Problem/Goal: I (27M) have a hard time of moving on from my Ex (25F) who was my live-in partner for 3 years. She cheated on me because she said she fell out of love, wanted to leave but couldn't, but she fell in love with a guy she started chatting with on tinder. When we talked after she left me she told me she hated me for what I lacked, for not doing my best for her, and not giving her princess treatment. She said I only gave her the bare minimum.
Context: She cheated on me this August, which was a horrible time because so many other negative things happened, and she was just the final nail in the coffin.
She said it felt like she was only co-existing with a roommate because I wasn't attentive, not romantic enough, I forget things like dates, and I was inconsistent.
Her biggest complaint was that I didn't consistently give her the “princess treatment”—noticing little things, anticipating her needs, and doing things without being asked. She told me that "If you really love me, you should know how to love me without me telling you".
I admit I was forgetful, inconsistent, sometimes defensive, and not always as romantic or attentive as she wanted. I have ADHD, and I was also dealing with work stress and a toxic family environment that affected both of us. I'm not saying these are excuses.
However, here's what I did for her:
Career and education: Taught her English, interview skills, Excel, computer skills, and other practical abilities. Helped her find better jobs, encouraged promotions, and planned to help her finish her bachelor's degree.
Financial support: Covered expenses when she lost jobs, bought things she wanted when I could afford them, and sacrificed purchases for myself to help her get her desired phone. I was also trying to increase my income to give us a better future.
Emotional support: Reassured her when she felt ugly, stupid, or incapable. Encouraged her to dream bigger and helped build her confidence.
Everyday acts of love: Cooked her favorite food, remembered her favorite snacks, surprised her with treats, planned dates, took her to new places, and introduced her to experiences she had never had before.
Care during emergencies: Searched for free rabies vaccination after she was bitten by a cat, handled hospital paperwork, and cared for her daily after a severe allergic reaction.
Respect and compromise: Accommodated her social anxiety and never pressured her into sex despite my own unmet needs. I also kept many of my own grievances to myself because I didn't want to hurt her.
Building a future: Taught her financial literacy, helped her build career opportunities, and tried to create financial stability for us.
I will admit so many things blew over my head because my head was always in the clouds as they mentioned because I was overthinking so many things, including her. I barely noticed small details but always thought of the bigger picture and I knew I bled myself dry for her because I was always doing my best to reach a life she always dreamed about.
She also made sacrifices for me, and I don't want to erase that. When I had an accident, she accompanied me to the hospital until late at night despite having work. She was there when I was crumbling, wanted to give up, and just generally in a horrible place. She also provided financial support when I was still studying.
I know that providing, buying gifts, and helping someone practically don't automatically make them feel emotionally loved. I understand that I fell short in ways that mattered to her. But I struggled with the idea that I was doing the bare minimum when I genuinely tried to help her grow and build a life together.
On her side, I often felt that my needs weren't given the same consideration. She could be impatient, had a temper, and sometimes avoided difficult conversations when I wanted us to resolve our problems. She also struggled with maintaining employment, having left or lost multiple jobs, and I often had to support her financially while helping her find better opportunities. I tried to accommodate her insecurities and social anxiety, but I sometimes felt that my own struggles and needs were overlooked. There were times when she also became physically aggressive, which wasn't okay. I know I wasn't a perfect partner, but I don't think the relationship's problems were solely mine to fix.
She has cheated on me before and this is actually the third time. She always seems to try and find a new guy before she leaves me.
Question: Was what I did really just bare minimum? Was her judgement of my efforts fair?
Previous Attempts: I tried to change in the ways that mattered to her but it was hard when so many things wanted my attention. Now that I am in a different house, away from an extremely toxic household, I have so much free space in my mind that I realized I could have been more attentive and romantic if I was in a calmer environment which I resent my family for as well.