I am a 36‑year‑old woman married to a 45‑year‑old man, and I now feel I made the biggest mistake of my life.

We met online last year. He lived in Accra while I was in Kumasi. Because of the distance, we didn’t really know each other well, but given our ages, we both felt we couldn’t waste time.

He claimed he had never been married, had no children, and spoke as if he had his life together. I visited him only twice before we began discussing marriage seriously.

His home looked decent, and he often spoke about a big investment he was expecting in December. He promised that once the money arrived, he would buy a car, move us into a bigger place, and start a family.

Since I was financially stable myself, I believed him. I thought I had met a mature man who knew what he wanted. He even convinced me to apply for a transfer at work so I could move to Accra permanently.

The transfer came through just before our wedding, and everything seemed to be falling into place.

We married in October after only five months of knowing each other. The wedding was simple, costing about GH¢20,000, and my relocation cost me another GH¢5,000.

Shockingly, he contributed only GH¢3,000, insisting his investment money and 13 months’ salary arrears would soon come. I covered the rest.

We married in October after only five months of knowing each other. The wedding was simple, costing about GH¢20,000, and my relocation cost me another GH¢5,000. Shockingly, he contributed only GH¢3,000, insisting his investment money and 13 months’ salary arrears would soon come. I covered the rest.

Soon after the wedding, I became pregnant. But once I moved in with him, I noticed troubling signs. He was always at home. At first, he claimed his company had given him time off because he had just married.

Later, it was one excuse after another. I ended up paying for almost everything.

Eventually, he admitted he had been fired. When I offered to accompany him to speak with his boss, he refused. Suspicious, I went to the company myself, only to be told that no one by his name or photo had ever worked there.

When I confronted him, he denied it at first but later confessed: he had never had a job. The supposed investment and salary arrears were all lies.

He was simply a struggling man who pretended to be successful so that I would marry him.

I felt angry, betrayed, and foolish. I uprooted my life, left Kumasi, transferred my job, spent my money, and got pregnant for a man who deceived me from the start.

It has not even been a year since our marriage, but I already regret everything. I feel like leaving him for good.

Would I be wrong if I walk away from this marriage?


FG/EB


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