A woman who married her ex-boyfriend’s dad has revealed that she lost friends over her decision to tie the knot with someone 24 years her senior.
Sydney Dean, 27, from Ohio, US, first met her future husband Paul, 51, when she was just eleven years old.
Sydney was dating Paul’s son at the time, and although their childhood romance eventually came to an end, the pair remained friends throughout their teen years and she would often visit their home after school and on weekends.
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But despite their enduring friendship, when Paul’s son eventually found himself another girlfriend in his mid-teens, Sydney soon found herself feeling like a third wheel when they hung out and started looking to Paul for company.
One thing then led to another, and once Sydney turned 16 - which is the legal age of consent in Ohio - the pair soon started dating.
And by 2016, they were married and have been happy ever since.
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Speaking about her unorthodox romance, Sydney acknowledges that although some people struggle to wrap their heads around the two-and-a-half decades between them, she doesn't care what they think as she's currently having the 'best sex of her life'.
"He is the only person I have had sex with and he is the best," Sydney said.
"I can't really compare the sex to other relationships, as he is the first real relationship I have been in.
"I never expected to fall in love with Paul and we met in a non-traditional way, but I'm so happy I did."
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One of the big challenges the pair have had to overcome is convincing friends and family they were the real deal, but Sydney claims that even though they had a rocky start, their loved ones have come to accept their romance as genuine.
She said: "My mum already knew who Paul was and from the few times they have talked, they got along just fine.
"But when I first told my mum that we were together, she was not happy. The age gap really got to her and it stayed that way for about a year - eventually she came around.
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"Now that we live pretty close to each other, she comes over all the time. She's 100 percent supportive of us and absolutely loves Paul.
"In the beginning my father didn't like the age gap either and as he lives out of state, he didn't see him as much. But now, he really likes him."
Sydney has also lost friends due to her unconventional relationship.
"I did have one friend that wasn't OK with mine and Paul's relationship," she explained.
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"This friend would never want to come hang out or even talk to me much at all if he was around. She eventually didn't want to be my friend anymore because of the age difference in the relationship."
And as for Paul's two children, the couple believe that his youngest took their romance the 'hardest' as Sydney already knew him, but since they got married he became much more supportive.
Sydney hopes sharing her story will help to remove the stigma towards age gap relationships, with her adding: "I wish people would understand that couples with an age gap can truly love and care for one another.
"There are a lot of negative assumptions about age gap relationships, but that doesn't mean couples can't be in it for the right reasons.
"He is the best husband I could have asked for, and he treats me so great."
Topics: Sex and Relationships
Tom Sanders