Roy was at his peak. The 24-year-old man, who had a lot of love for computers and digital tech, was a software developer who earned a lot of money for his products.

He was a pro at what he did, and his job gave him autonomy over how he spent his time. As a result, he was genuinely contented with his lot in life.

He had a girlfriend named Karen, whom he met more than six months ago. She was a beautiful woman with lush curves and ivory skin who also appeared to be smitten with him as much as he was with her.

Roy cared for himself, his woman, and his parents, who lived together under his roof. His folks liked Karen, and the feeling was mutual.

Roy loved that she did that for his parents, and after a while, the smitten man started to consider her as a choice for marriage, and his parents were all for it.

“Took you long enough,” his mother, Lana, told him when he revealed his desire to marry Karen to her.

“You won’t get any objections here son,” his father said too, happy his son had finally found his soul mate.

Galvanized by their words, Roy decided to move forward with his plan. One day he went out and got a unique wedding band he knew Karen would like.

“Hey love,” he said after she picked up. “I know this is out of the blue, but would you care to join me at Alberto’s?”

It was their favorite restaurant — the very same place they both met for the first time. “Of course, I’m famished!” she exclaimed in her breathy voice he had come to love so much.

While they had dinner in the restaurant, Roy noticed that a new waiter was working there. The man seemed to be staring at them when they entered, and he continued to the whole evening.

Later on, the waiter brought them two glasses of wine. As he placed the tray on the table, Roy’s name was called by a security agent. “Hello sir, your car was just evacuated for improper parking,” he said.

Roy quickly ran outside, but his car was still there — it was a prank. When he returned to his seat, the same new waiter walked by and accidentally dropped the tray on the floor near Roy’s leg.

It made a clatter, but nobody noticed over the din of quiet conversation and gentle music. As the waiter bent to pick it up, he carefully slipped a piece of paper in Roy’s pocket and looked into his eyes.

Roy was unsure of what was happening, but he understood that the man was trying to be discrete, so he played along and quietly opened the note under the table.

It contained a simple message — “Don’t drink the wine! The police are on their way!”

Roy was befuddled. What’s going on? he wondered as he tried to keep his composure.

After 5 minutes, the police arrived, and Karen was arrested. Roy still didn’t understand what was happening until the waiter shouted, “Hurry, go home!”

Accompanied by the police, Roy hurriedly drove to his home, and when they arrived, they found a man running out of the house with a bag. It turns out that the guy was Karen’s husband. They had been married for four years and were engaged in robberies.

The man told Roy that he had moved to town from a city 150 miles away and that he had also been a waiter back there.

One year ago, Karen had swindled a rich man by putting sleeping pills in his wine while her man robbed his house. She got away with it at the time, but fortunately, the waiter recognized her immediately and started thinking of how to help Roy.

“I could not let her get away with it again,” he said.

Roy thanked the man for his kindness and rewarded him with a large sum of money, saying he saved him. Meanwhile, Karen and her husband were taken to court and sentenced to jail time for their deeds.

“I hope one day you realize what it means to be betrayed by a loved one,” he said as he left her laughing manically.

What did we learn from this story?

• Evil will never go unpunished. Karen and her husband had been robbing rich men for some time, but Roy was rescued by the good samaritan, and he made sure that Karen and her hubby got what they deserved.
• If you can do something, don’t do nothing. If the waiter had decided to turn a blind eye to Karen’s presence and what it meant, she would have gotten away with stealing from Roy. However, the waiter chose to help and, in return, got rewarded for it.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a lady who invited her boyfriend to a family dinner with her parents but it almost ruins her life.

This account is inspired by our reader’s story 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.

Harry and his brother Walter were called to the lawyer’s office after their grandmother passed away. Walter was excited to receive the call, as he knew it would be about their grandmother’s inheritance.

When their grandfather died five years ago, Harry and Walter were left with nothing, and all of his wealth went to his beloved wife. So, now that his grandmother had passed away, Walter was expecting everything to go to them.

Although they were only a year apart, Harry and Walter were very different. Instead of relying on their family’s riches, Harry chose to strike up on his own and work hard for what he had.

Meanwhile, Walter always had his eyes on the prize. When his parents died, he knew that staying close to his grandparents would one day get him the inheritance he believed he deserved. He worked in the business his father left him and Harry, putting work above everything else.

“I promised him that the house he built for me would be passed on from generation to generation, and I want to fulfill that promise before I go. Please, do that for me,” she had told them.

Harry and Walter nodded, but only one was being genuine. That day in the lawyer’s office, it was clear who had their grandmother’s interest at heart.

“What else?” Walter asked.

“Nothing else. That is all that is in her will,” the lawyer told him.

“What?! That can’t be! What about all her money? Her jewelry? I know she had a lot!” he screamed.

“We have already searched the house for any valuables, and none were found. She had already closed her bank account before she died. This is all she had left,” the lawyer explained.

Still furious, Walter stormed outside the office with Harry following behind him. “We need to fulfill grandma’s wish,” Harry told his brother.

“For what? She won’t know that we didn’t waste any money rebuilding that old house. I don’t want anything to do with that house. Do with it as you please,” Walter told him before driving away.

Harry wanted to fulfill his grandmother’s wish but knew he had no money. He had a lot of debt and only made enough money for his family’s necessities.

He decided to use his savings and borrow additional funding from his wealthy friend to rebuild his grandmother’s house. While rebuilding it himself, he was fixing the sewage system in the front lawn when he noticed a wooden hatch as he dug the ground.

“What is this?” he said to himself as pulled the opening. He opened the hatch, and it opened directly to a short flight of stairs that led to an underground room. He went down with a bright lamp and was surprised by what he discovered.

There was a wooden chest in the room with a letter on top. Harry’s grandfather had written the letter before he passed away, and it read:

“To my grandson Harry,

Don’t worry. Your grandmother and I are safe now and are watching over you from above. We hope you use this house and everything in it to enjoy life with your families. Now, take this letter and show it to my lawyer. There, you will find what you deserve. With love, Grandpa.”

Harry couldn’t believe his eyes. He read the letter multiple times before deciding to open the chest. In the trunk were family albums and a box of jewelry that his grandparents owned.

Harry couldn’t help but smile. “I do love my grandparents a whole lot. I’d fulfill their wishes any day,” he replied.

“I’m transferring ownership of a bank account under your grandfather’s name to you. It has about $300,000. He said that if you didn’t decide to rebuild your grandmother’s house, I should transfer all of this to charity,” the lawyer explained.

After knowing this, Harry decided to donate to charity anyway. He donated $100,000 to charities working with the elderly and kept the rest to himself. With the money, he paid off his debts, completely rebuilt his grandmother’s house, and started a business for him and his wife.

In the end, they sold the house they lived in and moved into his grandmother’s house. Their cafe business launched successfully, and they had more than enough money to live life comfortably and without debt.

What can we learn from this story?

• Our elders do not owe us anything. While some people leave an inheritance for their children and grandchildren, they are not obligated to do so. Walter expected a hefty sum from his grandparents and was disappointed when he did not get it. Meanwhile, Harry did not expect anything at all, and he was blessed with more than he could ever imagine.
• Family should come above material possessions and wealth. Harry and Walter couldn’t be any more different. Harry worked to provide his family with their needs while spending quality time with them. On the other hand, Walter prioritized gaining wealth over his family. In the end, Walter continued with this mentality, while Harry was able to live comfortably while enjoying the fruits of his hard work with his loved ones.

If you liked this story, you might like this one about a boy who handed his poor widowed mom a box of money, claiming it was given by his father before he passed away.

This account is inspired by our reader’s story 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.

I never thought I’d experience grief so young, but here I am at 34, a widower with a 5-year-old son. The last time I saw my wife Stacey two months ago, her chestnut hair smelled of lavender as I kissed her goodbye. Then, a phone call that will forever be etched in my memory shattered my world… 💔

I was in Seattle at that time, finalizing a significant deal for my company when my phone buzzed. It was a call from Stacey’s father.

“Abraham, there’s been an accident. Stacey… she’s gone.”

“What? No, that’s impossible. I just talked to her last night!”

“I’m so sorry, son. It happened this morning. A drunk driver…”

His words faded into a dull roar. I don’t remember the flight home, just stumbling into our empty house. Stacey’s parents had already arranged everything. The funeral was over, and I hadn’t been able to say goodbye.

“We didn’t want to wait,” her mother said, avoiding my eyes. “It was better this way.”

I was too numb to argue. I should have fought harder. I should have demanded to see her, to say goodbye. But grief does funny things to your mind. It clouds your judgment and makes you accept things you’d normally question.

“When’s Mommy coming home?”

“She can’t, buddy. But she loves you very much.”

“Can we call her? Will she talk to us, Daddy?”

“No, baby. Mommy’s in heaven now. She can’t talk to us anymore.”

He buried his face in my chest as I held him tight, my tears falling silently. How could I explain death to a five-year-old when I could barely understand it myself?

Two months crawled by.

One morning, as I watched Luke push his cereal around his bowl, barely eating, I knew we needed a change.

“Hey champ, how about we go to the beach?” I asked, trying to inject some enthusiasm into my voice.

His eyes lit up for the first time in weeks. “Can we build sandcastles?”

“You bet! And maybe we’ll see some dolphins.”

We checked into a beachfront hotel, our days filled with sun and surf. I watched Luke splash in the waves, his laughter a soothing melody to my weary soul. I almost forgot the pain and lost myself in the simple joy of being a dad.

On our third day, I was lost in thought when Luke came running.

“Daddy! Daddy!” he shouted. I smiled, thinking he wanted more ice cream.

“Dad, look, Mom’s back!” he said, pointing at someone.

I froze, following his gaze. A woman stood by the beach, her back to us. Same height as Stacey with the same chestnut hair. My heart pounded so hard I could feel it in my throat.

“Luke, buddy, that’s not—”

The woman turned slowly. And my stomach dropped the moment our eyes met.

“Daddy, why does Mommy look different?” Luke’s innocent voice cut through my shock.

I couldn’t speak. My eyes were fixed on the horror about thirty yards away, laughing.

It was Stacey.

Her eyes widened as she grabbed the arm of a man next to her. They hurried away, disappearing into the crowd of beach-goers.

“Mommy!” Luke cried, but I scooped him up.

“We need to go, buddy.”

“But Dad, it’s Mom! Didn’t you see her? Why didn’t she come say hi?”

I carried him back to our room, my mind reeling. It couldn’t be. I’d buried her. Hadn’t I? But I knew what I saw. That was Stacey. My wife. Luke’s mother. The woman I thought was dead.

That night, after Luke fell asleep, I paced the balcony. My hands shook as I dialed Stacey’s mother.

“Hello?” she answered.

“I need to know exactly what happened to Stacey.”

“No, tell me again.”

“The accident was early morning. It was too late by the time we reached the hospital.”

“And the body? Why couldn’t I see her?”

“It was too damaged. We thought it best—”

“You thought wrong,” I snapped, hanging up.

I stood there, staring out at the dark ocean. Something wasn’t right. I could feel it in my gut. And I was going to get to the bottom of it.

I spent hours combing the beach, the shops, and the restaurants. No sign of Stacey or her companion. With each passing hour, my frustration grew. Was I going crazy? Had I imagined the whole thing?

As the sun began to set, I slumped onto a bench, defeated. Suddenly, a familiar voice made me jump.

“I knew you’d look for me.”

I turned to find Stacey standing there, alone this time. She looked just like I remembered, but somehow different. Harder. Colder.

“It’s complicated, Abraham.”

“Then explain it,” I snarled, my hands shaking with anger and shock as I secretly captured her conversation on my phone.

“I never meant for you to find out like this. I’m pregnant.”

“What?”

“It’s not yours,” she whispered, not meeting my eyes.

The story slowly spilled out. An affair. A pregnancy. An elaborate plan to escape.

“My parents helped me,” Stacey admitted. “We knew you’d be away. The timing was perfect.”

Tears streamed down her face. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t face you. This way, everyone could move on.”

“Move on? I thought you were DEAD! Do you know what it’s like to tell your five-year-old son his mother is never coming home?”

“Abraham, please try to understand—”

“Understand what? That you’re a liar? A cheater? That you let me grieve while you ran off with your lover?”

I stood, towering over her. “No. You don’t get to call the shots anymore. You lost that right when you decided to play dead.”

As Stacey opened her mouth to respond, a small voice cut through, stopping me cold.

“Mommy?”

We both turned. Luke stood there, his eyes wide, clutching his nanny’s hand. My heart sank. How much had he heard?

Stacey’s face went white. “Luke, honey—”

I scooped him up, backing away. “Don’t you dare speak to him.”

“It’s okay, Sarah. We’re leaving.”

Luke squirmed in my arms. “Daddy, I want to go to Mommy… please. Mommy, don’t leave me. Mommy… Mommy!”

I carried him away, ignoring his tearful pleas. In our room, I packed frantically while Luke peppered me with questions.

“Why are you crying, Daddy? Why can’t we go to Mommy?”

I knelt before him, taking his small hands in mine. How could I explain this? How do you tell a child that his mother chose to abandon him?

“Luke, I need you to be brave. Your mother did a very bad thing. She lied to us.”

His lower lip trembled. “She doesn’t love us anymore?”

The innocent question shattered what was left of my heart. I pulled him close, unable to hold back my tears. “I love you enough for both of us, buddy. Always. No matter what happens, you’ll always have me, okay?”

His tiny head nestled against my chest, a small nod followed by a deep sleep. His tears soaked through my shirt, leaving a damp, salty reminder of our shared grief.

One month later, I sat in my lawyer’s office and signed the final papers.

“Full custody and generous alimony,” she said. “Given the circumstances, Mrs. Stacey didn’t contest anything.”

I nodded, numb. “And the gag order?”

“In place. She can’t discuss the deception publicly without severe penalties.”

As I stood to leave, my lawyer touched my arm. “Abraham, off the record, I’ve never seen a case like this. How are you holding up?”

In the eyes of the law, I was no longer a widower. But in my heart, the woman I married was gone forever, leaving behind only a ghost of broken promises and shattered trust.

Two months later, I stood on our new balcony, watching Luke play in the backyard. We’d moved to a different city, a fresh start for both of us. It hadn’t been easy. Luke still had nightmares and still asked about his mom. But slowly, we were healing.

One day, my phone buzzed with a text from Stacey.

“Please, let me explain. I miss Luke so much. I’m feeling so lost. My boyfriend broke up with me. 😔🙏🏻“

As the sun set on another day, I hugged my son tight. “I love you, buddy,” I whispered.

He grinned up at me, his eyes shining with trust and love. “I love you too, Daddy!”

And in that moment, I knew we were going to be okay. It wouldn’t be easy, and there would be tough days ahead. But we had each other, and that’s what mattered most.

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.