Father Notices His 14-Year-Old Daughter Receives Pricey Gifts from Unknown Man — Story of the Day

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.

Bobby had always been a doting father to Mia and often checked on her, making sure she was doing well. But for the past three months, he had noticed Mia was acting odd.

Her late-night phone calls, closed-door conversations, and the cigarette smell that lingered in her room convinced Bobby that his 14-year-old was up to something wrong.

So one day, Bobby decided to check Mia’s room for a cigarette or a lighter, but instead, he found a gift box hidden under a pile of clothes in her cupboard…

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Inside the box was an assortment of expensive gifts — branded perfumes, a smartwatch Mia had long wanted, and a diamond bracelet. Then his hands landed on a photograph of an older man, likely in his 50s, and a letter detailing an upcoming meeting at a local café that day.

“My dear Mia,

I’m really excited about finally meeting you. I’m already picturing us talking, laughing, sitting next to each other. God, I hope this café we’re meeting at serves a vegan menu. But again, who cares about food when I’m getting to be with you? I can’t wait for this Saturday!

See you soon  Love, V.”

Bobby read the letter again and again and couldn’t believe his teenage daughter was getting involved with a man her dad’s age.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Getty Images

For illustration purposes only | Source: Getty Images

Bobby lifted the stranger’s picture off the bed and stared at it another time, trying to remember if he knew the guy. But he hadn’t seen this man before. A rage took over Bobby. He stormed out of Mia’s room and dialed her.

“Dad, I’m in music class! Stop calling me! Goodbye!” she hung up even before he would say a word.

Bobby dialed Mia again, but she canceled the call. He tried a few more times and gave up when she didn’t answer at all. Finally, Bobby put the things back into her room. He knew she’d be mad if she found out he had gone through her things.

After a while, Bobby took out his phone and began searching for vegan cafés in their town.

“Café Bean…that’s the only vegan diner? Were they planning to meet here today?” he wondered.

Bobby made up his mind. He disguised himself in a cap and hoodie and drove to the café. Upon arriving, Bobby scanned the eatery for any sign of Mia or her friend. To his relief, he spotted her alone by the window seat.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash

For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash

A smile appeared on Mia’s lips every time her phone buzzed with a notification. Bobby felt a pang of jealousy. He missed those days when Mia would be laughing and joking around him.

It was as if she’d become an entirely different person since the day they’d returned from a routine checkup three months ago.

Bobby and his family were at the doctor’s office that day, awaiting their reports, when he was called to the reception to fill out a form. As he stepped out of the doctor’s office, in walked a new doctor with some papers.

“Mrs. Davis, can we talk in private?” she asked. But Mrs. Davis insisted Mia stay.

“Does your daughter have any hereditary diseases?” she asked. “Have you three taken a blood test together before? Especially Mia and Mr. Davis?”

Mrs. Davis’s heart skipped a beat. “N—No, doctor,” she said.

“I see,” the doctor’s brows arched. “Well, I see your daughter’s blood group doesn’t match your husband’s. Are you aware of this? Is Mr. Davis, not Mia’s—”

Mrs. Davis felt a lump in her throat and looked at the doctor, unsure how to respond. Her face drained of blood as her eyes darted from the doctor to Mia, who was surprised.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

”Wha—What do you mean my blood group doesn’t match my Dad’s?” Mia stammered.

”Well, your father’s blood type is such that…he’s unlikely to be your father,” revealed the doctor.

Mia’s eyes bulged in shock as she turned to her mother.

“We’ll talk about this later,” Mrs. Davis hushed Mia, pleading for silence. As Bobby returned, he noticed the worry etched on his wife’s face, but Mrs. Davis assured him everything was alright.

“What was all that about, Mom? Is Dad…not my birth father? How is it that my blood type doesn’t match Dad’s?” Mia grabbed Mrs. Davis’s arm as Bobby headed to their car.

“I’ll explain everything once we’re home, but don’t ask anything in front of your father. It’s better if we discuss it privately.”

Mia waited until they arrived home. Then she called Mrs. Davis to her room. “Now tell me,” she said as her mother entered her room.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Getty Images

For illustration purposes only | Source: Getty Images

Mrs. Davis’s eyes welled up as she sat beside Mia. “The doctor was right, honey,” Mrs. Davis revealed. “Bobby isn’t your real father. When he was on a business trip to Cape Town, I met someone on a cruise in Virginia. It was a small fling… and I found out I was pregnant. I knew Bobby would love you like his own, and I didn’t want to hurt either of you by telling the truth.”

Mia’s jaw dropped as she listened to her mother’s confession. ”Who’s my real father?” she asked in tears.

But Mrs. Davis refused to reveal her affair partner’s identity until Mia threatened to have a word with Bobby.

”Okay, fine! His name is Victor! But you have to promise me you won’t tell anyone, especially not Bobby.”

”Where is he from? Mom, I want to know everything about him,” Mia pressed her mother.

Mrs. Davis shook her head as she turned to face Mia, her eyes filled with guilt. “We never met again after the cruise. And please don’t ask me anything about him again.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pixabay

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pixabay

That night, Mia combed countless social media profiles, desperate to find her biological father. Her heart raced as she stumbled onto a profile, her eyes scanning the details repeatedly. It matched her mother’s description of events—the name, the age, the location.

Mia typed out a message with trembling fingers. “Hey, I’m Mia, and I know this might freak you out, but I’m your daughter. You met my Mom at Island Temptations on a cruise in Virginia around 15 years back. Can we talk?”

A reply came minutes later. “What? Sorry. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Mia’s heart started pounding as she took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves before typing out her response.

“My mom, Esther, told me you’re my biological father. I know this might come as a shock to you. But I know something that only you and my Mom know.”

There was a long pause, and minutes later, another notification popped that made Mia’s eyes water.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

”I don’t know what to say! Yeah, I met Esther on a cruise. We never met or contacted each other again after the cruise. I’m now happily married to my gay partner. We don’t have any children & I’m so surprised I have a daughter. Thank you for reaching out, Mia. Maybe we can meet. What do you think?”

Mia and Victor spent the night exchanging messages, getting to know each other. With each passing day, she started spending more time with him on video chats and was thrilled when he told her he would be passing through her town soon and would love to meet her.

A week before the planned meeting, Mia received a parcel. It was a gift box with an expensive watch, her favorite perfumes, a diamond bracelet, and a note with a picture of Victor. She couldn’t wait to meet him in person that weekend.

Mia’s phone buzzed loudly, snapping her to the moment. “Send me the café’s location, darling,” read Victor’s message.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Bobby, who was watching everything keenly from the corner table, clenched his teeth and fists as a man approached Mia’s table and hugged her.

”WHAT THE HELL’S GOING ON HERE?” The sound of Bobby’s voice startled Mia and Victor, causing them to pull away from each other.

“You better start explaining!” Bobby demanded as he approached them.

“Dad…what are you doing here? Were you following me?” Mia rose angrily.

But before she could process what was happening, Bobby ignored her questions and threw a punch that landed on Victor’s jaw, breaking a tooth.

Victor toppled over the table, wincing in pain, the sound of shattering glass and startled screams filling the café as Bobby pounced on him and beat him up.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“STOP!” Mia shrieked, but Bobby was uncontrollable.

”You stay away from my daughter, you creep!”‘ Bobby yelled, grabbing Victor by the collar. “How dare you flirt with my girl?”

”Dad, stop! Please, let him go,” Mia pleaded.

But Bobby had entered a place too dark with rage to listen, and there was no coming back. He planted another hard blow on Victor’s nose, causing Victor to black out.

The other customers in the café struggled to separate Bobby further away from a bleeding and unconscious Victor.

“OMG, what did you do…Dad, wake up! Dad!” Mia screamed. Bobby froze in disbelief, watching Mia cradling Victor’s head on her lap and addressing Victor as ‘Dad.’

“Mia, what’s going on? Did you just call him Dad?” Bobby asked her as paramedics arrived, and Victor was taken to the hospital.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

”Sir, we need you to come with us,” an officer approached Bobby with handcuffs.

A couple of hours later, the doctor entered Victor’s ward.

“Nothing to worry about. He’s stable now,” the doctor told Mrs. Davis and Mia as they rose from Victor’s bedside.

”Hello, Victor,” Bobby entered the ward, breaking the grave silence.

Following his arrest, Bobby was taken to the hospital to check his bloodied hands for any injuries. When he learned Victor was also admitted there, he begged the Sheriff to let him into Victor’s ward for a minute.

”I’m sorry about everything, Victor. I misunderstood that you and my daughter were actually…you know. I love my daughter more than anything in the world. What I did… was to protect Mia. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Getty Images

For illustration purposes only | Source: Getty Images

“I didn’t know you were capable of this, Bobby,” Mrs. Davis said.

”Well, even I didn’t know that you were capable of…well, Esther, you’ll never see me again,” Bobby sadly lowered his head.

As he made his way out of the ward, he glanced back at Mia. “No matter what happens or who comes our way…I’ll still love you. I always will. My doors are always open for you,” he said in agony as he walked away with the Sheriff.

Mrs. Davis and Mia’s eyes were cloaked with sadness and regret as they realized they had caused irreparable damage to their family.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a man who almost fainted after spotting a scar on a beggar’s forehead. The beggar looked exactly like his father, who had gone missing 20 years ago.

My Husband Insisted on Homeschooling Our Daughter — I Gasped When I Found Out Why

When Mia’s husband, Ben, suddenly starts talking about homeschooling their six-year-old daughter, Lily, she’s surprised. Months earlier, they had been talking about sending the little girl to private school. So, what changed? Mia finds out when she overhears a conversation between Ben and Lily…

This all started a few months ago at a dinner party. My husband, Ben, and I were sitting with a few friends when, out of the blue, he brought up the idea of homeschooling our daughter, Lily.

An aerial view of people at a dinner party | Source: Midjourney

An aerial view of people at a dinner party | Source: Midjourney

“It’s the system, you know? It’s too rigid, too focused on tests,” Ben said, leaning forward in his seat like he had discovered the secret to the universe.

“Kids need to be free to explore their creativity. I don’t want Lily’s imagination boxed in. She needs to feel things between her fingers and experience life,” he continued.

Ben reached forward to help himself to the bowl of mashed potatoes.

A casserole of mashed potatoes | Source: Midjourney

A casserole of mashed potatoes | Source: Midjourney

Everyone at the table nodded, murmuring in agreement.

“Honestly, that’s so true,” our friend Sarah chimed in as she sipped her wine. “Schools just kill creativity. I wish I had done something different with my kids. Last year, Jasmine wanted to show off her creativity through her uniform, but they didn’t accept it at school. She got a suspension warning.”

I remember glancing at Ben, completely surprised at how passionately he was speaking. He had never once mentioned anything about homeschooling before. In fact, he had been talking about us getting our six-year-old into private school.

A little girl in her school uniform | Source: Midjourney

A little girl in her school uniform | Source: Midjourney

But here he was, talking about homeschooling like he’d been thinking about it for years.

“We could teach her ourselves, Mia,” Ben continued, glancing over at me with a smile. “Think about it, love. No strict schedules, no standardized tests. She could learn at her own pace.”

I nodded, trying to process everything.

A smiling man | Source: Midjourney

A smiling man | Source: Midjourney

“Yeah, I mean, it does sound good,” I agreed. “But we need to explore all options about it first.”

I was hesitant. But I was also unsure of why I felt a slight unease creep up on me. Although when Ben spoke so passionately, it was hard not to get swept up in the dream of it all.

After that night, Ben kept bringing it up. At home, over dinner, in passing conversations, he’d make little comments all the time.

A concerned woman | Source: Midjourney

A concerned woman | Source: Midjourney

“Lily would be so much happier if she wasn’t stuck in a classroom all day.”

“We could help her learn things that matter, Mia, not just what’s on some test.”

Eventually, I started to believe that he might be right.

Before I knew it, we had decided to pull Lily out of her school and start with the new routine of homeschooling. Ben took charge of everything.

A little girl using a computer | Source: Midjourney

A little girl using a computer | Source: Midjourney

“Like the gifts we talked about? You’ll deliver them, right?”

He had always been more involved with her school meetings, so I trusted him completely. And look, at first, everything seemed to be working. Ben would sit with Lily during “school hours,” and he’d proudly show me the projects they’d worked on when I got home from work.

“I’m glad she’s happy,” I told Ben one evening when I was loading the dishwasher.

A woman loading a dishwasher | Source: Midjourney

A woman loading a dishwasher | Source: Midjourney

“She’s more than happy, Mia,” he said with a smile. “She’s thriving. Look at this! She made a solar system model all on her own.”

But then one day, I came home early from work, eager to show Lily the new set of watercolor paint I had gotten for her. I walked in quietly, not wanting to disturb whatever lesson she and Ben were doing.

And that’s when I heard Lily crying.

A concerned woman | Source: Midjourney

A concerned woman | Source: Midjourney

“But Dad, I miss my friends!” Lily sobbed. “They probably think I don’t like them anymore. I’m sure they think we’re fighting! They’ll be so mad at me for not going to school…”

I crept closer to the dining room, which had become the classroom. And I heard Ben’s voice, low and soothing.

“Lily-girl,” he said. “I told you, we can send them little gifts, okay? They won’t be mad at you.”

An upset little man | Source: Midjourney

An upset little man | Source: Midjourney

Lily sniffled, but her tone lifted a little.

“Like the gifts we talked about? You’ll deliver them, right?” she said.

Deliver gifts? What on earth was my child talking about?

“Yes, darling,” he said.

A frowning woman | Source: Midjourney

A frowning woman | Source: Midjourney

“Like when you let me come with you when Mommy had to work? You’re going to deliver my friends’ gifts just like when you bring packages to people, right?”

I froze. I tried to piece the information together before storming in and demanding answers.

Ben wasn’t homeschooling Lily out of some grand educational philosophy that he had been talking about endlessly.

An upset little girl | Source: Midjourney

An upset little girl | Source: Midjourney

Instead, my husband was delivering packages. All those days that I thought they were doing lessons… what had really been happening under my roof?

“Get your answers, Mia,” I muttered as I walked into the dining room.

Ben’s face turned white when he saw me.

A close up of a shocked man | Source: Midjourney

A close up of a shocked man | Source: Midjourney

“Care to explain what on earth Lily is talking about?” I asked.

My chest felt tight, like I was just holding it all together before some horrible news came out.

Ben let out a long breath, running his hands through his hair.

“Honey, why don’t you go play on the swing or watch some TV?” Ben told her.

We waited until Lily was happily running outside to the swing before Ben said another word.

A little girl sitting on a swing | Source: Midjourney

A little girl sitting on a swing | Source: Midjourney

“I… I lost my job, okay? Months ago. I didn’t know how to tell you, Mia.”

I blinked, trying to process his words.

“I didn’t want you to think I was a failure.”

“You lost your job? Then what on earth have you been doing all day?”

“The homeschooling. It wasn’t about Lily’s education. It was because we couldn’t afford the tuition anymore. And I know that a few months ago I wanted her to go to private school, but I couldn’t even afford her public school fees.”

A close up of an upset man | Source: Midjourney

A close up of an upset man | Source: Midjourney

Ben paused, holding his head.

I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know how to retaliate.

“I’ve been delivering packages. It’s not stable, but it’s for a few hours a day. I take Lily with me in between her homeschooling. I know you think that I’ve been working in the study and then teaching Lily, too…”

A man holding two boxes | Source: Midjourney

A man holding two boxes | Source: Midjourney

“You’ve been delivering packages? Really? This whole time?” I asked, stunned. “Why didn’t you just tell me?”

“I didn’t want you to think that I was a failure,” Ben said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t know how to fix this situation. But you know how stressful my job was toward the end. Those hours killed me. I thought that maybe if I could just keep things together for a little while longer…”

A frowning woman | Source: Midjourney

A frowning woman | Source: Midjourney

I shook my head, trying to wrap my mind around everything. I wanted to be angry.

I wanted to shout at my husband, not because he lost his job, but because he didn’t want to tell me about it. I understood the pressure of losing your job suddenly and then having to put yourself back together.

When I was pregnant with Lily, I lost my job because they couldn’t afford to keep paying me while I was on maternity leave.

A pregnant woman sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney

A pregnant woman sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney

But Ben carried us right up until Lily was three years old.

I shook my head now, trying to shake some of my thoughts. I felt… sad. Sad that Ben had felt like he had to hide this from me.

“Ben, you didn’t have to do this alone,” I said, reaching toward him.

He smiled at me sadly.

A close up of a woman | Source: Midjourney

A close up of a woman | Source: Midjourney

We put Lily back into school the next week using our savings. She was overjoyed to see her friends, and the guilt Ben had been carrying around began to lift when he saw her running toward them at the school gate.

As for Ben, he found another job as a grocery store manager. It wasn’t his dream job, but it was honest work that came with medical benefits. And honestly, I think it was just the fact that he was earning properly again that made the biggest difference to him.

A man standing in a grocery store | Source: Midjourney

A man standing in a grocery store | Source: Midjourney

There was a lightness back in our home that hadn’t been there in a long time. A sense that we were moving forward, together.

What would you have done?

A smiling couple with their daughter | Source: Midjourney

A smiling couple with their daughter | Source: Midjourney

If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one for you |

Am I Wrong for “Hiding” My MIL’s Birthday Present to My Husband after Finding Out What Was Inside?

Tired of allowing her cold and callous mother-in-law to ruin her husband’s birthday, Lila hides Carol’s birthday present from Bill to save him the hurt and disappointment that usually came with his mother’s gifts. But when Lila’s secret comes out, a series of events unfolds.

I could tell my husband, Bill, was nervous. His birthday was coming up, and every year, his mom’s gift felt like a slap in the face.

Bill sat on our worn-out couch, his shoulders tense.

A man sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney

A man sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney

“Do you think she’ll actually care this time?” he asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

I sighed, placing my hand on his. I didn’t know what I was supposed to say. I knew that I needed to reassure him, but my husband’s relationship with his mother was complicated.

“Maybe,” I said. “But remember, we’re celebrating your birthday, not hers. We’ll have a great time, no matter what, darling.”

A couple holding hands | Source: Midjourney

A couple holding hands | Source: Midjourney

Bill smiled at me, but it didn’t reach his eyes. I knew how much he wanted to feel loved and appreciated by Carol, but she always failed to show him that. It wasn’t just about the gifts. It was about the feeling.

Bill had told me the story a long time ago. He was his mother’s son from her first marriage, and their relationship was strong, but things took a turn when Carol met her second husband, Adam.

It became even worse when Bill’s younger brothers were born. Suddenly, Carol only had eyes for Adam and their sons, making it clear to Bill that he was no longer a priority in her life.

A mother and her sons | Source: Midjourney

A mother and her sons | Source: Midjourney

“Okay,” he said. “This year will be different.”

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.

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