We’re supposed to get married in a week. My parents are literally crazy about him! I mean, he’s all good, really, but I feel like he’s not what he seems. To check, I spent a couple of days with him, and he was Mr. Generosity himself, especially in public. But I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t go to extremes, and that’s when things got interesting.

I decided to find out the truth and pretended to be a homeless person begging for help. The horror started when he arrived at the restaurant where I was already waiting for him at the door. At first, everything was as usual, that fake smile again. But as soon as no one was around, he suddenly changed.

“Hey, could you spare some change, please?” I asked, my voice trembling as I tugged on his sleeve.

His face twisted into an expression of pure disdain. “Get away from me, you filthy beggar,” he snarled, shoving me roughly aside. “People like you shouldn’t even be allowed on the streets.”

I stumbled back, my heart pounding in disbelief. This was the same man who had always been so kind and charming in front of others. I watched as he smoothed his hair and plastered on that fake smile before walking into the restaurant.

Tears stung my eyes as I hurried away, ripping off the disguise as soon as I was out of sight. My mind raced, replaying the encounter over and over. How could he be so cruel and heartless when he thought no one was watching?

I needed to see more. I couldn’t make a decision based on one encounter, no matter how damning it seemed. So, I decided to follow him for the next few days, observing his behavior when he didn’t know I was there.

What I saw confirmed my worst fears. He was a different person when he thought no one important was around. He was rude to waitstaff, dismissive of anyone he deemed beneath him, and downright nasty to people he couldn’t gain anything from. The contrast between his public persona and his private behavior was shocking.

On the day we were supposed to meet for lunch with my parents, I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I confronted him as soon as we were alone in the car.

“I can’t do this,” I said, my voice shaking. “I can’t marry someone who treats people so horribly when he thinks no one is watching.”

He looked at me, his eyes cold and calculating. “What are you talking about?” he asked, his tone dripping with insincerity.

“I saw you,” I snapped. “I saw how you treated that homeless person. How you treat people when you think no one is looking. That’s not the man I fell in love with.”

His mask slipped for a moment, revealing the contempt beneath. “You’re overreacting,” he said dismissively. “People like that don’t deserve our kindness. They’re just a drain on society.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. The man I thought I loved was a monster. “I’m calling off the wedding,” I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me. “I can’t be with someone like you.”

He laughed, a cruel, mocking sound. “Good luck finding someone else who will put up with you,” he sneered. “You’re making a huge mistake.”

But as I walked away, I knew I was doing the right thing. It was better to be alone than to be with someone who could be so heartless. My parents were shocked and disappointed, but eventually, they understood.

I learned a valuable lesson from that experience. It’s easy to be fooled by appearances, but true character is revealed when no one is watching. And I would never settle for anything less than genuine kindness and integrity again.