Old Man Goes to Visit Daughter for His 80th Birthday, She Doesn’t Let Him Enter Her House – Story of the Day

Richard visits his daughter to celebrate his eightieth birthday with her, but she answers the door in tears and sends him away. Richard suspects trouble and realizes he’s right after peeking through her front windows.Richard tapped his fingers nervously against the steering wheel as he drove. Deidre used to drive down every Thanksgiving, but that stopped after his wife’s funeral four years ago. Now, there were only weekly calls. Richard spread his arms wide as Deidre appeared in the doorway. “Surprise!” he yelled. “Dad? What are you doing here?” she asked, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“I came to celebrate my birthday with you…it’s the big eight-o!” Richard replied, but the joy in his voice trailed off quickly. “What’s wrong, honey? Why are you crying?””It’s nothing; everything’s fine,” Deidre quickly wiped her tears and smiled a little. “I just…I wasn’t expecting you, and this isn’t really a good time. Sorry, Dad, but I, uh, need to focus. On my work. Look, I’ll call you. We’ll have dinner later, okay? Sorry.”Deidre shut the door, leaving Richard hurt and confused. Something was terribly wrong. Was Deidre in trouble? Richard stepped back from the front door but didn’t leave. He stepped over the short, flowering shrubs lining the path and snuck up to peek through the windows. Two rough-looking men were in the sitting room with Deidre. “Who was that?” One of them asked in a rough voice. “Nobody,” Deidre lied in a shaky voice. “Just a neighbor’s kid…pulling a doorbell prank and running away.” “Back to business then,” the second man said. “You’re now six months behind on your loan repayments, Deidre. Mr. Marco’s getting impatient.””I just need more time. Business is sure to pick up again in the winter,” she pleaded. “Time is one thing you haven’t got, sweetie,” the man replied, pulling out his gun. “People who owe Mr. Marco money don’t have a great life expectancy and end up feeding the fishes in the lake…” He pointed the weapon at her. Terror froze Richard in place. But soon, the man stepped back with a look of disgust and tucked the gun away in the waistband of his trousers. “Look around this dump and see if there’s anything valuable we can take to Mr. Marco, Danny,” he ordered. “She’s a businesswoman, so there must be a computer or some kind of equipment around here.” ”But I need those things!” she cried. “I can’t make money without my equipment!” The man patted the butt of his gun. ”Boo-Hoo. I can still change my mind, you know. Don’t be ungrateful, now.”The men ransacked her home before they stormed out, leaving Deidre curled up sobbing on the floor. Nothing made sense to Richard because Deidre’s business was doing well. At least that’s what she had told him. But now, Richard could sense something was amiss. Deidre needed his help. The men loaded several appliances from Deidre’s home in their vehicle. When they finally drove away, Richard followed them. The men stopped at a two-storeyed brick building downtown that looked like a bar. While it was closed, the door was unlocked. No one on the staff stopped Richard as he entered the building. The men had joined a large table where several other rough-looking men were seated. One of them stood and swaggered toward him. “The club’s closed,” he growled. “Come back later.” “I’m here to discuss Deidre’s debt,” Richard announced.”Oh?” The man seated at the head of the table rose and stared at Richard. He looked like a gentleman except for a nasty scar above his left eye. Richard guessed he was Mr. Marco. ”How much does she owe you?” Richard asked. Mr. Marco smirked. “A good samaritan, huh? Deidre took out a business loan of $80,000 from me. She was supposed to pay me back from her monthly profits, only she never made any.” ”I have around $20,000 in my savings,” Richard gulped fearfully, shaken Deidre had borrowed such a big sum. ”That’s only a quarter of what she owes us.” Mr. Marco sighed. “But there’s something you can do to make up the difference.” Richard didn’t like the sound of that, but he had to do whatever it took to save his daughter from the mess she’d gotten herself into. ”What do you want me to do?” he asked.Mr. Marco grinned at Richard and beckoned him closer to the table. ”My partner and I recently started a small business importing cars to Canada, but some of the paperwork has been delayed, so we’re having difficulties getting the…’merchandise’…across the border. A kind, innocent-looking Grandpa like you should have no trouble crossing the border in one of our cars.” Richard had no choice but to agree. Later that night, he pulled into a gas station near the border town to use the bathroom and parked beside a patrol. “Jesus!” he gasped as the German Shepherd in the back of the police cruiser began barking at him and pawing at the window. Service dogs were trained not to bark at random people unless…Oh, man. He quickly climbed back in the car, a Valiant, and started reversing as the police dog went crazy. Two cops hurried out of the gas station store and yelled at him to stop as they glanced at him. The GPS app voiced directions, but Richard shoved it in his pocket to silence the darn thing. He pushed the Valiant to its limits as he wove through traffic, leaving a trail of outraged drivers and narrowly avoided collisions in his wake. The sirens blared behind him.Richard soon spotted a narrow, unmarked dirt road veering into the forest ahead. He sharply turned, leaving the road behind him as he raced into the forest. The muddy trails were awful to navigate, but Richard pushed on. He turned down a narrow track leading downhill. Then, he turned up a slight rise and instantly regretted it. The car was now stuck in a precarious position, balanced on a narrow rise above a wide river. Richard tried to reverse back the way he came, but the tires spun without getting traction. In fact, the car was sliding closer to the water. “No!” Richard desperately pulled up the parking brake, but it didn’t work.The car’s nose hit the river with a loud splash, sending a wave of dark water flooding over the bonnet. Richard shoved the car door open, desperate to escape the sinking vehicle. The pressure from the water started to push the car door shut against Richard’s legs. Richard splashed around in panic as the river filled the interior.As the water level crept up his face, he tipped his head back, took one last breath, and pulled himself underwater. Richard squeezed himself out of the opening and pushed himself up toward the surface. He took in a lungful of air and swam toward the river bank. Reaching land made Richard realize how close he was to death. He was thankfully breathing. But he still needed to do something about the $80,000. So Richard hitchhiked home.”I need to mortgage my house,” he told the bank assistant. ”And I need the cash in my bank account fast.” Richard waited impatiently as the bank employee processed the paperwork. He jumped in fright when Deidre called him. “Some thugs from a local gang were just here asking about you, Dad…what is happening?” “Tell them I’ll be there soon. I arranged to pay off your debt for you. I don’t understand why you didn’t come to me first, Deidre, but this isn’t the time to discuss that.”Richard ended the call and signed the paperwork. He didn’t want to give up the home where he had created memories with his family, but it was the only way to help Deidre.A few hours later, he pulled into the club’s parking lot in a rented car and headed toward the entrance. ”Dad, wait!” Richard looked back as Deidre ran toward him. ”I won’t let you face those thugs alone,” she said. ”I still don’t understand how you found out about this mess or how you got the money to repay them, but the least I can do is stand by you while you save me.” Richard studied the determined look in Deidre’s eyes and knew he couldn’t convince her to leave. As they entered the club, the thugs herded him and Deidre toward the table. Richard placed his duffel bag, which contained the cash he’d withdrawn after the mortgage went through, and put it on the table. ”Here’s the $80,000 Deidre owed you plus another $15,000 to cover the cost of your car. I, uh, got into some trouble, and the car ended up in a river.”Mr. Marco’s mouth twisted angrily, and he thumped his fist against the table. “You have the audacity to offer me a measly $15,000? After you come in here and tell me you sank the $100,000 shipment hidden in that car?

That doesn’t even BEGIN to cover what you now owe me.” The gangster grabbed the duffel bag and threw it to one of his thugs. ”You know, Deidre, I really believed in you, but sometimes, in business, you’ve got to know when to cut your losses.” He removed a gun from his suit jacket and pointed it straight at Deidre’s forehead. Richard pulled Deidre behind him. “No, please! This is all my fault! Don’t punish her!” ”Well, you made a good point.” The gangster shrugged, and the next moment, Richard was staring down the gun barrel.But suddenly, they heard police sirens outside. Mr. Marco turned and ran toward the back of the club as loud gunfire boomed and shook the place. Father and daughter crawled under the table. There was chaos in the club, and as Richard looked into his daughter’s fear-filled eyes, he knew he had to get her to safety, no matter what. Richard and Deidre pulled one of the tables over and barricaded themselves in a corner. They hid there until the police escorted them to safety. Thankfully, Mr. Marco was apprehended. ”Are you certain you don’t have any heart-related health issues?” Richard shook his head at the paramedic while in the ambulance. Richard swallowed hard when the police detective approached the ambulance.”Sir, what were you and your daughter doing in this club today?” the detective asked sternly. Richard explained about Deidre’s loan and how they’d come to the club that day to repay it. He hoped he might get away with not mentioning the car he sank in the river. The detective glanced at Deidre. “If we hadn’t found a car full of contraband in the river, we wouldn’t have been here to rescue you. You shouldn’t be taking loans from such disreputable people, miss.” “A car in the river?” Richard asked nervously. “It was registered to Mr. Marco’s cousin, which was exactly the lede we needed to take this gang down,” replied the officer.Richard sighed in relief. He was in the clear. The cops let him and Deidre go once they provided their statements. ”I owe you a huge apology, Dad. I dragged you into this whole mess,” Deidre apologized as they walked to the front, where Richard’s car was parked. Tears filled her eyes. “I didn’t know how to tell you. How does anyone tell their father that they’re a huge failure?” “You are not a failure!” Richard put his hands on Deidre’s shoulders. ”Maybe your business idea didn’t work out as well as you’d hoped, but you tried, Deidre. I wish you’d felt comfortable enough to tell me what was really going on in your life. Heck, I just wish you felt you could be as close with me as you were with your mother,” he continued. ”I don’t think you’ve been ‘fine’ for quite a while now.” Deidre burst into tears, and Richard put an arm around her. “It’s okay, honey,” he whispered soothingly. “Everything’s going to be okay.”Tell us what you think about this story, and share it with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

Mother of the Groom Hires an Unknown Actress to Sabotage the Wedding, but Plans Spiral Out of Control – Story of the Day

A struggling actress takes an unusual job after being hired by a wealthy man’s mother to pose as his girlfriend and sabotage his upcoming wedding. But as she spends more time with him and his fiancée, she questions her actions and the price of her desperation. What will she choose?

Miranda stepped out of the dim audition room, her chest heavy with frustration. The casting director’s parting words, “You’re not interesting enough,” stung more than she wanted to admit.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

With her wallet almost empty, taking a taxi home wasn’t an option, so she trudged along the busy sidewalk, her thoughts clouded with doubt and discouragement.

As she neared a small corner store, a bulletin board tacked outside caught her eye. Among the cluttered ads and flyers, one stood out.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

She stepped closer to read the hastily written note: “Looking for a woman to pretend to be my son’s girlfriend. Will pay well.” Beneath the bold letters was a single phone number. No name, no explanation.

Miranda shook her head and chuckled to herself. “People are wild,” she muttered, brushing it off as she entered the store.

At the register, reality hit her hard. The little she could afford—pasta, cheese, and toilet paper—barely filled a small bag.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

The notice snagged her attention again as she was heading back. Staring at her meager groceries, she sighed, pulled out her phone, and dialed the number.

“Hello, I saw your ad—” Miranda began, gripping her phone tightly.

A sharp voice cut her off. “Meet me at 7:00 p.m. at Bella Luna. Dinner’s on me.”

Miranda blinked in surprise. “Wait, what—”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

The line went dead. She stared at her phone. No name. No details. Just instructions. It felt strange, but with her bills piling up, she didn’t have the luxury to ignore it.

At 7:00 p.m., Miranda entered the restaurant, her stomach fluttering. She scanned the room, unsure who she was meeting.

A middle-aged woman in a tailored suit approached her, her steps confident.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“Are you the one who called about the ad?” the woman asked, her tone brisk.

“Yes, I’m Miranda,” she replied, offering a polite smile.

“Leslie,” the woman said, gesturing toward a nearby table. “Follow me.”

Once seated, Leslie leaned forward. “Do you have experience with this sort of thing?”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Miranda hesitated. “Not exactly. I’ve never pretended to be someone’s girlfriend before,” she admitted. “But I’m an actress. I think I can do it.”

Leslie nodded, her expression unreadable. “Good enough,” she said. “Here’s the deal. My son is getting married in a month. I need you to make him fall for you and ruin the wedding.”

Miranda’s jaw dropped. “Excuse me? Your ad said to pretend to be his girlfriend. It didn’t say anything about ruining relationships.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“I’m not stupid enough to write that in an ad,” Leslie said, her voice sharp. “His fiancée isn’t good enough for him. She’s only after his money. You’d be helping him, really.”

Miranda pushed her chair back. “I can’t do this. I’m sorry,” she said, preparing to leave.

“Ten thousand,” Leslie said suddenly.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“What?” Miranda froze.

“Ten thousand dollars if you break up the wedding. Two thousand if you try but fail. That should motivate you,” Leslie explained, her eyes fixed on Miranda.

Miranda’s breath caught. Ten thousand dollars. Two thousand, even. Her landlord’s threats echoed in her head. She needed the money.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“Honey, I don’t have all day,” Leslie snapped.

Miranda swallowed hard. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

“Good. But don’t slack off. If you do, you get nothing,” Leslie warned, extending her hand.

With a deep sigh, Miranda shook it.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Leslie had it all mapped out, and Miranda followed the plan step by step. Leslie’s son, Jack, was hiring an assistant for his company, so Leslie helped Miranda put together an impressive résumé.

It was polished to perfection, making Miranda seem like the ideal candidate. Jack didn’t hesitate—she got the job almost immediately.

But getting the job was the easy part. The hard part was getting Jack to notice her.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Miranda tried everything Leslie suggested. She wore short skirts and fitted blouses, hoping to catch his eye.

Yet, Jack seemed uninterested. His focus was always on work.

Frustrated, Miranda decided to try something different. She began staying late at the office, waiting for moments when it was just the two of them.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

One evening, Jack looked up from his desk and frowned. “You don’t have to stay just because I’m still here,” he said, his tone gentle but firm.

Miranda forced a smile. “I enjoy your company,” she replied, sitting across from him and pretending to organize files.

Over the next two weeks, something shifted. Jack began having longer conversations with Miranda, talking about his life, his goals, and even his favorite movies.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Yet, the more time Miranda spent with Jack, the harder her task became. She had met Katie, his fiancée, the woman Leslie despised.

Katie wasn’t what Miranda expected. She was kind, thoughtful, and genuinely sweet.

She brought homemade cookies to the office, reminded Jack to eat, and calmed him with a soothing word when he was stressed.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

One day, Miranda watched as Katie laughed over an origami crane Jack had made for her.

The love between them was undeniable. Leslie’s claims about Katie being a gold-digger felt harder to believe.

Still, Miranda couldn’t back out. Her landlord had already warned her about overdue rent, and the clock was ticking. Desperation outweighed her growing guilt.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

One evening, as Miranda stayed late at the office with Jack, her phone buzzed. She sighed, seeing Leslie’s name on the screen. Reluctantly, she answered.

“What’s taking so long?” Leslie demanded. “The wedding is in a week, and he’s still with Katie!”

“I’m working on it,” Miranda replied quietly, glancing at Jack, who was seated nearby, engrossed in his laptop.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“There’s no time left. You need to sleep with him,” Leslie snapped.

“What?! We never agreed to that!” Miranda exclaimed, her voice rising slightly.

“Then fake it,” Leslie said coldly. “Make it look like you did and send me photos. I’m done waiting.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Before Miranda could respond, the line went dead. She stared at the phone, her stomach twisting.

Slowly, she walked back to Jack and sat next to him on the couch, closer than she ever had before.

“Tired?” she asked, her voice softer than usual.

Jack glanced up briefly. “Yeah, a little,” he admitted.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Miranda hesitated, then placed her hand on his arm. “Maybe we could go to a bar. Unwind a little?”

Jack shook his head. “I can’t. Katie made dinner. She’ll already be upset that I’m late.”

“Does it really matter?” Miranda asked, leaning in slightly. “Come on. It’ll be fun.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Before Jack could respond, the elevator doors opened. Startled, Miranda pulled back. The sound of heels echoed as Katie appeared carrying two lunchboxes.

“I thought I’d bring dinner since you’re working late,” Katie said, smiling. She handed one box to Jack and turned to Miranda. “I brought some for you, too. You shouldn’t go hungry.”

Miranda stared at Katie, her heart sinking. Without thinking, she blurted, “I can’t do this anymore!”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“What are you talking about?” Jack asked, confused.

Miranda took a deep breath. “I’m an actress. I was hired to ruin your wedding. Leslie wanted me to make you fall for me. I needed the money, so I said yes. I’m sorry.”

Jack and Katie listened in stunned silence.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“I’m so sorry,” Miranda said again, her voice breaking. “I’m a horrible person.”

“No, you’re just someone in a desperate situation,” Katie said, taking Miranda’s hand.

Miranda shook her head. “Who are you? I just admitted I was trying to steal your fiancé, and you’re comforting me?”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Katie smiled gently. “I know Jack loves me. You wouldn’t have succeeded.”

Jack frowned with a hard expression. “I don’t want my mom to get away with this. Will you help us?”

“It’s the least I can do,” Miranda agreed.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

They carried out Jack’s plan with careful precision. Fake photos of Miranda and Jack in intimate moments were sent to Leslie.

Her response came quickly—she was excited and praised Miranda, convinced the wedding was ruined.

Meanwhile, Miranda saved screenshots of Leslie’s incriminating messages, knowing they would be crucial.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

At Jack and Katie’s rehearsal dinner, Miranda stood before the gathered guests, her heart pounding.

One by one, the photos, the messages, and even the ad that had first brought her into their lives appeared on the screen.

The room fell silent, then erupted in hushed whispers. Guests exchanged shocked glances, their disbelief palpable.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“This is all lies! I can explain!” Leslie shouted, her face red with anger.

Jack’s expression remained cold as he stepped forward. “Thanks, Mom, but Miranda already explained everything. We know the truth.”

Leslie’s voice rose in desperation. “I only wanted better for you! That woman doesn’t deserve you! She’s not good enough!”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Jack said firmly. “I’ll never forgive you for trying to ruin that. Now leave. Don’t come back into our lives.”

Leslie’s mouth opened to protest. “But—”

“Leave now,” Jack interrupted, his tone sharp. “Or I’ll call security.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Leslie’s face twisted in frustration. She grabbed her bag, muttering under her breath, and stormed out, her heels clicking loudly against the floor.

As the room settled, Miranda quietly gathered her things, preparing to slip out unnoticed. Jack noticed and stopped her. “Wait,” he said.

Miranda looked up, hesitant. “What is it?”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“I spoke to a friend of mine. He has a role in a theater production. You’d be perfect for it,” Jack said.

Her face lit up briefly but quickly fell. “I can’t. I owe you too much already.”

“Stop,” Jack said firmly. “Actors like you are hard to find. You did spend a whole month pretending you enjoyed staying late at the office with me. And you’ll still get your paycheck for this month as my assistant.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Miranda shook her head. “I don’t deserve it. I nearly destroyed your lives.”

Katie stepped forward, her voice calm and kind. “If not for you, Leslie would still be trying to ruin our wedding.”

Miranda hesitated. Katie smiled and added, “Stay for dinner. You’re already here. I’ll be upset if you leave.”

Miranda’s eyes filled with gratitude as she hugged Katie tightly. “Thank you,” she whispered.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Tell us what you think about this story and share it with your friends. It might inspire them and brighten their day.

If you enjoyed this story, read this one: Sarah’s life has always revolved around her family, but a devastating call from the hospital forced her to confront everything she had put on hold. As she rediscovers herself and begins living on her terms, a surprising twist changes everything, leading her to see life completely differently.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.

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