I’m a 32 year-old man. I had been in a loving and committed relationship with my girlfriend for the past two years.
We had met through gaming and had always shared a deep connection with one another.
We had similar interests, compatible personalities, and could talk for hours on end.
Unfortunately, we had one major problem: our salaries. She had graduated with a degree in finance and had managed to land a job in a prestigious firm.
She was making a much higher salary than I was. I had a degree which was not in high demand, and my salary was significantly lower than hers.
This disparity in our salaries had started to create tension between us. I couldn’t help but feel inferior to her due to my lower salary.
I became increasingly jealous and possessive of her. I wanted to control her movements and activities in order to prove to her and to myself that I was still important and relevant despite my much lower salary.
I started nitpicking her every move. I would criticize her for going out with her friends, for spending too much money, and for not telling me where she was going.
I was constantly trying to control her and make her feel like she was wrong in her actions.
I thought that if I could prove to her that I was the one in control, then she would respect me more despite the salary difference but my attempts to control her only made her feel suffocated and trapped.
She started to resent me for not trusting her and for not giving her the freedom to live her own life.
She said that she did not bother whose salary was higher as we are a couple and we are supposed to share weal and woe together but what I’m doing was too much.
One night, in a fit of rage, she packed her bags and left. I begged her to stay, but it was too late.
She had had enough and wanted to be free of me and my possessiveness and my constant inferiority complex because of our salary disparity.
I was left feeling heartbroken and inferior. I felt as though I had failed in my attempt to prove that I was worthy of her love and admiration.
I had tried to assert my control over her, but instead I had driven her away.
I had thought that by controlling her, I would make her stay but it only made her leave.
I had lost the woman I loved because of my own insecurities and possessiveness and now I’m all by myself wishing I did not feel so inferior.