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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

Was it all a lie? I’m completely broken…

185 replies

pixietinkdust · 30/11/2021 07:37

10 days ago my partner of 2 years decided it was over. Unfortunately for me, since then my entire world has been turned upside down and I’m really struggling.

For back story:
My ExPartner has some pretty horrific childhood trauma in his past, of which I’m well aware of and I know he’s been to therapy for, however something inside tells me that this is a contributing factor for what’s happened.

ExP has had previously issues with alcohol, drugs and MH struggles (suicide) - these were mainly before me and he kept them under control by using the gym as a coping mechanism.

I won’t say I’m entirely innocent here because I’m not, I have a fiery character and when I believe something is wrong I will bring it up. I never believed I could be gaslighted (this is relevant)

We were in a pub 2 weeks ago having food, he was asking what I’d like for Christmas etc, when I was answering he kept picking up his phone ( I believe it was his boss texting) and zoning out. I asked him to stop it because it was rude - and here the issue started. He lost it, shouting and screaming at me in the middle of the pub. I left immediately and told him to pay the bill.

Whilst driving home we were arguing in the car as I said his behaviour was completely unacceptable, he got so irate he pulled the steering wheel and forced me to pull over the car. He got out and walked off, still shouting and screaming. I drove alongside him and tried to reason with him to be met with “oh you’re crazy and you’re trying to run me over and kill me now” - I was doing about 5mph!

He proceeded to walk to the nearest pub, sat in there for 4 hours and drank 20 pints. When he came hone I’d fallen asleep on the sofa, I was awoken to him crashing around and then sitting staring at me and saying “I’m a psychopath you know, a psychopath and a sociopath. I have someone else who lives inside me and I call him Brian, he does bad things” - I know this sounds ridiculous but I swear it’s true. I was actually frightened by him. Eventually I got him up to bed.

The next day he refused to talk about it at all, completely shut down. This obviously caused a huge argument because I said I wouldn’t be brushing it under the carpet like some of his other outbursts. That night he went out again and didn’t come home, once again drunk.

The next morning he transferred £12,000 (exactly half) out of our savings account at 8am before I’d even spoken to him. He came home a little later and said it’s over, he doesn’t love me anymore and he’s unhappy. I’m ashamed to say I lost all dignity in this moment and most certainly begged and pleaded to attempt to reason with him. But it is over, and it’s stayed that way. From that moment he’s been a completely unrecognisable character. Callous and cruel.

If you’ve gotten this far - thank you, I didn’t intend for it to be this long!

For further info, “home” is a rented house we just signed on for 6 months and moved into the week before this happened! My property was in the final stages of completion and we were planning on moving to a forever house - the mortgage was in place and sols appointed etc so the rented house was a stop gap. I’m now back at my Mam’s with a suitcase.

He’s refused to pay anything for the house and is leaving this weekend, he has sorted another house to go to. It’s going to cost me £4k to get rid of this rental house.

He was literally the most perfect partner in the world, 95% of the time. He came along when I’d almost given up hope on finding someone compatible. He was genuine, kind, considerate, I can’t even tell you how happy I was.

My friends have since said they think I’ve been love bombed and then gaslighted.

I’ve since found out that when I met him he had only returned from London 3 weeks earlier and moved back North (where he is originally from but has been gone for 10 years); he split with another girl, packed up his whole life and moved here. Then met me - within 4 months, at his suggestion, he gave up his beautiful rented apartment and came to live with me in my house.

He’s had 14 addresses in 10 years, my Mam thinks he 100% has form for this behaviour.

He has told me since that he blames me for all of this happening, that I’m manipulative and controlling. I disagree with those things - the only thing I ever recall saying no to was him going to the gym every night if the week 530-830, I said there’s no point in having a relationship if you’re not present.

He also used to say to me that I need to go to therapy when we argued, I don’t know what for though and I never did.

In one of our final conversations he said to me “this happens all the time, in every one of my relationships, they want to stop me from doing exactly what I want to do when I want to do it”, I always said I wasn’t stopping him, but that’s a relationship. A bit of compromise on certain things.

I feel like my life has been a total lie, I have no idea what to believe was ever true. I’m completely broken down here, can’t sleep, can barely eat and I’m not coping. My whole life was there, planned, the fairytale!!! And now it’s gone. I’m 30 years old, no children, single and back at my parents house.

I have always been so independent, luckily I have good friends, an amazing family and a good job but I feel completely numb and empty inside. And the fear of him moving on immediately (which I just KNOW he will) is almost consuming me.

I feel like this is a story I would read in Chat magazine but it’s not fake, it’s actually my life and I’m so so devastated.

How do I ever get over this SadSadSadSad

OP posts:
endofthelinefinally · 30/11/2021 07:42

You have had a lucky escape. You are sad and upset now, but in time you will be relieved.

Fatherfintanstack · 30/11/2021 07:45

I think you and your mum.have got the measure of him. So sorry you've wasted this time but eventually you'll be glad it didn't go on any longer. Was the 12k his or will you need to pursue him for that?

Malibuismysecrethome · 30/11/2021 07:45

I don’t know about the rest of it but I couldn’t get past the idiocy in the car and you driving along beside him. If you were driving you should have been nicked and I don’t say that lightly.

FreeBritnee · 30/11/2021 07:48

I couldn’t get past the 20 pints!

pixietinkdust · 30/11/2021 07:48

@Fatherfintanstack - it was exactly half of our savings, he left the other half for me. He then cleared out exactly half of our joint account the same day too.

@endofthelinefinally - funnily enough that phrase “lucky escape” has been said to me numerous times now. It doesn’t stop me hurting though, I feel like I’m totally lost and I’m pining for my life to go back to how it was 3 weeks ago.

OP posts:
Gazelda · 30/11/2021 07:50

This must be hurting you so much. I really feel for you.

But in your heart, you must realise this is for the best. You would have had a life of uncertainty and misery with him.

Every day will hurt a little less and your strength will grow. Maybe some therapy to help you work through your feelings?

MoonbeamsGlittering · 30/11/2021 07:50

It's really hard finding out that your partner of 2 years has serious problems and is not suitable for a relationship, but that's better than finding out after 5 or 10 years, with a shared mortgage and kids. I agree with a previous poster that you may look back on this as a lucky escape after some time. It will take some time to heal, but 30 is still very young and there are lots of other men out there when you're ready.

pixietinkdust · 30/11/2021 07:50

@Malibuismysecrethome idiocy in the car? You’re telling if your partner forced you to pull over (this was in an industrial estate by the way, not on a motorway) that you’d just drive away and leave him? I literally drove alongside him, opened the window and basically said “what on Earth are you doing, just get back in the car”

OP posts:
Rainbowqueeen · 30/11/2021 07:51

Stay NC. Delete him from SM. It is much easier to get over someone if they are out of your life
Keep busy Focus on good things
Have the occasional wallow but mainly focus on moving forward Things will get better

MoonbeamsGlittering · 30/11/2021 07:52

P.S. If possible, cut all contact with your ex. You don't need to know about whether he's moving on quickly or not. That won't help. Give yourself time to heal, but without involving him at all.

Suprima · 30/11/2021 07:52

[quote pixietinkdust]@Fatherfintanstack - it was exactly half of our savings, he left the other half for me. He then cleared out exactly half of our joint account the same day too.

@endofthelinefinally - funnily enough that phrase “lucky escape” has been said to me numerous times now. It doesn’t stop me hurting though, I feel like I’m totally lost and I’m pining for my life to go back to how it was 3 weeks ago.[/quote]
Why? So all of his issues can remain bubbling under the surface to come out when you are pregnant or have children? So he can spread the misery there too?

You need to give your head a wobble. This man is a complete loser.

Arrange some nice visits with friends, see family and look after yourself.

MartyHart · 30/11/2021 07:54

He sounds like an expert at breaking up, the way he went straight for the money and a new place. I reckon he had already decided and was just waiting for the incident he could blow out of proportion.
He's definitely not the person you thought he was.

Rissole · 30/11/2021 07:55

He is Brian a lot more than you think OP.

pixietinkdust · 30/11/2021 07:55

@Gazelda it is hurting so much, you’re definitely right there. I’m completely lost and I don’t really know what I’m doing at the minute. I feel like I’m going crazy.

@Rainbowqueeen I believe we are almost at the point of NC, haven’t text since last Thursday. We had to sort out financial stuff but that’s all now done. I’ve requested the joint account to be closed today. He refused to talk to me in person or on the phone about anything.

He doesn’t actually have SM, any at all. There’s no trail of him or where he’s been. This never bothered me or even occurred that it may be for a reason, until now.

OP posts:
LoveComesQuickly · 30/11/2021 07:56

It's easy for people to hide their true selves for the first year or two of a relationship, then it becomes harder. It sounds like he's done this many, many times before. I know you feel awful right now OP, but I think this one was doomed to fail Flowers

Catcrazy83 · 30/11/2021 07:58

I know it’s been said, and it’s easy to say when you’re not in it. But you really have had a lucky escape. Thank god you don’t have children with him. My advice would be block and total no contact. Stay with your mum and try and process/recover. Have a good Christmas, just looking after yourself. This time next year you will shudder at the thought of the relationship.

pixietinkdust · 30/11/2021 07:59

@Suprima - I actually had an abortion in April this year (completely my choice, it was not the right time for us with houses selling etc) and he has tried to use that and say that I took the choice away from him and he’s never gotten over it.

I know I need to give my head a wobble, really I do. But he’s not a loser - he has a very successful job, makes a lot of money, and outwardly is the most nice and charismatic person. If you met him you would like him, he fooled everyone I know. None of my friends/family can even believe this has happened.

OP posts:
pixietinkdust · 30/11/2021 08:02

@Rissole i’ve tried to reason with myself around this too, the more ive thought on it the more I believe that he’s had that much therapy that he’s able to layer his personality. That the trauma is the bottom layer and on top is this perfect, nice, kind human being that I fell in love with. And unfortunately the top layer has holes in it which are exacerbated by previous cruxes (alcohol!)

OP posts:
chillied · 30/11/2021 08:04

If someone was as angry as that then yes I'd leave them to walk.

What a nightmare BUT surely you are well rid.

Can you live in the rented house by yourself for 6 months?

50ShadesOfCatholic · 30/11/2021 08:07

You can feel whatever you're feeling, devastated, grief stricken, relieved - whatever. Just don't try to push the feelings away. You'll recover much more quickly if you let yourself have the feelings, however uncomfortable they may be.

Clearly he has behaved appallingly but that doesn't mean your time together was wasted or that he didn't mean it at the time
He's very messed up and you are well if out of there but of course you need time to process such a dramatic break up.

Look after yourself. You're young, you will get past this and it's all part of this rich tapestry of life! However deeply shite it feels right now.

RobertSmithsLipstick · 30/11/2021 08:09

Who is saying you've had a lucky escape, then?

I'm not unsympathetic, my last relationship had similarities to yours.

I'm sure that things will float into your head that either suddenly make sense, or that don't make any at all, if you can think dispassionately about them.

pixietinkdust · 30/11/2021 08:11

@chillied I’ve decided I don’t want to be in the rented house at all, I don’t think I’d cope very well. That’s why it’s costing me thousands to get rid of him, I have to pay the landlords off.

Eventually I will need to buy my own property AGAIN Confused

OP posts:
pixietinkdust · 30/11/2021 08:13

@RobertSmithsLipstick everyone I know, once they’re told the ins and outs. There’s even more than is actually written down here, and obviously more opinions from people coming out of the woodwork now we’ve broken up.

It’s horrendous, I’m consumed by it all.

OP posts:
RobertSmithsLipstick · 30/11/2021 08:16

I know the feeling well, sadly.
5 years later, I still sometimes get a "lightbulb" moment.

It is all consuming at first, but you have to just stay strong and keep away.

pixietinkdust · 30/11/2021 08:19

@RobertSmithsLipstick I’m sorry you had a similar experience. Have you managed to move on?

I’m scared all this crap may have actually damaged me like he said, and that I’m now going to be alone forever.

OP posts: