My dad remarried last year, and I can’t stand his new wife. She doesn’t treat me like her daughter, which I understand because, frankly, I’m not. But what truly baffles me is why she’s treating me like competition. On top of that, she insists on calling me by the wrong name, even after countless corrections. When the chance arose, I decided to teach her a lesson she’d never forget.
This past year has tested my patience like never before. Ever since Dad married Carla, she’s been grating on my nerves with her annoying remarks and the incessant misuse of my name.
My Stepmom Intentionally Called Me the Wrong Name Until I Taught Her a Lesson
My name is Jessica, but she insists on calling me Eunice, a name I despise. There’s a strange dynamic at play, likely because Carla has a daughter named Jessica. Strangely enough, her daughter and I get along wonderfully. We’ve become like true sisters, sharing everything from clothes to secrets, and this seems to confuse Carla even more.
My Stepmom Intentionally Called Me the Wrong Name Until I Taught Her a Lesson
Carla isn’t shy about her favoritism. She constantly arranges little outings for my stepsister and Dad, painting this perfect family picture with me awkwardly left out. What really irks me is her stubborn insistence on calling me Eunice.
My Stepmom Intentionally Called Me the Wrong Name Until I Taught Her a Lesson
“Eunice just sounds more distinguished, don’t you think?” Carla once said at breakfast, as if she hadn’t just invalidated my feelings. “It’s Jessica,” I corrected gently, not wanting to start a fight first thing in the morning. “It’s the name Dad loves, and it’s the name I love. Please respect that.”
My Stepmom Intentionally Called Me the Wrong Name Until I Taught Her a Lesson
She gave me a patronizing smile and continued buttering her toast, ignoring my plea. Stepsister Jessica kicked me under the table in solidarity, rolling her eyes at her mom’s stubbornness. Thank goodness she is nothing like her mom.
The Supermarket Showdown
Last Saturday, we had an interesting encounter at the supermarket. While shopping, Carla spotted her boss a few aisles over and hurried to introduce us, seeing it as a moment to show off her family. I saw it as my golden opportunity to make a point.
My Stepmom Intentionally Called Me the Wrong Name Until I Taught Her a Lesson
“This is my stepdaughter, Eunice,” she declared with theatrical flair, gesturing towards me.
I continued shopping, acting as if I hadn’t heard her. “Eunice!” she called again, louder this time, trying to grab my attention.
Ignoring her gave me a rare sense of power. I pretended to be intensely fascinated by a display of exotic fruits, examining one as if it could solve global mysteries.
Carla stormed over, her face a mix of embarrassment and irritation. “You’re embarrassing me in front of my boss!” she hissed, voice low but fierce. “Why didn’t you answer me?”
My Stepmom Intentionally Called Me the Wrong Name Until I Taught Her a Lesson
I continued my grocery hunt, acting oblivious. “Eunice!” she said, repeating it three times before finally, in exasperation, saying, “Jessica!”
That’s when I turned, a smug smile on my face. “Yes, Carla?” I replied calmly.
“I’ve told you repeatedly, my name is Jessica. I don’t know why you insist on calling me Eunice, but I won’t answer to it. It’s disrespectful,” I added with conviction.
My Stepmom Intentionally Called Me the Wrong Name Until I Taught Her a Lesson
She sputtered a response, but I walked away, feeling her eyes burning into my back.
A Turning Point
The aftermath was chilly. When Dad heard about it, he tried to mediate. He laughed about it when he came to me, suggesting, “Maybe she can call you Jessi, and her daughter Jess?” trying to bridge the gap.
My Stepmom Intentionally Called Me the Wrong Name Until I Taught Her a Lesson
I appreciated Dad’s attempt but shook my head. “It’s about respect, Dad. It’s not just about my name; it’s about recognizing who I am.”
Carla’s birthday party a few days later was the real test. The house filled with her friends and colleagues, and I braced myself for another round of “Eunice” introductions. But something had shifted in Carla since our supermarket showdown.
My Stepmom Intentionally Called Me the Wrong Name Until I Taught Her a Lesson
She began the introductions, her voice cheerful as she gestured to her daughter. “This is my daughter Jessica,” she said, then turned to me. There was a brief pause, a thick tension in the air.
“And this is my stepdaughter…” she trailed off, eyes flicking to mine, a silent battle taking place. Finally, she exhaled and continued, “…Jessica.”
My Stepmom Intentionally Called Me the Wrong Name Until I Taught Her a Lesson
It was a significant moment. Stepsister Jessica squeezed my hand under the table, a grin spreading across her face. We shared a look of relief and triumph. For the rest of the evening, Carla made a visible effort to call me Jessica, and though it was clearly a struggle, it meant everything to me.
Broaching Understanding
It’s not all smooth sailing yet, but I feel like we’ve turned a corner. Standing up for myself proved that change is possible, even in the most stubborn hearts. And maybe, just maybe, Carla’s heart is softening a little towards me too.
Like Jessica, another woman did not get along with her stepmother.
My Stepmom Gave Me a Used School Bag for My Birthday While Her Kids Got Pricey Gifts – Karma Finally Caught up with Her
My mother was never meant to be a mother. She said exactly that to my father when I was about three months old, and then she left.
My Stepmom Intentionally Called Me the Wrong Name Until I Taught Her a Lesson
“I’m sorry, Collin,” she told him while packing her bags. “But this just isn’t the life for me. I cannot do this. I don’t know how to be a mother, and I don’t know if I want to try anymore.”
“But Kayla needs you,” my father said.
“I’ll do more damage if I stay,” she said, tears streaming down her face.
And then she walked out of our lives.
My Stepmom Intentionally Called Me the Wrong Name Until I Taught Her a Lesson
For years, my father relied on my grandparents to help raise me, and they did a good job of making me feel loved and cared for, despite the fact that my mother had chosen to leave me behind.
“It’s difficult, I know,” my grandmother said while we sat at the table one day. “But you need to remember that being a parent isn’t for everyone, Kayla. Sometimes people only realize that too late.”
My Stepmom Intentionally Called Me the Wrong Name Until I Taught Her a Lesson
I understood my grandmother’s logic—it made sense to me. This was beyond my control. But at the same time, there was nothing easy about accepting the fact that my mother had chosen to leave me—that loving me wasn’t enough.
As I grew, my father became more and more important to me—he was the one person who would do anything for me.
My Stepmom Intentionally Called Me the Wrong Name Until I Taught Her a Lesson
It was us against the entire world.
But then when I was twelve, my father met Tanya at my school. She had a set of twins who were a grade above me, and they met at a school fundraiser.
“Kayla, we’re really spending our Saturday at your school?” my father grumbled to me as he took one of the containers of cupcakes from the car.
My Stepmom Intentionally Called Me the Wrong Name Until I Taught Her a Lesson
“It’s just for a few hours,” I told him. “And then we can leave. I know you and Uncle Jim want to watch the game on TV.”
My father laughed, and we walked to the football field with the baked goods. We set up everything, waiting for Bake Day to begin so that we could sell our cupcakes and head out.
My Stepmom Intentionally Called Me the Wrong Name Until I Taught Her a Lesson
Then Tanya and her twin girls, Allie and Avery, showed up, setting their containers of brownies next to mine.
“Oh, no!” Tanya shrieked, almost dropping a container as she tripped on a tablecloth, causing my father to rush to her rescue.
He caught the container, set it right, and helped unhook the piece of tablecloth that had caught on Tanya’s shoe.
My Stepmom Intentionally Called Me the Wrong Name Until I Taught Her a Lesson
That was the beginning of the end.
My father and Tanya exchanged numbers, and by the end of the fundraiser, they had made plans to meet for dinner the following week.
Two years later, they were married—with Allie, Avery, and I as bridesmaids.
My Stepmom Intentionally Called Me the Wrong Name Until I Taught Her a Lesson
And for once, I learned what it was like to have a mother.
At first, things were fine—Tanya did the necessary things for me.
“Just be careful,” my grandmother told me. “She’s just being nice because your father married her. Wait until the dust settles. But for your sake, my darling, I hope she’s everything you need her to be.”
My Stepmom Intentionally Called Me the Wrong Name Until I Taught Her a Lesson
It was as if Gran’s words had conjured the nasty side of Tanya. She went from being caring to losing the plot with me. I began to see the difference in how she treated me compared to the way she treated the twins.
“Don’t worry about it,” my father said when we went for a run together—recently, his cholesterol had been absolutely high, and as per doctor’s orders, he had to start living a healthy life.
My Stepmom Intentionally Called Me the Wrong Name Until I Taught Her a Lesson
“It’s not the fact that the twins are getting new things,” I said. “It’s the fact that she doesn’t even try to make me feel like I deserve them, either.”
“It’s been Tanya and the girls for a long time, love,” my father said, stopping to catch his breath. “They only know each other.”
My Stepmom Intentionally Called Me the Wrong Name Until I Taught Her a Lesson
We walked back home, and my father told me that despite the way I felt, he would always be there for me.
Until he wasn’t—just weeks after my 15th birthday, my father passed away from a heart attack in his own bed.
Read the full story here.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.