Why would my ex secretly keep pictures of me if he's "moved on"?

[Anonymous]

it was a bad break up and I tried calling him and apologizing, saying I still loved him and that I wanted him back. he said "leave me alone you f***ing **** I hate you! I don't love you. I moved on and I have a gf" he tells his new girlfriend all the time he loves her and he seems happy to me

i found out today that he secretly has old photos of us together. he didn't tell me this of course because we haven't' talked since. I found out because we were together so long we had each others' password and my laptop was already logged into his email account from him constantly coming over and checking his email at my house. I went to hotmail and he was already logged in and I couldn't help but be curious and snoop around a bit. I found 2 photos of us back when we were together saved into his inbox. I tried deleting them off his thing because I figured he'd like for them to be deleted anyway. I thought I was doing him a favor..what ended up happening was he immediately took the pictures of the trash can and saved them and again.

why would he do this if he's moved on? it's obvious he wants to keep those pictures..

Updates

+1 y

he took the picture out of the trash can and saved them again*


the picture were of me and him after we got engaged. I was wearing the ring and he was smiling and showing the ring off and kissing me..

Updates

+1 y

weirdly enough my ex JUST came over today. he texted and called me and said he was coming over to get our old engagement ring. he hugged me tight and said "i'm sorry for everything and all those mean words I said." I gave him the ring and he laid down on my bed and kept smiling this BIG smile at me. he said "it's crazy to see you and hang out with you. it's been so long." then he was telling me about his life and his family and making jokes and laughing with me over some old inside jokes

Updates

+1 y

he asked me to come out with him to his car. he brought up a guy he had always been jealous of..asking if I was with him still. I said "no." and he said "what ? REALLY? wow." and then he got a call and had to go. I started walk away and he grabbed my arm and flipped me over and hugged me really tight for a long time. he said he's missed me a lot. I started to cry and he said "well f***" and he wouldn't tell me why he said that. he said "it was great talking to you..i gotta go" and hugged me

[MrOracle]

Even though you've broken up, you will always be a part of his history. That will never change. You don't throw away your HS yearbooks once you graduate, even though you won't be going back; you keep them and other stuff because that was an important part of your life for a good while, even though you've moved on. This is no different.

Keeping pictures and stuff from the past does NOT mean he wants to get back together or anything like that, it just means he spent a chunk of his life with you and wants to have a few things to remember that time of his life. That's all.

[Asker]

that just doesn't make sense to me..with his other exes he deleted everything of them because he truly didn't like them .he says he hates me yet he still keeps those pictures of us. I really miss him and want him back but I obviously can't change his mind

[MrOracle]

It only doesn't make sense to you because you're trying to look for evidence that you might get what you want (to get back together with him). If you were engaged, you were probably together for quite a while, and your relationship got to a higher level than the ones before, so it makes even more sense that he'd want to remember.

I'm sure he doesn't really HATE you; he was just very hurt and lashed out. Still, he has moved on, and you need to do the same.

[Asker]

he got with this new girlfriend 2 WEEKS after we broke up. who does that? it's also only been a month since we broke up

[MrOracle]

A guy who is moving on and CAN. For most guys, when a relationship is over, it's OVER. Any old feelings are walled off and we move on with our lives.

[kheserthorpe]

Guys move on by action and letting feelings sort themselves out later.

[baliguy11]

he might want to remember good times and might even want to wank to the pics I good horny memories.

[Anonymous]

I still have a lot of my ex's things in the house. We even have a family picture together. I've moved on but I don't want to throw away our pictures and a number of things that we got together. What MrOracle said is right. He's been a part of my life for more than 5 years. I hope my future boyfriend/husband will be okay with this.

I also know my ex's password but I think it's a bad idea to check his inbox. Part of moving on is not snooping into his stuff anymore. Let him decide what to keep or what to get rid of. Sign out and move on.

[Angel88]

some guys just collect pictures of their gfs/ex gfs etc especially if they are beautiful, sexy or hot.. guys like to show of or brag about the girls they've been with. Its like collecting trophies...

though I'm not sure about this. maybe he still loves you but he's just holding on to his pride..and he is determined to move on that's why he acts that way. .

[Anonymous]

Trophies. Like Moose heads on the wall, I'd guess.

[TheBattMan]

So...why were you going through his e-mail?