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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

Please, help me understand him since I have no way of asking him myself.

24 replies

catalana · 02/02/2025 17:45

Hi! It's been almost a month since my boyfriend disappeared from our 4 months relationship without an explanation and I still don't understand what happened. I guess I'll start from the beginning. It's gotten too long since I wanted you to see the full picture. And English is not my first language so it's a bit hard to be brief. I'm sorry for that. But I'm so lost so if you have time, maybe you could give me an advice. Thank you.

My ex and I, we are both 30 years old and it was my first relationship, first everything. I was bullied at school by a guy so I just couldn't trust men for a long time and then I grew up and convinced myself I didn't want a family or a partner and always rejected romantic advances. But then last september a guy I knew in kindergarted (we actually had big love story there lol) came to my work...and again and then again and finally asked me for my number and for the first time in my life no warning bells rang in my head, I didn't want to run so I agreed. And it was great. In one of his first texts he said "I work in construction, built a lot of things, it's time to build my own happiness", he said that his intentions are serious which confused me a bit since we didn't even know each other. But anyway we texted all day, every day, we met every evening and since I worked till 10pm almost every day, we spent half a night just driving or walking around.

For future reference, he first found me when we had a shortage of people at work and I worked 7/1/6 at that period from 8 in the morning to 8 or 10 in the evening, with one day off in those two weeks. With barely any sleep because of our meetings, not that I minded, I was getting attached and missed him. He, on the other hand, finished work at 2-4 in the afternoon, so he had plenty of time before we had to meet.

Anyway, he always said how he missed me, how he couldnt wait until the evening to see me again. My heart started to melt. He just suited me so well. Perfect sense of humour for me, perfect physically for me, attentive, caring, so tender and understanding to my situation. I felt so secure with him. Didn't once bought me flowers? Well, just wait for the real date i thought. Didn't once tried to feed me after my work day? Weird but it'll come I thought. (I weigh 42kg, everyone always wants to feed me but not the person I actually would want it from, sad).
And there, after 2 weeks, it starts to go to shit. And it starts with THE birthday party he attended that lasted the whole weekend. He called me on the first night, drunk. Two hours of compliments and I miss you's and "we're gonna marry in six months" and "what if we have a baby", and everything in between and me trying to get him to sleep.....aaaaaand he calls me by another name. I was so shocked I couldn't say anything so he just kept repeating it and repeating, over and over (and no, he didn't think he was talking to that person the whole time cause he said my name a lot). Finally I snapped that I'm not her. He apologized a lot. Told me that he doesnt have anyone and that he is a fool and I probably would leave him and yada yada yada. I told him it's something I have to discuss with a sober person. After some talk...he calls me that again. I asked who she was. He said an ex. I started to ask more. He got angry. At her. He said "Fuck her anyway, she left with her dude. That's why I need new relationship ASAP." And yes he apologized a million times more and the next day (saturday) when he called me hangover too and swore that he doesn't have anyone and past is in the past. But here is the thing, on that sunday we planned to meet at his place for the night for the first time and I decided to use that time to talk to him instead. He agreed. But like a total dumbass I went there and lost my virginity. No talk at all. Not then, not a week later. It ate at me of course but I was afraid.
I started to see huge changes in myself though. I started to actually want to cook. For him. I wanted to care for him. And desperately wanted it back. I started to look at young parents and think that maaaaaaaybe it might be not as bad as I thought.
So we went as if nothing happened but then he changed jobs. And he couldn't come back home at 4pm anymore since it was in another city. No, he had to get up at 5.45am and came home after 10pm. Almost same as me. But he couldn't find time for me anymore. Because he was tired after work. And since that drunk call, we didn't talk on the phone once. So everything happened via text. It was so hard for me. I missed him so much but tried to be understanding. I cooked for him and he came, took it and drove home. And when we did meet (always before his day off) it was only for the night and he even stopped picking me up so I walked at like 11pm to his place, by myself. But I missed him so much I couldn't put my foot down. And was afraid that if he refuses to pick me up then I wasn't going to see him again for another week.
After one such night, we woke up, had sex and he came so suddenly all over my shirt, I didn't expect it really. He made no move to return the favor. He just got up, handed me my bra and said he needed to go shopping for new clothes. That was so humiliating. But instead of saying something or slapping him or something I just went home. And when I texted him a wall of text expressing my feelings, he just said "You're just working yourself up".
A week goes by with us texting (but not as often as before) and me having decided that we really really need to talk about everything without telling him that. Finally the day has come but he got fever. Honestly I was barely holding myself together at that point. Thankfully the next day he said he was feeling much better so I offered to bring pie for breakfast.....he said he was making sandwiches so he was all good, no need to come. It crushed me, literally. Just a thought about not seeing him for another week, missing him, drowning in doubts and newly found self consciousness, thinking, comparing the two men, one I met all those weeks ago and the one I had at that moment, it was unbearable so I texted him, I rushed I know but I'm an emotional girl and when I'm hurt that's what I do. I just asked "Can you let me go?" He asked where. I said "just let me go" and his answer "as you wish" almost destroyed me. Just like that when I hoped for a converstaion, he threw me away.
I felt like shit for a week, still missed him but started to feel better when two weeks later he reached out, begged to talk. I agreed. He said he was gonna pick me up after work. So I waited for him that day...and waited and when I asked where he was? He told me he was visiting a friend, said we should talk another day. I blocked him. Then a week later I lost a bet at work and had to unblock him. He texted again. Asked to talk. I said if he was going to stand me up, I will forever block him. He didn't stand me up that day but we didn't meet either. Because he said he had to get up at 3am for work. So we discussed everything via text. He said how he suffered without me, apologized for many things, but not all. Mainly for that morning he basically kicked me out. I asked him about that other girl, about everything I wanted but his answers....Idk. It's strange to talk about those things and not look the person in the eyes.
Anyway, turns out the project he was having problems with even when we were together the first time, was still his bane, and he was working with no days off all that time. So we only met several weeks later and since our texts were all sweet once again, I just missed him soooooo much to actually talk that time too. And yes, once again I went to him myself as soon as he asked.
And I still didn't get a flower and we still weren't on a single date.
Our texts started to consist of only good mornings and how are you's. And I tried to understand, I really did. No days off for weeks but jfc. Is it so hard to call the person you say you miss so much while you drive home?
Then days without communication started. Again, I tried. But I couldn't. I know he was tired but when it's only me texting and having barely any reply back? I started to doubt myself once again. I asked him, just once, to not disappear, I told him it was very hard for me. That even just good morning makes me feel better, it's not so hard to do for the person you say you care about, is it? He said he understood but no, he didn't stop disappearing. And I still wanted to make him feel better, I still cooked for him. It was basically the only thing I could do for him even though my heart ached for him. So with all my worrying and missing and memories of our september, I just went and fell in love with the bastard.
(fyi we are not from a country where christmas is december 25th. The main holiday here is new year)
Next time we met was a month later, on december 28th, even though his project ended on december 20th. Again, no flowers, no date. Again, I went there at night. I said I felt like a call girl. He said I was very wrong about that. He asked where I was going to spend the new year, I said alone. No, he didn't invite me to spend it with him and his friends. I asked when we were going to meet again. He said at the start of january.
He sent me a happy new year text with a kissing emoji. That's it, no call.
On january 1st I asked him if we could meet next day. I bought him a present and wanted to give it to him. But I also wanted to give him an ultimatum. He is either with me or not. But. He told me we would meet if he survives because they were still celebrating. Aaaaaaaan I didn't hear from him until january 7th when I have had enough and texted "I wish you this new year to get big boy pants so when you end a relationship, you could do it, looking the person in the eyes". He answered with "why do you think we're done?" that pissed me off and I said because I deserve much better than a person who just disappeaars for a week. And that's it. Nothing from him. But my anger got followed by sadness, then by heartbreak, then by betrayal, then by sadness again and now all the negative feelings left and I still miss him, I can't delete his number, I look for his car after work, I see his car in every white Kia. I'm afraid I would take him back if he texted.
At first I tried to find what I did wrong. It takes two to tango. Was I too easy of a target? Do men really like cat and mouse games? But that's not me. I wanted to be with him, so I was. I wanted to care for him, so I tried. Maybe I could stop insisting on every day contact I thought. But no, I couldn't. I desperately need it. Just a simple good morning really made my mood better and calmed my doubts.
During our first break up, I started to work with his former classmate. She was beyond shocked, she couldn't imagine that we were talking about same person. She told me he was such a gentleman, always helped everyone, always pleased teachers, she always thought he would drown his woman in presents and flowers and attention. She also told me about his terror of a mother. Very unpleasant woman. Never married, he is the only child. Also an aunt, not married with no kids, and grandmother, a widow from young age, no male children. So it could be that he is used to be women's world and he thinks he doesn't need to do anything? And so momma's boy decided he wanted a serious relationship but didn't expect that he actually needed to work for it?
Like, I wrote all this and I'm horrified. If a friend told me someone been treating her that way? I would bury that bastard. Horrified because I still miss him. Why did he show me exactly what and who I want and then take it away? Is it because he was the first that it hurts so bad? But how can I ever open myself up to someone again? How to trust? At work, I'm so confident, so strickt, might be a total bitch if a guy thinks he can play with me or touch me or say something inappropriate. But with him, I was so calm and quiet and tender and that's exactly what I want, to feel safe enough to be myself. But now I feel he didn't deserve it.
Another thing, I'm so monogamous. But currently I don't have a conclusion, an end. I don't have answers, why, what happened, why me, who are you, etc. A guy invited me for coffee (actual public place, can you imagine), as friends, knew that I was heartbroken. I accepted but I felt like I was cheating the whole time. The guy was so sweet but so wrong. He took me for a walk but I didn't tell him I was here with the guy. I didn't hear a word he said. I only thought about all those nights and walks and conversations and all I did was look for a white Kia in the traffic...I'm so pathetic, I just want to get through this. But I still have more bad days than good.
So, that's it. I'm so interested what people from the outside might think about all this.

OP posts:
Viviennemary · 02/02/2025 17:48

Can you make this a bit shorter and put in paragraphs. It's really difficult to read.

SnowFrogJelly · 02/02/2025 17:50

Very long post about a 4 month relationship..

ellyoctober · 02/02/2025 17:51

Oh lovey that's a lot of words for a 4 month relationship.

Taje care of yourself, forget about him and move on Flowers

FreshEgg · 02/02/2025 17:52

Basically the guy is a user. He love bombed you then dropped you. You fell hard but he was never serious about you, you just fulfilled a temporary need for him.

sonjadog · 02/02/2025 17:53

You don't actually need to understand him. What you need to do is accept that he is not the guy for you, and that this is not how a healthy, committed relationship starts. The ins and outs of who he is and why he behaves this way is uninteresting because he is just some guy you dated for a few months and then stopped. When people blow hot and cold it drags you in and you can feel like the relationship means more to you that it really does. But it is an illusion. This guy is not the guy for you. Just let it all go.

outerspacepotato · 02/02/2025 18:01

He's easy to understand, even with the tl;dr.

Contractor. Probably married or partnered up. You got the love bomb/future fake treatment and now he's moved on. He's a user.

Time for you to move on too.

Boomer55 · 02/02/2025 18:01

He’s a user, you’re a drama queen. Let it go.🤷‍♀️

Givenchy · 02/02/2025 18:06

He's just not that into you, sorry. I would block him permanently.

SchrodingersTwat2 · 02/02/2025 18:13

He just wanted sex.

rach7979 · 02/02/2025 18:30

He was just using you. Time to block and move on.

StormingNorman · 02/02/2025 18:32

He’s a user and is using you for sex. Go on a date with the new guy and have fun x

AgentJohnson · 02/02/2025 18:40

Basically the guy is a user. He love bombed you then dropped you.

This

He likes the chase and when he’s ‘won’ he’s done. Given the opportunity he will string you along to boost his ego but he’s not serious. The gentleman act that your friend speaks of is just that, an act. Any woman who has the misfortune to be involved with him in a non platonic relationship would probably describe him like you would: an immature idiot with the emotional intelligence of a doughnut.

Be very glad that you haven’t spent more of your time with this poor excuse for a man. I’m sorry this man treated you so badly but it wasn’t you, it was him.

spacepies · 02/02/2025 18:42

Boomer55 · 02/02/2025 18:01

He’s a user, you’re a drama queen. Let it go.🤷‍♀️

Nailed it 100% with this.

4 months 16 weeks i think op needs to grow up he was never a partner he was there for sex.

Bodybutterblusher · 02/02/2025 18:48

It might help you to look up what happens when someone who is anxiously attached gets into a relationship with a dismissive avoidant.

This experience has been abusive for you because you have had to survive on scraps of affection. You're shocked now, writing it down, that you've tolerated it. And it's hard to understand because you thought you knew him. I think the easiest way to explain him is to just tell yourself he's fucked up and selfish, because he is. You got addicted to him, then started over valuing any crumb of emotion from him that would allow you to keep loving him. I suspect you may have thought he was a safe person because he seemed calm when the reality is that he's vacant once the newness has worn off.

You're never going to have this while thing figured out and moving on entails accepting that. So go to therapy but don't spend months trying to understand him. Make sure you shore up your own boundaries so you aren't in this position again.

Girl, you've dodged a bullet. I know it's painful now but it was painful with him too and that would never have ended. This way, you get to have a future with someone who won't make you feel like thanking them because they said good morning. I've been there. I get it.

Lyn348 · 02/02/2025 19:01

He made it clear after just two weeks that he was a complete dick - he was calling you by another woman's name! You should have ended it then. It seems like you've given him chance after chance after chance no matter how badly he's treated you, why? You're just letting him know that you can be walked all over.

You do have a conclusion OP, the conclusion is that he is horrible and you deserve someone 100 times better. But you've had your heart broken and it takes a bit of time to get over that even if the other person is an idiot. Give yourself some time, distract yourself as much as you can, do not be tempted to ever contact him again. Do not allow yourself to be his booty call.

You're putting far too much importance on being bought flowers though. You need to be looking for someone who respects you and treats you properly, being bought flowers is neither here nor there. Next time just don't ignore the 101 red flags, you'll be more aware next time so just see this as a learning opportunity. You'll be ok I promise, just give yourself a bit of time.

Dillydollydingdong · 02/02/2025 19:03

That's a bit too long I'm afraid

MeganM3 · 02/02/2025 19:09

It was a love bombing I'm afraid.

Men chase women they might be interested in for a couple of months, until the woman shows that she is keen. Then all the lovey-dovey caring stuff starts to decrease. A steady decline apart from a few moments of affection, to keep you hanging on, until they ghost you completely.

It takes the a while to decide if they actually like you, even if they pretend to be head over heels in love.

He will be back when you are doing well and over it, and he is a bit bored. You'd be best blocking him on absolutely everything so he can't disturb your peace again.

joyouslady · 02/02/2025 19:12

He love bombed you and told you everything that he thought you wanted to hear. He's not the one for you and you will find someone else you can be like this with again but you need to draw a line under this guy and accept that he's not who you thought he was and you don't have the future with him that you thought you might have. At least it was only 4 months in, I know it's hard but you've had a lucky escape. Focus on yourself, do nice things for yourself and do things that make you happy. At least this has given you some clarity that you do want this kind of relationship so go out there and get it! Wasting any more time on this guy takes that even further away from you, don't let him do that, he's not worth it!

CleanShirt · 02/02/2025 19:13

SnowFrogJelly · 02/02/2025 17:50

Very long post about a 4 month relationship..

This. I've had pairs of tights longer.

waterrat · 02/02/2025 19:14

Have therapy. Seriously

You need to look at how your childhood experiences have made you anxious and make poor choices in relationships

I had therapy at 30 and it completely changed my life and relationships

mihinobis · 02/02/2025 19:18

Sorry I couldn't read all of that.
Far too much drama.
From what I did manage to read I've concluded that he's a player and he love-bombed you and now he's not interested any more.
You need to get some therapy to help you work through your issues around relationships.

Userengage · 02/02/2025 19:33

This is blunt: he was never your “boyfriend” and this was never a “relationship”. I’m guessing you are so overtly attached because he was your first, it doesn’t mean you going to get married.

Please pick yourself up and move on. This is all very dramatic over a big nothing.

Notimeforaname · 02/02/2025 19:40

I skimmed through it after I tried very hard to read the first half .

I actually couldnt carry on reading in good faith after you said "I lost a bet and had to unblock him".
You are children.

MrsJHernandez · 02/02/2025 19:42

He used you. He managed to find someone with no experience of relationships and use it to his advantage.

I'm not trying to be mean here, but the way you've acted with him reminds me of a teenager. Which I suppose is where your relationship intellect is at. I actually think it's best to start dating in your teenage years because by the time you're ready to settle down you can spot the arseholes better and avoid the pain.

You've missed all the signs that he's definitely interested in you, except for sex (and even then, it was only on his terms) and you won't the only one he's sleeping with. What he did to you, as an inexperienced virgin, was exceptionally cruel.

He tried to give you hints that he's not interested by not being as available as before, standing you up and not calling. You became too "clingy" and "demanding" for his liking, because he never intended to be in a real relationship with you.

A man who is interested in you turns up when expected, calls when he says he will, takes you out, doesn't throw your underwear at you as your cue to leave, cooks for you, wants to see you, introduces you to their friends and treats you nicely and kindly. This man did none of those things.

I'm so sorry he used you like this. What a vile twat. I promise not all men are like this, don't give up. But please don't ever, EVER see him again. He's keeping you hanging on for when he's bored or horny, and he'll never be your boyfriend and he'll never love you. I'm sorry x

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