With this sentence, these words, Ina and Ralf (52) met almost four years ago. If Ina had known back then that this encounter would become her personal life's lie, she would certainly never have accepted Ralf's advances. They are both having a nightcap with their friends in a bar. From the other side of the room, Ralf makes eye contact with Ina. As he strolls over to her, she immediately notices his dark eyes. When he then speaks to her, with that warm, calm voice, Ina is almost instantly smitten.

They talk all night and only go home at dawn, promising to see each other again as soon as possible. Ina is overwhelmed. Could true love really exist? After four failed relationships, there is hope. The hope of finally finding happiness with a man.

And indeed, it is the start of a great love affair. Unexpected feelings, great trips, profound conversations - Ina had finally arrived, had found him, her soul mate. After six months, the two Dresdeners move in together, and after a year, the wedding bells ring. Ina is overjoyed. But what the tax clerk doesn't know is that nothing is as it seems. Her beloved husband has a dark secret.

Ralf is open about it. "The profession of lawyer suited him perfectly. He was good at putting himself in other people's shoes and winning them over to his side. He always managed to convince someone of an opinion - even though they had previously held completely contrary views. That was admirable," Ina remembers.

"What really touched me deeply was his life story. He had originally grown up in Berchtesgaden. His mother died when he was born, his father became an alcoholic and left him and his three years younger brother Stefan alone when Ralf was 16 years old. He had to take on responsibility very early on." Ralf talks openly with Ina about his story, about his fear of commitment and loss - and also about his first wife. About how he became a widower six years ago at just 42. "When I found out about Maria, his deceased wife, I was speechless. He showed me some old pictures of her with him and told me how awful it was to see the cancer win. And how he had accompanied his wife to her death. On the anniversary of her death, we lit a candle for her."

Ina likes the fact that Ralf is so open about his past. Never has a man been so honest with her. And she also appreciates his thirst for adventure. After all, she also enjoys traveling to faraway countries. And so the couple do something in every free minute. "We were always on the road. Even if it was just for the weekend." The downside: Ina hardly ever gets to see any of Ralf's friends. She only knows Ulli and Andi. Ralf only got to know them after he moved to Dresden. "He didn't want a friendly relationship with his colleagues. I understood that," explains Ina. And who doubts the words of the man you love. The one you trust unconditionally. But after three years of marriage, one day Ina's life collapses like a house of cards.

"I remember meeting up with my friend Maren on a Thursday. She was very quiet and fussed around. At my insistence, she showed me a photo of a friend's Christmas party. You can clearly see my Ralf in the background. What's he doing there? I was completely irritated and confronted him." Ralf admits everything. He is not a lawyer, he works for a public authority. "It pulled the rug out from under me. I couldn't stop crying. Our love had started with a lie. And everything else he had told me? We talked all night. None of his story was true. His parents are separated but healthy and live near Munich. Maria? "Just an acquaintance."

Ralf can't give her an answer as to why he lied to her like that. Ina moves out of the apartment they share. And soon seeks professional help. "I knew that I couldn't overcome this incredible deception myself. My psychologist then explained to me that Ralf is a pseudologist, a pathological liar. With her help, I am now trying to come to terms with this story. I have broken off contact with Ralf. Yes, I still love him somewhere. But how real can love be for someone you don't know?"