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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

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:
NynaeveSedai · 30/11/2021 08:25

Were you buying a house together?
You really have had a lucky escape. He wasn't the man you thought he was. Sorry for what you're going through.

pixietinkdust · 30/11/2021 08:28

@NynaeveSedai yes we were buying a house together, the mortgage offer was in place etc. We had completely joint finances etc. Everything was so perfect for so long.

He loved me SO much, I can’t even tell you how safe and happy I felt. And now it’s just gone and he’s acting like I never even existed.

OP posts:
todaysdilemma · 30/11/2021 08:31

At least it's only been 2 years that you can relatively painlessly extricate yourself from, and not 10 years with marriage and kids.

He sounds dangerous tbh - the calling himself a psychopath/Brian after 20 pints (20!!!!) would have terrified me enough to leave myself. Not sure you should minimise that as with his transient lifestyle, you have no idea what he's done or is capable of. Unless there's a good reason to move so frequently I wouldn't be surprised if he has gotten into trouble before. Did you ever meet his family/friends? Was the mortgage in your name or joint btw - had he actually passed all the background checks for the mortgage?

You have had a very lucky escape. Please don't let this experience scar you or ruin other relationships. As terrible as it has been - it's only 2 years out of a lifetime of 70/80. Cut all contact with him, see him for the hugely damaged and dangerous man he is, and focus on rebuilding your life.

Shedmistress · 30/11/2021 08:37

He loved me SO much, I can’t even tell you how safe and happy I felt.

Yeah, that was part of the whole play. It is why it works so well.

pixietinkdust · 30/11/2021 08:38

@todaysdilemma it did terrify me. He was awful, I was crying and he was just laughing at me. I only know he had 20 pints because it came up in our joint bank account, i couldn’t believe it either.

I met his family, who were all very lovely. Especially his Mum who I was particularly close with. However I’ve heard not one peep from her since this has happened so evidently not as close as I was lulled into believing.

I always found it strange that he doesn’t have many friends, but I put it down to this nomadic lifestyle. He only has one friend back up North and that’s someone who he was very friendly with before he left (10 years ago) and didn’t maintain friendship with inbetween. Since he returned they have been very close/best friends.

He’s never really mentioned any other friends from the rest of his time away, which I did think was odd but it never bothered me until now.

OP posts:
RobertSmithsLipstick · 30/11/2021 08:38

I suppose I have moved on, in that he doesn't occupy all of my headspace now, and if I was younger and in better health I wouldn't mind a nice man about the place.

I choose to believe my ex loved me, as much as he was able.

I know I loved him, but have had to do it from afar.

pixietinkdust · 30/11/2021 08:41

@Shedmistress

He loved me SO much, I can’t even tell you how safe and happy I felt.

Yeah, that was part of the whole play. It is why it works so well.

The play?
OP posts:
todaysdilemma · 30/11/2021 08:48

Hmmm his family are obviously aware of the history and just playing their part in it.

It could even be he has gotten into trouble elsewhere, has a criminal record or involved with something criminal (avoiding loans sharks etc) hence the need to keep re-inventing himself - always be very suspicious of men who move around a lot and have no friends/audit trail. A lot of them do it to avoid getting caught or are involved in something pretty messy.

He is definitely a bad egg. I hope the money he took was his contribution to the savings? Did you both put in an equal amount? Otherwise he's just a fraudster - moving into women's houses, getting money out of them and then moving away when things start getting serious. Honestly I would assume he'd fail mortgage background checks - with that address history you're telling me they gave him a mortgage?!

SwanShaped · 30/11/2021 08:49

Sounds dreadful. I read a book about something similar that happened to a journalist in Australia. It’s called Fake by Stephanie Wood.

FinallyHere · 30/11/2021 08:50

he blames me for all of this happening, that I’m manipulative and controlling

Well, he would say that, wouldn't he?

Sorry, OP. It's very hard now but in future I am confident that you will look back on this time and recognise it as a turning point, when your life just started getting better and better.

All the best.

Shedmistress · 30/11/2021 08:52

The play?

Yes the play, to reel you in.

NynaeveSedai · 30/11/2021 08:53

The thing is that you WEREN'T safe or loved. You were clearly not safe at all. The feeling of being safe and loved was fake. It's tragic but you must never let go of that knowledge. You can't unknow what you know which is that he's dangerous and a liar.

RobertSmithsLipstick · 30/11/2021 08:54

I think my exes family just rolled their eyes - another one bites the dust - kind of thing.
I loved his children too, but he just left and that was that.

Just a mountain of stuff (he was a hoarder) at mine to get rid of.

Stuff of his dad's, that he had made a big show out of wanting, and caused a load of angst about.

All just left at mine.

pixietinkdust · 30/11/2021 08:55

@todaysdilemma

Hmmm his family are obviously aware of the history and just playing their part in it.

It could even be he has gotten into trouble elsewhere, has a criminal record or involved with something criminal (avoiding loans sharks etc) hence the need to keep re-inventing himself - always be very suspicious of men who move around a lot and have no friends/audit trail. A lot of them do it to avoid getting caught or are involved in something pretty messy.

He is definitely a bad egg. I hope the money he took was his contribution to the savings? Did you both put in an equal amount? Otherwise he's just a fraudster - moving into women's houses, getting money out of them and then moving away when things start getting serious. Honestly I would assume he'd fail mortgage background checks - with that address history you're telling me they gave him a mortgage?!

@todaysdilemma funnily enough my Mam has said the same thing, she thinks they’re all aware of the habits he’s developed over the years with one woman after another.

He doesn’t have a criminal record or anything bad against him, his credit file is also clear and he was accepted for the mortgage with no issues at all. His earnings will likely have a lot to do with that mind.

The savings were joint yes, however if you look at it literally then he will have contributed more than me as he’s a high earner and makes about double my, pretty good on its own, salary.

OP posts:
pixietinkdust · 30/11/2021 08:57

@Shedmistress

The play?

Yes the play, to reel you in.

For that length of time though?!

I was reeled in within 3 months initially, I know that for certain. But the rest of the time we honestly lived a happy life. This is what I’m struggling to get over, I know it is.

OP posts:
PinkWednesdays · 30/11/2021 08:58

It sounds like this is what he does…if anyone dares say something about his behaviour he doesn’t like (going to the gym, stop texting whilst talking / during dinner), the person doesn’t love him and the relationship is over. He clearly has issues and unfortunately this time you were caught up in them.

I agree with those who say it was a lucky escape. Imagine if you were married or had kids…him behaving like this whenever he didn’t get his way.

The pain will get better and it will ease. And over time you will look back and realise that ending the relationship was the right thing for you.

And I mean this kindly, but you’re only 30! You have plenty of time!

pixietinkdust · 30/11/2021 08:59

@NynaeveSedai

The thing is that you WEREN'T safe or loved. You were clearly not safe at all. The feeling of being safe and loved was fake. It's tragic but you must never let go of that knowledge. You can't unknow what you know which is that he's dangerous and a liar.
This is all very true @NynaeveSedai thank you for the perspective Star
OP posts:
grapewine · 30/11/2021 09:05

It hurts, but this

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”

is the real him. He played you, showed you what you wanted and needed to see. Until he didn't.

Consider yourself lucky getting away from him.

pixietinkdust · 30/11/2021 09:06

@PinkWednesdays

And I mean this kindly, but you’re only 30! You have plenty of time!

I sincerely hope so. Although I couldn’t even entertain the thought of anybody else right now, I know that I do still want to have a happy life with a partner and children one day. I hope I haven’t ruined the chances of that now Confused

OP posts:
Greyhedge · 30/11/2021 09:13

I’m sorry you’ve been through such a bad time. You’ve said yourself you are strong and independent. It will feel awful now but with time you will get through and come out the other side. You are better without him, cliche and doesn’t help now but in time you will see that it’s true. Keep yourself busy, concentrate on getting your life back together and cut him off completely. You can do this!!

AnFiadhRua · 30/11/2021 09:15

Wow, what a NUTTER.

You can get over this. There are loads of videos on line about getting over heartbreak, but if you have another relationship you need to have a better idea about what a healthy relationship is.

This man shouted at you for no reason in public Confused because......... you asked him to put down his phone.

There is nothing, nothing you could have done that would make me think ah well then, he was right to shout at you in a public place. And that was the tip of the iceberg.

He is extremely abusive.

If he gets in touch with you and I suspect he will, he has you well trained up to accept this, agree with all of his accusations to end the conversation

''Yes, you deserve better so goodbye''.

Dont bother to get him to ''see your side'' or to acknowledge that he has been abusive to you.

Abusive men never ever admit that they've been abusive. They go on blaming you for ever so accept that now and take your freedom

Lozzerbmc · 30/11/2021 09:17

Just take each day at a time but dont communicate with him as he may think he’s been hasty.

He has done you the biggest favour of your life which you will see in a few years time! Dont look back just keep going forward. At 30 you have years ahead of you. I divorced at 36 but went on to meet new partner and had a baby so there is plenty of time for you.

Going forward is only option here.

GoGoGretaDoll · 30/11/2021 09:18

First of all, I'm sorry this has happened to you.

I had a breakup that was a little similar to this, though we were younger so there wasn't anything to disentangle. He just woke up one day and wanted to be single, but he knew (on some level) that saying that to the girl he was declaring undying love to just yesterday was a dick move. So he manufactured this huge, horrendous row at a party when he accused me of trying to sleep with someone else, in front of all our friends, stormed off, talk of suicide, all sorts of utter fucking nonsense.

It's basically cognitive dissonance, there's something about not being able to handle their own emotions so they trigger this fuckfest of nonsense.

It sounds like it isn't the first time this has happened either.

RobertSmithsLipstick · 30/11/2021 09:18

Just be aware that he will likely resurface at some point, saying how he has realised/changed/worked on his issues.

That is how people get sucked into putting up with far too much, for far too long.

dabbydeedoo · 30/11/2021 09:24

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