Seeing an ex from a long time ago.

[Chickenwings85]

During a trip away to a place I worked at over 10 years ago, I bumped into a serious ex who happend to be working there.
I was with my friends and DP when it happend and I just froze but I told them of the situation. Luckily my DP is one of the most understanding and decent men I've ever known.
I saw my ex almost every night and I just couldn't face him or talk to him. I was 20/21and he was 21/22 at the time of our relationship and we both worked at the same place. Our relationship was lovely, he was always so kind and caring to me so I don't have a bad word to say about him. I treated him the same and we were so in love. However, when my contract was up and I had to leave and go back to my home town (6 hours away), a week later I dumped him by text because I thought he would cheat, despite him never giving me any reason to believe he would whilst I was there. I broke his heart but I handled it so badly, I was a complete and utter bitch to him and my older self is so disgusted with my younger self so when I saw him I felt so mixed up and just awful what I put him through.
My friends and DP know all about this and even they agreed I handled it awful back then but I was very young. I know he has a long term girlfriend now and a baby and I'm really genuinly happy for him because he deserves all the happiness in the world. All week my DP and friends kept telling me every time my ex saw me his eyes lit up like a love struck teenager and how happy he looked to see me every time we walked past him, they all seem to think that despite it being 10 years + and having his own family now, they seem to think he still carries a torch for me.
Obviously I don't love my ex anymore but I do care about how awful I treated him when we broke up. Has this ever happend to anyone else before? How did you deal with it and get over your disgust at how you treated someone in the past?

We all do things we aren't proud of but you need to move on. If his eyes lit up then it shows he has forgiven you so you need forgive yourself. I walked all over my first serious boyfriend, I was a proper diva and he was a pure gent. But I was really young and immature. I don't treat people like that now.

Thank you for your reply, you've made me feel abit better.
I hadn't really thought about him or the situation until he was stood right in front of me last week and I just froze. You're right, we all do things we aren't proud of and I do need to move on from it.

I bumped into my ex after 27 years, we had an affair, not recommended.

Oh bloody hell! No I can't Imagine that would end well either.

"Eyes lit up " ?? Goodness me OP step away from the ex. That way madness lies.

I have no feelings towards him at all other than feeling terrible for how I treated him all them years ago. Luckily I live 6 hours away from him so I'll never actually see him in my town.

Move on and accept that you have become a better person and will never treat someone like that again.

And make sure you block him immediately if he contacts you. No good will come of that if he carries a torch, especially if he gets in touch if your relationship has gone South!

Have you told him you're sorry?

Good point just assumed OP had apologise already.

Sounds like your friends are winding you up about the whole thing “ the eyes like light up” he might just be smiling to be polite and doesn’t really care what happened 10plus years but is a being civil. I think you’re over thinking things especially if he’s married with dc.