My ex keeps sliding into my DMs after midnight with inside jokes, but yesterday he admitted he’s only acting flirty in our Discord server to make another girl jealous. Wait, what? Am I literally just a prop to him? I spent three weeks analyzing his typing status while he was basically using our past as cheap bait. Do I call him out in the group or just disappear?

Ouch. First, take a breath: you weren't crazy for reading into it—he was literally handing you fake breadcrumbs with both hands. Using an ex as emotional camouflage is peak cowardice. He gets the comfort of your shared history, the ego boost of keeping you hooked, and free drama bait for his crush, while you’re left playing detective over late-night timestamps. That’s not mixed signals; that’s just using people. Your move now is to step straight off his stage. Don't give him the satisfaction of a big server feud, because drama is exactly what feeds his little scheme. Next time he tries that flirty banter in front of everyone or in your DMs, ice it out. A simple, deadpan private message works wonders: "Keep me out of your mind games. I’m not your wingman or your prop." Mute his private notifications, play your own game, and let him clown around without an audience.