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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Giving an ex a second chance

115 replies

Melissa58 · 19/11/2019 18:26

Hi all

So I was with a guy for 13 years, we had two children together but spilt the end of last year. Throughout the relationship I gave my all, he was great at times and loving but proposed twice and both times backed out due to his 'personal issues' with commitment and marriage. He would never get a joint bank account. He controlled every penny when I was out of work caring for our babies before returning to work. Even then I'd pay all childcare costs with my low income and nothing was dealt with as a couple. Towards the end, he was nasty and spoke badly towards me even in front of my kids. After 13 years of giving chance after chance I finally ended it for good.

I built myself up after he'd destroyed me mentally and emotionally, I became independent and started to enjoy being single. Then about five months ago he pleads for another chance, says he's a changed man, it'll all be different this time. I said I was happy single and just wanted to find myself, maybe go on a few dates. He basically said it's him or dating as he's not waiting around (I never asked or expected him to). Me being me gave into the pressure and said I'll give it another shot.

So four months back together, he's doing everything right and trying to make me happy, doing the things I longed for before. He's even gone as far as getting the snip because the pill has never agreed with me, no contraceptive has. He did that two months in when I said don't do it for me, you must be sure and do it for yourself. He says he doesn't want anymore kids, but also now says we know he did it for me.
No matter how hard I try though, my feings towards him are not the same as they once was. Everything is forced for me. Sometimes I'm content and think I can make it work, especially for the sake of the children and him as I don't want to hurt him. I'm not in love with him anymore though, and I wonder will I get this back. I don't know what to do for the best and how long I should give it! It's consuming me and making me miserable.

OP posts:
Melissa58 · 19/11/2019 18:29

*feelings!

OP posts:
Aquamarine1029 · 19/11/2019 18:30

You left him for very good reasons. Taking him back is a huge mistake and is preventing you from moving on. You don't love him. End it.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 19/11/2019 18:46

Please ditch him now and save yourself and your kids further misery at his hands. If you are feeling miserable now then this will not magically change; this is who he really is.

He sees you still as a right old soft touch and now after feeling pressured (he did this deliberately) you are still giving him chance after chance. Your boundaries, piss poor and low as they were to start with, are now being further shot up by this individual who did a right abusive number on you in the first place. You have a responsibility to your own self as well as your kids and you are again selling your own self short here. He will destroy you in the end if you do not escape him for good.

What did you learn about relationships when you were growing up?. Is this really what you want to be teaching your kids about relationships?. Its a shit example of one the two of you between you are showing them. Staying for the sake of the children is a poor reason in any case and a terribly bad error of judgment in your circumstances. You and he should not be together and he went back to you because he did not want you with another man but to further keep you in a cage of his own paranoid making. He sees you as his possession to use as he sees fit. He is truly a master manipulator and has used his vasectomy op to further try and tie you to him; all this from him about "we know he did it for me" is further manipulation.

You write that you do not want to hurt him but he has not given you any such consideration in the past has he?. He has done much previously to hurt you and it also took you some considerable time and effort to get away from him. Now you are going to have to do that ultimately all over again.

I doubt very much that he has changed his controlling nature (such men do not change) and now four months back from you he is merely showing his nice side. The true him i.e. the abusive controlling side of him is still there and waiting to be further exposed as it inevitably will.

Love your own self for a change and rebuild your own life without him in it day to day. Do seek counselling for your own self; in this respect enrolling yourself onto the Freedom Programme by Womens Aid would be an excellent idea. Reading "Why does he do that?" by Lundy Bancroft is also worth reading. Read about codependency in relationships and see how much of that relates to your own behaviours.

Melissa58 · 19/11/2019 19:01

He does seem genuinely different, going out his way to please me and says how much he loves me all the time. I just don't feel the same anymore as he destroyed that. Now I'm feeling guilty for having him back to break our family up once again. But no one can say I didn't try?!

OP posts:
Lozzerbmc · 19/11/2019 19:05

You tried, but given you say he destroyed you no wonder you dont feel the same. Best to look forward not back...

Aquamarine1029 · 19/11/2019 19:17

He's love bombing you to get his easy life back. I guarantee you will see the real him soon enough. He can't keep up this charade for long.

Windmillwhirl · 19/11/2019 19:37

It's only been four months, hard to say if his changed or sticking to an act that he knows is winning you over.

He ripped your world apart. Anyone capable of that I would find very hard to trust again.

Melissa58 · 19/11/2019 19:53

That's the thing, despite how loving and over sweet he's being right now I don't trust him and have lost alot of respect for him after everything. He admitted I loved him more before we split, because he wasn't open with his feelings but now says he's opened up and feels completely now so loves me more than ever.

OP posts:
Windmillwhirl · 19/11/2019 20:11

Well he's certainly laying the charm on thick.

Think long and hard about investing in this man again going forward He's already shown what he is capable of.

AcrossthePond55 · 19/11/2019 20:44

It doesn't matter if he's sincere or if he's 'scamming' you. What's broken is broken forever. You can mend a broken plate, but you can see all the cracks & mends and generally a mended plate is not fit for purpose.

He hurt you beyond believing. Your trust and respect for him are (rightfully) gone. There can be no love where there is no trust and no respect.

Don't waste any more time on him. Find someone you can love, trust, and respect.

Melissa58 · 19/11/2019 21:36

Very true. I tried and tried, I didn't need to lose him to realise my love for him whereas he needed to lose me to realise what he had. I'm annoyed at myself for giving in again when I was doing so well alone.

OP posts:
Melissa58 · 20/11/2019 07:20

And just to add to my guilt if I was to end it again, he's told me how he was suicidal to the point where he thought of doing something silly, he had a friend in the same situation and his friend took his own life 😔 so obviously that's worrying me too!

OP posts:
QuentinWinters · 20/11/2019 07:28

was to end it again, he's told me how he was suicidal to the point where he thought of doing something silly
He is already guilt tripping and manipulating you. Making you feel like you can't leave.
You know where this will end, deep down. You deserve better.

PicsInRed · 20/11/2019 07:28

Was a divorce related financial settlement on the cards before he came charming his way back? Did he date after he left?

My sense is that he had someone else, devalued and abused you to make himself feel justified, as they do, but then you kicked him out and it didnt work out with her. Now he needs you back in domestic service so he isn't doing his own laundry in a 2 bed flat.

If he's controlling with money, use this time he think you are together to gather as much financial info as you can to assist a good solicitor in piecing together your family financial position for settlement purposes. Flowers

TheStuffedPenguin · 20/11/2019 07:29

Men like this want to have you and control you . He saw you slipping from his grasp and wanted you back . It is as simple as that . Your first paragraph is a nightmare . End it now ! Ignore his threats .

PicsInRed · 20/11/2019 07:29

And he had the snip because he wanted to. No other reason.

PicsInRed · 20/11/2019 07:30

(are you really sure he had the snip?)

Melissa58 · 20/11/2019 14:03

Yes I'm sure, I went with him when he had it done.

OP posts:
Melissa58 · 20/11/2019 16:55

So does no one honestly think I should stay and try for longer, perhaps my strong feelings for him may return in time? Obviously he hurt me alot and is trying to redeem himself now showing he's changed

OP posts:
QuentinWinters · 20/11/2019 19:03

No I don't. I think the trust is gone with him, even if he was to change. Indicators are he hasn't. You deserve better

Starlight456 · 20/11/2019 19:18

Your whole post screams abusive .

Just thing when you first got together . He wasn’t an abusive arsole then . He is currently trying to reel you back in .

His vasectomy was for you. So he can throw it in your face .. I did this for you.

The suicide ... another ... you can’t leave me I will be suicidal .

Regardless of all those things you don’t love him so you are perfectly entitled to end a relationship because you don’t love them.

lookatthebabypenguin · 20/11/2019 19:33

So he abused you and you got back together because he pressured you. Hardly a recipe for a healthy relationship.

Threats of suicide are right out of the abusive man's textbook.

You were doing well without him, you'll thrive again once you find the courage to do you know you need to do.

Maybe explore therapy for yourself to help you learn to be assertive and take account of your needs and learn to act in your own interests rather than just subjugating yourself to others.

Freedom Programme might be worth a look too. Although I think you'll have a shock when you see their description of "the dominator".

lookatthebabypenguin · 20/11/2019 19:35

No, I don't think he's trying to redeem himself.I think he is trying to regain control of you and is prepared to do whatever he has to in order to get that control back. It's bloody textbook. Abusive men do this all the time.

MrJollyLivesNextDoor · 20/11/2019 19:39

I agree with other PPs

He hasn't fundamentally changed...he just wants you to believe that. He will likely be back to his true wats soon enough.

The whole suicide threat just shows how manipulative he is.

If he genuinely loved you he wouldn't be threatening this. He would be suggesting that ok, given that he acted like a bellend of course you have reservations and would be wanting to work through those/give you space/time/whatever

He's abusive. Sorry but I think you'd be better off without him.

In fact you know you can get along just fine without him and doesn't he just hate that!

Pinkbonbon · 20/11/2019 19:52

Very common for emotional manipulators to threat in suicide when you leave them.

You did so well getting out, why did you ever go back to someone who emotionally and financially abused you!

You know he hasn't changed. And you don't love him anymore anyway. So no more excuses for tolerating his bull. Get yourself back out! You can do it!

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