Chris Evans Says He's Been 'Worse' Than Ghosted: 'I've Had the Decline in Text Responses' (Exclusive)

Yes, even Chris Evans, the reigning Sexiest Man Alive, has been jilted by a potential paramour, he reveals in the new issue of PEOPLE.

Asked if he's ever been ghosted, the 41-year-old Marvel Cinematic Universe star is disarmingly honest. "I feel I've experienced something much worse," he says. "I think I'd prefer being ghosted because you can make up any story you want. I've had the slow decline in text responses, and you just know the person is pushing you aside casually."

So how did he cope? "You tell yourself a story, whatever you have to do to get by," he says.

Not that he needs to worry about that these days. The star of the new action-romance Ghosted has been dating girlfriend Alba Baptista for more than a year.

"They are in love and Chris has never been happier. His family and friends all adore her," a source revealed in November when PEOPLE confirmed the relationship.

In his Sexiest Man Alive cover story, Evans previously opened up about what he finds attractive in a partner. "Confidence. Not so much what's on the outside, but your sense of self. To know and love yourself and be comfortable with who we are," he said. "You can feel it when someone has it. I'm not saying I do, I hate myself, [laughs] so I fooled you all."

As for what he values in a relationship: "Vulnerability and humility," he told PEOPLE. "I don't like to argue, I don't like to raise my voice or any forms of manipulation. I think declarations of love are great; I love love. I'm a bit of a sap like that. I like being sentimental, I cry pretty easily. At a good song, nice sunset, yeah, my emotions are bubbling."

He also believes he's a "much better" partner now than when he was younger. "You spend a lot of time learning what's been helpful and what hasn't been. We all have patterns, hang-ups or baggage that repeat and echo, so I've really been able to kind of identify where I need improvement and what works."

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"I also really see the value and strength behind saying 'I'm sorry,'" he continued. "If you're able in those vulnerable moments to stay calm and listen, I think that opens up a door in a very healthy way."

And though he said having a wife and a family is "absolutely something I want," he was reluctant to get into specifics. "Some things you want just for you or just for my family and my friends."

While Evans himself may be content, his character's love life in Ghosted is much more complicated. Evans plays a farmer who goes on an amazing date with Sadie (Ana de Armas), who then ghosts him. Later he learns she's a secret agent.

It's the third time the pair have worked together, but the first time they got to "like each other" onscreen, notes de Armas. Explains Captain America star Evans: "In Knives Out we're adversarial, and in the second film, The Gray Man, we didn't have anything together. This was fun to actually get to have some repartee and explore that type of movie."

Ghosted streams on Apple TV+ April 21.

For more on Chris Evans and Ana de Armas, pick up the new issue of PEOPLE.