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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

Ex Boyfriend Got in Touch - Respond With Home Truths?

120 replies

IncandescentSilver · 23/09/2020 09:13

My ex boyfriend texted me 2 days ago after cheating on me, dumping and blocking me 3 months previously. It was just a short text saying he was sorry about what happened and he "feels bad about it". He is very avoidant and doesn't normally initiate texts so this is unusual for him.

It was a LDR and I have ended up getting a new job back in his city (not a coincidence, I was trying to find one there for a while to be closer to him and I own my own flat there, which became empty due to the tenant leaving). I never got the opportunity to tell him I was moving back because he was so intent on dumping me and blocking me.

So it could be that he's found out I'm back in town and he's worried I'll tell people how badly he behaved and he wants to sweeten me up, or he wants to get back together - but it was the second time he had ended things with me and he's very on-off. I'm also not sure whether he is still seeing the woman he dumped me for, but it's quite likely that he is, at least on a FWB basis.

The thing is, I'm really disgusted with him. I didnt get any closure because he refused point blank to meet up and dumped my things on my doorstep when he knew I'd be out. He lied to me and I couldn't get an answer as to whether there had been any overlap so I had to get an std test (fortunately it was clear). The only reason he gave was that he "got bored and felt lonely" during lockdown. There had been a lot of red flags before that I had overlooked because he had been treating me well and I thought he adored me, and I was really happy.

The more I thought about the way he behaved and the more I found out about him, the more I began to go off him. I know the woman he cheated on me with and she has a pretty poor reputation (as in used to go round the back of the building where she worked to give men bjs - I heard this several years ago from one of the sources himself, who is rely embarrassed about it). Her social media, which is public, is full of swearing and hints that she's pregnant (she hints she s pregnant quite often). She was always a bit of a joke for having poor personal hygiene and being a bit smelly and unwashed and she was quite happy with that and used to laugh along with it herself. She has photos of herself with cleavage hanging out in see through clothes - it's all very attention seeking and a bit sleazy and all her "friends" are men. He's really clever and educated, whereas she left school with no qualifications and struggles to hold down a job. I felt like I'd been drawn into something from the Jeremy Kyle show when I came home to find my belongings dumped on the doorstep. He lied to me, etc..

So I really want to reply telling him what I think of him now, that I'm disgusted by him and that I would never have got involved with him if I'd known how awful a man he was. I come from a culture (northern European country, OK The Netherlands) where people are very forthright and say things as they are. Its considered good to tell people how unacceptable their behaviour is, so they know for the next time and don't get away with it without any criticism. Whereas I know in this country I would probably be told to just ignore him.

I wouldn't feel sorry for him by the way. He's very good at feigning innocence, but it's not the first time he's behaved as a rat - basically he just turns into whatever person he thinks you want him to be to get sex, and has no qualms about cutting people off who are no longer any use to him. I stupidly overlooked all those red flags in the past because I'd known him for years and because I thought I was half imagining it, but now I realise his true personality.

To reply or not?

OP posts:
IncandescentSilver · 23/09/2020 09:54

True Ssslou. I ignored the red flags because I have known him for many years and was at one time quite friendly with his sister (we lost touch when she moved away) . I would never upset her by getting in touch now to tell him about this. I really hope she doesnt get in touch with me now!

It's difficult to cognitively process being happy in a relationship one minute to suddenly being told you are replaced for a while. Finding out more about him has really helped me in not wanting him back. In this respect, knowledge has been power, particularly as he liked to present himself as being a highly moral person with really high standards of behaviour.

I suspect that with ignoring him, if I do bump into him in the street, he will act all friendly (it's a small city) and I will blurt out some of my thoughts about him in person. I'm not going to pretend that what he did was all right. Whereas if I text him what I think, he is more likely to steer clear if he sees me in the distance.

OP posts:
AintPageantMaterial · 23/09/2020 09:55

It depends why you’re tempted to reply, in my opinion. If you’re considering replying because you hope he’ll reflect on his behaviour and improve as a human then you’re probably giving him too much credit and he doesn’t deserve your help or attention anyway.
If you think it would provide you with some closure, then perhaps just reply and then block him when you have told him what you think of him.

How likely are you to just run into him around town? If it’s a possibility then ignoring his message completely might be best because that enables you to choose your demeanour according to your feelings at the time, should you bump into him.

IncandescentSilver · 23/09/2020 10:01

Ain'tpageant really quite likely to run into him sooner or later I think.

My reason for telling him would be to make me feel better. I come from a family who do that sort of thing, rather than staying quiet, and who then move on, having said their piece. My mother is dead, but I can just imagine her standing over my shoulder telliing me to do this, saying "don't let him get away with it scot free".

I probably won't reply, because it was 2 days ago that he did text. But then again, I might, if I think it would make me feel better. I hear what people are saying about him knowing he is being ignored as a powerful message though.

I can just imagine the little prat pontificating to the next girlfriend about how moralistic he is!

OP posts:
ravenmum · 23/09/2020 10:06

The more I thought about the way he behaved and the more I found out about him, the more I began to go off him. I know the woman he cheated on me with and she has a pretty poor reputation
I don't understand how the woman's reputation has made you go off him more. Would you have been less put off by him if he was with someone with a great reputation?

So I really want to reply telling him what I think of him now, that I'm disgusted by him
In the context, this kind of sounds as if you're disgusted by his choice of new girlfriend? Is that what you're going to tell him, or do you just mean you're disgusted by his cheating?

I would never have got involved with him if I'd known how awful a man he was ... Its considered good to tell people how unacceptable their behaviour is, so they know for the next time and don't get away with it without any criticism
You're very understandably pissed off, but honestly, do you think that he's going to listen to what you say and think "Oh shit, yes! I am awful! I'd better not be awful next time!"? You'd just be encouraging him to lash back at you and decide that you are "bonkers" "bitter", etc.

People of all kinds cheat. My exh told his OW that he was amazed to find himself cheating as he didn't think he was that kind of person. You don't have to prove that he's inherently horrible. It's enough that he did something horrible to you. Be angry about that, but don't lose your own dignity over it.

notanoctopus · 23/09/2020 10:07

@Ughmaybenot

He already knows it tho OP, that’s why he blocked you and had, so far, avoided you, he just doesn’t care. You’ll end up even more upset and frustrated if you try and make him see it from your point of view.
This
CallItLoneliness · 23/09/2020 10:08

Hmmm, I'm on the fence. Indifference is the best revenge, so possibly a 'well, yes, your behaviour was a bit lacklustre, but fortunately that gave me the freedom to get on with my life' type response.

ravenmum · 23/09/2020 10:08

If you saw him in the street, a simple "fuck off" would do the same job as an email you might regret later.

helpmum2003 · 23/09/2020 10:10

Ignore

PragmaticWench · 23/09/2020 10:12

If you must reply, and that's entirely your call, then a simple 'You're an embarrassment, please fuck off.' should suffice. Then block him.

DillonPanthersTexas · 23/09/2020 10:12

If you have been cheated on and feeling very raw its a basic human reaction (if unhelpful) to compare yourself to the 'other' person. If that other person seemingly lacks in many positive attributes that makes one conventionally attractive and desirable it is almost a double whammy to your confidence 'you cheated on me for that'. Finding out you girlfriend dumped you to live with the millionaire athletic businessman in Monaco is going to hurt, finding out she dumped you for the perma unemployed Britain First supporting criminal thug from the pub is going to hurt more.

ravenmum · 23/09/2020 10:14

Ach, I don't know. My exh's OW was younger and prettier than me, and I can't say it felt great that it was obvious why he'd choose her over me!

IncandescentSilver · 23/09/2020 10:15

Explained this already ravenmum, he and she knowingly cheated on me because according to him, he was bored and lonely during lockdown. If it was a case of him meeting someone he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, then that I find OK. What he did say in his phone call to me is that he was bad at relationships and a bad boyfriend, not that he had met the love of his life or even a serious girlfriend.

In retrospect, he had been treating me more like a FWB but saying and doing the right things to avoid me thinking that, and it being a LDR probably suited him well.

Anyway, it's all water under the bridge - it's happened already and is history.

OP posts:
MzHz · 23/09/2020 10:16

Honestly, no reply would be better than no reply, iykwim :)

It will absolutely bug the crap out of him to think that you already don’t give a crap about him and have moved on.

Any reply you send tells him you still think of him somehow

I urge you, no matter what, no matter how, DO NOT REPLY.

and block him from everything.

Minimumstandard · 23/09/2020 10:18

Reply 'Please don't contact me again'. Then block him.

MikeUniformMike · 23/09/2020 10:18

Block his number then write the most vitriolic reply you can imagine, and save it in Drafts. Do not send it but if ever you find yourself thinking nice thoughts of him, read it.
If you aren't ever going to think of him in that way delete it.

IncandescentSilver · 23/09/2020 10:19

PragmaticWench You're an embarrasment, please fuck off I like that one - it's succinct, I can't be excused of being a crazy ex and yet it summarises all my thoughts in 6 words!

DillonPanthersTexas thats exactly it!

OP posts:
ravenmum · 23/09/2020 10:21

So it was your rage talking and it's not her reputation that's the issue, fair enough.

Things are a lot more obvious in retrospect. Don't kick yourself for not having recognised his "true character" earlier - firstly, as I say, I'm not so convinced that the world is divided into good guys and bad guys, and secondly, no-one can read minds, and not even your ex knew the future.

FizzyGreenWater · 23/09/2020 10:26

Doesn't society have a role to play in criticising these men? Otherwise they think it's OK and do get away with it and so do it over and over again if no one actually tells them they are disgusting?

They should do, but what actually happens thanks to maaaaasssssive cognitive dissonance thanks to the patriarchy is exactly what you did - a huge coded rant which basically blames the 'sleazy' woman while 'upticking' the man (He's educated! He's embarrassed by his behaviour!) - the message given is that the man behaved badly but is ok whereas the woman is intrinsically dirty, bad, wrong, slutty, inappropriate.

I feel sorry for the woman you describe - clearly with fewer social advantages, possibly less well educated (which is not her fault) - and with lower self esteem. What do the 'educated' men, who are apparently so moral at their core that they later feel approriately 'embarrassed' by their behaviour... what do these men, with their upticks, with their advantages, do? They take advantage and they treat her like trash, and use her.

I wouldn't reply to him except to perhaps just tell him he's trash. Don't make it about his behaviour even. Just tell him he's a trashy slag who no-one in their right mind would want as a friend. Use the same language you'd normally not even consider using for a man. That might hit home.

DillonPanthersTexas · 23/09/2020 10:27

really quite likely to run into him sooner or later I think

Then just concentrate on your happiness and wellbeing then. When you do bump into him and he sees you have clearly moved on and are looking well that will be the best rebuke.

TorkTorkBam · 23/09/2020 10:28

@PragmaticWench

If you must reply, and that's entirely your call, then a simple 'You're an embarrassment, please fuck off.' should suffice. Then block him.
This is also what you should say if you see him in real life and he tries to talk to you.

Do the real world equivalent of blocking too: turn away, walk away, even if he is talking, especially if he is talking.

His email says to me that he thinks your standards are so low and he is so special he can reel you back in with a few smooth words. You being totally uninterested in him will burn.

Picklypickles · 23/09/2020 10:30

He's probably just feeling bored again, please don't provide him with further entertainment, leave him feeling completely insignificant.

Sssloou · 23/09/2020 10:32

I suspect that with ignoring him, if I do bump into him in the street, he will act all friendly (it's a small city) and I will blurt out some of my thoughts about him in person.

Practice your dignity and cool self control. Have a plan for if/when you bump into each other.

You don’t have to engage.

He is just another random stranger on the street. You don’t owe him eye contact or social niceties. He doesn’t get to emotionally trigger you and yank your chain.

Do a practice run - imagine some guy walking down the street was him coming towards you - keep your eyes straight ahead and walk on by, if he calls out to you ignore. No response.

If he follows you or comes up to you somewhere where you are physically unable to move on - take a very deep breath and just say:

Please leave.
I do not want to talk to you.
or
I do not want to to listen to you.
or
I have nothing to say to you.

Repeat only once and then calmly tell him this is now unwanted communication and constitutes harassment.

Practice saying this out loud in the mirror at home. When it happens you will be in control.

Notanapplelover · 23/09/2020 10:32

So, your BF cheating was all woman's 'with the tits hanging out' fault? You sound deranged, sorry.
Why would you need closure? Total silence from you to his message should suffice.

Asterion · 23/09/2020 10:33

An ex of mine, who dumped me badly, went on to get married. He then, a year or so down the line, made it clear he wanted to have an affair with me.

Did I tell his wife? Did I get him in to trouble? No, because by that time I truly couldn't care less about him.

Whereas you are obviously still very connected to your ex. Be honest with yourself. If you truly didn't care about him, you wouldn't have posted this thread.

Now that you live in the same town as him, if you go off on him do you think he'll keep quiet about it? Or will he start to gossip and laugh about his crazy ex girlfriend, who's followed him to his own home town, and laugh about you like he laughs about the Other Woman?

TherapistInATabard · 23/09/2020 10:33

I’d find it hard not to reply, to be honest. I’d be tempted to send a ‘well you should feel bad, you were a shit. I think you’re overestimating the effect it had on me though and now you’re just embarrassing yourself. Don’t contact me again.’ Or something like that