My Fake Poor Boyfriend Destroyed Everything

I was selling some old furniture on Facebook Marketplace when a girl messaged me, haggling over the price.

Could you do twenty dollars lower?

Im still in college. I just had a huge falling out with my roommate and moved out. My boyfriend found me a new place.

Hes loaded, and he says were getting married after I graduate, but I really dont want to be a financial burden to him.

Would twenty bucks less work? I can come pick it up myself!

Staring at the screen, I thought of my early college days with Cameron. I remembered pedaling a clunky rented bike for two hours in the freezing rain, just to save five dollars on subway fare.

I was just a regular corporate drone now, but I was still doing better than a broke college kid.

My heart softened. I agreed to the discount.

That evening, two silhouettes appeared at the entrance of my apartment building.

The girls face was glowing with pride. See? Im amazing, right? I got a washer in practically mint condition for less than a hundred bucks!

The man beside her looked down at her with absolute adoration. Yes, yes, my baby is the smartest. But I make money so I can spoil you. You dont need to pinch pennies for me.

Your boyfriend is the CEO of Weston Holdings. You think I cant afford to take care of you? Just this once, okay? Never again.

The man chuckled, lifting his head. The moment our eyes met, I froze entirely.

It was Cameron.

My boyfriend. The man who had kissed my forehead that morning and told me he was going on a three-month business trip to collect triple per diem.

The air turned to glass. I could clearly see the sheer panic and shock shattering the composure on Camerons face.

I opened my mouth, a sound caught in my throat, but Cameron instantly shot me a harsh, warning glare.

Peyton didnt notice the silent collision between us. She just pouted, her voice dripping with the kind of bratty privilege only the young and adored possess.

I dont want to be a freeloader! What if you get sick of me and dump me later?

She tugged his sleeve. What are you looking at? Why are you ignoring me?

Cameron snapped out of his trance. He reached out and affectionately ruffled her hair.

How could I ever let you go?

Following his gaze, Peyton looked at the washing machine standing next to me.

It works fine, right?

I dragged myself back to reality. Forcing a painfully hollow smile, I walked her through the machine's features.

Suddenly, Cameron interrupted.

Why are you selling your furniture? Are you short on money?

I stared at him.

Short on money? When is there ever enough money for people like me?

Before I could answer, Peyton playfully punched his chest.

Don't be rude!

She looked at me, her eyes filled with faux-apologetic sympathy. Please dont mind him. My boyfriend is just like that. Hes rich, so he doesnt understand how normal people struggle.

She cast a teasing glance at Cameron, rolling up her sleeve to reveal a Cartier Love bracelet laced with crushed diamonds.

For my birthday, I told him I wanted a simple bracelet. I was going to save up six months of my allowance for it. Do you know what he did? He bought me the entire new seasons collection! Half the boxes in my closet don't even have the ribbons untied yet!

Last summer, I had found a dress on the clearance rack for fifty dollars.

Cameron had reached for his wallet, but I stopped his hand.

I had smiled, pretending I didnt care. I cant wear this to the office anyway. Its a waste of money. Lets just put it in our house fund, okay?

It wasnt that I didnt want it. It was because, just two days prior, Cameron had bitterly complained about being docked fifty bucks for clocking in late.

When I fought with my roommate, I just wanted to find a cheap sublet near campus, Peyton continued, oblivious to the fact that she was tearing my chest open. But he went out and bought a luxury penthouse in the Seaport. Put my name on the deed and everything! Two thousand a square foot! I could work my entire life and barely afford a closet in that building!

When Cameron and I had rented our apartment, I had screamed at our landlord until my throat was raw over a twenty-dollar hike in utility fees.

Seeing me treated that way, Cameron had been so angry he almost broke the lease right there. But I refused to leave. I fought tooth and nail for that apartmentbecause it was two blocks from his "office," meaning he could sleep an extra twenty minutes every morning.

And I love Taylor Swift, right? So he got me front-row VIP tickets! Ugh, hearing myself say all this, I really do sound like a sugar baby!

Peyton complained, but her voice was absolutely drowning in happiness.

I stood in the shadows, the blood draining from my face until I was pale as a ghost.

Cameron coughed uncomfortably. Peyton smacked her forehead, looking genuinely sheepish.

Oh my gosh, Im so sorry. I didnt mean to flex on you. She pulled out her phone. Lets add each other on Insta! If you ever have more stuff to sell, let me know!

Cameron reached out to stop her, but Peyton was quick, scanning my QR code before he could interfere.

I dont want to rely on you for everything! she teased him. Im an independent woman!

A sleek black Bentley was idling by the curb. Cameron sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose in defeat.

Can I at least drive the machine back in the car? I dont want to look like an idiot dragging a washing machine down the sidewalk.

When we first moved into our apartment, I had bought all our furniture secondhand. To save the sixty-dollar delivery fee, I had turned away the movers and dragged a solid wood dresser up four flights of stairs by myself.

An idiot. That was what I looked like in his eyes.

I stood paralyzed until the taillights of the Bentley disappeared around the corner. Only then did the oxygen rush back into my lungs.

My phone buzzed. A text from Cameron:

[Its freezing out. Go inside. Well talk tonight.]

I let out a broken, self-deprecating laugh, my hand instinctively coming up to rest over my slightly swollen abdomen.

Cameron loved kids. Just a few days ago, I had been imagining the look on his face when I gave him the ultimate surprise.

Now, it was nothing but a sick, twisted joke.

Even knowing exactly who he was with right now, I impulsively dialed his number.

Ring once. Declined.

Ring twice. Declined.

The third time, it went straight to voicemail. His phone was off.

I looked down and realized my fingernails had bitten so deeply into my palms that they were bleeding.

The cuts were small. But the numbness was spreading, freezing my heart entirely.

I walked upstairs, sat in the dark, and accepted Peytons friend request.

Her Instagram was a shrine to his wealth.

Cameron holding her hand under the Northern Lights in Iceland. Cameron chartering a yacht off a private island to celebrate their anniversary.

In all these places I could never even dream of affording, they were laughing.

It felt like someone had wrapped their hands around my throat. Breathing became a conscious, agonizing effort.

It was past midnight when I finally heard the lock click.

As soon as Cameron stepped inside, he scowled.

Why is it so freezing in here?

Our apartment was technically in the city, but the building was ancient and the radiator was essentially decorative. Everyone else in the building had moved out because of the cold. I was the only one who stayed, purely because the landlord had offered me six months of half-rent to act as the super.

The bedroom door was cracked open. I didnt speak, just exhaled a plume of white breath into the dark.

Cameron walked into the bedroom, grabbed a heavy quilt, and wrapped it tightly around my shoulders without asking.

His voice carried a heavy dose of irritation. Is this how you take care of yourself when Im not here? Natalie, how can I ever stop worrying about you if you act like this?

I shoved him away with everything I had.

Cut the crap. Is it fun for you? Playing make-believe with my life?

My pregnant body felt heavy, and I stumbled backward, barely catching my balance against the wall.

Once upon a time, whenever I got mad at Cameron, he would just smile helplessly, raising his hands in surrender. Im sorry, its my fault. I made my Nat angry. Punish me however you want.

But the Cameron standing in front of me now was ice cold.

How long are you going to make a mountain out of a molehill? he demanded. He paused, his jaw tightening. Peyton is young. She doesnt know how to handle things on her own

Something inside me snapped.

Shes young, so you have to play her billionaire boyfriend and take care of her? I screamed. What about me? How utterly pathetic must I be for you to put on Goodwill clothes and play poor just to make a fool out of me?!

A flash of genuine pain crossed Camerons eyes. He lunged forward, wrapping his arms around me from behind, pinning my arms to my sides.

Nat, please. Calm down!

I fought him with every ounce of strength I had, but I couldn't break his grip.

Dont touch me!

Click.

The half-open front door swung wide.

Peyton stood in the hallway, staring at us, her face pale with absolute disbelief.

What are you doing?

Peyton? Camerons face dropped. He let go of me instantly, his voice dropping an octave. Why are you here?

Tears spilled over Peytons mascara. Are you forgetting you made me share my location with you on my phone? I tracked your AirTag!

She pointed a trembling finger at me. What is this? Did you want me to just stand outside and pretend I didnt see you sleeping with this washed-up hag?!

She lunged forward and shoved me hard in the chest.

I trusted you! I cant believe youre such a desperate slut, trying to seduce my boyfriend!

I stumbled back. Cameron caught my arm, pulling me behind him, and glared at Peyton.

Stop it!

Peyton broke down completely.

Cameron Weston, you liar! You told me you were going to marry me!

She turned and ran sobbing down the stairs.

Cameron instantly moved to chase after her. I grabbed his sleeve.

Wait. I need to tell you something

He ripped his arm out of my grasp.

Let go! Its the middle of the night. What if Peyton gets hurt out there?

He walked out without looking back. The force of his pull spun me around, and I crashed heavily to the floor, the side of my stomach slamming violently into the sharp corner of the coffee table.

A sudden, blinding, tearing agony ripped through my abdomen. I felt a rush of wet heat between my legs.

I brought my trembling hand down. Blood. So much blood.

The piercing pain made the room spin. Fighting unconsciousness, I blindly grabbed my phone and dialed his number.

Cameron please, help me. My stomach hurts so bad

The very last thing I heard before the darkness took me was his impatient sigh through the speaker.

Youre sitting in your own apartment, Nat. What danger could you possibly be in? I just managed to calm Peyton down. Stop throwing a tantrum.

When I opened my eyes, I was staring at the harsh fluorescent ceiling of a hospital room.

It felt as though I had been run over by a freight train. I gritted my teeth and forced myself to sit up.

The baby I rasped. My baby?

The nurse charting my vitals looked at me with a mixture of pity and disdain.

If your neighbor hadn't noticed your door was wide open, youd be in the morgue right now. She sighed, shaking her head. Look, honey, even if you didnt want the kid, there are safe clinics for that. You cant just throw yourself against a table to force a miscarriage.

A high-pitched ringing filled my ears.

Cameron. He killed our baby with his own hands.

Suddenly, my phone on the nightstand started vibrating violently. It was an avalanche of notifications.

[Natalie, youre a homewrecking whore! Youre fired. Dont ever show your face at this firm again.]

[Stealing a college girls boyfriend? You should rot in hell!]

[If you're that desperate for money, go walk the streets, you dirty slut!]

Messages from coworkers. Messages from strangers. Hundreds of them.

Peyton had posted a TikTok and a Reddit thread, doxxing me, painting me as the older, predatory mistress trying to ruin her fairytale.

My body was already hollowed out from the miscarriage. A sharp, physical ache gripped my chest. I doubled over, clutching my hospital gown, unable to hold back a wretched sob.

Right at that moment, Cameron called.

My hands shook as I answered. Cameron we have been together for seven years!

I grew up with nothing. I had worked three jobs in college just to eat.

On the day he confessed his feelings, Cameron had handed me a single bouquet, looking at me with total devotion.

Nat, I know I dont have much right now. But I swear on my life, I will work until my hands bleed to give you a good life. I will never let you suffer.

When we first started dating, we could only afford one pack of instant ramen a night. Cameron would always force the only egg into my bowl.

Now, the line was quiet for a second before his cold voice filtered through.

Peyton is young. She lacks a sense of security. She just posted some things online to vent. Stop making a big deal out of it. He paused. Youre not at the apartment. Where are you?

Years of suppressed exhaustion and grief suddenly erupted. Im in the hospital! I choked out. Our bab

Nat, youre almost thirty. Playing the runaway teenager to get my attention is pathetic.

He cut me off before I could finish the sentence.

His voice was laced with utter boredom. Youve always been tough as nails. You used to work three jobs a day and never caught a cold. There is no way youre suddenly sick. Drop the act.

Peyton is having a breakdown. I need you to come over here and apologize to her.

I stared at the wall, completely paralyzed by disbelief.

Peyton twists the truth to unleash a mob of internet trolls on me, and you want me to apologize?!

Do you want me to just sit here and watch Peyton get cyberbullied into killing herself?! Camerons voice exploded into a roar. When I didn't answer, his tone dropped, turning low and lethal.

Nat. The bill for your mothers private care facility. Im the one paying it.

My heart stopped.

My mother had been gravely ill for years. Last year, she had been in the ICU three times. Seeing me cracking under the pressure, Cameron had supposedly pooled all his savings to move her to a high-end, full-time care facility, covering the massive monthly bills himself.

I had worked myself to the bone, picking up every freelance gig I could find, just so I could pay him back. I wanted our relationship to be equal.

And now, he was using my dying mother as leverage.

An unprecedented wave of exhaustion washed over me. Suddenly, I realized there was absolutely no point in arguing with this stranger anymore.

Through my tears, I nodded to the empty room.

Following the address Cameron texted me, I took a cab to the wealthiest gated community in the city.

The blood loss had left me so weak I could barely stand. I dragged my feet toward the gate, but the security guard blocked my path.

Im Cameron Westons girlfriend, I said, my voice hoarse.

He looked me up and down with obvious suspicion. After making a quick phone call to the mansion, the guard finally opened the gate. He didnt bother hiding his sneer.

Everyone knows Mr. Westons girlfriend is Peyton. Lord, the audacity of side chicks these days. Marching right up to the front door.

When I entered the living room, Cameron was waiting. A satisfied smirk played on his lips.

Be a good girl, and Ill keep covering your mothers medical bills.

He led me to a tripod set up in the center of the room. A phone was already recording live.

Were going to do a quick livestream. You will tell everyone that you were the mistress, and you will apologize to Peyton.

I snapped my head up, glaring at him with pure hatred. Youre telling them Im the mistress?

Peyton walked into the room, letting out a delicate, mocking laugh.

Cameron already went Instagram official with me months ago. If you arent the homewrecker, am I?

Cameron didn't answer my question. He just frowned, shoving a piece of paper into my hands.

Nat. Behave.

Just read from the script. Dont overthink it. Itll be over in a minute.

The paper was filled with lines confessing my jealousy of Peytons youth and beauty, detailing how I had manipulated and seduced Cameron to ruin their perfect relationship.

The moment the livestream started, thousands of viewers flooded in.

The comment section instantly became a blur of vitriol, calling me a slut, a gold digger, a homewrecker.

Peyton stepped into the frame, playing the gracious victim.

Please, everyone, be kind. Shes here to make amends today.

Under the gaze of thousands of strangers, I slowly lifted my head and gave a dead, hollow smile.

My name is Natalie. And I am here today to apologize.

I looked dead into the camera lens.

I apologize for letting this little mistress, Peyton, steal my boyfriend of seven years! I apologize for letting her twist the truth to sic an internet mob on me instead of dragging her through the mud where she belongs!

I apologize for not keeping my mouth shut, and for refusing to play the blind, pathetic doormat!

Cameron lunged forward and killed the stream, but it was too late. The clip had already gone viral.

Within minutes, #[PeytonMistress] was the number one trending topic.

Cameron was so furious he let out a dark, manic laugh.

Nat. You are going to regret this.

He pulled out his phone. Cancel all funding to the Mount Sinai care facility. Immediately.

My pupils dilated in sheer terror. Cutting off that funding meant pulling my mothers life support!

Cameron grabbed my wrist with a bruising grip and dragged me out the door, shoving me into the passenger seat of his car.

Were going to the hospital! Im going to make you watch exactly what your little tantrum costs your mother!

In the car, I broke down. I sobbed, begging him to leave my mother out of this.

Seeing my tears, a flicker of hesitation crossed Camerons eyes. But he hardened his jaw and looked away.

You caused massive damage to Peytons reputation today. You have to pay the price.

He paused, his voice turning into ice. You will get on your knees and bow your head to Peyton. When she decides to forgive you, Ill turn the funding back on.

If you refuse, then you better start planning a funeral.

My entire body shook violently. I bit my lower lip so hard the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.

We arrived at the facility. Under Peytons cruel, triumphant gaze, I slowly bent my knees.

They hit the cold linoleum floor.

Im sorry. I was wrong.

I pressed my forehead to the floor, apologizing mechanically, stripped of every ounce of human dignity.

Once. Twice. Again and again, until the skin on my forehead broke and blood trickled down the bridge of my nose.

Camerons expression softened slightly. His phone rang, and he stepped out into the hallway to take the call, leaving me alone in the room with Peyton.

The moment the door clicked shut, Peytons face contorted into something demonic.

You thought you could fight me for Cameron? This is what you get!

Before I could process her words, she lunged toward my mothers bed. With a vicious yank, she ripped the oxygen tube from my mothers throat and tore the IV line from her arm.

No!

I screamed, scrambling up from the floor to tackle her, but Camerons bodyguards grabbed my arms, slamming me back into the floor.

The heart monitor let out a piercing, continuous alarm. My mothers face rapidly turned a sickening shade of purple.

Her chest stopped moving. Her head lolled to the side.

The last spark of life faded away.

My mother was dead.

I collapsed onto the floor, screaming until my vocal cords tore, crying tears that felt like acid burning my cheeks.

Peyton instantly ripped at her own hair, messing up her clothes, and ran toward the door just as Cameron burst back in.

She threw herself into his chest, sobbing hysterically.

Cam! I was just trying to fix her blanket, and Natalie went crazy! She attacked me! She said I didn't deserve to live...

Camerons face turned murderous. He looked down at me.

Is your pride really worth this much to you, Natalie?! To avoid apologizing to Peyton, youd rather let your own mother die?!

I let out a broken, deranged laugh.

Die? She was murdered! Peyton killed her!

Peyton cried harder, denying everything. Cameron looked at me with absolute disgust, convinced I was just spinning malicious lies.

Youd use your own dead mother as a prop to lie to my face? Since you refuse to repent, then live with the consequences!

He wrapped his arm protectively around Peyton and walked out of the room.

Half an hour later, the official Weston Holdings PR account released a statement.

[Mr. Cameron Westons relationship status has been public for months. Ms. Peyton is his one and only girlfriend.]

[Ms. Natalie suffered severe psychological trauma during her school years, resulting in severe cognitive distortions and paranoid delusions. Everything she stated on the livestream is a fabrication.]

Attached to the statement was a video. Grainy security footage of a teenage girl standing in a high school classroom, an older male teachers hand sliding up her skirt.

A bomb went off in my brain.

In high school, everyone knew I was the poor scholarship kid. A male teacher, knowing I had no money and no parents to protect me, had cornered me in his office.

I had been too terrified to report it. Nobody would have believed me. Nobody would have stood up for me.

That trauma haunted me into college. It gave me crippling anxiety and night terrors. I had almost taken my own life.

Cameron was the one who pulled me out of the dark.

He had held me tightly as I sobbed into his chest, whispering into my hair over and over again, Nat, please dont let a monster ruin your life. It wasnt your fault.

I will stay with you. I will protect you forever.

It was the most shameful, terrifying secret of my life. I had only ever told him.

And he weaponized it. He ripped open my deepest wound, bleeding me dry just to wash his precious Peyton clean in the eyes of the public.

He could go this far for her. There was no bottom.

In the ashes of my ruined life, I smiled softly. I pulled a lighter from my pocket, flicked it, and tossed it onto the synthetic hospital curtains.

Watching the flames roar to life, I turned to the window, opened it, and threw myself out into the void.

Cameron Weston. From this moment on, we are entirely erased.

Meanwhile, a few blocks away, Cameron was walking out of a boutique with Peyton when he noticed a massive plume of black smoke rising into the sky.

A sudden, suffocating sense of dread clamped around his chest. He grabbed a passing pedestrian.

What happened over there?!

The hospital is on fire! I heard someone burned to death on the VIP floor!