I was called a PAEDO because I married my son’s best friend; he liked me as a teenager

WHEN Amy Sparks’ son Aydin introduced her to his 17-year-old boyfriend Bryce, she never imagined the teen would one day become her husband.

Despite being more than double Bryce’s age at 42, a relationship blossomed and four years later they are now happily married – and the trio even live under the same roof.

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The couple even waited until their wedding night before having sex for the first time, and although they now have the full support of 22-year-old Aydin, cruel trolls on social media have branded Amy a ‘paedophile’.

Although it was actually Bryce who ended up with Amy in the first place, and not the other way around, by telling Aydin that he had a crush on his mother, and making sure he got his ‘blessing’.

Security guard Amy initially rejected Bryce’s advances because the 25-year age difference did not sit well with her.

But in February 2022, persistent lab technician Bryce was 19 when he convinced Amy to start a relationship.

And just three months later, Amy, Bryce and Aydin moved in together, despite friends and family being ‘upset’ by the unusual arrangement.

“People have called me a pedophile, but I didn’t meet Bryce until I was 17,” says Amy. “It doesn’t make me feel bad because I know it doesn’t.

“When Bryce said he liked me, I was flattered and surprised, but I turned him down because I thought he was too young for me.

“It took him two years to convince me.”

Bryce and Amy’s son was 13 when they became friends, but Bryce says Amy wouldn’t even consider a relationship with him until he was of legal age.

He says: “I started developing feelings for Amy just before I turned 18.

‘I was at her house a lot.

‘I wanted to be near her and I was attracted to her, but she didn’t even want to think about it because I wasn’t of legal age yet.

“When I turned 18, things improved.”

There are benefits to being sexually intimate with a younger man. With previous partners, intimacy felt like a chore

Amy Sparks

It was on the eve of his 18th birthday when Bryce confessed his feelings.

Amy says: “I was lying in bed at home and he messaged me on Snapchat and said, ‘I bet you didn’t know this but I’m in love with you.’

“I thought it was sweet, but I saw him as a kid because he was my son’s friend.

“I told him I was flattered, but he was too young for me.”

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But as Bryce’s feelings increased, Amy found herself interested.

And when another girl showed interest in him, Amy felt a pang of jealousy.

“I started developing feelings for him because he wanted to be with me as much as I would let him,” she says.

“He came with me on deliveries when I was a driver.

“He got out of the car and I could see that the girl who answered the door had a crush on him and that sparked some jealousy in me, so I realized I had feelings for him.”

The couple’s relationship soon progressed and their first date was at a restaurant – with Aydin.

“Our first date was a double date at a restaurant with Aydin and his girlfriend on Valentine’s Day,” Amy recalls.

“We had a great time.

“Our first kiss was a few weeks later in a parking lot.

“It was sweet and awkward because he was nervous and I liked him so I was a little nervous.

“I’ve been through a lot of pain in the past. I wanted someone who would love me unconditionally and be faithful.”

‘It’s my word against theirs’

Bryce says the relationship is “fraught with negativity” and he has to defend his wife to friends and trolls.

And even Aydin started to have doubts about the couple.

Bryce, now 22, says: “At first Aydin said he would be fine with it.

“When it actually came out, he felt uncomfortable about it, but I didn’t feel like it came from him.”

And when both of their families heard about their relationship, it didn’t go down well there either.

Bryce added: “My family is not happy with the relationship. Many of them were very upset. It took time for many people to accept it.

“When people say terrible things about Amy, I get angry. It comes with a lot of negativity.

“You don’t want this to happen to your wife.

“All I can do is say it’s not true, but it’s my word against theirs.”

Amy, a mother of seven, adds: “My other children are happy for us.

“Aydin tried to convince me to look at Bryce that way. He encouraged us.

“He thought I should give Bryce a chance.”

Aydin tried to convince me to look at Bryce that way. He encouraged us

Amy Sparks

Amy admits that she was wary of commitment, having already been married twice.

She took the plunge and the couple put their own happiness first when they got married in October last year in the presence of Aydin and another best man.

Amy says, “We were living together, which means we were living in sin, so we decided to get married.

“You’re not supposed to be intimate until you’re married, so we slept next to each other, but Bryce wanted to take the next step.

“We got married with Aydin as best man and my other children weren’t there because we wanted it to be small and legal.”

“We are very happy, and we are all very happy to live together.”

It wasn’t until their wedding night that the couple was intimate for the first time.

“It was a special day,” says Amy. ‘There are benefits to being sexually intimate with a younger man.

“With previous partners, intimacy felt like a chore.

“Bryce is very kind and gentle and there is no pressure. He is like a breath of fresh air.”

Bryce says there are benefits to being with a “mature” woman, even though he has had to accept that he will never have children of his own.

He says: “I’m fine with not having children. I realize that having children brings a lot of stress.

“Amy doesn’t make illogical decisions like a younger person would.

“She is more mature and makes mature decisions.”

Amy adds: “He’s wise beyond his years, he’s an old soul.

“He’s still young, don’t get me wrong, but he’s not like other 22-year-olds.”

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