You finally stopped checking their profile. You stopped wondering whether they would text. You stopped replaying the last conversation in your head. Maybe you even had your first morning in months where they weren't the first thing you thought about. Then, suddenly, your phone lights up. “Hey. I know it’s been a while. I’ve been thinking about you.” Or: “I miss you.” Sometimes it is even simpler. “How have you been?” Three harmless-looking words. But your stomach drops. For a moment, the emotional distance you worked so hard to create seems to disappear. You remember the good moments. The private jokes. The chemistry. The version of them you fell in love with. And then another thought arrives: “Maybe they really have changed.” This is where understanding narcissistic hoovering can become important. Hoovering is not simply an ex missing you. People can genuinely regret a breakup, recognise their mistakes, and want to repair a relationship. The problem begins wh...