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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

DP retelling the story of our relationship as if I was the sole initiator /instigator / predator

233 replies

uhustick · 09/04/2022 20:21

DP and I (both divorced, with DC, me 38, him 55) went on a mini break in Europe over the last few days away from DC. We have been together for 4 years.

Over dinner last night, DP raised a glass to us being together for four years this April and he said "who would have known?" I said "what do you mean?" He said "well it just felt like a fling/nothing special at the beginning, and who would've known we'd fall in love and be together now?"

I was a bit surprised as our early relationship had been very romantic, not fling-like at all. In those early months there had been lots of big talks and outlining what we both wanted - even before we had slept together, we had made it clear we were both on the same page (that we wanted a serious relationship.)

I didn't want to ruin the evening but DP kept banging on about how surprising and shocking it was that it went from "nothing" to "something." I questioned him about it, said I did not recall things in the same way, and he reminded me of a time (about 3 weeks into our relationship) where he had felt I was a bit full on and it was a bit "too much." But he said we "shouldn't dwell on it now.") I said what do you mean? He said "you were constantly in touch and I just felt it was all too much."

This was never my impression of the relationship. If anything, DP had been the initiator of everything for a long time, constantly in touch, literally narrating every fucking movement.

His version of the relationship, as he told the story back to me, was very different of my own. "Do you remember when you were in France and you missed me so much that you flew back?" Literally a lie. I did not do that - HE did that.

I have just got home and looked at the texts between us in those first three weeks where I was apparently "too full on." (I kept them.) I wasn't at all, it was mostly him.

He then went on to say that it seemed like I had "planned everything". That I was the main initiator. He then did the gesturing as if he was a fish and I had a fishing rod and I had reeled him in (gesture of finger in side of mouth) That he basically had no choice except to get "caught in my web." The whole story was told as if he was an innocent who had no choice in the matter. THis is completely untrue. He pursued me, I eventually reciprocated and then we were together. I am quite confused.

WHy is he making me feel like this? Why is he re-writing the narrative to make me seem like the instigator of everything when I wasn't?

Last night when i protested he kept saying "don't ruin things" and we were out at a nice meal, so I wasn;t going to argue over who said what when, or who was more the instigator, but now I am back and see it in front of me (I have records of all texts and emails from that time), it seems unfair and untrue and like he wants to put me on the backfoot

Am I making a mountain out of a molehill?

OP posts:
watcherintherye · 09/04/2022 20:52

How would he react, if you showed him the text conversations, do you think?

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 09/04/2022 20:52

@Maybeitstimeforachange

His belief is wrong - time to throw him back into the sea 🎣
Buy him a fish tank.

Then with wide-eyed innocence say, "but you said you were a fish..."

Sparkletastic · 09/04/2022 20:53

He likes to minimise and dismiss your feelings then? I'd tell him you are having doubts about the relationship and want to take a break from seeing him.

pumpkinpie01 · 09/04/2022 20:56

I would wait til you are home then show him the text messages from years ago and just say casually' you have got such a bad memory , have a read of these ' see what his reaction is then .

youvegottenminuteslynn · 09/04/2022 20:58

I would ask him to think carefully about whether or not it was you or him who flew back from France as you're worried he's having memory issues...

He sounds really strange tbh - as if he's desperate to rewrite the narrative of your relationship. I just don't know why that would be the case, very odd.

stuntbubbles · 09/04/2022 20:58

He doesn't like it when I complain about anything or get annoyed at something he has said. His belief is that I "overthink" or I "always see the negative." Not surprised I always see the negative if he is constantly gaslighting me
Ugh, four years of never expressing a negative thought and always having to be Miss Sunshine for him? How long do you want to keep that up and deny any nuance or autonomy over what you think?

KosherDill · 09/04/2022 21:06

The finger-in-mouth fish gesture would be the last straw for me. How crass.

Sorry you are dealing with this. It is bizarre.

autienotnaughty · 09/04/2022 21:07

NO he's gas lighting you.

Nnique · 09/04/2022 21:07

Yeah something is wrong here. Doesn’t really matter what exactly it is. I’d proceed with caution from now on, and eyes wide open.

Put it this way, I was very relieved when you said you had your own house.

oviraptor21 · 09/04/2022 21:09

Sounds very disrespectful to me. You are worth more than that.
And that's before even considering that he gets to decide what can be said and what can't.

unname · 09/04/2022 21:11

So he can say insulting things, but it would be you ruining the evening if you try to discuss it?

The “hook in mouth” would put me off even if it was two other people he was talking about!

Easterisoffeggstooexpensive · 09/04/2022 21:13

That's the story he tells people..

AlisonDonut · 09/04/2022 21:19

He is not the one for you, throw him the fuck back into the sea.

gamerchick · 09/04/2022 21:19

@Easterisoffeggstooexpensive

That's the story he tells people..
Yep. Forgot himself there.
Nnique · 09/04/2022 21:26

It’s so demeaning and disrespectful. Ugh. It would put me right off.

SpinningTheSeedsOfLove · 09/04/2022 21:26

Yes he's a fish and something smells.

beastlyslumber · 09/04/2022 21:27

Gaslighting bastard.

Throw him back in the sea.

mcmooberry · 09/04/2022 21:28

I would have ruined things. I would have been so bloody irritated by his nonsense especially the fish hook reenactment that I would have been unable to hold back.

Sounds a huge turn off as well as very strange.

PussInBin20 · 09/04/2022 21:29

I would point it out to him and ask what the hell is he talking about!

Cherry79 · 09/04/2022 21:39

He’s told this story/lies to so many people he’s forgotten what the actual truth is. The fish hook is just 🤢

Midlifemusings · 09/04/2022 21:44

I don't think this means he is cheating. More that his perception of events is skewed. Was there alcohol involved?

I agree with the above poster that he has recreated a version of events and told this story and it has become his truth. Maybe because he is almost 20 years your senior - he didn't want to seem predatory so he has twisted it in his mind to you pursuing him?

I would speak to him about it. It is one thing to have a slightly different version and viewpoints of events - that is very common where both people think they did x or y more or less but to take it to the extreme where he flew from France but is saying you did and other actual lies - I would call him out on those.

coodawoodashooda · 09/04/2022 21:48

@KosherDill

The finger-in-mouth fish gesture would be the last straw for me. How crass.

Sorry you are dealing with this. It is bizarre.

Me too.
Sunnytwobridges · 09/04/2022 21:52

@jesusmaryjosephandtheweedonkey

He's met someone else
I was thinking this but didn’t want to say itSad
AlohaMolly · 09/04/2022 21:56

My DP does this and I find it really upsetting. His parents do it too - rewriting history to suit them. For a long time I felt like I was going crazy. I remember the first few times it happened and feeling really unsettled because I knew what he was saying was wrong…or did I? It was an awful feeling.

If I were you I’d get rid. It doesn’t get less upsetting and, if we didn’t have DS, I would have left years ago. As it is, this year. Make or break and I’m getting my ducks in a row.

Blackbird2020 · 09/04/2022 22:02

Urgh, this is going to get worse OP. This is your massive red flapping flag slapping you round face. He will minimise your concerns and life will move on, until the next disturbing/creepy/disrespectful situation, which you also won’t be able to bring up for fear of being labelled ‘negative’, or some other random gaslighty fiction to make you shut up.

At 38 I’d be wanting to make sure my 55 year old partner was damn well near perfect, as when I’m 58 I’ll likely be bordering on being his carer…. #worthit 😆