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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:
Notsosweetcaroline · 01/06/2026 19:25

Sunglasses1979 · 01/06/2026 18:39

It is a bit of a shock, yes. But then on the other hand I'd not have posted if I had not been thinking that this is not right, on some level. I am reading all the posts and am grateful for all the replies.
It is different to having your friends and family say they don't like someone because with friends and family they can be protective of you and less impartial?

they also have your best interests at heart, this man does not.

Hollycoco · 01/06/2026 19:25

”I have been trying to persuade family and friends that he is not so bad, after all, for well over a year”

@Sunglasses1979 read your own words back to yourself. And then read it again a few times.

Firstly - do you want a life partner who you say yourself is “not so bad”? Or do you want a partner who is bloody lovely?

Secondly - your family and friends all think he is a terrible man. When several people are telling you the same thing, it’s time to listen. I’ll bet they will all be so relieved and thrilled for you if you ditch him.

CelestialCandyfloss · 01/06/2026 19:26

You need to run not walk away from this horrible abusive man

MMUmum · 01/06/2026 19:26

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.

And you are still with him because...??
Is this all you think you are worth ? Get real op, dump him and warn your girlfriends about him

Comtesse · 01/06/2026 19:28

Sunglasses1979 · 01/06/2026 19:14

Last year we had an argument the day before I went away with my sisters and the day before my birthday which was when we were seeing a lot of my friends and family.
We also have had arguments before I had a job interview.
Basically every time something important was happening, we would have a big argument the night before.

Don’t choose someone who is out to sabotage your life. This is proper LTB territory.

Fortunefavoursthebrave · 01/06/2026 19:29

Leave him, it will only get worse!

TenTenTenAgain · 01/06/2026 19:31

You need to safely separate from him op. Tell your friends and family everything for a start , they will support you.

What else do you practically need to make the transition away from him as smooth as possible? If it's advice then please contact women's aid. They're an amazing organisation.

NotAWurstToIt · 01/06/2026 19:33

Sunglasses1979 · 01/06/2026 19:18

I know that rationally I shouldn't feel stupid but it is hard to not feel stupid at my age, given everything that has happened (there are countless other examples of things he has done which are not OK). I think partly because of my pride and the daft fact that I have been trying to persuade family and friends that he is not so bad, after all, for well over a year.

Don’t feel stupid - he didn’t start off being abusive; these men never do. Instead, they reel you in gently and only when you’re hooked do they show their true colours.
I lived with one many many years ago before DH and he was like this. I got away and I’m so glad I did.
Your friends and family will be relieved for you - please, please just dump him. You don’t owe him an explanation - cut this fucker off and move on. You deserve more than this.

TenTenTenAgain · 01/06/2026 19:35

And op , you're not stupid. The boiling frog analogy springs to mind here.

ShiftingSand · 01/06/2026 19:37

I’ve chosen you’re being unreasonable because you haven’t realised that your fiancé is showing his true colours and this will only get worse if you marry him. A normal response to your dates mix up and going to your daughter’s lunch would be, “‘don’t worry we all make mistakes, have a good time and I’ll see you in the evening”. Leave this miserable man behind and enjoy your life.

Orchidgrower · 01/06/2026 19:37

I hope that you are gaining the confidence to end this relationship. I also hope that you understand that he has duped you, you are not at fault for any of this.

The advice to contact Womens Aid or another domestic abuse charity is good.

I suspect that he will seek to persuade you to return to him. If he starts bombarding you with messages or other unwanted contact then the only reply you should send is to ask him to leave you alone and if you are in the UK contact the police and report him for stalking and harassment.

aLittleWhiteHorse · 01/06/2026 19:37

So many of us typing in “this reminds me of…” re past relationships. It gets worse after marriage, and this control totally wears you down until you don’t know who you are anymore.

Like another PP above, I left when our lives were at risk and I live with PTSD and broken down health as a result. You have zero obligation to this man, your duty is to mind yourself, and to be a support to your daughter.

Leave and block him. You deserve so much better, like a peaceful life.

HBLpsy · 01/06/2026 19:38

I have never before told a stranger to end a relationship, but this is my first. However hard it may be, you need to separate from him.

I am really concerned that even after writing this out you are doubting yourself. You are worth more than the way he is treating you.

LemonLymanDotCom · 01/06/2026 19:38

I read a lot of threads with people chiming in with LTB, and not many move me enough to post amongst the clamour. However, your story has given me the absolute chills, this sounds like something that will only go downhill if you continue it.

Am not sure this is so much a LTB as a GTFAFH (Get The Fuck Away From Him)… now

MMUmum · 01/06/2026 19:39

Sunglasses1979 · 01/06/2026 13:30

Family not keen on him and he thinks I have no friends because they don't want to see him.

I think whoever said that he is putting a wedge between me and my family might be right. He has tried to separate me from family saying "they were rude to me" when we have all gone out together when I know that they wouldn't be rude to him even if they do not like him as that isn't in their nature. He has said my DSis was really horrible to him but I know her well enough to know that the things he described are not how she would behave. We bumped into my other DSis friend a few months ago when we were out and she was going to talk to my sister because she didn't like how he was treating me.

And I presume you would want ypur family to be there to celebrate your marriage to a man they can't stand?? Get real op, they wouldnt be celebrating, I can guarantee that

CluelessAboutBiology · 01/06/2026 19:43

End the relationship, now, and don’t look back.

Just curious. This “man” (and I use the term loosely) sounds like the sort of man who would make his fiancée pay for her own engagement ring. If you have a ring, did you pay for it or did he? if you paid for the ring, keep it. If he paid, give it back so he can’t say you “owe” him or you “stole” from him.

If he has ever had access to your keys and could have made a copy, get the locks changed. Get a chain for your front door and keep all the doors locked as he sounds like he could escalate.

PinotPony · 01/06/2026 19:44

I’d only think you were a fool if you stayed with him.

You’re obviously not stupid but your self esteem must be in the gutter to tolerate his behaviour.

What is your housing situation? As you’re not married it should be fairly easy to separate from him. Either he moves out or you move out. Do you have any male family members who could support you in making that happen?

MMUmum · 01/06/2026 19:48

Sunglasses1979 · 01/06/2026 14:07

I think that he definitely has been more negative about my family lately. Whereas before he was not.

He also, weirdly, saw that I had Airbnb opened on my phone, it wasn't deliberately opened I'd accidentally clicked an ad, but he was saying he thought I was secretly booking an Airbnb and made me log into my account to prove that I hadn't made any bookings recently.

The thing that really seemed to bother him was that I would be having lunch with DD's boyfriend's dad. He was crazy jealous and kept saying I was going to have a meal with a strange man I didn't know.

Is writing this all down making you see what is going on here? I hope so because this man is dangerous, you could end up seriously hurt at least, but we all know the extreme end of that. If you want to support your daughter then leave this man before she ends up motherless

maudelovesharold · 01/06/2026 19:49

This man does not love you. You deserve so much better. Please don’t settle for a life of misery, where you will never meet his warped standards and it will always be all your fault.

Excited101 · 01/06/2026 19:50

You’re not at all stupid to have got into this mess- you’re not alone, many women have had the misfortune of thinking their partner is lovely and reasonable and then it’s a slippery slope into abuse. You, nor those women, are stupid.

However, you’ve seen now his true colours. Things will only get worse for you the longer this goes on and the more isolated you become. Your self esteem will be even more shot and you won’t trust any of your own judgements anymore. From here on out, you’d be really really stupid to stay with him. There is a reason none of your friends and family like him- why are you trusting him more than them?

SocialistMummy · 01/06/2026 19:50

Sunglasses1979 · 01/06/2026 19:04

He is from a culture which is a lot more conservative than here with regards to women's rights and has an extremely high level of women being killed every year and most of the time they get away with it.

It is like I am his possession especially since we got engaged.

Are you saying he's a Muslim man?

YorksMa · 01/06/2026 19:51

Sunglasses1979 · 01/06/2026 19:18

I know that rationally I shouldn't feel stupid but it is hard to not feel stupid at my age, given everything that has happened (there are countless other examples of things he has done which are not OK). I think partly because of my pride and the daft fact that I have been trying to persuade family and friends that he is not so bad, after all, for well over a year.

You're not stupid OP. This is what they do. Many people have been where you are and, sadly, many will be there in the future. You have scores of women on here cheering you on and wishing you only peace, happiness and safety for the future. Be your own best friend right now and do what I think you know in yourself that you need to do.

YorksMa · 01/06/2026 19:52

SocialistMummy · 01/06/2026 19:50

Are you saying he's a Muslim man?

It doesn't matter if he's from Mars. His behaviour stinks. The fact that everyone on here agreed he was abusive BEFORE Op mentioned he's from another culture demonstrates it's the behaviour, not the religion or skin colour, that we're judging.

IsawwhatIsaw · 01/06/2026 19:54

He sounds vile, an abusive controlling bully.
Listen to the people who care about you.
Because it’s clear none of them like him.

SparklyGlitterballs · 01/06/2026 19:55

It's very worrying to read you are engaged to this man OP. The only positive I've taken from your posts is that you don't seem to live with him. I hope you are taking on board what everyone here is saying about him being abusive. Without a doubt it'll get a hell of a lot worse once you're married and living together.

I implore you to end this relationship. You can do so much better than this man. Heck, being alone would be better than being with this bloke. Please.....get out now.

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