I always felt something was off with my boyfriend Michael. Deep down, I knew he was hiding something. And I couldn’t stop thinking about it. So one day, I decided I was done wondering — I followed him.
That’s when I saw him. With another woman.
She was beautiful. Confident. Holding his arm. And he looked at her like… like I didn’t even exist. I felt my heart slam into my stomach.
I confronted her right there in the mall parking lot. I thought that would be the end. But I was so wrong.
Because when I opened the door at our family dinner that weekend, there she was — the same woman — walking into my house like she owned the place.
That moment shattered everything I thought I knew.
Let me take you back.
Michael and I were serious. Like talking-about-the-future serious. I really thought this was it — marriage, family, the whole thing. We had plans, and I truly believed he felt the same.
But something always bothered me. He never introduced me to his family. Not once. In the entire two years we’d been together, I only ever met one cousin, Josh — and that was just by accident on the street.
What made it even weirder? His family knew about me. They sent us holiday cards addressed to both of us. They’d mention me in passing when Michael was on the phone with them.
So why was he keeping me away?
Whenever I brought it up, he gave the same excuse. “My mom’s complicated,” he’d say. “I’m just trying to protect you.”
Protect me from what? I used to imagine his mom was this young, cool, supportive woman — after all, she had him when she was sixteen. Maybe they were close. Maybe too close.
But Michael painted a different picture. “She’s clingy,” he told me. “Possessive. Controlling. She’s scared off every girl I’ve dated.”
Then one day, he added, “I’m terrified she’ll ruin what we have. I don’t want to lose you too.”
I wanted to believe him. I really did. But then… things changed.
Michael started acting different. Distant. Secretive. His phone was always in his hand. He’d disappear without saying where he was going. His stories were vague and clumsy.
And then one day, I saw him take cash out of his savings account — the one we shared.
That’s when the thoughts started swirling. Was he about to propose? Or… was he cheating on me?
I had to know.
That night, I asked him straight up.
“Michael,” I said, “are you planning to propose to me?”
He looked completely shocked. “What? Is this the part where you start pressuring me about marriage?”
“No! I’m not pressuring you,” I said. “But you’ve been acting so strange. I just want to know what’s going on. Are you planning to propose or are you cheating on me?”
He blinked. “I’m not cheating. That’s for sure. And if I were planning to propose… you’d never see it coming.”
“Then what is going on?” I pushed.
He hesitated, then finally said, “Okay. I think it’s time you met my family.”
I gasped. “Really?!”
“They’re coming over this weekend,” he said. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
My heart was pounding. This was it. It had to be. He was planning to propose. He was finally opening the door.
The next day, I grabbed my phone and texted my best friend, Kate.
ME: Emergency. We need to get my nails done. I think Michael’s going to propose.
We hit the salon. Got our nails done, shopped for the perfect outfit, went into five stores. By the fifth, I was ready to cry from stress.
But then something happened.
As we walked out of a boutique, Kate suddenly grabbed my arm and yanked me back inside.
“What the hell?!” I hissed.
“Nothing! Just—don’t look,” she said, panicking.
So, of course, I looked.
And there he was. Michael. With another woman.
She was hanging on his arm. He was carrying her shopping bags. They looked like a couple. A happy one.
My knees went weak.
“He’s cheating on me,” I whispered. “That family dinner? It’s just a trap. He’s bringing his mom so she can kick me out of his life.”
“Don’t jump to conclusions,” Kate said gently.
“Look at her! She’s gorgeous. So confident. She’s totally out of my league.”
“She looks older than you,” Kate muttered.
“You’re just saying that.”
I wiped my tears, stared at the woman again, and said the words that changed everything:
“We’re following them.”
We tailed them through the mall. I watched him buy her coffee. Laugh at her jokes. Smile at her like she was his everything.
Then they left the mall and drove to a stunning house. He opened the car door for her. She kissed him on the cheek, left a smear of lipstick, and walked inside like she lived there.
“I got a photo,” Kate whispered.
“Good,” I said coldly. “I’m going to confront her. Right now.”
I marched to the door, heart racing. With my smoothie in one hand, I rang the bell.
She opened the door with a sweet smile. “Hi! How can I help you?”
I screamed, “How about you stop sleeping with my boyfriend?!” and flung the smoothie right into her face.
Her eyes went wide. “Are you crazy?!”
“That’s karma!” I shouted and ran back to the car.
Kate was speechless as I jumped in. We drove off in silence.
When I got home, Michael was already there.
“Hey!” he said cheerfully. “How was your day?”
I stared at him. Lipstick still faintly visible on his cheek.
“Kate and I went shopping,” I said coolly. “What’s that on your face?”
He checked his reflection. “Oh, probably lunch. Embarrassing,” he muttered and wiped it.
Liar.
“You want to watch something?” he asked.
“No. I’m tired.”
“I’ll give you money for your nails. You should get them done before the family dinner.”
“I already did,” I said and walked away.
That night, I couldn’t sleep. Michael never offered to pay for my nails. He was definitely planning a proposal.
But he was cheating. I knew it. And it broke my heart because I still loved him. That’s what made it worse.
I couldn’t let this go. I was going to expose him — in front of his whole family.
Dinner night came.
We cooked together. He laughed, joked, tried to make things feel normal. I played along.
Then the doorbell rang.
Michael answered. And in walked an older man… and her. The smoothie woman.
“What the HELL is she doing here?!” I shouted, pointing.
Michael looked confused. “You mean… my mom?”
My stomach flipped. “Your what?”
“My mom. Olivia, this is Cynthia.”
I froze. I had just smoothie-attacked my boyfriend’s mother.
Cynthia smiled coldly. “Nice to meet you. Shame it won’t last long.”
“What do you mean?” Michael asked.
“Because you’re breaking up with her,” Cynthia said.
“What?! Why?” he demanded.
“Because she’s the one who threw a smoothie in my face,” Cynthia smirked. “That crazy girl I told you about? It was her.”
Michael stared at me. “Olivia…?”
I swallowed hard. “I thought you were cheating. I followed you. I didn’t know she was your mom. I panicked.”
“You attacked my mom with a smoothie?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
Michael groaned. “Mom, why didn’t you just say who you were?”
“I wanted to see her reaction,” Cynthia replied smugly. “Now dump her and let’s go eat dinner somewhere decent.”
Michael turned to her. “I’m not dumping her.”
Both Cynthia and I shouted, “WHAT?!”
“She made a mistake, but she loves me. And I love her,” he said.
Then Michael dropped to one knee.
“Olivia, I love you. Even when you act totally crazy. Will you marry me?”
Tears spilled down my cheeks. “Yes. Of course, yes.”
He slipped the ring onto my finger and kissed me.
Cynthia screamed, “I forbid you to marry her!”
Michael stood up. “You don’t get to forbid anything. And I know you saw Olivia watching us that day. You wanted her to think we were a couple. You kissed me on the cheek! You don’t even do that!”
Cynthia turned red. “She doesn’t deserve you!”
“I’ll decide that,” Michael said calmly. “And if you can’t accept her, you can leave.”
Without a word, Cynthia stormed out. Her husband looked apologetic. “Sorry about all this,” he mumbled before following her.
I turned to Michael, still shaking. “I’m so sorry.”
He smiled. “Honestly? If I saw you with another guy, I might’ve thrown a smoothie too.”
Then he kissed me again — and just like that, my world was whole again.
THE END.