A woman who married a wealthy man more than 20 years her senior when she was just 19 has opened up about the unexpected cost of her union, calling it a decision she “deeply regrets” despite her two-decade marriage and four children.
The mother, now 39, says she married her 40-year-old husband in what she admits was an arrangement based on looks and money.
“The only reason he married me was because I was sexy,” she confessed on Reddit. “And the only reason I married him was because he had money.”
Speaking candidly about her experience, she described how her turbulent childhood left her vulnerable to the charm of someone who seemed to have all the answers.
Adopted by parents who, she says, “shouldn’t have been allowed to care for a houseplant,” she grew up feeling like she had to live life alone.
When she met her future husband at age 17, her confidence and wealth seemed like a way out.
But looking back, he says, “If I could go back and slap myself, I would.”
The couple has built a life together, raised four children and found common ground over the years, but the cracks in their relationship run deep.
A woman who married a wealthy man more than 20 years her senior when she was just 19 has spoken out about the unexpected cost of her union.
‘What no one tells you, or they try and you don’t listen because you’re a stupid teenager, is that getting married for money means you owe them. Every day. Not just in the bedroom but in all aspects of your life,” he explained.
While her husband never explicitly demanded repayment, the power imbalance has manifested itself in more subtle ways.
“He pulls range at the most random times and it feels like the floor is falling out from under you,” he said.
Her husband’s financial control has influenced every decision in their marriage.
When she wanted to go back to school or take a part-time job when her children were older, he refused to pay for tuition or childcare and asked her to pay for a babysitter with her new salary.
“Childcare would have cost more than I would have earned, so it didn’t make sense,” she explained.
Even the smallest acts became impossible without his permission.
When she dyed her hair a color he didn’t like, he retaliated by withholding money for the children’s school clothes until she changed them back.
Now 39, the mother says she married her husband of 40 years in what she admits was an arrangement based on looks and money.
“It seems silly, but these psychological battles happen all the time,” he said.
Despite the challenges, she does not hate her life and recognizes that she and her husband love each other.
However, the mother hopes her story serves as a warning to others, especially young women who find themselves in difficult situations.
“I look at my oldest daughter, who is now 17, and I can’t imagine her making the same decision as me,” he said.
“Marrying for money may seem like an easy way out, but the cost is much higher than you think.”
While she is resigned to the decisions she made, she says she would give anything to go back in time and do things differently.
‘I made my bed and I have to lie in it. But I would never recommend this to anyone else.”