Catfishing My Billionaire Nemesis

My online boyfriend turned out to be a massive fraud. He claimed to be the ultimate billionaire heir—the crown prince of Manhattan’s elite upper crust. Not one to be outdone, I claimed to be Columbia University’s undisputed campus queen. My little lie worked like a charm; it prompted my cyber-sweetheart to either shower my Venmo account with shameless cash drops or send me provocative gym selfies of his eight-pack. I devoured every bit of it. Until two minutes ago. That was when I accidentally discovered that my gentle, attentive online boyfriend and the cold-blooded, sharp-tongued billionaire heir in my real life were, in fact, the exact same person. I sank into a profound existential crisis. "Aren't you supposed to be careful with online dating?" "How on earth did this idiot use his real name?!" 1 I had just stepped inside the velvet-roped entrance of a high-end lounge when my phone buzzed with a text from Xander. [Baby, I have to pull an all-nighter at home editing my thesis tonight,] he wrote. [Be a good girl and get some rest early.] I typed back my usual sweet, obedient response: [Of course, hubby. Going straight to sleep now. Kisses, goodnight!] Because I was far too absorbed in crafting my perfect little lie, I failed to notice the decorative step right in front of me. My heel caught the edge. I lost my balance completely and pitched forward into the air. By pure coincidence, Xander was standing right there. Based on his positioning, he could have effortlessly caught me. He didn't. In fact, he took three deliberate steps backward and watched me face-plant onto the plush carpet like a dying swan. And just like that, Xander—who was supposed to be pulling an all-nighter—and I—who was supposed to be fast asleep in bed—met face-to-face in the middle of a VIP lounge. 2 I opened my mouth to curse him out, but the moment I looked up, I was met with Xander’s ridiculously gorgeous face. Over the months we’d been online dating, he had sent me endless photos of himself—travel shots, workout snaps, even steaming post-shower mirror selfies. I recognized him instantly. Which was why "Hubby~" slipped right out of my mouth. He froze. Once his brain caught up, his features hardened into pure arctic ice. "I’ve seen girls like you a thousand times," he said, his voice dropping an octave. "Touching you makes me sick. Don't pull your pathetic desperate routine on me." Without another word, he walked right past me, casually kicking my dropped handbag out of his path. I was completely stunned. Where was the gentle, devoted boyfriend who called me "baby"? Why was he a cold-hearted, arrogant prick in real life?! It was my best friend, Josie, who finally hauled me up from the floor. She pinched my arm so hard I winced. "Piper, are you out of your mind?!" she hissed under her breath. "Of all the men in the city, you try to flirt with "him"? That’s Xander Ashford! The billionaire heir. Famous for being utterly heartless. He goes to our university! Didn't you know?" Of course I knew who Xander Ashford was. But we were in entirely different departments; I had never seen him in person. When he gave me his real name on the app, I thought he was just being ironic. So, naturally, I gave him my bitter arch-rival's name. After all, who the hell uses their real name while online dating?! 3 Xander’s booth happened to be right next to ours. The moment he sat down, one of his wealthy frat-boy friends started teasing him. "Xander, your mystery girl "still" refuses to meet up? You've been ditching our nights out to hit the gym so hard you're practically breathing fire. It’s one thing that she won't meet you, but she won't even send a real photo? Something’s totally off." "Seriously, bro," another chimed in. "You're dropping Venmo payments, sending abs selfies, giving her everything. Are you sure you didn't fall for a catfish?" Xander knit his brow, picked up a glass of whiskey from the table, and drained it in one shot. "Her name is Serena," he said coldly. "Sophomore, journalism major at our school." "Serena?" Someone gasped. "As in Columbia’s resident brawl queen?" Xander looked up, confused. "What brawl queen?" "Last semester, two girls literally threw hands in the main auditorium over who deserved the campus sweetheart title. Serena was one of them. The forum blew up—everyone called her our first-ever varsity brawl queen." Xander didn't look angry; instead, a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, laced with dark amusement. "Fighting over a crown?" In his head, his online girlfriend was a timid, innocent girl raised in a strict, traditional household. Seeing his skepticism, one of his friends pulled out a phone, scrolling through the university forum. "Yeah, it was huge news. There are still photos up. Honestly though, both girls are absolute smokeshows." Xander stared down at the screen for a long moment. Then, his icy eyes lifted, searching across the lounge until his gaze landed squarely on me. A flash of pure disgust flickered in his eyes. "Her?" he muttered, his voice carrying clearly over the music. "How could she even be compared to Serena? Mid-tier looks, cheap outfit, caked-on makeup. And throwing herself at any guy she sees—zero self-respect." 4 Hearing my online boyfriend’s real-life assessment of me on our very first meeting felt like a lightning strike directly to the chest. Add to that the fact that my legendary brawl with Serena had been dragged back into the light, and the murderous look in Xander's eyes was impossible to miss. If he ever discovered that I was the one who used a fake name to play him... he would annihilate me. I decided to strike first. I had to break up with him right now. 5 Curled up in the shadowy corner of my booth, I pulled out my phone and slid into Xander’s DMs. [Hubby, I can't sleep.] He replied almost instantly: [What's wrong, baby?] [I want to see your abs.] The moment those words sent, the indicator changed: "Typing..." It stayed like that for two full minutes. Finally, Xander replied: [Baby, I'll take a few photos for you tomorrow, okay?] [But I can't sleep tonight... "pouting emoji"] Seeing his hesitation, I pressed harder: [Hubby, is it inconvenient right now? But you said you were at home writing your thesis... Is there someone else with you? Okay, I understand. I wish you two happiness.] Before I could hit send on the guilt-trip finale, Xander sent back two words: [It's convenient.] I let out an accidental, muffled "Huh?" He was currently surrounded by a crowd of admirers at his VIP booth—how on earth was he going to snap a shirtless picture right now? I poked my head out from behind the velvet curtain to peek. Xander’s face was completely unreadable. With total calm, he stood up and said to his friends, "Heading to the restroom." A few minutes later, the photo landed in my inbox. Followed by a text: [Satisfied, baby?] I zoomed in five hundred percent. I tried with all my might to find a flaw, but the lighting, the flex, the lighting—it was utterly flawless. Just as I was trying to come up with my next move, my TikTok feed pushed a viral video of shirtless lumberjacks doing manual labor on a farm. A stroke of absolute genius hit me. I forwarded the video to him. Xander: [?] Me: [Hubby, I want to see a video like this.] Ten minutes passed. Xander still hadn't come out of the restroom. Finally, after an eternity of silence, he squeezed out a few words: [Baby... I really don't know how to do this one.] Perfect. I immediately flipped the switch into full drama-queen mode. [You used to satisfy every request I had. So it really "is" inconvenient, isn't it? I guess online dating really requires caution. Three people in a relationship is just too crowded. Fine. I'm stepping back.] Then, I hit him with the ultimate combo: Block. Delete. 6 Dumping Xander with such a absurd excuse left me feeling profoundly guilty, so I decided to sneak out early and head home. Unfortunately... it was pouring rain outside. The bartender kindly offered to hand me a spare umbrella. But before my fingers could touch it, a long arm reached out from behind me and snatched it out of midair. Xander. He stood there, radiating an aura so icy it could freeze hell over. I swallowed hard and surrendered the umbrella to him. Yet, despite getting his way, he still glared down at me like I owed him millions. Because of the rain, ride-share apps were completely surged. Just as I was losing hope, I spotted an empty yellow cab pulling up to the curb. I broke into a jog through the downpour, reaching out to open the taxi door. Before my hand could touch the handle, a slender, long arm stretched over my shoulder and grabbed the handle first. Xander. "Again!" I gave him the umbrella, and now he was stealing my cab?! Standing there soaked to the bone, my patience snapped. I turned on him and barked, "Bro! I already let you have the umbrella! I hailed this cab first!" Seeing that his grip on the handle didn't loosen, I sneered, "Can't you show a single grain of chivalry? I'm standing in the freezing rain!" Because of our height difference, standing close to him meant I was technically shielded under his umbrella. He tilted his head down and let out a cold, sharp chuckle. That smile was more terrifying than a failing grade on a mid-term. He took a slow, deliberate step backward, exposing me entirely to the pouring rain, before speaking in a low, smooth drawl: "Are you my girlfriend?" "No." "Are we legally bound?" "No." "Then I have neither the responsibility nor the obligation to be gentlemanly to you." He paused, his dark eyes glinting with ruthless indifference. "Now, if you'll excuse me, miss, you're blocking my door." I was so speechless I felt my soul leave my body. I could only watch in sheer disbelief as he stole my taxi. To make matters worse, right before he stepped inside, he deliberately shook the excess rain off his umbrella—splashing a fresh wave of water all over my clothes. Fine. "Fine." This war was officially declared. 7 After cutting ties with Xander, my life returned to its usual boring rhythm. My days consisted of scrolling through attractive guys on TikTok or reading drama threads on Reddit. So, when my department announced a weekend mixer, I signed up without a second thought. However, the moment I arrived at the venue, my jaw dropped. Xander was there. We weren't even in the same class, let alone the same major. Why the hell was he here?! While I was spiraling in confusion, Josie dragged me into a quiet corner, her eyes wide with shock. "Piper! Major news! Game-changing news!" "Did my ex get hit by a car?" "I wish, but no." "Did "your" ex get hit by a car?" Josie laughed. "No! It's the billionaire prince himself—Xander Ashford! According to my sources, his family owns this entire lounge complex. Not only did he waive the venue fee for our class, but he's also covering the entire bar tab!" She leaned in, dropping her voice. "Guess why?" "My guess... he has a brain tumor?" "Ha! No! He's trying to win over Serena!" My heart instantly leaped into my throat. "Isn't a guy like him supposed to have women throwing themselves at him by the dozens?! Why is he so ridiculously obsessed with finding his online ex?!" My gut instinct screamed at me to run. I hadn't even taken two steps toward the exit when Serena walked through the front doors. The moment Xander spotted Serena, he immediately stood up and began walking toward her. Scared out of my mind, I executed a sharp U-turn, rushed over, and threw my arms around Serena’s elbow, putting on the most sickeningly sweet voice I could muster: "Babe! You're finally here! Was traffic terrible?" Serena knitted her brows, looking at me like I had lost my mind. "Piper, did you take the wrong medication today?" "Babe, what are you saying? I haven't seen you all summer—I missed you so much!" Not just Serena, but our entire class stood there with their jaws on the floor, stunned by my sudden, groveling affection. I physically dragged Serena to a booth, positioning my body so I completely shielded her from Xander’s line of sight. Josie nudged my elbow from the side, whispering, "Piper... do you owe Serena money or something? I have a little savings—do you need me to pay her off for you?" I looked at Josie, shook my head slowly, and let out a tragic sigh. 8 Once everyone arrived, our class president suggested a game of "Never Have I Ever" to loosen things up. At first, the prompts were mild and boring. When it was Xander's turn, he swirled the ice in his glass and said casually, "Never have I ever... dated someone online." His eyes locked onto Serena's hands. Just as Serena was about to put a finger down, I reached out and clamped my hand over her wrist. "Why are you putting a finger down? You've never done online dating!" "When did I say I didn't?" Serena snapped. "I had a pen pal in middle school!" "He said "online dating"!" "I never met my pen pal in person, and you never meet an online date—it's the exact same thing!" Serena pondered this for a second, decided my logic made sense, and kept her finger up. Immediately after, Xander dropped another line, his voice dropping an octave: "Never have I ever... been dumped by an online partner." The entire lounge erupted. "Someone actually dumped "Xander Ashford"?!" "Who had the audacity?!" While the room buzzed with gossip, Xander and I both had our eyes pinned directly on Serena. Serena hesitated, her finger hovering. I panicked again. "When were "you" ever dumped by an online partner?!" Serena stared at me, exasperated. "Didn't you just say pen pals count? In tenth grade, my pen pal suddenly stopped writing back. That counts as being dumped!" "That doesn't count! They didn't explicitly reject you! Put your finger down!" Serena gave me a skeptical look, but finally put her finger down. My heart finally settled back into my chest. 9 When the mixer ended, most people were thoroughly buzzed, Serena included. Xander stepped up and offered to drive her home. Left with no choice, I swallowed my pride, put on a thick skin, and shoved my way into the backseat. "Serena and I live super close to each other. Mind dropping me off too?" Before Xander could refuse, I slammed the passenger door and settled into the leather seat. Xander’s face turned completely storm-cloud gray. With a giant, unbothered third wheel sitting in the back, the tension inside the luxury SUV was suffocatingly cold. When we reached Serena's apartment, Xander merely offered a gentle, "See you next time." Once Serena stepped out and closed the door, the SUV surged forward, speeding up toward the northern hills. I cleared my throat, offering a polite reminder: "Mr. Ashford, you can just drop me off at the next intersection." He didn't listen. He kept driving until we reached the dark, deserted lookout at the peak of North Hill, where he finally slammed on the brakes. "Get out." His voice was terrifyingly cold. I checked my watch. It was past eleven at night. Public transport had stopped, and getting stranded up here alone was genuinely dangerous. I offered a strained smile. "Mr. Ashford... leaving a defenseless girl up on a dark mountain in the middle of the night isn't very gentlemanly, is it?" He stepped out of the car, yanked open the rear door, and physically hauled me out by my arm. I tried to struggle, attempting to slide back inside, but he slammed the heavy door shut—nearly crushing my fingers in the process. Leaning back against the driver’s side door, he stared down at me with lethal indifference. "The person I was dating online... was you, wasn't it?" My brain exploded into static. Seeing my absolute silence, he continued, his tone sharp as a razor: "You went out of your way to block me from getting near Serena because you were terrified I'd figure it out. Don't worry. I won't tell a soul about this." He took a step closer, his shadow engulfing me. "But if "you" let anyone else find out... I will make your life a living hell." He paused, a cruel smirk touching his lips. "And for the record: the only girl I ever intended to pursue was the real heiress of the family—Serena. Don't go filling your head with pathetic fantasies about me." Faced with his brutal honesty, I threw away my polite mask. "Rest assured, Mr. Ashford," I said, looking him dead in the eye. "I guarantee no third person will ever hear about our online fling. I also guarantee I won't waste a single second hallucinating about you." I took a breath, stepping right into his personal space. "Equally, if "you" let anyone else find out about our past... I will make "your" life a living hell. For instance... I might just broadcast your entire collection of shirtless abs photos to the university's main forum." Xander’s jaw clenched so hard I heard his back teeth grind.