North Carolina woman gets dumped. Three weeks later, her ex buys a house across the street: ‘That’s some serious stalker behavior’

Breakups typically end the same way: A couple agrees to split, they talk and muddle over the relationship for closure, and eventually, they stop talking to each other altogether. The tried-and-true formula, for many, helps give them the space they need to pursue new connections and move on. 

But one North Carolina woman found out the hard way that closure was going to be infinitely more difficult for her. Jen (@okmothering12) told her audience in a video with more than 99,000 views that her boyfriend broke up with her. But instead of choosing literally anywhere else to live, he found a home in her neighborhood.

From boyfriend to neighbor

Jen filmed a video from her back porch, where she detailed the situation.

“ My boyfriend just broke up with me three weeks ago, and he bought a house,” she said, while panning her camera across her neighborhood. She then focused on one particular home that was across the way from hers. In a twist of fate, she zoomed in on the home and told her audience that it was the house he purchased. 

“So, if I need a man with a mustache who won’t go to therapy, I could just go right over there,” Jen said sarcastically. 

In her description, she reiterated how strange his behavior was. 

“When your boyfriend breaks up with you out of nowhere, only to buy a house across the road,” she wrote.

Viewers call out the man for the blindsiding breakup

Viewers said that the man breaking things off right before purchasing a house nearby was incredibly unusual. 

“That is…so weird,” one commenter said. 

Another added, “That’s creepy af. Get cameras.”

Some even went so far as to call the man’s behavior stalkerish, but other viewers said that it was clear he had intended to purchase the home well before the breakup. 

“Most of the commenters clearly don’t own houses,” a viewer said. “Closing almost always takes a month or more. He had this in place before executing the break up.”

The biggest recommendation commenters had, then, was for Jen to live her “best life,” instead of focusing on him. 

“Girl stand up. Start inviting HANDSOME men over and sending them out late in the morning. Go shopping and wear your new outfits visibly. Have friends over and throw wine soirées. Show him you’re living your best life,” a viewer said. 

@okmothering12 When your boyfriend breaks up with you out of nowhere, only to buy a house across the road. #perimenopause #relationships #therapy #mustache #avoidant ♬ original sound – Jen ?

The bad part: physical proximity after separation

Unfortunately for Jen, physical proximity to a previous partner after a breakup is rarely easy. In fact, it can be psychologically detrimental.

For one, when a relationship fizzles out, most people still feel a longing for the relationship well after the breakup. Psychologists call this feeling desired attachment, and it can be excruciating and painful, especially considering it often goes unfulfilled. Having an ex nearby, then, can trigger dependency that’s sometimes described in a similar manner to cue reactivity. The sight or presence of an ex-partner can trigger a desire to re-engage with the relationship. Even seeing an ex can trigger physical pain, at least according to the Journal of Neurophysiology. 

Additionally, most dating experts recommend going no contact with an ex. And while Jen doesn’t necessarily seem keen on speaking with her ex, seeing him can be just as much of a headache. 

The Mary Sue reached out to Jen via TikTok direct message for comment.

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