Securing a job with an annual salary of $800k is undeniably a major accomplishment, but it often comes with lifestyle sacrifices. Higher-paying positions typically require personal trade-offs, and not everyone is prepared to handle them.

Our story today follows Ethan, a 36-year-old man who hoped to share his exciting job offer with his wife. What was meant to be a joyful surprise, however, triggered such an intense reaction from his wife that Ethan immediately filed for divorce upon witnessing her furious response.

Ethan reached out to our editorial team, eager to share his emotional journey with us and our readers.

He wrote, “Hello! I’m writing to share an issue I never expected to face in my happy and stable marriage. The frustration and disappointment I’m feeling toward my wife is so intense that I struggle to find words that fully capture the situation without sounding too harsh.

I’m looking for opinions and advice—did I make a mistake in deciding to divorce my wife? I want to know if others would have reacted the same way or if I’m just overreacting to what I perceive as a harmless reaction from her.”

The couple faced a dilemma when Ethan received a lucrative job offer. He shared, “My wife, Lily (33F), and I (36M) have been married for four years. I currently make about $300,000 annually. Recently, I received an offer for my dream job, which would pay $800,000 a year. Instead of being excited for us, my wife became enraged and insisted I turn it down, threatening to leave if I accepted the offer.”

Ethan was taken aback by his wife’s response. He had presented the news as a pleasant surprise, certain she would be thrilled about the opportunity for both their future and their family. The thought that she might react with anger and disappointment never crossed his mind.

When Ethan’s wife explained her reasons, things only became more complicated for the couple. Ethan said, “The main issue is that the job is overseas, requiring me to be away for three months at a time. I thought this wouldn’t be a problem because my wife could visit me or stay for extended periods. But she was completely unhappy.”

He continued, “She said she didn’t want me to be gone for so long because she would feel lonely. I tried explaining that the job would last only two or three years and that the financial benefits would secure our future—we could pay off all our debts, buy a house, and travel during my time off.”

However, his wife remained steadfast in her stance. Ethan said, “She told me she didn’t care about any of that, and if I were gone for that long, she might need some ‘company.’ I didn’t understand at first, so I suggested we get the Husky dog she had always wanted.”

But Lily’s explanation took a shocking turn. Ethan recalled, “She clarified that by ‘company,’ she didn’t mean a dog. She was talking about needing human company. I pointed out that she had plenty of friends at work and could throw a ‘girls-only’ party if she wanted. But then she said something that made me realize I had completely misjudged her.

She boldly told me that if I was going to be away for months, she would need another man’s companionship to ‘make up’ for the affection I wouldn’t be providing. She believed this would compensate for the intimacy she would miss while I was gone.”

Ethan wrote, “I was stunned by what I heard from the woman I thought I knew. I said I understood and left without continuing the conversation. Two days later, I filed for divorce.

Now, she’s losing it. She’s at her brother’s house, calling and texting me non-stop, claiming I misunderstood her and that she would never cheat. But now I’m having serious doubts. In my previous job, I was gone for two weeks at a time, so I suspect, and am almost certain, she’s been ‘lonely’ before. I can’t trust her anymore, and I’m not going to try to rebuild a family with someone who can’t support me during key moments and might cheat when given the chance. Am I wrong?”