Emotional and Suspenseful
Anne had always admired her dad, Chris. He raised her alone after her mom, Fiona, left when she was just five. She remembered it like a bad dream—her parents yelling, doors slamming, and then… silence. Fiona was gone.
Now grown up, Anne was married to Edward, a kind man she met in college. At first, Chris didn’t like him—he didn’t trust easily, not after Fiona, not after building his company, Harrison Group, from the ground up. But eventually, he warmed up to Edward. Especially when Edward turned down a job at Harrison Group. Chris respected that. “He’s got guts,” he had said once. “Wants to make his own way. I like that.”
Anne did work at Harrison Group, and she worked hard—never wanting anyone to think she had it easy just because she was the boss’s daughter. One evening, she was coming home, tired but looking forward to a quiet night with Edward.
But then, she froze.
There was a sticky note on the door.
“Please, call me. Love, Mom.”
Anne’s heart pounded. After all these years—after all that silence—Fiona wanted to talk? What could she possibly want now? Her first thought was, Does she need money? But the only way to know was to call.
The Next Day
Anne walked into the restaurant, her heart thudding in her chest. There she was—Fiona. She looked older, fancier, but still unfamiliar.
“Hello, darling!” Fiona said brightly, smiling like nothing had ever happened.
“Hey… uh… Mom,” Anne replied, unsure if she should even say the word.
“If you don’t want to call me that, it’s okay,” Fiona said gently. “You can call me Fiona.”
They sat down, and Anne got right to the point. “Why now? What do you want from me?”
Fiona sighed and folded her hands. “I want to tell you the truth. It was your father’s fault. He kept me away.”
According to her, she’d tried to return years ago, but Chris shut her out. She said he didn’t want her near Anne and paid her to stay away. “But now I just want to make peace,” Fiona insisted. “Is it too late?”
Anne blinked. “No… it’s not too late. Tell me about your life.”
They ended up talking for hours. Fiona ordered wine—very expensive wine—plus appetizers, dessert, everything. “See? I’m not after your money,” she said with a smile. “I’m married to someone wealthy now. I just want my daughter back.”
Anne wanted to believe her. But something didn’t sit right.
Later That Night
Anne couldn’t stop thinking about it. If Fiona was telling the truth… had her dad really kept them apart?
Fueled by confusion and anger, she drove straight to her dad’s house.
“How could you do that to me, Dad?” she cried, barging in. “You robbed me of a relationship with my mother! I had the right to choose!”
Chris didn’t yell back. He just looked tired.
“She didn’t want a relationship,” he said softly. “She wanted money. She always did.”
“You’re lying!”
Chris sighed deeply and motioned for her to follow him into his office. “I didn’t want you to see this, but it’s time.”
He opened a folder on his computer and pulled up video after video. The first one showed Fiona, years ago, shouting at Chris, threatening to take Anne to court unless he paid her. Then, he handed her money. She smiled and walked out.
Anne stared at the screen, her stomach twisting.
“I didn’t record the first time,” Chris explained, voice tight. “But my lawyer told me to start documenting everything. I had no choice.”
There were more videos. One after another. Fiona showing up, yelling, demanding money, and walking out when she got it.
“But maybe she’s changed,” Anne whispered. “She did pay for lunch…”
Chris nodded sadly. “I thought so too… until yesterday.”
He opened one final video. Fiona, wearing the same outfit she had worn at lunch, was once again demanding money. It was right after she left that note on Anne’s door.
Anne broke down. “Why did you keep paying her?”
“I didn’t want her near you. Not near Edward. She’s poison,” Chris said, eyes shining with love. “I’d do it again if it kept you safe.”
Anne took a shaky breath and wiped her tears. “No, Dad. You don’t have to anymore. I’ll handle it.”
The Final Meeting
A few days later, Anne invited Fiona for lunch again.
“Darling! I’m so happy you called!” Fiona said, sitting down excitedly. “Are you ready to forgive me?”
“Of course, Mom,” Anne said sweetly. “And lunch is on me today. Order anything you like.”
Fiona’s eyes sparkled. “Oh, baby! You’re the best!” She ordered lobster, caviar, champagne, desserts—everything fancy on the menu.
Two hours later, Fiona got up to use the bathroom. “Order the check while I’m gone, sweetie. Let’s go do something fun after this!”
Anne smiled and did exactly that. But she also left a little surprise: a sticky note on the bill.
“I enjoyed lunch, you shrew. Good luck paying for it.”
Then she walked out of the restaurant without looking back.
Later, Anne heard a rumor that Fiona caused a huge scene when she realized Anne had vanished. The restaurant had to call security. She never tried contacting Anne again.
What Can We Learn from Anne’s Story?
Not every parent deserves the title. Fiona may have been Anne’s mother, but she didn’t earn the role. Some people only care about themselves.
And most importantly—keep receipts, keep recordings, and protect your peace. Like Chris did.
