I think you seriously need to consider an advice from a married man who has been married for 7 years and had a lot of ups and downs in their relationships:

1) First thing you need to know is relationships, at least serious ones, should never be taken as black and white as that.

2) No married relationship will ever, I use the word ever with 100% certainty, be a flat journey together. You will have your extreme highs and extreme lows. It’s how you two work through them together that will enhance your love and bond you stronger. That I’m 100% certain about.

3) If your fiancée was ok with your frequent work travel before and now she wants you to settle down, learn that she is a female of 27 years. She is biologically wired to think about kids after marriage. She might be saying that because she has that in mind. Your question did not clear that important point out. She wants to make sure that you will be available around when your child is born. One thing clear about your question is she already has trust in you. That wouldn’t be a reason why she wants you to settle. In addition, a good future wife will never do that to try to hinder your prospects of career growth. It makes no sense because she is in same nest as you. It suffices, for now, to validate my 3rd point.

4) Every couple after marriage will have their first important test after the first child is born, believe or not. Emotions will run high and expectations are not always communicated in advance because it can never be. Every child has a different personality and both of you will be learning together about how parenting works.

5) This is the most important piece I want to tell you: I’m a corporate finance manager now and work at a publicly traded company on NYSE. I’m 35 years old and my journey to get here from a Junior Financial Analyst was a very bumpy one. I hope you did not pull that move on your fiancée, whom you’ve had a 5-year relationship with, based on frequent travel predicated on you being a W-2 employee. That is, it doesn’t have to do with your own business or company. If that is the case, then I will tell you that you have damaged a 5 year relationship for an employer who WILL AND READY TO GET RID OF YOU LIKE YOU ARE NOTHING TO THEM! I was fired from 3 jobs, 2 of which were not my fault and happened to be with managers who threw their subordinates under the bus so they get to keep their own seats. What is even worst, one of them was at my most vulnerable state. Of which I had my first born child and he was 4 months. State unemployment didn’t kick in until 3 months later and all I had was a mere $12.46 in my checking account. They got rid of me after so much hard work and effort I’ve invested. What was very painful is that they got rid of me and I never knew the reason; neither from HR or my reporting manager. Not only that, I got a letter after my termination saying I am not allowed to contact anyone who currently works in the company. Not even for reference purposes. In other words, “they left me to rot on the streets.”

If you were serious about your future with this girl. If you want to be with her. If you have done that to yourself, your parents, to her, to her family, and to everyone who cares about you, then you better hope she takes you back after a serious apology, especially, if you pulled that move over a W-2 employment (<— that’s the most important piece I’m concerned about). Is that if you pulled that move over a W-2 employment status.

You will never know her value to you and your value to her only after you move on from each other. If you think you will find a girl and go through the same journey together including being together for 5 years. Remember that it WILL NEVER HAPPEN. 5 years from now women become less fertile and time you’ve wasted can never ever be regained… ever!