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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

Utterly heartbroken

285 replies

Happinessevaded · 12/04/2021 20:37

I don’t know where to turn. I’ve no friends anymore and am so lonely and my long term partner told me this weekend that he doesn’t think staying together is right for us. It’s very complicated, he is going through a divorce and he has trust issues as have I.

On paper it sounds doomed but only last week he was saying he still wants to build a life with me irrespective of our differences and the past hurt. This weekend after much conflict around his divorce - conflict between him and I, he reached the conclusion it won’t work and we would be miserable given the challenges of different histories and lifestyles. He maintains after a blow out last week that he’s come to the realisation that whilst we are still deeply in love certain challenges are too big.

He has also said he will consider meeting up if after some time of reflection I still want to meet but he feels he can’t change how he feels because of all the past hurt and things I shared which has given him an impression that my values are not what I say they are, so meeting isn’t the right thing but he’ll still do it if I want to but I need to seriously think if it’s the right thing.
When we met I’d come out of an abusive relationship with my Dcs dad and thought I was in a good place but in hindsight I wasn’t ready. He was as he’s older and has been ‘single’ for years.

He’s messaged after our discussions to say thank you for a thoughtful message I sent outlying I understood why we are here and he loves me and I said I’d think about meeting and whether it was in reality the right thing to do and sent him a long message outlining my concerns and if I still think it’s the right decision to meet. I’ve not committed to meeting just yet either way. He won’t read it tonight as emotions are still running high and he is tired from work and needs time.

He’s says he still loves me and wants to save our relationship but as of now doesn’t think it’s possible or the right thing as he doesn’t think he can change his uncomfortable feelings about things I shared about my previous lifestyle. I used to go out a lot and party and he thinks that lifestyle is incompatible with a relationship. I don’t go out anymore as I’m far too old and just am not interested but he struggles to believe this.

Is there still hope considering he will still meet and hasn’t stopped communication. We are still kind towards each other there is no aggression but a lot of hurt.

He is sensitive and takes time to process things but a lot has happened including his divorce is in year two. When we met I had a close platonic friend whom he thinks was more - it wasn’t but he was a close childhood friend and he can’t get past the fact I was so close and that it was inappropriate considering our new relationship and how much I said I loved him. I was spending time with this friend but in a group and at the time he was still spending time with his family and didn’t disclose this as I’d get the wrong impression. This friend did have feelings for me but at the same time he was still dissolving his marriage. I was not the OW. All this happens years ago but for some reason it’s all come to a head.

We spent all weekend talking after an enormous argument and it was terribly sad but we were still very loving and kind and there is still intimacy which under the circumstances wasn’t smart.

I want to save the relationship but he is so conflicted doesn’t know what to do and veers between he’s thinks it’s doomed to not being sure what to do and will consider all I have said. Last week it was entirely the other way around I said I couldn’t do it anymore as the divorce was dragging and we do have challenges. I’m so sad but know I can’t change his mind he has to come to conclusions on his own life I’ve done. Just when I get to a place where I want to save things he doesn’t.

This is very jumbled but im struggling to gather my thoughts.

What can I do to save things.

OP posts:
Aquamarine1029 · 12/04/2021 20:42

I should hope you don't want to save things. He sounds like nothing but a head fuck. Jealous, suspicious, controlling and just an all around prick. You've already gotten out of an abusive relationship, you don't want another. Let him go, block him, do the Freedom Programme, and move on with your life.

Happinessevaded · 12/04/2021 20:43

I desperately want to save things. Stupid as that may be.

OP posts:
Kat6901 · 12/04/2021 20:43

So wait a minute he’s not staying with you because of partying when you were younger? Does he have no baggage or past or youth? This sounds very painful and complicated op I would try to move on from him.

Aquamarine1029 · 12/04/2021 20:44

There is nothing to save here. It's been a disaster and will remain so.

Happinessevaded · 12/04/2021 20:47

He has a lot of baggage as he is older than I am. It has been a disaster in some respects but there is a deep love for each other. He can’t get past things I disclosed about previous relationship last after a couple of drinks as it’s damaged his ability to be intimate in some levels.

It’s excruciatingly painful and high is why he says now it isn’t right to stay together even though he wants to save things he’s spent years trying to get past what I’ve shared.

OP posts:
IWantYoutoKnow · 12/04/2021 20:49

This sounds horrible. You are miserable and arguing about ridiculous thing and he seems dreadful. Telling you your past behaviour makes a relationship difficult? :O I can't believe what I'm reading. There is nothing to save, cut all ties and move on from this awful man.

Happinessevaded · 12/04/2021 20:54

He’s asked me to give the relationship a chance time and time again and when I get to the place I want to after weeks of saying I can’t come back from certain things he didn’t disclose about his divorce he decides after arguments about it it’s now not right.
I don’t understand why he’s doing this, he also said he’s been unhappy for a long time and has been trying. Then in the same breath says there are moments of ecstatic happiness. It’s so confusing and there is still a lot of love.

The conversation was that we are at a turning point and can we move forward given all the challenges up until the weekend he did want to and as I said earlier last week he said he wants a life with me. Sad

OP posts:
aboutbloodytime123 · 12/04/2021 20:55

Why would you want to have a relationship with a guy who makes you feel bad about things that happened years before you even met? It won't end here, next it will be your DC reminding him that you have an ex... Hills are that way 💐

Kat6901 · 12/04/2021 20:56

Op be wary he might be projecting certain things onto you, it sounds a bit odd.

Happinessevaded · 12/04/2021 20:56

I’m also posting here as I’m trying not to call and sob downs the phone as we speak multiple times a day normally. It’s incredibly hard.

His wife is also nervous about the divorce as she will be on her own and is making things a little difficult. Again I am not the OW.

OP posts:
ScaryMimeker · 12/04/2021 20:56

He can’t get past things I disclosed about previous relationship last after a couple of drinks as it’s damaged his ability to be intimate in some levels.

This stood out to me, and rang so many bells.

Remove yourself and start again.

Kat6901 · 12/04/2021 20:58

Op I think there is more to what he is saying. He sounds guilty and it sounds like projection. It’s going to hurt but I would give yourself time to grieve what you thought you had and move on. This all sounds very painful and too much hard work. Trust me things will be clearer when you have processed the relationship

Happinessevaded · 12/04/2021 20:59

He doesn’t mind about my ex’s in the slightest other than he can’t understand my choices and if I wanted a stable life why did I choose them.

He is very traditional and there is a cultural clash to some degree I think. There is also the age difference.

I’m in a spin and things were so clear yesterday and he told me he lives me and is being very complimentary and kind. It’s confusing.

OP posts:
Happinessevaded · 12/04/2021 21:01

@ScaryMimeker please can you explain? I’m not sure I understand.

@Kat6901i don’t know what he could possibly be projecting I wish I had all the facts.

OP posts:
Kat6901 · 12/04/2021 21:02

Why is he questioning you so much about them? Why are you not just enjoying your relationship? Again I wonder why he is behaving like this.

StarCat2020 · 12/04/2021 21:04

I might have missed it but how long have you been "together"?

DoingItMyself · 12/04/2021 21:04

No.
You need to drop this man, for your own good.
I understand that you want the relationship - but nothing good will come of this. He's messing you around.

Echobelly · 12/04/2021 21:05

Yes, sounds like he's projecting things about other women, maybe ex-wife onto you. If he can't 'get over' your history of partying when you were younger - and he should even if you were shoving all the drugs in the world in your face and sleeping with lots of people every week - that doesn't sound healthy.

IWantYoutoKnow · 12/04/2021 21:05

His wife is also nervous about the divorce as she will be on her own and is making things a little difficult. Again I am not the OW.

What you are saying is not making sense. How can you not be the OW? Surely the wife has been on her own for a while?!

I'm totally lost with what you are actually saying. It's all very confusing.

Happinessevaded · 12/04/2021 21:07

He doesn’t question he just questions why I told him such intimate details about past relationships. I don’t remember as we had far to much to drink the night in question. These were relationships over 20 years ago in some cases.

He can’t get past the relationship with my friend which was far too close I will admit that but he was still untangling his marriage at the point and was spending time with his family for things like Christmas and birthdays which is fine but he didn’t tell me as he thought he was to enmeshed himself. They have been separated and maintain a relationship for the children but haven’t lived together for years but have a good friendship. They have been married for years so he is sensitive to the fact she will be entirely in charge of managing her life without him now. He’s always supported her as she didn’t work. Do he wants to do the right thing as it will affect the DC.

None of that is my problem though my problem is he is ending his marriage and not sure about us now. Well definitely not sure about us now.

OP posts:
PriestessofPing · 12/04/2021 21:09

Why don’t you have friends anymore?

You keep saying there is a lot of love - but what do you actually think love is? Because it doesn’t sound much like love for someone to judge you so harshly because they don’t like your past, to the point of struggling to be intimate with you.

Happinessevaded · 12/04/2021 21:10

They’ve been separated for years but never got divorced for financial reasons, she was happy with this and he has had other relationships since their separation and they’ve spoken extensively about divorcing but it was convenient and he couldn’t be bothered as he hadn’t met anyone and she lives abroad anyway and they don’t see each other much.

Sorry I’m as confused

OP posts:
SionnachGlic · 12/04/2021 21:10

It sounds like he doesn't know you very well if he thinks you are into partying but you are saying all that is in the past...surely if you've spent alot of time together he knows that? Or that you are telling the truth about your friend not being anything other than a friend. Or else he has deep insecurities & needs to work on himself. There is so much in your post otherwise that I don't know where to begin. Surely all this fighting over imagined future problems or past issues which have nothing to do with the other person does not bode start to developing a serious mature happy trusting relationship. I hope whatever happens that you find your own happiness.

Kat6901 · 12/04/2021 21:11

Look op I’ll boil it down, he doesn’t trust himself or you.

Aprilx · 12/04/2021 21:11

Why on earth do you want to save a relationship with this sanctimonious prick? Nothing he says even makes any sense, it sounds to me like he wants to play mind games with you. Lucky escape, he is not a nice person.