AITAH For a very short term breakup
Hello everyone.
I don't post very often and tbh I'm a lurker on here. Like, reddit, not just this page. However recently i found myself in a very short term relationship (more like hangouts) and the ending has left me feeling incredibly awful and guilty.
I met a lovely woman on tinder and after a week or two of messaging we went on a date. Initially, there was not a strong connection on date one. However I told myself to give it more time and see if something might develop - fast forwarding to later in the evening after discussing our dating intentions, she wanted to see me again the next day. I thought nothing of it and agreed. 2nd date happens, we hang out, do some little painting and she kinda pounces on me (metaphorically speaking) and being the dumb horny f*ck I am, I didnt say no. After this date, I knew there was really no connection. Not emotional, intellectual (not saying she was dumb, her intelligence was just in a department not as crazy as mine), and sadly not physical either.
I began feeling very guilty after the 2nd date and came to the decision I had to cut it off. I was and have been kicking myself for sleeping with her so quickly, as that was not right so new into this - and I could tell she was very into me, as she made friendship bracelets l for not only me, but my mother as well only after 2 dates and having to meet my mother given the circumstance since she wanted to hang at my place. (mom stays with me occasionally as we work in the same family business but live in different states)
Yesterday at the start of a dinner outing, I came out and told her given the circumstances in my family/ family business and the fact I was not over an ex (which is true) I couldn't see this moving forward and I could not be a good bf to her. These were not lies at all, but i negated telling her the other reasons. I don't have any experience breaking things off with people, and I could not formulate a way to say "hey there's not a connection here in the important senses" in a nice way. It may not be an all out lie, by a lie of negation nonetheless. She got quiet, told me it's a lot to process, then excused herself from the dinner. I could tell she was upset - and rightfully so. I did offer to be friends (and i do mean it), but she told me she's "possessive by nature" and that she would always have the hope we could be a couple again, and that in the possibility that I begin to date someone else that it would "break her" - and I am not paraphrasing. She texted me a little but later that night and asked "what the difference was between being a good friend and bf" but that felt a little disengenuine to me to ask. However I still responded honestly, did not attack her at all, and after a simple "okay" nothing more.
I have felt awful about this whole thing and after breaking it off, I feel no relief. She really is a very kind and thoughtful person, and hurting her SUCKED but I did not feel right keeping a relationship going off a sense of pity or loyalty for someone I have no true feelings for. If anything that could risk hurting her worse.
I submitted this because I'm struggling atm. I do not know how much of a jerk I was and am, and after seeing her sad face, I still feel so guilty and awful. AITAH?
Posted Mar 8, 2026, 5:54 PM UTC