For you; is it ok or at least acceptable for your LTR to have a side bet or other women as long as they do everything else you like?
Outside of an exclusive, committed relationship there is not the expectation of exclusivity. There cannot be, and that goes both ways. I don’t like to be sexual with multiple men at a time so I will walk before I will get into sexual involvement with someone else...and this can appear to be exclusivity on my part...it isn’t. My recent ex BF would become very jealous if I had “plans” or a date with another man. I’d simply say “are we exclusive?” and he’d balk...and I’d say “Ok. I am free to do as you do.” and I would go on the date or etc. Those are the rules of engagement he set up via his behavior. Ok. I get to do as I please just as he does, irrespective of insult to his ego.
There are two things that I will not tolerate in a relationship. The two things are deception and double standards. So even if I greatly enjoy a man’s company but he will not grant exclusivity? That’s fine. I will then be open to meeting other men...since he continues to keep his options open. Fine. But so too will I. If I discover that a man is deceiving me (for example to try and gain my exclusivity under false pretenses whilst actually still seeing or banging other women), which has happened...then he damages the trust in the relationship and I withdraw or eventually end the relationship. I realize that is a plate breaking in red pill parlance. I will communicate the issue and I may allow him an opportunity to adjust or change his behavior...but I will not remain in a relationship that is built on deception or the expectation of double standards. Real relationships can’t survive lies and double standards. That’s not how they are built.
Invariably and I mean Invariably once a man realizes I have truly withdrawn or walked away he comes back. And he comes back with greater respect for me than before. And he wants to try again, restart, figure it out, or whatever. He is ardent. I’ve never taken a man back after I’ve truly walked away. I give patience and understanding in my relationships for men have different flaws and different demons to grow through and overcome within themselves. A number of players have tried to play me over time. They end up losing me...and because of the nature of the relationship dynamic they end up hurt or heartbroken because I required of them emotional vulnerability, attachment, investment evidenced by their behavior, and I have standards and boundaries I uphold. They catch serious feelings. They do in fact love me but mistake my patience with them for weakness...or in the case of my recent ex, BF they assume they have me always...for they’ve always had women tolerate their behavior. And when they realize I’m gone (because in the end I simply fall silent and walk away without fanfare) they freak.
And suddenly they end up with the kind of oneitis that means I become “the one that got away...”. I’m still acquainted with a player who admits I’m the one who got away from him 30 years ago. He still loves me but were we to date again, it couldn’t be casual (His words not mine). He’s since been twice married and twice divorced.
The other thing that invariably happens is I meet someone else once I leave a relationship. I’ve already met half a dozen or so high value men in the couple of months since the break up...one in particular I find rather interesting. He has asked me out but we have not yet gotten together.
Plates break. That is a well known phenomenon around here. Great women won’t tolerate plate status forever, although it might be Ok for a bit (from my perspective) so long as things are deepening and progressing. I’m not dead set on getting married again for asset protection reasons and since I’m finished with child bearing. So I’ll tolerate plate or main plate status for longer than I might otherwise so long as I enjoy the man in question.
But what I most value is intimacy, real love, meaningful partnership and a life partner. After a time those values do not line up with plate status...
And that’s Ok. A man must ask himself what he values and why. I know many players who are friends who I have no interest in getting involved with. They all say the exact same thing...novelty is empty after a while. It is meaningless.
Sexual conquest is fun, according to them, and it is just as compelling a dopamine hit in the moment as gambling, alcohol, drugs or any other addictive behavior. I would suggest it is more compelling in some ways...But then the initial high goes away and these men find they are involved with someone they might not like...despite beauty & great sex...
My recent ex is fvcking various women for example, enjoying the infatuation, validation and ego boost that brings him...but he also experiences depression, loneliness and emptiness because he is trying to fill a void in himself with sexual involvement and attention from external sources...and it will never fulfill him.
He is deeply unhappy. And he will always be unhappy deep down until he heals himself and develops the ability to be honest with himself.
But that is his problem. Not mine.