I've been married to Mike for fifteen years. Our daughter, Chloe, is fourteen, and I've always tried to make sure she has everything she needs—a phone, a laptop, the basics. Her phone was a budget smartphone, and the laptop was mid-range, mostly for schoolwork and streaming shows. Of course, she used to throw fits about wanting the latest iPhone or a high-end gaming rig, but Mike and I agreed she wasn't ready for expensive gear yet, especially since she's never been particularly careful with her things.
Mike has always taken care of himself. He hits the gym regularly, and I do my best to stay fit and active too. I never noticed him eyeing other women, and he was never weird about his phone. No late-night texts, no hiding the screen; he'd hop in the shower and leave it sitting on the nightstand without a passcode. I was so secure in us that I let my guard down completely.
I work shifts, and one afternoon I decided to pick Chloe up from school myself. Usually, Mike gets her, but I called him and said I'd handle it. I didn't give Chloe a heads-up because I got caught up in a work call and forgot. When I pulled up, I saw her standing with a friend—and she was holding a brand-new iPhone 11.
At first, I thought she was just checking out her friend's phone. But the other girl had her own device, and after watching them for a few minutes, it was clear they weren't sharing. They were tapping away and chatting excitedly until Chloe eventually slipped the phone into her own pocket. I was floored, but my gut told me not to rush in screaming. I waited a moment, stepped out of the car, and walked over to her, acting like I'd just arrived and hadn't seen a thing.
A few days later, while I was off and Mike and Chloe were at work and school, I decided to do some digging in her room. My intuition didn't fail me. Tucked away in a drawer under a pile of textbooks, I found a high-end gaming laptop.
When Chloe got home, I didn't hold back.
"Chloe, where did the iPhone and the laptop come from? Did you steal them? Tell me the truth!"
"I didn't steal anything!" she shot back.
"Then where? Who is buying you gifts this expensive?"
She stayed quiet for a long time while I yelled, threatening to throw everything in the trash. Finally, she cracked.
"Dad."
"And for what exactly...?"
The realization hit me like a physical blow. I didn't even need her to confess the rest. I knew right then that she had caught Mike with someone else and was blackmailing him for gear.
"You were shaking down your father?" I asked, my voice suddenly quiet.
"Yeah. I have a video of him kissing some woman."
Wonderful. My daughter is a monster, and my husband is a cheat. Quite a day.
I decided to leave them both. I found an apartment of my own; I make a decent living, enough to get by. I don't talk to Chloe anymore. I told Mike he can raise his precious daughter himself and keep the checks coming.
Life is funny that way.
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