How to reject other people when your relationship is a secret?

Anonymous

I have been in a relationship for nearly a year. My family is very conservative and they don't believe in pre-marital dating. Therefore I have kept my relationship a secret from my family and relatives and I wish to do so until I become fully financially independent. Some of my close friends know about it though.

I don't know why but since few months I'm getting approached by a lot by men. It's not like my social media is to blame because there are very few pictures of me. Neither am I to blame since I'm pretty introverted and appear as cold. I have rejected the ones that do not know my parents by saying that I've a boyfriend. But however recently a guy texted me on Instagram. I didn't think of replying him until he said that he's a family friend's kid (I didn't know him) and he was asking about how we were doing. So I replied and initially he didn't talk about anything other than my hometown and education (we study the same discipline in different universities). However, then he asked for my phone number. I denied it by giving excuses. Nothing happened for a week and I thought he was over me but today again he asked me to share my contact details.

I fear telling him the truth because what if somehow my parents come to know about it? At the same time I don't want to share my contact number with him, that feels like cheating.

What should I do? Besides, is there any way of giving the clue that I'm 'taken' without making it obvious?

How to reject other people when your relationship is a secret?
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