That romantic weekend should have been perfect. The luxury hotel, the champagne, the view – until checkout when his card declined and I had to pay. The receptionist pulled me aside with a warning: “I’ve seen this guy do this before with other women.” I didn’t want to believe her, but over time the pattern became clear – the shopping trips I paid for, the shady “investment opportunities.”
Looking back, that hotel stay was the red flag I chose to ignore. The receptionist recognized his game immediately, while I made excuses because we were early in the relationship. It’s a painful lesson about trusting your gut when something feels off, even when you really want to believe in someone. Now when I travel, I pay attention not just to the hotel reviews, but to how my partner handles themselves on the road – it often reveals more than months of dating ever could.
