That story has fascinated me since I heard it, for so many reasons.
The thing that gets me about it is that he proposed after Alice gave him an ultimatum: propose by the end of the year, or we're over.
They'd been together seven years at this point, personally I don't think it's wrong to state your needs and boundaries and say that if the relationship isn't moving forward after a certain point it isn't working for you.
What's interesting is that he waited not only until the last possible minute of that ultimatum timeline, but he did it AFTER it was up. After midnight. She will no doubt have been stressed knowing that time was ticking and if he didn't propose that evening they were done. I can imagine the evening wearing on and her getting more and more enraged about the fact that it wasn't happening.
But what does that say to you if the man you're with has to be so heavily pushed into marriage? That even if you give him a deadline, he waits until the absolute last possible minute, goes over it, and then finally begrudgingly proposes?
It would be clear to anyone with two brain cells that that's a man who absolutely didn't want to get married to you, and most people would struggle to take that as a genuine proposal, start wedding planning, and walk down the aisle feeling secure and content about your future. Personally I'd feel quite demeaned if I'd had to force a man into marrying me after so long.
This is why I think that during the entire relationship Ioan was the one with the power and Alice knew and hated it. He was the more relaxed, laidback, casual, a bit unsure about Alice, keeping her at a bit of a distance distance while she pushed for commitment. It drove her crazy that he wasn't recognising her inherent brilliance and begging at her feet for her attention, desperate to lock her down and make her his wife publicly. Deep down she knew she was more into him than he was her, and that's why it's hurt so much that he's finally left for someone else. It confirms to her that what she knew all along was true: she was head over heels with him while he was a bit more lukewarm to her. And the impact that will have had on her huge ego!
They should both have ended it when it got to year 5-6, Alice wanted marriage, Ioan didn't. They could have split up, she might have met someone who was crazy about her and he could have had a shot at meeting someone nice and normal who he was really into. It feels like they got together and both had sunk cost fallacy ideas, that they'd been together so long now they might as well take the next step, and then the next, and the next... before you know it you're married with kids and a mortgage with someone who just doesn't make you happy.
Sorry for the essay, I type fast on a laptop, that only took me two minutes believe it or not haha.