u/Vegetable-Parfait-90

I honestly feel a bit stupid writing this but I really need outside perspective.

I (32F) was with my partner (36M) for over 6 years. We lived together, built a whole life, and I genuinely thought he was the person I would end up with.

A few weeks ago everything blew up.

I found out he had been cheating on me for months. Not just once, but with multiple women. There were repeated encounters, ongoing messages, and in one case he slept with the same woman multiple times in one night and kept talking to her after.

He says it was “meaningless sex” and that he was not looking for another relationship, but it does not feel meaningless when it is that consistent and hidden.

When I confronted him, he broke down, said he feels guilty and that he “destroyed everything.” But at the same time, he also said he does not trust himself not to feel the same way again in a few months, which honestly says a lot.

So now we are broken up.

The part that is really messing with my head is that I still care about him. I hate it, but it is there. And because of our living situation, we will still be seeing each other pretty regularly for the next few months, which makes it even harder to detach.

I feel hurt, disrespected, and honestly still in shock. But at the same time I keep second guessing myself.

Part of me knows this is completely done. Another part of me keeps wondering if people can actually change or if I am just being naive.

I guess I am trying to figure out:

How do you actually move on from something like this? Has anyone seen someone change after cheating like this, or is that just wishful thinking? And how do I deal with still having to see him without getting pulled back in emotionally?

I feel like my brain and my heart are in two completely different places right now.

Would really appreciate honest opinions, even if it is harsh.

TL;DR: Was in a 6 year relationship, found out my partner had been cheating with multiple women for months. We are now broken up but still have to see each other due to our living situation. Struggling to move on and wondering if people like this can ever change.