When you wrote “I wanted a little space and some time to figure things out and let things unfold naturally” I thought of myself. I always thought “if the time came” he would understand and it would be all nice and fair and reasonable. And he would know I did everything I could and it was just time to part ways. And we would both cry, and hug, and I thought once the dust settled we would be great friends.
I was really nice in the beginning (when I say beginning I’m talking the last 60 days) and I tried to be reasonable and communicative and the more he does not get what he wants the uglier he has gotten. Had I known years ago that it would end this way I would have left a long time ago. What would be the point in staying??? Even after all of the crap he put me through he always recognized me as being “the one he trusted, loved the most, etc. etc.” Yea ok. I thought he was the “I love you enough to let you go” type. Not.
I stayed for all of the reasons most people do. Someone here said to me, it was either honeypig or hopeful when I was in nice mode, “you could give him an arm and a leg to boot and you will still be the blame for everything” or something like that.
If your experience is anything like mine your “normie” approach will not work. No matter how hard you try. Been there, am there, and will soon have the t-shirt. If you are going to do it, DO IT and do it fast like a train because chances are she is going to spin you around the dance floor until you are so dizzy you can’t think straight.