@Fatatforty I see that this situation was good. Often, we are with someone and don't realise their true intentions. Him saying that serves as a warning for what you want from your relationship, what you want for yourself.
I'm in a similar situation. I got engaged last year and we started living together to see how it would be. Our relationship was amazing. I intended not to marry due to finance situations (assets, pension, tax). However, in a recent meeting at my son's school, when asked if he was the father of my child (who has a great father, thank God), my 'fiancé' replied that he was not the father and that we were not married, just living together.
Despite being comfortable with the situation and having already ruled out marriage, this situation made me feel really bad. We talked, and he said he just wanted to clarify that he wasn't the legal guardian of my child. Ok, I am not wearing my engagement ring anymore.
Well, now he's blackmailing me, saying that if I don't resolve some issues, he won't take the next step, which is marriage. He wants my dog to no longer sleep inside but in the backyard, and he doesn't want my mother to live with us or stay for more than a month.
When I told him that I'll address the issue by leaving. He said we can continue as it is, but we won't get married. As if I were desperate to get married.
I tell you, it was great that he spoke openly about it. He helped me decide to leave him and seek what I truly deserve.
I shared this because even when we are comfortable with a situation, like dating, for example, if the person we're with expresses opposition, we can feel unappreciated and undervalued.
Moreover, when someone asks us when we're getting married, I say we're still in the testing phase, and I don't know if he'll progress to the next stage.