Dear Annie: A relationship I had for two and a half years has recently ended. I met a woman, “Marie,” through mutual friends, and we quickly became best friends, eventually turning romantic. She was the first woman I ever dated, and while our relationship had its ups and downs, the challenges were unique. She had rare health problems and a history of being treated badly by men. Over time, I became somewhat of a caretaker for her, and we were inseparable.

But things changed. She began accusing me of being “manipulative” and a “gaslighter.” While I made mistakes — this was my first relationship — I always apologized when I realized I was wrong. But she would refuse to explain what I had done, leaving me apologizing without understanding why. We tried counseling, but after one session, she didn’t want to continue.

Two weeks ago, I moved from Arizona to South Carolina, while she stayed behind for work. Despite my efforts to stay in touch, she told me she didn’t deserve how I treated her and that I needed to move on and treat the next woman better.

I’m heartbroken because I haven’t done some of the things she accused me of, like turning friends against her.

To complicate things, her mother has thanked me for everything I did for her daughter and even sent me photos from their family vacation. Seeing those pictures hurt deeply, as I don’t think she’ll ever smile at me the way she does in them. I feel broken. — Broken

Dear Broken: You may feel broken now, but you’re on the path to building a much better life for yourself.

While the pain is real, remember that this was someone who wasn’t willing to work on the relationship through therapy and often turned things around by accusing you of manipulation and gaslighting.

That’s name-calling, not healthy communication. In the long run, it’s better that you’ve parted ways. Stay strong; better days are ahead.

Read more Dear Annie and other advice columns.

“How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit Creators Publishing for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to [email protected].