Reason Woman Dumps Fiancé After He Learns of Her Lottery Winnings Backed

Newsweek

2 days ago

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The internet is rallying behind a woman who ended her engagement after discovering her fiancé had kept a major secret—and then demanded a share of her lottery winnings.
Redditor u/Amazing_Box_3511, 35, shared her story on the platform, explaining that she had been with her fiancé for two years. He had a good relationship with her 4-year-old son and even got along with her ex-husband.
Three years ago, before she met her partner, she won the lottery. While it wasn't millions, it was enough to create a comfortable life and a secure future—especially for her son. She decided to continue working and put 75 percent of the winnings into a savings account for her child, accessible when he turns 21.
From the beginning, her fiancé claimed he was financially secure. Still, she insisted on a prenuptial agreement that included full financial disclosure. That's when the problems began.
"Now the amount in my son's savings account is about five times more than anything my fiancé has. Completely enraged, he left the lawyer's office and ignored all calls for two days. For me, that was the end of the relationship and I wrote to him saying that he could have the ring back," she wrote in the post, which has received more than 11,000 upvotes in the subreddit AITAH [Am I The A*****].
A week later, he reappeared at her door. He said he had been in shock and wanted to understand where the money had come from. Then came another bombshell: he revealed he had a 5-year-old daughter from a previous relationship—someone the woman had never heard of or seen photos of.
"He sees it as justified, as I got the money through luck and not through performance. I gave him back the engagement ring and kicked him out of my apartment. Since then, I've been getting messages from various social media profiles and cell phone numbers that I would be the AH who is ruining his daughter's future," she wrote.
Expert Insight
Daren Banarsë, a senior psychotherapist with a private practice in Central London, weighed in with Newsweek.
"I find the most psychologically damaging aspect of this case not to be the money dispute, rather the sudden revelation of a previously unknown daughter after two years of engagement. This is a fundamental breach of relationship transparency that questions the foundation of trust necessary for a healthy partnership," he said.
He explained that hiding a child for two years is a "fundamental breach of relationship transparency" that undermines the foundation of trust. This kind of concealment, he said, can indicate either deep compartmentalization or deliberate deception—both red flags for any long-term relationship.
Banarsë added that the man's demand to share lottery winnings, especially those earmarked for the woman's biological child, demonstrated "a sense of entitlement" and a potentially transactional view of relationships.
He noted that while the fiancé may have believed his request was fair, it created an "impossible loyalty bind"—asking a mother to prioritize his secret daughter over her own son's future.
A stock image of a concerned looking woman looking at a piece of paper.
A stock image of a concerned looking woman looking at a piece of paper.
Visions/iStock / Getty Images Plus
"The woman's decision to end the engagement demonstrates remarkable emotional intelligence and healthy boundary-setting," Banarsë said. "Rather than compromise her integrity or her son's future, she recognized that some betrayals cannot be negotiated around."
Renee Bauer, a divorce attorney at Happy Even After Family Law, agreed.
She told Newsweek: "This situation is waving all of the red flags. First of all, this couple clearly did not have a conversation about money. When you blend families, it is important to talk about what happens with premarital assets. It's also important to consider a prenup to address this now, so it's not a problem later. Often, one person wants to protect assets for their children, because there is a very real concern that if they do not plan for it, their child could be cut out of an inheritance.
"In this case, that relationship is doomed. The fact that a child was kept hidden gives some insight into what else was not disclosed. Broken trust is the demise of many marriages.
"If that woman did not end her engagement, I predict, a messy divorce was in her future."
Reddit Reacts
Redditors overwhelmingly supported the woman's decision.
"NTA. You did the right thing, breaking things off. Stay broken up. This dude will ruin your life otherwise," wrote one user.
"I think he missed his calling as a telenovela screenwriter. 'but WAIT! I have a child TOO! Which means we should split your son's money. It's only fair...' And actually think that sounds believable. NTA," another added.
"You are so smart! Had you not insisted on a prenup, his true character would have been revealed much later and potentially cost you so much financially," said a third.
And another summed it up simply: "NTA, but also think it's a red flag he never mentioned a 'daughter' before."
Newsweek reached out to u/Amazing_Box_3511 for comment via Reddit. We could not verify the details of the case.
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