MY 18-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER DECIDED TO MARRY THIS OLD MAN!! His name was Edison, and he was 54—three years older than me. To say she broke my heart would be putting it mildly! She was just a kid, fresh out of high school, and he was a wealthy businessman who could charm the skin off a snake.
I rushed to convince her not to do it. I told her he was using her, that they had nothing in common. But all she said was “If I hear one more word against Edison, you’re cut off! I love him, just deal with it!”
I totally lost it. But I knew if I pushed too hard, I’d lose her forever. She begged me to meet him, and I couldn’t say no. I wanted to get him to NOT mess up my kid’s future. I figured if I could just find one crack in his armor, one red flag to show her, she might wake up.
So, we were at his place. It was a penthouse downtown. He poured expensive wine and played the role of the doting partner perfectly. I was about to lose my mind: seeing them together was TOO MUCH! He kept calling her “my little angel” and touching her hair. It made my skin crawl.
I needed a breather and went to the balcony. I stepped out into the cool night air, trying to calm my racing heart. I was about to go back inside when I heard a sliding door open on the other side of the wrap-around terrace. It was Edison. He didn’t see me in the shadows.
Then, suddenly, I caught Edison ON A CALL! His voice was different—cold, calculating, and completely lacking the warmth he showed my daughter.
Oh God, I still can’t believe what I heard.
He: “My dear, come on! It’s just part of the plan. As soon as I marry this goofy girl, you and I… …we get access to the trust fund her grandmother set up. The clause says she gets the full two million upon marriage, regardless of age. Once the wire transfer hits the joint account, I’ll file for annulment, take my half, and we’ll be on a plane to the Maldives by Tuesday.”
I felt like I had been punched in the gut. He wasn’t in love; he was hunting her inheritance. He even called her a “goofy girl”—mocking her naivety to his real lover on the phone.
I pulled out my phone, my hands shaking uncontrollably, and hit record. I caught the last ten seconds of his conversation where he laughed about how “easy” she was to manipulate.
I walked back inside. Edison was already back at the table, smiling at my daughter. “Sorry, darling, just a boring business call,” he lied.
“Really?” I said, my voice surprisingly steady. “Because it sounded like you were planning a trip to the Maldives.”
Edison froze. My daughter looked confused. “Dad, what are you talking about?”
I placed my phone on the table and pressed play.
The color drained from Edison’s face. My daughter sat in silence as she listened to the man she loved call her “goofy” and plot to steal her grandmother’s money. When the recording ended, she didn’t scream. She just stood up, threw her wine in his face, and walked out the door.
I followed her. We didn’t speak until we got to the car. Then, she collapsed into my arms and cried. It was the hardest night of our lives, but I’d take a broken heart over a ruined life any day. Edison is currently facing fraud charges for similar scams with other women. My daughter is single, safe, and definitely listening to her dad a bit more these days.
