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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

Have you ever been involved with someone not over the ex?

12 replies

Inxthexdarkness · 05/05/2021 09:24

I just wasted a year of my life with someone not over his and he did his best to hide it.

When we first started to talk we spoke about our past. Our previous relationships. Only he seemed very invested still. He had a friendship with his ex from two years ago! They lived together and were together 8 years. After he moved out it seems they continued to text. Ring. Meet for a cuppa. The way he told me this was like I needed to be aware of her. I felt my gut scream but thought perhaps because he's late 40s it was a maturity thing and it was a good sign he was decent.

As time went on I felt like she was constantly in the background. She knew he had met me. Apparently she said she was happy for him but knew this day would come. She's late 30s and wanted a family which he never could have with her. So it sounds they were never on the same page in life anyway.

Despite her knowing about me they continued being involved. Mainly through phone contact it seemed. He never actually told me when they spoke or how often. Never mentioned her going around anymore. When I asked once how often they meet he claimed she had been round once since he had met me. But whenever that day was he never told me. Which is odd because he was always contacting me hourly.

I had seen photos of her in his house kissing eachother. I had asked about these pictures. He removed them. But put them back up two months later when we fell out for a day! This made me realise how strange everything was.

I understand their history. But everything he had in his house was gifts from her. Even his car number plate was a personalised one from her with their initials. The cars old now. Serves no purpose and isn't fixed for the road. But he keeps it because she got him it I guess! So he has no vehicle.

At one point I asked him about his Facebook. Hundreds of photos of her. It was like they were still together and I didn't exist. I didn't expect him to delete the holiday snaps. Or the memories. But her on his Manchester United t shirt otherwise naked would have been nice to be removed. There were many photos of her just looking cute for him. He constantly showed me old videos or pictures of their old pets. Which was fine. but one day he shared a video with her in and messaged me before asking if he could share it. I said ofcourse he could. It got no response from. Anyone. But what I didn't understand was why he couldn't have just watched it himself on the anniversary it was posted to Facebook. Why did he need to share her video!

As time went on he brought her up in many ways. She was asking him if he still fancied her apparently. She was bored and twisting his head. He didn't want her round whilst she was like this as she just complained. He started telling me he never was attracted to her body and I was the only woman he had ever fancied like that so much. Moaning about her mixing with her friends all the time. she went away without him alot. He was even quite mean about her being made redundant. She got thousands and got a new job fast. He slagged her off for wasting all the money on holidays with friends etc but didn't want a holiday with him in the UK. He said she thought she was the best at everything and always got upset if she thought someone didn't like her. Then when I suggested he perhaps needed to cut her out his life abit more now if she was frustrating him he got defensive. She was like a little sister to him now and he found it nice.

As time went on he started ringing her when he had problems in his life. He would tell me he was going to ask her for advice etc. Then he nearly called me her name on the phone.

We split up 2 months ago when I caught him on Facebook chatting to other women. He was lining up new women it seemed. He hid it terribly and had also been mentioning a woman alot, that he had a fling with when he split from his ex. He had often called this woman a stalker and claimed she had contacted his ex after they slept together and caused aload of trouble. We split because he was not willing to discuss his flirting online. He said he was only window shopping but would never buy.

After we split I contacted the lady he claimed caused trouble after a fling. Her story was very different. He was with her for four months. Meeting for sex. Planning to move in together. She left her unhappy marriage. Then the ex started contacting her to ask what was going on. It turned out he was still trying to be with the ex and begging her to forgive him. He was sleeping with this other woman whisky still living with his ex and had been chasing her for years!

He denied everything but we've also put our heads together and realised he's been messaging her whilst he was with me. He's said the same things to us both. When he was calling her a stalker to me he was actually sulking because she refused his number again and said she would only speak on messenger.

It's been two months. The last message I sent him I told him he would never be happy with anyone until he let the past go and got over his ex properly. I said he was playing games and lying and I was 100% done as I do not want his drama in my life.

He's basically moved onto another woman now who falling for all his charms on Facebook. I've deactivated my account and I'm having some time to fully move on and get over it all. But I just don't understand what the deal is with them. They don't want to be together but they don't want to let the other move on? I've never come across this and wondered if anyone else has experienced it.

From what I've been told she was always financially bailing him out and he lied to her in regards to women all the time. So it's clearly something he will never stop doing.

So mad at myself for not realising sooner he wasn't worth my time. It's taking me longer to get over it than I expected. Anyone been here?

I had posted in chat but have requested it to be removed as I made so many typos.

OP posts:
Windmillwhirl · 05/05/2021 09:41

It's very easy to fall for someone and ignore red flags. The problem seems to be that you are punishing yourself. You need to let tgat go and take the positives from this: you are mo longer tied to a man that would have no problem hurting you and you have learnt a good lessen.

Stop punishing yourself so you can start to live again and what better time now lockdown is easing, if you are in the UK that is.

category12 · 05/05/2021 09:55

I hope writing all that out was cathartic and helps you get over it.

It's all about what he was doing.

Now it's time to stop filling your mind with what he did and said, and work through why you tolerated being treated the way you did instead.

If you ever feel like you're being compared or are in competition for someone for a man's attention, just walk away. Don't tolerate things that make you feel second best and don't enter into drama. Just walk.

ItsNotLoveActually · 05/05/2021 10:04

I wasted 18mths. I think when you meet someone you take them at face value, believe their version of their life. What else can you do?
There might be some red flags but if they're not likely to affect you and you really like them, you tend to gloss over them. Everyone has a past and makes mistakes.
You trusted him OP. Its easy to sit down after you've split and pick it all apart, not so easy when you're in the middle of it. Don't be too hard on yourself. Learn from it and move on.
There's a saying I like - Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. We just need to learn to set better boundaries.

Inxthexdarkness · 05/05/2021 11:56

Thank you for your replies. It helped to write it down. I just seem to go from positive to down again. I've just had ten really good days followed by 2 negative ones. So the good days do seem to be winning now. But it's hard sometimes not to feel crushed.

He knew I had children. He was given so many opportunities to open up about her. I would have listened. The photos gave it away anyway. It's like he just denied it and was happy to go along with a lie.

It's like he doesn't want anyone else or he doesn't want to actually commit to one woman. So I don't understand his behaviour. Why is he happy to ruin people's lives. Especially when his last two attempts at getting over the ex have involved little children too.

I've definitely learned alot. I definitely was not seeing clearly when I was in the middle of it. But now I'm on the other side I keep realising more and more.

I took pity on him because he tried to kill himself 18 months ago. So he had me fooled with this whole fresh start thing. Split from his ex. Tried to end his life. He quit drinking. Then he was sober. Back at work. Running his own flat. Was determined to save up money. He looked to me like someone seriously getting their stuff together. But it was all built on lies.

He's got no savings.
He was a cheat.
He's not over his ex.
He is a liar and plays women along for his own needs.
Doesn't care about ruining families.

Overall it's just sad. I feel a fool but I guess that's because I now know everything.

OP posts:
ItsNotLoveActually · 05/05/2021 12:30

You'll never understand why he behaved the way he did. Be thankful you wised up. I'm keeping a journal which I write my thoughts in from time to time. It's useful to pour all your questions, hurt and anger out in. It does subside in time.

Changingchange · 05/05/2021 12:35

He sounds personality disordered - don’t even waste tour time trying to understand him OP Flowers

JustAnotherOldMan · 05/05/2021 13:13

Yes, got involved with a woman for about a year, I thought everything was going okay, and wanted to move forward, she did occasionally mention her ex a few times, but not seriously, then over the course of about 2 weeks her ex reappeared on the scene and I was dropped like yesterday’s news.
Gutting

Inxthexdarkness · 05/05/2021 14:33

I started a journal when things started going pear shaped. It's definitely a great way to remind you where you were at. I sometimes read it back and think how stupid was I on that day. The red flags are so clear now. But on this side I now know things I didn't know back then. I guess it's definitely going to take time to heal. Whilst I don't wish bad on anyone I guess karma will pay him a visit one day. Although I feel he's already been to the point of wanting to die so he's been a very unhappy person in recent years. Ideally he needs some serious therapy. But he won't see that I doubt! I think instead he will continue to hurt every woman who falls into his web. I think his ex must be damaged to want any sort of friendship with him after him spending her money on alcohol and cheating. He had started borrowing the odd £30 from me in the end. Then borrowed £100 from me which he didn't pay back until after we split. He refused to thank me for it when he paid it back! So he has alot of traits in him that are not pleasent.

I'm just glad he only saw my kids for walks or parks. I only saw him when they were with their dad so they just presumed he was a friend who brought his dog for walks with us.

You don't get involved with a family unless you want to be a part of it long term do you!

@JustAnotherOldMan

That's awful. It can happen to men too! It's nice to see someone of the opposite sex understanding. If that makes any sense! How long were you together? How are you now? It's hard to understand isn't it. I often struggled to grasp the keeping so in touch. If you cheated. Argued. Split. Moved into new houses. How can you still end up choosing eachother over a future. I got so sick of it in the end. My last message to him about his him and his ex touched a nerve. I was being honest with him not horrible. I told him they needed to move on and find other people etc. He told me to grow up! Its sad because he can't see how unhealthy and weird it is. He seems to think he can have her in his life and expect women to be happy in second place if he decides he likes them. I'll never understand why they are not back together. They just seem to be clinging on in the strangest way. I hope you have found some happiness now!!

OP posts:
JustAnotherOldMan · 05/05/2021 15:37

Hey,
Was a couple of years ago for me, so all fine now.
we were together for about 1.5 years, so not long, the relationship was quite physical (she liked sex a lot), which was quite good in the beginning, but every time I tried to steer us onto future plans she became evasive and kinda skirted around the issue, which seemed a bit odd at the time.
I think her ex partner went abroad for work for a few years, but when it became clear he was heading back to the UK, I was quickly dropped, so in reality I think I was just the stop gap person, it’s pretty sad when you’re only 2nd best, they must have stayed in contact somehow.

I decided to concentrate on work for a for years, then COVID hit, so been alone for a while now, and I’m at an age now (50 +.. ) where I don’t take crap of people now, so will probably not date again and just be alone now, maybe get a dog when I retire and be a lonely old man with a dog.

autumnalrain · 05/05/2021 16:07

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Inxthexdarkness · 05/05/2021 16:51

@JustAnotherOldMan

It's just cruel isn't it to play with people's emotions. I always thought why couldn't he just say he wanted fun. Company. But nothing too serious. Plenty of women would be up for that. He's heading towards late forties and I'm early 30s so hoped he would be more mature! So I've now learned age is irrelevant.

Good for you though about being alone. Someone will come naturally into your life again or they won't. If it happens naturally then it's worth it. But I understand the plan to be alone. Sort of the stance I'm taking for now. I'm trying to cook different things. Bought myself something new for my house this week. Trying to see the joy in things again. To be fair I felt pretty drained when he was in my life as his problems were all it became about. I actually realise the real stuff was lacking big time. Like your situation it was all sex. He was in the best moods when it was sexual. If he was gloomy sex wouldn't come into it. You felt like he had lost all interest.

Takes a while to click on doesn't it. But I guess it's there loss! We were offering them a good thing.

OP posts:
Inxthexdarkness · 05/05/2021 16:54

@autumnalrain
Why do you feel the need to offer unhelpful advice. It's a support forum. Look above and see what others have written. If you have nothing helpful to say then don't post. People's issues vary and can't always be solved with simply moving on. Let me process my situation in my own way. If I wish to reach out and talk to people on a bad day let me! Stop following me around. It's really not healthy to be keeping tabs on a stranger's posts on here. I'm in a bad place. I'm sorry that bothers you. I did try sucking it up and moving on. Works some days more than others!

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