When Matt offered to pay our entire rent, it felt like a fairy tale. “Let me take care of you,” he’d said, and the way he said it made me feel secure, seen, and deeply loved. We’d been together nearly two years, and when he suggested we move in, it seemed like the natural next step. I was working at a nonprofit shelter, and while the work fulfilled me emotionally,
it didn’t pay well. Matt, with his high-paying remote tech job, brushed off my concerns and insisted on covering everything. “You’re going to be the mother of my kids one day,” he said. “It’s my job to provide.” I was swept up in the romance of it all. We found a cozy apartment, and moving day felt like the beginning of a new chapter. I went out to grab lunch for our first meal in our new home, buzzing with excitement. But when I came back and opened the door… everything changed