All Chapters of Tempting My Brother’s Best Friend: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

The lake house felt different without them.Mia noticed it the moment she walked back inside after watching the car disappear down the road. The silence was louder. The rooms felt bigger. Even the air seemed heavier, like it was missing Ethan’s presence — his laugh, his scent, the way he filled every space he entered.She spent the first few hours drifting. She helped Lisa clean up the kitchen from breakfast, then went upstairs to strip the sheets from Ethan’s bed. Holding the pillow he’d slept on, she buried her face in it for a long moment, inhaling the faint trace of his cologne. A wave of longing hit her so hard her knees weakened.Lisa found her like that.“You’re allowed to miss him, you know,” Lisa said as they folded laundry on the back porch. “Doesn’t make you weak. Makes you human.”“I know,” Mia replied softly. “It just feels… bigger than I expected.”Lisa smiled knowingly. “First real love after survivi

The late afternoon sun filtered through the trees as Mia sat on the porch swing with a book she wasn’t really reading. Her phone rang, and Ethan’s name lit up the screen. She answered immediately, a smile already forming. “Hey you,” she said softly. “Hey baby.” Ethan’s voice was warm but carried a nervous edge. “Your parents invited me over for dinner tonight. They texted me this morning. Said they wanted to talk properly.” Mia sat up straighter. “They invited you?” “Yeah. No ambush this time. Your dad said it was time we had a real conversation. Jake’s going to be there too.” Mia’s stomach tightened with both hope and anxiety. “That’s… big. Just be yourself.” “I will,” he promised. “I’ll call you after.” Ethan wiped his palms on his jeans as he stood outside the Thompson family home. The house looked the same as always — the white picket fence, the basketball hoop in the driveway where he and Jake had played countless games. But tonight it felt like walking into a court

The late August sun painted the lake in golden ripples as Mia slammed the trunk of her little red sedan shut. Dust swirled around her sneakers. Two months ago, she had driven up here shattered—freshly 19, fleeing viral shame, slut-shaming comments, and a heart torn between guilt and longing. Now the car felt lighter, carrying home not just her clothes and textbooks, but a stronger version of herself.Aunt Lisa leaned against the porch railing, arms crossed, that signature witty smirk playing on her lips. “You look ready to conquer the world, Mia. Or at least survive another semester without burning it down.”Mia pulled her into a fierce hug. “Thank you, Aunt Lisa. For the late-night talks, the tough love, everything. You and Mom need to video call more often—she worries when you go radio silent.”Lisa laughed softly, squeezing back. “Your mom and I are cut from the same cloth, just different decades. She knows I’ve got your back. Go face that boy of yours. And remember: fire like your

Morning light filtered through Mia’s curtains, casting soft stripes across her bed. She hadn’t slept much. The photo from the burger place and Sarah’s chilling message kept replaying in her mind like a bad loop. Ethan had crashed beside her after their quiet, responsible release—condom used, bodies tangled, his steady breathing the only calm in the room. She’d stared at the ceiling for hours, phone face-down on the nightstand.Now, at 7:45 a.m., she slipped out of bed carefully. Ethan stirred, reaching for her with a sleepy grunt. “Stay.”“Can’t,” she whispered, kissing his forehead. “First day of classes. I need to face it.” She padded to the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face. The mirror showed a girl who looked ready—light makeup, fitted jeans, a soft cream sweater that hugged her figure without screaming for attention, hair in loose waves. Inside, her stomach knotted. Welcome to hell, Sarah had said. Today would test if the lake had made her strong enough.They padded do

The second week of Fall Semester had turned the whispers into a constant hum Mia could almost tune out. She moved through campus with purpose—backpack slung over one shoulder, earbuds in, head high like Aunt Lisa had drilled into her during those long lake house nights. The new apartment had become a second home, and her relationship with Ethan felt steadier after their honest fight. He was trying to give her space. She was proving she could handle the weight.Until Thursday afternoon.Mia had ducked into the campus café between Biology and her evening study group, craving a vanilla latte and a quiet corner to review notes. The place was packed with the usual midday crowd: students laughing over laptops, the hiss of the espresso machine, the warm scent of baked pastries and fresh coffee. She stood in line scrolling her phone when the air shifted.Sarah walked in with two friends, her posture straight and confident. She looked polished—new highlights in her hair, a cropped hoodie tha