Re: Regret?
I agree with the above statement. I know several people who had arranged marriages and both seem very happy.
In this specific case, IF the husband ever did actually tell the wife that he married her b/c his mother choose her and he wanted to follow tradition…then I can see why the wife is bitter/resentful.
One question though…you mentioned that the husband is well-off and is not asking the wife to contribute to the household expenses. Then why is he concerned about how she spends her income? I ask this b/c I know one couple where the husband is VERY wealthy…the wife works only so that she has something “to do”. In the particular case I know, the wife literally spends ALL her income on shopping. Her closet is unbelievable. But the husband doesn’t care b/c 1) It’s her income 2) He doesn’t need her money to pay current bills or to save for future b/c he himself has a VERY healthy income. So with the couple in your story, why does it bother him so much if she wants to waste her own money if he doesn’t need it?
Another very important piece of information would be to find out if SHE felt forced to drive/work when they first got married. I know you do not have that piece of information since you haven’t spoken with her…but if the wife felt that she was forced to become someone that she didn’t want to be…then that explains a lot. Whatever happened between them, it seems that the wife clearly sees herself as being alone and NOT in a partnership.