Update: a while ago, the whole thing stopped. Abruptly. No fear or sadness anymore.
I was also watching the DVD video between Richard & Vineeto. It was a combination of realizing that I don’t have control in this particular domain (other person’s feelings) and seeing the role desire has been playing in all of this. Upon visual stimulus, there’s both aesthetic appreciation and (sometimes) physical sexual arousal; but soon after that comes the various expressions of desire, the main one being to ‘possess’ (as if she’s an object). The rest of what I talked about (self-worth, sorrow, etc.) stem from that. I simply decided to give up those post-arousal mechanisms; they are just not worth holding on to. Simple as!
I now see what Vineeto means by "[enjoying] their company whatever form that may take". And more importantly, I rediscovered my autonomy.
Will see how this goes in the next few days.