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?

Ethan’s Return

My phone buzzed. Text from my sister asking how it went. I told her Bruce wanted space. She said that was probably smart even though it sucked. I agreed.

The next 3 days passed slowly. Work felt strange. Normal tasks seemed pointless. I kept checking my phone. No messages from Bruce. Plenty from blocked numbers that were probably Ethan. I deleted them without looking.

Friday night someone knocked on my door hard. Repeated. I looked through the peephole. Ethan stood there swaying. His shirt was wrinkled, hair messy. He knocked again.

I opened the door with the chain still on. He stank like whiskey. His eyes were red. He started talking fast, saying he made a mistake, a huge mistake. He loved me, always loved me. Khloe meant nothing, just a stupid fling. He wanted to come home, wanted to fix everything.

I stared at him. This man I spent two years with. Who called me boring and stupid to my best friend. Who spent 8 months lying to my face. He reached for the door, tried to push it open. The chain held.

I told him no. He said please. Said he lost everything. Lost his job, lost his apartment, had nowhere to go. I said that wasn’t my problem. He said I was being cruel.

I laughed. Actually laughed. Told him cruel was mocking me in my own bedroom. Cruel was eight months of lies. Cruel was making me cook dinner while he played footsie with Khloe under my table.

Ethan started crying real tears running down his face. He said he was sorry. So sorry. He made a terrible mistake.

I said his mistake lasted 8 months. That’s not a mistake, that’s a choice.

He kept begging, getting louder. I pulled out my phone, called Lucas. He answered on the second ring. I told him to come get Ethan. He was drunk at my door. Lucas said he’d be right there, 10 minutes tops.

Ethan heard me, started yelling that he didn’t need Lucas, didn’t need anyone, just needed me to forgive him. I closed the door, locked it. Ethan kept knocking, kept talking through the door. Saying he changed. He was different now. He understood what he lost.

I sat on the couch, listened to him ramble.

15 minutes later Lucas knocked. Different knock, calmer. I opened the door. Lucas stood there looking embarrassed. Ethan was slumped against the wall. Lucas grabbed Ethan’s arm, pulled him up. Ethan tried to shake him off. Lucas held firm.

He looked at me, said he was sorry again. He didn’t know about the affair until Thanksgiving. Didn’t know Ethan was lying about work. I told him it wasn’t his fault.

Lucas nodded. Then he said something else. Said Ethan lost his job 3 weeks ago. Called in sick too many times, always on days he was meeting Khloe. The company fired him for excessive absences.

I felt something cold settle in my chest. Good. There were consequences. Real ones.

Lucas dragged Ethan toward the stairs. Ethan looked back at me. His face was a mess, tears and snot. He said he loved me. I closed the door.

Unexpected Support

The next morning my mom called, asked if I wanted to come for dinner. Just family. I said yes. Showed up at 6:00. My dad hugged me at the door. Mom had made pot roast, my favorite.

We sat at the table, made small talk about work, about my sister’s new job, about their neighbors’ annoying dog. Then mom asked about Bruce. Her voice was gentle, careful. She said they were worried. Worried I was getting hurt again.

I set down my fork. Told them Bruce was a good man. A really good man. He got caught in my revenge plan. He didn’t deserve that. I was trying to give him space, let him decide what he wanted.

Dad asked if I wanted Bruce to choose me. I said yes. More than I expected to.

Mom reached across the table, squeezed my hand. Said, “Sometimes good things come from messy situations. Sometimes we have to work through the mess to find what’s real.”

I nodded. Dad said Bruce seemed like a decent guy at Thanksgiving before everything exploded. Said he saw how Bruce looked at me, like I mattered. I felt tears start, pushed them back. Mom said they’d support whatever I decided. Whatever happened with Bruce, they just wanted me to be happy. Actually happy. Not settling for someone who treated me like I was convenient.

We finished dinner. I helped with dishes. Drove home feeling lighter, less alone.