: The stage where the partner’s identity is slowly eroded through criticism, gaslighting, and the destruction of their self-esteem.

The victim doesn't actually love the narcissist; they love the potential of the narcissist. They love the ghost of the man from the first three months.

You stayed not because you are weak, but because your brain was hijacked. The narcissist doesn't create love; they create (the slot machine effect).

This is where "Yo" (Me) begins to disappear. Once the narcissist knows he has your emotional commitment, the mask slips. He uses cognitive dissonance. He will insult you, then buy you flowers. He will ignore you for three days, then claim he was "working hard for your future." The victim, desperate to return to Phase 1, tries harder. They shrink their boundaries. They silence their voice. They confuse the absence of pain (peace) with boredom .