In the following excerpt from a short story, the protagonist reflects on a significant life decision:

"Standing at the crossroads, Maria laughed at the irony of her situation. After years of working tirelessly to secure a prestigious position in the corporate world, she found herself yearning for the simplicity of her childhood. Career ambition had led her to this moment of perilous choice, where she must decide between a high-powered job that promised wealth and status, or pursuing her passion for painting, which offered little financial security but immense personal satisfaction. It struck her as amusing that the very goals she had sacrificed her nights and weekends for appeared to be a gilded cage, trapping her in a life devoid of joy. Of all the paths she'd anticipated, never did she foresee one that made her question her own values so profoundly."

What is the primary example of irony presented in this passage?