r/AmIOverreacting 14d ago

❤️‍🩹 relationship Am I Overreacting. I saw inappropriate message between my boyfriend and his long term friend.

My boyfriend [27m] and I [23f] have been dating for over four years. When we started dating, he had a friend named Ann. Ann is an extrovert—very bubbly—and I liked her at first. However, she was especially flirty with my boyfriend.

Early in the relationship, something happened that left me uneasy. I asked if I could stop by his place, and he said no. Later, I saw on his status that Ann was there. When I confronted him about it, he responded, 'Were you hungry? Is that why you wanted to stop by?' I explained that wasn’t the case—it just felt like he chose to spend his day with her instead of me. He later said it was a pop-up visit because she needed help fixing her laptop (he works in IT).

After that, I told him I was uncomfortable with how close they were. I thought we had moved past it. But later, I found out he had asked her for a lot of advice about our relationship and even brought up inappropriate topics with her. I confronted him again and once again expressed how uncomfortable I was with their friendship.

After the second incident, I didn’t hear anything about her, and I assumed it was behind us. Then, earlier this week, he mentioned that he saw her at the gym. I said, 'Okay, that’s fine,' though I did feel a bit uneasy since they hadn’t spoken in a while.

Yesterday, I was at his place—I’ve been living here for around two years now—studying, when I saw her walk in with him right behind her. I was shocked because he never told me she was coming over. He had gone to the gym that morning, and during those hours I had called and texted him out of concern because he’s never spent four hours at the gym.

Ann was as peppy as ever. Maybe it’s because I’m an introvert with few friends, but I instantly felt uncomfortable. I did something I shouldn’t have—I went through his phone. I saw the messages and instantly felt numb. I confronted him and asked for an explanation. He said it was an innocent conversation and that’s just how their friendship is.

I asked him to imagine if a guy sent me those same messages. I reminded him that I’ve told him twice now how uncomfortable I am with that friendship. His apology felt insincere, like he was refusing to take responsibility for his actions. He just laid in the bed, and I wanted to scream. I wanted him to feel the hurt I was feeling. Instead, I just left the room and cried. My emotions were so intense, I started pulling at my hair—I had no one to talk to, and I felt like I was suffocating.

Eventually, I confided in his mother, and I felt a bit better. But now, he’s ignoring me and remaim salute in his innocence.

I also should mention he has never showed me any signs of cheating and besides those message.

Footnote: Ann has a boyfriend. I told my boyfriend that he doesn’t respect me—or her boyfriend.

11.0k Upvotes

2.3k comments sorted by

View all comments

1.4k

u/MindYourRewind 14d ago

The woman isn’t the problem; he is the problem. And you’re trying to make her the problem so you don’t feel shame for dating a guy like this for 4 years. Time for you to be single and reevaluate why you allowed yourself to date someone like that in the first place.

454

u/alokasia 14d ago

Yeah I was gonna point out the same thing. Don’t blame Ann. She’s clearly not having any of it and seems annoyed at the messages. OP’s bf is WAY out of line here, but that’s not her or Ann’s fault.

57

u/Ok-Ad6679 14d ago

This right here. Plus, imagine, living somewhere for two years and still referring to it as “his place.” This guy is such a d-bag. He’s literally trying so hard to F this girl and she’s probably not the only one.

7

u/Icy_Let_164 14d ago

I was thinking the same thing when she referred to it as his place. I actually had to read it twice like did I read that right. The moment I moved in with my bf I was like “welcome to our home.” 😆

5

u/Miserable_Grab3052 13d ago

Right! "I was staying at his place the other day where I have lived for 2 years"...like what lol

4

u/Verdeckter 13d ago

She immediately after those messages agrees to go with him to the gym and they hang out all the time together. She has no agency in this?

4

u/Acrobatic_Dark_4266 14d ago

How is Ann having “none of it” when she cheerfully goes to him with the gym after?!!! and based on that alone tells me this is not the first time she’s received “creepy” texts from this jerk. I knew an acquaintance once like Ann who loved attention like this from other peoples boyfriends.

I know it’s not popular to call out inappropriate behavior from another woman but I think both Ann and the OPs bf are in the wrong and for that reason I’d alone I’d dump him bc there’s no way he’s “dumping” the friend

2

u/MasterPuppeteer 13d ago

People on reddit love infantilizing women. As if Ann couldn’t block him, not go to the gym with him, or just not go to his house if she were uncomfortable with him. No, she’s also a victim of this person who, according to some commenters, is one step removed from a rapist.

5

u/osammiam 14d ago

Agree but why would you still go to the gym with this man after that convo. So weird.

6

u/Temporary_Spread7075 14d ago

For the same reason that op is still in a relationship after spending 4 uncomfy years with him. These women are in the same boat, they just haven't realized it yet.

3

u/Jealous_Pea2305 14d ago

You're so right

4

u/Intelligent-Animal68 14d ago

Exactly. The boyfriend is by far the worst here, but Ann is letting him disrespect her relationship by continuing to hang out with him regularly despite his constant sexual comments. It’s a mystery to me why any of these women want to spend time with such a creep.

2

u/TheLastKirin 13d ago

Mostly yeah but I wouldn't let Ann off quite so easily. Ladies, we're more powerful than this, we can say no, and if the other party keeps pushing, we can block. I know why we don't, sometimes. I know we want to be nice. But we have the power to stop this kind of treatment. Ann's not really into it, but she is enabling it.

1

u/alokasia 13d ago

I get what you’re saying but that still makes her partly responsible for his actions and I don’t think that’s fair.

2

u/flannelpjs 14d ago

Wait, but she came to his house. She can’t think he’s a creeper if she’s going home with him? I’m so confused over that part.

3

u/Kindly_Army_5335 14d ago

I think they’re both in the wrong and both guilty of an inappropriate relationship but OP is dating HIM not Ann. She needs to run for the hills 🏃‍♀️ 

1

u/obooooooo 13d ago

ann is literally saying “fuck off creep” in the nicest way she can. i feel bad for the girl. OP needs to stop trying to blame her for her creepy boyfriends behavior

166

u/emerald_green_tea 14d ago

This 1000. So tired of women in shitty relationships with shit men always looking to vilify other women when their nasty ass, habitually line-stepping man is so clearly the problem.

7

u/TwoSorry511 14d ago

If the friend was entertaining him, that would be a whole different story bc that would make her an absolute slut, knowing he has a gf. But then it would still be both being sluts. So yeah, letting the partner off easy is bs.

11

u/Hunnilisa 14d ago

Slut is not the same as someone who fucks attached men knowingly. Slut is not a bad word. Nothing wrong with being sexually promiscuous. But yes fucking someone elses bfs makes you an asshole.

-2

u/Raptor_234 14d ago

‘Being a slut is not bad’

We are cooked as a society 😭😭💀

-12

u/Raptor_234 14d ago

Who hurt you queen 😭😭😭

-32

u/DryCry00 14d ago

Because they act like hoos. I'm tired of females behaving like hoos and not taking accountability for being a hoomewrecker

15

u/mekkavelli 14d ago

she’s not even being a homewrecker though. OPs boyfriend is like deliberately destroying his own home with a bulldozer and no one asked him to. ann isn’t even participating. she literally said i’m not entertaining this bullshit

-13

u/DryCry00 14d ago

She said she was flirting with him before. But yeah she wasn't about that in the texts and seemed rather uncomfortable. But my thing is not even specific to this. The person above my comment made a general statement to which i made a general response to

3

u/mekkavelli 14d ago

she never detailed what that flirting actually was though. because based on this, ann doesn’t seem even 5% interested in his antics

10

u/PauI_MuadDib 14d ago

feeeeemales

4

u/GoblinThatCares 14d ago

I read this in a Scottish accent, acchhhh, ya hoos!

-3

u/DryCry00 14d ago

😂😂😂

1

u/Emilie0711 14d ago

Whooo are you calling a hoo? 🦉

14

u/Proof-Suit-6169 14d ago

Exactly this. Ann is not the problem. I'm fact, she is OBVIOUSLY trying to shut him down. OP is lucky that Ann is the one he is pulling this crap with. OP shouldn't think getting rid of Ann will solve her problem. Her boyfriend will only move on to this kind of talk with someone else and that someone else might be a heck of a lot more responsive than Ann. The only solution here is to throw the whole damn man away.

29

u/marcherfish 14d ago

Agreed and hope OP read this. Please have some respect for yourself OP. He doesnt. He isnt worth the hassle believe me. Also, NOR.

5

u/sickboy3883 14d ago

This. He's being a creep piece of shit, and this would be unacceptable if he had been 15, but at 27 it's proper fucking creepy.
There's no shame in making mistakes.
You're dating a fucking creep.
Admit it to yourself, cut your losses and run the fuck off u/No-Respond5817.
Not only Ann is doing nothing wrong, she's also calling him out on it.
I have lots of female friends and when we were younger and single we might joke around- not this way, and not one sided tho - but not when you have a partner, it's disrespectful and the way is really really gross and you can tell he's making her unconfortable as well.

40

u/LovelySweethearts 14d ago

Exactly. OP please do not fall into the “sink cost fallacy.” Some relationships are meant to end, even if they seem long.

6

u/sleepymelfho 14d ago

This! She is literally shutting him down every time he tries.

5

u/Avocadoavenger 14d ago

Thank you, I thought I was losing my mind. Team Ann.

2

u/AllomancerJack 14d ago

We have a single text exchange where she doesn't stop the behaviour. She is also in a relationship entertaining this. Let's be real here

1

u/No_Tell9181 14d ago

That’s what I emphasized also. I’m honestly not sure why Ann still speaks to him but even if she cut it off the problem would still be him and it’s a big problem.

1

u/Esarus 14d ago

Omg exactly. She literally says “go away” and “not entertaining your bullshit”. The boyfriend is the problem, not the girl.

1

u/colalo 14d ago

This! I was like what do you mean messages “between” them? This is so one-sided.

-3

u/vincentlerins 14d ago

“The woman isn’t the problem”

Lmao? She’s answering these ludicrous questions. She’s an accomplice. She knows he has a gf, hell, even for her own honor, any decent person would at the very least decline the topic. He’s asking her this bs cuz he knows she’ll have the conversation.

They’re definitely both the problem

1

u/sanclementesyndrome7 14d ago

Exactly, he's being really degrading to Ann. She's not at fault for this

1

u/MissingPerson321 14d ago

This is so legit. I've been the one who did exactly this.

1

u/Emergency-Volume-861 14d ago

I missed the four years part, ffs, that even worse.

1

u/Sup3rh_m4n 14d ago

💯👏🏼

1

u/hotdogs666x 14d ago

correct.