When a Beautiful Stranger Offered Me $500 to Be Her Fake Boyfriend, I Said Yes—And Almost Lost Everything

When a stunning stranger offered me $500 to pretend to be her boyfriend for just three hours, I thought I’d stumbled onto the easiest money of my life. But I had no idea that saying “yes” would entangle me in a web of lies, manipulation, and emotional chaos that nearly destroyed everything I had worked so hard to build.

My name is Anthony, and up until about six months ago, I genuinely believed I had life all figured out.

I was 32, single, and laser-focused on my career. I had a decent job at a mid-sized marketing firm in the city, a modest apartment in a safe neighborhood, and just enough financial breathing room to support my elderly mother. She’d given up her entire life to raise me alone after my father walked out when I was 12. Supporting her wasn’t a burden—it was a promise.

Most of my peers were getting married, buying homes, or posting family pictures on social media. I, on the other hand, was waking up at 6 a.m., grabbing a black coffee, and diving headfirst into campaigns, proposals, and deadlines. My apartment was quiet. My evenings, predictable. My weekends, productive.

Every now and then, my coworkers would try to drag me out for happy hour.

“You need to loosen up, Anthony,” Jake, my office buddy, would say. “You’re not 50. When’s the last time you even went on a date?”

I’d usually just smirk and shake my head. It wasn’t that I didn’t want companionship—I just didn’t have time for distractions. Between work stress and managing Mom’s medical bills, dating felt like a luxury I couldn’t afford. And frankly, I didn’t miss the drama that often came with relationships.

I was building something stable—something real. And I thought I was doing just fine.

In fact, my boss, David, had recently taken me aside and mentioned that a management position was likely opening up. That single conversation became my driving force. It fueled every late night and early morning. I was going to secure our future, mine and Mom’s.

Then came that fateful Saturday afternoon.

I was at my favorite café downtown, a little hideaway with good espresso and free Wi-Fi. I was reading up on the latest digital marketing trends and savoring my one day off. The air smelled like cinnamon and fresh coffee, and for once, I was truly relaxed.

Until Meredith walked in.

She was the kind of woman you couldn’t ignore—even if you tried. Long auburn hair, striking green eyes, and a confidence that practically radiated from her. Before I knew what was happening, she was sliding into the seat across from me like we were old friends.

“Hi, I’m Meredith,” she said smoothly. “Want to earn $500 for three hours of your time?”

I nearly spilled my coffee. I blinked at her, trying to decide if I was dreaming, being pranked, or just incredibly unlucky.

“I’m sorry, what?” I asked, my voice barely steady.

“I need a fake boyfriend,” she said, dead serious. “Just for lunch with my parents. Three hours. Cash.”

It was bizarre—something straight out of a romantic comedy. She explained that her father was pressuring her to settle down, and she’d told him she was already in a relationship. The guy who was supposed to play the part had bailed, and now she needed a last-minute stand-in.

Part of me wanted to laugh and walk away. The other part—especially the part that remembered my mom’s overdue physical therapy bills—listened.

Meredith leaned forward, smiling. “I picked you because you look the part—clean-cut, responsible, someone my parents would believe. And frankly, you seem like someone I can trust.”

Flattery and $500? My practical side battled my instincts, but in the end, I said yes.

“I’ll do it. Just this once.”

“Perfect,” she grinned. “Lunch is in an hour. Let’s walk there together—it’ll help us seem more natural.”

As we made our way to the restaurant, I tried to calm the alarm bells in my head. Meredith was charming, chatty, and effortlessly confident. But something about her felt... unpredictable. Still, I figured I could get through one lunch.

What I didn’t expect was that her father would be David—my boss. The CEO of the very company I worked for.

The moment I saw him at the table, my heart plummeted. Meredith didn’t seem to notice. She introduced me with a glowing smile, completely oblivious to the professional hell she’d just dropped me into.

The next hour was the longest of my life.

David didn’t ask me about Meredith’s favorite color or how we met. Instead, he grilled me about quarterly reports and campaign projections. Meredith’s mother, meanwhile, beamed at me like I was a future son-in-law.

And then, as if I wasn’t already on the verge of a breakdown, David raised his glass and said, “If you hurt my little girl, Anthony, you’ll never work in this industry again. I’ll personally make sure of it.”

I laughed nervously, but inside, I was in freefall.

After lunch, Meredith suggested a “romantic walk,” but the second we were alone, I turned to her.

“You have to tell your dad the truth,” I said. “This could ruin me. I’m responsible for my mother. I can’t afford this risk.”

She looked unfazed. “It’s just one lunch. What’s the big deal?”

“No, I’m out,” I said. “We’re done.”

She smiled coyly. “See you at dinner next week.”

And just like that, I realized this wasn’t a one-time favor. It was a trap.

She called again—this time inviting me to her parents’ house for dinner. I wanted to refuse, but her father’s threat echoed in my mind. What if she twisted the story and painted me as the villain? What if I lost everything?

So I went.

Dinner was even more surreal than lunch. Meredith clung to my arm, David gave veiled warnings, and I felt like a prisoner pretending to be in love. Afterward, I offered to drive Meredith home and used the ride to beg her to let me go.

That’s when she said the words that chilled me: “You’re already in this deep. And if you say anything to my dad, I’ll make sure he thinks you were stalking me. Who do you think he’ll believe—his daughter or some employee?”

She didn’t know I was recording everything on my phone.

The next morning, I walked into David’s office and told him everything—how I’d met Meredith, how I had no idea she was his daughter, and how I’d felt manipulated into playing a role I never signed up for.

Then I played him the recording.

I braced myself for the worst.

Instead, David burst out laughing.

“You’re not the first guy she’s done this to,” he said. “Her mother still hasn’t accepted that Meredith prefers women, so she brings home fake boyfriends to avoid the confrontation.”

I stared at him, stunned.

“I’ve known for years,” he continued. “I just didn’t realize she was threatening people now. Thank you for telling me.”

He stood and walked me to the door. “Delete the recording, Anthony. This conversation never happened.”

I nodded, pulled out my phone, and deleted it in front of him.

(What I didn’t say was that I’d already saved a backup on my laptop.)

A week later, I got the promotion. A month after that, I had my own team.

Meredith never called again. I heard through the grapevine that her parents finally had the conversation they’d avoided for years, and Meredith stopped the fake boyfriend charade altogether.

Sometimes I still think about that wild month. That $500 nearly cost me everything—but in the end, standing up for myself was the best decision I ever made.

And Mom? She's thriving—her medical care is covered, and for the first time in a long while, we both feel safe.

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