this isn’t a fiancé, this isn’t a life partner. This is a man who hates women. A man who hates you.

i know all this the hard way. Was with one identical to this. I spent 10 years with him and at the end of it was utterly broken. Took me years to recover, thousands of hours of therapy.

my now fiancé I’ve been with for years, he treasures me, cares for me and wouldn’t ever risk losing me for a second. My life is transformed to something I never dreamed possible.

you can’t stay with this guy, your health and wellbeing is at serious risk from him. What happens when the level of control he has over you isn’t enough for him anymore? Violence.

he’s an idiot. He thinks you’re all in and won’t leave him, he thinks you’re trapped so he’s shown you exactly what he’s capable of. He’s over egged the pudding.

with every fibre of my being I’m telling you to end it. That’s got to be your only goal in life until he’s 100% in the past.

this isn’t about you. It’s not anything you can do or not do, this is all him. It will only ever get worse.

i swear on everything i have that this is true. IT WILL ONLY EVER GET WORSE

I’ve not read all the posts, but will continue reading now, so apologies if you have realised this already, but in any case I hope my post helps you/others who see themselves in your thread

please please end this. Your life depends on it

ClairDeLaLune · 01/06/2026 14:36

Sunglasses1979 · 01/06/2026 13:01

He has always had a bit of a temper but he has never thrown my things before. He has done stuff like throwing presents he has bought me away. Or tearing up cards / letters I have written.
He has never gone out with me to get a younger woman's number before.

A bit of a temper?? OP this behaviour is abusive. Why are you minimising it? Please please dump him.

Bonbon21 · 01/06/2026 14:36

It's quite strange that in spite of almost every post using the words abusive and coercive.. you have not acknowledged them in any way.
You talk round and round in circles but haven't said you recognise his behaviour and would be ending the relationship...
Strange.

hallenbad · 01/06/2026 14:37

Need your head examined if you stay with this abuser. LTB and now!

TheGreatDownandOut · 01/06/2026 14:37

AmpleHazelSheep · 01/06/2026 14:33

OP, I was engaged to an abusive person as was my cousin. For all the people asking why you’re with him, they don’t realise that they’re not like this to begin with! They are charming and sweet and helpful, and so slowly build up these behaviours bit by bit. The whole time they make you blame yourself and think that you are the one at fault and the reason for their behaviour. I have been there myself and I know it’s not easy.

I was also distanced from my family/friends and part of the reason I stayed so long was that I felt I should try and make it work and I was embarrassed to end an engagement after we’d announced it, I had the ring etc. I felt like I’d failed at the relationship, and as someone who is a feminist, successful, intelligent, independent etc I didn’t think it would happen to me. For me it was a moment like this where I realised something wasn’t right, and it was only looking back that I realised how much behaviour was abnormal/abusive that I’d just accepted at the time.

It is really difficult to accept that someone you love is abusive, especially as it can affect your perception of yourself so much. I really didn’t want to feel like a victim. But this behaviour will only get worse and more controlling after you are married and it gets much harder to leave. Better to go now before you get legally entangled. I am five years on and thriving - you don’t realise how much smaller these people make you. Best of luck

Yep. Mine had me so well trained I convinced myself that I was lucky to have him as he was making me a better person. Such is the extent to how much these wankers can control your narrative

boredandgrand · 01/06/2026 14:38

fucking hell. Why are you with this abusive fool??

WildLeader · 01/06/2026 14:38

due to the way my friends dislike him and siblings as well, we have ended up in a weird little cocoon where it is just the two of us and I am starting to forget what normal is like.

@Sunglasses1979 isolation. Abuser 101. These shitty abusive men are all the same.

can I suggest you look for the PDF of Lubdy Bancrofts book, Why do they do that? You’ll see him there

DeathstarDarling · 01/06/2026 14:38

Another man behaving like a complete and utter shit while demanding some imaginary definition of 'respect'. It is not disrespectful to care about your daughter, but is is intensely disrespectful to be horrible to you, be jealous of nothing, pretend to arrange dates with other women and deliberately put you in a bad light to his friends.
The 'strange little cocoon' you talk about is deliberate- its how its done, to rearrange your sense of what is normal, break down your self esteem and leave you walking on eggshells. Now you are his fiancée he thinks he can take it up a notch.
Your family and friends don't like him for good reason- they love you. Please don't marry him or it will get worse and this will be your daughters life too.

VimesandhisCardboardBoots · 01/06/2026 14:39

Sunglasses1979 · 01/06/2026 14:31

I think this is why I posted; I do know on some level this isn't normal or acceptable but due to the way my friends dislike him and siblings as well, we have ended up in a weird little cocoon where it is just the two of us and I am starting to forget what normal is like.

I think keeping me awake for so long, arguing over the same thing was especially awful as I was then tired the next day and as such I was tired before I went to the meal (and ended up getting a very expensive Uber to arrive on time).

So what are you going to do now that you've seen the abuse for what it is. Are you going to dump him?

Hairyfairy01 · 01/06/2026 14:39

You leave, now. Block him completely, have zero contact. This is not a good man or a healthy relationship in any way. What would you say to your dd if her boyfriend did those things to her?

andweallsingalong · 01/06/2026 14:39

Sunglasses1979 · 01/06/2026 14:21

Yes I was frightened because I didn't want to go out in the first place and I didn't want to be having an argument on the way home with him, out in public going over the same things over and over.
I understand that he was disappointed that we weren't going to be able to be spending the day together and he really does hate last minute changes to plans but it was an honest mistake.
He kept saying why can't DD accept me not going to the meal and I think this is what prompted me to make this post because he was acting like DD was at fault..

It's really not understandable OP.

A good man would have appreciated the days you had just spent with him and that you were coming back.

A good man would have been excited for you sharing in this special time with your daughter and happy for you. Looking forward to your update and sending you off with a wish for you to have a lovely time and pick something nice to eat.

Doseofreality · 01/06/2026 14:40

This is not happy healthy relationship, Why do you put up with it and not feel like you deserve better?
You do deserve better, and ever day you waste with this abusive prick you are denying yourself the chance to be in loving relationship with a man that treats you well.
End the relationship today.

LittleArithmetics · 01/06/2026 14:40

He sounds horrible, abusive and completely unhinged. He is uncontrollably jealous and can't tolerate you socialising with other people. He wants to isolate you from your family and friends and is already working on this. He resents the existence of your daughter because she is your priority. He has anger management issues and responds to frustration by throwing things around; he may become violent towards you. You would be very unreasonable to see him again, let alone marry him.

Megifer · 01/06/2026 14:41

Sunglasses1979 · 01/06/2026 14:31

I think this is why I posted; I do know on some level this isn't normal or acceptable but due to the way my friends dislike him and siblings as well, we have ended up in a weird little cocoon where it is just the two of us and I am starting to forget what normal is like.

I think keeping me awake for so long, arguing over the same thing was especially awful as I was then tired the next day and as such I was tired before I went to the meal (and ended up getting a very expensive Uber to arrive on time).

Has this thread helped you realise this is in no way remotely close to normal?

HelenaWaiting · 01/06/2026 14:41

Bonbon21 · 01/06/2026 14:36

It's quite strange that in spite of almost every post using the words abusive and coercive.. you have not acknowledged them in any way.
You talk round and round in circles but haven't said you recognise his behaviour and would be ending the relationship...
Strange.

Because OP has absolutely no intention of ending the relationship.

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