Wow, there is such a common answer in the responses.....which is nothing new here.
I can't tell you whether or not you really love your wife, or rather the idea, I can only say that absolutely fell in love with someone who never really existed.
Being that he lied to me from the beginning, and I never knew it, I fell in love with the lies. The fantasy, the absolute perfection of everything I ever wanted....
And then came the real him, who went back and forth between the man I really believed he was, and the man he really was.
Love? Yes, I love the ficticious character that was created. Love the addict? Never. Love does not work in the same sentence that I can also use the words lie, manipulate, use and abuse.