LOVE FEVER
CHAPTER TWO
THE PRICE OF A DREAM
The first month after leaving the bank felt like a long holiday. I woke up without an alarm, made coffee, opened my laptop, and spent hours researching the financial industry. I studied microfinance institutions, loan management systems, customer behaviour, and the growing opportunities in digital lending.
For the first time, I could organise my day around my own ideas. Nobody was calling me into unnecessary meetings. Nobody was asking for reports every two hours. I felt free.
But freedom had a price.
My monthly salary had disappeared, while rent, food, transport, electricity, and other expenses continued to arrive exactly as before. My savings, which once looked comfortable, began to shrink faster than I had expected.
I had imagined that clients would quickly recognise my experience and hire me as a financial consultant. Unfortunately, finding clients was not as easy as I had imagined.
One morning, I sat at my desk looking at my bank balance. I calculated my remaining expenses and realised that I had less time than I thought.
Me: "I need to move faster."
I began contacting small businesses, preparing financial proposals, and offering consultancy services. Some people promised to call me back. Others requested free advice and disappeared. A few accepted my services, but the payments were often delayed.
Meanwhile, Olivia was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with our situation.
One Saturday afternoon, she invited me to meet her at a restaurant in downtown Toronto. She was already seated when I arrived. Her face looked tired, and she barely smiled.
Olivia: "You are late."
Me: "I had a meeting with a potential client. I am sorry for keeping you waiting."
Olivia: "Did you get the contract?"
Me: "Not yet. But I think there is a possibility."
She looked at me for a moment.
Olivia: "Ethan, everything is always a possibility these days. When are we going to have something certain?"
Me: "I am working on it."
Olivia: "I know you are working. But working without a regular income is becoming a problem. We have been talking about marriage for months. My parents keep asking when we are getting married."
Me: "Tell them we are preparing for our future."
Olivia: "And what future is that, Ethan? A future where I work every day while you hope someone gives you a contract?"
Her words hurt because they touched a fear I was trying to hide.
Me: "I did not leave the bank to sit at home. I am building something."
Olivia: "Then show me that it is working."
I had no immediate answer.
During the following weeks, Olivia's friends began to influence her thinking. One of them, Jessica, was particularly outspoken. She believed that a man should establish his financial position before asking a woman to share his struggles.
At a weekend gathering, Jessica asked Olivia about our relationship.
Jessica: "So, how is Ethan's business going?"
Olivia: "He is still working on it."
Jessica: "Still? Olivia, how long are you going to wait?"
Olivia: "He has a plan."
Jessica: "Everyone has a plan. But you cannot build a marriage on plans. You need stability."
Olivia: "I know."
Jessica: "You have a good job, a good career, and a future. Why should you carry someone who has chosen to become unemployed?"
Olivia did not respond. But Jessica's words remained in her mind.
I noticed the change in Olivia whenever we met. She no longer asked about my ideas with curiosity. Instead, she wanted financial updates. She wanted dates, figures, and guarantees. I could offer her progress, but I could not offer certainty.
One evening, I received a call from a small business owner who wanted help reviewing his company's financial records. The project was not large, but it paid enough to cover some of my immediate expenses.
I celebrated quietly. It was not a major breakthrough, but it reminded me that I could survive outside the banking system.
I sent Olivia a message.
Me: "Good news. I have secured a consulting project. It will help me cover some expenses while I continue developing the business."
Her reply came several minutes later.
Olivia: "That is good. I hope things improve."
That was all.
I had expected excitement. Perhaps a phone call. Perhaps a little celebration. Instead, I received a polite response that sounded more like something a colleague would say.
As the months passed, the distance between us increased. We argued about money, time, and priorities. I wanted her to understand that building a business required patience. She wanted me to understand that her life could not remain on hold indefinitely.
Then came the evening I will never forget.
Olivia arrived at my apartment carrying a small bag. She sat down without removing her coat.
Me: "Is everything okay?"
Olivia: "Ethan, I have been thinking about us."
Me: "What about us?"
Olivia: "I am tired."
Me: "We are both tired. But we can work through this."
Olivia: "I do not think you understand. I am tired of uncertainty. I want marriage. I want a family. I want to plan my life without wondering whether next month will be better than this one."
Me: "I want those things too."
Olivia: "Then why does it feel like your business matters more than our relationship?"
I moved closer to her.
Me: "Because I believe this business can change our lives."
Olivia: "What if it never does?"
The question filled the room with silence.
I looked at the woman I had imagined marrying. I wanted to tell her that success was just around the corner. I wanted to show her the future I could see so clearly in my mind.
But I had no evidence that could convince her.
She stood up and picked up her bag.
Olivia: "I need time to think, Ethan."
Me: "Are you leaving me?"
She looked at me, and her eyes became wet.
Olivia: "I do not know anymore."
She walked towards the door. I wanted to stop her, but I knew that holding her physically would not solve what was happening between us.
After she left, I sat alone in the apartment. The silence was heavier than anything I had experienced since resigning from the bank.
That night, I opened my laptop again. I looked at the business plan, the market research, and the unfinished financial model.
I had lost my salary. I was slowly losing my relationship. And for the first time, I wondered whether my dream was worth the price I was paying.
But the next morning, I got out of bed, made coffee, and returned to work.
I had no intention of giving up.
A dream can demand sacrifice, but the people who love us also need communication, reassurance, and visible progress. Ambition becomes stronger when it is supported by responsibility.