Man Proposes To Girlfriend After 8 Years, Sees Ring And Flees

Tiny Ring

Laura never could have expected that her happiness would immediately leach from her body as soon as she saw the ring Tom had given her. Its golden band was small and it had a tiny diamond attached to it.

She couldn’t meet his eyes, she hated that it rubbed her the wrong way. Everyone around her had always given her flashy and expensive gifts, but Tom never did. Why wouldn’t he make an exception for her just this one time?

Laura And Tom

Laura and Tom had been together for eight years and she was excited to build a life with him. She liked that he was driven and resourceful. He was ambitious and had high dreams for himself and for them, as a couple.

He had never mentioned wanting to marry her before, but she knew that she was his end goal. He was hers. But when the special day finally came, she was left feeling disappointed.

She Chose Him

Everyone in her life expected Laura to end up with players in the football and basketball teams, but she chose Tom.

He was exactly what she wanted in a partner. He was absolutely perfect. He was funny and sweet, he was extremely smart, had musical talent, and he had a perfect swimmer’s body. So why would he do such a terrible thing just eight years later?

Growing Up

Laura came from a wealthy family with both parents. They lived in a great house with her wonderful siblings. She was the youngest child and because of this everyone treated her like a porcelain doll, pampering her at every turn.

But Tom lived an entirely different life. He was the firstborn child in a struggling family that lived in one of the poorest neighborhoods in town. Growing up, he only ever had his little sister and mom, and he cared for them dearly.

Tom’s Life

Tom had spent his days focusing on school and taking care of his family. His mom was diagnosed with cancer, which meant that she was constantly in and out of the hospital. Tom and his little sister had to learn to fend for themselves.

But somehow, Tom still managed to keep his educational career polished. From a young age, he knew exactly what he wanted to be when he grew up. This is what attracted Laura to him.

Grown Up

Laura and Tom were together through high school and college, and their love stayed strong through all of it. Laura opened a bar and grill back home and Tom started medical school in a different town. He wanted to be a surgeon. Despite this, they made their relationship work perfectly.

Tom’s mom passed away from her illness and at this point, his little sister was almost done with college and living a comfortable and happy life. Laura was no longer being pampered by her family, everything she had, she had worked for. But soon, some things would threaten to tear Laura and Tom apart.

At The Bar

One evening, Laura was busy preparing dinner when she received a call from Tom. He told her that he had driven back into town and that he was waiting at the bar for her. She was caught off guard. She had already closed the bar for the night.

But she didn’t think much of it. She threw on her felt coat and made her way to the bar. But she was dumbfounded when she got there. No one was around, but there was a scene before her that melted her heart.

She Said Yes

There were rows of candles on the counter in front of her. Then her favorite song began to play over the jukebox. When she turned around, Tom was on his knees, a beautiful smile on his face.

He asked her to marry him, and of course, she said yes right away. But as he placed the engagement ring on her finger, something unexpected started boiling within her.

Sudden Disappointment

Laura never could have expected that her happiness would immediately leach from her body as soon as she saw the ring Tom had given her. Its golden band was small and it had a tiny diamond attached to it.

She couldn’t meet his eye, she hated that it rubbed her the wrong way. Everyone around her had always given her flashy and expensive gifts, but Tom never did. Why wouldn’t he make an exception for her just this one time?

What It Meant

For most people, an engagement ring is a lot more than just a promise of marriage. Some people see it as a sign that the other person cares enough to buy you a massive rock.

But as Laura looked down at the ring, she wondered if she had wasted the last eight years with a man that didn’t care about her outlook. She looked at him as he smiled with tears in his eyes and, for the first time, she considered breaking things off with him.

Hiding It Deep Within

Tom got up and hugged Laura before kissing her. She did her best not to recoil and hid her true feelings about the ring. After everything they’d built together, didn’t she deserve a better rock?

Distraught over the matter, she went online with her story. She needed to know if she was overreacting or justified in her stand. Tucked under a warm blanket, she logged onto her social media.

Viral Post

“Fiance proposed and presented me with the ring he’d chosen – a diamond solitaire in white gold. I was so happy and excited to accept but was disappointed when I first saw the ring,” Laura wrote on Reddit.

She had only written the post to try and gain some other perspectives. But she honestly never expected the responses she got. 

Complaining

“The first word that entered my head was ‘small,’ Laura’s post continued. She was only speaking her mind. “There’s nothing to dislike about the type of ring per se…”

“A diamond solitaire would have been my choice, but it’s the whole thing – the colour of the gold, the setting, the small stone and relatively chunky shoulders,” she complained. But it was what she wrote next that broke the internet.

A Divisive Post

“He’s usually very generous. Having seen the receipt I know he paid $5,000 for it,” Laura continued, not realizing how she was coming off.

“It is a lot less than I would have imagined he would have spent on such a significant piece of jewellery. He’ll be more disappointed in me for making a fuss over it.” Now that she’d clarified how much the ring cost, netizens would let her have it. 

Backlash

“Do I live with a ring forever I’m not that mad about or do I talk to him about it again?” she asked her fellow Redditors. The replies started coming in thick and fast. And her post was not well-received.

“I would try and appreciate the fact he bought you a beautiful engagement ring and you love each other,” one commenter wrote. “It obviously concerns you a great deal — if you weren’t shallow it wouldn’t.” Other users wouldn’t be so kind though.

Not Mincing Words

“You are spoiled and ungrateful and you have come to the internet in the hope that you will find support in validating your ungrateful selfish attitude,” one Reddit user spat. 

“Do you not realize how much your attitude would upset your fiancé he SPENT A STUPID AMOUNT of money on a ring and you are moaning as it’s not big enough and you don’t like it.”

Ungrateful

“You sound extremely ungrateful. It’s a myth about how much should be spent on a ring and that money could have been spent on a mortgage, deposit etc etc. So be grateful,” another user chided. 

“Don’t act like such a stuck up spoilt so and so and either split up or love the ring as much as the person it came from but don’t moan about it. Personally I think it’s a waste of $5k.” But there were also some people who agreed with Laura.

Agreeing With Her

“I don’t blame you, you can’t help feeling disappointed if it’s not exactly what you expected/fantasized about,” one person agreed. 

“Also, you will hopefully be wearing it forever so it needs to be right,” the Reddit user continued. “Can you take it back and get something else or has the return period expired? if you can’t, then I would suggest that you have it reset as the setting will make a huge difference.”

Chiming In

“I know all the people giving you a hard time about the size of the diamond and that, like it doesn’t bother me and I get where they are coming from,” Another person chimed in.

“But I also get it from your point of view because I know how I would feel having to live with something I wasn’t keen on.”

Advice

While most people were calling Laura entitled and a few were agreeing with her perspective, others tried to give her some helpful advice. 

“I’m a bit confused. It doesn’t sound like you had anything to do with the ring buying/making process. If I were you, I’d take it to a jeweler (preferably the one that made it) and see if there’s anything they can do.” 

Overwhelmed

“Your fiancé is bound to feel a bit hurt, but he’ll get over it eventually,” the helpful Redditor advised. Laura was overwhelmed by all the responses – both good and bad. 

Now, she felt like she needed to explain herself to the haters. What they were saying about her stung. Surely she wasn’t acting selfish and entitled? Or was she?

Explaining Herself

“I’m not a shallow or fickle person I promise. I’m working class and love my fiancé with all my heart,” she added to the bottom of her Reddit post. 

“But I’m struggling to get past this and being soul destroyingly honest in the hope someone can give me some good advice.” But she wasn’t done.

Her Point Of View

“I fully agree it represents love and the fact he’s asked me to be his wife — and I absolutely can’t wait to marry him,” Laura continued. 

“This really is just down to personal taste. If I spent $5k on a watch that I wanted him to wear every day and deep down he wasn’t keen I would feel awful.”

Who Is Right?

“I would want him to wear something he loves and I would feel better knowing I’ve spent the money on something he can cherish and adore, not look at and secretly wish it was something else,” she concluded.

When Laura puts it like that, her feelings make perfect sense. However, there’s no denying that she was in an extremely awkward position. So, is she right?

Controversy

Laura had no idea how controversial her Reddit post would be. The most common responses she received from netizens were in the region of  “marriage isn’t about the ring.” 

“When the ring is more important than the guy. I feel super bad for him,” another user wrote. “I couldn’t imagine telling my partner I hated a ring they chose for me. I’d appreciate the effort and wear it proudly.” But Laura still just didn’t see it that way.

Expectations

“I’m well aware that marriage is more than a ring, a proposal or a wedding,” Laura explained after giving the situation more thought.

“But I think it’s something that women think about for years and years and when it doesn’t go the same way you envision it in your head, naturally, you’re disappointed, just like anything else in life.” And she still didn’t know what to do.

Sharing Her Story

Laura shared her story, and the response she received helped give her more perspective. One side of the reaction assured her she was correct to be mad at Tom.

But the other told her she was focusing on the wrong thing. But as Laura turned in for the night, she realized one thing she’d always missed before.

The Truth Behind It All

It was well past midnight when Laura realized something. She and Tom had built so much in the eight years they’d been together. He’d been the one encouraging and supporting her to pursue everything that she had now.

She remembered when she broke the news to her family that she was opening her bar. No one thought she could do it except Tom. But there was something even more significant than this.

Looking Into It

Laura looked at everything that surrounded her. Their home was warm and beautiful, and she was healthy and comfortable. None of this would be possible without her fiance.

Maybe he had the worst taste in rings, but all the decisions that changed their lives for the better were all his suggestions. Tom had gone above and beyond to make sure she led the life she’d always dreamed of. So, would she leave him because of a ring?

Simple And Complex

As she always did when something was bothering her, Laura shook Tom awake and opened up about the ring. Tom’s answer to the matter was simple. He saw their life together as brighter than any diamond money could buy.

But he apologized for the ring’s size, saying he’d asked the jeweler for something antique and regal. He promised to return it for a bigger one, but Laura told him she loved the one she had. It showed her how the simplest things could be the best.