I (35F) recently discovered that my boyfriend (39M) has been chatting with and receiving pictures from his ex every day throughout our relationship. Are there any alternatives to breaking up?

**Summary:** My boyfriend insisted he was different from my ex, who would get overly attached and text female colleagues. He got upset whenever my ex was mentioned, but it turns out he’s been secretly texting his ex daily. Can we work through this, or is breaking up the only option? We met on Hinge in October and immediately clicked, moving in together by November. He emphasized how crucial it is for partners to maintain appropriate boundaries with the opposite sex. He compared himself to my ex, who had been too emotionally involved with female colleagues, assuring me he was an open book. We made a point of discussing the importance of transparency in our relationship, with him regularly expressing disdain for hypocrisy and lack of respect. However, he has become upset at the sight of messages from my male friends, even though they were harmless. He also reacted strongly to notifications about memories involving my ex, suggesting I should turn those off. This context makes what I discovered yesterday all the more painful. Despite everything he said, he has been texting his ex—whom he claimed to have broken up with five months ago—almost daily while we’ve been together. They discuss her life, and he expresses pride in her accomplishments. His ex has been fixated on him, trying to win him back, and has even sent him explicit photos. Although he reportedly avoided giving in to her advances, he never mentioned me to her. I only found out due to his unusual behavior, which prompted me to directly ask if he was talking to other women. It turns out his ex had recently found out about me, confronting him before he blocked her after their argument. He claimed he was only messaging her out of concern for her mental health, insisting she’s unstable. When I pushed back on that excuse, he admitted he was looking for validation as he feels insecure about our relationship. He acknowledged he messed up and expressed a desire to earn my trust back, even though he understands it might not be possible. I’m in shock and feel betrayed. His behavior contradicts everything he preached about fidelity and respect. I like him, but I can't overlook this breach of trust and I’m uncertain how I can ever feel secure with him again. While he hasn’t engaged in anything explicitly inappropriate, the situation has left me feeling blindsided and foolish. Can we rebuild from this, or is breaking up the only path forward?