Cruel True-Life
I thought I’d found my soulmate when I started dating Peter...
Emma Hill, 38, from Bridgend
Grabbing a glass, I was just about to crack open a cold bottle of wine when my phone lit up with a buzz. Hey Emma, how’s your week going? the message read. It was from my friend, Peter John. I’d known Peter for years – he was a local guy, and we had mutual friends.
We weren’t close – I’d only really spoken to him when we’d met up as a group with other mates – so it was a bit strange to get a message from him.
But replying, we got chatting. Fancy dinner? Peter wrote. Go on then, I replied.
After all, he was a nice bloke and he seemed tidy – why not?
The following week, we went for dinner at a local restaurant where we chatted all night.
‘I’m glad you’re here, Emma, I’ve been wanting to ask you out for a while,’ he said.
Although I’d never seen Peter in a romantic light, he was charming, chatty and charismatic.
By August 2022 we were official, and the following month we’d said three little words to each other.
I love you.
It was a whirlwind, and the fastest I’d ever fallen for someone – he was the man of my dreams.
In November, after just three months of dating, we took the next big step in our relationship when Peter moved in with me.
At first, it was a dream come true. But it wasn’t long before I started to notice a change in Peter’s behaviour. He started questioning me on what I was doing and who I was seeing, too.
I quickly realised he had become quite controlling – he’d monitor my phone, checking every single message that came through.
‘It’s only because I love you,’ he’d say when I questioned him, and I believed him.
At times I barely recognised Peter as the same man I’d fallen for.
But I was committed to him and the connection we’d built.
‘Where are you off to?’ he said to me one January evening last year, as I was getting ready to go for a girls’ night to a pub in Porthcawl.
‘Just some drinks with the girls,’ I replied, and he shot me an angry look as he poured himself a drink.
I knew he was annoyed with me, but I didn’t want it to ruin my evening – so wrapping up warm, I braved the cold and headed out to meet my mates.
Once at the pub, all my worries about my boyfriend faded away as I caught up with my pals.
Then one of my friends tapped me on the shoulder. ‘Is that Pete?’ she asked.
‘Yes,’ I replied, puzzled. ‘It is...’
What’s he doing here? I thought, confused – I’d only been gone an
