My Roommate Became My Stepmother

Never try to be real friends with your roommate.

She might wear your clothes, sleep in your bed, charm your dad, or steal your boyfriend.

In the end, she might rub her slightly swollen belly and taunt with a provocative look, "Once my son is born, let's see how you act all high and mighty without your inheritance!"

I smirked coldly.

I'd have to congratulate her son then. Not even born yet and already drowning in debt.

1

I arrived at the dorm last during freshman orientation.

Two of my roommates were Linda and Rita.

I nodded with a smile, my gaze shifting to the third roommate nearby.

She'd been sizing me up with her eyes since I walked in.

Only now did she act like she just noticed me, her face lighting up with a welcoming grin.

Cara introduced herself and casually hooked her arm through mine.

She pointed at my lips and gushed, "That lipstick shade looks amazing on you."

I smiled politely.

I subtly stepped back, dodging her finger that nearly poked my face.

I shared the link with her. "It's from DivaGloss."

She nodded knowingly, then shook my arm and pouted. "Gloria, I've always wanted that lipstick, but I'm worried it won't suit me. Could I maybe borrow yours first?"

She looked at me expectantly.

I wasn't comfortable sharing something so personal.

I ended up turning her down.

Cara pursed her lips and said it was fine, all understanding.

But the next second, she pulled her arm away and turned to busy herself with unpacking.

I knew roommates didn't always become friends, so I didn't push it.

Then I caught her pouring a handful of my skincare products into her palm.

She slathered it on her face and then her feet, not caring at all.

She even used my cleanser and toothpaste behind my back.

I got fed up and confronted her, but she denied everything and turned it around on me, accusing me of lying.

Tears welled in her eyes as she pointed at me with a trembling finger. "Just because you're rich doesn't mean you can slander people!"

She shot me a deep look, then stormed out, slamming the door.

2

Cara teamed up with the other two roommates to freeze me out.

I couldn't fathom how someone could twist right and wrong so effortlessly.

I decided I'd get to the bottom of it.

That evening, I turned and bumped into Cara as she came through the door. I caught a glimpse of her face and couldn't help but snicker.

She probably thought I was trying to play nice and didn't even glance at me.

Then Linda gasped and pointed at her. "Cara, your face..."

Cara saw our reactions and panicked, rushing to the mirror.

She stared wide-eyed at her face glowing faintly green and shrieked, "What's going on?!"

I leaned against the doorframe and answered lightly, "Fluorescent powder."

She marched up to me and grabbed my hand. "All this because I said a few things? You had to sabotage me like this?!"

I sneered and shook her off hard.

I wouldn't tamper with someone else's cosmetics.

But adding something to my own skincare? That was my business, and no one else's.

I gave Cara a cold look. "Who would've thought someone would actually steal my stuff?"

"Last warning. That bottle's over a grand. I could easily report you for theft."

Rita and Linda kept their eyes down and stepped back quietly.

Cara bit her lip, her face flushing red and paling in turns, unable to say a word.

After a long pause, she muttered a forced apology through gritted teeth and stormed out in her little heels.

I barely saw Cara for the next few days.

Only once, when I went downstairs to meet my boyfriend Zeph, did I catch a glimpse of her figure disappearing in the distance.

I frowned, then let it go.

It didn't matter. We probably wouldn't cross paths much anyway.

3

I noticed my boyfriend Zeph acting strange lately.

I usually holed up in the lab with no time to spend with him, but now I was the one who couldn't find him.

I asked him to meet me at a restaurant one evening to talk things over.

He didn't seem interested in talking and kept glancing at his phone.

I tried to get his attention and told him everything about Cara, start to finish.

He listened patiently enough, but then he scolded me for being too petty.

I widened my eyes in disbelief. "Those are my things. Why should I let someone else use them?"

Zeph answered distractedly, "Cara's not a bad person."

Cara?

I never told him her name.

I narrowed my eyes. "How do you know her?"

He looked flustered for a moment, then said calmly, "I just... ran into her. We talked a bit."

Before I could press him, a soft, syrupy voice cut in. "Gloria, don't overthink it. Zeph and I are just good friends."

Cara, with her long hair draped over her shoulders, held a small purse and sat down next to Zeph with an easy air.

She even winked playfully at me from across the table.

My face hardened. "So what's the deal, showing up uninvited?"

Zeph frowned but stayed quiet.

Cara suddenly choked up, her eyes misty. "I'm sorry. I know you think I'm just some poor nobody.

I just wanted to come say a few words. Don't worry, I'm not here to mooch off your meal."

Her body trembled slightly as she stood to leave.

Zeph slammed the table, drawing looks from nearby diners.

"Gloria, you're just throwing your money around, aren't you? Have you been looking down on me this whole time too?"

Cara nibbled her lip, her eyes glinting with triumph as she watched me.

My heart sank.

Zeph wasn't just sticking up for Cara.

Her words, unintentional or not, had hit him right in the chest.

Ever since Zeph's family went bankrupt, the fall had been too much. He'd grown moody and unpredictable.

I usually avoided talking about money with him.

I chose my words carefully, trying to explain I never looked down on him.

Zeph doubled down. "I'm not good enough for the rich princess, am I? Why don't you go find some richer old man? If you didn't have money, you think anyone would put up with your attitude? You're just a reject even your parents don't want, kicked around like a filthy ball."

4

Diners nearby kept glancing over.

My blood felt like it froze. I lifted my head in disbelief, staring into Zeph's eyes.

Those words came from his mouth.

I once told Zeph how my parents abandoned me.

After their divorce, neither wanted to raise me, seeing me as a burden.

He comforted me, said it wasn't my fault, told me I was enough, and encouraged me patiently.

Sure enough.

The closest people always know exactly where to stab the deepest.

I forced back the tears welling in my eyes and mustered the strength to ask, "Are you breaking up with me?"

He answered with his actions.

Zeph lifted Cara's chin, gripped the back of her neck, and kissed her hard.

My heart gave up.

I understood the logic, but I felt dazed.

I couldn't grasp how someone I knew for five years could rot so suddenly.

The next day, Cara and Zeph went public fast.

Their photo showed them close, the background faintly suggesting a hotel.

My best friend bombarded me with messages. "Those two have probably been at it for who knows how long. Cheating's either zero or endless. Don't you dare forgive him."

My mood stayed flat. "I would never."

If someone was wrong, they'd argue anyway. If I was right, why should I let it slide?

I skimmed the flood of comments congratulating them and left one to ruin the mood. "Congrats. I paid for the hotel. Now pay me back the one hundred grand for all the stuff I gave you."

My phone lagged from the flood of notifications, everyone hungry for the drama.

Zeph caught on and shamelessly deleted my comment.

He was shameless beyond belief.

I posted the screenshots I'd already saved to the campus forum.

I included a list of everything I'd given Zeph.

A 20, 000-dollar 4090 graphics card, watches, sneakers, all laid out clearly.

Where there's drama, there's an audience. The comments piled up fast.

"Verdict, total scumbag."

"Hold up, did I read that right... a 4090?!"

"If a girl got me a 4090, I'd be proposing, no question."

"This jerk! I'm gonna slap him ten times each way and throw in a spin kick."

"Me and the boys wish this scumbag a life as short as a mayfly."

Within ten minutes, Zeph messaged me, accusing me. "Cara said you'd changed, and I didn't believe her. Did you have to take it this far?"

I ignored his jabs and went for the kill. "Quit dodging, you scheming, broke man."

5

He must've been reeling, because it took him a while to reply. "Fifty grand, take it or leave it."

Fine.

He wanted to play dirty, acting tough with no cash.

I kept my tone sweet. "Sure thing. I've got all the receipts. Hungry for jail time, huh?"

"I didn't see it before, Gloria, but you're ruthless."

A day later, the one hundred grand hit my account.

I kept my word.

I sent him 250 dollars with a note, "Hotel fee."

Then I blocked and deleted him in one go.

A few days later, Cara realized her gold-digging dreams fell flat.

Zeph had no brand-name gear left and scraped together just enough to pay me back.

He had no money now, let alone enough to fuel Cara's fantasies of a rich life.

Cara didn't hesitate to confront me.

In the dorm, she dropped all pretense of politeness.

She'd already burned bridges with me, and the other two roommates kept their distance.

Cara stormed in, raised her hand to grab my hair, and ranted, "You're not short on cash, so why go after Zeph's money?! You snake, did you hide on purpose that Zeph's just a washed-up nobody? Say something! Say it!"

I stepped back and scoffed at her.

Like I forced her into bed with my boyfriend.

I didn't expect her to throw herself at her roommate's guy.

She lunged forward, ready to smash my cosmetics on the desk.

I stopped her quickly.

She couldn't afford to replace them anyway.

Rita, fed up, muttered, "Don't... don't break anything."

Linda rolled her eyes. "Cara, you'd have to pay for anything you break."

Cara gritted her teeth, her face twisting with rage.

She screamed that we were ganging up, maliciously isolating her.

In the end, she reluctantly set down the expensive cosmetics.

Before leaving, she shot us a venomous glare.

A moment later, Linda glanced at me and pointed at her phone.

She gestured for me to check the video going viral in the school group chat.

6

In the video, Cara pointed at Zeph's nose, unloading with vicious fury, her face warped with spite.

Zeph didn't want to make a scene and stayed silent at first.

He swallowed his anger, urging her to talk privately.

Then Cara called him a filthy beggar, broke but pretending to be big.

Zeph's sore spot got hit. His face flushed, and he clenched his fists.

Cara went wild, her voice louder and shriller, berating him hysterically.

They started slapping each other, then ended up brawling in the hallway.

Campus security finally arrived and pulled the two apart.

The school issued them both warnings and a week's suspension for reflection.

Zeph, probably humiliated, couldn't stick around and dropped out.

Before leaving, he begged to meet me downstairs at the dorm.

He looked remorseful and apologized the moment he saw me. "Gloria, I'm sorry. Let's get back together."

"Keep dreaming."

"Don't you think we both messed up here?"

Unbelievable.

I laughed in anger. "Can I control what you do with your pants?"

He tried to argue and grabbed my hand.

I slapped him hard and snapped, "Get lost."

Maybe Cara noticed Zeph downstairs.

I'd just stepped into the dorm when she followed, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Well, look at our Gloria, still got him chasing after you even after that ugly breakup."

I shot back, "Not as ugly as you."

"Gloria, you're saying me ugly?"

I shook my head. "A different kind of ugly."

Cara opened her mouth to retort but stopped, like she remembered something.

She lifted her chin smugly, her eyes gleaming with pride.

"He can chase you all he wants, but he still cheated. You didn't know, did you? We'd been together for a while, the full package. Oh, right, it started that night Zeph ditched you, left you soaked in the rain with a fever in the hospital."

Cara leaned back in her chair, grinning, waiting for my reaction.