I was the shoulder to cry on during my best friend's divorce and I hated every second of it - not because it was hard, but because I was relieved

Marcus and I go back fifteen years. College roommates, best men at each other's weddings, the whole thing. So when he called me at 11pm on a Tuesday saying Sarah had asked for a divorce, I did what any decent person does. I drove over, bought a case of beer on the way, and sat with him until 4am while he cycled through every stage of grief in one sitting. I said the right things. I rubbed his back when he cried. I told him she didn't deserve him. And I meant exactly none of it. Here's the thing about Sarah. From the very first time Marcus brought her around, something felt off to me. Not in a dramatic way, no single red flag moment. Just this slow accumulation of small things over eight years. The way she'd undercut his opinions in front of people and then laugh it off as a joke. The way she managed his friendships without him noticing. I watched her slowly sand down this loud confident guy into someone who double-checked his own stories before telling them. I never said anything because what do you say. "Hey your wife is quietly making you smaller" is not a conversation that ends well. So when he called that night I genuinely had to concentrate on my face. I remeber sitting across from him thinking this is the best thing that could have happened to you and trying very hard not to let that show even slightly. I spent six months being his primary support through the whole process. Lawyers, apartment hunting, the first holidays alone. I was there for all of it and I was a good friend through all of it. I just also thought the divorce was correct and necessary every single day of those six months. He's doing genuinely well now. Back to being the version of himself I remembered from before. Laughs louder, has opinions again, stopped apologizing for taking up space. We grabbed food last month and at some point he said she probably did him a favor and I just nodded slowly like I was hearing that idea for the first time . I'm never telling him. What's the point. He got through it, he's good, and telling him I was basically silently cheering the whole time helps nobody. But I do think about it sometimes. Eight years I watched it happen and kept my mouth shut and now I get credit for being a great friend during the hard times. I'll take it I guess.