As-salaamu Alaikum - I cut ties with him but still feel guilty. Did I do the right thing?
As-salaamu Alaikum. I’m looking for an outside perspective and some advice on how to finally move on. My friends don’t really get the whole thing, so I wanted neutral input. For about six months I was talking to a man I met online. At first he was so sweet, caring, funny, and we seemed to connect. He talked about marrying me in a few years, said he’d speak to my family, cried about how much he loved me, made duʿā’ for me, and even gave charity in my name. But there was another side. He pressured me into things I wasn’t comfortable with and guilt-tripped me when I refused. This even happened during Ramadan and left me feeling ashamed and confused. We never met in person. I tried to go no-contact before Ramadan, but he kept finding ways to reach me; I should have blocked him sooner, but at the time I hadn’t clearly told him I didn’t want marriage. Whenever I tried to step back he’d invent reasons to message me. It felt like he didn’t respect my boundaries. Yet he’d also have very soft, caring moments that made everything confusing, and I started feeling responsible for his emotional state. We’re from different sects - I’m Sunni and he’s Shia. I told him early on I didn’t want to marry across that difference because it would complicate things, but he pushed that “we’re not that different” and tried to talk me out of my stance. I should’ve held firmer to my comfort level. Over time the relationship became unhealthy and started changing me. After six months I told him I didn’t want marriage and wanted to stop talking. He said I’d “ruined his life” and claimed he’d never be able to marry because of me, which made me feel awful. He begged me not to block him and to let him message when he was “ready for marriage,” and I reluctantly agreed even though I felt uneasy. Yesterday I finally ended it for good and blocked him. Before blocking, I sent a last message saying I don’t want any future contact - not even the previous agreement - because I don’t want him thinking the door is open. He was upset and I felt terrible, but I knew I needed to protect myself. I tried to be realistic about the future - children, families, different upbringings - and he acted like all those issues would magically disappear without offering real solutions. He claimed he’d raise kids Sunni, but promising that to someone he’s never met isn’t realistic. Above all, someone who truly loved and respected me wouldn’t pressure me into haram things or ignore my boundaries. I’m doing better than six months ago, but I keep obsessing over the good parts and can’t stop thinking about him, even though he mistreated me. Maybe I’m scared I won’t find someone better, and I don’t want to keep comparing future people to him. I know I need to remember why I left. It’s been months since we spoke, and even after blocking him today, he’s on my mind daily. I feel a mix of guilt, shame, sadness, and worry. I also feel guilty about the Islamic boundaries I crossed and fear it might affect my future marriage. Sorry if this is choppy - I tell stories weirdly. I’d really appreciate advice on how to stop thinking I’m responsible for his emotions, how to detach emotionally, and how to move forward in a healthy Islamic way, inshaAllah. Was blocking him the right choice? How can I grow from this experience? JazakAllah khair to anyone who reads and replies. :))❤️