Search Results: love confused

I know some women will not want to reply to this, but I know me and a lot of men will honestly want to know the answer to this.
​Is this statement correct: 'Women love to feel the strength of a man she feels safe around and fully trusts.'
​After reflecting on things, I realized I am honestly a bit confused about how much assertiveness women actually prefer behind closed doors. I know everyone is different, but when it comes to that connection, do women generally lean towards a high-intensity, take-charge energy or slow, gentle romance?
​From my experience in one-off encounters, women prefer the first option. However, when in a relationship, this isn't really the case, and slow and passionate is preferred (according to my last relationship anyway).
​In my head, a person will go purely for excitement and what feels best in a one-off encounter, as there are no repercussions and you most likely won't see that person again. Therefore, you go purely for the most thrilling dynamic for you. Is there a shame/shyness that comes later in relationships? Do women actually prefer that bolder, more intense energy?
​Is this correct? And if so, why?
​I've added a poll below, but if you're comfortable please add a comment.

I keep thinking about this.

My ex spent a lot of time and energy getting me to like her which I resisted at first. But then I fell for her and I showed her love in the ways I did like planning out thought out dates for her, getting her things which I thought she’d like whenever I saw anything on trips away and planning special things for her birthday. After a while, she occasionally dropped hints that she wanted me to show love by telling her I like her and that I think about her and she wants more of my attention and she sighed when I did things I don’t like (like go on my phone sometimes when I was with her) but she never said anything about thinking about ending the relationship or that it was affecting her a lot. Then she went away for a couple of weeks then she went silent then when I messaged, she was saying things like we’ll find a time to get together. Then she said she wanted a chat. I asked if everything’s ok and she said yeah, just wants to catch up. Then she seemed normal and had a chat with me about unrelated things then after some time out of nowhere towards the end of our catchup she said she’s starting to feel we’ve become more like friends recently and that she’d been thinking that for about a month. She said she’d discussed it with friends who said if she feels that way after a year it might be time to leave then she said she doesn’t see a future together but genuinely wants to stay friends. I had an inkling this was the case when she stopped messaging during and after her trip. 6 weeks on she keeps messaging me even if my responses are brief.

but I still feel confused, betrayed, angry and sad. And I don’t know how I should feel.