Going completely silent to 'test' him

Silence as strategy almost always backfires, for the same reason any invisible test does: the other person doesn't know they're being tested. He can't pass a test he isn't aware of, which means he either fails it without knowing why or passes it by accident, neither of which gives you the information you were looking for. Meanwhile, the silence creates actual distance — not just the appearance of it. If you need space, take it — but tell him. 'I'm going to be offline for a couple of days, I need some time to think' is honest and, counterintuitively, far more powerful than disappearing without explanation. Honest space is attractive. It signals self-awareness and the ability to take care of yourself. Punishing silence — withdrawal designed to provoke a chase — trains him to respond to manipulation, not to genuinely pursue you. The person you want isn't someone who chases disappearances. He's someone who shows up for your real self.