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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:
aquitodavia · Yesterday 13:28

Notsosweetcaroline · Yesterday 12:56

I’m not sure, I’ve read all the ops posts. And to be honest, maybe she needs some harsh truths, this woman is in a deeply abusive relationship, her friends and family don’t like the way he treats her, he’s now trying to put a split in with her own child. He will continue till he succeeds in isolating her. Then he will ramp this up till she is barely human any more.

so maybe saying it clear, is what she needs.

She's said she's leaving. She has come to that conclusion in less than 24 hours, which is incredibly hard when you are planning a life with someone, and frankly impressive. No she doesn't need harsh truths from a stranger on the Internet.

Notsosweetcaroline · Yesterday 13:52

aquitodavia · Yesterday 13:28

She's said she's leaving. She has come to that conclusion in less than 24 hours, which is incredibly hard when you are planning a life with someone, and frankly impressive. No she doesn't need harsh truths from a stranger on the Internet.

Then we agree to disagree, it’s not your job to police others opinions.

Youtookyourtime · Yesterday 13:53

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UhOhRatPoo · Yesterday 13:56

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That’s a completely different OP and thread is not remotely similar. Have you posted the wrong link?

MissyGirlie · Yesterday 13:57

OP, this man reminds me so much of my coercive and controlling arse of a father. Rows out of thin air, suspicion, unreasonable demands...

If no one has suggested this yet, reading 'Why does he do that?' by Lundy Bancroft would probably be helpful. You can download the pdf here:
https://dn790007.ca.archive.org/0/items/LundyWhyDoesHeDoThat/Lundy_Why-does-he-do-that.pdf

But in short, LTB. This will only get worse.

https://dn790007.ca.archive.org/0/items/LundyWhyDoesHeDoThat/Lundy_Why-does-he-do-that.pdf

SunnyRedSnail · Yesterday 13:57

Sunglasses1979 · 01/06/2026 22:46

Yes this has already started with more casual acquaintances, social gatherings where I don't know many people etc.
Or when it is someone I don't know very well and it is like they are still a potential friend not an actual friend.
Or texting me so incessantly during a night out about how much he misses me that I will just cut my losses and leave early to see him

My ex did this too.

He'd start getting really stroppy if I went out with friends and make me feel guilty.

He hated me meeting up with uni friends for the weekend.

Constantly texted when I was out and got annoyed if I didn't respond.

On one occasion he turned up at the pub (even though he was meant to be going to play sports) to check I was where I said I'd be, with who I said I'd be with. He just fancied a quick pint apparently...

He often asked me odd questions and I then found out he had hacked my email/chat (MSN I think it was then) and was reading all my chat messages between me and my friends then quizzing me to see if I lied.

I only found out he was doing this as he had left a print out of "evidence" about me supposedly flirting with someone and called me a slut. He didn't realise that Charlie was actually female and what he read was just sarcasm in relation to a conversation the previous weekend.

I really should have left him then but I stupidly didn't and became more and more isolated, declining meeting up with people until I eventually only really went out with him. He was fun and arranged fun stuff for us so I just thought it was me that was perhaps odd.

5 years later I eventually saw the light and after he picked another argument about me letting him down about something and spent 48 hours sulking. I then ended it and told him I clearly didn't make him happy so it was over. Thankfully no kids.

Youtookyourtime · Yesterday 13:58

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Youtookyourtime · Yesterday 14:00

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Youtookyourtime · Yesterday 14:00

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Cailin66 · Yesterday 14:06

Sunglasses1979 · Yesterday 12:38

Since valentine's day.
We have started the paperwork for the wedding but not got a dress or anything. As this will be a second wedding for both of us, I have not wanted to plan a big thing. We thought that we would have a tiny ceremony then a party afterwards.

You’re speaking as if the wedding is still going ahead? Are you not ending the relationship?

Sunglasses1979 · Yesterday 14:06

aquitodavia · Yesterday 13:28

She's said she's leaving. She has come to that conclusion in less than 24 hours, which is incredibly hard when you are planning a life with someone, and frankly impressive. No she doesn't need harsh truths from a stranger on the Internet.

It has been quite a lot to take in, in a short space of time.

I know to those on the outside it probably seems obvious what I should have done ages ago but this is all quite a roller coaster for me.

OP posts:
Notsosweetcaroline · Yesterday 14:06

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They have different user names,

MrsOvertonsWindow · Yesterday 14:07

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This is not the Op and the situations are completely different. Why are you repeatedly making claims about the OP that aren't true? Please leave her alone.

Sunglasses1979 · Yesterday 14:09

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I didn't write that thread.
That is someone else entirely.

OP posts:
MrsOvertonsWindow · Yesterday 14:10

Sunglasses1979 · Yesterday 14:06

It has been quite a lot to take in, in a short space of time.

I know to those on the outside it probably seems obvious what I should have done ages ago but this is all quite a roller coaster for me.

Hopefully you can ignore the insensitive posters and focus on the majority of thoughtful and helpful posts. This is your life and while we're all urging you to end this toxic relationship, the majority of us understand that it's challenging and that you must do it safely.

Youtookyourtime · Yesterday 14:11

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Sunglasses1979 · Yesterday 14:15

SunnyRedSnail · Yesterday 13:57

My ex did this too.

He'd start getting really stroppy if I went out with friends and make me feel guilty.

He hated me meeting up with uni friends for the weekend.

Constantly texted when I was out and got annoyed if I didn't respond.

On one occasion he turned up at the pub (even though he was meant to be going to play sports) to check I was where I said I'd be, with who I said I'd be with. He just fancied a quick pint apparently...

He often asked me odd questions and I then found out he had hacked my email/chat (MSN I think it was then) and was reading all my chat messages between me and my friends then quizzing me to see if I lied.

I only found out he was doing this as he had left a print out of "evidence" about me supposedly flirting with someone and called me a slut. He didn't realise that Charlie was actually female and what he read was just sarcasm in relation to a conversation the previous weekend.

I really should have left him then but I stupidly didn't and became more and more isolated, declining meeting up with people until I eventually only really went out with him. He was fun and arranged fun stuff for us so I just thought it was me that was perhaps odd.

5 years later I eventually saw the light and after he picked another argument about me letting him down about something and spent 48 hours sulking. I then ended it and told him I clearly didn't make him happy so it was over. Thankfully no kids.

I have been thinking that he has somehow spied on me.
He knew the name of an ex when I hadn't told him this guy's name.

He also said he has a friend who is a hacker and this person could hack into my phone so he would know if I was lying to him. I know it is not possible for someone to log into my phone, logically, but the idea of it is horrible and I am not that good with tech so I don't know if this is why he has threatened me with my phone contents being revelealed to him.

He is obsessed with the idea of me cheating on him and when he gets angry he will tell me to "go back to X" who is my ex. We didn't split up over anything other than logistics and he hates this. Keeps saying if I lived closer then we would still be together, which is probably true, but neither of us wanted a long distance thing so it just kind of fizzled out.

OP posts:
NotAWurstToIt · Yesterday 14:18

Sunglasses1979 · Yesterday 13:16

I said to him once that I feel like a dog he is training not a person. He didn't really have a reply to this like a normal person would have been offended or laughed off the idea but I think that is exactly what he was doing.
Also he will say he treats people as they treat him so if I spent too much time on my phone (in his eyes me going on whatsapp is never ok really, I have to explain I am messaging my sister about X, or I am going on whatsapp to reply to my friend about X, it always has to be really specific) anyway if he thinks I have been on my phone too much he will then spend a lot of time on his phone and will get very nasty and say sorry you're interrupting me if I try and talk to him. Like whatever thing I do that is wrong he will do it ten times worse just to make a point.

This is control - him punishing you for not giving him your full attention, monitoring who you are messaging and why.

This isn’t about trust or his past, or you convincing him / explaining yourself. It’s about power and control and it will not get better.

Each time you ‘convince’ him you’re not doing anything wrong he will move the goalposts until you feel you cannot do anything without his approval - that includes, sleeping, eating, dressing, who you speak with, where you go, what you do and say.

You can see this now - the only solution is to cut him off. Please tell a family member / friend today. Do not see him again, do not speak with him again. Message to say it’s over and block.
Report him to 111, if you can go and stay somewhere else for a few days or have someone stay with you.

aquitodavia · Yesterday 14:20

Notsosweetcaroline · Yesterday 13:52

Then we agree to disagree, it’s not your job to police others opinions.

It's not your job to have a go at strangers either. Mumsnet clearly agrees seeing as your insulting previous post has been removed. You can express your opinion without being mean.

Sunglasses1979 · Yesterday 14:20

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Yeah that isn't me either...

OP posts:
Sunglasses1979 · Yesterday 14:28

NotAWurstToIt · Yesterday 14:18

This is control - him punishing you for not giving him your full attention, monitoring who you are messaging and why.

This isn’t about trust or his past, or you convincing him / explaining yourself. It’s about power and control and it will not get better.

Each time you ‘convince’ him you’re not doing anything wrong he will move the goalposts until you feel you cannot do anything without his approval - that includes, sleeping, eating, dressing, who you speak with, where you go, what you do and say.

You can see this now - the only solution is to cut him off. Please tell a family member / friend today. Do not see him again, do not speak with him again. Message to say it’s over and block.
Report him to 111, if you can go and stay somewhere else for a few days or have someone stay with you.

Edited

I don't know what I would report him for, I guess I could say he is coercive controlling me?

Yes he is really keen to know who is messaging me, he got very upset when an old flame got back in touch even though it was strictly platonic.

Yes it very much feels like I am being punished, which is horrible as I don't feel like I have done anything wrong but in his eyes I am always doing something not quite right. I have changed my behaviour a lot since we met I am less sociable and less "fun", I guess. Am constantly stressed out by him. Either because he won't stop calling me or he has decided to get upset about something and is sulking.

OP posts:
Sunglasses1979 · Yesterday 14:30

MrsOvertonsWindow · Yesterday 14:10

Hopefully you can ignore the insensitive posters and focus on the majority of thoughtful and helpful posts. This is your life and while we're all urging you to end this toxic relationship, the majority of us understand that it's challenging and that you must do it safely.

Thanks there has been so much good advice on here and it has been a whirlwind since I posted but I found it incredibly helpful x

OP posts:
Isitevensummer · Yesterday 14:31

FFS. You need to end this relationship immediately He's not over reacting_he's abusive.

3WildOnes · Yesterday 14:33

Obviously ditch the man.
But you need to really look at why you entertained any of this.
Do you have low self esteem? Have you previously been in abusive relationship?
Get yourself some therapy before you get into another relationship.

Sunglasses1979 · Yesterday 14:34

Cailin66 · Yesterday 14:06

You’re speaking as if the wedding is still going ahead? Are you not ending the relationship?

No the wedding will not be going ahead as I think that everyone is right in saying that he will not change and that he is really abusive. But I am still talking in the present tense because it is all still so raw I think.

I am planning to break it off but I am all over the place and he doesn't know yet that I plan to end things. All I have done so far is cancel plans for tonight, which he is not happy abour.
I will speak to sisters and one or two friends this evening and update them and maybe see if they can stay with me for a few days.

OP posts:
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