What do you make of Tom’s reaction to Olivia’s confession? Do you think he was overreacting, or were his expectations clear from the beginning?
I think he was over reacting. I believe he loved her. He should have been able to sit with her and talk it out. Not leave, hang up when she called, taking his possessions out of her home! He should have been more supportive.
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I think he was a bit harsh!!
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I agree with both Paula and Elizabeth…he over reacted and was harsh. Yes he made his expectations clear about telling the truth, but to not let Olivia explain to him the situation before he cleared out his things and not responding to her texts and calls was just cruel. Maybe he loved her, but he certainly did not display his love with these actions. I’m not sure if I was Olivia that I would have wanted him back.
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I agree with Elizabeth he was harsh. He also had his own idea of what a relationship should be like. All about him!!
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Paula I think you’ve nailed it! It was all about him!
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So true, Paula - it was all about him. He wanted her to conform to what he wanted her to be.
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Right? It struck me as very controlling behavior. I definitely wouldn’t have taken him back after that. It’s one thing to make sure one’s partner knows that something is a line in the sand, but quite another to not even wait for an explanation.
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I think he was feeling rejected and it was more of a gut reaction. Not thought out- just an immediate reaction to her treatment of him. Once he thought about it, he came around.
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I didn’t have a problem with it. She lied to him about really basic stuff and that broke their trust. However, I’m glad they found their way back to each other.
He was clear about expectations, but did overreact by not having a conversation so that Olivia could explain. It still may have ended, but she didn’t have the chance at explaining her reasoning.
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I agree with all — most definitely all about him and overreacted without letting Olivia explain herself.
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Yes he over reacted. I think he could have listened to her explanation and then made a decision! But in the end I think he did just that!!
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He honored truth and expected it from her. She broke his trust by lying. Instead of totally cutting her off right away, he should have taken some time, then listened to what Olivia had to say. He was rather hasty to throw her out of his life. Glad he finally listened!
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An absolute over-reaction! I don’t think I’d be happy with a guy who is obviously so black and white. If he truly loves her it seems to me he’d want to understand why she’s kept this secret from him..
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I agree–much too controlling and makes me wonder if he’s revealed all his secrets to her. I’d have said good riddance.
I was annoyed and disappointed about Tom having such a strong, adverse reaction to Olivia’s confession. I felt he was being unreasonable. But I’m glad he came around for Olivia’s sake.
I feel exactly the same way, @Katherine_P!
I’m kind of torn on this one. Tom’s reaction felt a bit extreme; if you truly love someone, it seems harsh not to at least give them space to explain, especially when it’s clear their choices were shaped by childhood trauma. At the same time, Olivia did seriously misrepresent herself. If I found out my partner had hidden something as big as the existence of their parents, I’d feel really betrayed too. Relationships rely on trust, and once that’s broken, it’s hard to know where to go from there.
Perhaps Tom’s reaction was a build-up of struggles with their relationship. Might he have sensed some underlying turmoil Olivia was living? If he knew her for a long period of time, it seems he would have wondered and known there was another layer to her backstory. Although they loved one another, they hadn’t made a commitment to truly be together; instead living separately. I’d like to believe their relationship will grow closer and their lives will be filled with honesty.
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