Toxic relationships don’t always start that way, but the red flags can pile up fast.

What would you do if someone you cared about constantly criticized you, manipulated your emotions, and made every disagreement feel like your fault? Would you confront the chaos head-on? Or would you quietly walk away to protect yourself?

In the following story, one man finds himself in this very predicament and decides to make a late-night exit. Here’s how it all went down.

AITAH for leaving my girlfriend in the middle of the night and breaking up over text?

I (50s M) started dating a woman (40s F) a few months after my divorce from a 25+ year marriage. It was my first serious relationship since.

We got sick right after meeting and spent two weeks holed up together, which accelerated our bond.

She and her friends warned me early on that she was “difficult” and would push me away.

I thought it was mostly joking.

Difficult didn’t even begin to describe dealing with her.

Over the next several weeks, she often criticized me for doing things “wrong,” started frequent arguments, and would break up with me during fights, only to guilt me into staying: “Why are you leaving? Don’t you love me?”

If I spoke, it was seen as “interrupting” her.

It became emotionally exhausting and, frankly, frightening.

During her minor surgery, I took time off work to care for her. She still criticized me for not “looking like I wanted to be there.”

It got even worse.

Eventually, the arguments became daily and intense unless we were around others.

A friend texted me, concerned for my safety.

Quietly, he got up and left in the middle of the night.

That night, after yet another breakup-then-guilt cycle, I woke up at 2 a.m., packed my things quietly, and left. I texted her a kind goodbye, explained I wasn’t ready for a relationship like this, and blocked her and her friends on everything.

I also let her friends know to check in on her post-surgery, since they hadn’t helped before.

In response, she and her friends started harassing my friends and family. She sent unwanted deliveries and messages for almost 4 months afterward.

For context, we had only been together for 6 weeks.

AITA?

Yikes! Bravo to him for having the guts to go through with it!

Let’s see what the folks over at Reddit have to say about this nightmare situation.

As this person suggests, that’s abusive behavior.

This person doesn’t blame him at all.

They definitely crammed a lot into a short amount of time.

Here’s some good advice.

He did it the safe way!

If you liked that post, check out this story about a guy who was forced to sleep on the couch at his wife’s family’s house, so he went to a hotel instead.