- Love bombing: They might do things they’ve never done before to keep you around, becoming the nicest, best version of themselves—crying, begging, and acting like a changed person. But remember, it’s a strategy to keep you hooked.
- Turning into a monster: If love bombing doesn’t work and you still hold your ground, they will show you the worst side of themselves that you’ve never seen before.
As you start pulling away, practicing “gray rocking” (not reacting emotionally), and cutting communication, they’ll become more aggressive. If subtle love-bombing doesn’t work, they’ll intensify their abuse—belittling, humiliating, and mocking everything you do. Discovering their true nature causes a huge narcissistic injury, and they will retaliate with narcissistic rage and punishment.
This punishment can take many forms, including smear campaigns, isolating you from support systems, or dragging you into painful legal battles, like custody disputes or property division. They’ll do whatever they can to make life hard for you.
That’s why you need to be prepared—emotionally, financially, and physically. Protect joint assets like bank accounts and property, and if necessary, hire a lawyer to fight strategically. Do not assume they’ll go easy on you. Expect them to go to extreme lengths to punish you because that’s how they maintain their inflated sense of superiority.
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