I was 21 when I proposed to my girlfriend during a gathering with her family. I didn’t have much money back then, but I had saved up for months to buy the best ring I could afford. When I knelt down and opened the box, she looked at it, frowned, and asked loudly, “Is this all I’m worth?” Everyone went silent. My heart sank. I hadn’t expected perfection, but I had expected kindness.
That moment changed everything between us. After that night, we didn’t speak again. I quietly removed her from my social media and focused on rebuilding my confidence. It wasn’t easy — I loved her deeply, but I realized that love built on appearances and judgment wouldn’t last. I tried to move forward, even though her reaction echoed in my mind for weeks.
