When I met the woman of my dreams, I thought we were perfect for each other! But after meeting her parents, I had serious doubts about our future together. It took a while, but I finally saw her for what she was, and I didn’t like it!
As a 31-year-old man, I had dated a couple of different women in my life, but when I saw Olivia, my life changed. I knew I wanted her to be my wife after our first meeting, but I learned the hard way that it’s best to take time to get to know someone. This is my story.
I met the beautiful and lively Olivia at a concert. When I first saw her, she was standing close to the stage, singing every word of our favorite band’s songs: her energy was electrifying! I was there alone, trying to soak up the music after a hard week at work, and her joy was contagious!
During the intermission, I managed to approach her and we started talking. We hit it off instantly and bonded over our shared love of indie rock and karaoke. By the end of the night, I had her number and the feeling that I had met someone extraordinary.
Our relationship took off faster than I expected. Olivia was everything I had ever wanted in a woman. She was charming, passionate and infinitely understanding. Her vibrant personality was addictive and made every day feel like an adventure.
After only four months of dating, we decided to move in together. It was the right thing to do, everything about us was right! My flat was small and nondescript, while Olivia’s was bigger and full of life, just like her.
She had plants on every windowsill, cozy blankets, and shelves lined with beloved books. Mixing our lives together was effortless. What I hadn’t anticipated was that living together would only increase my affection for her.
We were the perfect couple in my eyes, and some of my friends who met her thought the same. We cooked together, watched old TV shows and organized game nights with her friends and mine.
Olivia made the mundane seem special, and my friends adored her! After eight months, I knew she was the one! So I planned another trip to a concert by the same band that was playing when we met.
I was nervous when I bought the engagement ring, but we had talked about our future, and she had enthusiastically revealed that she would love to marry me and have children. That was all I needed to know. I hid the ring in my jacket and took it out at the perfect moment.
I proposed to her at the concert, with the same band playing a love song we adored in the background, and she said yes without hesitation! I thought I was the luckiest man in the world! But I should have known not to rush things.
Things had moved so quickly between us, we hadn’t even met each other’s families yet. But Olivia always spoke highly of her parents, describing them as “fun and old-fashioned”. She mentioned that they were excited about the engagement and wanted to meet me.
They had planned a trip to visit us, and Olivia suggested celebrating our engagement with them at a fancy restaurant. I was nervous, but eager to make a good impression.
The plan was for Olivia to meet my parents soon after. I spent the day preparing for the big day, ironing my best suit. I even rehearsed the small talk and Googled ways to connect with the potential in-laws.
When we finally arrived at the restaurant, I started to get nervous, but I shook it off, knowing that I had come prepared. As we entered, Olivia helped ease the tension by squeezing my hand and whispering, “Relax, they’re going to love you just like I do.”
But from the moment her parents arrived, I knew this dinner would be anything but normal. As soon as we sat down and I was introduced to her parents, they made me regret coming.
Her father, Richard, was a broad-shouldered man with an imposing presence and a serious air. He barely said hello as he sat down. His mother, Diane, adorned with enough jewelry to blind the waiter, gave me a quick glance before turning to Olivia with a tight-lipped smile.
“So, Tommy, is it?” Richard began. Without giving me a chance to respond, he said, ”Let’s talk about your future roles now that you’re marrying our daughter.”
I smiled, thinking he was referring to becoming part of the family or sharing traditions. Instead, he leaned back and said, “Olivia has been dreaming of leaving her job to be a full-time housewife. You’ll have to cover all the household expenses so she can focus on that.”
I blinked, unsure if I had heard him right.
Diane chuckled, swirling her wine. “Oh, and don’t forget that a little financial help for us wouldn’t go amiss. Just a small monthly amount for your new in-laws; it’s the least a loving son-in-law can do, right?”
I stood motionless, my smile faltering, before I managed to say, ”I’m sorry… What?”
Richard’s face remained as cold as stone as he nodded as if the conversation were normal. “You want to marry into the family, don’t you? So you have to keep it up. Your wife shouldn’t have to work. And we’d also appreciate a modest amount for our pension.”
I looked at Olivia, hoping she would laugh! But she just smiled sweetly and said, “It’s not that bad, honey. Really. It’s just the way we’ve always done things in our family.”
The waiter conveniently appeared with our drinks, giving me a moment to process this madness! I felt like I had been punched and was struggling to catch my breath. But looking back, there were little things I had been unaware of.
Olivia tended to shy away from any serious conversation I wanted to have. Once, when we talked about finances, she laughed and said, “Oh, my parents always told me I would marry someone who would take care of me.” I thought it was a joke, until now.
While everyone else was placing their food orders, I sat there, deep in thought, mulling over what I had just heard. When the waiter turned to me, I ordered the first thing I saw on the menu, completely stunned and consumed by what Olivia and her parents had told me.
When the waiter left, Richard continued as if he were negotiating a business merger. “It’s not just about you contributing money, of course. My daughter deserves the lifestyle she’s become accustomed to: vacations, good food, spa days and so on. You’ll also have to buy us her apartment. After all, we raised her to a high standard.”
Diane leaned towards her. “And in time, you’ll need a bigger place. This apartment is fine for now, but our grandchildren will need more space. And when they visit us, we hope to have a bedroom dedicated to us.”
My appetite completely vanished when they served the food. Every word that came out of their mouths seemed surreal to me, just like the whole evening! I looked back at Olivia, but she just sipped her wine, perfectly at ease.
I don’t remember what they talked about for the rest of the dinner. I smiled occasionally, and I think I intervened with a comment, but I wasn’t there mentally. When the bill arrived, Richard didn’t even look at it.
He maintained intense eye contact as he slid it over to me without saying a word. I paid with trembling hands. The journey home was stiflingly quiet. Olivia fiddled with her engagement ring before finally breaking the silence.
“What did you think?”
I gripped the steering wheel, determined to address the issue once and for all. “Honestly? I don’t think I can marry you.”
She turned her head towards me. ”What? Are you serious?”
I nodded. “Because this isn’t love, Olivia. It’s a business arrangement. Your parents want me to be their retirement plan, and you’re okay with that. That’s not the kind of life I want.”
Her face twisted in disbelief. ”You’re exaggerating! This is how my family works! You said you loved me.”
“I love you, or I loved you. But love doesn’t come with conditions like this,” I replied.
We argued all the way back. Olivia accused me of being cold, selfish, and unwilling to compromise. But in my mind, the decision was made. As soon as we got home, I packed my things. The same apartment that had seemed so alive to me before now felt like a cage.
I moved in with my brother, Nate, for a while. He didn’t ask any questions, he just gave me a beer and let me sit in silence.
A week later, I ran into one of Olivia’s friends, who told me that her parents were livid, not because I had broken their daughter’s heart, but because their financial plan had fallen apart. That was all the confirmation I needed.
Olivia sent me several messages saying that I was throwing away something incredible. But I knew it wasn’t like that. Love shouldn’t feel like a contract.
Months passed and little by little I began to rebuild my life. I joined a local hiking group, reconnected with old friends and focused on myself. I learned that love is not just about how someone makes you feel, but about how they support you, challenge you and grow with you.
Looking back, I realized that walking away was the best decision I made. Sometimes the “perfect” person turns out to be perfect for all the wrong reasons.
And that’s okay with me.