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When we think of marriage, we like to think of it as some kind of fairytale-esque happily ever after. At least, that’s what we’ve been conditioned to believe by society. While it would be nice if everyone who got married did it because they found true love, that just isn’t the reality of the situation.

This is what happened to one couple that had some very different ideas about their relationship when they got married. By all appearances, the husband seemed to really love his wife, but she didn’t quite feel the same. Now that she’s admitted the truth, she doesn’t know if there’s any way for them to come back from this as a couple.

A woman admitted that she married her husband for his money.

In a Reddit post, the 28-year-old woman explained that she had been married to her 51-year-old husband for three years now. “Before we met, my life was chaos, living paycheck to paycheck, struggling with student loans, and constantly anxious about the future,” she revealed.

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All of this changed when she met her now-husband at a work event. “He was charming, successful, confident, and clearly used to getting what he wanted,” she said. “We started dating quickly. He spoiled me — expensive dinners, trips, gifts, even paid off my student debt just because. I knew what it looked like: a young woman with an older rich man. But at the time, I told myself I did love him or at least that I could grow to.”

Before long, they were engaged. “My friends were divided,” she shared. “But honestly? I was tired of struggling. I wanted security, stability, peace. He could offer all of that.”

: Study Finds That Women Would Rather Stay Single Than Compromise On This One Thing

Despite her best efforts to truly love her husband, she just couldn’t.

“Now, a few years in, I can admit it: I don’t really love him,” she continued. “Not the way you’re supposed to love your spouse. I respect him, I care about him, and I appreciate what he’s done for me … but I don’t feel anything deep anymore.”

It seems like she had no intention of revealing this information to her husband, but it all came out one day, perhaps out of some subconscious guilt. “Recently, during an argument, he accused me of using him,” she recalled. “I got defensive and snapped, ‘At least I was honest about what I wanted. You wanted a pretty wife to show off, and I wanted stability. We both got what we wanted.’”

Now, she doesn’t know how to proceed. “I’m not cheating, lying, or trying to hurt him,” she shared. “I just … stopped pretending. We both knew what this marriage was when it started. But now that I’ve said it out loud, I can’t tell if I crossed a moral line.”

: Survey Reveals Whether More People Would Rather Marry For Love Or Money

Getting married for money isn’t unheard of, but it could still mean her marriage is over.

One Reddit commenter posed a very important question. “Expect him to divorce,” they warned. “You married for stability and now that is in jeopardy. What’s next?” The woman didn’t respond.

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Divorce rates are fairly low right now, according to the CDC, which reported that the rate is 2.4% per 1,000 marriages. Of course, statistics have no bearing on what will actually happen in a real relationship.

According to a MarketWatch report, Merrill Edge, a division of Merrill Lynch, surveyed Americans and found that 56% wanted “a partner who provides financial security,” as opposed to just 44% who said they would prefer “head over heels” love. So, it would seem this woman is not alone in her desire to achieve financial security through marriage. 

Unfortunately, any chance she had of security is probably ruined now. And her husband would be completely within his rights to end the marriage after she admitted she didn’t love him. While love isn’t always enough when it comes to relationships, neither is money. Don’t compromise on a partner who can give you both if that’s truly what you want, otherwise you meant end up in this exact scenario.

: Survey Finds 21% Of Gen Zers Won’t Even Consider Marrying Someone Who Makes Less Money Than Them

Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.