Framed by My Best Friend

My childhood best friend’s girlfriend was visiting his place for the very first time, and I spent hours in the kitchen whipping up a feast for them. She took one look at the lobster on the table and flew into an absolute rage. "You made shellfish on purpose! You're trying to trigger my allergy, humiliate me, and steal my boyfriend! Well, keep dreaming, sweetheart. He would never look twice at you." I stared at her in utter disbelief. I quickly explained that Ethan’s mom had fractured her leg and begged me to come help cook. Besides, I was already engaged. I had zero romantic interest in Ethan. She sneered right in my face. "Cut the innocent act. I can spot a fake bitch from a mile away. You hide behind that 'childhood best friend' label just to throw yourself at my man 24/7. It’s sickening." "Go look in a damn mirror at your ugly, pathetic face. Any guy who’d actually want you must be blind." Ethan was holding back his laughter the entire time. Just as my fists clenched and my temper flared, he pulled his girlfriend into his arms and smirked at me. "Sharp tongue, huh? Looks like someone finally put you in your place, Joanna. Let's see if you dare boss me around after this." Staring at his smug, punchable face, I swung my arm and slapped him hard across the cheek. "Get lost. Neither you nor your psycho girlfriend is even worthy of scrubbing my floors." I finished plating the last dish and helped Mrs. Vance over to the dining table. Right then, Ethan walked out of the bedroom with his arm wrapped around his girlfriend, Vanessa. Seeing the table full of food, he casually tossed out a compliment: "Damn, Joanna, didn't know you had it in you." Hearing that, Vanessa’s face instantly darkened. She slammed her fork onto the floor with a loud clatter. "Are we eating or what? Stop yapping your mouth!" Her sudden outburst startled both Mrs. Vance and me. Ethan immediately groveled, shameless as ever. "Babe, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have praised Joanna! You're the one who’s truly capable—especially in bed. She can't hold a candle to you, not even your little toe." The crude remark made my stomach turn. Vanessa, however, ate it up. She playfully punched his chest, her frown melting into a coquette smile. "Stop it~ There are other people here!" My hand paused while scooping the rice. It took me a split second to fire back: "Ethan, praise your girlfriend all you want, but leave my name out of your mouth. Thanks." Mrs. Vance quickly stepped in to smooth things over. "Joanna, honey, Ethan's just an idiot who doesn't know how to talk. Don't take it to heart." Unexpectedly, Vanessa glared at the lobster on the table and exploded at me: "You know damn well I’m allergic to seafood! You made this on purpose to humiliate me, didn’t you?!" I was totally dumbfounded. Not wanting any stupid drama, I explained: "When I went grocery shopping, I explicitly asked Ethan if you had any dietary restrictions. He said none." An allergic reaction is no joke—it can literally be fatal. Ethan scratched his head, putting on an innocent act. "Did I say that? But I know everything Vanessa likes and hates. I couldn't have forgotten to mention it, right?" His slippery, vague response instantly washed his hands clean, dumping the entire blame onto me. That set Vanessa off completely. "I see what you're doing! You deliberately provoked me so you could tell Ethan I'm crazy and talk him into dumping me! Then you can take my place!" "Well, keep dreaming! If Ethan had any interest in you, he would’ve made a move years ago. There wouldn't even be room for me!" "At the end of the day, he thinks you're trash. Give it up already and stop trying to sabotage our relationship!" Her venomous words kept escalating, making the rage surge straight to my head. Still, seeing Mrs. Vance frantically trying to calm her down, I swallowed my fury and tried reasoning one last time: "Mrs. Vance hurt her leg, and since it's your first time over, she didn't want to seem unwelcoming. That's the only reason she asked me to cook.” “Ethan genuinely didn't tell me about your allergy. But it’s not the end of the world—there are ten other dishes on the table. Just don't touch the lobster." "And rest assured, I have a fiancé. I have zero interest in Ethan. He's all yours." Vanessa just let out a cold, venomous laugh. "Cut the reverse psychology bullshit. I know a pick-me girl when I see one." "You use that 'childhood friend' excuse to throw yourself at Ethan day in and day out. It’s cheap, it’s disgusting, and anyone would drag you for it." She hurled insult after insult, tearing me down like I was dirt. Ethan stifled his laughter the entire time, even giving Vanessa a thumbs-up. "Damn, babe, your mouth is lethal! She can’t even beat you in an argument." He was treating the whole thing like a joke, completely detached from reality. Fumes were practically coming out of my ears. "Ethan, do you honestly think stirring up drama makes you look cool?"Ethan just grinned wider. "Vanessa, told you I was hot commodity. You better hold onto me tight, or someone might actually steal me away. You'd regret it forever." Not only could he not process basic human decency, but he was also delusional beyond belief. Facing someone this thick-skinned, I was out of patience. I picked up the platter of lobster and headed straight for the trash can. "You two really are made for each other—both irrational, entitled narcissists. If you can't respect the effort I put into cooking, then don't eat at all." Mrs. Vance scrambled into the kitchen after me, desperately grabbing my wrist. "Joanna, please, don't be mad! Vanessa is young and immature. Be the bigger person, okay? I'll make Ethan keep her in line later." "This is her first visit, and Ethan finally managed to find a girlfriend. Just bear with it for my sake. The lobster smells so good, please don't throw it out. Consider it a favor to me, please?" Seeing an elderly woman begging so pitifully, I couldn't bring myself to say no. I placed the platter back on the table. After all, she had lost her husband before turning thirty and raised Ethan all on her own. It hadn't been easy. Vanessa, however, wasn't having it. "Ha! Trying to play tough, but you folded halfway through. What a fake." "You're just putting on this 'mature, generous' show for Ethan, so he compares us and thinks you're so sweet and caring, looking after his mom like a devoted little housewife." "Go look in a mirror. You're old and pathetic. Ethan would never want you." Mrs. Vance hurriedly cut in, desperate to de-escalate. "Vanessa, sweetie, Joanna has a fiancé!" Vanessa scoffed, refusing to believe a single word. "You think I'm stupid? I know you two are lying to cover for her. Look at her desperate face. Any man who’d settle for that must be legally blind." I thought biting my tongue would put an end to it, but she just kept pushing. Like an annoying fly buzzing around trash, she was pure nausea-inducing. I let out a bitter laugh. "Not as desperate as you, not as pathetic as you, and definitely raised with more manners than you. Any man who chose you must be totally blind too." With that, I turned to Mrs. Vance. "Mrs. Vance, I have somewhere to be. Enjoy your dinner. Consider this meal on the house!" I took a few steps toward the door before Mrs. Vance caught my wrist again, begging me to stay. Ethan, feeling humiliated, sneered at me. "Joanna, you’ve been used to being the boss since we were kids. Now that you met someone tougher than you, you can't take it and start throwing petty tantrums. So classless." The moment he finished, Vanessa rewarded him with a loud kiss on the cheek. "Baby, that was amazing! You hate fake snakes just as much as I do, don't you?" She gave me a condescending glance and continued her mockery. "Grandma, wake up. No matter how much you pretend to be understanding and generous, Ethan will never love you." "The harder you try, the more hypocritical you look. By the way, throwing a tantrum just aged you ten whole years. You look like an old auntie. Hahaha!" The rage trapped in my chest was bubbling over. I clenched my fists, about to blow up. Ethan beat me to it. "Vanessa, you hit a raw nerve. Careful, she might hit you if she snaps. She’s been bullying me for years." He turned to me, winking with pure malice. "Never thought you'd see the day, huh, Joanna? Someone finally put you in your place! Let's see if you ever dare bully me again!" Growing up, I always felt bad for him because he didn't have a dad. I treated him like my own little brother, protecting him whenever kids picked on him. I was the first one to throw hands on his behalf. Because of that, I was a bit bossy around him, but he had never once claimed to hate it. And now, just to impress this girl, he was biting the hand that fed him and framing me as some pathetic stalker. I couldn't take it anymore. I flipped the entire dining table. Dishes, soup, and plates crashed violently onto the floor. I marched over and slapped Ethan across the face with everything I had. "Then get the hell out of my life! Neither you nor your psycho girlfriend is even worthy of scrubbing my floors!" Leaving them shrieking in horror, I stormed out the door.On my way home, Ethan kept blowing up my phone with texts, accusing me of being petty and jealous of his girlfriend, demanding that I apologize to both of them. I texted back: [Ethan, from this moment on, our families are done. We don't know each other. Wouldn't want your psychotic girlfriend having another meltdown.] When I told my parents what happened, they immediately agreed to cut all ties with the Vance family. Yet the very next day, Mrs. Vance showed up at my doorstep carrying a gift basket. The second I opened the door, she dropped to her knees. "Joanna, I am so sorry about yesterday! It’s my fault for raising such an ungrateful boy. I brought him here today to apologize to you!" "Mrs. Vance, please, get up!" I quickly helped her to her feet. No matter how furious I was, I couldn't bear having an elderly woman kneel before me. Seeing my resolve soften, Mrs. Vance dragged Ethan out from behind her and snapped, "You idiot! Joanna treated you like a real brother growing up, and you caused all this drama over some girl?! Apologize to her right now!" Ethan looked deeply reluctant, but he still gave a stiff bow. "I'm sorry, Joanna. I was out of my mind yesterday, just making a stupid joke. You know how hard it is for me to get a girlfriend... Can you just let it slide?" I frowned. His apology sounded completely hollow and irritating. Still, having them loitering in my doorway was a headache, so I gave a curt response: "What's done is done. Let's just drop it." I went to close the door, but Mrs. Vance caught the scent of the lamb chops I was braising. She pulled Ethan straight into my apartment. Before I could react, the two of them were already sitting at my dining table, grabbing silverware, smiling back at me. "Joanna, come on, eat with us!" Fine. Since we hadn't completely burned the bridge, this would be my final act of hospitality. We took barely two bites before violent kicking rattled my front door. "Open the damn door, you cheating scumbags!" Ethan’s face went pale. He scrambled over to unlock it. The very next second, Vanessa stormed inside, screaming like a banshee: "Joanna, you shameless whore! Sneaking my boyfriend into your place behind my back?! You're deliberately trying to test me, aren't you?!" "No, Vanessa, let me explain—" Before Ethan could finish, Vanessa slapped him hard across the face. "Shut up! Look at you, totally getting off on this bitch clinging to you!" Her mouth was as vile as a sewer. The fury in my chest surged uncontrollably. Suppressing my urge to kill, I pointed at the door and said in an icy tone, "Get the hell out of my apartment right now. Leave, or I'm calling the cops." Seeing her precious son get struck, Mrs. Vance raised her walking cane and swung it at Vanessa. "You little tramp, how dare you lay a hand on my son?! I’ve never even touched a hair on his head!" Vanessa dodged, shrieking, "You decrepit old hag! You wish that little whore could be your daughter-in-law, don't you?” “ Too bad your son thinks she's an ugly grandma and loves only me! You don't deserve to be Ethan's mother!" She dashed into the dining room and, without a second thought, flipped the table over. Hot lamb chops and broth splashed everywhere across the floor. Blind with rage, I lunged forward and slapped her across the face. "You dare come into my home and trash it?! Are you completely insane?!" "Let me say this one more time: I don't give a damn about Ethan. Nobody is competing for your garbage!" Holding her stinging cheek, Vanessa let out a bloodcurdling screech. "Ethan! Are you just gonna stand there and watch her beat me?! I swear to God, if you don't avenge me right now, we are done!" Without a second of hesitation, Ethan grabbed a wooden chair and hurled it straight at my head. I ducked just in time and pulled out my phone to dial 911. In the next blink, Vanessa grabbed an 8-inch chef's knife from the open kitchen counter, charging at me like a maniac. "You home-wrecking whore, I'll kill you!" In a panic, Mrs. Vance swung her cane to intercept her. But Vanessa violently shifted direction and drove the blade straight into Mrs. Vance's abdomen. "Die, you old hag!" Amidst Ethan’s terrified scream, Mrs. Vance collapsed into a pool of blood. "Mom!" The sudden, brutal turn of events froze everyone in their tracks. Ethan roared at me, "Call an ambulance! Save my mom!" Vanessa dropped the bloody knife, throwing herself into Ethan’s arms, wailing hysterically, "Baby, I didn't mean to... It was Joanna! She pushed me! If anything happens to your mom, I won't live either!"When the paramedics arrived, Ethan was still curled up with Vanessa on the floor, trembling and incoherent. Left with no choice, I accompanied Mrs. Vance to the hospital as an old family friend. After emergency surgery, she made it through the critical window and was moved to the ICU. Throughout the entire ordeal, Ethan never showed his face once. I was the one running back and forth, handling all the admissions paperwork and paying the initial medical deposits. My parents were furious, calling Ethan an ungrateful beast who abandoned his own mother, telling me to wash my hands of it. Still, after being neighbors for over twenty years, I felt I owed it to our past to see this one thing through. Once Mrs. Vance was transferred to a regular recovery ward, I called Ethan to come settle the hospital bill. He agreed over the phone. But the moment I walked back toward the ward, a swarm of reporters and vloggers suddenly rushed out, cornering me aggressively against the wall. Microphones and cameras were shoved into my face as they barked: "What kind of grudge do you have to stab a sixty-year-old woman so brutally?!" "Answer the question! You're not leaving this hallway until you confess!" My brain short-circuited for a second. Looking over the heads of the crowd, I caught sight of Ethan and Vanessa standing at the edge of the hallway. The realization hit me like a bucket of ice water—they had framed me. They told the media that I was the one who stabbed Mrs. Vance. Forcing myself to stay calm, I spoke clearly: "Vanessa is the one who stabbed Mrs. Vance. It had nothing to do with me." Nobody bought a single word. "Stop shifting the blame! The victim's son and future daughter-in-law are eyewitnesses! They saw you gut their mother with their own eyes!" Before I could respond, a burly cameraman shoved past the crowd and kicked me violently in the ribs. Pain exploded through my chest—I heard a sickening crack. Struggling to push myself off the floor, I cried out, "Ask Mrs. Vance! Ask her who the real attacker is!" Immediately, the crowd swung their camera lenses toward the hospital bed. I looked at Mrs. Vance with a sliver of hope, praying she would clear my name. Instead, her shaking finger pointed directly at me, her voice dripping with venom: "She did it... Joanna is the killer!" My pupils dilated in sheer shock. I couldn't believe my ears. My voice trembled: "Why are you lying?!" Growing up, my family had treated the two of them like blood relatives. When she was bleeding out, I stayed by her side and saved her life. And this was how she repaid me? An unforgivable stab in the back. My heart felt shredded into pieces. "Joanna has been desperately chasing my son for years, buying him gifts, throwing herself at him," Mrs. Vance whimpered, putting on a show for the cameras. "But Ethan only loves Vanessa. Joanna went insane with jealousy and tried to tear them apart. When I confronted her, she snapped and stabbed me to get revenge!" Like mother, like son. She and Vanessa were cut from the exact same poisonous cloth. I had no time to grieve. I screamed at the top of my lungs: "Call the police! Let the cops investigate! If any of you lay another hand on me, you're all going to prison for assault!" That line triggered Vanessa. She sprinted over and slapped me across the face. "You're the monster here, and you dare threaten people?!" Grabbing a fistful of my hair, she leaned into my ear and whispered viciously: "I already went to your place and wiped your security system. There’s zero proof you’re innocent. You're ruined, you worthless bitch." My face burned. Then it dawned on me—I had given Mrs. Vance my digital door code years ago. While I was at the hospital saving her life, these parasites snuck into my apartment and destroyed the evidence. Pure, unadulterated evil. I tried to pull away. Ethan strode over, his fingers wrapping tightly around my throat, his face twisted in sadistic glee. "Joanna, you always acted so high and mighty, lecturing me like I was your dog. How does it feel to be stepped on now?" With that, he drove his fist repeatedly into my stomach. "You bitch! My mom treated you like a daughter, and you tried to murder her!" I couldn't fight back. Blood welled up in my throat, spilling past my lips. Vanessa pointed her phone camera at me, laughing maniacally into her TikTok Live: "Look closely at this psycho's face, everyone! Because she couldn't steal my boyfriend, she stabbed my future mother-in-law and tried to pin it on me! Pure evil!" "Thank God we saw through her dirty tricks! Don't you guys think she deserves this?!" The crowd cheered in disgust: "Beat her! Trash like this deserves to rot!" Agony racked my body. I didn't know who could save me. Suddenly, the ward doors were kicked open. A tall figure charged in, slamming Ethan into the concrete floor with a bone-shattering force. "Even if you destroyed the hard drive, I can still prove Joanna didn't touch your mother!"