Two weeks after I met Adjoa on Facebook in May of this year, I made an investment. One that completely left me low on cash. I know that in relationships, women expect financial support from their partners. So when we began dating, I decided not to hide the state of my finances from her. I showed her my pay slip even, so she would see the deductions and my take home.

I explained to her, “Due to these investments, I rely on my dad when things become difficult for me sometimes. This means I can’t be there for you financially as you may expect.” Of course, I added that things would be different after the investment paid off. She said she understood.

Every month I sent her the progress of the investment. It was all to show her that we were in this together. May passed peacefully. In June, our love had grown more beautifully. I had no regrets about being with her. July was another uneventful month. The love was sweet, I was sure. Then flew in August in a gust of wind. The kind that shook up the relationship.

It started with a text message she sent to me. The message read; “Good evening. Please no hard feelings but I need to get this off my chest. I’m not asking for your money but at least when you receive your salary, you can’t even say, ‘Adjoa my salary has come o, take this ten pesewas?’ I promise I would have sent the money back to you because I know your salary doesn’t last you for a month. It’s the little things that matter most in relationships.” I was surprised to see such a message.

I responded, “I understand where you’re coming from but let’s not be entitled here. I have already explained my financial situation to you.” Adjoa got offended because I used the word “entitled”. For the sake of peace, I apologized and we moved on.

Honestly, my finances were so bad that I was even in debt. Her message made me feel embarrassed. I knew she was preparing to start work in November or December. She was running around getting some things together. This meant money. Money I didn’t have.

In the second week of August, Adjoa called me sounding determined. Just as I feared, she was having money trouble. “Akwesi, I’ve been going around asking people for money. I am even tired. Meanwhile, I am here saying I have a boyfriend. Boyfriend papa b3n?” After saying I wasn’t a proper boyfriend, she added that her ex-boyfriend also had financial difficulties but he went out of his way to show her generosity.

I was quiet as she ranted about how I was a little generous when we first began. “Were you only doing that to win me over?” She concluded by asking, “Or are you intentionally being stingy to me as punishment for something your ex did to you?” I felt deflated. My pride as a man shattered like a porcelain doll.

I tried to speak but no word found its way to my tongue. “Why are you quiet?” She almost screeched. My embarrassment did not permit me to answer her. “Everything I said is true, right?“ she sounded upset. “Sorry I said anything,” she hung up.

When I gathered myself I sent her a text message, “It’s unfortunate that I can’t assist you because of my current situation. I apologize for that. I have also decided that it’s best I take time off our relationship and work on my finances before I attempt a stable relationship.” After the message, I went quiet on her and did my best to keep a distance.

I was using our time apart to focus on how to figure out my next move so I would get my finances back on track. That too became a problem. She mistook my silence for anger.

According to her, I drag issues like a girl.

“You used me for marathon sex…”

“Don’t try this on a woman again…”

“… using your finances as an excuse to ghost me…”

“You had your hidden agenda when you promised to me…”

“You came in promising me heaven on earth…”

These are among a string of heartbreaking messages she sent to me.

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I didn’t respond. I remained quiet and distant. Her actions hurt me but I swallowed my pain and came to social media to read stories and laugh to take my mind off things.

In the days that followed, she asked me to bring her some stuff she left at my place. The request informed me that the relationship was over. Thus, it did not come as a shock to me that when she blocked me somewhere around 25th August.

They say in every dark cloud there is a silver lining. My good news happened the day after she blocked me. My boss called that he was coming to Ghana to work on a project. And he requested my assistance. Also, he increased my salary. Now I don’t get flat broke after deductions have been made from my salary.

Adjoa, I know you’re here and will read this. You got it all wrong. I am not stingy. I was just struggling, all because I chose to sacrifice my comfort today to secure my future. You could have communicated your concerns to me without embarrassing me in the process. That’s all I was trying to tell you but you didn’t want to listen. Anyway, you blocked me and deleted my number already so that’s fine. You are the reason I am determined that I, Akwesi, will never be broke again.

—Akwesi

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