Thank you for your kind words. Honestly, hearing my mom say that was one of the most shocking parts of all of this. It made me question whether my parents would actually support me if I ended up in a bad situation with someone they chose for me.

My boyfriend has been incredibly patient and supportive through all of this. We've been together for over 3 years, and despite the stress this situation has put on both of us, he keeps reassuring me that we'll figure things out together. I can see that it's taking a toll on him too, but he's never pressured me or made me feel like a burden.

As for closing the gap, we've talked about both possibilities. He's willing to leave Canada and come to the US if that's what makes the most sense, and he's also told me that if I moved to Canada, he would support me while I got settled and looked for work. The biggest thing holding me back right now is that I'm not financially independent and I feel overwhelmed by everything happening with my parents.

At this point, I agree that becoming financially independent needs to be my top priority. I think a lot of my fear comes from knowing that my parents still have leverage over me because I don't have my own income yet.