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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

He Didnt Believe Me

220 replies

JoeyP67 · 07/05/2024 06:53

My partner and I returned from a meal out earlier tonight
I was calling it a "date nite" . We'd had a nice time.
Once home, he reached for an already opened bottle of red and found it empty.. and this is what happened next.
Him "oh. Its empty"
Me " oh, is there any white?"
Him "yes"
Me "then why don't you drink that then ?"
I disappear upstairs for my warm socks and come back down.
He has a glass of white in his hand and approaches me , kisses me on the lips , says "I love you (I thought he was being romantic) then follows it up with "but dont feel you have to manage my drinking".
Me "I'm not" ....
He looks at me. I'm confused.
Me "what are you trying to say?"
Him "you poured it down the sink...
Me : "what ? no I didn't..."
He goes on to tell me I had poured the remains of the open red wine down the sink. I protest my innocence. I make myself a cup of tea and he calmly goes puts the tv on. Calls out what would I like to watch ? I am feeling both foolish (for thinking he was being romantic with the kiss) and angry at his accusation and judgement of me. I go sit next to him. He makes small talk about the t.v program. I am upset at what just happened so I calmly open up.
Me :: "I feel upset at what just happened there. I thought you were being romantic saying you loved me because I looked nice in my dress ...but really there was was something else behind it ...::"
Him: :" yes there was, I did think you liked nice in your dress but I was doing it to start the conversation off (about the sink pouring) nicely. "
I ask in future for him to just be direct and ask me, not fool me with a kiss first.
I tell him again I didn't do it.
He firmly believes that I had. His proof ?..... that he ran his finger over the plug and there was red on it..also that the bottle had been moved from where he put it. so, it's a fact he says, and all I have to be is honest.
I protest my innocence.
I can't believe his calmness. He says maybe I forgot that I did it. I seriously wonder if hes right and maybe I had forgotten but I am sure I didn't do it. I get upset and ask him not to play games with me getting me to think I've done something I haven't..
He refuses to back down. He sways between staying calm with his "facts" and getting agitated with me for pushing back saying stuff like "who was it then ? the fairies...?"
I ask him " why would I suggest you drink the white if I've a problem with you drinking" ? "Why wud I throw the red away to then offer you white? "
But none of it makes any difference. For me, we had a lovely meal out, I really made an effort to look nice and I cudnt believe he wanted the night to end on his mistrust. I said that I had told him the truth and that he had made the choice not to believe me. I felt like the rug had been pulled from under my feet. Said that I loved him and why would i lie to him ? He said it was because I was "2 dimensional". He turned the telly off and didnt want to entertain me talking about it.
He said "just drop it. I"d forgiven you while you were stood at the bottom of the stairs" I started to get a bit hysterical. He still wasnt listening to me and his comments were making it worse. I said I had nothing to be forgiven for. He got up to get ready for bed but then returned downstairs. He slept on the sofa. I said I didn't want the night to end this way and asked if he had created the tension purposely to avoid sleeping with me. He said no.
Im so tired. I have to be up again at 6.30am. He upset me so much my emotions are only just calming down 4hrs later. Hes slept soundly.

I really could do with some careful and honest advice here. Any one else been in the same situation? What do I do about this ? Am I being too sensitive about this? or is his behaviour way off the mark? I don't know how I feel going forward....

Ps ' We been living together since 2020.
Thanks
Joey

OP posts:
Underestimated4 · 09/05/2024 19:19

Huge huge red flag, game playing and trying to make out like you’re going crazy. I’m guessing this isn’t the only thing he does.

takemeawayagain · 09/05/2024 19:23

CosyLemur · 09/05/2024 19:19

You're the gaslighting him! You've poured the wine away - and then you're telling him you didn't then getting upset because he wanted to have a conversation about it. You could be my ex!

He needs to leave you immediately before you ruin his MH!

And before any one questions why I think that she knew it was empty because she immediately offered the white wine rather than being surprised it was empty!

Gosh aren't you brilliant at putting 2 and 2 together and coming up with 5. What would be the point of the OP coming on an anonymous forum and lying about what has happened? You projecting massively.

Greywitch2 · 09/05/2024 19:24

I'd be fuming. And I'd be telling him very clearly, that this was a deal breaker for me. I'm not prepared to continue in a relationship with someone who accuses me of something I have not done and then refuses to believe me.

I'd genuinely be asking him to leave at this point. I agree with others about huge red flags over gaslighting.

He'd only get to do this to me once. I'd be demanding an apology today and some serious grovelling and backtracking or the relationship is over.

NotJohnMajor · 09/05/2024 19:26

Textbook gaslighting. You need to leave this abusive prick.

Telemakus · 09/05/2024 19:26

CosyLemur · 09/05/2024 19:19

You're the gaslighting him! You've poured the wine away - and then you're telling him you didn't then getting upset because he wanted to have a conversation about it. You could be my ex!

He needs to leave you immediately before you ruin his MH!

And before any one questions why I think that she knew it was empty because she immediately offered the white wine rather than being surprised it was empty!

Maybe you should pour the wine away.

Terrribletwos · 09/05/2024 19:26

Yep, he's definitely gasligthing you and he definitely has a drink problem.

NotJohnMajor · 09/05/2024 19:29

CosyLemur · 09/05/2024 19:19

You're the gaslighting him! You've poured the wine away - and then you're telling him you didn't then getting upset because he wanted to have a conversation about it. You could be my ex!

He needs to leave you immediately before you ruin his MH!

And before any one questions why I think that she knew it was empty because she immediately offered the white wine rather than being surprised it was empty!

She's explained her husband is a heavy drinker - an empty bottle isn't going to be a 'surprise' to her.

WhenWillTheSunShineIWonder · 09/05/2024 19:29

You are worth so much more than this gaslighting alcoholic. End it and find someone who treats you with kindness and respect 100% of the time.

0wlQueen · 09/05/2024 19:33

You feel the weight of his blame/judgement/disapproval far too heavily.

This is not me saying "you"re too sensitive" I'm saying that his emotional state is his own and if he"s disapproving/blaming/dissatisfied, detach detach detach leave him to it. Shrug. Don't defend, or explain, or appeal to his understanding.

It'll be good practice for when you split up. Xx

pikkumyy77 · 09/05/2024 19:34

F

Emmz1510 · 09/05/2024 19:46

This whole exchange gave me the shivers. I’d actually have felt quite scared, being spoken to like that with such blatant manipulation.
Does he have form for stuff like that?
Im sorry but serious red flags.

DottyLottieLou · 09/05/2024 20:13

Get out now. Don't wait.

savethatkitty · 09/05/2024 20:19

How utterly bizarre behavior. Presumably if you did not pour it down the sink, then the only other sensible conclusion is he has drunk it all & forgot. Sounds like the drinking may be an issue

AlwaysGinPlease · 09/05/2024 20:34

WhenWillTheSunShineIWonder · 09/05/2024 19:29

You are worth so much more than this gaslighting alcoholic. End it and find someone who treats you with kindness and respect 100% of the time.

This! Run.

CrayonCritic5 · 09/05/2024 20:45

Absolute fing * . So so horrible. You are NOT being sensitive. This is awful behaviour and a sign of worse to come. Please be very careful with his gaslighting. Hopefully he will reflect and apologise hut if he doesn’t you need to protect yourself and not let potential worse behaviour affect your mental and physical health.

roastedrapidly · 09/05/2024 20:45

He has a drinking problem
He is a functioning alcoholic
He knows he has a drinking problem
He has a past history with a partner who challenged his drinking
He is emotionally abusive and a gaslighter (probably only after a few drinks though....so not always noticeable to you, he's probably really lovely at other times)

Please start planning your exit, keep finances separate and maintain your sanity until you are ready.

Perhaps keep a private journal of instances, you'll see a definite correlation with drinking days and him being manipulative. (Some drinking days will bring out the best in him / but other times something will just shift in him)

The stonewalling is probably due to him having an avoidant attachment style, I would guess he had a parent that didn't emotionally support him. I'm guessing he is also depressed.

I have lived with this. Look after yourself ❤️

Mum0fb0yz · 09/05/2024 20:53

It's recommended not to drink more than 14 units a week, he is clearing around 40 so would say he has a problem. He finished off the wine and either forgot or wanted to cause an issue with you. Seems like very strange behaviour and doesn't make sense that you would pour it and then offer a different wine!
The comment he made to you were unnecessary and hurtful. Does seem like gaslighting behaviour. I would keep a close eye on this type of behaviour going forward, know it's not easy at all but best plan is not to rise to it at all. "You have to be crazy if you think I would waste wine like that!" "You must have drunk it" "I didn't touch it, if you don't believe me that's fine".

CosyLemur · 09/05/2024 21:05

NotJohnMajor · 09/05/2024 19:29

She's explained her husband is a heavy drinker - an empty bottle isn't going to be a 'surprise' to her.

That's exactly what a gaslighter would make people think!

CosyLemur · 09/05/2024 21:06

Telemakus · 09/05/2024 19:26

Maybe you should pour the wine away.

Thanks for the advice but I've been sober for 20 years so maybe you should!

CosyLemur · 09/05/2024 21:09

takemeawayagain · 09/05/2024 19:23

Gosh aren't you brilliant at putting 2 and 2 together and coming up with 5. What would be the point of the OP coming on an anonymous forum and lying about what has happened? You projecting massively.

Gaslighters do that all the time: and then say "look everyone says I'm right"

Oh yeah and my ex did exactly that he posed on here as a female and made everyone think I was in the wrong and then showed me all the messages and fully had me believing that even though I knew I hadn't done what he said I had that I was in the wrong!

So yes it does happen!

ChangeAgain2 · 09/05/2024 21:12

Your walking on eggshell. Your getting hysterical. You feel off balance. Is this the life you want? Where someone leads you to trust your own sanity? Fuck that. I'd prefer to be single.

dizzydizzydizzy · 09/05/2024 21:15

Domestic abuse!

This is not how people in a loving relationship talk to each other. There's no give and take .

30yearoldvirgin · 09/05/2024 21:17

He’s gaslighting you. It might sound extreme but you need to get away from him. Xx

Avatartar · 09/05/2024 21:20

Sounds cruel and cold hearted to me - I’d leave him. How can he not believe you and forgive you in the same sentence - he should be saying neither of these things. He has no respect for you and the relationship is doomed whether you stay or go

Isthisit22 · 09/05/2024 21:41

Why do you need to stick around and look for more gas lighting?
He’s a problematic drinker who can’t remember drinking the whole bottle- that is bad enough, but his cruel lack of care for your upset is the main reason you should leave him.