Eric’s old-school charm won me over immediately – holding doors, thoughtful gifts, and that firm “I’ve got this” when the dinner bill came. Our wonderful evening seemed straight out of a romance novel…until the morning after, when reality hit like a slap. His follow-up wasn’t sweet texts, but an actual invoice breaking down every cent he’d spent, with the unspoken expectation I’d repay him with another date.
My friends helped craft the perfect clapback – an invoice of our own charging him for my time and emotional labor. His outraged response confirmed what the itemized list had hinted: this wasn’t about romance, but accounting. I kept the keychain as a reminder that while some men bring flowers, others just bring red flags wrapped in nice packaging.
