My husband helped me raise my daughters, although he was not their biological father. In the end, he made a huge decision on his own that changed my life and ruined everything.
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Years ago, I met Nicholas during the hardest time of my life. I was a single mother and had two daughters to feed. But we fell in love and got married in less than a year. We also moved into the most beautiful home I could imagine.
Nicholas had been divorced in the past and had a son he barely spoke to, Nick Jr. His ex-wife did everything in her power to stop Nicholas from seeing the kid. He hated her attitude and missed his son.
We moved into a beautiful house after our wedding. | Source: Shutterstock
Therefore, he took on a fatherly role with my daughters and became the best dad they ever had. Eventually, they stopped calling him “stepfather.” He was just their dad. But that was more than 20 years ago. My daughters grew up and now have families of their own.
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Luckily, my eldest, Darlene, gave us two grandchildren. Nicholas adored those boys, and they visited often. They came for lunch one Sunday, and I wanted to talk to Darlene about something serious. My husband had told me something the night before that I wasn’t sure I could deal with at all.
I thought it was unfair, but I wanted my daughter’s honest opinion. Luckily, Nicholas planned to take the kids to the park. “Ok, Alice, honey. See you later,” he said, giving me a worried look because he knew I had been thinking about last night.
I had to talk to Darlene about what her father did. | Source: Pexels
“Mom, what’s going on?” Darlene asked when we were finally alone.
“Oh, Darlene. I don’t know what I’m going to do now. I don’t know if I’m being selfish or what,” I started.
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“Tell me. We’ll figure things out,” she told me.
“Last night, your father revealed something that I’m not sure I can forgive. He willed this big mansion to his son, Nick,” I explained.
“What? I thought he hadn’t spoken to Nick in years,” Darlene said, confused.
“He hasn’t! Ever since that big fight where Nick called him all kinds of names because Nicholas wouldn’t give him money,” I added.
“But then, he’s giving him this house? You live here too. You guys are married,” Darlene continued.
Darlene couldn’t believe Nicholes would do this. | Source: Pexels
“That’s the problem, sweetheart. He just made that decision on his own without telling me anything about it. He showed me the will last night. It has been notarized and everything,” I said. “He is also giving him all the money in his bank account.”
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“I can’t believe Dad would do this,” Darlene said. “I mean…I wasn’t expecting anything for my sister or me. But he completely disregarded us…his family for 20 years.”
“That’s how I feel. Like after all this time, we were never his real family! His son has treated him horribly for so long, and I know that his horrible mother influenced him. But still…I don’t know what to do,” I finished and dried the tears running down my face.
We always had a seemingly great relationship. | Source: Pexels
“I’m just in shock. You guys have had the perfect relationship for so long. My husband and I talked about it all the time. I can’t believe Dad would do this,” Darlene muttered. “Let me call Rosaline. Let’s see what she thinks.”
“Dad did what?!” Rosaline yelled through the speakerphone. “I can’t believe it. I don’t want his money, but I can’t believe he wouldn’t want Mom to be set for life if anything happens.”
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“Yeah, that’s how I feel,” Darlene told her sister. Meanwhile, I was still crying softly.
“Well, I’m sorry. I consider him my father, but I won’t tolerate this. Mom, you have rights to the house and the money. We are taking legal action NOW!” Rosaline exclaimed and hung up.
I didn’t want to take legal action, but my daughters insisted. | Source: Pexels
“I didn’t want to take this any further. He’s my husband, and I know he wants to take care of Nick Jr. because he wasn’t there most of his life,” I told Darlene, hoping that she would convince her sister to back down.
“No, Mom. That wasn’t Dad’s fault or yours. What are you going to do if something happens? You would be left homeless and penniless. Rosaline is right. We have no option unless he changes his will,” Darlene coaxed.
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“I’ll try to talk to him,” I said tentatively. But I knew Nicholas. I knew he wouldn’t change his mind. I talked to him that night after Darlene left with her kids. Nicholas wouldn’t budge, so I packed my things and went to stay at Rosaline’s house.
Our relationship was ruined, but at least, I wasn’t homeless and penniless. | Source: Pexels
We took him to court but gave him many chances to change his mind. In the end, Nicholas decided to sell the big house and give me half the price. I didn’t want to divorce him, but there was no other option. So I received half our savings as well.
He ruined our relationship. My daughters and I never saw him again. In the end, he didn’t consider us family at all.
What can we learn from this story?
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- Money troubles can ruin everything. Nicholas disregarded part of his family in favor of his son, and in the end, he ruined his marriage.
- You have to protect yourself. Alice didn’t want to take her husband to court, but her daughters wanted to protect her.
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Woman Tires of Admirer Who Joins Her Jog Every Morning but Desperately Searches for Him When He Doesn’t Show Up — Story of the Day
Rebecca coped with her depression by organizing her life so there’d be no time for it. She’d been doing that for years since the divorce. Until one persistent stranger decided to interfere with her strict, lonely routine. Little did Rebecca know, he’d become the one person she’d end up missing.
In the dim light of her bedroom, Rebecca lay on her back, her gaze locked on the digital clock beside her bed.
The numbers read 6:29. She took a steady breath, waiting for the clock to change.
As soon as it clicked to 6:30, the alarm went off, but Rebecca was quick to silence it.
She sat up, threw the covers aside, and rose from the bed with practiced precision.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
First things first—Rebecca smoothed out her sheets, arranging every corner until the bed looked crisp and perfectly made.
She walked into the bathroom, where everything had its place.
Her toothbrush rested neatly in a holder, the soap was placed just so in a dish, and a small mirror hung over the sink.
Rebecca took a moment to look at her own reflection, her expression calm but distant.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
She was forty-seven, with lines of experience and resilience etched onto her face.
Seven years had passed since her divorce, and though the pain had dulled, it had left behind a scar.
Her response to the heartache had been order, discipline, and strict routine. These things brought her a sense of control, something solid to hold onto when life felt chaotic.
At exactly seven o’clock, Rebecca laced up her running shoes, plugged in her headphones, and stepped outside, ready for her morning jog.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For years, these runs had been her escape, a time to strengthen her body while listening to audiobooks that exercised her mind.
It was her shield against sadness, each step a way to push forward.
But for the past month, something had started to disrupt her carefully designed routine—a neighbor named Charlie, who seemed determined to break through her guarded solitude, one cheerful “good morning” at a time.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Charlie’s house was right across the street, and every morning, just as Rebecca fell into her steady pace, he would come bounding out, waving his arms like an enthusiastic kid, barely managing to keep his sneakers on.
This morning was no different. Rebecca spotted him out of the corner of her eye as he hopped down his steps, shoving his shoelaces into his sneakers in a hurry to catch up.
She sighed, rolling her eyes and speeding up, hoping he’d get the hint this time. But, as always, Charlie wouldn’t be discouraged so easily.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Rebecca! Wait, it’s me!” he called, his voice cheerful as he jogged over, waving with one hand and holding his side with the other.
Rebecca pretended not to hear him and kept her eyes straight ahead, her footsteps rhythmic and focused.
But Charlie was determined, and soon he was jogging alongside her, albeit slightly out of breath.
“You’re fast… as always,” he managed between pants, giving her a crooked smile as he tried to match her pace.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Rebecca pulled out one of her earbuds and glanced at him, feigning surprise. “Oh, hi, didn’t see you there,” she replied, with just a hint of annoyance.
She had her whole morning planned out, and chatting with her neighbor hadn’t been on the agenda.
“No problem, totally my fault for being late,” Charlie said, his breath still coming in gasps.
Rebecca could see he was trying hard to keep up, yet he looked pleased just to be running alongside her.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
She gave a small, dismissive nod and was about to put her earbud back in when Charlie chimed in again.
“Hey, want to hear a joke?” he asked eagerly, his voice carrying that unbreakable enthusiasm she found both irritating and oddly endearing.
“You’d save more breath if you talked less while running…” she muttered, but he ignored her suggestion.
“Why did the scarecrow get a promotion?” he asked, grinning.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Rebecca sighed. She knew better than to indulge him, but she couldn’t help herself.
“I don’t know. Why?”
“Because he was outstanding in his field!” Charlie delivered the punchline with a broad, triumphant grin, his eyes bright with expectation.
Rebecca paused, rolling the joke over in her mind, and against her better judgment, a chuckle escaped her lips.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
She quickly tried to stifle it, but it was too late. Charlie had seen her reaction, and his face lit up with delight.
“See? You smiled! I’m getting better at this,” he noted with satisfaction, practically glowing at his small victory.
Rebecca shook her head, but her smile lingered, however brief.
“I’ll give it to you, that one wasn’t… too bad,” she conceded, still pretending to be unimpressed.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Charlie threw a fist in the air, grinning as if he’d won a prize.
“Finally! Progress!” he cheered, laughing.
Rebecca picked up her pace again, leaving Charlie struggling to keep up.
Each morning, Rebecca found herself looking forward to the sight of Charlie bounding out of his house with his untied sneakers and his cheerful grin.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
His silly jokes that once made her roll her eyes had grown on her, and she found herself smiling more often, even laughing aloud, which was something she hadn’t done in a long time.
More surprising to her, she had started to slow her pace—just a bit—so they could talk longer.
Charlie’s enthusiasm and light-heartedness had a way of softening the strict walls Rebecca had built around herself.
He had even managed to slip past her strict routine, something she thought no one could do.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
As she laced up her shoes and looked out the window, Rebecca found herself glancing at his house, as she had started doing most mornings. Today, though, something felt different.
The door to his house was shut tight, and there was no sign of him.
She checked her watch and waited, telling herself not to worry. But after a few more minutes passed, doubt crept in.
This wasn’t like Charlie—he was always so excited to join her.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
She hesitated, feeling a strange mix of concern and disappointment, but finally, she walked over to his house and knocked on the door.
She tapped her foot as she waited, glancing around and hoping he’d just forgotten to wake up. But there was no answer.
She rang the doorbell again, then leaned close to the window, peeking inside, but the rooms were still and quiet.
“Charlie! Are you there?” she called, trying to keep her voice steady. “Come on, you’re missing our jog!”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
She hoped he’d suddenly appear, laughing and apologizing for being late. But all she heard was silence.
Just then, an elderly voice spoke from nearby.
“Who’s shouting out here?” Startled, Rebecca turned to see Mrs. Lewis, an elderly woman who lived next door to Charlie, watching her with curiosity.
“Oh, Mrs. Lewis,” Rebecca said, feeling embarrassed for the outburst.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“I usually run with Charlie, but he didn’t show up today. Maybe he overslept,” she added, her voice quieter, almost as if she were speaking to herself.
She felt a pang of worry, wondering if maybe he simply didn’t want to run with her anymore.
Mrs. Lewis shook her head, looking concerned.
“Overslept? Oh no, dear. He was taken to the hospital by ambulance last night.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Rebecca’s heart skipped a beat.
“The hospital? What happened to him?”
Mrs. Lewis sighed, clearly upset herself.
“I’m not sure. I only saw the ambulance pull up and take him away. It’s such a shame. Poor man lives alone with no one to watch over him.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Rebecca stood there, processing the news, a wave of guilt and worry washing over her.
She had only known Charlie for a short while, but in that time, he had somehow become a part of her life, someone she looked forward to seeing.
Without a second thought, Rebecca thanked Mrs. Lewis, turned around, and headed back home to grab her purse and keys. There was only one hospital nearby, and she needed to find him.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Rebecca felt her heart racing as she walked through the bustling halls of the hospital, the antiseptic smell filling her nose and making her even more anxious. She took a steadying breath as she approached the reception desk, hoping to sound calm.
“Good morning,” she said, her voice just a bit shaky. “I’m looking for a patient who was admitted last night. His name is Charlie.”
The receptionist raised an eyebrow, looking over her glasses. “Do you have a last name, ma’am?”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Rebecca felt herself blush. “No, sorry… I only know him as Charlie. We just… met recently,” she admitted, realizing how strange it must sound.
The receptionist gave her a slightly skeptical look. “You do know that only family or close relatives are typically allowed to visit patients, right?”
“I… I’m his girlfriend,” she blurted, surprising even herself.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
The receptionist’s eyes softened as a small smile crept onto her face. “Girlfriend, huh?” She tapped a few keys on her computer, a slight twinkle in her eyes.
“You might as well learn his last name, then. You’ll need it if he’s going to be around,” she said with a wink.
“Charlie Sanders. Room 113. I’ll take you there.”
Rebecca felt her heart flip as she whispered a quick “thank you” and followed the receptionist down the hall.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Before they even reached the room, she could hear Charlie’s familiar laughter, his voice carrying through the doorway as he shared a joke with someone in the room.
The receptionist rapped gently on the wall to announce Rebecca’s arrival.
“Charlie, there’s a lady here to see you… she says she’s your girlfriend,” she added, a hint of playfulness in her voice as she glanced at Rebecca.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Charlie’s eyes lit up as soon as he saw her. “Yes, yes! Rebecca, come on in. Of course, she’s here for me,” he said with a grin, gesturing for her to come closer.
Rebecca felt a rush of relief as she walked over to sit beside him.
Charlie looked tired but cheerful, as if the hospital gown and the IV were just minor inconveniences in his day.
She glanced at him, both relieved and exasperated. “Girlfriend, huh?” Charlie teased, raising his eyebrows playfully.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Rebecca gave him a mock-scowl. “I had to say something to get in here, didn’t I? And you missed our jog this morning! What happened?” she asked, a touch of concern creeping into her voice.
Charlie sighed, shifting slightly in the bed.
“Well… it’s a bit embarrassing to admit, but those jogs? Not exactly great for my health.”
Rebecca’s face fell. “What do you mean?”
He glanced down, looking a little sheepish.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“I have a heart condition. Doctor’s orders are to avoid anything too intense… like trying to keep up with you,” he admitted with a wry smile.
Her heart sank, and she shook her head in disbelief.
“Charlie, why didn’t you tell me? You shouldn’t have been running at all!”
Charlie gave a small, lopsided smile.
“Well… if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have seen you. I wouldn’t have gotten to know you.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Rebecca felt her face soften, a mix of surprise and affection warming her heart.
“So you were willing to risk your health just to talk to me?” she asked quietly, looking him in the eye.
He nodded, his expression turning serious.
“Yes,” he said simply.
“I’ve watched you every morning, jogging at the same time, like clockwork. I’ve seen you give things to charity, help the neighbors. You’re… you’re someone special, Rebecca.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Rebecca felt a lump form in her throat, his words striking her in a way she hadn’t expected.
She reached over and took his hand, squeezing it gently.
“Charlie,” she said, her voice soft, “you don’t need to run to spend time with me. How about dinner at my place instead?”
Charlie’s face broke into a warm smile.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Now that sounds a lot safer for my heart,” he replied, his eyes shining. “I think the doctor would definitely approve.”
Rebecca chuckled, feeling the tension in her chest ease as they shared a smile.
“I hope so,” she murmured, looking forward to an evening that didn’t involve heart-stopping runs but instead a quiet meal with someone who, in a short time, had become surprisingly important to her.
Tell us what you think about this story, and share it with your friends. It might inspire them and brighten their day.
If you enjoyed this story, read this one: Lucy once thought she had a loving family and a happy life. But after the divorce —she had nothing. It felt like there was nothing left for Lucy in this world. But then, everything changed when a car nearly hit her. That’s when she met a long-lost friend, and her life began to take a new turn.
This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.
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