My boyfriend of nine years told me he would never leave me because, “As hard as this relationship is, it would be harder to start over with someone else.”

—Tofu

Aftermath: I stayed for another year before realizing what an ass he was.

I came home one night to find him totally smashed & angry about something. In his drunken stupor he told me, “You better be careful, or you’re gonna be taking a dirt nap.”

—Alive & Well

Aftermath: I started looking for a place the next day, moved out 2 weeks later and broke it off.

He got mad at me for turning down a job that would have required us to be physically separated. By an ocean. For a year. And we were married.

—Claire

Aftermath: Six months later, I had another overseas opportunity. He said he would take a leave of absence from his job and join me for 3 months. He didn’t. When I came back, I took a permanent leave of absence from him.

His mom tagged along on a date and I put up with it. After a bit, it became a ritual. He would also call his mom on the phone, no matter the time. The last straw was when my grandmother suddenly died. After the burial, he wouldn’t let me drive because I was “too emotionally unstable.” We went home to his house because he wanted to bring his 300-lb mother a sandwich. I had to call my dad to come get me.

—Matty

Aftermath: I dumped him via telephone and let him know what a pathetic momma’s boy he was. I eventually boosted up my self-esteem and moved away.

I walked out of my house to find a letter on my car wherein he wrote that he could not continue the relationship any longer because Jesus told him it was wrong.

—Kate

Aftermath: I didn’t think the letter warranted a response. I heard he is now married. Hopefully Jesus approves.