When we're in love with someone, we usually want to see them grow to be the best person they can possibly be.
At least, that's what most people want for their partner. Others, however, are horrible individuals who are utterly too selfish to think of anyone else but themselves. Like, for example, Jennifer Lee.
Jennifer Lee was in a long-term relationship with Eric Abramovitz after they two had met while at McGill University, both being serious musicians. Abramovitz was named one of the “best clarinet players in all of Canada,” having won several competitions. Having played the clarinet since he was 7-years-old, his dream was to study under one of the most prestigious teachers at the Colburn Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles to complete his bachelor's degree. Abramovitz had been lucky enough to be considered for a full-ride scholarship to the program and was anxiously waiting to hear back. He was hoping to transfer and finish his degree in Los Angeles.
But, he was heartbroken and shocked when he had received a rejection letter in his email box. He told BuzzFeed News:
“I was numb when I read the email. I had to read it a few more times. When I found out I didn't get it, it was really hard to deal with. I went through some really dark, sad, angry days.”
It's hard to see all of your hard work and your hopes and dreams completely fall apart like that. It turns out–his hopes and dreams were actually his reality because someone had interfered with his life behind his back.
Lee had found the email from Colburn's clarinet teacher, Yehuda Gilad, when it had been sent to Abramovitz's email account after he left his computer open at the time–the two were living together. Panicking about losing her boyfriend and having him move that far away, she deleted the email from his server and “turned down” Gilad's offer for the full scholarship to the college of his dreams. Lee apparently didn't want her boyfriend to go to a college so far from Canada, especially where he could meet other women.
Then, Lee made a fake email, posing as Gilad, and wrote a “rejection letter” to Abramovitz. According to Abramovitz, Lee was the one who “consoled him” when he had found out he didn't get the scholarship.
"I just can't believe that someone can not have an overwhelming amount of guilt, lying to someone, betraying someone like that." Clarinetist Eric Abramovitz's girlfriend consoled him after crushing his dreams pic.twitter.com/ryuDOTPIdV
— AM to DM by BuzzFeed News (@AM2DM) June 15, 2018
To make matters even worse, she lied and made up a “fake offer” to a different university–University of Southern California–with a less-than-normal scholarship price, only $5,000 a year for the $50,000+ tuition. Lee had known Abramovitz couldn't afford that, so he chose to stay at McGill to finish his degree–alongside Lee. To Lee's surprise, the two had broken up six months later, as things were “getting too serious too fast” and Abramovitz wasn't happy.
After graduating from McGill, Abramovitz decided to audition for a program under Gilad again, knowing that this man was one of the best teachers in the world and having no idea the rejection letter was fake. When Gilad saw him at the audition, he was utterly confused. The two had a back-and-forth about both of them “rejecting” each other, but let it slide. He was, however, accepted into the certificate program at The University of Southern California to study under Gilad.
Then, a student that studied under Gilad approached Abramovitz one day and asked why he had turned Gilad down all those years ago. Abramovitz was lost and confused, but approached Gilad about the email–who claimed the address was not his. He was hurt, confused, and completely shocked. He then decided to do some detective work.
Asking for help from friend, he finally realized maybe it had been Lee, as the two were living together and she had full acess to his computer. After trying to “hack” into the fake email account using old passwords he knew Lee used online, he realized it was her–once he got the right password.
Abramovitz called an attorney and decided he was pressing charges against his ex-girlfriend, who virtually tore his dreams away from him. He sued Lee for $300,000 in damages–which included loss of reputation, loss of educational opportunity, and loss of two years potential income–according to reports. The judge in their case sided with Abramovitz, who said it was a “despicable interference in Abramovitz's career.” He also added an extra $50,000 to the lawsuit.
Although his life did not turn out exactly how he thought it would, Abramovitz is putting his best foot forward. He earned a position with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra as its associate principal clarinet and E flat clarinet and, he's in a new relationship that is much healthier than his old one. Plus, he won the lawsuit against his ex–and, they no longer have any contact with each other.