I never thought I'd be here, writing this post, but life has a way of throwing curveballs. I'm a 52-year-old man living near New York City, and I've been married for over 20 years. When I first met my wife, I was captivated by her charm, her confidence, and her passion. It took me years to realize that those same qualities masked something darker—a narcissism that slowly consumed our relationship.

At first, I thought it was just a rough patch, the kind every marriage goes through. But as time went on, I saw the signs: the constant need for validation, the manipulation, the way she twisted every argument to make me feel like the villain. I stayed for our children. They were young, and I didn’t want to shatter their world by breaking up the family. I put on a brave face and convinced myself that staying was the right thing to do.

Years passed, and I hoped things would get better, that she would change or that I would somehow learn to live with the constant emotional drain. But recently, something happened that made me realize just how deep her manipulation goes. I discovered that she has been hiding money, siphoning it away for years without my knowledge. Not for our family’s future or for the kids’ education, but purely for herself, as if preparing for an escape plan.

This discovery broke me. It felt like the last piece of the puzzle fell into place, confirming what I had feared for so long—that her love was always conditional, and her loyalty was to herself alone.

I’ve come to realize that I’m no longer willing to live in this emotional prison. I’ve spent too many years feeling isolated, unheard, and unseen. I miss the feeling of a genuine connection, of someone who cares and wants to know the real me, not just the version they can control. I don’t know what I’m looking for exactly. Maybe a friend, maybe more. I just know that I need to feel alive again, to feel desired, and to have someone to share a real, meaningful conversation with—without the weight of judgment or manipulation.

If you're someone who understands what it’s like to feel lonely in a marriage, who craves real intimacy and connection, I’d love to chat. I’m not looking to rush into anything; I just need to feel something real again.

Thanks for reading.