A highly independent person generally has a strong ability to self-isolate. They can process emotions, solve problems, and get through lows on their own. Over time, "not relying on others" becomes a survival structure. So for them: "Letting someone into their world" is not driven by need, but by trust. The state is, I can live very well alone, but after having you, I still choose to let you get close. At this point, "you" are no longer a functional existence, not a tool, not an emotional patch, nor a survival support. Instead, your very presence makes the world a little softer. Because someone who is already used to loneliness, or even enjoys loneliness, if they still think: "Having you is better than being alone," it shows that this person is not filling a void. They are changing their originally stable and complete world structure.