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Bf/Ex-bf has done something I can't seem to let go of... What do I do?

I broke up with my bf in February due to him prioritising other things over me and not giving me enough attention (this sounds quite petty of me I know, but it had been going on for a while and he would choose planning events and silly things over me and it was getting too much for me). We were on and off speaking the entirety of summer. He then asked to meet in August where I agreed and it was going fine until he told me that he had sexual contact off the girl that he was living with (he lives with his parents and this 'family friend' girl who was living there for a year whilst she finished her masters at university in london as she is from the midlands and needed a place to stay). I was apprehensive at first but I trusted him and I honestly did not feel any danger from her. I thought I was somewhat 'friends' with this girl as whenever I used to go to his house, she would be there. I found this incredibly backstabbing and heartless of him and her. I even texted her asking and thought I was nice and she replied in a very smug way and was rude. I did get hinge in the summer and only went on two dates - kissed one of the guys. Though I do understand we were broken up, I feel like what I did was no where as bad as what he did as it was with a random person. Also, he say her texts to me and he did not stick up for me at all. Now he is still trying to get back together. But my trust has been completely broken and this is taking a huge toll on my mental health. I can't seem to focus on doing work and I feel betrayed. I do not know what to do and every time I think of what happened I get extremely angry and sad. Please tell me how I can either overcome this or tell me if I should even be in the wrong. Thank you.
(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 1

So wait... you broke up with this guy, and then later, he had sexual contact with someone else? That's not a betrayal. When you break up with someone, their commitment to be exclusive with you has ended. You have no basis to trust him not to have sex with other people - he has no reason not to.

His seeing other people is not about you. At the time, I'm sure he just wanted to get on with living his life.

You got Hinge later, went on a date, and kissed a guy - excellent! Of course you did, you're completely within your rights to - you're a free agent.

"Now he is trying to get back together" - I agree you're taking the right option by not getting back together with him... what you had with him is broken now, and trying to make it work again will just make things even more blurry and poorly defined.

Neither of you are really in the wrong. To be fair I can see how this is really painful for you. The end of a relationship, and seeing your ex begin to see other people, can be awful. It's just a period of very difficult emotional work that you will need to get through. It does get better.

If I were in your shoes I would seriously consider cutting off all contact with him - any continuing contact will very likely just be painful and triggering for you, and frankly, his future romantic endeavours are none of your business. This is your opportunity to get in your own lane, where you can eventually feel happy!

Reply 2

Original post
by anosmianAcrimony
So wait... you broke up with this guy, and then later, he had sexual contact with someone else? That's not a betrayal. When you break up with someone, their commitment to be exclusive with you has ended. You have no basis to trust him not to have sex with other people - he has no reason not to.
His seeing other people is not about you. At the time, I'm sure he just wanted to get on with living his life.
You got Hinge later, went on a date, and kissed a guy - excellent! Of course you did, you're completely within your rights to - you're a free agent.
"Now he is trying to get back together" - I agree you're taking the right option by not getting back together with him... what you had with him is broken now, and trying to make it work again will just make things even more blurry and poorly defined.
Neither of you are really in the wrong. To be fair I can see how this is really painful for you. The end of a relationship, and seeing your ex begin to see other people, can be awful. It's just a period of very difficult emotional work that you will need to get through. It does get better.
If I were in your shoes I would seriously consider cutting off all contact with him - any continuing contact will very likely just be painful and triggering for you, and frankly, his future romantic endeavours are none of your business. This is your opportunity to get in your own lane, where you can eventually feel happy!

I understand that it's not directly a betrayal and I feel like it's less what he did but WHO he did it with. And how rude she was when I asked her about it. I think this is what is troubling me so much. He does say that it was to get him to move on because I had left such a void in him but I feel like we were eventually going to get back together, from the on and off texting over summer. I feel like he has completely changed as a person too and it's upsetting because I wish he was still the man I fell in love with. I don't know how to let go of this betrayed feeling and I feel like I have extreme trust issues now because of this. Unfortunately, we are in the same community so any type of event I will see him there so although I can block him on everything, I can't block him in real life.

Reply 3

Original post
by t_kk
I understand that it's not directly a betrayal and I feel like it's less what he did but WHO he did it with. And how rude she was when I asked her about it. I think this is what is troubling me so much. He does say that it was to get him to move on because I had left such a void in him but I feel like we were eventually going to get back together, from the on and off texting over summer. I feel like he has completely changed as a person too and it's upsetting because I wish he was still the man I fell in love with. I don't know how to let go of this betrayed feeling and I feel like I have extreme trust issues now because of this. Unfortunately, we are in the same community so any type of event I will see him there so although I can block him on everything, I can't block him in real life.

Re: rudeness - Put yourself in her shoes. If you had sex with a guy and then his ex-girlfriend asked you about it, that'd be pretty weird and off-putting, right? I know I wouldn't be predisposed to politeness if it were me... Again, it stopped being your business when you broke up with him.

"Trust issues" - as far as I can tell he didn't cheat on you or do anything untrustworthy while you were together, which is the most anyone can ask. If you feel you would find it difficult to trust your future partner, that is something you'll need to work on - you're far from the only one in that position and it is a really difficult thing. I do feel for you. Ultimately it comes down to accepting that a relationship you get into may end, and after it ends, they will pursue other people - internalising those facts, even before you take up with someone.

"In the same community" - that makes it very hard. I'm sorry to hear it. Do you mean that your family knows his family and you go to church (or equivalent) together? Or that you're in the same friend group? This might be a good opportunity to reach out and make new friends, and spend time with new people. Having some new experiences and new faces around you will help you move past this time of unpleasant feelings in any case.

Reply 4

Original post
by t_kk
I understand that it's not directly a betrayal and I feel like it's less what he did but WHO he did it with. And how rude she was when I asked her about it. I think this is what is troubling me so much. He does say that it was to get him to move on because I had left such a void in him but I feel like we were eventually going to get back together, from the on and off texting over summer. I feel like he has completely changed as a person too and it's upsetting because I wish he was still the man I fell in love with. I don't know how to let go of this betrayed feeling and I feel like I have extreme trust issues now because of this. Unfortunately, we are in the same community so any type of event I will see him there so although I can block him on everything, I can't block him in real life.

@anosmianAcrimony has pretty much summed it up.

The only thing I'll add is that if you take off the rose-tinted glasses, the 'man you loved' is someone who didn't prioritise you, nor could you wait to see if he could change; that's why you finished with him. Your connection wasn't even strong enough for him to want to do things differently whilst you were together. Why would you want to rekindle that and how do you know he's changed from only speaking with him; that's just words? What could be the next big problem between you and how would you both handle it?

Reply 5

Original post
by anosmianAcrimony
Re: rudeness - Put yourself in her shoes. If you had sex with a guy and then his ex-girlfriend asked you about it, that'd be pretty weird and off-putting, right? I know I wouldn't be predisposed to politeness if it were me... Again, it stopped being your business when you broke up with him.
"Trust issues" - as far as I can tell he didn't cheat on you or do anything untrustworthy while you were together, which is the most anyone can ask. If you feel you would find it difficult to trust your future partner, that is something you'll need to work on - you're far from the only one in that position and it is a really difficult thing. I do feel for you. Ultimately it comes down to accepting that a relationship you get into may end, and after it ends, they will pursue other people - internalising those facts, even before you take up with someone.
"In the same community" - that makes it very hard. I'm sorry to hear it. Do you mean that your family knows his family and you go to church (or equivalent) together? Or that you're in the same friend group? This might be a good opportunity to reach out and make new friends, and spend time with new people. Having some new experiences and new faces around you will help you move past this time of unpleasant feelings in any case.

Thanks for this advice. I just found it a bit off because she would be listening to all his problems about us and was 'there for him'. Sounds a bit convenient in my eyes and I was nothing but nice to her whenever I went around. If this was a random person I honestly could not have cared but she had seen us together all the time and it was clear that there was a possibility of us getting back together as we had been talking all summer and slowly were rebuilding things. I think he just had to do this to fill the void or to get back at me. He must've known this would have affected me this way.

Regarding the same community part, it means that we have the same family friends and I would see him at big events and functions as we are the same culture. It's really annoying to have to see him at these things and it makes it hard for me but unfortunately I feel like I have to go to them as this is the only way I'll find somebody new. I can't find someone new slumped in my bed all day :frown:

Reply 6

Original post
by Surnia
@anosmianAcrimony has pretty much summed it up.
The only thing I'll add is that if you take off the rose-tinted glasses, the 'man you loved' is someone who didn't prioritise you, nor could you wait to see if he could change; that's why you finished with him. Your connection wasn't even strong enough for him to want to do things differently whilst you were together. Why would you want to rekindle that and how do you know he's changed from only speaking with him; that's just words? What could be the next big problem between you and how would you both handle it?

Thanks for adding to this. I did bring up concerns towards the end of the relationship but it unfortunately did not change. You are right though, he has only ever been all talk, his actions did not show it when it mattered the most. I feel like it is better to leave things but I'm having a really hard time letting go. He wants to be friends at the very least - do you think this is a good idea or forgetting his existence would be a better way to deal with this?

Reply 7

Original post
by t_kk
Thanks for adding to this. I did bring up concerns towards the end of the relationship but it unfortunately did not change. You are right though, he has only ever been all talk, his actions did not show it when it mattered the most. I feel like it is better to leave things but I'm having a really hard time letting go. He wants to be friends at the very least - do you think this is a good idea or forgetting his existence would be a better way to deal with this?

I would be civil to him if I saw him, but wouldn't be a friend; nothing to do with the sex, but if he couldn't prioritise you in a relationship why would he do it in a situation where there's less commitment? I think he'd still be flaky on communication and meeting up.

Reply 8

Original post
by Surnia
I would be civil to him if I saw him, but wouldn't be a friend; nothing to do with the sex, but if he couldn't prioritise you in a relationship why would he do it in a situation where there's less commitment? I think he'd still be flaky on communication and meeting up.

I'm too petty to be civil unfortunately 🤣 but absolutely EYE opening, you're so right thank you.

Reply 9

Original post
by t_kk
I'm too petty to be civil unfortunately 🤣 but absolutely EYE opening, you're so right thank you.

Being polite makes you the better person, and if you're seeing him at functions it doesn't spoil things for other attendees and they won't be pestering or gossiping about you if they see any tensions.

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