Yeah, it being temporary makes no difference to me. I haven't played the game for the last two updates because I heard of the NTR or NTR-ish stuff, and knew the game was no longer for me. I had actually been really close to dropping $40 for a membership for the previous update because I was sure this was when we finally had sex with Rachel, and I do stupid shit with my credit card when horniness is concerned. But then I saw on the forum what was in the update and dodged that bullet.
Even if Steve disappears for good, that doesn't change that things have irrevocably changed. It's not Steve's presence that drove me away, but his actions and those of others and their consequences. Steve may go, but actions and their consequences linger. Plus it's become fairly obvious the dev is just adding Steve and all the flashback stuff just to draw things out. As you said, I wouldn't put my trust in the dev again, in this game or another. I hang around the thread now just to see how things play out with the game and the community.