DINH DOONG

On a seemingly ordinary morning, Daniel uncovers his parents’ covert plan to pay off his girlfriend, Lily, and end their relationship. Faced with betrayal and armed with love, Daniel and Lily orchestrate a bold maneuver that could either mend familial ties or sever them forever.

A man standing by a window looking outside | Source: Pexels

Hey everyone, it’s Daniel. I’ve got this crazy situation that unfolded just this morning, and I feel I must share it.

You see, I’ve been dating Lily, the absolute love of my life, for about a year now. She’s incredible, honestly, and I finally decided it was time she met my folks.

A couple kissing while standing ankles deep in the sea | Source: Pexels

Now, my parents live overseas, so we don’t see each other that often. This was the first time they were visiting since Lily and I started dating, and I invited them over for breakfast at my place.

I was pretty excited about the whole thing, imagining how it would go down, you know? Big smiles, warm welcomes—the works.

A man introducing his girlfriend to his parents | Source: Shutterstock

The morning started pretty smoothly. Coffee brewed, pancakes sizzled on the griddle, and the aroma of bacon filled the air. It felt like one of those perfect scenes straight out of a feel-good movie.

Lily was her usual charming self, cracking jokes and filling the room with her laughter. But, as the morning progressed, I noticed something off with my parents.

A family dining in their backyard | Source: Pexels

They would interrupt Lily mid-sentence, exchange knowing looks, and annoyingly sniff dismissively whenever she mentioned her job or family. It was subtle, but their lack of enthusiasm hit me hard.

But here’s the kicker. After breakfast, I excused myself to grab some extra napkins from downstairs. As I was coming back up, I overheard something that stopped me cold.

An elderly woman looking sideways | Source: Shutterstock

Hidden just around the corner, my mom was whispering to my dad, and the disappointment in her voice was like a slap across my face.

“God, I can’t believe our boy is into this! Didn’t we raise him right?” she hissed, not knowing I was listening.

My dad, who’s usually the quiet type, chimed in with, “Do you think $5,000 will be enough to offer her to disappear? Let’s make it $10,000, just to be sure.”

An elderly couple talking | Source: Pexels

There I stood, heart hammering in my chest, mind racing. What was I supposed to do? Confront them on the spot? Laugh it off? I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, as this was certainly not how I had imagined my day unfolding.

Still reeling from what I’d overheard, I wasted no time. I went straight to Lily and told her everything—every single disdainful word my parents had whispered about offering her money to leave me.

A couple talking | Source: Pexels

At first, her eyes widened in shock, but then, this clever smirk slowly spread across her face. You could tell she was already five steps ahead, plotting some master plan.

Together, we hatched a scheme to turn the tables on them—a lesson they wouldn’t forget any time soon. So, the next day, I called up my folks, putting on my best serious voice, and told them we needed to have a “very important” chat over coffee.

Two cups of coffee near a flower vase on a table | Source: Pexels

As planned, the moment came when I nudged the conversation towards Lily and our future. You could see the hesitation on their faces, but they played into our hands.

With feigned reluctance, my dad pulled out an envelope stuffed with cash and slid it across the table towards Lily.

Lily, bless her, she deserves an Oscar for the performance she put on. She slowly opened the envelope, peeked inside, and let her eyes go wide as if she’d just seen a ghost.

An envelope containing dollar banknotes | Source: Pexels

After a dramatic pause that felt like an eternity, she looked up with that same theatrical flair and slid the envelope towards her side of the table, accepting their bribe.

My parents couldn’t hide their smug smiles, thinking they’d won. “See? She took the money and was going to dump you!” they exclaimed almost in unison as if they’d rehearsed it.

A woman smelling money with her eyes closed | Source: Pexels

I let them savor their moment of triumph, just long enough for them to think they’d pulled it off. Then, leaning back, I hit them with the truth. “I know,” I said, my voice calm but carrying a sharp edge.

“You know what?” they stuttered, their smugness evaporating into confusion.

A shocked elderly man | Source: Getty Images

“I know about the money,” I continued, locking eyes with them, “and I also heard what you said earlier in the kitchen.”

The color drained from their faces so fast, you’d think someone had flipped a switch. They turned as white as the wall behind them, their mouths gaping, caught in their own trap.

A shocked elderly woman | Source: Getty Images

It was a moment I’ll never forget—the perfect blend of shock, realization, and maybe, just maybe, a pinch of regret. The revelation hit like a sudden thunderclap.

My parents had wanted to push Lily away because she came from a background they deemed unworthy. Her family wasn’t what they considered “upper class,” and her mom had worked various jobs, some they labeled as “immoral,” just to keep food on the table.

A man holding his girlfriend’s hands for support | Source: Getty Images

All this time, they’d held onto their prejudices so tightly, not even giving Lily a chance to show who she really was. Grasping the envelope full of cash, I couldn’t help but grin at the irony of it all.

“Thanks for the money, Mom, Dad. We’ll find a good use for it,” I announced, my voice dripping with a mix of sarcasm and disbelief. “And yes, you may go now.”

An elderly couple at the airport with their luggage | Souce: Getty Images

Their faces, still pale, were a picture of total defeat. They stood up slowly, clearly stunned, their grand scheme not just foiled but turned against them. As they walked out, the door closing behind them felt like the end of an old, weary chapter.

Turning to Lily, who was still holding the money, both of us burst out laughing. It wasn’t just any laughter, but the kind that comes out when you’ve dodged a massive bullet.

A couple laughing at the dinner table | Source: Getty Images

“We’ll use this for our wedding fund,” Lily suggested with a playful glint in her eye. She squeezed my hand. “And maybe some will go to charity, just to cleanse it of its original intent.”

It was perfect. Not only did we manage to keep our relationship intact, but we also turned their misguided attempt into something positive. My parents learned a tough lesson that day about respect and underestimation.

A woman volunteer holding drink bottles on top of a brown box | Source: Pexels 6646

As for Lily and I, this whole ordeal only made our bond stronger. Our relationship, rooted deeply in trust and mutual respect, proved to be unshakable, even in the face of such a cynical challenge.

Sitting back, I can’t help but wonder about the whole situation. Do you think we did the right thing, or did we go a little too far in teaching my parents a lesson?

A man kissing his girlfriend on the forehead | Source: Pexels

What would you have done if you were in our shoes? I guess, at the end of the day, standing up for your loved ones in the face of injustice is never an overreaction, right?

A man looking outside through the window blinds | Source: Unsplash

If you found this story interesting, here’s another one you might like: I thought my future mother-in-law was loving and supportive of my union with her son. But she detested me and had been pretending from the day we met! My tale is of deceit, lies, and ultimately revenge! With my new husband’s support, we put her in her place!

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I Overheard My Future Mother-in-Law’s Disparaging Remarks about Me — She Had No Idea She’d Regret It on Our Wedding Day

A woman seen through the crack of an open door | Source: Freepik

I, Joana, 34, was looking forward to finally marrying the man of my dreams, my fiancé Leo, 35. But I didn’t expect that his family would try to come between us.

Here’s some background before I get into how we got here. Leo and I have been together for two blissful years. We are finally getting ready for our big day, which is coming soon. But what I didn’t expect was to overhear my fiancé’s family making ulterior plans against me.

A woman lying in bed reading a book | Source: Pexels

So this is what happened. I woke up the other day feeling unwell and decided to call in sick to work. The plan was for me to just stay home nursing myself back to health. Since Leo had already left the apartment for his job, I decided to text him, saying:

“Hi babe, I hope you’re having a good morning. I woke up feeling under the weather and decided to stay home for the day. I already called in sick, so please bring me lunch if you can. I love you!”

A woman texting on her phone while lying in bed | Source: Pexels

I remember the day clearly. Leo surprised me by arriving at our apartment during his lunch break! I thought he’d read my message and had actually brought me some food.

In my excitement, I was about to go out of the bedroom to hug him and thank him for coming to check on me when I heard other voices.

What do you think happened next? Click here to find out.

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.