By the age of 20 Eric Abramovitz had become a fixture in Canada’s classical music competitions, winning radio features and solo performances for a number of orchestras, The Guardian reported.

So when the young clarinetist applied for a prestigious scholarship in Los Angeles to study under a renowned music instructor, he was surprised to receive a rejection letter.

It wasn’t until two years later that he discovered the rejection – sent under the name of the famed instructor – had not come from the school, but instead from his girlfriend.

Fearing he would leave Montreal for the new opportunity, she sabotaged his application, all while comforting him as he struggled to make sense of the rejection.

This week, an Ontario superior court judge ruled that Abramovitz’s former girlfriend, Jennifer Lee, should pay C$375,000 ($284,000) in compensation for “despicable interference” in a critically important career opportunity.