For three years, I put everything I had into my relationship with Ryan. I was his biggest supporter through every job change and crisis, thinking we were building a forever home together. When our third anniversary came up, I was convinced he was going to propose. He made a reservation at the fanciest restaurant in town and kept dropping hints about a “special surprise.” I spent hours getting ready, wearing my best dress and doing my nails, ready to say yes to the life I thought we were starting. I even tried to put aside the fact that I had just been passed over for a big promotion at work because I thought the night would be about our future. Ryan knew exactly how much that job meant to me and how devastated I was to lose it to a less experienced guy, so I really needed the night to be a win.
The dinner started out perfectly, but when it was time for dessert, the waiter brought out a silver platter that absolutely crushed me. Instead of a ring box, the plate had “Congrats on Your Promotion!” written in chocolate. I just stared at it, waiting for the real surprise, but it never came. Ryan just sat there with a smug grin and told me it was a “joke” to lighten the mood and help me “manifest” the success I wanted. When I told him it wasn’t funny and that it actually hurt, he told me I was being too sensitive and that I shouldn’t be so gloomy. In that moment, I realized he didn’t care about my feelings; he just wanted to make a power play at my expense. I paid for my half of the meal and walked out, leaving him alone with his chocolate lie.