When Amelia’s father gave her a soap bar and told her to take cold showers with it, she never thought he had an evil, hidden agenda behind it. Her world turned upside down when her boyfriend told her the horrifying truth about that soap.
I’ve always been Daddy’s little girl, but now I feel like throwing up when I say those words. I’m not his little girl, and he’s not the man I always thought he was. Let me tell you why.
A woman looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney
So, I’ve always been close to my father, like REALLY close. I’m 23, and I lived with my parents up until a month ago because Dad never wanted me to move away.
He had given me the second floor of the house where I had my bedroom and a bathroom. Those two rooms of the house solely belonged to me. They were my safe space until the day Dad began to complain.
A man standing near a door | Source: Midjourney
My father is one of those people with a personality resembling a coconut. You know, hard on the outside and soft on the inside. He has these strict rules and principles that he abides by, but he also has this empathy inside that makes him the best Dad ever.
“Character is built in discomfort,” he’d always tell me. “You gotta face the worst now if you want a life full of luxuries ahead.”
But he’d also buy me chocolates and ice cream on days I didn’t feel good.
A woman holding an ice cream cone | Source: Pexels
Meanwhile, my mother has always been the typical loving mom. She’s always ready for hugs and kisses and never says no whenever I ask her to cook my favorite pasta. She has always been a sweetheart.
However, I recently felt that my parents were not the same anymore. Over the past few months, they had grown cold, and the love and care had suddenly vanished.
A woman sitting in her living room | Source: Midjourney
Honestly, I sometimes felt like I was living with two strangers in the house. It felt like we had lost the connection we always had.
Then began the unnecessary complaints and nitpicking from Dad’s side.
“You and your friends were too loud last night!”
“You’re staying out too late, Amy.”
“You’re spending too much on unnecessary things!”
Then came the complaint that really snatched my self-confidence.
A woman looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney
“You smell horrible, go take a cold shower and use the soap I gave you!”
I smell horrible? What? I thought. Where did that come from?
That was the day when Dad handed me this soap I had never seen before. It was a green, chunky soap bar that smelled a bit weird, but Dad had asked me to use it, assuring it would help get rid of the unpleasant body odor.
A woman holding a soap bar | Source: Pexels
His words made me feel so self-conscious that I had even stopped hanging out with my boyfriend, Henry.
I often found myself smelling my skin, clothes, hair, and even my breath, just to check what made my father feel so uncomfortable around me.
I followed his advice and used that soap whenever I took a shower. Or, if I may put it correctly, I took five showers a day just to use that soap and get rid of the smell that had apparently been haunting my father.
A woman taking a shower | Source: Pexels
I scrubbed my skin so hard that I stripped it of the moisture it needed. My skin had begun to look dry, scaly, and so rough.
Even then, my father said I still smelled like rotten onions.
“Did you use that soap, Amy? I don’t think you did,” he’d say. “You smell so bad.”
What shocked me even more was that my mother didn’t say a word when Dad humiliated me like that every day. She didn’t say anything in my defense or stop me from being so hard on myself.
A woman sitting on a chair, looking down | Source: Pexels
Mom and I had always been close. She was the only person I shared everything with since I was a kid. I’d always tell her about my latest crush, my new boyfriend, and even the new slang I’d learned at school.
I couldn’t believe it when she stood silently, avoiding my gaze, while Dad kept grilling me. I won’t ever forgive Mom for not being there for me when I needed her the most.
A woman looking down | Source: Pexels
I kept showering with the soap, and my clothes always clung to me because they were damp from the frequent showers.
Besides, I began avoiding my father. I’d always scurry up to my room and lock the door whenever he returned home from work. I didn’t want him to see me. Or, more specifically, smell me.
The turning point came when my boyfriend, Henry, came over. We had been dating for a few months, and he was the one bright spot in my increasingly bleak days.
A woman talking to her boyfriend | Source: Midjourney
Henry has always been the supportive boyfriend, the green flag we all look for. He’s always been kind to me, and he came over that day because he had noticed I had been avoiding him.
“Where have you been, Amy?” he asked as he held me by my arms.
“I was… I was just busy with some stuff, Henry,” I faked a smile. “I’m fine.”
“Really? You don’t look fine, babe,” he said.
“I’m okay, Henry,” I said as I held his hand. “Tell me one thing… Do I smell bad?”
A woman smiling | Source: Midjourney
He laughed, thinking I was kidding.
“No, babe. You smell fine. Why?”
“Nothing. I just…” I mumbled. “Forget it.”
“I’ll be right back,” he said before going to the bathroom.
A few minutes later, I watched him step out of the bathroom with the soap bar in his hand. I could see he wasn’t too happy about it.
“Who gave you this?! Are you taking cold showers with this?!?” he asked with eyes wide open.
A man looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney
How did he know this? I thought.
“Yeah, my Dad. Why?” I asked, trying my best not to panic.
“They didn’t tell you, did they?! Baby, this isn’t soap! It’s used to strip industrial machinery of grease and grime.”
“Wait, what?” I was shocked.
“This stuff is toxic, Amy. It causes chemical burns.”
I can’t explain how betrayed and heartbroken I felt at that point. How could my father do this to me? To his daughter who he loved so much?
A woman looking straight ahead, shocked | Source: Midjourney
That’s when it all started to make sense to me. The dry, itchy skin and the weird texture of the soap bar. It also made me wonder if my mother knew about this.
“I think we need to go to the hospital to get you checked,” Henry said. “And then, we’re going to the police. This is abuse, Amy.”
I don’t know why, but I stopped him.
A man sitting in his girlfriend’s house | Source: Midjourney
I knew he was telling the truth, but I couldn’t put the words “abuse” and “Dad” together. I had never seen Dad in a negative light, and I didn’t like how those words fit in the same sentence and made so much sense.
In short, I couldn’t accept that my father had tried to hurt me.
“We can’t do that,” I told Henry. “We can’t go to the police.”
“But why?” he asked.
“I’ll explain that later,” I said. “Please just help me get out of here. I’ll confront my parents later.”
A woman looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney
He agreed, and we moved into a small apartment a few days later. It was cramped and barely furnished, but it felt like a safe haven compared to what I had endured.
Then, it was time for me to confront my parents. I drove back to their house the next day.
When I arrived, Dad was in his usual spot, watching TV in the living room, and Mom was in the kitchen. I walked in with the soap bar in my hand and stood in front of my dad.
A man holding a remote | Source: Pexels
“I never thought you’d do this to me, Dad,” I said as I held the soap bar high enough for him to see. “This is toxic. It’s poison. It ruined my skin. Why did you do this?”
“Oh, so you finally found what it is, huh?” he smirked. “You needed to learn a lesson.”
“A lesson?” I laughed. “You nearly killed me. For what? Because you thought I smelled bad?”
“Please stop this!” My mother finally intervened. “Amy, yo—”
“You knew, Mom, didn’t you?” I cut her off. “You were a part of this ridiculous plan, right?”
A woman in her parents’ living room | Source: Midjourney
I watched tears trickle down her cheeks, but she didn’t say a word.
“Why did you do this to me, Dad?” I confronted my father. “I need to know!”
I wasn’t ready for his response. I had no idea it would turn my world upside down.
“You want to know why?” he said, almost to himself. “Fine. When your mother and I went on that vacation last year, we had a little too much to drink. We ended up in a crowd, where a fortune teller told me that your mother had been unfaithful.”
A man looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney
“What are you talking about?” I asked as my heart flipped.
“That’s true,” he continued. “When I confronted your mother the next morning, she told me the truth. She told me you weren’t mine. You’re the result of an affair she had while I was working hard for us in another country.”
I looked at my mom, who couldn’t meet my gaze. Then, I looked back at Dad as he continued to speak.
A sad woman looking down | Source: Pexels
“Your mother begged me not to leave her because she didn’t want to break our family apart,” he shook his head. “So, I agreed. But on one condition. I had to make her pay, and you too. Because YOU ARE NOT MY DAUGHTER!”
My heart shattered into a million pieces that day. I couldn’t believe my father had this evil side. The evil personality that was so hungry for unjust revenge.
A close-up shot of a woman, shocked | Source: Midjourney
“You mean you gave me that toxic soap because you were angry at Mom? Because you thought I was not your daughter?” I asked as the tears in my eyes blurred my vision.
“You’re not my daughter,” he said and turned around. “You’re not my blood.”
For the next few seconds, I stared at his back in silence, wondering why he punished me for something that wasn’t my fault.
“Alright, I’m done with you,” I said as I wiped away my tears. “You’ll be hearing from my lawyer.”
A woman about to leave her parents’ house | Source: Midjourney
And with that, I stepped out of the house that was once my haven. Over the next few days, I visited the hospital multiple times for my skin treatment and talked to my lawyer regarding how I could file a case against my parents.
Soon, my father received a notice of the restraining order and the impending lawsuit. With that, his smug confidence was shattered, and his reputation was in ruins. His entire circle was disgusted by his actions.
A man reading a legal notice | Source: Midjourney
Meanwhile, Mom tried to get in touch with me, but I didn’t reply to any of her calls or texts. If she couldn’t take a stand for me, why should I even bother talking to her? I was done.
Now, living with Henry, I feel a sense of peace that had been missing from my life for ages. I don’t remember the last time I had laughed this much in my own house. I can’t thank fate enough for blessing me with a man like Henry. I have no idea what I’d do without him.
A man sitting in his apartment | Source: Midjourney
If you enjoyed reading this story, here’s another one you might like: Bobby discovered a hidden stash of expensive gifts in his teenage daughter’s closet, along with a photo of an unknown older man and a note about a café meeting. He discreetly followed her to the café, unaware he’d uncover a secret that would tear his family apart.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
To Inherit My FIL’s Fortune, Our Entire Family Had to Live Under One Roof, but One Secret Cost Me My Share — Story of the Day
When my late father-in-law’s will forced us to live together for a year, I thought surviving family dinners had been the hardest part until his conditions revealed the lies holding our family together.
My FIL, Leonard, had always been a man of mysteries. Even during family gatherings, he carried an air of secrecy. When he passed, it felt like the end of an era. But it seemed he had one final surprise waiting for us.
The lawyer’s call made my stomach tighten.
“The time has come to announce the terms of your father-in-law’s will.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
The following week, the entire family arrived at the family estate. It was a grand house nestled in a sprawling garden bordered by dense woods. My two children darted across the lawn, their laughter breaking through the tense atmosphere. I adjusted my scarf, trying to mask the unease gnawing at me.
“Relax,” Thomas murmured, his hand brushing mine.
Evelyn, my MIL, sat near the bay window. Her fingers were lightly tapping the arm of the chair. She seemed to look straight through everyone.
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At exactly two o’clock, the lawyer, Mr. Hayes, cleared his throat and began to read from Leonard’s will.
“I leave the entire estate, including bank accounts and shares,” he read, his voice carrying through the room, “to my blood relatives—my wife, children, grandchildren, and my daughter-in-law, Olivia—under the condition that all of you reside together in this estate for one year.”
A murmur rippled through the room, but Mr. Hayes raised a hand, silencing it.
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“You must gather for family dinner daily at six o’clock sharp and remain at the table until seven. Missing a dinner or being away from the estate for more than a day will result in the annulment of the inheritance.”
I glanced at Evelyn, who raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Thomas squeezed my hand. The children’s laughter outside seemed distant, muffled.
As the lawyer finished reading the conditions of the will, a sharp voice broke the silence.
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“Well, interesting. And who’s supposed to enforce these rules?” Garrett, Thomas’s older brother, asked with a raised eyebrow, his tone laced with skepticism.
The lawyer adjusted his glasses and replied evenly, “Leonard anticipated this question. He made arrangements to ensure the terms of his will would be strictly followed.”
At that moment, the door to the study creaked open, and a young man stepped inside. He couldn’t have been more than twenty-five, with neatly combed hair. Dressed in a sharp suit that seemed almost too formal for someone his age, he carried a black notebook pressed against his chest.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“This,” the lawyer said, motioning toward him, “is Mr. Morrison. Leonard personally selected and hired him to oversee the execution of the will.”
Morrison nodded politely.
“From today onward, I’ll be responsible for ensuring every condition outlined in the will is met. Leonard and I formalized this arrangement years ago. It’s all in writing. I’ll be monitoring everything closely to make sure the rules are followed.”
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Garrett let out a low chuckle.
“So, what, you’re the family babysitter now?”
Morrison’s calm expression didn’t waver. “If you want to think of it that way. But if any of the conditions are violated, I’ll report it immediately, and the inheritance will be annulled. It’s as simple as that.”
The room fell silent. Morrison’s presence seemed to unsettle everyone.
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I exchanged a glance with Thomas, who gave a subtle shake of his head, signaling for me to stay quiet. Mr. Morrison suddenly became the most important person in the room.
Leonard’s game had begun, and there was no turning back.
***
The first dinners together were a slow march through unbearable silence. The long, heavy dining table felt like a barrier separating us rather than a place for connection. Forks scraped plates, and knives clinked against china, but no one dared to say much beyond a polite request for salt or butter.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
By the third dinner, the silence cracked like ice under pressure.
“How long are we going to pretend this is a normal family?” Evelyn’s cold voice sliced through the quiet.
Thomas straightened, lifting his head from his plate. “Mother, maybe it’s best not to start…”
“And why not?” Evelyn retorted. “Am I not allowed to speak my mind? If this is supposed to be ‘family bonding,’ let’s at least be honest about what kind of family we are.”
Garrett chuckled under his breath, pushing his chair back slightly. “Honest? That’s rich coming from you.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
Evelyn’s sharp gaze landed on him.
“And what exactly are you implying, Garrett? Is this about your inability to live up to anyone’s expectations?”
Garrett’s lips curled into a bitter smile.
“Sure, let’s call it that. We all know how you love to keep score, Mother.”
I stared at my plate, willing myself to remain invisible. My hands trembled under the table, and I clasped them tightly to keep still. Then Katie, my fourteen-year-old daughter, spoke.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“You know, if we’re being honest, why don’t we talk about Mom’s secret?”
My head snapped up. “Katie, what are you talking about?”
“I know about the letters. They weren’t for Dad.”
The ticking clock in the hall became painfully loud. Jack, my eldest, slammed his hand on the table, his face red with anger.
“Enough!” he shouted. “How dare you talk about Mom like that?”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
Katie shrank in her seat, her voice faltering. “I didn’t mean…”
“You didn’t mean what?” Jack interrupted her. “To humiliate her? To repeat gossip like some kind of… spy for Grandma?”
“Grandma told me about the letters. But I never saw them.”
Thomas, who had been uncharacteristically silent, finally stood, his face a mask of controlled anger.
“Katie, gossip hurts people. And worse, you let yourself be used to do it. You should be ashamed.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
Katie’s face crumpled as she gripped the edge of the table.
Thomas turned to Evelyn. “And you, Mother. How could you? Spreading lies, stirring the pot.”
Evelyn’s expression didn’t waver. “Lies? Are you saying you don’t know the truth, Thomas?”
“I don’t care what happened before we met. Olivia has been the best wife and mother anyone could ask for.”
Evelyn tapped her nails against the table.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“One of your children isn’t even part of this family. And unless we do a DNA test, I’ll leave this house, and none of you will inherit anything.”
Gasps filled the room. My heart pounded as Thomas froze, his face pale. Evelyn’s words hung over us like a storm cloud, ready to shatter the fragile peace we had left.
***
That night, the house buzzed with quiet confusion. No one truly understood what was happening, except for me and Thomas. He had barely spoken since Evelyn’s declaration. I found him sitting on the edge of the bed, clutching his chest.
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“Thomas, are you okay?” I asked, kneeling beside him.
“I can’t face this, Olivia. It’s too much. If the truth comes out…”
I placed my hands over his, steadying him. “You won’t have to. I’ll handle it.”
“You don’t have to do this alone.”
“Yes, I do. For our family.”
I left the room and made my way to Evelyn’s quarters. The hallway seemed longer than ever.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
As I approached, the murmur of voices stopped me in my tracks. I froze, straining to hear.
“You understand this is the only way to keep everything in the family?” Evelyn’s unmistakable tone cut through the silence.
I crept closer, my heart hammering in my chest.
“If I reveal that Olivia’s eldest son, Jack, isn’t from Thomas, he’ll be excluded from the will,” she continued. “That’s when you’ll get your rightful share.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
A second unfamiliar voice replied. “But how do you plan to do that?”
I nearly gasped.
Morrison?! What is he doing here, and how was he involved?
“I’ve already done it,” Evelyn said, her voice calm, as if discussing the weather. “I considered all the options when I found out you were my grandson. Your father, Garrett, doesn’t know. Your grandfather never suspected either; he’d never have accepted another grandson. So, I convinced him to name you as the overseer and ensured the will specified the inheritance was for blood relatives only.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
I clutched the doorframe for support, my mind reeling.
Grandson? Morrison is Garrett’s son?!
“But how did you know Jack isn’t Thomas’ son?” Morrison asked, his voice trembling.
“Thomas told me,” Evelyn replied coolly. “He met Olivia when she was already pregnant. He decided to raise the child as his own but asked me to keep it from his father.”
My knees felt weak, but I forced myself to stand tall. I couldn’t let her continue this.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
I shoved the door open. Evelyn was startled but quickly masked her reaction. Morrison turned, his face paling when he saw me.
“We need to talk,” I said, my voice trembling with anger.
Evelyn tilted her head. “I assume you heard everything.”
“Yes. And it stops here. You will stay in this house. I will give Morrison my share of the inheritance if that’s what it takes. But there will be no DNA tests. No one else needs to know. Especially not Jack. I won’t let my eldest son’s life be destroyed.”
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Evelyn scrutinized me. “And Morrison?”
“He will take the money and disappear. No drama, no revelations.”
After a long pause, she nodded. “Fine. But remember, this was your condition. No mistakes.”
***
The next dinner, Evelyn sat at the head of the table, lifting her glass with a serene smile.
“I want to apologize for my behavior yesterday,” she began, her tone light. “I think I may have had a little too much cider and said things I shouldn’t have.”
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The room froze before everyone murmured polite agreements. Katie’s voice broke the silence.
“Grandma, are you staying in the house?”
Evelyn turned to her, smiling warmly and patting her hand. “Yes, sweetheart. Yesterday, I was in a bad mood and made a terrible joke. I’m so sorry if it upset anyone.”
Katie’s face lit up. “Alright, Grandma.”
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“We’re staying, all of us,” Evelyn continued, her voice softening. “We’re one big, happy family, aren’t we? That’s what Leonard wanted for us, to be together.”
Thomas picked up the conversation, telling a story. Laughter followed. I glanced at Jack, so carefree, unaware of the truth. I prayed he never would.
Morrison sat silently, pushing food around his plate. His focus wasn’t on family. It was on the money Evelyn promised him.
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Evelyn’s eyes met mine briefly, a flicker of triumph in her gaze. She had won.
We all kept eating, pretending. Under the table, Thomas squeezed my hand. I realized then—it wasn’t always right to disturb the balance of life. My family deserved peace and love, no matter what secrets I had to keep to protect it.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
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