My 18-year-old daughter fell in love with a 60-year-old man and was marrying him against my wishes. She claimed she was madly in love with this guy. I was shocked when I discovered a chilling truth about him.
The late afternoon sun bathed the living room as I sifted through mundane mail, the doorbell’s chime announcing Serena’s early arrival from her part-time job. She breezed in, her vibrant presence filling the space with energy and the scent of vanilla. I eagerly waited for this time of the month when she’d visit me.
“Hey, Dad! You won’t believe what happened with my roommate, Jessica…” Serena paused, sensing my unease. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, yeah,” I said. “Everything’s great. Come on in, honey.”
“So,” I began, “you were saying…”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“Yeah, Dad. Actually…I met someone, and he’s like all nice and caring. Edison. Really loves me. We want to get married. But he’s…”
“But?”
“He’s sixty.”
The word ‘sixty’ hit me hard. My daughter, eighteen, with a man sixty — almost thrice her age? Concern and disbelief clouded my judgment. “Sixty, Serena? That’s… can’t you see the issue here?”
“Age doesn’t define love, Dad. Edison understands me, believes in me.”
“But what about the future, Serena? He’s much older.”
“Love isn’t about numbers, Dad. It’s about feeling seen, loved, cared for, and Edison makes me feel that way,” Serena’s voice trembled with conviction. “Please, can you at least meet him once? Trust me, you’ll love him.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
I was shocked beyond words. Was Serena not realizing what she was talking about? Yet, I couldn’t refuse her. After all, what harm could a meeting do? I agreed to meet this Edison guy.
The next night at Edison’s, I needed a breather and went to the balcony. That’s when a snatch of conversation caught my ear. “Annie, come on now,” Edison’s voice, smooth and practiced, appeared. “I’m your brother. You know me well. It’s just a bit of harmless fun. A chance to win a little something extra.”
“This is reckless, Edison,” a woman’s voice, probably Annie’s, chided Edison. “You’re toying with that girl’s affections for some ‘harmless fun.'”
A cold dread twisted inside me. “What are you talking about?” Edison barked.
“The bet, Edison,” Annie hissed. “You think marrying a naive girl is easy money to clear your debts?”
My heart sank. Edison was using my daughter just for a bet. I was furious.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Getty Images
I rushed back in and found Serena. “Serena, we’ve been fooled! It’s all a game to him!” I blurted out.
“Dad, what are you talking about?” Serena looked so confused and then shocked as I told her about the bet.
“He’s lying to you, Serena! He’s just using you,” I said, my voice cracking.
But Serena got defensive. “You’re making this up! You never liked Edison! Edison cares for me…unlike you, Dad. You were never around. After Mom passed, it was like you chose your job over me. I felt alone, not like I had a dad. I didn’t need those nannies and expensive boarding schools, Dad. I needed you.”
Her words stung, but I knew we had to deal with Edison’s deception first.
Then, I saw him entering the dining room. Edison. I just couldn’t contain myself any longer. I lost it and punched him in the face, yelling, “Stay away from her daughter, you creep!”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
But Serena was furious with me. “Stop it, Dad! It’s my life, not yours!” she yelled, pushing me back. I knew no matter what I said at that moment, Serena would not take my side. She was blinded by the fake love Edison had shown her.
I eventually left, heartbroken but not beaten. I had to save my daughter. So, I called a buddy of mine who’s a private investigator. A few days later, he gave me a report about Edison’s dark past of failures and gambling addiction.
This was my shot to show Serena the truth about Edison and get her back.
The report mentioned Duke R., Edison’s old business partner, who got left in the dust because of Edison’s mess-ups.
The report said Duke hung out at a place called Le Beans Café, a little diner outside of town. I grabbed the phone number listed for Duke and called him up.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
At Le Beans Café, under its dim lights, I met Duke. Life had been tough on him, but he was ready to spill everything about Edison’s gambling issues. He wanted to help me keep my daughter safe from Edison.
After meeting Duke that night, I went to Edison’s favorite casino, pretending to be “Parker,” a rich guy from Texas. I looked the part and had my story ready. Sitting down at Edison’s table, I smiled.
“Welcome, Parker. Big game tonight. Feeling lucky?”
I played my cards right, literally, and ended up winning with a royal flush, beating Edison’s hand. He tried to keep calm, but I could tell he was rattled.
“Looks like beginner’s luck,” Edison snarled.
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“Or maybe some of us just know how to play,” I said, smiling slowly as I let him realize who I was. “Surprised to see me, Edison?”
He went white, finally getting what was happening. “Billy? What’s this about?”
“It’s about Serena. Leave her alone, and we’re square,” I said firmly, not giving him a choice. “Or,” I added, “you can settle the debt right now. In cash. And let’s just say, I have some… unconventional methods of collecting outstanding debts.”
“Fine, I’ll stay away from her,” he said reluctantly.
I left the casino feeling like I’d won but also worried. Edison gave in too easily, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t the end of it with Serena.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
The next morning, fury surged through me as Serena’s voicemail played yet again. Why aren’t you answering my calls, honey? Desperation led me to call her friend, Sarah, who cheerfully informed me of Serena’s engagement party to Edison, a piece of news that left me reeling.
“Engagement party? With Edison?” I was shocked.
“Yes! Didn’t Serena tell you? You should come, Mr. Thompson. It’s at The Grand Springs, starts at eight,” Sarah replied, oblivious to my shock.
Arriving at The Grand Springs, I was met with the sight of Serena, radiant with happiness, and Edison, oozing charm among the guests. My heart raced as I approached Edison, my anger peaking.
“We need to talk, now,” I said, pulling him to the side.
“Now? During the party?” Edison smirked, but I wasn’t having it and dragged him into a quiet bathroom to have it out.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Getty Images
“You think you can just waltz in and take my daughter’s life?” I accused, pressing him against the wall.
“She loves me. And your dirty little secrets? They could destroy you,” Edison shot back, hinting he knew things about me that could hurt me.
“But you’re not going to get her. Not on my watch!” I said, even though his threat to tell Serena about my past mistakes left me rattled.
“Two minutes, Thompson. Then I call security,” Edison warned, leaving me in turmoil. “You think you can stop this, Daddykins? She loves me. She wants me. And if you try anything, if she sees even a tiny scratch on me, she’ll turn her back on you forever. Is that what you want, Thompson? To be abandoned by your sweet daughter?”
No matter how much I hated that old creep, I had to admit he was right. Serena was already against me. I couldn’t afford to lose her forever.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Defeated and heartbroken, I ended up outside, the bright city lights seeming to laugh at my inability to save Serena from Edison’s lies. I sat down on a bench, overwhelmed and hiding my face in my hands.
While I was lost in my own sadness, a cough caught my attention. Looking up, I saw a woman standing there, tall and with gray hair, looking kind of gentle in the faint light. “You’re Mr. Thompson, right?” she asked quietly.
“Annie? Edison’s sister?” I was surprised to recognize her.
She gave a small smile. “Yes, we’ve seen each other before… At Edison’s, when you tried to save your daughter,” she reminded me.
I quickly told her all about the mess with Edison and how he was tricking Serena. “And you’re aware of it, too, right?”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Getty Images
“That conniving weasel,” Annie finally spat. “He’s wasted everything — our inheritance, my savings from years of theatrical performances… all gone to feed his gambling addiction.”
“We could stop him,” I said, feeling she might want to help.
“What do you have in mind?” Annie asked.
I explained my plan to her and even offered her some money as a start. “Consider this a start,” I said.
“I’m listening,” she said, interested.
So, we went ahead with our plan at the wedding. Annie was there pretending to be just another guest. Right as Edison was putting the ring on Serena’s finger, a young woman stood up and yelled, “He’s a liar!”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Then another woman stood up, telling her story about Edison’s lies. More people started speaking up, all exposing Edison’s evil deeds.
Edison tried to deny it. “No, they’re lying! I don’t even know them,” he said, but he was falling apart as everyone saw his true colors.
Our plan worked. The wedding turned into a place where all of Edison’s lies were laid bare for everyone to see.
In a moment filled with tension, an older woman approached Serena.
“Don’t fall for his tricks, dear. He’s nothing but trouble. Get away from him while you can! I’ve been a victim, too,” the woman said firmly. Watching through a video call, I saw Serena’s world fall apart as she threw her wedding ring away, her dream of happiness shattered.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Getty Images
This was the climax of the plan I had made with Annie and her group of actors to show everyone who Edison really was. Serena ran out of the church, clearly hurt, but it was the only way to save her from a terrible mistake.
Then, things got even more serious when the police showed up to arrest Edison, making it clear he was finally going to face the consequences of his actions. Although it cost me a lot to get Annie’s help, seeing my daughter free from Edison was worth every penny.
When I met Serena at her place later, it was a very emotional moment. “Dad, I’m so sorry. I should’ve listened to you,” she cried.
I held her and showed her a plane ticket to Boston, to remind her of her dream of studying fashion design. “It’s time to start over, to chase your dream,” I told her.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
She looked at me, grateful and hopeful. “Thanks, Dad. I love you,” she said.
This whole ordeal reminded me how important it is to be there for our kids and to do whatever it takes to keep them safe.
If only I’d been there for Serena, she’d never have fallen for someone like Edison. I had learned a huge lesson and decided to make my daughter my priority.
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My Best Friend Set Me Up at Work to Get Me Fired So She Could Take My Promotion
Kera and Sam were more than best friends; they were family. They built their careers together, side by side, until a promotion turned everything into a competition. When Kera is accused of theft, she thinks her life is over… until an unexpected secret is exposed. In the end, she learns that betrayal runs deep, but karma cuts deeper.
I always thought betrayal would come with warning signs, like whispers behind my back, a shift in tone, something to tip me off before the knife slid in.
But no.
An upset woman | Source: Midjourney
Instead, betrayal came with a smile. With a hug. With the promise of friendship.
My name is Kera. I’m twenty-eight years old, and everything I have now, I built from nothing.
I was left at an orphanage as a baby. There was no note, no explanation. Nothing. Just an abandoned girl who grew up bouncing between foster homes, learning that while people wanted to be nice, the only person she could truly rely on was herself.
A little girl playing with toys | Source: Midjourney
That was until Sam.
We met when we were eight, two kids with no families, clinging to each other like lifelines. We learned to cook together, sneaking into the orphanage kitchen at night to steal peanut butter or test recipes that we saw on TV.
We dreamed of becoming chefs, of running our own restaurant someday.
“One day, Kera,” Sam said. “One day, we’ll have big kitchens and lots of money! And we can buy all the food we want.”
“I know,” I said, smiling.
A smiling teenage girl | Source: Midjourney
It felt good to dream. It felt good to look forward to something. To see a future that was bigger than we ever thought we could have.
And we worked for it, too.
We got into culinary school on scholarships and hopes. And, surprisingly, we graduated at the top of our class. We thrived on creativity and passion. On the days we felt like giving up, we pushed through. We pushed each other, and if we fell, we fell together.
“I’ll always be here, Sammy,” I told her one day after we ended up in the ER.
A woman standing in an ER | Source: Midjourney
Sam had been too enthusiastic when chopping up herbs and had an incident with a knife.
“I know, K,” she said, smiling through her painkillers. “It’s together or nothing, right, sis?”
Eventually, we landed jobs at one of the best restaurants in the city. We didn’t know how Lady Luck kept shining on us, but we were grateful that she did.
Side by side, Sam and I climbed the ranks, proving ourselves in the brutal, high-pressure world of professional kitchens.
A woman working in a professional kitchen | Source: Midjourney
So when the head chef position opened up, we were both the top candidates.
That day, after the announcement, Sam pulled me aside.
“No matter what happens, let’s not let this ruin our friendship, okay?” she said, squeezing my hand.
I smiled.
A woman working in a professional kitchen | Source: Midjourney
“Of course,” I said. “Nothing changes. But I am starving. Let’s get some food on our break. A greasy cheeseburger from that place down the road sounds like it would hit the spot.”
She smiled back, but there was something… off. A little too much relief in her voice, like she already knew how this would play out.
“Sure,” she said. “Let’s meet there. I have something to do first. A pharmacy run, you know.”
The interior of a pharmacy | Source: Midjourney
I ignored the feeling. Sam was my best friend, after all.
But I shouldn’t have ignored any of my feelings. The first worrying sign was when Sam didn’t meet me for lunch during our break. She just didn’t show up.
That evening, after the dinner service, I was cleaning up my station when our boss, Chef Reynard, stormed into the kitchen. His face was like stone, his sharp blue eyes locking onto mine.
Food on a pass in a kitchen | Source: Midjourney
“I didn’t expect this from you, Kera!” he thundered. “I thought you were better…”
Silence fell. The entire staff froze, utensils clattering, conversations dying mid-sentence.
“Chef?” I swallowed hard.
He turned to the room.
“Everyone, to the break room. Now!”
An upset chef | Source: Midjourney
The weight of his words sank into my stomach like lead. Something was very, very wrong. What was Chef on about?
We filed in, confused, exchanging nervous glances. Chef Reynard stood at the front, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
“This evening, during an inventory check, something was found,” he said. “Stolen black caviar. In Kera’s bag.”
I stopped breathing. I broke out into a sweat. I felt dizzy.
A woman’s bag | Source: Midjourney
My bag?
My stomach twisted into a hundred knots.
“That’s impossible!” I gasped.
Chef Reynard didn’t react.
“I announced earlier today that I’d be doing an inspection. Someone’s been stealing from my kitchen.”
His eyes were sharp, scanning the room.
A pantry | Source: Midjourney
“And tonight… I found this.”
He held up a small glass jar of caviar, the kind we only used for high-end VIP guests who ordered top-shelf alcohol like it was absolutely nothing.
I stared at Chef’s hand, looking at the glass jar like it was a snake, waiting to strike.
“I didn’t take that,” I said, my voice hoarse. “I swear on my life, Chef. I would never… I would never jeopardize my position here!”
“Then, Kera, how did it end up in your bag?” His voice was calm but firm.
A jar of caviar | Source: Midjourney
I opened my mouth, then shut it. I didn’t have an answer. I felt dizzy.
Sam sat beside me, her hands clasped in her lap. She wouldn’t meet my eyes. She didn’t offer an encouraging smile. Or a hand squeeze.
A sick feeling curdled in my gut.
Chef Reynard exhaled.
“Tell me why I shouldn’t fire you right now.”
An angry chef | Source: Midjourney
I froze.
“Come, Kera. Tell me.”
Tears burned behind my eyes.
I looked around the room, at my coworkers, at the people I had worked beside for years. Some of them looked skeptical. Some looked outright disappointed.
But Sam?
She just sat there. Silent.
A woman sitting | Source: Midjourney
That’s when I knew.
She knew about the inspection. She was the one who did it. Her eyebrows were furrowed like they always were when she was up to something.
Chef Reynard had been on the phone earlier that morning, talking about the missing inventory, saying that he planned to check bags after our shift. But I hadn’t thought anything of it. There was no reason for me to.
But Sam had overheard. When we were changing into our uniform in the locker room she smacked my arm to make me stop talking so that she could hear what Chef was saying.
A woman looking down | Source: Midjourney
But… Sam? Would she really do that to me? Or was my imagination just running wild because the thought of me losing my job was so… close?
I felt the knife twist before I even knew it was there.
I stood up, my throat closing.
“I…” I couldn’t even get the words out.
“I should go…”
An upset woman | Source: Midjourney
Chef Reynard didn’t say anything. He just looked at me for a moment, his eyes softening.
I wanted to cry. I wanted to curl into a ball and just cry for a few hours. My career, everything that I had worked so hard for, was over.
I turned toward the door, my heart shattering.
“Stop, Kera,” he said.
I turned back, blinking through tears.
A door in a restaurant kitchen | Source: Midjourney
Chef Reynard reached into his pocket and pulled out a small ultraviolet flashlight.
The room went still again.
“There’s a security measure in place,” he said, his voice even. “I have marked all the caviar jars with an invisible, transparent ink, one that leaves residue on anyone who touches it. This is the new batch, and no one has worked with these yet, so only the person who stole the jar would have the stuff on their hands.”
A ripple of murmurs swept through the staff.
A flashlight | Source: Midjourney
He held the jar under the light, and sure enough, a faint, glowing mark was smeared along the lid.
“We started doing this a few years ago when we had another case of sticky fingers. One of our waiters was walking away with our caviar and bottles of champagne, ready to sell on the internet.”
Then he turned the light to his hands. They were clean except for his fingers, where he had held the jar moments before.
His eyes met mine, and he almost smiled.
Bottles of champagne | Source: Midjourney
“Everyone, hands out. Now.”
One by one, we stretched our arms out as he held the light to them.
Nothing.
Nothing.
Nothing.
Dirty nails.
Nothing.
Then…
A faint glow appeared on someone’s fingertips.
Ink on a woman’s hand | Source: Midjourney
That’s when the entire world tilted.
Sam.
The soft blue stain lit up on her skin, it was unmistakable. A choked sound left my throat. My best friend, my sister, sat there, caught red-handed.
Chef Reynard stared at her in disbelief.
“I need you to explain yourself,” Chef said.
“I… Chef…” Sam tried to say, her face drained of color.
A shocked woman | Source: Midjourney
“I never thought someone would do this to their best friend,” he said quietly.
Then, his voice hardened and his face darkened, anger taking over.
“You set her up? You set Kera up? You were willing to destroy her career for a promotion?”
Her mouth opened, desperate.
“Maybe someone else touched it before me… and I touched something they touched.”
An angry chef | Source: Midjourney
Chef Reynard didn’t even blink.
“Just go, Sam.”
I watched her grasp for anything to save herself. But there was nothing.
She knew it.
I knew it.
She stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the tiles. Her eyes flicked to me, just for a second.
An upset woman | Source: Midjourney
And in that second, I saw something that made my blood boil.
Sam didn’t think she’d get caught.
She wasn’t sorry. She was angry.
She stormed out, and just like that, she was gone.
The room was silent.
I was still shaking. I felt betrayed and hurt, heartache worse than I’d ever felt before.
A shocked woman | Source: Midjourney
“Kera,” Chef Reynard said.
“I meant what I said,” he continued. “I don’t tolerate thieves in my kitchen. And I couldn’t believe that it was you. I just… couldn’t. Let’s go to my office.”
We went to his office. I followed him quietly, my hands still shaking.
“Kera,” he said, sitting down. “I didn’t want to believe it because I had just drawn up something for you. But I need you to know that I don’t tolerate people who betray their own.”
An office | Source: Midjourney
He placed a single piece of paper in front of me.
A contract.
“You worked your butt off for this place, my girl,” he said. “I’ve noticed it from the beginning. And you’ve earned your spot as head chef.”
I took a deep breath.
“I had nothing to do with Sam’s actions,” I said. “Absolutely nothing.”
A contract on an office desk | Source: Midjourney
He smiled and held a pen out for me.
And I signed my name.
After my shift, I stopped at a food truck on my way home, trying to wrap my mind around everything. How was I going to go to our apartment and face Sam?
I wanted to slap her for almost costing me my job, but I was also worried about what she was going to do next.
I had been saving over the years. Sam had not, wanting to spend everything on clothing and alcohol. I highly doubted she had any savings, or at least enough to get by until she got a new job.
People outside a food truck | Source: Midjourney
But I shouldn’t have worried.
When I walked into our apartment, Jenna, our roommate, was sitting on the couch playing video games. Sam was nowhere to be seen.
“She’s gone,” Jenna said, pausing the game.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“She’s gone. She packed up, and some guy named Dylan came to help her take her things. She said to tell you that she wanted more for herself and that she needs to find her happiness out of your shadow.”
A woman playing video games | Source: Midjourney
What the actual heck?
“Thanks, Jenna,” I said, flopping down on the couch next to her.
“What happened? She got fired? She quit?”
“How about I tell you tomorrow?” I asked. “I just want to get into bed.”
I was devastated, but I had never felt the way I had before. There was so much anger and hurt. Pain that demanded to be felt.
If this is what Sam was truly capable of, then maybe I was better off without her.
An upset woman lying in her bed | Source: Midjourney
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