When I fell in love with Elon, a 61-year-old widower with three adult children, I didn’t expect so much judgment. I’m 43, and he’s a former banker now struggling with debt after draining everything to care for his late wife. His daughters, Amanda and Claire, assumed I was after his money, especially because I’m a bartender and they thought I had nothing.

What they didn’t know is that I have a trust fund and own several thriving businesses. I bartend because I enjoy it, not because I need the money. Elon sacrificed everything for his wife’s cancer treatments, which left him broke, while his daughters live comfortably far away.

Over the past two Christmases, Elon and I visited them, but I was met with coldness and passive-aggressive comments. They’d mock my job and try to distance me from Elon. Despite his attempts to defend me, I didn’t want to stoop to their level, so I never told them about my financial situation.

This year, I refused to go, not wanting to endure more humiliation. Elon insisted, but I urged him to go alone, so I arranged a comfortable car for him to ease his back pain on the long drive. When he mentioned it to his daughters, they exploded, accusing him of wasting money on me instead of helping with their weddings.

But the real shock came when I secretly bought a car for Elon’s son, Mark, who had been struggling with medical bills for his sick child. Amanda and Claire assumed Elon bought it and were furious. When Elon told them the truth, they changed their tune and asked to meet me to apologize.

At first, they seemed sincere, but quickly revealed their true motive: they wanted money for their weddings. I politely declined, and their anger flared. They insulted me before storming out, and I knew then that they cared only about what I could give them.

Since then, Elon’s relationship with his daughters has grown distant, but he’s focused more on our relationship. We’ve enjoyed quiet weekends and have grown closer to Mark’s family. I don’t need their approval. My relationship with Elon is built on love, respect, and trust, and that’s enough for me.