Acting Poor to Fund Girlfriend's Studies

Synopsis

I poured nearly three hundred thousand dollars into supporting my girlfriend through five long years of her PhD. And when she dumped me, she didn't even bother to say thanks. "Alex, we're done." Emily's voice was so calm, like she was just reading an experiment report. I sat at my computer in my tiny rental, phone in hand, watching the bank transfer page I'd just sent her still open on the monitor. That was 5 thousand dollars for this month. "Why?" I asked. "I just don't think we're right for each other," Emily replied. I let out a bitter laugh. Not right for each other, huh? We started dating when we were both juniors in college. After I graduated and began working, she kept going: grad school, then her PhD. For five years, I sent her 5 thousand dollars every month for living expenses, plus extra for holidays, conference trips, and even laptops and tablets. All together, it added up to nearly three hundred thousand dollars. Not right for each other, huh? "Fine." I said just that one word, then hung up.