I (27M) now this is a tale as old as time but I cant help but vent. My GF who is turning 26 is being pressurised for an arranged marriage setup. We have been together for over 2.5 years now and love each other deeply. We met at our current company and have been together ever since.
Coincidentally everything clicked for us -- we even found out We were from the same caste (it did not matter to me but it did to her) and our villages are just 30 mins apart.
Coming to the issue at hand. Shes been getting marriage proposals (mostly abroad) and her parents have been entertaining them even after her insistence on not wanting to get married (this was mostly a delay tactic as her parents don't know about me yet)
She has already rejected a couple of them (that too after a lot of emotional turmoil) and now the third one is creating problems. So far, she has avoided texting the guy, ignored messages, didnt pick up calls etc to indicate disinterest which has not really worked but somehow we were able to escape the first two.
The third guy either seems stupid or unwilling to listen to her wish of not wanting to get married to him and has started discussions with her parents behind her back.
This has caused a lot of stress to both of us and the last few days have been emotionally draining. I do not want to see her go through all that stress but at the same time I dont want to give up on someone who ive spent years building something beautiful. She is financially independent (earns good for herself) and has been living separately from her parents for years now. We have been in a live-in r relationship for the last year or so which has just increased our feelings for each other.
I am not sure what I can do (other than speak to her parents but it is not something she is fully willing to do as shes scared of the repercussions.
Things have become so severe that my GF now says if the guilty doesnt reject her, she will have to get married as she cant keep rejecting (due to her parents toxicity and torture) and will move abroad.
If somehow the guy himself rejects, then it will be better. But we also realise this will be a cycle until she can stand up to her parents.