When her stepdaughter was in a car accident in the middle of the night, Sandra thought the worst was over. Then, a shocking phone call revealed an even deeper betrayal. What began as a frustrating morning quickly unraveled into a tragic discovery.
I never imagined my day would begin like this. I’m 57 years old, widowed, and live in a quiet neighborhood. My son, Derek, 28, and his wife, Lindsay, moved in with me last year. It was supposed to be temporary, just until they found a place of their own.
A happy couple on a hike | Source: Pexels
But here we are, sharing the same roof. Derek is a good kid, always has been. He works hard, takes care of his family, and tries to keep the peace. Lindsay, on the other hand, is a different story. We’ve never seen eye to eye.
Derek left on a business trip two days ago, leaving me alone with Lindsay. I could see she wasn’t thrilled either. There’s still tension between us. I tried to ignore it as much as possible, focusing on my routine and letting her do what she wanted.
A Stern Woman | Source: Midjourney
This morning, I woke up to a loud thud outside. My heart pounded. I threw on my bathrobe and rushed to the front door. There, in the driveway, was my car, my poor old car, with a dented bumper and shattered headlights. The source of the thud was right next to it: one of the side mirrors lay shattered on the driveway.
“What the hell is going on?” I asked. My hands trembled as I touched the crumpled metal. How did this happen? Everything was fine last night when I checked. Who could have done this?
A dented car | Source: Pexels
At that moment, I heard the front door creak open behind me. I turned to see Lindsay sipping her coffee as if nothing had happened.
“Oh, hello,” she said, her tone still indifferent.
“Hello? Look at my car, Lindsay! It’s wrecked!” I couldn’t believe how calm she was.
She glanced at the car, then back at me. “Yes, I noticed.”
An angry middle-aged woman | Source: Pexels
“Did you notice? What do you mean, you noticed? Do you know what happened?”
Lindsay shrugged, taking another sip of her coffee. “I took it out last night. The brakes were acting up. That’s probably why it got damaged.”
“You took my car?” I asked. “Without asking my opinion?”
“Well, you weren’t using it. And I had somewhere to go,” she replied, completely unfazed.
“Somewhere to go? At this hour? Where could you possibly need to go in the middle of the night?”
Carefree woman sipping her coffee | Source: Pexels
“It’s none of your business,” she retorts, her eyes narrowing. “And don’t start talking to me about money. I’m not going to pay for anything just because your old car is falling apart.”
I stared at her, trying to stay calm, but I could feel anger boiling inside me. “Lindsay, you can’t take someone’s car without their permission. That’s not how it works!”
She rolled her eyes, clearly not wanting to listen to me. “Oh, please. Stop acting like this is such a big deal. It’s just a car. And like I said, I’m not paying for it. It’s your car, your problem.”
“My problem?” I repeat, my voice trembling. “You damaged it! You should be responsible for fixing it.”
An angry elderly woman in her living room | Source: Midjourney
Lindsay crossed her arms, her expression growing increasingly defiant. “Not happening. I’m not spending my money on that piece of junk.”
At that moment, I wanted to scream, to yell at him for being so disrespectful. But then I remembered what Derek had told me before I left: “Don’t argue with her, Mom. It’s not worth it. I’ll take care of everything when I get back.”
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. “Lindsay, you have to understand that what you did was wrong. You can’t just—”
Middle-aged woman confronted by a young woman | Source: Midjourney
Before I could finish, my phone rang. I reached into my pocket and saw Derek’s name on the screen. I felt relieved. Maybe he could bring her back to her senses.
“Hello, Derek?” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Mom, what’s going on? Lindsay just texted me to say you’re giving her a hard time.”
“Derek, she took my car without asking and wrecked it. And now she refuses to pay for the repairs!” I exploded, my frustration boiling over.
“Mom, calm down,” Derek said, his voice tired. “Look, I’ll take care of it when I get back, okay? But… don’t fight with her. Please.”
A man talking on the phone | Source: Pexels
“But Derek, she-“
“I know, Mom. I know, Mom. But just let it go for now. I’ll take care of it.”
I sigh, feeling defeated. “Okay, Derek. But we have to do something.”
“I promise, Mom. Hang in there.”
The call ended, and my heart raced. What was she hiding? My mind raced with all sorts of possibilities, but none of them were good. Either way, it was clear she was up to something behind Derek’s back. And she wasn’t being honest with me either.
A middle-aged woman on her phone | Source: Pexels
I had to do something, but I didn’t want to jump to conclusions. I needed proof. As much as it hurt, I decided to wait and see if she made another mistake. I couldn’t accuse her without knowing the whole story.
My patience was rewarded sooner than expected. That evening, Lindsay left the house saying she was going to “meet a friend.” I didn’t believe her for a second. As soon as she left, I picked up my phone and called Derek again.
A middle-aged woman talking on the phone | Source: Pexels
“Derek, something’s wrong,” I said as soon as he picked up. “Lindsay’s been acting suspiciously. I heard her on the phone earlier, and it didn’t sound good.”
“What do you mean, suspect?” Derek asked, looking concerned.
“I’m not sure, but it was like she was hiding something from us. And now she’s come out saying she’s meeting a friend. Derek, I don’t trust her.”
Derek sighs heavily on the other end of the line. “Mom, I don’t know what to say. I’ve been getting weird vibes from her too, but I didn’t want to think the worst. Do you think she’s…?”
A man talking on the phone | Source: Pexels
I didn’t want to follow through with my thought, but I knew what he was implying. “I don’t know, Derek. But something’s wrong, and I think we need to figure out what it is.”
“Okay, let’s not jump to conclusions just yet,” Derek said, trying to sound rational. “But keep an eye on things. I’ll be back tomorrow night. We’ll talk more then.”
“Okay, Derek. I’ll be careful.”
We hung up, and I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that was settling in my chest. I spent the rest of the evening pacing the house, waiting for Lindsay to return. When she finally did, it was late, and she seemed surprised to see me waiting in the living room.
A frustrated elderly woman | Source: Pexels
“Are you still up?” she asked, trying to sound casual.
“I couldn’t sleep,” I replied, looking at her closely. “How was your evening?”
“It was fine,” she said quickly, avoiding my gaze. “Just catching up with a friend.”
“What friend?” I asked, not letting go.
Lindsay hesitated, and I knew she was lying. “Just… a friend from work.”
A clumsy woman | Source: Pexels
I didn’t press the issue further, but I knew I was onto something. She rushed into her room, visibly uncomfortable under my gaze. I could feel the tension in the air as thick as ever.
The next day, Derek called me again, this time with urgency in his voice. “Mom, I need you to do something for me. I just got a call from a friend of mine at work. He said something strange happened last night. A girl from a dating site was supposed to meet him, but she canceled at the last minute, saying she’d been in an accident.”
A man looking at his phone | Source: Pexels
My heart skipped a beat. “Derek, what are you talking about?”
“Mom, the girl he described looked like Lindsay. He didn’t know it was her, but from what he said, I’m pretty sure it was. She snuck behind my back.”
My blood boiled. Everything fell into place—the nights out, the secret phone calls, the car accident. It wasn’t just an accident; it was part of something much bigger.
“Derek, what do we do?” I asked, my voice shaking.
A frustrated and angry woman on her phone | Source: Midjourney
“Mom, I need you to pack her things and take them outside. By the time I get back tonight, she should be gone. I’m done with her lies.”
I knew it was the right thing to do, but my heart broke for Derek. He didn’t deserve this betrayal. As I began packing Lindsay’s things, I couldn’t help but think about how quickly things had spiraled out of control. It was time to end this nightmare and protect my son from any more heartbreak.
Businesses packed in a box | Source: Pexels
The door creaked as Lindsay entered the room, her eyes wide with shock at what I was doing. I stood firm, ready for whatever came next.
“What are you doing?” she exclaimed.
“I’m kicking you out. Your lies are over,” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“You’re going to pay for this,” Lindsay growled. “I’ll call Derek right now!”
I don’t know what Derek said during the call, but when it ended, Lindsay left. I felt a mixture of relief and sadness. Derek came home, and after a brief, painful conversation, he decided to file for divorce. It wasn’t easy, but he knew it was the right choice. The betrayal ran too deep, and there was no turning back.
Meaning of Divorce Papers | Source: Pexels
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This work is inspired by real events and people, but has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the story. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or to actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims regarding the accuracy of events or character portrayals and are not responsible for any misinterpretations. This story is provided “as is,” and all opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the opinions of the author or publisher.
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