‘I’ll leave her homeless; she’s …

Ryan claimed his investors pulled out at the last minute due to market conditions. Convenient, right? But he asked if I would like to have dinner anyway.

“Just as friends,” he said. “I enjoy talking to you.”

One dinner turned into three dates in one week. Ryan was intense in his pursuit, sending flowers to my office, texting me constantly, making me feel like I was the center of his universe.

After years of failed relationships with guys who could not handle my success, Ryan seemed different. He was not intimidated by my business or my independence. If anything, he seemed impressed by it.

“I love that you’re your own boss,” he told me after we had been dating for a month. “There’s nothing sexier than a woman who doesn’t need anyone.”

The irony of that statement is almost laughable now. What he really loved was that I had money he could eventually access.