Betrayal in Plain Sight

I couldn’t help but laugh at her words. Seeing that I wasn’t scared and instead looked confident, Tiana’s face twisted in anger.

She raised her voice, shouting, “The guy in the photo is my boyfriend! Lily is just some student whose scholarship my boyfriend funded! I never thought she’d be so shameless as to claim my boyfriend is her fiancé!”

Her loud, shrill voice gave me a headache, and I snapped, “What nonsense are you spouting? He’s my fiancé! When did he become your boyfriend? Stop dreaming. You owe me an apology, or else–”

Tiana cut me off with a sneer. “You? A pathetic scholarship girl, asking your sponsor to apologize? Know your place!”

Then, she proudly pulled out a photo from her phone. “This is a picture of me and my boyfriend in the Maldives. How are you going to deny it now?”

I stared at the picture, stunned. Tiana’s boyfriend looked exactly like my fiancé.

Our classmates started giving me puzzled looks, and I was so shocked I couldn’t say a word. Could two people really look this much alike?

I racked my brain, but no, Matt didn’t have any brothers. And even if he did, what were the odds of something this coincidental happening?

Tiana’s smug face stared back at me, and at that moment, it felt like I’d been struck by lightning. There was only one explanation: that was Matt. Matt, who was supposedly in a committed relationship with me, was also involved with Tiana.

I couldn’t wrap my head around how someone who needed my financial support to even finish college could betray me like that.

As the realization hit me, I felt my blood rush to my head. I wanted to call Matt right then and there and demand an explanation.

Seeing my pale face and trembling hands, Tiana laughed even louder. “Lily, I was trying to be nice and spare you the embarrassment, but you really don’t know how to take a hint! I’ve known my boyfriend since we were kids! Don’t you think I know him better than anyone? Why do you think he always kept his distance from you at school? It’s because of me! I’m the real girlfriend!

“And what’s this about being engaged? Have you lost your mind? He’s from a rich family! Do you really think he’d marry someone like you, who needs financial aid and scholarship to get through college?

“He’s just been playing around with you. Did you really think you’d become some rich guy’s wife? Ha! Whatever you’ve spent of my boyfriend’s money, you better pay it all back today!”

After finishing her rant at me, Tiana turned to the other students and added, “Do you understand now? That ‘perfect student’ you all talk about is nothing but an ungrateful scholarship girl and a shameless homewrecker!”

Shocked, everyone exchanged confused glances and murmured among themselves.

“I mean, how could someone pretend to be a rich heiress?”

“Do you think Lily’s actually a homewrecker? That’s way too much…”

Her words ignited the fire, and a few of Tiana’s friends jumped in, hurling insults at me.

“What are you trying to pull, acting like some rich girl in front of us? Now we know the truth!”

“You’re always acting all modest and humble, but you’re just a poor girl!”

“There’s nothing wrong with being on financial aid, but spending someone else’s money like it’s your own and talking about being engaged? That’s just disgusting!”

With each cruel comment, my fists clenched tighter. My face was burning with embarrassment.

Tiana walked up to me and tugged at my clothes, sneering before spitting out, “You can drop the act now. Go ahead. Get on your knees and apologize. If you do a good job, maybe I’ll help you keep this from my boyfriend and stop you from getting expelled.”