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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

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What on earth happened?

779 replies

Newbie96 · 01/03/2021 10:55

Hi everyone, long time reader but first-time poster. I'll just jump straight into it. Please be kind.

My boyfriend and I have been together officially for a year, we've known each other since we were around 13 - 14 and attempted to make a go of it as teenagers (around 18) but it never worked. We've been in contact ever since because we both have mutually been drawn to one another. He often tells me he has compared every woman he's been with to me and to be honest I've done the same.

I am now 25 and he is 27. We got together just before lockdown last year and have spent nearly every waking second with each other since. We had been spending a lot of time together prior to lockdown happening and we both jumped at the opportunity to become each other's support bubbles when the time came and to be honest, it has been total bliss, we genuinely never argue, he is like my bestfriend.

Luckily for us, the lockdown has been kind to us mostly because we've had each other to get through it and it has made us grow extremely closer. I can honestly say the past year we both have agreed that we have been the happiest we've ever been, our relationship being one of the main reasons.

We both live alone and so we stay back and forth between his place and mine, only having to travel now and then for work etc. Due to our history and of course how much time we've spent together, emotions have definitely intensified and I am very much in love with this man, he knows this and tells me he feels the same way.

So fast forward to the weekend just gone, we had planned that I would spend the weekend at his house. I arrive at around 6:30 on Friday evening and things are good but I can sense that something is off/ or that he isn't exactly in the mood. I decide to ignore it but it seems to only get worse. Usually, we would sit down, have a conversation about our day and watch a series episode together which we commentate back and forth with each other but this time it's pure silence. Neither of us was physical with each other, he actually even sat on the furthest part of the sofa away from me. I can honestly say this was the first time I felt a little unwelcome in his home, which is odd considering how much time I have spent there and I've never felt this way before.

I mean maybe I overlooked everything far too much so please tell me if that appears to be the case. An hour of silence goes by, most of the time it was him on his phone whilst I watched the episode by myself, he stands up and asks if I am hungry, I say yeah and he says okay I will cook something for us. As it was the first proper real words we had spoken to each other all night, I decided to ask if everything was okay? he says yeah so in a jokey, laughing tone I ask if he wants me over tonight as it feels a little as if I'm intruding.

Well what happens next I didn't expect it at all, he is stood in the doorway of the living room and begins to get more and more wound up, he starts off by saying "of course I want you over but you have been sat there all night with this miserable look on your face, giving off bad energy" his voice is slightly raised but I don't retaliate and I calmy say "okay well I must have read it wrong, I wasn't trying to give off bad energy, I've been looking forward to seeing you all day" but he is so annoyed and goes off again accusing me of being the reason why the energy is so wrong between us tonight and how dare I blame him for it. I apologise again and say that I must have had a long day. He then goes on to say "well this is weird for me now so I think its best you leave" I am in shock as he walks out of the living room into the kitchen, in an attempt to let things settle, I leave it 5 minutes and walk into the kitchen with him and ask if he would really like me to leave? He responds "I'm just saying maybe its best", the thing is I can see on his face he is visually angry and in my head, I can't figure out why he is so annoyed, over something that in my mind was so trivial and silly. Like a fricken helpless puppy dog, I look at him again and ask if HE wants me to leave? and he responds "you know what yeah I do".

I take myself to the other room and begin packing up my stuff and I can hear him stomping and slamming about. I obviously felt a little confused because the whole situation felt extremely blown out of proportion. Once my things are packed I give it one last attempt and go and sit next to him on the sofa, I ask him if we can talk about this and I gently reach my hand out to touch his arm, but he blows up and is practically foaming from the mouth shouting at me not to touch him and that he just wants me to leave, at one point he swings the front door open and walks out of the front door in nothing his dressing gown, I don't chase him because I was honestly just shocked. He begins texting me telling me to leave his house or he won't come back? - I replied and told him I'm leaving but I would have appreciated it if he came back and just spoke to me. After 5/6 minutes pass, he comes storming back into the flat, pushing past me in the hall and is still foaming at the mouth shouting at how it's my fault and I'm making it worse by not leaving. Like a fool, I started to cry because I could see this has all escalated into a situation I didn't want for us at all. He tells me crying doesn't help the situation so tearfully I leave. As I wait outside for a cab, I check my phone and notice that he has blocked my number, my WhatsApp and my Instagram. I am totally confused and hurt by all of this and in my honest moment of craziness, I create another account on Instagram and message "I'm sorry for everything that just happened, I didn't expect any of that. I accept I was in the wrong and that I read the situation wrong, please can we talk when things are calmer?" he replies "please just let me know when you are home as I won't be able to sleep until I know your home" I leave it and let him know I am home, he bluntly replies "good, night" I again press on and I ask if we can talk? he responds and says "no I just want to go to sleep, we have been so good lately and now I'm laying here crying," I tell him I love him and that I don't want him to be sad, he replies and says he knows I do and that I should go to sleep.

Saturday morning comes and I message saying I hope he is okay and that again when things are calmer can we talk about this? he reads and doesn't respond. Sunday I message again along the same lines but telling him I miss him, again he reads and doesn't respond.

This morning I received a message from him saying "I told you that you were just making everything worse on Friday and you just didn't listen, you just thought you knew better and now I'm going to show you what I meant. I don't care, sorry" I sent some messages, honestly being very weak and pitiful, telling him that I would just like us to talk and sort this out as I miss him and this isn't like us at all, I then check for a response and he has blocked me from that account as well, so there are no ways of contacting him.

I just can't make sense of it all, we have never argued like this ever. I didn't expect him to blow up the way he did after asking him if everything was okay. I just feel like its all my fault for ruining something that we had so good. I feel really sad, low and alone and just wish he would calm down and speak to me.

Please give me your take on this entire, childish and shit situation. Did I do something wrong? and is he really never going to speak to me again over that?

Thank you

OP posts:
SchadenfreudePersonified · 02/03/2021 07:41

@TheLaughingGenome

No time is ever wasted, OP. All the time you will have been learning things about yourself, and becoming who you are. And you're too good to be messed around like this. Not time wasted, not at all.
I second this -even if all you have learned is that some men can be *rseholes, and he is one of them, them it is a good lesson.

You say the pair of you have been bak and for with each other from a very young age - about 10 years - well, there's a possibility that in a year or so he'll come crawling back with a "I was so confused with the pandemic, I didn't know how much I cared for you, it wasn't my fault (or it was my fault, BUT . . . Hmm) - if and when he does, remember what you learned and tell him "Thanks, but no thanks".

Move on from him. You are worth more than this and there are good men out there who will appreciate you.

(Also agree he's met someone else and wants a clear field at her. This is no reflection on you as a person or a lover, it's just that some men can't keep their pants zipped!)

isthismylifenow · 02/03/2021 07:41

Sorry OP, but I agree with Gutful. I think something was brewing (what that is you may never know) but he was getting more irate as he had to repeatedly ask you to make your way.

If the roles were reversed here, wouldn't you also become more frustrated if you had asked him to leave and he had kept going on and pursuing the situation.

Yes it is shit to be in that situation though. But give him all the space he needs now, for a very long time........ It would seem that communication may be a factor here.

SunshineCake · 02/03/2021 07:42

I am sorry as that must have been so upsetting, confusing and a little scary but really you handed him all the cards and your dignity but constantly asking him what was wrong and did he really want you to leave.

Walk away. This wasn't the relationship you thought it was. Mourn what you thought you had and then shake yourself and make a new life for yourself.

If he comes crawling back hopefully you'll have gained the strength to say no thanks.

CrunchyCarrot · 02/03/2021 07:44

This does sound like the onset of mental illness to me, OP. I don't think you did anything wrong, it must have come as a terrible shock to see such out of character behaviour.

The only other thing I can come up with is someone has told him something about you (probably untrue) that has upset him and he's turned against you. If so then he's shown how immature he is and that he can't discuss situations like an adult.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 02/03/2021 07:47

If she had left the outcome would have been the same. You know he would have said "I cannot believe you left! Now I can never trust you!" Then he would have blocked and done the same thing

Yep!

Roszie · 02/03/2021 07:50

Sounds like he had a guilty conscience to me. He also sounds like a total prick. Getting that angry? So he's foaming at the mouth? What will he be like if something really bad happens?

This isn't a person to hitch your wagon to.

Cry and be sad if you need to but you'll be okay. Bullet dodged. Thanks

AGirlCalledJohnny · 02/03/2021 07:52

Years ago, I once told my mom I was mortified by how much I adored a guy who just dumped me out of the blue, I was completely humiliated. She told me something similar to Schadenfreud. “Never be embarrassed for loving someone, that is the opposite of something you should be ashamed of. If he didn’t feel the same way, that’s on him. But loving him, that’s nothing to be sad about”. Then she took me for a glass of wine and spent a fortune on me in Jigsaw 🤣

blisstwins · 02/03/2021 08:01

[quote ElleDubloo]@AGirlCalledJohnny How many times did the BF ask OP to leave? Yes she absolutely made it worse. If it was me it would have gone something like this:

Go to BFs house, be nice.
BF is sullen and silent.
Me: would you like me to leave?
BF: yes
Me: ok, text me when you want to hang out! Byeee! Halo

And btw I have a great marriage, we get on fine, he’ll do anything for me, and when he’s in a bad mood I give him space. Recognising that different people’s brains are wired differently.[/quote]
Plus the guy OP is talking about doesn't have a history of acting this way. Presumably you know you spouse. If he acted COMPLETELY OUT OF CHARACTER you would just get it and go with the flow? COME ON. OP was mindfucked.

MzHz · 02/03/2021 08:02

@OverweightPidgeon

This is how abusive men operate (bitter experience) please don’t contact him any more . If he starts to shower you with ‘sorrys’ and flowers, don’t fall for it . It doesn’t matter how good things have been in the past , it doesn’t matter that he’s never been like this before, this is how he is now and if you go back, he’s got the green light to do it again.
That was exactly what I thought when I read this.

He’s abusive.

All that anger was manufactured

Stay well away and breathe a deep sigh of relief that it’s over

PurpleFlower1983 · 02/03/2021 08:02

It sounds like you’ve had a lucky escape OP, behaviour like this is not normal, everyone can have an off day but normal people calm down and apologise/explain their behaviour. Something else is going on here that you’re best off out of. Flowers

Bonnieonthelam · 02/03/2021 08:05

@Newbie96

Wow, thank you all!

Rainbowshine, I think your right but this is also very disappointing as I'm a very understanding person and he knows this, yes I would have been hurt that he ended it but at least I wouldn't have blamed myself how i am now.

Desmondo2016, I did try and understand his stance and if he has been dealing with anything but honestly no, he had had the day off work so had been at home chilling for the day and when we had spoken during the day he was in a good mood. Neither of us has children.

Aprilx, I completely agree, I really don't know why we both sat there silent during the tv show. I cant speak for him but for me I was just going over it in my head because i felt awkward. Which i guess made it so much worse.

You sound so sweet and kind. I would have walked the moment he asked you to leave. He sounds awful, people reveal themselves when angry but he has acted bizarrely, again he did ask you to leave multiple times. You staying pushed him over the edge.

He def wants to break up. Please don’t contact him again. Don’t let him back in either.

blisstwins · 02/03/2021 08:10

@AGirlCalledJohnny

Years ago, I once told my mom I was mortified by how much I adored a guy who just dumped me out of the blue, I was completely humiliated. She told me something similar to Schadenfreud. “Never be embarrassed for loving someone, that is the opposite of something you should be ashamed of. If he didn’t feel the same way, that’s on him. But loving him, that’s nothing to be sad about”. Then she took me for a glass of wine and spent a fortune on me in Jigsaw 🤣
I am older than most of you and went through a miserable divorce a few years ago with someone who blindsided me after almost 2 decades. My mom was also my savior and she passed away just a few months ago. She would have done exactly what your mom did. So glad you mom was there and that this is this lovely community taking care of one another. OP, please hear what is being said. You are confused because that is what he wanted, and you are in pain because you loved. You are going to be fine. Don't go back.
Helenluvsrob · 02/03/2021 08:11

Run and don’t look back.
He’s shown you exactly who he is.

Nothing to do with you. It’s him / someone else or similar.

nimbuscloud · 02/03/2021 08:16

Have you had other relationships? Or has it only ever been him?

SchadenfreudePersonified · 02/03/2021 08:16

@AGirlCalledJohnny

Years ago, I once told my mom I was mortified by how much I adored a guy who just dumped me out of the blue, I was completely humiliated. She told me something similar to Schadenfreud. “Never be embarrassed for loving someone, that is the opposite of something you should be ashamed of. If he didn’t feel the same way, that’s on him. But loving him, that’s nothing to be sad about”. Then she took me for a glass of wine and spent a fortune on me in Jigsaw 🤣
Good advice - even without the wine and a trip to Jigsaw.
ShesMadeATwatOfMePam · 02/03/2021 08:18

You know how these threads normally end don't you?

"And then he hit me".

That's what i thought was going to have happened, reading your op. You've had a lucky escape and please please don't let him talk you round. This is the real him, not the sweet talking and "drawn to each other" bullshit. Have you ever seen frozen? Yeah it's a kids film but your posts remind me of anna and that prince guy who appears to be everything she's ever wanted with some deep connection but he's just playing to get what he wants. Sounds like your ex is the same. Your interpretation of the relationship is totally different to his.

You urgently need some counseling as you sound like you're a people pleaser and it's causing you harm - especially this:

I'm sorry for everything that just happened, I didn't expect any of that. I accept I was in the wrong and that I read the situation wrong, please can we talk when things are calmer?"

Why the hell did you think you'd done something wrong? You didn't do anything! But your first instinct was to apologize to avoid him escalating. Can't you see how scary that is? There are plenty more fish in the sea, this one's rotten.

Id bet my house that he's not done with you yet but the worst thing you could possibly do is let him back into your life.

nicnacnew · 02/03/2021 08:19

Personally I think he had maybe had a bad day. You noticed straight away that something was off, ignored awkward silence, then when he offers you something to eat, you start asking if he wants you to leave?? He then gets angry and asks you to leave and you don't?? You were there for an hour what stuff did you need to pack? See it said all the times on these threads, if you flipped the situation and a woman had asked a man to leave and he didn't that would be unacceptable.

CristalCarrington · 02/03/2021 08:19

Please get rid of him. He will be back, sooner probably rather than later - and he will be lovely. If you are firm and don’t want him back, he will turn from lovely to pitiful. You might even end up comforting him as he will be so remorseful and with an excuse at to why he behaved like that.

If you get back with him, he will pull stunts like that again in future, and you will end up walking on eggshells.

If he had hit you when he suddenly turned last night, would you want him back? An emotional assault is bad enough.

Please get some counselling and support if you need to , as you are/were in love with this man, and I certainly do not believe you have seen the last of him, despite his threats that he has ended it.

I have supported many women who have left abusive relationships - as part of my job - and this will not get better.

Please ignore the posters telling you “it is 6 of one and half a dozen of the other”. That is not true and it is NOT your fault. His behaviour is abnormal.

Maybe he will be lovely and it won’t happen again for some time. Maybe you’ll be pregnant next time, or recently married. It is a pattern of behaviour and he has just started to show you it.

CristalCarrington · 02/03/2021 08:21

@ShesMadeATwatOfMePam - I only just saw your post as I didn’t read all of them. I couldn’t agree more.

OP, this wasn’t a “bad day” and you did not do anything to cause his behaviour.x

AGirlCalledJohnny · 02/03/2021 08:23

blisstwins thank you ❤️

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 02/03/2021 08:28

Don't contact him again, ever.

AGirlCalledJohnny · 02/03/2021 08:33

SchadenfreudePersonified (it was the 90s) 😬

Also, the posters saying it was a ‘one off’. Jesus, I’ve never treated anyone I love like that, my DH hasn’t either. It’s not ok.

AGirlCalledJohnny · 02/03/2021 08:34

@CristalCarrington

Please get rid of him. He will be back, sooner probably rather than later - and he will be lovely. If you are firm and don’t want him back, he will turn from lovely to pitiful. You might even end up comforting him as he will be so remorseful and with an excuse at to why he behaved like that.

If you get back with him, he will pull stunts like that again in future, and you will end up walking on eggshells.

If he had hit you when he suddenly turned last night, would you want him back? An emotional assault is bad enough.

Please get some counselling and support if you need to , as you are/were in love with this man, and I certainly do not believe you have seen the last of him, despite his threats that he has ended it.

I have supported many women who have left abusive relationships - as part of my job - and this will not get better.

Please ignore the posters telling you “it is 6 of one and half a dozen of the other”. That is not true and it is NOT your fault. His behaviour is abnormal.

Maybe he will be lovely and it won’t happen again for some time. Maybe you’ll be pregnant next time, or recently married. It is a pattern of behaviour and he has just started to show you it.

👆🏻🙏🏻
SchadenfreudePersonified · 02/03/2021 08:36

SchadenfreudePersonified (it was the 90s) 😬

We all have a past, Johnny.

Grin Wink

Roszie · 02/03/2021 08:37

You said it's up to him if he wants to contact you now.

Noooooo. He will 100% be back in touch and trying to sweet talk you when it suits him. This is the hardest bit. Stay strong and refuse to let him call the tune.