The Boyfriend Who Faked a Business Trip Lives Next Door with the Fake Heiress Chapter 01

The Boyfriend Who Faked a Business Trip Lives Next Door with the Fake Heiress Chapter 01

Vi was the fake heiress who’d taken everything from me.

When I had nothing left, my boyfriend appeared like a savior.

Turns out the love I thought I’d found was nothing but a setup.

Under the real estate agent’s judgmental stare, my throat closed up. I couldn’t get a word out.

For five years, I’d squeezed every dollar just to afford a ten-square-meter dive with no toilet and no shower. I pinched pennies on gas so hard I washed my hair under an outdoor spigot with freezing water—while he and Violet Gray lived it up in the mansion right across the street.

Every bit of cold I’d stockpiled over five years hit me at once. I couldn’t stop shaking.

A woman’s voice, dripping with laughter, cut through. Violet.

“Pay up, Donovan. Wear that dress I like tonight. It’s my birthday—you’re staying in.”

More hooting from the phone.

“Donovan’s gonna be a happy man tonight!”

“He earned it! Everyone knows Donovan only has eyes for Lady Gray. Not only did he buy her that villa outright, he designed the whole interior himself. He even flew overseas to pick out the doormat!”

The chatter went on and on like a swarm of rats, gnawing hole after hole right through my heart.

Donovan’s eyes and brows were all smiles. He cut them off. “Alright, Vi. Wait for me at home. I’ll be back tonight.”

Home. To him, going to Violet meant going home.

I dropped my head. Tears hit the floor. “Why?”

My voice came out soft, swallowed up by another wave of laughter.

Donovan didn’t hear me—of course not. He turned to leave.

Something snapped. I screamed at him, hysterical: “Donovan Black! Why?! What the hell about me was worth five years of this act?!”

By the end, I was sobbing: “Give me back my money…”

The world went quiet for a second. Then Violet’s voice, light and amused: “It’s only thirty grand. So stingy. No wonder your parents thought you weren’t good enough for the family.”

“Donovan threw in another hundred K on top of that. Bought me a bag.”

Careless. Ostentatious. Just like every other time she’d stolen something from me.

Donovan snorted. “Lady Gray, would you quit already?”

“Every time you make her cry, I have to play cleanup for ages. Cut me some slack, yeah?”

With that, he put an arm around me and dabbed at my tears.

“Easy, Clara. I’ll explain everything later. You head home tonight, and tomorrow your man will buy you a villa, alright?”

Gentle touch. Soft voice. Same as every other time he’d ever comforted me.

Now it just made me sick.

I slapped his hand away and choked out: “Donovan, you’ve been lying to me for five years. And you’re still playing the devoted boyfriend?”

“Family, money, love—I’ve got nothing left. Can’t you just leave me alone?”

For a second, Donovan looked caught off guard.

Five years of long distance, and I’d been the most understanding girlfriend you could ask for. He knew if he sweet-talked me, I’d always forgive him—because he was the one who’d pulled me out of despair.

Even if he’d only come back ten times in five years. Even if he left my messages on read for days.

But this time, he’d shoved me into an even deeper abyss. The heart he’d patched up with nothing but lies? He’d just smashed it to pieces himself.

Donovan started to speak, but Violet cut him off with a cold laugh.

“Donovan’s so full of sentiment. Anyone’d think she was actually your girlfriend.”

“News flash: it’s my birthday. I want that five-thousand-dollar Black Swan cake. And you’re getting it yourself.”

Donovan sighed, exasperated, then turned. “You do realize you have to order that thing two hours in advance in person, right? You really know how to put me out.”

He glanced back at me. “Clara, just grab a cab home.”

And with that, he strode out.

He forgot we were in the middle of nowhere. Good luck hailing a cab. Oh, and it was pouring rain.

The real estate agent, who’d been too scared to say a word, finally croaked: “Ms. Gray… you still want the place?”

I looked at the apartment in front of me.

A thirty-square-meter fixer-upper. Small, but it had everything—a real kitchen, a real bathroom.

For five years, I’d dreamed of this. Sucked the marrow out of my own bones trying to afford it. A new home. A future. Our future.

Probably smaller than his guest bathroom.

I tried to smile. “Forget it.”

The house and Donovan Black—both way out of my league.

The agent muttered something nasty and walked off.

By the door sat my umbrella. The one I’d brought. Bought at a flea market, half-broken.

I never threw it away. It was the first birthday gift Donovan ever gave me.

In my memory, he was all smiles, holding it over my head.

He’d said: “From now on, I’ll be the one keeping the rain off Clara.”

I looked at that umbrella one last time. Then I walked out into the downpour.

Three hours. Countless falls. Somehow, I made it back to my miserable little shack.

Violet’s laugh rang out behind me. “Clara Gray. You look like a lost freaking puppy.”

I turned. There she was in her designer gown, holding a black shopping bag, with Donovan holding an umbrella over her.

Me? I was soaked to the bone, covered in mud and gutter water. A complete disaster.

On instinct, I turned away. I didn’t want to see them.

Donovan’s brow furrowed. “Vi, don’t be so cruel. It’s her birthday, too.”

Violet shot him a look, then threw the bag right in my face.

The smell of奶油 exploded everywhere. My face instantly broke out in red welts.

Donovan dropped the umbrella on instinct and caught me. “She’s allergic to cream!”

Violet huffed. “What, you never bought her a birthday cake, so I’m the bad guy for throwing her a scrap?”

She spun on her heel and stormed off.

Donovan guided me inside, put water on to boil, and got my meds ready. I’ve always had bad allergies—he used to carry antihistamines everywhere.

I turned my head away, tears burning. “Don’t pretend you care.”

He started to answer, but his phone blared: “Donovan, get back here now! Lady Gray just announced she’s gonna go sleep with the first rando she finds!”

His hand jerked. Boiling water splashed all over me.

My skin went red and blistered instantly. He didn’t even notice. He just took off running, shouting into the phone:

“I’m on my way! Don’t let her do anything stupid!”

I watched him go, dazed.

So Donovan could lose his cool. I just hadn’t been the one to make it happen.

I picked up the pills he’d dropped. The expiration date was four years ago.