My boyfriend came to visit one weekend with a bag so large it looked like he planned to stay forever. He said he’d spend a few days, but those days turned into weeks. Every morning, he’d get ready for work and return in the evening, acting as though he were my husband. I grew suspicious. I asked him if something was wrong, if he was running from someone, but he kept saying, “Nothing is wrong. I just feel like spending time with you.”

Something didn’t sit well with me, so I decided to visit his house to check. I met the landlord, who looked upset. When I asked about my boyfriend, the landlord said, “That guy vanished weeks ago because he owes me rent and doesn’t want to pay. If you see him, tell him I’ll break the door and throw his things out.”

I confronted my boyfriend with what I’d discovered. He fumbled for answers but said nothing meaningful. I love him—he’s supported me many times before—so I felt it was my turn to help him. I raised the money for the rent and gave it to him.

He left my house the next morning and disappeared for three days. When he returned, he told me he’d paid the rent but didn’t want to live there anymore. “The landlord annoys me. I’ve lost love for the house. I’m looking for a new place,” he said.

For the next three months, he’d stay with me for a week and then disappear. I assumed he was staying at his place while searching for a new home. Something still didn’t sit right, so one day, after he left, I told him I was coming over. He protested vehemently: “No, don’t come. I’m at my mom’s place. I’ll see you soon.”

I went anyway. The landlord was even angrier than before. “That guy hasn’t returned. I’ll soon move his things out and rent the place to someone else.”

I called my boyfriend right there. He got furious that I didn’t listen to him. He cut the call when the landlord tried to speak to him and switched off his phone.

Days later, he came back to my place. I didn’t want to see him, but I needed answers. What happened to the money I gave him for the rent? After avoiding the question for several minutes, he finally admitted he’d used it to bet. He’d lost everything trying to double the money to pay for the rent and a new place.

We Dated For Four Years Before I Discovered He Was A Married Man

As I write this, he’s here. He looks helpless, like a child who can’t function without his mother. He was once responsible, someone who knew how to save money and treat me well. I don’t know when the betting started, but I’m going to try to save him one more time. If it doesn’t work, he himself will know that I tried my best but he didn’t give me the chance to succeed with him.

— Albertina

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