I know my worth, and it’s not on the discount rack.

In every relationship, honesty and transparency are the cornerstones of trust. I’ve always believed in being open about my feelings and desires, hoping for the same in return. From the very beginning, I made it clear that being ignored was something I couldn’t tolerate. I expressed my need to feel prioritized and the pain I felt when confronted with lies.

Yet, despite my transparency, I found myself facing a harsh reality. Eight months into what I thought was a committed relationship, I discovered a significant deception. The person I trusted had concealed the fact that they were still married. When confronted, he brushed it off, claiming he “felt” divorced, and even attempted to diminish my concerns by accusing me of being judgmental and overreacting.

But it wasn’t just about the lie. It was about the countless weekends I spent alone, sidelined for family time without inclusion. It was about witnessing an altered personality emerge with each excessive drink consumed. It was about observing disrespectful behavior from his children and feeling powerless to address it. It was about discovering undisclosed interactions with his ex-wife. It was about being expected to play a role I wasn’t comfortable with in a family dynamic riddled with dysfunction.

Despite my efforts to communicate my needs, they were met with dismissal and deflection. When I needed support during sickness, I was met with indifference and the dismissive declaration, “I’m not doing drama.”

Well, enough is enough. I refuse to be gaslit any longer. I refuse to be relegated to a position of insignificance. I refuse to be someone’s afterthought.

To the man who only loves me on his terms, and to anyone who disregards my worth and dismisses my feelings, I say: I am not your #5. I am not a supporting character in your drama. I am a person deserving of honesty, respect, and consideration. And if you cannot provide that, then you are not worthy of my time or energy.

I am reclaiming my agency, my dignity, and my voice. I am walking away from toxic relationships and embracing the freedom to be authentically myself. And whoever comes into my life next will have the privilege of experiencing the wonderful person that I am, without the burden of someone else’s drama.

Goodbye You, Goodbye to the chaos, the lies, and the disrespect. Hello to a future filled with self-love, boundaries, and genuine connections.