Ask Dr Louise

I started dating a wonderful man two months ago. I’m 25 and he’s 30 and from the start I thought we’d get married. We shared a lot of interests and I thought he was my soulmate. He said his job required him to travel a lot but that he’d see me as much as he could.

One day he told me to dress up and pack a bag as he was taking me away. He was going to pick me up 5pm. The time came and went and I became frantic thinking he might’ve had an accident. I called the police, the hospitals in the vicinity and even the morgue, but he was nowhere to be found.

I went to the address where he said he stayed and discovered there was no such person in that estate. His number has been discontinued and when I contacted the company where he said he worked I was told there was no employee by that name. If I didn’t have pictures of the two of us together I’d think I dreamt up the whole experience. Even the e-mail address he gave me is no longer in use. I don’t understand why someone would do this. Roxette, email The fact none of the information he gave you is valid shows this man is an excellent swindler who enjoys making fools of people and using them for his own amusement. People like this find great pleasure in creating a fantasy life for themselves and getting others to believe in it.

Stop looking for him and get on with your life. He’s a phantom. The man you think you knew doesn’t exist. You should consider yourself lucky he didn’t carry on the charade even longer. People who behave in this manner sometimes go so far as to commit bigamy. Be thankful it didn’t get that far.

‘Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit’ – KHALIL GIBRAN, LEBANESE AUTHOR