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“I was his wife to his family, friends and neighbourhood, and as far as I can see, I should have been recognized as his spouse,” Dwyer told the National Post.

“I got screwed.”

I was his wife to his family, friends and neighbourhood

Dwyer and Bussey — both widowed — started dating around 2005. He ran an auto repair business. She did restoration work on old buildings.

Dwyer eventually moved in to Bussey’s home in Port de Grave.

In July 2008, they sat on the edge of their bed with a Bible between them. Though Dwyer would’ve preferred a traditional church wedding, she says she went along with Bussey’s wish for a simple ceremony between just the two of them.

“He said to me, ‘You’re still my wife in the eyes of God.’ I was taken in…. He promised me we’d grow old together,” Dwyer recalled.

Each placed a hand on the Bible as they said their vows. They also exchanged rings, which they had previously taken to a local pastor to be blessed.

Photo by Handout

Bussey quoted a passage from the Bible: “What God has joined together, let no man put asunder.”

“We then went to his mother’s house because he wanted her to know first…. His sister was there also when he told her. They both were delighted,” Dwyer said.

“We then went to a restaurant for supper where he told the waitress we had just gotten married and she actually gave us two glasses of wine free.”

After living together for five years, Dwyer says Bussey abruptly ended the relationship in early 2014. It didn’t go down well. At one point, police needed to be called in order to separate them.