I'm 35M and he's 33F. We've been in a relationship for five years. It started in 2020. We were both working abroad and that's where we met. At first, I wasn't really into him. A coworker just introduced him to me. But because we always chatted and went home together, I gradually got to know him. By April 2020, we were together.
Because it was a pandemic, life was difficult. So in June 2020, we moved into the same apartment to save money. That's when I saw the first problems. I caught him talking to someone else and had hidden accounts. It was very painful. I broke up with him, but he knelt down, crying, begging me not to leave him. Because I loved him, I accepted him back. But since then, I've become an overthinker. I always doubt, we always fight.
When 2021 came, I got her pregnant. In 2022, she had to return to the Philippines to give birth there. I was left behind abroad, but I endured because I had to work hard. June 30, 2022, our daughter was born—a girl. She was my first baby, so I was very happy. Even though we were in an LDR, I didn't lack anything. All the expenses, from milk, supplies, and even birthdays, I shouldered. I didn't ask her for help, not even a peso.
When 2023 came, I sent him back abroad so that we could be together again and both have jobs. I spent all the money on his application and his departure. I was happy when he came back. We planned for the future, we even bought land in installments, almost ₱30,000 per month. I also plan to go home so I can apply for a better job so that I can earn more.
But 2024 and 2025 came, that's when the change began. She became cold. She wasn't as eager to talk to me as she used to be. She'd rather watch a movie or go on Facebook than video call. Until she confessed—she had a new boyfriend, a coworker.
I felt like I was collapsing. The pain was so bad. I remembered all my sacrifices. When he wasn't there, I gave everything. I applied for him, I spent money on our child, I planned a future for us. But when I was the one in need, he left me. He cheated on me when I needed him the most.
What's even more painful is that he doesn't have clear answers to my questions. He doesn't want to talk about us. He wants to keep the topic to just our child. It's as if we no longer have any value to each other as partners.
Now, we don't talk anymore. I'm taking care of my papers to go back abroad. Not for him, but for our son. Anger, pain, and regret are what I carry every day. It's hard to accept that the person I helped and fought for, is the one who broke my trust.
But even so, I hope that one day, I will be able to move on. I hope God will help me to get back up, not just for myself, but for my son who is the most important of all. 🙏
