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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, I need advice whether he is telling me the truth?

62 replies

xkellyx91 · 01/01/2026 18:23

Hi ladies,

I need female advice and other than my own mom and friends, I have nowhere else to turn to through this.

Nine months ago, I met a man I became romantically involved with after he asked me for my number when he moved into the same village as myself. We are both 34 years old.
We actually met on a dating app, and couldn't believed we now live round the corner from eachother.
At first he was extremely keen, and invited me around his house within a month of us messaging eachother daily.
He had only come out of an 18 month relationship six weeks ago and constantly talked about his ex.
On the second date he wanted sex, which I refused as I said it was too soon and could ruin anything developing for the long term, he said it wasn't and went very moody when I wouldn't have sex, but I still stayed over the night and slept in the same bed.
He took me out on the third date, saying he really liked me, and I could potentially end up his wife, but he just wasn't ready for a relationship yet as he still just wasn't over his ex and needed time before he could give his next partner 100% of him.
I foolishly agreed to wait for him as I liked him so much.
For the next few months we spoke all the while, and he continued saying he was in such a bad place, was not himself, and could not commit fully to a relationship, not with me or anyone else.
After a drunken night in September, we slept together after heading back to his house.
The worse thing ever, was after a good ten minutes of him really being into it, saying how much he had always wanted sex with me, he suddenly said he couldn't come and he didn't know what was a matter with him and it abruptly stopped, saying let's just go to sleep.
I was mortified.
In the morning he was nice to me, but the following week we met up around his house again, he would not touch or kiss me like he use too, and he told me he just wasn't himself as he still has feelings for his ex.
That he wasn't ready for relationship or to commit to anyone at all anytime soon.
I continued to be his friend, and we messaged twice a week checking in on eachother.
And then three weeks ago, after not seeing eachother for three months but talking twice a week, he messaged me saying that he could no longer contact me, that he was being truthful to himself as he had always been, that he had met someone and found a spark, it was totally unexpected and out the blue for him and being loyal and not wanting to jeopardize it, he could no longer talk to me anymore.
I messaged back asking how long and he said he had only been seeing her for five weeks.
Only a month before he told me he couldn't commit to anyone.
I am just devastated, I have fallen in love with him.
My mom and half of my friends believe it's a lie and he has reached out to his ex and has gone back to her, while my other friends believe he may be telling the truth as he says because wouldn't he just tell me it was his ex.
The five weeks he claims he has been seeing this "new person" does add up to a night out he went on with a group of his school friends, all of them married with kids expect him.
He rang me up and told me about the night a week before it, saying how much he didn't want to go as they were all married with children but him, but he stated on the phone not to worry, as I can trust him. He promised me that I could trust him.
He even sent me a selfie of his outfit before he headed out to it and I told him to have a good night.

What makes it worse is that while he was " special friends" with me, he was still logging into the dating app as I use to check, and it always use to say last logged in, in the last 24 hours that did concern me.

He has now disappeared from the app completely, since saying he has met someone else.
Proving to me he has come off it for whoever she is.

Please, I need clarity as I'm struggling with it all.

Do you think he has lied and returned back to his ex, or he has met someone so amazing that he has commited to her within weeks when he never got over his ex in a whole nine months time range of seeing me.

Thank you xx

OP posts:
Snaletrale · 02/01/2026 15:36

He liked you well enough as a friend but it’s obvious that the spark wasn’t there for him.
He thought it was his ex causing that and he may well be as surprised as you at meeting someone and feeling the spark. Or he may have got back with his ex.
Whichever it was, doesn’t reflect badly on you, and he might not be a bad person. He’s been honest about his feelings from the beginning. Unfortunately he gave you false hope by focusing on the not getting over his ex, when in actual fact he’s just not that into you in that way, despite probably liking you a lot as a person.

Don’t take it personally. He did like you but was missing the spark.

Holdmeclosertinydancer2018 · 02/01/2026 23:58

Still in love with his ex, missing her or not over her. Fuck that for a bunch of bananas. Stay away xx

BauhausOfEliott · 03/01/2026 00:13

This man has no interest in a relationship with you. He used when he had no other option, that’s all.

You sound extremely vulnerable and I don’t think you’re in the right frame of mind to be dating anyone.

This man, right from the start, treated you badly. He was moody when you wouldn’t have sex on the second date, he was constantly talking about his ex, he kept stringing you along after he told you he didn’t want a relationship with you, he was terrible in bed and then strung you along AGAIN… and you still somehow ‘fell in love’ with him??? How the hell do you fall in love with someone who behaves like that?! Seriously. Raise your bar. You’re 34 but you’re talking as if you’re a naive teenager and I’m worried that you are extremely vulnerable to abuse.

What’s your prior relationship history? Have you been treated badly before?

Thingscouldntgetanyworse · 03/01/2026 00:20

“He’s Just Not That In To You”

Italiangreyhound · 03/01/2026 00:33

He sounds like an absolute cock.

I am so sorry he wasted your time.

You should not be mortified. You should move on.

You are worth so much more.

EG94 · 03/01/2026 00:48

Kindly, raise you bar. You set your own boundaries. He told you many times and many ways he didn’t want you other than for the occasional shag. You didn’t want to hear it. We’ve all been there but throw this one back.

LucyMonth · 03/01/2026 07:38

Sweetheart you are far too old to be this naive.

Your first date was going over to his house? Very silly.

Your second date was also going round to his house where he pestered you for sex despite you saying no. You are lucky he eventually took your no for an answer. He was a stranger and you were playing with fire.

Had he ever actually taken you on a nice date anywhere? Properly? To woo you and not to get you drunk for sex?

In your 30s you really should be rolling your eyes at any man who says he wants to marry you after 3 “dates” (at his house 🙄) but can’t be in a relationship shop with you because he isn’t over his ex.

Did you not question why he was on dating apps if he wasn’t ready for a relationship?

Why did you just accept he was still logging into the app after saying he wasn’t looking for a relationship?

You need to notice these massive blazing red flags in the future.

Owly11 · 03/01/2026 08:52

I didn't read beyond he got moody for you not having sex on the second date - that was the point at which you should have said to yourself this is not a guy to be around, declined a third date and moved on to find someone else.

RedToothBrush · 03/01/2026 08:55

You are in love with a fantasy.
This man in reality is a complete dick.
You deserve better.
You need to have a serious conversation with yourself over your self esteem and standards though.
You've let yourself get carried away and be treated like shit without questioning it.
Whether he lied or not is completely irrelevant.

RedToothBrush · 03/01/2026 08:56

LucyMonth · 03/01/2026 07:38

Sweetheart you are far too old to be this naive.

Your first date was going over to his house? Very silly.

Your second date was also going round to his house where he pestered you for sex despite you saying no. You are lucky he eventually took your no for an answer. He was a stranger and you were playing with fire.

Had he ever actually taken you on a nice date anywhere? Properly? To woo you and not to get you drunk for sex?

In your 30s you really should be rolling your eyes at any man who says he wants to marry you after 3 “dates” (at his house 🙄) but can’t be in a relationship shop with you because he isn’t over his ex.

Did you not question why he was on dating apps if he wasn’t ready for a relationship?

Why did you just accept he was still logging into the app after saying he wasn’t looking for a relationship?

You need to notice these massive blazing red flags in the future.

All of this.

Aplstrudl · 03/01/2026 09:00

As above…. Focus on what a shit he was and move on. Don’t be so naive.

SalmonOnFinnCrisp · 03/01/2026 09:06

Dollyfloss · 01/01/2026 21:38

He has literally messed you about from the start and fed you crumbs and you’re in love with him?

Kindly, you need some therapy to work out why you accept this treatment from anyone and call it “love”.

This.

I was like 🤨
By the time I got to here.

He had only come out of an 18 month relationship six weeks ago and constantly talked about his ex.
On the second date he wanted sex,
...he ....went very moody when I wouldn't have sex,

Thats when you bin them.

You aren't in love.
You just desperately want him to want you and you want to be wanted by someone (this is VERY universal... I have sat with multiple friends who after wine sit and cry "what is wrong with me? Why doesnt anyone love me") looking for a life partner can be SO hard. I met my dh late and was OLD for 3+ years. It was grim...

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