My Boyfriend And Best Friend Thought They Could Mock Me Behind My Back. So, I Decided To Become My Best Friend’s Stepmom. Was This Too Far?

The Fallout

Ethan’s mother stood up so fast her chair tipped backward. She pointed at Ethan and her voice came out sharp. She told him to pack his things and get out of this apartment. She said they didn’t raise him to be this cruel.

Ethan’s father nodded and said this behavior was unacceptable. Ethan looked at his mother with wide eyes. He started to say something but she cut him off. She said she was ashamed and disappointed.

Ethan turned to look at Khloe on the couch. Khloe had her face in her hands and wasn’t looking at anyone. She was still crying. Ethan stepped toward her but she didn’t move. He called her name but she didn’t respond.

Bruce was still in the kitchen and I could hear him breathing hard. Ethan’s father walked over and grabbed his son’s arm. He told him to go pack a bag right now.

Ethan pulled his arm away and said, “We should all calm down.”

My dad stood up and told Ethan to do what his parents said. The room felt too small with everyone standing. My mom came over and put her arms around me. She hugged me tight and said she was proud of me. She said I was brave for standing up for myself.

Her words should have felt good but they didn’t. I felt empty inside like I’d won something but lost more. My sister stood next to me with her arms crossed. She glared at Ethan the whole time.

Bruce walked back from the kitchen. His face looked different—older somehow, tired. He stopped a few feet away from me and just looked at me. His eyes had this hurt in them that made my chest tight.

He asked me quietly if any of our time together was real. His voice cracked on the word real. Everyone in the room went silent. Even Khloe stopped crying for a second.

I tried to find the right words. I told him it started as revenge. I admitted that. But I said it became real. I said my feelings for him were genuine now. I said I cared about him.

Bruce shook his head slowly. He looked down at the floor. He said he needed time to think. He said he needed to figure out if he could trust anything between us. He turned and walked toward the door.

Khloe jumped up from the couch. She called out to him.

She said, “Dad, please wait.”

But Bruce didn’t stop. He didn’t even look at her. He just opened the door and left. The sound of it closing felt final.

Collateral Damage

Khloe stood there staring at the closed door. Then she spun around and looked at me. Her face changed from sad to angry in seconds. She screamed that I destroyed her relationship with her father. Her voice was loud and raw. She said I had no right to use him like that.

Something hot flared up in my chest. I yelled back that she destroyed our 10-year friendship. I said she slept with my boyfriend and laughed about how stupid I was. I said she sat at my table and ate my food while lying to my face. Khloe’s mouth opened but nothing came out.

My sister moved closer to me. Ethan took a step toward us. He said we should talk privately. He said we could work this out.

My sister moved fast. She got between Ethan and me. She told him to get out. She said he needed to leave my apartment right now.

Ethan’s mother grabbed his other arm. She told him to go pack his things. She said he could stay with them tonight. Ethan’s father went with them to the bedroom. I could hear drawers opening, things being thrown into a bag.

Ethan’s mother looked at me. She said she was sorry. She said she had no idea her son was capable of this. She looked like she might cry. My mom kept her arm around me. Khloe stood in the middle of the room. She looked lost, like she didn’t know what to do.

Ethan came back out with a duffel bag. His dad had another bag. Ethan tried to catch my eye but I looked away. His parents pushed him toward the door. He said my name once, quiet, but I didn’t respond. The door closed behind them.

Khloe looked at me one more time. Her face was red and wet. She opened her mouth like she wanted to say something, then she just shook her head and left too.

The apartment got quiet. Just me, my parents, and my sister. My legs felt weak. I sat down on the couch where Khloe had been sitting. The wine stain on the carpet looked dark. My mom sat next to me. My dad stood near the kitchen. My sister locked the door.

Then it all hit me at once. The revenge didn’t feel good. It felt hollow. I started crying—not pretty crying, ugly sobbing that shook my whole body.

My sister sat on my other side. She put her arm around me. I told them I cared about Bruce. I said I genuinely cared about him. I said I hated that I hurt him. My mom rubbed my back. My sister held me tighter. I cried until my throat hurt, until my eyes burned.

The Thanksgiving food sat on the counter getting cold. Nobody had eaten anything.