Sometimes, the people we think we know and trust, are the very people who stab us in the back and use us. It is often easy to see, and that is what makes users and manipulators so good at what they do. Just like in our story today which was inspired by the readers at AmoMama. Unfortunately, it often takes something extreme to make us realize the truth. And, as much as it may hurt, it is needed to move on with our lives and to break free.
Cousins
Stephanie did not care for her cousin Carol. She pretended, but deep inside, she loathed and envied her greatly. Stephanie hated that Carol was wealthy and had nice things, clothing and went to a fancy university. You see, Carol’s mother had married a rich man, while Stephanie’s parents were not very well off. This made Steph even more bitter and jealous of her cousin.
Despite her dislike for Carol, Steph used her cousin. She would not dare let her know how she really felt. She instead took full advantage of Carol’s money and social stature. Being her friend meant getting to wear her clothing, attending the coolest parties, and mingling with the “in” crowd. She would far rather pretend and get to drive around in Carols Mercedes’s than in her old little Toyota. Unfortunately, Carol had no idea how Steph really felt about her. She thought they were best friends.
The Boy
Carol was in love with her high school sweetheart. His name was Max, and he had been studying abroad for some time now. Upon learning that he was retiring to their hometown, she and Max had started rekindling their romance. She was excited to see him again and was head over heels.
One afternoon while the two cousins were getting ready to go to a party, Carol told Steph about Max. Carol asked why she had never mentioned him before, and Carol explained that she was embarrassed in case things did not work out. She told Steph that he was going to be at the party that evening. Looking at his social media, Carol thought about how perfect he would be for her instead. A wealthy man with old family money, a degree, and a fancy BMW.
Steph put on one of Carol’s dresses and used her make-up and shoes. She planned to make everyone’s heads turn, and if things went how she fantasized in her mind, even Max’s eyes would be on her instead of Carol. Eventually, both girls were ready and they decided to head to the party.
The Party
As usual, Steph jumped into the driver’s seat of Carol’s car. Carol thought nothing of it, but really, all Steph wanted was for people in the parking lot to think she owed it. They made their way to Carol’s friend’s house party, and Carol continued to gush about Max and how excited she was to finally see him after so many years. Steph smiled and pretended to be happy for her cousin, but she had other plans. As planned, everyone who was outside looked at the car, and yes, they all thought Steph owned it. Carol had no interest in being cool, so did not even notice or realize what her cousin was doing.
The two walked into the party, and everyone stopped and looked, Carol was in a basic black dress, so everyone was staring at Steph in the sparkly pink dress she had chosen from her cousin’s wardrobe. Steph spotted her cousin’s love interest right away, and while Carol chatted to her friends, she snuck off to introduce herself to Max.
The Thief
There were so many people at the party and Carol was so occupied by her friends that she did not even notice or see Steph disappear. Meanwhile, Steph was chatting up Max and having tequila shots with him. They started dancing and Stephanie pulled out all the stops to impress Max. It worked, and he grabbed her and kissed her. At that moment, Carol spotted them through the crowd, kissing deeply. Through the corner of her eye, Steph could see that Carol had seen them. She watched her cousin burst into tears and leave the party. Of course, she pretended not to notice and continued kissing Max.
As planned, Stephanie ended up leaving with Max, since her cousin had left her there. The next morning, Steph messaged Carol to ask where she had gone, obviously acting like she had no idea what she’d done wrong. Sadly, Carol believed her and decided that Max had just lost interest. She had no idea that her cousin would continue to peruse him either, nor that she was still in his bed while she was texting her!
The Engagement
After that party, Carol wondered why Steph was so distant. Often she would come over and ask to lend some clothing or even cash from her, but they never went out anymore or spent time together. Carol was devastated. First, the love of her life had lost interest in her, and now her cousin and best friend did not seem to care for her. She had no idea that in those few months of Stephanie being distant, she’d been seeing Max on the sly.
But of course, nothing can stay a secret forever, the truth always finds a way to surface. Three months later, Carol found out her cousin was not only engaged but pregnant with Max’s child. Shocked, she hid her tears and wished them both the best. Her heart was so good that she did not even have the courage to ask Steph why. She accepted it and tried to move on.
The Rehearsal
Time went on and Carol tried as best she could to be happy for Steph, even attending events with her and Max. The wedding fast was approaching and she had even agreed to be a bridesmaid. It pained her but she just wanted everyone to be happy. Even though it meant she would suffer. Eventually, it was the day of the wedding rehearsal and everyone gathered in the dining hall. Steph was late so Max decided to wait outside for her to arrive.
Soon, an hour passed, then another. Where on earth was Steph? Carol went outside to find Max, and eventually, she got hold of Steph, who told her to wait because she was on her way. She said she was held up in traffic. Carol and Max decided to walk around the ground together while they waited for Steph to arrive.
The Cheat
Carol and Max walked slowly, laughing about High-school and things from the past. It was like old times. Neither of them brought up the feelings they once shared. The property was large, and eventually, they reached a turn. They walked a little further and noticed a car in the back behind some trees. It looked just like Steph’s old beaten-up Toyota. Max and Carol looked at one with a puzzled expression, and without saying a word, walked towards the car. They could hear Steph’s voice, and she sounded frantic.
As they got closer, they could hear what she was saying and they could see her pacing up and down. She was on the phone with someone. “I promise you that I love you” they heard her say to whoever was on the call. “He thinks I am pregnant, and he has not made me sign a prenup. This is good for us, just trust me!”
Max was shocked. The more he heard, the more he realized what was happening. He was being used, and Steph was seeing someone else. She planned to leave him and take his money.
The Truth
Max had heard enough. He walked out from behind the trees towards Stephanie. She had no idea he’d been there and quickly put the phone down and tried to make an excuse. But he knew the truth. He was no longer blinded by her lies. Carol stood quietly looking at the ground while her cousin yelled and tried to blame her. But Max stood up for her, and then, the truth came out. All this time, Stephanie had lied to Max, telling her that Carol was not interested in him. That was the only reason he had stopped talking to Carol! He was lied to, and now he knew the truth.
Carol was shocked, how could her own cousin do this to her? And then, while Stephanie yelled and screamed at them, Max took Carol’s hands and kissed her. Stephanie was livid, her plans were foiled, she got into her car and left.
Real Love
Carol and Max did not even notice Stephanie leave. They both felt the same butterflies they felt all those years ago in school. All this time, Max thought that Carol did not like him anymore, and Carol thought that Max wanted Stephanie. He had fallen for her lies, and so had she. The cousin she once thought was her best friend, was nothing but a user and a fraud.
Fast forward to today, Max and Carol are happily married. They even have a son! Neither of them speaks to Steph, who lost everything because of her lies and selfish manipulation. The moral of the story is simple, eventually, the truth will come out! And luckily for Max and Carol, it was just in time!
This story was inspired by an original piece of fiction that first appeared on AmoMama. Any similarities between this story and actual people is purely coincidental.
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