Did I serve as his rebound? Female, 27 | Male, 23 - Relationship duration: 10 months

I'm a 27-year-old woman and a single mother to my daughter. After five years of being on my own, I met a guy in March who I genuinely believed could be “the one.” We connected incredibly well! He shared that he had previously been in a three-year relationship, but his partner left him to focus on her faith, which left him heartbroken for quite some time. He mentioned that it took him a year to heal and that he was still not in the right mindset for a relationship, wanting to dedicate this year to himself. Initially, I thought I wasn’t looking for a relationship either, but after months of chatting with him, I realized that deep down, that’s exactly what I wanted. One night on a date, I got a bit tipsy and inadvertently confessed that I loved him. He reassured me that it wasn't embarrassing and reminded me that we had previously discussed his need to focus on himself and that he wasn’t ready for a relationship right now. Feeling embarrassed, I suggested we should part ways, but he insisted we shouldn’t because he wasn’t put off by my comment. As the months went by, he became my safe haven, and I found myself completely falling for him. Yet, I longed for him to see me as his partner, not just someone to talk to or hook up with. During our time together, I accidentally got pregnant. Unsurprisingly, he didn’t want a child and still wasn’t interested in a relationship, which led to my first abortion—an extremely difficult experience. I tried to walk away multiple times because of his uncertainty about us. Each time, he would get emotional, even crying, and confess that he loved me but was scared. He feared starting over and questioned what would happen if we didn’t work out. He praised my love for him but thought he couldn’t give me the love I truly deserved. He often told me I was his dream girl, and his younger self would be thrilled to have found me, yet he still couldn’t commit. He repeatedly insisted that I deserved someone better. Despite my attempts to leave, he would reach out, expressing that our lack of communication felt torturous and that he suffered from my absence. He said I brought him comfort and that he had never felt so loved before, even if he wasn’t accustomed to it. He frequently reminded me of how rare and precious I was, yet he still hesitated to commit. It’s been 14 days since we last communicated, and he recently texted me to remind me about my eye appointment. Those 14 days were filled with a whirlwind of emotions, and I was just starting to feel a bit better. His message threw me off balance, leaving me emotionally wrecked. I had allowed him to become my safe place, integrating him into my life and opening myself up to him. I loved him with the sincerity of a schoolgirl experiencing her first crush. I confronted him, asking why he stayed if he never wanted me, why he gave me hope when he could have ended things, and why he set up situations that led to hurt. I've decided to go back to no contact and have completely blocked him. A friend mentioned that he has recently been posting things aimed at his ex. We shared dates, exchanged gifts, and even planned trips together. He was open to meeting my daughter. But after one miscommunication, he told me he didn't see a future with me and that I wasn't healed or whole because I was still trying to give myself to him. He felt I wasn’t in a place in my life to share myself with someone else. I've never experienced such devastation before.