My girlfriend tried to sell my rare comic book collection to fund her secret double life

Throwaway because my friends follow my main.

I (30M) have been with my girlfriend 'Chloe' (29F) for four years. We live together in a small but cozy apartment. I work a decent job and she was supposedly working from home as a 'freelance graphic designer'.

My passion is collecting rare comic books. I've spent years building a collection that's worth a significant amount of money. We're talking six figures easily. I have a special, secured cabinet for them and Chloe knows how much they mean to me. She's always been supportive or at least pretended to be.

About a month ago I noticed some of my most valuable books seemed a little off. Like someone had handled them without care or maybe even moved them around. I brushed it off thinking I was being paranoid.

Then I got an email from a prominent comic book auction house. They recognized my name from some past dealings. The email said they had received a submission from a 'Chloe M' offering several high-value books from my collection for auction. They asked if I was aware of this and if I had given my consent.

My heart sank. I knew immediately what was happening. I called the auction house pretending to be incredibly confused and asked for more details. They told me she had set up an account under a fake last name and was trying to sell my most prized possessions. They also mentioned she had been pushing for a quick sale saying she needed the money urgently for a 'family emergency'.

I confronted her that night. She initially denied everything. Said it was a misunderstanding or a scam. But I had the email. I showed her the detailed list of books she tried to sell. She broke down eventually.

Turns out she wasn't really a freelance graphic designer. She had maxed out several credit cards living a lavish secret life. Fancy dinners trips shopping sprees that I knew nothing about. She was trying to sell my comics to pay off her massive debt and keep up appearances.

I kicked her out that night. She begged and pleaded. Said she was desperate and that she loved me. But how do you come back from someone trying to steal your life's passion to fund their lies?

I'm still reeling from this. It's not just the attempted theft it's the sheer betrayal. The thought that she was capable of such a cold calculated act behind my back. My trust is shattered. I'm just glad the auction house caught it. I could have lost everything.